“Thanks… I… I actually feel a lot better…”-Rachel said.

I’ve been injecting Natural Energy into her for like thirty minutes already. The amount of nature’s energy her mana should have absorbed should be enough to not only help her recover her stamina but also to let her build the foundation. The reason I stopped is basically that there’s a limit to the amount she can absorb without getting damaged, so now, her mana has to adapt to what it could absorb, before doing it again.

“Yeah, Natural Energy has that particular trait, it helps a lot when it comes to recovery, not only of stamina but also health and other stuff…”-I said to her while standing up and going towards my stuff. I still needed to go to the training center to help Hajin, exams are close, and I’m sure he will want to get more points.

“I was actually talking about myself… It’s just… My mana… It feels different. But not in a bad way…”-She says. “The change isn’t that big… But even then… I can feel it…”

“Well, that should be normal… Your mana is adapting to nature’s energy, starting to feeling it around, meaning that you’re also doing so. And basically, being surrounded by it 24/7, of course, it’s normal for you to feel different.”-I answer while sheathing my sword and picking up my things. “Don’t worry. While that feeling will slowly increase, it won’t be anything bad, and you’ll quickly adapt to it.”-I smiled at her, and then started walking.

“You’re going already?”-She asks, still sitting on the ground. “I thought we would keep sparring a little more now that I recovered some stamina.”

“Nah, got things to do. We’ll spar tomorrow again. Same hour.”-I said while leaving towards the forest’s exit.

***

After leaving the forest, I went to my room. There was still time until the usual hour. So, I was going to rest for a bit until the hour came.

I took a few snacks and beer I bought in Brazil and went to the couch to spread wide while looking at some videos on the YouTube of this place.

To be honest. They have a few good things to see, but it’s a platform truly focused on heroes and a little bit on mercenaries. Apart from that, maybe music videos and the usual stuff you could find back home.

After a while, the time came, so I stood up, got changed into my usual training outfit, and went towards the training center.

***

Once inside the training center, I did what I usually did, wait for Hajin or Olivia to finish, to help one of them to recover.

The place was full, but not to full capacity, even if exams started next week, some of the students also had to study for the theory ones.

I just chose a bench to wait. Looking and sensing around I could feel some of the usual cadets from these last days. Including Nayun, Suho, Horak, and Kim Suho’s friend, Yi Yeonghan. They glanced at me but focused on their training after it. Chae Nayun also went inside one of the gravity chambers.

After a while, Olivia came out of another gravity room. Her face was totally tired, and she started to look everywhere looking for something, and once she found me, she started to walk towards me.

“… Hey…”-She said.

“‘Supp? Too tired?”

“Kind off… I… Tried to go a little bit over what I was used to this week… But couldn’t keep it for much.”-She said while sitting and supporting herself on her knees. “What about you?”

“Nothing much. Helping someone and then seeing some stuff on the Internet.”

“Helping… someone…? *sigh…* I’m not even going to ask…”-She then sat straight and turned her back to me. “Would you? Please?”-She asked without even glancing at me.

“Sure.”-I put my hands over her back. “One.”

I cycled Natural Energy through her magic circuit, helping her to recover.

After a while, we finished. Just in time for Kim Hajin to get here.

“*sigh…* Man… I’m tired… You need to learn how to go easier on people…”-Hajin said while coming towards us.

“Stop complaining. Now you can come here by yourself, and without being totally dead tired, right? You’re welcomed.”-I said to him. “Now. Sit here. I want to finish this fast.”

After helping him recover for a few minutes, we all made our way towards the dormitories.

“Hey… Can you go first, Kim Hajin?”-Olivia stopped and said mid-way. Making us stop too.

“…”-Hajin looked at her for a second, before glancing towards me. “Sure. See you both tomorrow.”-He said while going forwards.

“So… Do you want to talk about something?”-I asked her while looking at Hajin leaving us behind.

“Actually… Yes… I want to talk about tomorrow…”-She started. “Can we?”-She asked while looking at me.

“Sure. Come.”-I said while leading her towards one of the benches in the path. “So… What do you want to talk about?”-I ask once we were sitting.

“Did you expect me… to win…? When you proposed the deal back then I mean.”-She asks.

“Of course not.”

“…”-She stares at me. “Then… You wanted me to fail? To have an excuse for me to not get close to you?”

“Ha! I already told you. I could just break a bone or two if it was for that. I wouldn't take such a roundabout way.”

