As Diane approached the Pavilion, where she first undertook the aptitude exam to enter the Adventurer’s Guild, she quickly noticed that this time she had a much larger audience than the last time. She spied several people she didn’t know… one was an Asian man with long black hair, part of it in an ornamental style topknot, wearing loose black robes with red hems and what appears to be two sheathed swords on his side.

Standing on either side of him was an Owlkin, wearing a rough-spun green and brown tunic, with a bow strapped across his back, a dagger on his side, and a large mug of ale in hand. The other was a woman in a full-set of Templar Plate Armor. Her allegiance to Venus was clear, from the Heart insignias emblazoned on both pauldrons and the heart-shaped opening of her helmet.

A cheer squad for my opponent? Who are they?

The other group next to them, clearly, was her cheer squad. Thistleman, sitting nonchalantly on Clovers back, and Emily.

So for my opponent…

“Terra! So you are here for my bronze rank test? I thought I was supposed to have a silver ranked opponent, not a gold! Not that it will make a difference!”

As Diane walked into the pavilion, she had developed a bit of swagger. Even her words oozed confidence. Compared to last time… many things had changed. So what if Terra was a gold rank? She had survived things that had killed silver ranked adventurers, she had easily defeated her supposed superiors. In spite of her failure against the Ogres, she had still managed to kill some of them. Especially since then, she had trained relentlessly.

I am not a helpless little girl anymore! I bet I can even challenge a gold rank now!

“So, because you have nice little nickname now, you think you’re a big-shot, huh? Maybe. We will see about that, after you play with me a little bit.”

Compared to the last time Diane saw her in the mess hall, Terra’s attitude was remarkably different. Even with her pink stuffed bear hanging around her neck, she stood imposingly at her full height, arms crossed, and a hair-raising smile plastered on her face.

“What? You want to make light of me again? You know, I think I still owe you. I haven’t forgotten what you did at the mess hall!”

“Ohhh? If I recall, it was the other way around and you tried to make a mockery out of me, in spite of all I did to help you!”

Off to the side, the Asian man covered his face with his hand and muttered to himself, a nightmarish aura coalescing around him. Both of his companions quickly stepped further away from him, eyeing him nervously.

“So… that’s what this was about… she held a childish grudge… I bet the whole spiel about her being a potential recruit was a farce! I pulled so many strings for this… if I am even slightly disappointed, even just the smallest bit disappointed… the punishment this time…”

His violent ruminations were interrupted, however, by the boy sitting atop the Saber Tooth cub.

“So, seems like you know Terra. Who are you guys anyways?”

[Lu] An absolutely nonchalant interruption. No honorifics. Disrespectful, in that this mere boy didn’t attempt to offer any respect. Not to his elders, nor to a higher ranked… wait? He isn’t even a ranked adventurer! He is merely a porter, a servant! Discipline in the youth is severely lacking these days!

With much consternation, the man responds “I am Lu Shizhong, Mythril ranked adventurer and leader of the Red Sun! Together with me are Grace Af Marienburg, our Paladin over here, and Ahusaka Akando, the Ranger. Perhaps you may properly recognize us now?”

Without skipping a beat, and certainly without the slightest change in attitude… “Nope. No idea who you are. I’m Thistleman by the way. The mute there is Emily, and this guy is Clover. I wouldn’t try to pet him though, he bites.”

Except for the last sentence, which he emphasized for sheer effect. And it hit its mark, perfectly.

The Paladin immediately butts in to the conversation, her face clearly in anguish.

“What?! No way! But… you’re riding him! How can he not be friendly?!”

Completely distracted by Thistleman’s taunts, neither Lu nor Grace noticed the rapidly deteriorating shouting match between Terra and Diane, their insults growing more childish by the moment.

Terra had completely lost her cool, and before the bell even rung, launched the first blow. Its sheer power regained everyone’s attention with a mighty *BOOM*.

