First Fight! - II

Noah's heart pounded in his chest as he took a deep breath, readying himself for what was about to come. With a burst of adrenaline, he propelled himself towards Mia, his feet pounding against the ground with an unmatched speed.

His target was Mia's torso, but at the last possible moment, she tilted her body, gracefully evading his attack. A smug smirk danced across her lips as she delivered a lesson amidst the chaos.

"Rule number 1, my dear Master," Mia said, her voice dripping with confidence. "In a fight, always be aware of your surroundings and the number of enemies you face."

Noah's confusion was evident on his face as he attempted to utter a response, only to be met with a sudden blow from Lily. The punch struck his face, leaving him dumbfounded and questioning the system within him.

"How did her stats become so high? How did she close the gap between us so quickly?" Noah wondered aloud, wincing as he massaged his swelling cheeks.

Rather than providing a straightforward answer, the system's response carried a hint of annoyance.

[Find it out yourself. I'm not here to spoon-feed you everything.]

Though disappointed, Noah didn't have time to dwell on it. He refocused his attention on the fight, but before he could fully engage, Mia interjected once more.

"Rule number 2," Mia taunted, her voice laced with a touch of mischief. "Never allow yourself to be distracted during a fight. Or else..."

Before Noah could grasp the meaning behind her words, Mia's leg connected with his, causing him to lose his footing. In an instant, he was sent flying through the air, propelled like a football soaring towards the goalpost.

A resounding crash echoed as Noah collided with the debris. He coughed, expelling a mouthful of blood, struggling to regain his bearings. Realizing he had underestimated his opponents, he resolved to take the fight more seriously.

With those words, Noah's eyes cleared, and the latent power bestowed upon him by his title, "Super Growth," surged through his veins. Round two of their battle commenced, and this time, Noah was determined to pay attention to every detail.

As blows were exchanged between Mia and Noah, he made a startling discovery. He noticed an unusual phenomenon—a blue aura tinged with hints of gold seeped from Lily's fists and legs, gradually enveloping her entire body.

"It seems like mana," Noah murmured, his guess confirmed by Mia's response. "Yes, that girl possesses extraordinary talent in manipulating mana. She's one of the few geniuses who can access it even before awakening."

Noah's realization came at a cost, as he once again received a punch to the face. The fight raged on, with Mia and Lily dominating the battle. However, Noah's resilience surprised them both. Each time he rose from the ground, he displayed an uncanny ability to adapt to their attack patterns, making it increasingly difficult to defeat him.

"So, this is what Miss hinted at—the immense potential of Master Noah," Mia mused, a hum resonating in her voice. "Alright, Master, it seems you won't grasp the gap between us until we deliver an overwhelming defeat."

With a hint of mystery, Mia's figure slowly vanished into her own shadow, leaving Noah bewildered. He realized he hadn't checked information about her unique skills, a crucial oversight.

"Argh! No matter, I'll just have to focus on defeating one of them first," Noah resolved, only to be interrupted by Mia's voice echoing from behind him. Her words extinguished his hopes of victory as cold water doused his burning determination.

"Unfortunately, Master, I think it's time you

accept your defeat," she taunted, pressing a dagger against his vulnerable neck.

Noah deduced that Mia possessed a skill allowing her to travel from shadow to shadow. Just as he prepared to concede, a sudden system message shattered his resignation, eliciting a curse from his lips.

[Sudden Quest initiated!]

[Prove your worth!]

[Quest name - Prove your worth!

- Prove yourself by earning the acknowledgment of both Mia and Lily as your master.

- Reward - 1. Gain Mia and Lily as your loyal Followers/Servants/Slaves.

2. Obtain a Normal Grade information coupon.

- Failure - 1. Risk losing the respect of Mia and Lily, along with the termination of your contract.

2. Unable to use skills for one month.

3. Unable to level up for one month.

Note: Rejecting this quest may result in unprecedented punishment.]

"Hehe, so you want me to accept this quest, knowing I can't complete it? Clever move, dear system. But don't worry, I won't lose until I've thoroughly spoiled your plans," Noah chuckled defiantly.

Just as Mia prepared to speak again, her passive skill triggered, warning her to distance herself from Noah. She complied, only to discover the reason behind her danger-sensing ability's activation—Noah stood amidst a swirling mist of vibrant blue.

The density of his aura surpassed even that of Lily, causing her to nearly stumble in awe. In a grave voice, she turned to Mia, her concern evident.

"Sis! This is bad. Master's stats were already superior to ours, and we relied on our mana advantage. But now, he possesses mana as well!"

Mia understood the gravity of the situation, her tone solemn. "Sigh... it seems we have no choice. Playtime is over. Let's show Master the full extent of our abilities, the 'big guns' we've been keeping hidden."

"Let the third round begin!" Noah declared, absorbing and enhancing his body with the newfound power of mana.