Allie had already gone to bed so she could get an early night as prep for tomorrow and Aejaz had followed suit. Zhang left for his room, but not before specifying EXACTLY what time he would come knocking on Ares’ and Enyo’s door to wake them up. He didn’t want a repeat of last time.


    Then there were two. Ares and Enyo went up to their room and Enyo had her helmet off within seconds. “Fun?”


    “Fun.” Ares and Enyo smiled mischievously at each other which soon turned into a lascivious gaze.


    “I guess there’s nothing we can do if your shoulders are feeling stiff again.”


    “Mhm, and I imagine your feet must be tired from all the walking?”


    “Nope, you just wanna touch ‘em, don’t you? Perv.”


    “Ha, honestly? Nope. I just figured you might like it.” Ares really didn’t have any foot related fetishes and genuinely thought Enyo would''ve liked a foot massage. Granted, if she wanted to do anything to him with her feet, he wouldn’t say no, he would actively encourage it if anything.


    “I never said I didn’t want the massage.” Enyo stuck her tongue out.


    Ares walked up to her, gently held her chin, and spoke softly, “Let me take care of you. Sit back, relax, and I’ll treat you like a queen.”


    Enyo leant her head next to Ares and murmured in his ear, “I like the sound of that. Be my manservant. If you do a good enough job, I’ll let you do anything you want to me.” Enyo nibbled on Ares’ ear, making him partially erect. She sat down on her bed, flicked off her shoes and removed her lower armour which revealed her stirrup legwear underneath. She shuffled back until she was comfortable and slumped with her back against the wall.


    Ares decided that, if he was allowed to do anything, he wanted more than a massage when he got to have his turn later. What he would do to her and how far he would go was dependent on what she was about to do to him.


    Ares sat about halfway across the bed, directly opposite her in the lotus position. As Enyo took off the rest of her armour, Ares realised this was the first time he had actually ever seen her with it fully off.


    It was possible to reduce the effect that training would have visually on the body. Almost every cultivator used this to varying degrees as everyone would wind up looking like a bulky beast otherwise. Ares had never focused too much on training his body so he barely had to adjust himself as he was already pretty much where he wanted to be. It seemed like Enyo had done more than just a little adjusting though. She had a firm physique and her body was definitely toned considering her well-defined six pack and curves visible even underneath her tank top, but it was far more subdued than what Ares would have expected given how strong she was physically. Ares didn’t care what she looked like but it seemed Enyo herself did, opting for an aesthetic that was less brawny and stout but more graceful and compact. He was reminded of the time in Baja Forest when she was unhappy at the thought of being called ugly even though she detested being called pretty. She was definitely someone who cared about her appearance enough to fiddle with it to a meticulous degree.


    Ares correctly guessed that Enyo wanted her image to be a blend of power and elegance and, to her credit, she’d managed it extraordinarily well. She must really have had a vision for herself and worked tirelessly to achieve it. She almost looked sculpted to perfection. It seemed Enyo was aware that she was objectively average in her proportions and had built her look around it with her slightly sagging, supple breasts drooped neatly on top of her stiff muscles. If anything, her sizes were ideal for the appearance she rocked as they gave her a more mature vibe, not to mention the contrast between the softness of her breasts and the solidity of her chest matching the contrast present in her visage and her gaze. She possessed both meticulous beauty and subtle yet definite strength.


    Ares knew he was probably biased, but he wouldn’t change anything about her, not even a speck. He genuinely believed she was mesmerising and couldn’t be improved upon. She gave off both an alluring and prestigious air that made her look and feel regal, like an imposing, exalted queen. Ares just had to compliment her, “Enyo, you’re beautiful.”


    Enyo felt a wave of vindication wash over her as she’d spent far longer than she cared to admit fretting over and working on her body to get it to where she wanted it to be. She’d been doing it for herself, and didn’t even remotely care about the idea of being pleasing to a man’s eye, but now that Ares was in her life, she wanted him to enjoy the fruits of her labour as much as she did. She would share it with him and only him.


    ??


