Thera flicked her wrist, turning on her time-dilation barrier, which she managed to bring in close, so that it only affected her. In this way, she effectively raised her speed and reflexes. Ray charged at her.

By the time one second had passed, she was finished.

Ray had been knocked out without knowing what hit him, and the two boys who were holding onto Yukikaze had needle holes in the painful part of their wrist.

They were both rather shocked to see needles sticking out of them. One of the boys slumped to the ground, fainted, while the other one was still staring in shock at his wrist, his face turning white.

Of course, Thera had made sure to miss the major arteries. She swiftly retrieved them from the boys hands. The one that was still conscious, slumped to the ground in a daze. Pathetic.

Yukikaze was draped on her shoulders once more, upset from the rough treatment she had experienced, and complaining.

Thera laughed and scratched behind Yukikaze’s ears. “Come on, Yukikaze! Let’s see if Teacher has a snack made for us~.”

She picked up speed as she ran towards the manor. She was now rank 9, Purple class, as a martial arts practitioner; and rank 8, Journeyman, as a magician.

To have increased by so many ranks in such a short amount of time truly was amazing, for each rank was more and more difficult to cross over. Of course, this was all due to Thera’s huge martial spirit capacity, mana capacity, and diligence.

After five years of reading books, running from Ray and his lackeys, and observing in the forest, she wanted to view a bit of the outside world.

The entire valley had been explored a bazillion times, and Thera probably knew more about the local flora and fauna than anyone, barring Madam Rothema.

Arriving at the manor, she saw two familiar-looking horses. Grinning, she walked into the manor, loudly announcing, “Teacher, I’m back!”

Walking into the parlor, she saw Laura and Master Thales sitting on the couch, as she expected. She began to greet them. “Master Thales! Laura-” and then stopped. The expression on their faces was not a happy one.

“I see you’re back, Briar Rose. There’s some cream in the kitchen for Yuki, if you’re willing to fetch it.” Madam Rothema said.

Thera implicitly knew Rothema was trying to sidetrack her while the three in the parlor discussed something unpleasant.

“No, she should hear this.” Master Thales said. “This concerns her fate as well.”

Thera looked at Master Thales, whose face had a rather haggard look to it. Sitting down in a chair, she watched his face as she asked. “What about my ‘fate’? Master Thales, what’s wrong?”

Having been kept inside a hidden valley for five years, Thera had no idea what was going on outside of it.

“In recent years, there has been a mysterious group. We don’t know who they are or how large they are, but wherever they go, they have made entire villages disappear, with nothing, not even a message. A month later, all of the villagers are returned to the village…as bloodied corpses. In the past year, twelve whole villages have disappeared due to this repeated tragedy.”

Master Thales paused, unsure how to say what came next. “The most recent village which has disappeared… is your hometown… Dulce.”

Thera petted Yukikaze, absentmindedly. “Is that so? How long do they have left?” She asked.

Laura looked at Thera with a twitching eyebrow. “Here I was worried over how you would take the news, and you just ask questions like it was the latest piece of gossip! I misjudged you!”

Thera raised her hand, to fend off Laura’s temper. “On the contrary, Laura. I am exceedingly troubled right now. But crying and self-pity won’t save our families.”

She turned her head to face Master Thales. “That is why I need you to be VERY specific, Master Thales. How much longer do they have left to live?” She watched his expressions closely.

“Ten days. They have ten days left.” He finally admitted. “But I’ll be dead before I let you go there! You know I promised your father that I'd keep you safe!” It seemed he was telling the truth, judging from the micro-expressions.

Thera stood up. “Master Thales, I believe you said I might return by the time five years had passed?”

He nodded slowly. “Five, or ten, yes. I also told you it depended, right? There are still many different groups out there that could still be watching. But, know this: I will not let you leave this valley until you have reached first rank, Red class.” He said, pressure emanating out from him. He intended to use a near hopelessly goal to discourage Thera from leaving.

If it were anyone other than Thera, then they might have thrown up their hands in despair. Thera simply asked. “Then, the terms of me being able to leave the valley is reaching first rank, Red class? You won’t go back on your word?”

