Another two weeks passed in the blink of an eye, during which time Arthur followed the same routine. He would wake up in the morning, have a short talk with Conrad, eat lunch, and then return to the same place to train with Safira for the rest of the day.
Slowly, the stance he struggled to memorize became a standard and the cut of his sword sharp, precise and fast. Not because of his strength and agility, but because of his technique.
Of course, as they spent more and more time together, Arthur grew closer to Safira and saw the gorgeous woman's speech become more fluent. It wasn't enough for her to speak perfectly yet, but she had certainly improved a lot.
At this exact moment, the two of them were training together. Their swords flowed around their bodies in sync, while their feet moved back and forth as if they were dancing around each other.
The mana around them was agitated, but not in a violent, wild way, it was more as if it accompanied the movement of their bodies, as if their control was so perfectly aligned that even the atmosphere seemed to conform to their actions.
Suddenly, the calm air between them stirred as Arthur decided it was time to end the fight.
Arthur slashed at Safira, using all his strength in a downward slash.
Safira parried the blow with ease, but she underestimated how strong Arthur really was, and her body was thrown back violently as her sword slipped from her hands.
"I've got you!" Arthur shouted excitedly before throwing his sword away and advancing on the woman, determined to immobilize her with his bare hands. Unfortunately, he forgot that Safira was an assassin, not a swordswoman.
Regaining her composure in less than a second, Safira spun her athletic body in the air, easily dodging Arthur and using her inertia to kick his back, sending him to the ground.
"Ugh," Arthur grunted, punching the ground as a hint of anger and humiliation appeared on his face. Despite this, he was still unwilling to give up.
Roaring mightily, Arthur opened his arms and lunged forward once more. He tried to grab her in a bear hug.
"Powerful..." Safira took a step aside.
"But slow..." She dodged Arthur again, but this time he didn't go right through her.
Arthur planted his left foot on the ground, which cracked under the weight of his body and the force of his sudden braking. Immediately after, he used his right foot to propel his body toward Safira, who could barely react in her state of surprise.
When he finally got his hands on her, Arthur didn't stop running until they hit a wall.
"Ughhhh..." Safira let out a female groan of pain as her back hit the wall with a thud that made the whole building shake.
"Are you all right?" Arthur gave the woman some space, but didn't stop pushing her. Although he was worried that he had used too much force, he didn't want to let victory slip from his hands.
"Yes!..." Safira smiled shamelessly before wrapping her legs around Arthur's waist and using the little freedom he gave her to move her fists, punching him mercilessly in the face.
""Damn!" Arthur gritted his teeth and grabbed the woman's hands before pushing her even harder against the wall, pinning her arms above her head.
Safira still tried to struggle, but soon realized that it was useless to try to resist Arthur's tremendous strength.
"I think I won, hehehe" Arthur grinned cheekily.
"One victory... 130 defeats... doesn't sound like much to celebrate," Safira smiled, sarcasm in her voice. After two weeks and more than a hundred battles, Arthur had finally achieved a victory.
Soon the two of them found themselves laughing uncontrollably, Arthur's soft, masculine laugh and Safira's sweet, feminine giggle dominating the atmosphere...
The two weeks of training together every day and having each other as their greatest companion had shaped their hearts.
"Huh... I guess you're right..." Arthur finally admitted and their laughter stopped.
At that moment, their eyes met and the world around them fell silent. For a brief second, all that remained was their rapid, panting breaths. Something that wasn't helped by the inappropriate position they were in.
Arthur felt the softness of Safira's flesh pressing against his, felt the rapid beating of her heart as his chest and hers were pressed tightly together.
It was a peculiar but deadly thrill.
Fighting any hesitation, Arthur let the mood dictate his actions and dropped his hands.
His left hand slid down the woman's curvaceous body, stopping at her slim, attractive waist, while his right hand went to the mask she wore to cover half of her face.
Safira blushed as she lost control of her breathing. But she didn't resist. In fact, in her heart, her youthful mind leapt with excitement. since the day she first laid eyes on Arthur, she had felt her heart pound. That handsome, sculpted face, framed by a long black hair, combined with his beautiful, piercing red eyes, were more than capable of entering her heart and mind.
After all, she had just left adolescence, and beneath the veil of a cold and ruthless Shadow Assassin was a young woman still learning the traps of her own heart.
Embracing the flame that was rising within him, Arthur lowered his right hand and took Safira's mask with it, finally revealing what he had never been able to see on her face. Pink, plump lips on a delicate, perfect face that didn't match the hard life of a warrior like Safira.
Arthur froze at the sight, as if his body stiffened and even his already passionate gaze trembled at such beauty.
In his life, he had seen many beautiful women on television and the Internet, but not even the most stunning models could compare to a single look from Safira.
His heart seemed to burst as he finally found the courage to press his lips to hers, and in that brief moment, he lost himself in the softness of her mouth, the sweetness that invaded his mouth, and the warmth of her touch.
Safira completely lost control of her emotions and her body as her heart seemed to explode with a burst of complicated emotions. Her beautiful blue eyes widened and her already pounding heart raced even faster.
In that moment, bathed in the faint blue light of those crystals, they became one. Their emotions merged, their heartbeats synchronized, and their bodies intertwined with their lips.
For Arthur, who was already completely lost, Conrad, the dungeon and all their problems disappeared, leaving only the closeness of their bodies, the warmth of their flesh and the smell of their breath.
Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever.
The young couple was soon interrupted by a loud, not-so-distant cry.
"What was that?" Arthur pulled his body away from Safira's and ran to get his sword.
"Alice!" Safira shouted, and knelt down to pick up her mask, which had fallen to the ground before she ran towards the cry.
"Wait for me!" Arthur shouted and took off right behind Safira. The mood of the moment was completely shattered, replaced by a deep concern.
Whatever had happened, it wasn't good news.