    Enyo liked Ares’ complement so she decided to reward her attendant. She stretched out her foot and pushed up against the underside of Ares’ glans, through his shorts, and lifted it. When his dick was vertical, she flattened it against Ares’ stomach and grinded her toes along the shaft. As it grew ever more erect and stiff, it naturally pushed back against Enyo’s smothering toes to straighten itself out as the weight of his manhood fell on the ball of her foot. Now that she was fully feeling out his length, she realised he was really quite big. The main thing that excited her was that it was thick and veiny. She could feel the contours of his bumpy veins as she stroked him up and down. It was her first ever proper interaction with a man’s dick and she wasn’t expecting it to be so strange. The shaft felt unbreakable like a diamond but the glans felt softer in comparison and yet somehow equally firm. She wanted to touch it directly, but figured this was probably far enough for now. Maybe she could convince Ares to be more ‘hands on’, but not to go any further than using their hands until they had their moment. She knew wanting to jerk him off and wanting to be fingered by him was a slippery slope that could lead further if they didn’t restrain themselves, but she had faith they could do it. As she was contemplating how to go about getting touchy with Ares, she felt pre-cum seeping through Ares shorts and rolling down the soles of her feet.


    Decisions, decisions. She wasn’t sure whether to bring her foot back and get a taste, or bring it up to Ares’ face and make him lick it clean but, eventually, she made her choice. She was going to have plenty of time to taste him. Right now, he was supposed to be her good little slave, and yet he was enjoying himself more than she was. She brought her foot up and demanded, “Clean it.” Although Ares had told her he didn’t have a foot fetish, that wasn’t a good enough answer for Enyo. She was going to make sure he fantasized over every single inch of her and she could tell by his reactions she was getting exactly what she desired.


    Ares controlled his Zephyr to create a leg rest for Enyo so she wouldn’t have to strain herself in any way, shape, or form. He wrapped another part of the Zephyr along the length of her leg and activated one of the patterns that caused it to warm up her leg and make it feel cosy. He also used the feathers to poke at her acupuncture points, making her leg less tense. Ares brought his palm under her heel and held up her foot as though it were a delicate jewel, a jewel he was determined to make spotless. As he massaged the underside of her foot with his right hand and her toes with his left, he brought his tongue to the sole of her foot and obediently wiped away his own pre-ejaculate. His moist tongue caused Enyo to gasp and moan as a wet patch formed around her crotch, which only served to make Ares’ own patch even larger. When he made sure her foot was pristine enough to eat off, he swapped the position of his left hand and mouth so that he was now working on her toes. He rolled his tongue around them, one by one, and put them each into his mouth, taking the utmost of care not to even tap them with his teeth aside from when he intentionally nibbled them. In between each toe, he would guide his tongue down and along the gap, taking extra care to rinse away all her sweat. When he concluded his service on the first foot, he kissed her ankle to indicate she could bring the other one up so he could continue to worship as she trampled all over his dignity.


    Ares undid the Zephyr bandaging around one leg and Enyo lifted her other to repeat the grinding process against his crotch. She wanted to do something different this time. She was dripping wet now as the sensation of Ares’ tongue had been intoxicating and she wanted to push him further. She was drunk with power and she was going to push around Ares so much so that, when he had his way with her, he would be extra rough. She wanted to bully him so he would bully her harder. Her foot was considerably more wet this time as Ares’ cock had been thoroughly stimulated and was drooling profusely. She brought it back and wiped it onto her hand. She tasted a small amount of it and licked her lips before putting two of her fingers in her mouth. She made sure to merge as much of his pre-cum with her saliva as she could before getting on her knees and crawling over to Ares. She pushed him down and straddled him, giving her ass a quick grind over his penis to tease him. One hand rested on his chest while her other hand caressed the side of Ares’ face smoothly as she smiled.


    Smack


    Enyo hit him hard enough to leave a handprint and gripped his jaw. She opened his mouth and brought her head over his so she could dribble her spit and pre-cum concoction straight down his throat. It leaked down and left a sloppy trail.


    Ares feigned desperation to let Enyo feel in control. He opened his mouth and lifted his chin to catch the drool as though he were dying of thirst and Enyo’s spit was his only salvation. Her saliva was like a blessing.


