Chapter 19: Brave Maiden! Face Me in Single Combat!

"Klath! Klath! Wake up!"

"Five more minutes... no, just one!"

It wasn’t laziness—it was sheer exhaustion. After settling little Bobo yesterday evening, I’d carried the Old Mage back to his room. Then I’d squeezed in time to explain Bobo’s origins to Monaluna and Helle. The misunderstanding cleared fast—how could a 14-year-old human possibly have a 231-year-old mermaid daughter?

Post-dinner, Helle delivered meals to the Old Mage while I took Monaluna to meet Bobo. As the household’s mistress, she ought to know our new member—even if their first encounter was... dramatic. While Monaluna marveled at the Tidecalling Blue Heart’s magic, I coaxed Bobo into finishing her meal. Once comfortable, the little terror revealed her true colors: riding her miniature Tidecalling Blue Heart like a wild stallion, zooming everywhere. Monaluna and I finally cornered her, tucked her into her "room," only for her to demand bedtime stories. Refuse, and her pout threatened tears.

Monaluna volunteered tales from her childhood but surrendered within minutes. Bobo might look like a child, but at over two centuries old? She’d likely heard every bedtime story in this world. Ignoring Monaluna’s sulking figure drawing circles in the dust, I launched into the first three chapters of *The Legend of the White Snake*. The little mermaid stared, utterly spellbound. *Please*—did they think my past-life summer vacations were spent twiddling thumbs? *Journey to the West* and *The Legend of the White Snake* reruns meant I knew every detail: boat rides under borrowed umbrellas, the three strikes against the White Bone Demon, four raids on the Bottomless Pit, the untold tensions between Xu Xian and Fahai, even what exactly happened in the Land of Women... I could recite it backward.

But long stories have one fatal flaw—they end on cliffhangers! Who falls asleep with suspense clawing their brain? By the time I realized this, the White Snake and Xiaoqing were already gathering herbs on the immortal mountain. Every time I dropped the classic line—"To know what happens next, tune in next time!"—Bobo, Monaluna, and later Helle would pout. "*Ugh*, Wingside Breeze feels rusty today~" "*Fine*, tomorrow’s breakfast will be Klath’s least favorite: veggie meatballs!" "*Bobo* thinks she can race one more lap!"

I barely made it to my room before collapsing face-first onto the bed, clothes still on. How was morning here already?

"Klath, rise. Master says intensive training begins after breakfast—for you and the young mistress."

"Huh? What’s gotten into the old man?" I grumbled, dragging myself upright. From the Old Mage’s fragmented words yesterday about the Moon Lake Holy Beast’s slumber, time seemed short. He must’ve decided to accelerate my training—though I’d expected it post-Baptism. Matters of survival demanded no laziness.

Helle led me to the dining hall. The Old Mage and Monaluna had already finished eating and left. I shoveled a few bites of rice before bolting to the courtyard, earning Helle’s sharp glare.

"Master! Morning~"

"Morning my foot! Planning to sleep till next century?"

"Whoa, easy on the temper! Huh? Monaluna up this early? Must be a dream—I’ll go back to bed!"

"Pfft! This lady’s been up since dawn. Unlike *some* four-eyes." Monaluna puffed her cheeks.

"Enough. Today focuses on combat drills. Afternoon: magic sensitivity training. Nana—no spells, only martial techniques. Brat—you may only use your gloves and glasses. No other Rune Engraving Tools."

"Tch." I emptied my pockets: three types of "Monaluna"-series explosive crystals, a pair of wind-element "Cloud-Stepping" knee guards, earth/life hybrid "Herculean Might" bracers, and the lightning-element prank device "Professor Yang’s Fiery Lips."

"What? You prepared all this between waking and reaching the courtyard?" Monaluna’s finger trembled.

"Wasteful! An insult to Rune Studies! ...Wait. You’re hiding more, aren’t you?"

"Tch! Sharp old fox." I stripped off concealed gear: a Holy Light "Glare-Buster" rune pellet on my left belt, a dark-element "Demon’s Weeping" pellet on the right, and a tri-element "Mud-in-Your-Face" sphere tucked in my sleeve.

The Old Mage’s eye twitched. He snatched a "Mud-in-Your-Face," infused it with mana, and hurled it. *Splat!* Black sludge coated a tree trunk.

"Uh... it’s a *facial mask*! Popular back home—whitens and nourishes skin!" (I’d die before admitting the perfected version used necrotic venom instead of water.)

He grabbed a "Glare-Buster." Blinding white light erupted. Monaluna shrieked, clutching her eyes. Even the Old Mage winced, temporarily dazzled. Only my quick activation of the "Elemental Sniper" saved me. *Thank gods* I hadn’t brought the "Scorching Glare-Buster"—that’d cause permanent damage.