“Of course not! I mean what I say. Unless you reach red class, you stay here!” He affirmed, thinking that she would try to get him to lighten up a bit, or lower the bar.

Thera smiled. She had got him right where she wanted him. After all, Red class was a matter of a simple breakthrough.

But, breaking through into the next class would require a large amount of energy. It would take any normal practitioner at least three more months to breakthrough from where she was.

Still, she turned to Madam Rothema. “It seems I shall be away for a while, Teacher. Please give me my homework in advance, so that I can further my studies. I will most likely be away for eleven-no-twelve days.”

“Foolish girl! Didn’t you hear what I said?! You can’t leave until Red Class! It’s too dangerous!” Thales snapped.

Thera turned to look at him her eyes finally revealing the impatient sparks of a raging flame within them.

“Then when shall I leave here, Master Thales? It was you who brought me here. And I stayed, hoping it would keep my family safe. Like a sheltering greenhouse, you wished to keep me safe from wind and rain. I am already eleven, yet have had no proper martial instruction, and no means of seeing my family these past five years. I left to keep THEM safe, Thales! And yet, you are telling me to just sit here as their time ticks down bit by bit?”

If Master Thales wasn’t sitting, he would have taken a step back at her tenacity. As it was, he felt she had a depth of character that was unnatural for an 11 year old girl.

Thera inclined her head, reigning in the fire in her eyes. “No matter, though. I do not blame you. But do not be fooled by my appearance, for I am no pansy that needs to be cared for. I am a wild briar, and I bloom in adversity to all that is harsh. And if harshness greets me, then I shall be doubly harsh in return." Her words rang out like a bell in the quiet room.

She clenched her hand into a fist."If anyone should wish to steal from me those whom I hold dear, then you can be sure that I shall not rest on my laurels while it is being done! Tomorrow morning you will have your desired first rank, red class. And I shall be going home.”

Then Thera glided out of the room with such a practiced noiseless grace, that it was as if she were a ghost.

“Well, well! This is what becomes of those who meddle in other’s fates.” Madam Rothema muttered with a smile, shaking her head as she stood up to head to the library.

Thales looked at her. “Don’t tell me you’re actually going to LET her leave?! By the crown, she’s just an eleven year old girl!”

The bespectacled elderly woman turned around, her expression a mixture of bemusement and annoyance, which slowly turned into a stern, scolding look as she spoke.

“Well, let me tell you, GERARD: she is no ordinary girl. No ordinary child can make it from 2nd rank, Apprentice Class to 8th rank Journeyman Class in Five years! Not even an adult has a comprehension level that high!

"Moreover, she’s done this while CONTINUING to make breakthroughs in martial spirit ranks and classes. I didn’t think I needed to remind you what it takes to do such a thing. It’s not twice as hard to make continuous breakthroughs in both magic and martial spirit: it’s a hundred times harder.

"And this young girl did it without any instruction in fighting or defense on your part. All I did was assign her books. I didn’t give hints or coddle her. She brought in her first defeated beast not three weeks after you disappeared to the crown knows where!

“And it was no minor game like a Pigumy or a Sqwarlit, either! It was a red-eyed Boar King-an animal that even grown men hesitate to go up against.

“She grew this way on her own, without either of our meddling, so don’t you DARE think about meddling in the affairs of a life that you have no claim to!”

Madam Rothema turned around and walked away. Master Thales and Laura were still sitting in their seats, stunned by Madam Rothema’s rebuff.

Laura had been amazed at the progress Thera had made, but she had gotten used to Thera being an impossible girl. She was pleased that her friend had become so strong, and resolved to redouble her own studies under Master Thales, in order to someday be able to stand at Thera’s side. She kept these things in her heart, praying Thera would make it in time.

Then Laura glanced over at Master Thales, a mischievous light in her eyes. “So…Your first name is Gerard?”

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After locking herself into her room, Thera took all the food out of her magic bag. Perhaps it was a hidden feature, or a result of the space magic, but food didn’t go bad in the magic bag, so Thera often put food that she wanted to save for later, inside her bag.

And, after five years, she had amassed quite a lot of it. From sandwiches to cookies to cheeses to breads: the amount was enough to make a huge pile on her bed.