    Gulp


    As Ares was swallowing, some of Enyo’s drool had landed on his chin and not in his mouth so she punished him for his inattentiveness.


    Smack


    She finished drooling into his mouth, spit one more time for good measure, and smacked him again to let him know who exactly his Goddess was.


    Smack


    Enyo lay down with her head on Ares’ chest and her demeanour was replaced with that of an innocent little girl who could do no wrong. She timidly peered up at Ares with puppy eyes and spoke coyly, “It’s your turn. Be gentle.” But that was exactly the opposite of what she wanted, and Ares knew it.


    Ares took a deep breath and spoke calmly, “Straddle me.”


    Enyo knew something big was coming and her mind was racing trying to figure out what while she obeyed him.


    Ares sat up and came close to her. He put his left hand on her shoulder and rubbed it lightly. His hand then latched onto her arm and he twisted her body to face the side. His hand coiled around to her back and forced her down onto the bed so she was lying flat on her stomach. He wrapped his hands around her ankles and dragged her over his waist so that her stomach was on top of his pelvis. As Ares was in a sitting position, Enyo’s back-side was raised slightly. He grabbed one of her ass cheeks and moved his head down next to hers as she looked at him. He made clear his savage resentment as he scowled at her with his free hand holding her face by the chin. “You’ve been a bad girl,” he growled.


    Enyo bit her lip and gave him a shy look. She spoke quietly, “I’m sorry. Punish me,”


    Smack


    Enyo’s ass jiggled under the weight of Ares’ slap. She spasmed on his lap and let out a yelp.


    Smack


    His hand sunk into her other ass cheek. He was going to mark his property and she was going to sit there and take it. Enyo panted and let out short breaths.


    Smack


    With every hit, a wave of pain and pleasure coursed through Enyo that she was starting to get off on. She craved a heavier hand and so she swayed her butt and pushed her stomach against Ares’ dick while peering up at him.


    Smack


    She got her wish and instantly climaxed from the abuse. She cried out and quivered over Ares’ lap as he sat with a smug smirk and watched her squirm. Ares wasn’t finished with her yet though; this was just the beginning. His right hand was tugging on her hair every time he spanked her but now it had a new job. He brought it over to Enyo’s soaking legwear and smeared two of his fingers in the grool that had trickled through, making sure to rub against her lower lips through her clothes on the way past which earned him the satisfaction of a moan from Enyo. He brought those two fingers back around to her face. “Open your mouth,” he ordered in a thundering tone that left no room for negotiating. This was revenge for making him swallow his own pre-cum, but it was also going to be a bit different this time, he wasn’t going to be as gentle as Enyo had been.


    Enyo opened her mouth, expecting Ares to just fiddle with her tongue.


    His index finger hooked around the outside of her lips and his middle and ring fingers went right past her tongue. He slowly ventured deeper, allowing her to gag on them as she accustomed herself to this new experience. Her own grool trickled down her throat as Ares spanked her again. She got used to the feeling of Ares'' fingers and thought that he wasn’t going to do much more when he started to retract them. She gagged again though when his fingers thrust right back in at the same time he spanked her. Her saliva and soft tongue drenched his hand as it rocked back and forth in her mouth. He was finger fucking her mouth and spanking her at the same time. She caught a glimpse of Ares looking down at her pathetic state with the eyes of a predator toying with its prey. She had tears in her eyes from the gagging.


    Every time she writhed downward; he would spank her.


    Every time she recoiled upward; he would shove his finger deeper in her mouth.


    She loved that her man was treating her like dirt and making her feel helpless. This treatment awoke the masochistic tendencies within and she whimpered to let Ares know that she was thankful for him making her his bitch. He spanked her again and she leaked profusely from her crotch, so much so that it was leaking through her clothes.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Ares whispered in a deep, intense voice directly into her ear, “Good girl.”


    His hot breath and tone sent shivers down Enyo’s spine and she found her new favourite fetish; being called a ‘good girl’. It was demeaning, vulgar, derogatory, and dirty. She was a good girl for letting him take out his pent-up lust on her and her reward was enabling her man to pleasure himself. She didn’t even have the right to be considered a woman, just a disposable tool for Ares to play with, and yet it made her feel good. It was reassuring her that even though she was worth absolutely nothing in his eyes, she was doing good and she could keep being his little pet as long as she kept pleasing him. It was like an abusive relationship. He spanked her and jammed his fingers inside her warm mouth but the second he called her a good girl she was willing to let him do it again if he wanted, fuck, he could even do it harder.


