Shock

"Don't you want to know what happened, big brother?" Mana raised an eyebrow.

"The details don't matter as much, but yes." Rui nodded. "Whenever you want to."

Mana paused for a moment, before sighing. "We ran into a Martial Apprentice. He broke my jaw and Max's ribs."

That was about as strong as any justification for a loss one could have. Of course, that didn't make things better, a loss was still a loss.

"By the time we could even gather ourselves, it was already over." Max gritted his teeth. "That girl, Crea Jenken? She broke through to the Apprentice Realm and wiped the floor with that other Martial Apprentice. Damn, I wish I was li-"

"Wait." Rui paused abruptly, trying to conceal his shock with a mind mask. "You're telling me a girl broke through?"

"Yeah." Max nodded.

"Her name was Crea Jenken? You're sure?" He asked in an unassuming tone.

"Pretty sure that's what they called her when they passed her." Max scratched his head.