“Then? Why did you offer to bet?”

“As a chance. Told you already.”-I said, this time looking at her directly at the eyes. “I didn’t expect you to win, or lose. I expected you to make your best effort. To try and succeed. That’s what I expected. You, to show me what you can accomplish. With that said. Tomorrow. I’m expecting you to prove yourself to me. Right now, I’m indeed expecting you to win. So, you better do it.”-I said to her.

“…”-She just stared at my eyes. Her coffee-like eyes looking deeply into mine. As if trying to pull me closer towards them.

“Then. Shall we go?”-I said while breaking the eye-contact. “It’s already late.”-I stood up.

“…”-She looked down to the floor, with a little bit of red color on her cheeks. “Sure… Let’s go…”

***

“Argh… I want to go play soccer or something.”-A stressed-out Chae Nayun was continuously grumbling about wanting to go out and play or do some Combat Training. “My body’s healed but I can’t move my body…”-She said with her body slumped over the desk.

Today was Thursday, so we all were studying in groups of sorts for the exams in these review classes. With only four days left until the start of the exams, you could see every cadet doing their best to not reprove them. Well, almost every cadet.

“Exams are next week. Study hard, or you’re going to have regrets when the results come out.”-Kim Suho said to the slumped Chae Nayun who was suffering from having to study. “Um, Yeonha, can you tell me how to solve this?”-He then asked Yoo Yeonha who was sitting with them.

“…Can you not forget my last name?”-She answered while looking up from her notebook.

“Oh, yeah, sorry.”

{Even with what happened, she’s still like that… And I thought she would change a little bit. Well, Koreans do seem to love polite speech.}-I thought to myself while slumping myself on the chair, not knowing what to do until classes ended, that hopefully, would be soon.

Meanwhile, besides me, Hajin was helping Rachel with a few problems from Phenomenon Realm Analysis. They were high-difficulty problems for anyone, except for me or him. Which was honestly funny, as all we had to do was to write what Observation and Reading told us to do…

*Riiiing~*

{There you are! My salvation!!!}-I thought as the class end's bell rang.

I started putting my stuff inside the backpack, until a shadow came close to where I was, right beside me. I ignored it and keep putting my stuff inside the backpack so I could run away towards my usual place.

“Hey, help me study.”-Chae Nayun asked with a sweet smile towards Hajin. That gave me the chills while I stood up to leave.

“… I don’t want to.”-Hajin answered before turning towards me. “Hey, dude, wait for me.”

I just kept walking. While Nayun stopped Hajin.

“What? Why!?”-She asked.

“It’s too troublesome.”-He said while following me out of the classroom.

“H-Hey! Um, please! How about a study guide on Phenomenon Realm Analysis?”-I’m sure we both could hear that desperate plea for help, but I ignored it as it didn’t have anything to do with me.

***

“You sure it was right to ignore her like that?”-I ask him while drinking my usual chocolate milkshake.

“Yeah… In all honesty, it is troublesome to help her study…”-He says before sipping his tea.

“Well, I’m glad you know how troublesome it is to teach or help people.”

“…”

“So… What are you doing these days? Today I’ll finish training Rachel for the week, in the night I’ll check Olivia’s improvement and whether she can win or not the bet. From tomorrow on, it all depends on today’s night.”- I said before sipping my drink.

“Well, I don’t know… I was thinking of only focusing on my training. Grabbing items in dungeons won’t help in the exams as I won’t be able to use them.”-He said.

“Well, you’re right in that.”-I said finishing my drink. “I’ll be going then. I have to train Rachel.”-I said to him while standing up.

“Sure, I’ll pay for the drinks.”-He said.

“Wow, thanks! Own you that then.”

“It’s honestly not that much. Also, the item I got from that spiders’ dungeon was really good. I thought I should repay you somehow.”-He said.

“Really?”

“Yeah, it’s incredibly hard for something so thin. I tested it a few times and I almost cut the couch in my room with it… Though I need to use the stigma to handle it properly, while I’m good at throwing things, the thread it’s a little bit harder and trickier to use for the moments…”

“Be careful with it then.”-I said while leaving the place. I still have to get changed and get my things from my room. While going out, though, Angela waved at me, and also desired me luck for next Monday’s test. I thanked her with a smile before leaving.

***

At 6:00 PM I was getting inside the forest.

{Really they’re all so punctual…}-I thought while going to the same place as usual.

