Contorting and stretching every muscle, every fiber of her being, Naybeah was quickly preparing for the worst. Feeling that dreadful sensation, that quickly soured her battle-hungry mood, was a first in her life.

Although she liked, no LOVED being in the midst of battle, feeling the ongoing carnage, spilling guts and the blood of her enemies, being on the receiving end of such an incredible and frightfully powerful incoming blow was a new and not-so-enjoyable sensation for the amazon lady.

It wasn't just her either. Unable to stop herself, Sarah was basically just crouching next to the second orc corpse, with her weapon plunged deep into his chest, as she was focused on the duel between these two titans. She was already shocked to witness such a fearsome blow from the blonde giantess, but when she saw that strange unnatural strike initiated by this strange, golden-eyed boy, she was rendered basically speechless. She was looking at the spectacle wide-eyed, with both of her hands covering her oval-shaped yelping lips.

What was even more incredible was that in the next instant, several afterimages of the traveling fist began to appear in its wake as it rapidly traversed its short arc. Each mirage lingered in the air standing still in place, serving as an eerie warning not to belittle this youth. He was like a 'dragon' amongst men.

She would probably be shocked to death if she knew how right she was with that assumption…

The crazed grin quickly vanished from Naybeah's face, replaced by a stern outlook. Gritting her teeth, she forced a fierce look on herself in the next fraction of a second, focusing only the incoming blow, and the blurry doomsday fist ahead.

Clenching her fists, she couldn't help herself anymore and began to move her arms, subconsciously, trying to deflect or at the very least block most of the blow before it would reach her vital organs.

Even then, there wasn't any time for any meaningful defense, even with her battle experience. So, other than swirling her wide-open arms, and flexing her muscles as much as she could, she couldn't possibly intercept the blow in time.

With no other options left, she averted her face and closed her eyes. At this very last moment of her life, she felt a strange, newfound clarity. The cloud of battle lust, the thirst for combat finally evaporated from her mind, lifting the hazy curtain of mist that clouded her judgment, and forced her to take on such an incredible opponent. Still, she did not regret it in the slightest. This was the path that she decided to embark upon, this was the way of the amazons. Only through pain can they reach Nirvana and earn their rightful place next to their goddess.

Just as her mind reached such peace and serenity the incoming fist arrived, reaching the collision point. She could already feel the heated temperature of the air surrounding them, searing the animal-fur cover over her torso.

However, at the very last possible moment, just as his fist was about to make contact with the woman, he suddenly stopped. Just an inch away from the dreaded collision. Still, even though the brunt of the attack was thwarted deliberately by the boy at the very last second, the surrounding layer or energy still managed to briefly brush against the bristly fur of her attire. There were no flashy explosions or a soul-shatteringly loud blister of a sound like what normally one would expect.

No, Aiden, managed to stop himself at the very last second. It wasn't necessary to cause damage to his opponent this time. He just had to prove a point, that's all.

Other than a fist-sized burn-mark on the amazon's chest-coverage that he left as a reminder of the potentially fatal blow, there were no lingering blemishes.

Keeping his fist in place for just a few moments longer letting their thoughts settle in both girls' minds, Aiden swiftly pulled his arm back, letting it rest once more at his side. He looked deeply into the amazon's shocked eyes, and giving a wide, knowing but still polite smile, he turned around and silently began to walk towards the just-as-equally stunned Sarah.

On his entire trek, silence ensued the trio. Only after he as well crouched down and grabbed the hilt of the blade still plunged into the dead orc's torso did the amazon finally recover enough to burst out in a loud guffaw.

"Ahaha!" She continued her loud, unrestrained burst of laughter for a long while before she managed to stop. "That was a first, I have to say!"

Following the amazon, Sarah also managed to recover, and quickly took over the blade from Aiden, with slight barely noticeable blush coloring the upper sections of her cheeks. Feeling the increasing warmth shaming her usually collected expression, she did not dare to look up but kept silently working on the body, not giving the boy any space to interject.

Deciding to keep shush about the fact that he noticed her embarrassing state, Aiden simply let the earlier smile continue to linger on his face, as he stood up and matched the blonde amazon's contented look.

"That was incredible kiddo! You really convinced me! I almost peed myself there for a moment!" She continued walking towards her weapon that was laying on the ground at the other side of the second orc that Sarah was currently working on, she reached for it and picked it up.

Keeping the head on the ground, she leaned against the handle, taking a deeper look at the youth in front of him.

"You know. I knew from the moment I first saw you in the city that you are something else. You could fool others, but I can see through your facade!"

"Oh really?" With an unfaltering smile, Aiden walked to a nearby tree to lean against its trunk. "And what do you see under this 'mask of mine'?"

Although he sounded calm, Aiden was actually quite intrigued by this woman's words. While she could come off as a bit too brunt or maybe primitive even, he knew that there was quite a receptive mind inside that blonde head.

Noticing that she got his attention, Naybeah smirked at the boy. Straightening herself back up, she grabbed the colossal, man-sized war ax and latched it onto its hoister on her back. As the clasps etched on and held the heavy weapon in place, she slowly walked towards the boy, with a knowing smirk stretching across her face.

"There is no need to say it out loud, am I right?" She began to express herself in a cheeky, slightly flirty manner as she kept closing the distance between the two, in both the literal sense and figuratively. "We both know that you are much more than what meets the eye. Although you may look like a young boy… You are much more…"

Arriving closer, she leaned closer to the youth, and gently touched his chest, as she whispered her last words into the boy's ears.

"You are a man, no, a beast under this cover. Am I right?"

Surprised and stunted, Aiden couldn't react to the woman's flirtatious actions at all. Still, he managed to forcefully keep his calm, cool and collected look while he was a literal mess on the inside. This was the first time, someone acted this way towards him after all. Sure, Mary was overly friendly, and he felt that she wanted to be good friends with him, nobody was like this before…

He took a few moments to collect himself, under the close watch and fiery gaze of the blonde woman, before he let out a long-winded sigh, changing the subject in the process.

"So, what was the reason for you to leave your home and come so far to this no-name piece of land?" He asked, quite curious about the answer.

"Heh…" Naybeah smirked eyeing the little 'kid' for a while, letting her eyes take in the sight slowly. After half a minute, she eventually continued. "Well, I did promise you, right?"

However, before really answering the question, she shifted her attention, looking at the woman, who has just exported the precious core from the dead body of the orc. "You done there playing doctor? I know you are listening in, but I like to look at the enemy up front, rather than feeling the daggers in my back if you catch my meaning!"

Using a small piece of already quite-used but still lavishly embroidered piece of light pink silk cloth, she carefully cleaned the black gemstone-like Monster Core, before neatly packing it away in her side bag.

Once she was done, she stood up, slowly packing away her smeared piece of clothing as well, before she finally turned to face the smirking amazon with a stern expression.

"Sure, hopefully, you won't throw yourself on Aiden meanwhile…"

With such a meaningful and witty remark, she walked next to Aiden, standing at his right side, slightly closer than she usually did. As she looked at the amazon once again, she had that competitive look in her eyes, that the amazon didn't fail to notice.

Her grin resurfacing on her face, she matched the purple-haired woman's gaze, not faltering the slightest.

Meanwhile, Aiden looked at the two with increasing confusion, not understanding what they were doing at all...