And so, Thera began to eat. When she was full, she changed the food into energy, and then fused that energy into the cartilage within her body. The food would disappear from her stomach, and then she would eat again.

Eat, convert, compress; eat convert, compress: the process went on all night long.

When the moon peeked its head over the valley’s high mountain walls, Thera’s room was filled with a bright light.

Thera’s body was in terrible pain; her nose, ears, joints, and spine became burning lava hot. After experiencing the feeling of pain two times before, Thera still could not get through the experience without biting her lip until it bled, spreading a coppery taste in her mouth.

Yet after a certain amount of time, the pain subsided, and the glowing stopped. Thera released a white mist from her mouth. It was finally over.

Standing up, Thera could feel the raw power that was jammed into her body. Now she was capable of movements faster than the speed of a bullet, according to her memories.

So this is 1st rank, Red Class, huh? Thera thought to herself. It felt completely different than the previous five ranks. Her speed, toughness, and strength had increased by a huge amount. She breathed in. The five senses -sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell-were all, once again, greatly enhanced.

She let her breath out. It was only about 6am according to her internal sense of time. She stretched her body, stood up and executed a few punches and kicks, hearing the air whistle and snap as she did so.

She sat back down on the bed, and looked at the still quite high pile of food. She had come so far, it would be a shame not to go as far as she could, right?

---------------------

Master Thales stood at the waterfall exit, waiting, watching the sun dip towards the horizon.

“Teacher, do you think that she’ll even appear today?” Laura asked, bored.

“We must trust her word. If she can’t deliver, then she is not qualified to leave.” He replied. Laura glared at him. Her own parents had escaped the chilling event by being in the city capital for the yearly ball. But, she could also understand Thera's worry over her parents. For Thales to know it, and still to remain as cold as stone made her sigh. Why did men have to be born so stubborn?

Finally, as the sun touched the mountain’s edge, Thera appeared in front of the waterfall.

“You are here.” Master Thales observed. “But, it’s so late in the day.”

“Please forgive the wait. I lost track of the time in training, and then I had to receive my homework.” Thera said, bowing an apology.

“Hmph! I’ll need to confirm it then.” He huffed as he brought out the black-bordered plate.

Thera smiled and placed her hand upon the plate. The light rising from the plate shined out a strong fire red.

After Master Thales stared at it for a long time, he sighed, and put the plate away. “I get it. If you want to go now, then I’ll allow it.” He turned away.

“Thank you, Master Thales. I look forward to learning from you upon my return.” She bowed, before leaving through the waterfall.

Laura watched his face as he stared at the sunset. He had a bemused smile.

“Geez! I said first level, but that little monster had the audacity and miraculous opportunity to breakthrough straight to level 2 red class!” he muttered. “We might actually have a chance.”

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Despite it having been five years since she had last been outside the valley, Thera had made it a point to remember all of the different traps and methods for disarming them that she had witnessed five years ago. In fact, she had even made a map and burned it into her memory before burning the map.

So it was very easy for her to pass through the many layers of traps that surrounded the mountain. In truth, she could have left at any time, but she knew only too well the price paid for impatience.

As soon as she passed the last bridge trap, she jumped into the treetops. Jumping from branch to branch, she sped down the mountain range. In a mere four hours, she reached the main road.

Upon reaching the road, she stopped for a short rest. Since she had strengthened her stamina over the past five years, running for four hours wasn’t really a problem. However, since her lungs were not yet reinforced, there was a need to stop and rest for a bit.

It was quite difficult to breathe while running at speeds that would rival a train, after all. Thera realized that if she wanted to do any sort of real fighting, then she’d have to find a way of doing it while holding her breath, since it was too difficult to breathe while moving at such speeds as she was capable of.

This bothered her. She was going to be plunging into a dangerous situation, after all. Being able to fight to her fullest potential was extremely necessary, since she didn’t know who or what she’d encounter.

So, while she was resting, she wracked her brain to think of a solution to her dilemma. Hmm…if she couldn’t get oxygen from the outside, then perhaps some sort of way of breathing without breath?

Ah. There was that way….Thera smiled as she stared off into the sky. Magic certainly had its special benefits.