“Hi, Cristopher-ssi.”-Rachel says hi to me while standing up from the rock. “We’ll be training the same as yesterday?”

“Yeah, get ready. We’ll try to go a little bit harder today.”-I said to her while dropping my things on the floor and unsheathing my training sword.

For the record. She’s been fighting a lot better, mostly because now she doesn’t limit herself to only her sword. And even if she is still clumsy with mixing a few punches or kicks on her combos, she at least tries to do it, which is a great improvement.

“Well, let’s go.”-I said while dropping my scabbard on the floor, next to my things, and getting ready to fight.

…

The final score of today: 27 – 0 giving me a total of 75 victories.

{I feel stupid. Counting my victories against her… *sigh…*}-I thought while looking at Rachel tired on the floor after a couple of hours of sparring.

“Well, rest for a bit… We’ll start after that.”-I said while going towards my stuff to sheath my sword.

“Huff… Huff… Huff… Yes…”-She answered while panting. This time though, it was better. She’s been going up in the amounts of rounds she can go.

After a little bit, she sat up, and I went to sit behind her.

“Well, let’s begin.”-I said while putting both my hands on her back. “Ready?”

“…Yes”-She said while panting a little.

“One.”-I injected Natural Energy in her body. Carefully watching it go through her magic circuit, looking how her mana could now accept a little bit more of it. It was truly fascinating.

While I didn’t have any problem accepting this energy, it’s not a common thing for humans to do. Some of them have to truly make an arduous effort to be able to adapt to it, and in this world, the vast majority can’t even dream of it.

“Two.”-I said, and she lout the air she’s been holding in, along with my Natural Energy. “One.”

We kept going for a while, this time for almost 40 minutes, which actually gave me clues as to how far she could advance in a few days. If everything went well, she’ll indeed just need three weeks for her mana to finally adapt to natural energy and accept it.

When her mana can continuously receive and use this energy, she’ll be ready. While humans need to focus to absorb and use it directly, she won’t have too many problems while contracting with some elementals, as they would work as a medium for her to use that.

“Well, how are you feeling?”-I ask her while standing up.

“Good… That sensation from yesterday is a little bit stronger now…”

“Told you, it will only increase. Though you’ll be able to adapt, and it will help you contract an elemental easier.”-I said to her while taking my stuff. “Then… As we talked about, the next training will be Tuesday, though, if you want to move it to the week of the combat's exams, I won't have a problem. After all, theory exams are next week.”

“… Yes… I’ll be studying for tests. And I could use the extra time.”-She said after pondering for a bit.

“Great. No problem then. We’ll leave it for the week of combat exams.”-I said while going towards my room, I still have some time before I have to be in the training center.

***

I was in the training center. It was the usual hour, and Olivia was waiting for me close to the treadmill.

“Well, it seems you’re ready.”-I said while looking at her.

“Yes. I’ve been preparing all these weeks for this.”-She answered with a smirk on her face.

“Well, with how you cried twice, I thought you would find it hard.”-I said while shrugging.

“…”-She just averted her eyes. “Those… were moments of weakness…”

“Sure, get on. You know the deal. 90km/h for twenty minutes. No magic power involved.”

“…”-She nodded and went up the treadmill. Hajin also coming here.

“Hey, it’s already the time for that bet of yours?”-He asks.

“Yes.”

“What does she have to do?”

“Run at 90km/h for at least 20 minutes with no magic power involved.”-I answered while looking Olivia put up the setting on the machine.

“…”-Hajin just looked at me with eyes wide open, before turning to look at Olivia, who already started to run.

“Let’s see your determination.”-I murmured unconsciously, winning a glance from Hajin.

Looking at someone run for more than 20 minutes wasn’t something fun. But I still stood there while looking at her run.

She looked tired and she was panting hard. But she’s still going on. With 18 minutes on the clock.

“Come on. You’re almost there.”-I said to her.

“Huff… Huff… Huff…”-She kept running on the treadmill, not stopping for even a second. Hajin came and went a few times while training himself to see how she was going.

A nice thing about looking constantly at her was that running actually made her boobs slightly jump constantly. {Yes… That’s a nice view…}-I thought to myself while looking at her.

At least until my smartwatch vibrated. Time was up. She did it.

“…”-I didn’t say anything to her though. Just saw her continue.

For one. I wanted to check how far could she make it. And also, because she was a pain in the ass for too long. So, a little punishment would be good, and she’ll have to adapt to this while training with me.