    Ares briefly took his fingers out of Enyo’s mouth to reapply a coating of her grool before digging them right back in. He was fiercer this time and he was also thrusting his dick against Enyo’s stomach.


    Enyo could tell he wanted to cum, so she wiggled her ass to entice Ares and pushed down on his dick like before while also rolling her tongue around his fingers as an added bonus for treating her like shit. That wasn’t enough for Ares to call her a good girl again, so she moved her arms back to her rear and squashed her ass cheeks together, making it easier to punish her.


    Ares knew she was desperate for it so he gave her exactly what she wanted as he brought his palm down on her rear. “Good girl.”


    Enyo orgasmed again as she was spanked. She was glad because it meant she was going to gargle on Ares’ fingers and make guttural noises of pleasure that would satisfy him. She wanted him to make her suffer and for him to revel in it.


    Ares relished in the garbled sounds Enyo was making and orgasmed with one final thrust against her stomach. His back arched and he let out a deep moan and a long sigh of pleasure as Enyo subserviantly licked his fingers that had stopped tormenting her.


    Enyo loved the sound of his sporadic breaths so she listened for a while as she kept orally servicing his fingers, giving Ares time to enjoy his sexual conquest.


    ??


    She pushed herself up and rugby tackled Ares when he was somewhat back to normal. She was lying on his chest, looking up at him again with a beaming smile. “That was fun.”


    Ares caught his breath and smiled right back. “You can say that again. I didn''t hurt you, did I?” He ran his hand through her hair and patted her softly.


    Enyo had wanted head pats from Ares ever since Baja Forest and was ecstatic she had finally received them. “No. It was perfect.” Enyo winked coyly.


    Enyo had made no indication she wanted him to stop, but it was still nice for Ares to have the reassurance that she was ok, it made him feel a lot better about what he just did. “Man… we’re really good friends, huh?”


    Enyo laughed heartily. “Idiot, you wait ‘till I get my hands on a whip.”


    Ares blinked. “Excuse me!? A what now!?”


    “Hm? Nothing!” Enyo kept laughing.


    Ares also started laughing… Nervously.


    “Tsk, my ass stings. You better hope that tomorrow no one asks me why I’m not sitting down comfortably.”


    “I can rub it while we sleep if you’d like.”


    “Since when did we start sleeping in the same bed? Pervert.”


    “Ha, don’t be like that, there is only one bed here after all.”


    “Huh?” Enyo looked around, as she recalled seeing two when she had entered but, sure enough, the other one was gone.


    “I mean, it’s fine… I guess I’ll just sleep on the cold, hard floor.” Ares gave a fake sigh.


    It took Enyo a second before it finally dawned on her that Ares had hidden the bed inside the Primordial Blade all so he could make this stupid scenario a reality. Enyo snickered. “Congratulations, I think you’re officially the dumbest man in your own little universe. Fine, I suppose I can let a stray mut share the bed with me.”


    “Woof!”


    “No slobbering! Also, look at the mess you’ve made!” Enyo pointed at all the wet patches on the bed.


    “Nuh-uh, at least three quarters of that was you.”


    “I don’t care! Clean it up!”


    “... With my tongue or? …”


    Enyo rolled her eyes. “I wanna see it clean by the time I’m done showering or you aren’t allowed in the bed!”


    “Yes ma’am!”


    “Good boy,” she teased.


    Ares whispered into her ear using the same voice as before, “Good girl.”


    Enyo shivered and gulped as her ear tingled. “Ok, you win.”


    “I love calling you that.”


    “I love hearing it.” She patted his chest and went into the bathroom.


    Ares took off the sheets, bunched them up into a ball, and left it in a corner of the room as that was supposedly proper etiquette for this situation. He replaced everything with the stuff from the other bed inside the Primordial Blade and waited for his turn to go into the shower.


