Kana was on the verge of puking from exhaustion but she keeps herself from falling by leaning against her knees.

"Heh! Tired already!" Mereleona cackles loudly, sitting on the rock with her flames dancing behind her back.

It has already been two weeks and Kana hated to fuel the woman's ego training under her was brutal but she could feel herself growing stronger in a such short time.

She has been trained to lean against nature's mana, to feel and sense them. It helps increase her attacks but her body wasn't able to stand such power, it strains her body which left her bedridden for two days.

At the such amount of times, Kana also didn't expect herself to like the fierce lioness even with her loudness and obnoxious. She's out front crazy but she is just definitely different from the royal nobles and up until now the Vermillion members have been given quite an impression of her.

"Again!" The woman grins and watches the girl taking a stand as she got herself ready once again with determination never flattering even a second.

Mereleona was surprised when she received a letter from Fuegoleon on the squad's status, not that cared about but he likes to keep his sister up to what was happening within the squad.

She was shocked when she heard about the only survivor of Kanazawa village. Remembering the incidents that wipe out the whole village ached her but to think that a girl, at such a young age to survive such cruelty— Mereleona wondered what happened and what she underwent that day.

To watch those she has been growing along with only to disappear in a blink and know that she's the only one who has been carrying the burden and guilt. It wasn't something a child should live with.

It later came to another letter with a request that she needs a teacher and Fuegoleon proposed to his sister to take the child under her. It leaves her flabbergasted but the man did explain that his knowledge and training are limited for the girl and he sees potential in Kana that reminded him of his sister.

Mereleona wasn't a teaching person but after the incident that hit her brother and after learning it from the youngest, she was fumed with anger. She knew that Kana doesn't have anything to do with the attack from the fondness and the protectiveness that she had been hearing from the ways both brothers had been writing to her.

Those almost made her feel like they have another sibling from the ways all this playing through.

Read another recommendation of her taking the red-haired girl under her from Leopold finalized her decision and she got to admit, Kana does have potential within her and there's never a day where Mereleona heard her questioning her teaching methods, just a few childish bantering thrown around but not excuses.

Kana is currently building up her mana skin in an environment with strong and wild concentrations, making it difficult to maintain the technique as the coating has to adjust constantly to the changing mana. She has improved tremendously in a short time.

The red-haired girl let out a breath from her mouth as she feel herself feeling stabilised with the mana and slowly open her eyes, meeting her teacher's satisfied looks.

"Not bad for a kid." Mereleona taunts but the girl doesn't fall for it as she keeps her concentration. 'Not bad at all'. "Let's move on to the next one!"

They both stood in front of a cage right under a raging volcano, Kana was sweating a bit but not as worse as when she first arrived while the older woman wasn't fazed at all by the harsh temperature.

"Inside this cave, there are hundreds of magical beasts! I want you to get in and I give you a week to arrive at the top. I will be waiting there." Mereleona orders and peek over at the girl and she can see that the girl was quite nervous because it was obvious to both of them, there's a menacing aura coming out of it. There are lots of strong beasts inside if they are part of this berserk place, they aren't something anyone can take light to.

"Remember kid, one week."

Those were the last words she heard before walking into the dark cave.

She doesn't know how long it has been since she entered the cave but by the heat from the inside, she's quite far from the entrance.

Kana's bracelet glow and Muku jumps out and starts stretching from feeling freshly awake.

The beast looks around and finally notices the place they currently are and gives its companion a questioning look. "Ku?"

"Good morning, Muku." Kana greeted as she took a seat on one of the rocks but decided not to lean against the hot wall. "Mereleona-san is waiting on the top of this mountain—" She points upward. "So, we need to get through this and meet her as soon as we can."

"Ku~" Muku let out understanding sounds and lean its massive head on her lap.

After arriving at the Ultime-Volcano Mountain Trail, Mereleona who first time met a dragon could help but stares at it after watching the duo together for the past few days.

"How big was it when you first took it?" The older woman asks.

Kana glances at Muku, blinking while the beast stares at her patiently. It took her a while to remember but when it finally hit her— "When the hell did you get so big?!"

"Huh?" Mereleona sweats, watching the redhead admire her dragon who now sitting with his head directly at the same height as her. 'So, she's can be quite dense, I see.'

"Let's hope we get to meet strong beasts here so we can get strong ourselves."

"Kuu~"

It seems their presence wasn't unnoticeable by the residents inside as few finally came out.

"Let's go, Muku!"

"Ku!"

They both ready themselves with Kana's grimoire flips open in front of her with mana skin covering her body while Muku pound onto one of the creatures.

"Honō Sōsei Mahō: Kurimuzon bakuhatsu-en! (Fire creation magic: Crimson Exploding Flame)!"

"It's the final day," Mereleona states, eyeing the cave with her liquor in hand. "Wonder what happens to them." She knew the girl's capability and have high expectations of the kid but her heart couldn't help but feel worried about her.

Just as she was about to pour for another round— A chuckle escaped her throat. "I see you finally arrive, kozō!"

"Sorry for being late." Kana grins, Muku trailing behind her who happily let out a roar after finally being out of the cave.

The red-haired clothes are torn around the arms and legs. Few gashes, cuts and burn now decorating her. Muku wasn't far behind itself sharing the same honours around its body.

"It's really hard to know the time when you are in such a place." The girl adds, her body starting to sway and eyes turning unfocused.

Mereleona approaches her slowly, eyes shining in pride. "Nice work, kiddo." She pats the girl's head who grins proudly at her achievement and just in time for her body to finally give out.

The older lioness catches the girl before she can plant her face down first. "You have done such a great job." She praises but froze.

A series of dark energy floating from Kana's back makes her eyes widen before looking back at the unconscious girl after it starts flying back to her.

"Could it be—you—"

A/N: I Apologise for not including the battle inside the cave but it will be a very long chapters and knowing my schedule, it will be trailing off for too long.

Finally, another chapter is up!!*crying to myself after feeling bothered for not updating

I have been writing a new story..... Even when my current one isn't finished yet.....

Anyway, it's a Tokyo Revengers story, and I don't know if I should post it out. What do you guys think? Should I give it a try and see how it is to your liking? 

Thank you so much for reading and waiting for my update. Hope you guys enjoy it!