"Are we late?!"


    "I don''t think we are; look."


    Two fairies were flying at high speed toward the training area from the castle.


    Dramia and Drania, the twin fairy Queens, were slightly late for the fight between Orion, Amelia, and Karteira.


    As Orion said, they were both welcomed to see the fight, and after thinking about it, they thought it would be a good idea to watch them.


    Perhaps they could find a way to help him before he left for the underground tunnels.


    "They haven''t started yet! That''s good."


    Excited, Drania pointed at the training field.


    "Cerulean Aegis!"


    The two were able to hear Karteira shout from a distance.


    "Wait! She''s going full throttle? They don''t stand a chance then!"


    They both managed to arrive before the fight began and before Karteira''s full transformation was finished.


    "We made it in time. Good thing we are the fastest."


    In her usual coldness, Dramia crossed her arms after landing at the border of the field.


    "You''re right about that, sis."


    Drania placed her feet on the ground and waved to the fighters to make them notice them.


    Orion was the first to notice.


    "The Queens have accepted my offer to come see our fight; that''s great."


    He was pretty happy to see them because he quite liked their personalities.


    Even though they were strange, they still took the time to converse with him about fairy knowledge. They were friendlier, especially Dramia, than he thought at first.


    "Ah, you''re right."


    Amelia waved at them gently in response. Karteira was still in her transformation phase, so she wasn''t able to notice them yet.


    Plates began to form over her skin.


    Dozens of blue plates began to cover her body. Her arms, her legs, her back, her stomach, her tail, and her neck. Only the head wasn''t covered by thick plates.


    Her right leg plates showed the same scar as she had on her skin.


    A long exhalation of hot air left her mouth the moment the changes stopped.


    "It''s always making me so hot to use this thing, I swear. What was mother thinking when she created me?"


    After finishing her transformation, she glanced toward the tree, Tiohr-nam, with a saddened gaze.


    Orion and Amelia were stunned. How could they expect her to have such a trump card.


    "I thought your tail was your only weapon, but I was wrong, it seems. Color me surprised."


    Karteira laughed happily after hearing his surprise.


    "Well, I use it against the beasts that attack us. Though, before we start, could I ask for a favor?"


    "Sure, what is it?"


    With a nod, Orion listened.


    "If you could avoid hitting my right leg during the fight, I would be grateful. It''s still a recent wound, and I would like to avoid opening it again. Could you do that?"


    Orion turned his head to Amelia, asking for her answer, as she was the one to strike at her.


    "Of course I can do that; I wasn''t even going to hurt her,  for that matter. It''s a friendly match, not a death match. I''ve dulled the blades to avoid cutting her skin, just in case."


    Satisfied with the answer, he looked back in front of him.


    "You''ve heard her. That won''t happen."


    Confirming that this was really just a bout to test their strength, Karteira nodded.


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    "Thank you. I''m grateful for that. I''ll avoid any vital organs with my tail as a token of gratitude."


    She gratefully bowed, displaying her pride as a warrior.


    "Fine by us, you just have to focus your hits on me. I won''t let you touch me, though, so be prepared to hit my dust."


    Her eyes brightened at the thought of challenging Orion''s speed.


    "Hah! You know how to trigger me! Alright, get rea-"


    Suddenly, her eyes picked up movement to her right.


    "Wait, the Queens are here? I just noticed. How are you?"


    She finally noticed the twins on the side of the arena. They waved back at her, exchanging words shortly.


    "We''re doing fine, so focus on your fight."


    "Go for it! Show him the pride of the fairies!"


    Karteira scratched her cheek, embarrassed by the sudden praise from Drania.


    "Can you give us the starting call?"


    Orion turned to them and asked the Queens to be the ones to start the fight.


    "It''s fine, right, sis? Can I do it?"


    With puppy eyes, Drania looked at her sister.


    "Yes, feel free to do it. I won''t, though."


    "Great!"


    Drania walked closer, but was still far from the three in the center of the arena. She brought her left hand above her head and dropped it abruptly.


    "You can begin!"


    She flew back to her sister at the same speed she used when she approached Orion before.


    Orion and Karteira were looking at each other intensely. Neither began to move.


    Amelia was tense, expecting the fight to start at any moment, but she had to wait until Orion began to move.


    She felt a pressure on her thighs and immediately understood that he was about to rush in. She dropped her current posture and straightened immediately, ready to slice.


    Her back felt a sudden pressure as her vision captured all sides of Karteira rapidly. Karteira was motionless, simply observing Orion, who was running in circles around her.


    At the last moment, he noticed a slight movement from her tail and jumped.