"Uh... it’s for illuminating life’s dark paths? You believe me, right?"

As he reached for "Demon’s Weeping," I seized his wrist. "Master! You *really* want a patch of yard where anyone standing there gets weak, vomits, and suffers twenty curses?" (My naming conventions had *reasons*.)

Silent, the Old Mage suddenly gripped my right hand. A jolt of lightning surged through "Professor Yang’s Fiery Lips"—he’d slipped it onto my fingers while I wasn’t looking! I channeled mana through my pinky’s rune array, neutralizing the current. But smoke curled from my hair, and my mouth tasted like burnt wires.

"Heh! Serves you right!" Monaluna doubled over laughing.

"Master, that’s low."

"You’d use such dangerous toys on Nana?"

"Never! I’d *never* waste them on her!" (Each took hours to craft! You just tossed three! My heart’s bleeding...) Wait—why’s Monaluna blushing?

"Enough chatter. Prepare. Training starts *now*." The Old Mage’s mood darkened further. What a pair of weirdos.

*******************************************************************************

"First—let’s be clear!" Monaluna crossed her arms, looking away. "Don’t think sweet-talking me earlier means I’ll go easy on you."

"Hah? Calling *me* a shut-in while planning to hold back? Today, I’ll beat you so silly you’ll learn why flowers bloom red!"

"Who’s the shut-in, four-eyes?!"

"*You* are. Want another nosebleed souvenir?"

"Fine! Your death wish impresses me. This lady will grant it."

"Come then! Brave maiden! Face me in single combat!"

Monaluna gripped Wingside Breeze sideways, activated "Lightness," and lunged. Her sword slashed down—I twisted right, triggering a wind-element "Air Cannon" variant to shove me aside. My left hand traced a circle. Holy Light flared into a rune array. *No tools? No problem.* A close-range, weakened "Glare-Buster" detonated. Monaluna staggered, blinded.

I slashed my right index finger downward—another "Lightness" boost—and put distance between us. For mages, range meant survival. Planting my palms on the earth, I channeled mana. Fire and earth elements wove through my mental blueprint, guided by the runes on my knuckles. A molten serpent, thick as a bowl, erupted beneath Monaluna’s feet, fangs bared for her face.

She wasn’t helpless. Though vision blurred, she sensed the strike, dodged, then slid sideways and thrust upward with her sword. A simple motion, yet charged with power—*crack!*—the serpent split. Through my "Elemental Sniper," I barely glimpsed the energy’s source: her lower abdomen. The *dantian*, like in ancient martial arts.

"Battle aura? Interesting." I muttered, left hand rising from the ground. I clenched my fist toward the severed serpent halves. Invisible force re-knitted the molten body. *Heh.* This wasn’t just earth-fire fusion—it was tri-elemental, laced with death mana. Near-indestructible within my mana range.

Monaluna, rushing in again, tangled with the reborn serpent. My right hand’s long-cast fire spell neared completion.

"Chaotic Cut!" Monaluna unleashed her trump card. The molten serpent shredded into fragments—reassembling it would cost precious seconds. But its job was done. My mana surged, activating the self-designed seal: "Blazing Prison!" Twelve pillars of fire erupted around Monaluna, trapping her. Forbidden from magic, she couldn’t break free. "Chaotic Cut" prized speed and sharpness—it couldn’t counter sustained fire. With her pinned, I had time for three killing spells. Victory was mine.

*Whoosh—* A colossal sword arc tore through the fire prison, riding a gale straight for me. I stomped my right thumb—earth wall! The arc shattered against it, dust billowing. Through the haze, a shadow dropped from above, slamming me into the dirt. Monaluna glared down, foot planted on my chest.

"Yield?"

"You cheated! Used wind magic! This round doesn’t count!"

"Hmph. Ignorance is terrifying. My battle aura *is* wind-element. That was a martial technique—not magic. Anything else to say?" She shifted her foot onto my face. *Seriously?* What kind of sadist are you?

"Bear."

"What?"

"Cartoon bears don’t suit you. I prefer black lace." Half my face smushed, I grinned sideways. *Who steps on faces? Thank gods this world has no safety shorts.*

"You—you pervert! I—I—I’LL KILL YOU!" Monaluna leapt back, raising Wingside Breeze. Forgetting the no-magic rule, she poured all her mana into the crystal. Her full-power "Chaotic Cut" would obliterate me!

"Calm down—!"

***BOOOOM!!!***

Dust settled. A flushed, furious beauty stood over a half-naked boy, unconscious in the rubble.