    Enyo came out using a towel to dry her hair. “All yours.”


    Ares raised an eyebrow as he searched through his memory and recalled what that meant last time.


    “NO!”


    “Ha, just checking.” Ares walked into the bathroom and then poked his head back out shortly after. “Enyo? Can I use that towel?”


    “Huh? There should’ve been another…” Enyo realised this situation was oddly familiar. “Ugh. Are all men animals, or is it just you?” She tossed the towel over to him. “Perv.”


    Ares just wanted to use the same towel as Enyo. He went in, had his shower, and came back out to find Enyo crunching away at some honeycomb while fidgeting uncomfortably because of the pain on her bottom. He chuckled at his handiwork and sat down next to Enyo. “I’m really looking forward to the international.”


    Crunch


    “Me too but, you know, we don’t have to wait untill then.”


    Ares gently bopped her head. “Patience. I promise it’ll be worth it.”


    “I trust you. I just really want that damn kiss and to hear you say that. On a side note… How far should we allow ourselves to go? We''ve already gone pretty far, all things considered.”


    Ares spun his two fingers around. “Ha, I did go pretty far, didn’t I?”


    Enyo swatted the fingers away. “Hmph, clever bastard.”


    “In all seriousness. I think it’s fine to go at least a bit further, to be more… Directly… Responsible for each other’s needs and wants.”


    “Oh, enough with the roundabout speech already. Who do you think you’re fooling? Not me, not after what you just did to me anyway. Can I give you a hand job and can you finger me?”


    “Fair enough. I think that’s fine.”


    “And oral sex?”


    “Let’s save that for later. Spread it all out a bit so we aren’t left wanting more with nowhere else to go but penetration.”


    “Sounds good to me.”


    “As do your moans.”


    “I knew you liked hearing them.”


    “You have a lovely voice.”


    “And you have a gorgeous face.”


    “Oh? Thank you.”


    “It just occurred to me that I’d never complimented the way you look before. I just want you to know that your rugged, masculine features make you look strapping.”


    “That’s… Actually the first time I’ve ever been complimented for my appearance. Usually, Aejaz would just compliment himself. It feels strange, but I like it.”


    Enyo got under the covers and lay down. “Now you know how giddy I feel when you compliment me.”


    Ares followed suit and lay down too. “Mhm, you really deserve it though. It’s not just a matter of bias, you''re honestly a breathtaking woman, Enyo.”


    Enyo snuggled up against Ares’ chest. “Whether or not other people think I’m beautiful doesn’t matter to me. I’m just happy to hear you say it.”


    Ares cuddled Enyo and held her close in his warm embrace. “And I’ll say it as many times as you like. Goodnight, Enyo.”


    “Goodnight, Ares.”


    “...”


    “...”


    “You also have a really big dick.”


    “And you really know the way to a man’s heart.”


    The two snickered and giggled for a while before finally falling asleep.


    ---------------------------------


    “Good morning.” Ares twirled a strand of Enyo’s silky hair around his finger.


    “Great morning. That’s the best sleep I’ve had in a long while. Also, good morning big fella’.” Enyo poked Ares’ morning wood under the covers.


    Ares chuckled. “Don’t worry about him, he’ll go away if you ignore him.”


    “Will you stop rubbing my ass if I ignore you?”


    “No.”


    Enyo snorted while picking up Ares’ hand and placing it to the side. “Come on lover boy, we have a competition to go watch.'''' Enyo climbed over Ares to escape his roving hands.


    “Sure thing lover girl… That is a phrase, right? It sounds weird.” Ares got up and stretched.


    “It’s a phrase, but it really doesn’t have the same ring to it, does it?”


    “Nope, but now you’ve got me thinking about pet names.”


    “Can I just call you an idiot?”


    “Only if you let me call you tin can.”


    “That’s a hard no then.”


    “Do we even need pet names? I like saying ‘ Enyo’ and I like hearing you say ‘Ares’. It also has its own implications anyway.”


    “Agreed. I still can’t believe I’ve ended up with a man named Ares. This world has a way of playing practical jokes on people for sure.”


    “By the way, I’ve been meaning to ask you a question.”


    “What about?”


