As Aurianna road the Training grounds, her keen eyes caught sight of a group of Goiglers up ahead. Seeking cover behind a cluster of rocks, she called forth a weapon into her grasp. To her surprise, it materialized as a colossal gun, easily as large as herself. Yet, she effortlessly lifted it, defying its hefty appearance. Tossing it into the air, she watched as it spun gracefully, obediently following her hand’s trajectory towards the approaching Goiglers.
"Now it’s ti to see what this baby can do," she declared with a determined tone.
With a resounding shout, "Burst!" Aurianna commanded the hover gun to release a concentrated blast of compressed fire magic at the Goiglers. The impact was imnse, causing a mighty explosion upon contact, engulfing the adversaries in flas.
Aurianna couldn’t help but beam with delight. "I’m really liking Eva’s gun," she confessed, her hover gun replaced by two sleeker firearms, which she aid at the scorched ground.
However, before she could launch her next attack, an eerie voice sent chills down her spine. "How interesting. I was so sure I killed you already," taunted the Death Harpy, the very sa creature that had assaulted her before. Strangely, it contorted its body, bending over Aurianna’s shoulders to et her gaze.
Aurianna’s body trembled with fear as she stared into the creature’s nacing eyes. Yet, she quickly recalled the advice imparted by the system, compelling herself to adopt a mask of false bravado. Suppressing her fear, she forced a smile onto her face, reminding herself, "Rember, showing no fear in the presence of a Death Harpy is crucial. Fear only feeds their negative energy."
The Death Harpy’s head tilted slightly to the side as it locked its gaze onto Aurianna, a twisted sense of amusent evident in its eyes. Aurianna’s attention was once again captivated by the creature’s claws, which seed to possess a life of their own. They were far more than just sharp nails—reminiscent of a predatory weapon crafted for hunting down unsuspecting prey. Their sight sent a shiver coursing through her entire being, rekindling her unease.
"Well, well, look at you, still wearing that smile," the Death Harpy hissed in a sinister tone. "But don’t think you can deceive !" Its grin widened with wicked delight.
Aurianna could feel her heart racing, her face dampened with sweat, despite her attempts to conceal her fear. The Death Harpy took pleasure in these subtle signs, relishing in the power it held over her. "Hehehehe, I would love to kill you once more. But your return to life has made realize sothing..."
"You know Eva!" The creature’s grin grew even wider as it seized Aurianna’s face with its formidable claw-like hands.
Aurianna’s mind raced with questions. ’Just how many people here knew Eva?’ The Death Harpy’s grip tightened, prompting the nearby Goiglers to hastily retreat, sensing the danger that lood.
"Ever since she trapped here, in this endless, boring expanse, I’ve been unable to escape. No pleasure. No amusent. No one left to extinguish, that would give satisfaction. However, you... You intrigue , child..." The Death Harpy’s smile broadened as it drew Aurianna closer. The Death Harpy settling down on the ground and releasing its tight grip on Aurianna’s face, but it’s other hand held her body. However, Aurianna remained frozen in a state of petrifying fear.
The Death Harpy’s piercing gaze remained fixed upon Aurianna as it made an intriguing observation. "You’re unlike any human or known race I’ve encountered. Your existence seems to hold imnse untapped potential, yet it seems to go to waste," it comnted, its words carrying a weight of mystery and curiosity.
Baffled, Aurianna tried to comprehend the aning behind the Death Harpy’s statent. ’What did she an by my potential being wasted? Could it be connected to my mysterious Diamond race?’ Aurianna thought, ’Even a powerful Death Harpy can’t see my race.’
"Now, you have two choices," the Death Harpy declared, raising its two pointed fingers.
Aurianna’s voice trembled with uncertainty as she asked, "What... choices?"
The creature’s sinister grin widened as it revealed the options. "First, I could manipulate you into suicide, regardless of where you seek refuge. Your scent is easily traceable, and your willpower is too weak to resist . After all, you have yet to taste true despair," it explained with a chilling certainty.
Aurianna’s heart skipped a beat, her confusion deepening. "And... the second choice?" she managed to utter.
