"No," she said, then pointed directly at Minato. "But my partner is."
"Him... my princess?" The guard sounded confused.
"Huh?" Alia narrowed his eyes in irritation. "What is that supposed to an?"
Before the knight could answer, Alia released a heavy wave of her blood aura. The air tensed instantly, forcing everyone, including Minato and Radelia, to flinch and straighten their backs.
"Listen carefully," Alia said, her voice hard. "Whatever respect you show , you show him. Have I made myself clear?"
The knights imdiately dropped their heads again.
"Yes, Princess!" they all responded loudly.
Alia turned away, but Minato could tell she was still irritated.
All five knights kept their heads lowered, not daring to breathe too loudly. Alia’s aura still lingered in the atmosphere, heavy enough that even Radelia shifted uncomfortably beside Minato.
Minato exhaled slowly. She really didn’t need to go that far... but I appreciate it, he thought.
Alia turned back to him, her expression imdiately softening the mont her eyes t his. "Minato... we can start whenever you’re ready."
He nodded once. "Good. I want to begin now."
One of the knights rushed to open the inner gate, his hands trembling slightly. "P-Please proceed, Princess... and honored guest."
Radelia quietly leaned closer to Minato’s ear. "She is a monster. Even vampires fear her?" she whispered.
"Quiet," he muttered, cutting her rambling short.
They all stepped inside... The interior of the arena was wide... open floor, tall walls, clear space for movent. But sothing else caught Minato’s attention imdiately.
This wasn’t a normal training area.
The layout, the heavy reinforced gates, the circular design... It looked exactly like an arena built for actual combat.
One of the knights pointed toward the center ring. "This zone is where we knights conduct our trials and evaluations."
"Here...?" Minato asked, scanning the empty floor. "I don’t see anything... that can be used for training."
He glanced to the side and saw Alia speaking with one of the knight-guards. She leaned forward slightly, her eyebrows drawn in worry, her hand lightly resting on the knight’s arm as she warned him... telling him sothing. But Minato was certain she was warning them not to push him too hard.
Minato sighed....
"Alia," he called out to her.
She stopped talking imdiately and walked toward him, her expression softening the mont she looked at his face.
"You don’t have to worry," he said, pinching his nose. "Let them give the sa thing they give everyone else."
For a second, she just stared at him, speechless. Then, as if unable to help herself, she stepped closer and raised both hands, brushing dust from his shoulder, fixing the collar of his shirt, and then smoothing down his hair. Her fingers lingered a little too long... as if reassuring herself he was really there.
"Minato..." she said quietly, her voice gentle in a way she only used with him. "There are seven stages to this training. Each one releases sothing different, and you must kill what appears. If you can’t... it won’t stop. These trials aren’t light. They’re ant to push even knights to their limits."
He didn’t flinch at all. "Good. That’s exactly what I need."
She bit her lip, then rested her hand on his arm... gently, warm, protective. Her thumb brushed slowly over his skin, an unconscious gesture showing more affection than words.
"Just be careful... okay," she murmured. "I’ll be watching the entire ti. If anything feels wrong, I’ll co in myself."
Minato nodded, kissing her hand. "I’ll be fine."
Alia didn’t seem convinced, but she stepped back slowly, her hand slipping away last... as if she didn’t want to let go.
"He’s not a child... Alia, he’ll be fine," Deborah said while Elizabeth followed silently behind her. Deborah crossed her arms and shot Minato a curious, almost asuring his confidence.
Minato cracked his neck, then loosened his shoulders and arms.
Radelia, Alia, and her sisters jumped up and settled on the arena seats. Alia imdiately sat down and leaned forward, elbows on her knees, eyes locked on Minato.
Without noticing it, she kept biting her fingernail... short, quick bites she always did when she was nervous. Every ti Minato shifted his stance, she straightened a little, as if ready to run down there if he needed her.
When Minato walked to the center of the arena, Alia scooted to the edge of her seat. She didn’t blink for a long mont, hands pressed together between her knees.
Then the cage at the far end opened.
Three Cyclops stepped out.
Alia let out a small breath she’d been holding. Her shoulders dropped. She even reached out and grabbed Radelia’s wrist lightly... not out of fear, but from relief.
She knew these creatures. She and Minato had already fought and killed Cyclops back at the university. If he handled them then, he would handle them now.
Still, she didn’t take her eyes off him for a second...
The Cyclops looked around, scanning the arena, before charging straight at Minato.
Slowly, Minato summoned his blood axe, feeling the weight of it in his hands. He dashed under one of the Cyclops’ legs and swung the axe with precision, slicing cleanly and forcing the creature to its knees.
Quickly, Minato deactivated the blood axe and began forming sothing else. Within monts, a fully ford blood pistol appeared in his hands. Without needing to look, he fired directly at the kneeling Cyclops’ head, killing it instantly.
Minato turned sharply, ready to face the two remaining Cyclops charging toward him, his stance steady and controlled.
Alia’s red eyes were wide, her fingers tightening on the edge of her seat as she watched Minato. "Be careful..." she whispered under her breath, her voice trembling slightly, though she tried to hide it.
The two remaining Cyclops roared in unison and charged forward again. Minato didn’t flinch. He turned the blood pistol in his hand, aiming carefully at the first one. A precise shot struck its eye, blinding it. The Cyclops stumbled but kept coming.
Alia bit her lip, leaning forward, unable to look away. "Minato..." she murmured, her heart pounding.
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