    “I just want you to know in advance that you’re perfectly entitled to say and do as you please in regards to what I’m about to ask, so don’t feel like I’m pressuring you, but what’s your stance on Appa? It’s going to ask you to be its mother.”


    “I… I don’t know yet. I don’t know if I can be a parent, and I don’t think I really want to. I’m sorry. I’ll give it some thought though.”


    “No need to apologise, like I said, you’re free to make your own choice. It would be a lot to ask and expect of you. I was just asking because I want to temper Appa’s hopes on that matter. Appa’s surprisingly mature about stuff like this. It’ll be sad for a while, but it’ll understand and respect your decision.”


    “That’s… Good to know. What’s it like? Being a parent?”


    “I haven’t noticed a difference, really. Then again, it hasn’t been that long, and I haven’t spent much time with Appa since it happened. I really am looking forward to seeing it again though, I’m missing Appa a lot more than I thought I would.”


    “It seemed very content when it was with you at the fair. I think you’ll make a wonderful parent.”


    Ares opened the door. “Thanks, I appreciate the vote of confidence.” As Ares held the door for Enyo, he couldn’t help but be disappointed that she didn’t want to be a parent with him. He respected her choice and knew it was unreasonable to try and convince her. She was obviously entitled to her freedom, but he felt awful at the prospect of having to break the news to Appa that it could never have a mother. He would have to explain to it that Enyo would still exist in Appa’s life, but that she wouldn’t fulfil that role for it. He was still somewhat hopeful that, maybe, when Enyo actually met Appa, her mind might change. After all, if anyone could do it, it would be Appa.


    They went downstairs early so that there was zero chance of Zhang repeating the previous incident. He could take his knocking and shove it; they didn’t trust him as far as they could throw him. They found Allie, Aejaz, and Zhang getting along quite well and bonding over breakfast. They pulled up some seats and joined them at the table. “Yo,” Ares greeted.


    “Hey Ares! Hey sis’!” Allie greeted him back.


    “Are you feeling confident? Ready to kick some ass? Metaphorically speaking, of course. I doubt they’d let you brawl with each other at an alchemy event, although I can’t say it wouldn’t make the whole thing more fun to watch.”


    “It’s my first time, so I’m feeling nervous, but I think I can do it!”


    “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure any pills that are higher quality than yours mysteriously disappear,” Aejaz joked.


    Allie giggled. “Thanks ‘Jaz, but I want to win with the skills I’ve been honing over the years.”


    “Let’s just hope you aren’t the only one with that mentality,” Zhang said. “There are plenty of cheaters in alchemy competitions with secret compartments and such. There are rumours that the Venti City mayor’s son quite frequently overperforms compared to what he’s usually capable of.” Zhang sighed. “Win or not, just have fun and get some good practice in so you know what your future has in store for you. Alchemy competitions are a standard for people like us, it’s how we move up in the world and get recognised.”


    “Cheater or not, I’ll try as best I can! … Um, where’s Ares?”


    “Huh?” Everyone was collectively stumped as he had vanished without anyone noticing.


    Enyo found a note on his empty seat and read it aloud, “Don’t mind me, I’m just preparing something for later.”


    “Ares really does live in his own world, doesn’t he,” Zhang commented as he stroked his beard.


    “Ha, tell me about it. He’s even got his own towel, bed and kitchen in there,” Enyo mocked.


    “Bed? Kitchen? Towel?” Zhang didn’t get it.


    “Ah, it’s an in-joke, sorry.”


    “I’m sure you two have plenty of in-jokes,” Zhang intoned.


    Enyo just waved two fingers around and laughed.


    Allie’s curiosity piqued. “What does that one mean, sis’?”


    Enyo smirked evilly under her helmet. “Are you sure you want to know? It’s going to be a very detailed explanation that will leave you blushing and very embarrassed.”


    Allie was unsure about what Enyo was talking about, but decided to be brave. After the incident in the previous town, she redoubled her efforts to become a proper cultivator who wouldn’t be daunted by such trivial things! “Ok! Tell me!” She spoke determinedly.


    Enyo beckoned for her to lean over the table and when Allie did, she whispered everything into her ear.