The Death Harpy’s creepy smile persisted as it replied, "Well, I’m offering to share my knowledge and teach you a skill. I would beco your ntor whenever you venture into this realm."
Perplexed, Aurianna couldn’t help but question the Death Harpy’s motive. "But why would you want to teach anything?" she inquired. ’Maybe because my charm is high? I’m kinda glad I increased my charm,’ she cried inwardly.
The Death Harpy responded with a simple yet unexpected explanation, "Because I’m bored." It continued, "Teaching you could prove to be an intriguing experience for . I’ve never encountered your race before, and I’m genuinely curious to witness the transformation of a human-like being under the tutelage of a monster like . Your non-human nature brings even greater satisfaction. And, to be honest, I believe I’m a far superior teacher compared to Eva. That woman has nothing but tal for brains and possesses no understanding of people."
Aurianna couldn’t help but find the Death Harpy’s comnt oddly amusing, but she swiftly suppressed any laughter that threatened to escape.
Desperate for an alternative, Aurianna dared to ask, "Can I choose neither?"
The Death Harpy’s response was surprisingly nonchalant, as if suggesting a casual activity. "If you were to choose neither, my only course of action would be to make you commit suicide whenever you return here."
Driven by a mix of defeat and determination, Aurianna shouted, "Fine! I’ll go with the second choice!" Suddenly, she was released and dropped to the ground. As she looked up, she noticed the Death Harpy’s smile widening as it began to shrink in size until it stood just slightly taller than Eva.
Its horns transford into srizing black eyes, and its hair grew long and curly. The creature’s feet remained unchanged, as did its grey skin. now sported loose-fitting trousers and a black-and-white top, completing its transford appearance.
"But, why? Why are you doing this? What do you get out of it?" Aurianna asked, her gaze fixed nervously on the Death Harpy.
"As I ntioned before, I’m simply bored, and henceforth, you shall address as Master Carol," Carol proclaid proudly.
"Master Carol," Aurianna echoed. She observed Carol with both nervousness and attentiveness, still trying to process the fact that her new teacher was a Death Harpy.
"Rule number one," Carol declared, placing her hands on her hips, "Whenever you find yourself facing danger or experiencing terror, always rember to smile. Because if I’m around, I’ll make you wish you were dead."
A shiver ran down Aurianna’s spine as she internalized Carol’s chilling words. "Yes, ma’am," she responded.
Carol continued, revealing her perspective on Aurianna’s current approach. "Well, that’s my only rule. I must admit, I’m rather surprised that you’ve managed to survive here without any proper physical training. Essentially, you’re subjecting your body to unnecessary strain. While it may have so positive aspects, it can also be detrintal."
Perplexed, Aurianna inquired, "What do you an?"
Carol clarified, "If you possessed a high auto-regeneration skill, your body would benefit from the exertion. However, since you lack such a skill, you’re rely putting undue pressure on yourself. Eva probably didn’t educate you on the fact that physical training can enhance your combat abilities, did she? Well, what more can one expect from her? She’s nothing more than a walking scrapheap of tal."
’They seem to have a history,’ Aurianna thought as she watched Carol.
"I just realized how fortunate you are to be able to leave this place with Eva’s power. During the years you’ll spend here, we will focus solely on physical training to enhance your strength. Not only will it make you stronger, but it will also improve your combat abilities," Carol explained, a hint of excitent in her voice.
Aurianna scratched her head, raising a valid concern. "Um... just a reminder, I have the body of a seven-year-old. How am I supposed to engage in training?"
Carol grinned mischievously, undeterred by Aurianna’s question. "Who says a child can’t train? If you can fight monsters, you can train as well. Let’s begin with so laps. You’ll follow behind , and if you ever fall more than two kiloters behind... I’ll kill you ten tis over in the most brutal way imaginable!" As Carol spoke, two black wings erged from her back.
Aurianna snapped, not pleased with the prospect of Carol flying while she ran. "Hey! It’s not fair if you use your wings and fly!"
Carol clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Fine, I’ll run alongside you," she relented, retracting her wings and descending to the ground.