[Thistleman] Perfect… I kept their attention long enough for Terra to lose her composure without them intervening! This is the best I can do for you from here Diane… you won’t get a better or… relatively speaking, safer opportunity to learn how to fight a thinking opponent then this!

Diane could barely dodge in time, Terra’s fist struck with incredible force with nothing more than basic mana reinforcement!

The concrete base of the floor suffered the full force of the impact, shattering large cracks several feet from the point of impact.

“What happened to all that smack talk of yours? You wanted to play games, let’s play! Ahahahahaa!”

Terra began her assault, completely unarmed.

“You think I would make this easy for you? Pah!”

I can’t hold back, not now!

Without hesitation, Diane began to draw on the energy within her.

Devils Wrath!

Spiritual Amplification!

The familiar power welling up, and with it… a strange calm and focus began to wash over her. And with it, an unfamiliar voice.

Now, make your move.

A commanding voice. A Familiar Voice. She did not hesitate.

Diane pumped her mana fully throughout her body, and as much as she could manage in to her legs and eyes.

Shadow Step.

Demonic Resistance.

Devil’s Sight.

With a rush, Diane sped around Terra’s flank! The air itself wrapped around her, following her movements.

“What? Think you will get the better of me with just that? Hahaha!”

With an incredibly powerful swing of Terra’s leg, her foot tore through the concrete like sand, flinging chunks of debris and dust in Diane’s direction. And through the dust, without hesitation and enough force to shatter bones, came Terra’s fist. Using all of her speed, Diane was barely able to bring her arms in to block.

*THOOM*

Direct Impact!

Diane was sent flying backwards! However, with lithe agility, she was able to twist around mid-air to land on her feet… and immediately sprung back towards Terra!

And for a moment, Terra looked on, dumbfounded.

[Terra]That should have shattered her arms… why didn’t it? Did she weaken the damage with her mana?!

“Fireball!”

A close-quarter blast! Diane had aimed the fireball directly at Terra’s feet, which Terra deftly dodged backwards to evade its range.

“Hah! Where do you even think you were aiming…”

“Reinforced Strike! Swift Strike!”

Through the flames of her own fireball, Diane didn’t drop the momentum from her opportunity once. She plunged her rapier straight at Terra. In spite of her best instincts, she couldn’t completely dodge, and the blade deftly cut through Terra’s armor and scratched her side.

“All your big talk, but you can bleed just like anybody else! Hmph!”

[Diane]Although… it’s nothing more than bluster from me. She hasn’t even used any skills yet! Isn’t gold only a single rank up from silver?!

“Huh… haha.. hahahaaha… ahhhahahaahahaa! Seems like your nickname isn’t all bluff! I think I can actually play a little rougher with you!”

Terra’s ferocious laughter no longer felt like that of a childish woman, but rather a woman slowly going mad.

On the sidelines, Lu was preparing himself to intervene, his face beginning to line with worry.

(Lu) “Grace, Ahusaka, prepare to grab Diane. I will restrain Terra!”

(Thistleman) “Don’t interfere just yet, the fun is only getting started!”

(Lu) “What the hell are you talking about? As soon as Terra goes into a rage, this fight is finished!”

(Thistleman) “Maybe you shouldn’t underestimate my dearest little Devil so much. Sure, she can’t win, but she isn’t out of the fight yet. If you’d listened to half the rumors, you would know that this can’t be all she has to offer.”

Lu couldn’t help himself, something… something just felt completely off about the entire fight. From the beginning, Diane had nowhere near enough mana to compare to Terra. Then, there was the sudden shift in type and quantity… still no match for Terra’s, but so far it hasn’t even so much as flickered!

And then… this damned brat! That absolutely unnerving smile of his! Does he enjoy his friend getting beaten up? Or does he actually know something I don’t?