    Allie progressively got redder and redder to the point Zhang and Aejaz were worried she was having a literal meltdown.


    Enyo finally got around to explaining the fingers and Allie clasped her hands over open mouth and wanted to find somewhere to hide. As it turns out, there are still some things she wasn’t ready for. “T… T… That… You… Let… He… That… Did…” Allie sounded like a broken record. “Is… That… Real?”


    Enyo burst out laughing at the naivety of her sister.


    Aejaz just had to ask, “Is what real?”


    Allie hid her face in her hands and couldn’t look at Aejaz the same way… or at all really. What if he wanted to do that to her? She didn’t know if she could handle that… She also didn’t have the courage to do what Enyo had done to Ares…


    Enyo spoke up to alleviate some of Allie’s worries, “Allie, sweetie, everyone is different. Ares and I… We’re very different. You and Aejaz don’t have to be like us in that regard, ok?”


    Allie peeked out from behind her hands. “... Ok…”


    Enyo did the finger motion again and cackled as Allie squealed.


    “Right, well, if you’re done traumatising my daughter, I’ll be going over the plan for today.” Zhang coughed to try and save Allie from the embarrassment. “We’ll have lunch before the competition. Allie will take part in the first round and I imagine she’ll pass. The rounds get progressively harder and the first is usually just to give beginners who are there a chance to get experience with this type of event. Some people will drop out here, of course, but Allie you’ve trained more than long enough to pass the round with your eye’s closed if need be. Any number of people can pass the first round, so you don’t have to worry about that side of things just yet either. The second round will have a limit though. Your pill’s quality will be judged and the best performers will move onto the third round. This should be obvious, but the pill they’ll want you to create will get harder every round. Before the final round there’ll be a break for dinner, after which you’ll go back on stage. We’ll leave the next day. Any questions? No? Good. Now the only issue is what we’re going to have for lunch…” Zhang had hoped Ares would cook for them again, but he wasn’t here right now. As if he’d called out ‘Beetlejuice’ three times in a row, however, a space ring rattled on the wooden table before finally settling. Only Zhang had caught a glimpse of Ares, who made sure to stick his tongue out at him, as he made a drive by delivery. Zhang picked up the ring and checked its contents. “Well, it would seem lunch is sorted.”


    They chatted for a while and Zhang pop-quizzed Allie every now and then and was pleased with her flawless record of answers. Allie had been trained by him for the last ten years and Zhang was a pretty decent alchemist himself. He’d probably only be considered slightly above average in the grand scheme of things but, compared to other people in Central Land, he was definitely on the upper end of the scale ability wise. It was a massive boon for Allie to have studied under him, but she was also gifted in her own right and she never slacked in her alchemy practice. Sure, she spent a fair bit of time creating Mini-Pillies, but that too was alchemy. It’s often said that those with a unique aspect will learn things related to their pillar far faster than others, Allie and Aejaz were fantastic examples of that theory in motion. Zhang knew that Allie was a shoe-in to win the whole event, barring any improper shenanigans anyway. Her only real competition would be one of his old friend’s students.


    They ate lunch and Allie’s nerves were washed away by the meal. Zhang could tell Ares had done something involving the cooking pillar for it to have had such an effect. The cooking pillar was an anomaly, it really should’ve just been an aspect under the support pillar and yet it came in so many different shapes and forms that it ended up with its own pillar and varied aspects. There were chefs who could create mounds of mountainous monstrosities that would fight alongside them, there were some that could provide support buffs, and there were even some that made various gadgetry and explosives using food. It really was all quite odd and the cooking pillar was undoubtedly on the stranger side of things. It seemed Ares was taking the standard approach for the cooking pillar, though, and focusing on the various benefits his food could provide. Zhang merged two thoughts in his head; one of Ares equipping everyone in the sect with Shock Beads, and the other of Ares feeding the entire sect with combat-boosting meals. Unbeatable. Destruction and cooking. What an unusual yet incredibly powerful combination. Also, didn’t that essentially just make Ares a high-spec barbarian? All he did was eat, fight, blow things up, fuck, and sleep. What a guy. Truly an ‘inspiration’ to his fellow man.