Aurianna voiced another concern. "You’re of a much higher level than , so it won’t be a fair race."
Carol chuckled, clearly unfazed by the imbalance. "Do you think I care about fairness? You better keep up with ." Her eyes glead with determination as she prepared to take off, challenging Aurianna to match her pace.
’Damn, isn’t this just a waste of ti? I could probably gain so levels with the amount of ti I’m wasting here,’ Aurianna grumbled inwardly as she struggled to keep up with Carol’s relentless pace.
To her surprise, the monsters in their vicinity seed to steer clear of them, avoiding their path as if sensing the danger they posed. Aurianna breathed a sigh of relief, grateful for the temporary reprieve. However, her respite was short-lived.
As they continued running, Carol suddenly increased her speed, leaving Aurianna trailing behind. The initial ease of the run quickly faded, replaced by exhaustion and a growing sense of despair. After what felt like hours of pushing herself to the limit, Aurianna found herself panting heavily, her body drenched in sweat. Each step beca a struggle, and she watched helplessly as Carol’s figure grew smaller in the distance.
Yet, Aurianna’s determination refused to waver. She repeated a mantra in her head, ’I’m not gonna be left behind, I must keep up,’ as she fought through the pain and exhaustion. oblivious to the system notifications that popped up.
[You have increased stamina by 1 due to exhausting your stamina yet you kept pushing on.]
Unaware of the slight improvent in her stamina, Aurianna continued to push herself, her legs growing increasingly numb, her head spinning, and her back aching from the strain. She couldn’t ignore the toll the relentless running was taking on her body.
"Please, Carol, could we rest? I’m exhausted, I can’t run anymore!" Aurianna pleaded, her voice strained and desperate, hoping that Carol would show so rcy.
Carol’s smile only grew wider, revealing her sadistic enjoynt. "Unfortunately for you, child, if you don’t keep up, only death awaits you. So do try to keep up."
’Shit, I hate her!’ Aurianna thought, the sweat stinging her eyes. But she knew that succumbing to hatred and despair would only hinder her progress. So, she pushed forward.
"Hah, hah," Aurianna gasped and panted, desperately trying to catch her breath after the grueling run. Exhaustion weighed heavily on her, and her surroundings started to blur as fatigue took hold.
In her haze of weariness, a glimr of hope sparked within Aurianna’s mind. She rembered that healing magic could alleviate pain and fatigue, but she questioned whether she could heal herself. As a forr Saintess, she possessed passive healing abilities, but they were limited to healing others, not herself.
However, she refused to let uncertainty deter her. Gathering what little strength she had left, Aurianna chanted, "Heal, heal, heal, heal," repeatedly, channeling her mana into the healing spell. With each invocation, she felt the weariness and strain dissipate, her body revitalizing under the restorative magic.
[ You have exhausted your Mana ]
But her mana was not boundless, and eventually, she exhausted her reserves. She could no longer rely on healing magic to sustain her. Determination flickered in her eyes as she realized she could endure further. The fatigue that had weighed her down seed montarily lifted.
"I don’t feel so tired anymore. I can keep going," Aurianna thought with a newfound resolve. Without hesitation, she resud her pursuit of Carol, her determination propelling her forward.
Days turned into nights, and the monotonous rhythm of running persisted. Aurianna and Carol traversed the training grounds relentlessly, their footsteps echoing in the empty expanse. For six consecutive days, they pushed their limits, their bodies pushed to the brink.
Within the training grounds, Aurianna’s body was sustained by its mystical properties, negating the need for sustenance. Though thirst would occasionally assail her, she pressed on without pause.
Finally, Carol called a halt to their ceaseless running, declaring, "Well, that’s enough running for today." Aurianna stumbled to a stop, her breath ragged and her body trembling with exertion. She collapsed onto the ground, her body sinking into the earth as if it were her bed.
"Hah, hah, haha," Aurianna chuckled weakly, a mix of relief and exhaustion filling her voice. "Finally... I can rest." She lay there, her body sprawled on the ground, surrendering to the overwhelming weariness that enveloped her.
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