Chapter 1689: Chapter 1506: Training 2


    ?


    Using the momentum of Luna''s attack, Maria twisted with the agility of a cat. Her right hand, the one that had just deflected the blow to her stomach, shot up in a swift uppercut aimed for Luna''s jaw. The movement was a blur, fueled by years of honed reflexes and strategic


    thinking.


    But Luna, a seasoned warrior herself, was no stranger to quick counters. She saw the uppercuting at thest possible moment, thanks to her years of sparring with Maria. With a sharp twist of her own torso, Luna dipped beneath the rising fist. The wind from Maria''s missed blow ruffled Luna''s golden hair as she used the momentum tounch into a spinning back kick.


    The kick, aimed for Maria''s midsection, was a powerful one, capable of knocking the wind out of even the most seasoned fighter. However, Maria, ever the strategist, anticipated this movement as well. She brought her left knee up in a block just as Luna''s foot connected, absorbing the impact with a satisfying thud.


    The force of the blow sent a tremor through Maria''s leg, but she held firm. Gripping the fabric of Luna''s training shirt with her free hand, Maria used the leverage to pull Luna close, effectively breaking the momentum of the spinning kick. Now in close quarters, the fight took on a new dimension.


    Luna, a master of closebat, grinned with a hint of exhration. She unleashed a flurry of punches and elbows, aiming for Maria''s pressure points. Maria, on the other hand, used her superior reach and strength to keep Luna at bay with well-ced jabs and kicks. The echoing sounds of punches meeting flesh and grunts of exertion filled the training ground as the two warriors danced a deadly ballet.


    Despite Maria''s initial advantage, Luna''s relentless assault began to wear her down. The flurry of blows, though not allnding true, chipped away at Maria''s defenses. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and her breath grew ragged. A flicker of doubt, a rare urrence for the Ice Queen, appeared in her eyes.


    Sensing her opponent''s hesitation, Luna seized the opportunity. With a feigned punch to the face, she drew Maria''s attention upwards.


    Swoosh!


    Then, in a sh, Luna dropped low and swept Maria''s legs out from under her with a powerful leg sweep. The Ice Queen hit the ground with a surprised grunt, the wind momentarily knocked out of her.


    Luna stood over her fallen opponent, a triumphant smile on her face.


    "Looks like the student has surpassed the master today, Ice Empress," she dered, offering a hand to help Maria up. Her voice, however, held a hint of yful respect, acknowledging the challenge Maria had presented.


    A wry smile yed on Maria''s lips as Luna''s triumphant deration echoed in the vast training ground. Defeat, even a yful one, wasn''t something the Ice Queen took lightly. But Luna''s gloating offered an opportunity, a chance to remind her fiery friend that underestimating your opponent was a recipe for disaster.


    With a lightning-fast movement that belied her momentary surprise, Maria capitalized on Luna''s open stance. Instead of epting the offered hand, she twisted her body mid-air, utilizing the momentum of Luna''s pull tounch a counter-attack. Her legs shot out in a powerful scissor sweep, aiming to topple Luna onto the cool obsidian floor.


    The maneuver caught Luna by surprise. A surprised grunt escaped her lips as she felt the force of Maria''s attack. The impact sent her tumbling backwards,nding with a surprised thump.


    "Tch!" she eximed, a yful irritation tinging her voice.


    "What a sore loser, dear master!"


    But Luna''s mock annoyance quickly faded. Years of sparring with Maria had instilled in her a healthy respect for her friend''s fighting instincts. She knew the Ice Queen wouldn''t pull such a move unless she had a reason.


    The reason, it turned out, was a shimmering film of water that coated Luna''s body. The flimsy water shield, a product of her light and water magic, had taken the brunt of Maria''s surprise attack, absorbing the impact and minimizing any potential damage. Luna, ever the quick thinker, had anticipated a potential counter and taken the necessary precautions.


    As Maria rose to her feet, brushing dust off her training gear, a grudging respect shone in her ice-blue eyes.


    "Clever use of your magic, Luna," she admitted.


    "Seems even a master can learn a new trick or two from their student."


    Luna grinned, a mischievous glint back in her golden eyes.


    "Perhaps, Ice Empress," she conceded yfully.


    "But don''t get toofortable in your old age. Next time, I won''t be so easily caught off guard."


    A flicker of something akin to annoyance crossed Maria''s face at Luna''s yful jab about her


    age.


    "Old?" she countered, her voice colder than the magic she wielded. She was few months older than Luna so this joke even joke irked the Ice Empress.


    "Perhaps the years have dulled your sense of time, dear Luna. Or perhaps you''ve simply growncent."


    The icy edge in Maria''s voice sent shivers down Luna''s spine. It was the tone reserved for adversaries, not sisters. But a thrill of excitement coursed through her too. Luna had awoken the sleeping dragon, and the prospect of a true test of skill was exhrating.


    "Touché, Alexia," Luna replied, a grin splitting her face.


    "Seems I underestimated yourpetitive spirit. Very well then, let''s raise the stakes. Next round, you wield your trusty ice sword, and I''ll take up my staff."


    The yful taunt returned,ced with a hint of respect. This was the Maria Luna knew and admired, the fierce leader who wouldn''t back down from a challenge.


    A predatory glint entered Maria''s ice-blue eyes.


    "Excellent choice," she said, the edge returning to her voice. The yful sparring was over; now it was time for a true test of skill.


    "Let''s see if your staff can melt the Ice Empress''s de."


    The air crackled with anticipation, the yful banter reced by a focused silence. Luna hefted her staff, its polished wood gleaming in the blue light. Maria unsheathed her ice sword, the de radiating a frosty aura. The two women stood poised, a storm brewing in the vast training ground. They weren''t just sisters or friends anymore; they were opponents, locked in a dance of skill and strategy. The yful sparring had ignited a fire within them, and the true training session was about to begin.