So...I realized I failed to hit the publish button when I was uploading this chapter, so...AH I'm sorry.

Anyway, there will be another update in the coming week (12th) to maintain the previous pace. So sorry for this.

Do enjoy this chapter!

I just realized; how unfair! Close combat and allowed to use one's elements—but no other weapon! As the person in utter disadvantage, this was the first time I actually felt helpless...and it didn't bother me so much before as it did now. Thankfully, the numbing cold welled up from inside and suppressed any feelings of restlessness and I easily pulled up a logical response to handle the situation in front me.

I had no element. At least nothing convenient enough to use now that could rival the lightshow that was my enemy's. There was no use, therefore, in stumbling over this bit more than necessary.

Black Flame wasn't going to give this victory over to me without any fight, either. So it wasn't like this situation was going to get any easier at all.

"It seems Lionheart was caught off-guard by that move from Black Flame! What is she going to do next?"

What else was I going to do? It wasn't like I would be lying down and accepting my fate, no.

I took a deep breath and reined in that increasing sense of urgency. If I allowed myself to panic, I might let loose some unwanted things. With my resolve in mind, I slunk down into my most stable stance, watching the bright flame...dark in the edges and a light blue in the middle, as it threateningly flared off of the palms of Black Flame.

"Amber, you should know some things about this world's energies, right? Since you are...an intern," I said as I eyed my opponent. I relaxedly circled him, my feet covertly digging into the ground as I moved, and he moved with me, never letting his back turn to me lest I pounced on him from behind.

"Black flames...well...each variant of fire has different quirks depending on the color," he told me. "For black, I remember it being a little different than the rest."

"Why is that?" Black Flame did not allow me to dawdle too much. He pulled into his range of attack, trying to send a stream of fire my way.

Having been made more or less familiar with the breadth of his attacks, I chose a safe distance to evade his strike and kicked up some loose soil his way. My feet kicked up the dirt, sending it showering on his face. The ground was quite firm, so I made sure to loosen it somewhat while I was walking around him.

"Because black flame is a watered down version of dark fire. Dark fires are unique because they can pierce realms and burn even your shadow," Amber's voice intoned softly in the background.

I trained to listen to him while I moved in to attack, making use of my earlier distraction to momentarily blind him and get within a range wherein I could comfortably attack.

I frowned. "How the hell does that even work? Isn't my shadow technically a part of my corporeal body due to light?"

I did not have time to hesitate with sending a series of attacks Black Flame's way. If I let go of this opportunity now, I probably wouldn't be able to find something as good as it down the road. I had to give him a good few injuries in places where he would use the most. If I could not strike him down directly, at least I could cripple his fighting power...wear him down bit-by-bit until he could no longer fight.

"Exactly. But dark fire only needs to reach your shadow to burn even your flesh," he answered smugly.

"What the actual f*ck," I whispered in response. "So what ahout black flames?"

A harsh light briefly wandered into my eyes as I sent my fifth attack down unto my opponent. This time, Black Flame had gathered enough wit to fight back against my assault. He caught my fist and palmed roughly at my chest. My heartbeat went haywire for a second and I coughed out when the air was forced out of my lungs.

Knowing I had approached the limit of this particular sequence, I hastily put some distance between myself and my opponent. In response, he sent his fire to chase after my retreat.

"You don't have to worry much about the kid. His fire is so infantile it's not actually any different from your regular fire. It'll grow better later on when he matures and he gains more control over his element. But for now...meh."

That was good to know. If his flame could burn my shadow, I figured my evasion earlier would not have worked so well. I waited a while in my position, deciding to yield a little to Black Flame's pace. I figured going aggressive all the time was not good as well. If I could save myself some effort from chasing him around, it would appease my lazy self.

"What about weaknesses?" I inquired, breath a little tight.

Black Flame had advanced with another one of his stellar kicks. It came so fast that I did not see it. Thankfully, I managed to react in time. And although my defense was clumsy, it managed to shave off much of the lethality that was included in the strike.

I grunted.

"You can use your shadow to snuff out his flames, I guess?" Amber said as I held up another arm to block a knee from below. "Since yeah, you can reach it through there."

"I don't know if I'll be able to use that tip, but why not."

"Considering your personality, I thought you would have already researched this."

"You don't know me well enough to know I'm just as motivated as I am lazy," I told him.

Upon receiving a kick on the shoulder and being thrown to the side because of the force, I let out an aggrieved hiss. The pain and my anger became fuel in my counterattack. As Black Flame shot in for another blow, I broke his rhythm aggressively—grasping at his ankle midair and pulling him in the direction where he'd swung his leg to topple him over. Catching him like that took a lot more than I'd like to admit.

I can't help but feel like my reaction time and strength had increased somewhat.

