Ancient Arts—what are they, really?
If explained simply, they are the sa as the martial arts from the modern world—styles like kung fu, boxing, karate, jeet kune do, aikido, and others. The only difference between them and what exists now is ti.
In the world of Free Life Fantasy (FLF), martial arts were once widespread, sothing nearly every fighter knew to so degree. But this raises an important question:
Why would anyone need martial arts when they have mana, essence stones, and powerful magic?
The answer lies in the ancient tis.
First of all, during those tis, magic wasn't sothing people could easily perform. While a few exceptional individuals, like the legendary Savitri Seraphine, could wield magic, they were extrely rare. The common people relied heavily on essence stones.
The second reason was the rarity of awakened individuals.
In the present day, about two out of ten people becos an awakened—blessed with natural talents to use mana and abilities. But back in the ancient era, things were drastically different.
The ratio wasn't two in ten; it was closer to four or five out of a thousand. Awakened individuals were so rare that they were often misunderstood. In so regions, they were feared, treated as curses or as the puppets of so evil god.
Healers, for example—who are highly respected and essential in the present day—were often shunned back then. Instead of being praised, they were seen as strange and dangerous. Many were mistreated or cast out of their communities.
Because of these circumstances, martial arts flourished. People didn't have mana to rely on, and awakening was rare. So, they developed their bodies, their skills, and their techniques to survive and fight. Masters of martial arts were seen as legends, their skills passed down through generations.
But over ti, as the number of awakened individuals increased and magic beca more common, the need for martial arts faded. Mana and magic were easier to use and far more destructive. Why spend years training your body when magic could destroy mountains in seconds?
By the present day, those skilled martial arts beca almost extinct. Very few people even knew of their existence, let alone practiced them. Soone like Lilith, for example, barely knows two or three martial arts styles—not that she ever needs them. With her overwhelming strength and magic, martial arts seem outdated and unnecessary.
This is why, when people saw Esdeath and Maruti using ancient martial arts, they were completely shocked. How could two teenage girls—who should have been born in an age dominated by magic—know these ancient, forgotten techniques?
But was this enough reason for everyone to be wary of Esdeath and Maruti?
"So what if they know so ancient martial arts? Who cares?"
That's what most people thought. Martial arts, after all, couldn't possibly compare to the power of magic—right?
Wrong!
Everyone held that belief until one man changed it all: Xing Liang, the legendary beastman known as the "Martial God" or "The One Who Walked the Path of Taoism."
Xing Liang was born during the sa era as the hero who went to fight the demon king. But what made him truly unique was how he revolutionized combat. He didn't just rely on martial arts—he rged them with essence stones and magic, creating deadly killer moves and powerful combos.
His na beca legendary, and his feats shook the world.
One of the most famous achievents in history was Xing Liang defeating a Rank S awakened when he himself was only Rank A.
To put this in perspective: the gap between Rank A and Rank S was enormous. A Rank A was like a small hill, while a Rank S was like a towering mountain. A Rank A could be compared to a river, but a Rank S was like the ocean. It was said to be impossible to cross that gap.
But Xing Liang did it.
His martial techniques were deadly, precise, and unmatched. Among all of them, the one that struck fear into the hearts of anyone who witnessed it was "CQC"—a combat technique that allowed him to overwhelm even the most powerful opponents at close range.
And there was one person alive who witnessed this firsthand: Lilith.
It had been two hundred years since then, but the mory of Xing Liang and his "CQC" was still fresh in Lilith's mind. Back then, she had been part of the hero's party alongside Xing Liang. They had traveled together, fought alongside each other, and witnessed each other's growth. Everyone else from that ti had long passed away, but Lilith remained—forever carrying the weight of that mory.
So, when Lilith saw Esdeath's stance—when she recognized the unmistakable technique of CQC—She panicked.
Of course, Esdeath's version of CQC was countless tis weaker than Xing Liang's. But even so, it was still dangerous. It was sharp, precise, and lethal. If Lilith hadn't intervened, Gilbert would have died on the spot.
With no other choice, Lilith stepped in to stop Esdeath's attack.
------------------
When Maruti went for her match, Esdeath didn't stand around to watch. Without wasting a mont, she grabbed Selene and left the arena.
There were two reasons for this.
First, Esdeath didn't want anyone to see her with Selene. If anyone found out, it could cause unnecessary trouble. Second, most of the academy was empty during the competition, making it the perfect chance to take Selene to her room unnoticed.
Her old roommate, Luna, was long gone—killed by Esdeath's hands. With no one around to witness her actions, it was easier to hide Selene.
In fact, this was one of the reasons Esdeath wanted to win the first round of the competition and get into **Class A**. The reward for Class A students was a **personal room**, and Esdeath needed it. A private room ant safety—she could hide Selene there without anyone knowing.
For now, Esdeath left Selene in the room. "Stay here quietly and don't make any noise," she ordered. To keep Selene occupied, she handed her a book. "Read this. I'll be back soon."
Selene nodded, her innocent eyes looking up at Esdeath, trusting her completely.
---
Both Esdeath and Maruti were now walking through the academy halls. Their destination was Vice Principal Lilith's office.
"We're going to demand our personal rooms now that we're in Class A," Esdeath said firmly. "And before anyone sees Selene, we'll take her to the new room."
Maruti, however, had other things on her mind. "But won't Lilith ask a bunch of annoying questions? Like where we disappeared to during the matches, why we're using ancient martial arts, and all that crap? Ugh, it's gonna be such a pain!"
Maruti sighed heavily, clearly not thrilled about the idea.
Esdeath, as usual, didn't seem to care. She shrugged. "It's nothing. We'll deal with it when it happens."