    Her tail moved incredibly fast, swiping under his feet to make him fall. He took the chance and closed in.


    "His first mistake is that Karteira isn''t just good with her tail, she also knows how to fight with her hands."


    "Those plates of hers also act like gauntlets, so you''re in for a lot of pain if you get hit!"


    The two sisters felt like commenting on the fight.


    As Orion moved closer to her, Karteira launched a swift strike toward his side. He saw it and thought about evading it, but ignored the urge to avoid it and left it to his companion.


    "HUMPF!"


    Amelia caught the strike with Ceres. Sparks flew from the two colliding objects. She managed to deflect the hit without being destabilized.


    ''Alright, she''s still stable. It''s time to pressure her a bit more.''


    Orion was still considering improving Amelia''s riding experience. He wanted her to be perfect if she were to follow him.


    Backing off when he felt the scorpion tail come back for him, he dodged the stinger and made some distance between them.


    "You''re fast, I''ll give you that. I didn''t expect experiencing it firsthand to be so different from seeing it."


    "But if that''s all you have to give me, then it''s not going to work."


    Karteira leaped forward, ready to punch him in the stomach.


    "Amelia, ''Second Gear''."


    "No!"


    "..."


    Karteira stopped in her tracks and looked at them with a blank stare.


    "Wait, I''m sorry! It was a reflex. I''ll do it."


    Panicking slightly, she noticed Orion''s frown.


    "Pffft..."


    Everyone around began to laugh, even Dramia, who was trying her best not to chuckle.


    "Don''t laugh! It''s not my fault! He''s the one always asking for impossible requests!"


    "My, she''s adorable, isn''t she?"


    Karteira wiped her tears and got back to her previous stance, back to being serious.


    "She is, though I wish she wouldn''t do it while we fight."


    He felt the energy of the ''First Gear'' get overtaken by the ''Second Gear''. When everything flowed like it should, he gripped Amelia tighter.


    "Get ready, Amelia, show me what you got!"


    If the ''First Gear'' was the speed of a horse, the ''Second Gear'' was almost double that. He was able to run alongside a gliding bird now.


    He stepped on the ground, and with a dust cloud, he moved swiftly around Karteira.


    Amelia was trained to focus during the ''Second Gear''. She was capable of seeing each detail as if she were standing still after countless hours of enduring this pressure.


    As for Karteira, she had her eyes wide open in amazement. She never expected such speed from someone carrying another person, even if she had seen it previously.


    "What is this speed? How can he move so fast with Amelia on his back?"


    "Sis, do you think anyone can do this?"


    "Of course not! I''m more concerned about Amelia. Is she alright being moved around like this?"


    Even the sisters were questioning what they were seeing.


    Back to the fight, Orion was testing the water by running aimlessly around Karteira. He was waiting for a counterattack at some point, and he wasn''t disappointed.


    "Even if you are faster, I can still strike you down!"


    She moved her tail in his direction, this time trying to crush them. Since her stinger was retracted, Amelia took this chance to counter it.


    She crossed her daggers and received the strike head-on. The plates touched the dulled daggers as she made the tail slide in the other direction Orion was moving toward.


    ''Alright, I saw enough with those two counters. She was capable enough to catch a hit and send it away. It''s time to begin our attack.''


    Orion stopped running around like a chicken and stared at Karteira.


    "Play time is over, I''m coming straight at you this time."


    ''Two fingers pressure, he wants me to attack when we get close.''


    Amelia prepared herself.


    He closed in on her instantly, and Amelia lunged at Karteira over Orion''s head. She moved her upper body left and right to slash at many angles, rapidly.


    Then, he bent his back slightly to allow Amelia to strike more precisely, looking for the moment she would retaliate.


    "I''ve never seen such a fight before. Who would have ever imagined two people fighting as one like this? It''s unbelievable."


    Dramia began to question her sanity.


    "Well, he is an unusual man, that''s for sure."


    "Still, this is a ridiculous sight. How is it even possible to fight like this?"


    Her sister, Drania, began laughing. This scene was funny to her.


    "Kuh! Even if it doesn''t cut me, it still stings."


    Karteira was fighting off each strike with her gauntlets, not letting a single dagger get past her defenses.


    ''I''m not one to be on the receiving end forever, I have to strike!''


    She dropped her right arm down and let a few slashes hit her shoulder and right arm. She began blocking with her left arm instead.


    ''She''s going to strike at me!''


    Amelia immediately saw through Karteira''s gaze. She was going to take a hit.


    A punch faster than any other she could have thrown before closed in on Amelia''s left arm.


    ''I can protect in time!''


    *CLING*


    The sound of two objects impacting each other echoed across the arena.