She kept running until she was forced to stop, almost falling on the machine. Thankfully, I stopped the treadmill before she would fall on her face…

“Huff… Huff… Huff… Huff… I….”-She tried to talk, but was too tired

“Don’t worry. You made it. You went over the time actually, 24 minutes, 45 seconds.”-I said to her, and she just stood there panting. “Let’s go. You need to catch your breath.”-I said while guiding her towards a bench.

Sitting her there I wait for her to rest for a little while. During that time, Hajin came, also dead tired. But a little better than Olivia.

“Hey…”-He said while panting. “How was it…?”

“Good. Almost 25 minutes.”

“Wait… Wasn’t it for just 20?”

“At least 20. I just let her run a little bit more. That’s good for her.”

“…”-I received a little punch from her, but being dead tired, it had no force behind it.

“You sit there, let’s start with your recovery.”-I said while helping Hajin to recover a bit with Natural Energy, while Olivia was trying to catch her breath.

Some minutes later, we were ready to go. Hajin finished his training, and Olivia didn’t want to keep training for the night.

“Well, congratulation. You improved a lot.”-I said to her while walking towards the dorms.

“…”-She didn’t answer, still a little angry that I let her run for more than 20 minutes.

“So… Hajin, may you go first?”-I then turn towards Hajin. “I now need to talk with her, so, if you could…”

“Sure man, see you both tomorrow.”-He said to us before leaving.

After he left, we went towards a bench to sit down.

“…”-She didn’t speak.

“Well, look. You did it. You fulfilled our deal. And as I told you. I’ll reconsider training you. But… before…”-I said before grabbing the bag I always bring with me and opening it while she’s just staring directly at me. “You have this. I don’t use it. And it would be a great item for you.”-I told her while taking out the Promise of the Ice Wing Queen which I took from Hajin after getting to Cube last Saturday.

“…”-She just stared with her mouth open after grabbing them. “What… is this…?”-She finally talks.

“A special bracelet. It’s actually an item I got inside a dungeon. I thought it would be a great congratulatory gift to you.”

“…”-She stares at it closely. “It’s beautiful…”

“That’s not what it matters with that item *sigh…*”

“*snort* As if you would understand.”-She snorted before looking back at the bracelet.

“Look. What’s special about it, it’s the fact that it complements you and your ability.”

“Mm? How so?”

“It not only adds an ice property to your attacks. You can also freely use an ability called Ice Bolt. Which is basically a bolt made of ice.”

“What!? It gives ice properties to my attacks?”

“Yes. Even if it’s just throwing some knife, or whatever. Though, to be honest. I haven’t tested it with close-ranged attacks. But when you’re going from afar, it’s perfect.”

“And I also have a new ability? That’s sick! How do I use it?”-She asks.

“Well. It’s pretty easy actually. But I’ll teach personally this Saturday.”

“I forgot to ask! So… you’re really training me then…?”-She asked while looking at me.

“Yes… I am. And for your first lesson. We’ll go to a dungeon. Don’t worry too much. It’ll be easy.”

“Really!? Yes! Finally! It took you so fucking long to accept!”-She jumped out of the bench and started jumping by herself. “Don’t worry! I’m ready for everything!”

“*sigh…* Really… You’re just some crazy girl… You better be. This won’t be some mock dungeon… Even if it’s an easy one.”

“Yeah, don’t worry! And I’m not crazy. We’re already past that. Also… How do you sound as if you pretty much know which dungeon we’re going to and what’s inside?”

“Because I do.”

“…”-She stares at me. “Is it because of some kind of illegal trade of information?”

“No. It isn’t. I discovered it. It’s mine to explore.”-I lie to her as more than discovering, I got first-hand information from its creator.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. I will go either way.”-She says while shrugging.

“*sigh…* Really, you… Well… Prepare as much as you can. That means. Weapons. Food. Whatever you need to take there. It’s close to Seoul, so it won’t be a long trip…”-I said.

{I’ll have to wait until next month to use my passes. This month I already used them all…}-I thought to myself while thinking of a Dungeon I really want to go to and that it's in Scotland…

“Yes, sir!”-She said with a beaming smile.

{She can be really beautiful when she’s not a pain in the ass. Well, I better lead her through the best path I can think of…}-I thought to myself while standing up.

“Let’s go… We have classes tomorrow.”-I start walking towards the dorms, not before noticing how she was already putting the bracelet on.

{I hope she doesn’t test it out in the dorms and break something…}