Maruti rolled her eyes, mumbling sothing under her breath, but kept walking beside Esdeath.
They were moving quickly, determined to get to their destination—
Until a familiar voice echoed through the empty halls.
"Esdeathhh…"
The sound of her na froze Esdeath in her tracks. Her footsteps stopped imdiately.
Her heart skipped a beat. That voice—
It was familiar. Very familiar.
Esdeath's eyes widened as she turned her head sharply to look behind her.
"Mid-boss?"
It was none other than Lortell Mariette.
Lortell had returned from her journey earlier than expected. Behind her walked her head maid, slowly and silently, her gaze fixed on the floor.
Lortell didn't say a word. Instead, she ran toward Esdeath without hesitation.
Before Esdeath could react, Lortell's arms wrapped around her tightly, pulling her into a hug.
Lortell was so tall that she had to bend down slightly, hugging Esdeath around her chest.
Esdeath's entire body stiffened.
"...…"
Her mind went completely blank.
She had been preparing herself for this mont, telling herself she'd act calm and composed when she saw Lortell again. But reality hit her much harder than she expected.
The overwhelming flood of emotions—the secret love she held for Lortell—was unbearable.
Her heart pounded wildly in her chest as if it would burst.
Instinctively, her arms moved on their own. She hugged Lortell back, holding her just as tightly.
Ti seed to freeze around them.
Esdeath closed her eyes for a brief mont, trying to hold back the emotions threatening to spill over.
"Lortell…"
She didn't say more. She couldn't.
Lortell's warmth, her presence, the way she clung to Esdeath—it was too much.
"What the fuck is happening?" Maruti muttered under her breath, completely puzzled.
She knew who Lortell Mariette was. Everyone did. But this was her first ti seeing the legendary arch-duke's daughter in person. Lortell's elegance, her overwhelming presence—it was like standing in front of royalty.
But that wasn't even the strangest part.
What truly baffled Maruti was Esdeath's reaction.
Esdeath, the girl who treated everything and everyone like a joke, was standing there frozen like a child caught doing sothing wrong.
Not once had Esdeath even ntioned that she and Lortell knew each other.
The situation was beyond awkward. Maruti glanced between them, her mind racing. "Is this real? Did I miss sothing huge?!"
---
Lortell finally pulled back a little, just enough to look Esdeath directly in the eyes.
Her face held a slightly annoyed expression, but there was also a faint trace of concern.
"Why did you go out of the academy like that?" Lortell scolded gently, though her tone was firm. "Do you know how worried I was? What if sothing happened to you?"
Esdeath panicked. Her heart started beating faster as she scrambled to co up with an excuse—anything to get her out of trouble.
"I—I was just—"
But Lortell didn't give her a chance to finish.
"And," Lortell continued, her gaze narrowing, "I heard you started smoking?"
Esdeath froze. Her eyes widened in shock, and she imdiately started waving her hands in denial.
"W-What? No! Absolutely not! I don't smoke! Who even told you that?!" she stamred, her voice rising in panic.
She looked away, unable to hold Lortell's piercing gaze. It was so obvious she was lying that even Maruti facepald from the side.
But instead of pressing further, Lortell simply smiled softly.
"It's okay. I believe in you," she said, her voice gentle.
Esdeath blinked in surprise. That smile—Lortell's calm, forgiving smile—made her chest tighten.
---
Lortell's gaze shifted downward, and her expression quickly turned into one of disapproval.
She clicked her tongue softly. "Tch, tch… What have you made yourself into?"
Esdeath flinched slightly, unsure of what Lortell ant until—
Without waiting for permission, Lortell reached forward and started fixing Esdeath's ssy uniform.
Her shirt's top button was undone, offering an obvious glimpse of her cleavage. Her tie hung loosely, and her skirt barely covered half her thighs, looking unkempt and improper.
Lortell sighed as she began closing the buttons of Esdeath's shirt, her movents both careful and precise.
"Don't show your skin so much," Lortell said, her voice soft but serious. "I can't bear to see soone laying their dirty gazes on you."
She adjusted Esdeath's tie, smoothing it out until it was perfectly straight.
Finally, she tugged at Esdeath's skirt, pulling it down to make her look like a neat and proper student.
Esdeath stood there completely still, her face bright red and her heart pounding so loudly it felt like it would burst.
---
Maruti, standing off to the side, watched the whole thing with her jaw hanging open.
"Is this really happening?" she thought, stunned.
From what she knew, there were two basic rules when dealing with Esdeath, also known as "Fable."
1. Never tell Fable what to do.
2. Always rember the first rule.
Maruti had been fully prepared to see Lortell get roasted for daring to scold and fix Esdeath's clothes. After all, Esdeath didn't take orders from anyone—let alone let soone boss her around like this.
But the reality?
The complete opposite happened.
Maruti couldn't believe her eyes.
Esdeath, the ruthless and fearless Esdeath, had her hands pressed against her cheeks.
Her entire face was bright red, almost glowing. Her sparkling eyes looked like fireflies in the night, filled with a mix of embarrassnt and wonder.
It was like she was trying to hide her face, as though Lortell's words and actions had struck her too deeply.
Then, in a small, barely audible voice, Esdeath spoke.
"...The thing you said earlier…Were you really… worried about ?"she whispered, her voice trembling
Her tone was soft, almost fragile—so unlike her usual self.
Maruti's mouth fell open even further, her eyes practically bulging out of her skull.
"Eh?... EHHHHHHHHHHHH?!"
The sound echoed through the hallway like a broken trumpet.
Her brain short-circuited. For a mont, she just stood there frozen—eyes wide, jaw slack, as if it were about to hit the floor.
There was no doubt about it.
She had just taken ntal trauma.
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