"Death aura approaching discernible levels," Amber mechanically reminded. There was some mock and lack of interest in it. "If you let it out some more, the entire arena will start to feel it."

"Well, crap," I muttered aloud, then forcibly pulled back a bit of my momentum.

Black Flame did not let me. He recovered from my interruption of him and used my pulling back as an opportunity to retaliate. "Why are you holding back?"

Why? I huffed at the question, evading his attack—which came with a rush of fire.

"Like how half-assed your fire is?" I shot at him. "Why do you think I hold back? You should know all too well just why I do."

I held back because I promised my mother I would. She died—and only then was I reckless enough to release everything. How important was this guy to think he would be in that level? Then again, were it not for the presence of Amber to clean up after my mess that night, the deaths would have probably not been limited to my mother among my mistresses alone.

There were still people important to me in this place. And until I was strong enough to make sure I wouldn't harm them while using this power, I would never dare to use it at all.

Besides, this was hardly the place for death. There was far enough of it everyday—more than enough, really.

"Amber, do you think you can help keep the aura stable for me?" I asked. "I can hardly concentrate on the battle like this. I really want to end this quickly."

"Look at you. Relying on me more and more," he teased. If it was before, I would be annoyed with him. But save for that callous tone, he wasn't such a bad guy at all. "What's in it for me?"

"Well, what do you want?" I asked.

He hesitated. "Offerings."

"Offer—what?"

"Your strawberry milk, your other food. Everything. Set a bowl aside for me and offer it up to my name. It's the only way I can eat and taste, and it'll also help me replenish my energies faster—even if the effect is a little on the negligible side. If you do this, I can help you more in the future."

I could not help but feel like that reason of his about replenishing energies was not quite why he asked them for. Unexpectedly, this guy was also jealous of the food I got to eat.

"Such a simple thing. Why have you never told me before?" I asked.

"Knowing you, who subtly blame me for everything even if you don't admit. Would you agree to my request? Besides, we aren 't that close."

"So, are we now? You must admit you were somewhat of a jerk yourself."

"Whatever. Deal or not?"

"Deal."

Although the negotiations were lengthy in my mind, Amber and I settled all of it within the span of fifteen to twenty seconds. While we conversed, my comment earlier regarding Black Flame's flame-wielding had churned some hate and ire from my opponent. This bought some time for me to rest, catch my breath, and even strike up that conversation with my unseen companion.

On the other hand, I was now being regarded with heat and fury—all of which were thick enough that I could feel them despite the other side wearing a mask.

Amber moved in to stabilize my aura and I felt, for the first time in a while, at ease in my own skin. Black Flame seemed to sense this subtle shift in me as I stalked towards him as a lion would its prey. I thought caught a finger tremble and he tensed into a stance, watching me with guardedness.

Ah, so it had finally begun. I would suppose I'd grasped successfully at a weakness. And now that the doubts have settled in, it would only take a short time before the whole thing crumbled on its own. Unfortunately, I was an impatient girl. So I would have to push him along until he actually caved in.

The death aura, I realized...was much stronger when stable. If it was steady and did not fluctuate, the intimidation it helped buff me with multiplied by several folds. The best part about this was that it also helped me too—gave me that concentration and ice-cold rationality. It was such a disassociating sensation, but right now I needed it.

Black Flame jerked forward to make his move and I met him with a quick evade and a counter. His movements were just as fast as before, but I realized it was a little more rushed and careless.

It seemed my guy had crumbled a little once more.

Taking advantage of this pace, I moved in to take control of the rhythm. This time, I began to corner each and every one of Black Flame's movements. I made him feel exactly what he made me feel when we first went up against one another—and I reveled in that feeling. That satisfaction of being able to oppress this well-trained somebody.

Nonetheless, I dared not get carried away. Too much compliance in one's own abilities was dangerous in a fight. I tightened my stomach and dared not offer him a reprieve lest I risked turning him into a cornered rat with bared teeth.

Little by little, bypassing the roar of flames, sidestepping that punch, leaving that kick to land on nothing but air...I finally moved in to my comfortable fighting range and did what I did best.

I wrestled. I curled around him like a snake, seizing his weak points and pressing down on him so that he was rendered helpless in my arms. I made sure to maintain a gaze with him through the mask.

Sure enough, he was unable to break away from the hold. He'd tried to reverse the situation quite a couple of times, but he was unable to break out.

"How is it?" I asked. "This one, I practiced on my friend Elion. He told me it was quite the gripping move. Hehe."

He was in no mood to laugh at my joke. I would bet he was turning blue.

He patted himself out. "C...call—out. Out."

"You surrendering?" I asked.

He nodded.

"Ha!"

I released him. He coughed, then raised his hand to bow out.

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