[Thistleman] No. This is certainly not enough. She can do more. At the very least, she will make these fools acknowledge her! If she doesn’t draw more power herself, then it seems I may need to intervene just a bit. If she thinks she knows what rage is… then maybe… I can let these arrogant twats feel absolute WRATH.

“GRAAAAAAAOHHHH!”

With a ferocious bellow, mana begins to furiously vent from around Terra! All her muscles begin to strain under the pressure.

[Terra] Rage. Ki Strike!

She then takes one of her palms, mana gathering into her hand… and with a powerful thrust sends a wave of mana flying at Diane! The pressure of the shockwave cracking the concrete in its wake!

[Diane] No… I can’t take this hit with my current strength. I need more… I need more… but where?

Sensing deeper and deeper within her, she can almost feel a well of Darkness, an abyss which could swallow her whole.

DON’T YOU DARE FALTER. UNMASK YOUR HOSTILITY!

“RAAAAAAAAAAAH!”

“MAXIMUM FIREPOWER: FIREBALL!”

With a furious scream, and a surge of energy, a horrendous, black fireball takes shape and launches from the tip of Diane’s Rapier, intercepting the incoming Ki Strike!

The resulting shockwave from the blast rips straight through the roof of the pavilion, and a deafening roar echoes across the city!

The sounds of the city bells ringing could hardly be heard over the din of the current fight.

[Terra] That feisty little bitch! Fine! I’ll take you seriously!

Mighty Stance!

Power Step!

Brutal Strike!

Furious Blows!

Crater!

With Titanic fury, Terra blasted towards Diane! Each footfall tearing through the ground, shattering the concrete and sending small shockwaves in its wake! Each of her hands were thundering pistons, which rained with incredible fury!

The first blow… Diane dodged with a roll. However, compared to the first time… the ground completely caved under the impact! A crater 10 feet wide blasted outwards from the point of impact. As did the next one, and the one after…

[Diane] Speed! I need more speed!

Dropping her Rapier, and focusing her mana into her arms and legs, Diane launched herself between Terra’s legs.

[Diane] And now… POWER!

Reinforced Strike!

Swift Strike!

Power Strike!

Precision!

Fireball!

Diane unleashed everything she had available.

However, with unnatural speed, Terra twisted around and met Diane’s fist with her own, crushing the nascent fireball under the impact! The shockwave expanded the crater, shattering the lonely supports surrounding the former stage.

For a moment, their blows were matched, and unbelievable spectacle, a small girl, fiendishly smiling, matching a blow with a hulking barbarian.

But it was only for a moment.

[Terra] Rend.

Shattering Palm.

Terra’s fingers were like claws, and ripped straight through Diane’s Demonic resistance. Then came the first palm strike, crushing Diane’s stomach, and slamming her in to the ground.

The second… never made it.

“That is enough. You have made far more of a mess than I was intending to deal with today.”

Baal, completely replete in his hooded attire, had appeared out of nowhere to almost everybody present and had caught Terra’s hand.

Her eyes, consumed with Rage, turned towards the Branch manager. She turned the full force of one of her fists on him!

“I said… THAT IS ENOUGH.”

As Baal’s eyes locked with Terra’s, her aura wavered for a moment, before she too collapsed.

He turned towards the speechless onlookers, only one of whom seemed particularly pleased. Although Thistleman quickly hid his smile.

[Baal] Damn, that was too close… but at least… at least Dagon isn’t furious. Was he expecting me to intervene at the last possible minute? How the hell am I supposed to explain this mess to the city?!

“Seriously… managing you adventurers will be the death of me. How hard is it to NOT BREAK EVERYTHING during an exam?! Damn it! Now help me think up a good explanation for this before the city guard gets here! We will be lucky with just a hefty fine, you damn nitwits! I will have you work for free until this gets paid off, damn it!”

Thistleman’s eye twitched. Diane really doesn’t like it when her budget is impacted.

[Baal] Shit… did I go too far? Still, I have my appearances to maintain too! Please forgive me, Lord Dagon!