Damon knew the moment the woman laid eyes on him would seal his fate.
As someone who shared the second attendant position with the icy Rosa, the red-headed brute held the authority to punish whomever she wanted. And it so happens that she was the most eager to dispense corporal punishment.
With this thought, the corner of Damon mouth twitched slightly. Lowering his head like a turtle in its shell, he gently pushed one side of the door open to reduce the sound and stepped through the entrance first.
Initially he planned to simply waltz right in, either hiding behind the chalk board positioned beside the door or blending in with a group of standing kids, however he quickly noticed the space was more open than anticipated.
The sand bags and wooden benches had been moved closer to the weapon racks, at the four corners of the room and a dozen boys and girls stood nearby with their gazes focused on the circle at the centre of the room.
"Looks like someone already fighting her" Vincent whispered from behind.
"Let's see who it is…" Damon was curious about the poor sap who had the displeasure of tasting the woman's hardened fist. As they moved closer to the front he spotted the short frame of a boy with spiky pink hair, holding a boxers' stance. The black tank top and baggy white trousers he was wearing further strengthened this image.
Sweating from head to toe, he stared at the red-headed woman across from him and drew sharp breaths. Nonetheless, the glint in his brown eyes implied he was not ready to concede.
His opponent, Diana mirrored him in stance and spirit yet every punch she threw contained a ferocity and strength that far surprised his own. He was facing a tiger with no intent of hiding its fangs.
Damon's face was drained with disbelief,"I knew Kayn wasn't too bright, but he actually challenged the beast!?"
"You might want to tone it down before she hears you" Vincent laughed. "It's more likely she singled him out."
"It- it's all my fault…" A voice muttered nervously.
Damon and Vincent turned their heads at the same time. They saw a boy with short black hair and grey eyes looking ahead with a gloomy expression, palms pressed together.
As if sensing their gazes, he coughed and added, "I just wanted to ask him some questions about the last lesson, but Diana heard us talking…"
"Don't blame yourself so much Henry, If it wasn't for him someone weaker might have been called in the circle" Vincent did his best console him, but their brother seemed unmoved.
"But I wa–"
"Unless you plan on tagging him out quit with the sulky attitude" Damon scoffed before he could finish. He was not interested in entertaining his brother's depressing attitude.
'The least you could do is cheer him own you dolt!'
The two figures shuffled back and forth in a one-sided brawl. The boy's footwork was impressive as he bobbed and weaved most of incoming strikes. However, those manoeuvres continued to eat away at his stamina by the second.
Everyone could see the end drew near!
At this moment, Diana delivered the coup de grâce. She pulled her muscular arm back like a bow string and her fist went flying towards the boy in straight jab.
Kayn immediately held up his guard to protect his face and blow struck the back of his wrist. It blew him of his feet and pushed his body back four feet beyond the circle and into the onlookers.
"You might want to catch him" Vincent suggested.
'I know…' Damon quickly stepped forward with Henry and raised his arms as Kayn's back came towards them.
As he stared at spiralling circles in the boy's eyes, he ran his hand along the bruised wrist. Soon after he heard the sound of footsteps approaching, and his brows knitted together.
"It's a miracle he has no broken bones. His arms might be sore, but an ice pack will do the trick."
"Good, that will teach em not to talk during my class." Diana looked over with a stern expression. Her words sounded light-hearted, but as her eyes focused on Damon she bared her canines. "Don't think I've forgotten about you either. It's your turn now!"
"Um… I'm not feeling so well." Damon pushed Kayn towards Henry and nervously took a step back. He had not thought of entering for even a second
However, he quickly found himself unable to move as Vincent grabbed his shoulder with his free hand.
"The hell are you doing, let go!?"
Vincent smirked and said, "You can't run from this brother, she'll only chase you down."
'That's nonsense and you know it!'
"Enough talking! Like it or not your getting in that circle today" Before he even had the chance to resist, Diana grabbed him by the collar and lifted him off his feet.
"W-wait stop!!" Damon pleaded to deter the woman, but he quickly realized his words fell on deaf ears.
Suddenly his vision spun around, and he could see an upside Vincent waving at him with a smile.
'You bastard!!' As Damon screamed inwardly his body flew through the air for a few second.
'Ugh… At least there are no stones inside… ' he sighed gratefully as his back met the sandy ground inside the circle. With his heart thumping erratically, he had been worried the landing was going to be more painful.
'I can't believe she just threw me like a blanket, what if I was actually sick!?'
This was exactly why they saw her as a beast!
Although she was known to be the least skilled among the ten attendants their mother had recruited, Diana had claimed the spot as second attendant solely for her physical capabilities and her unyielding personality.
Once she had decided to do something there was no reasoning to be had, and it was even worse when she got angry.
At once, Diana pressed her feet onto the sand and slowly drew closer.
'Damn it I guess I have to fight!'
Damon's eyes suddenly widened as her tanned skin and well-defined muscles appeared in his line of sight. In a panic, he pushed his body off the soft grains using one hand while extending his leg.
Bang!
Diana had easily foreseen and blocked the kick. Her counter came swiftly as she arched her back and struck her other fist down.
Seeing this, Damon weaved his head to the side. He dug his fingers below the sand and into the dirt then twisted his back.
Bang!
His other foot slammed against the woman's calf, spreading the impact through their bodies.
Damon smiled as felt this. With the knowledge that Diana had a combat style centred around punching, he was certain her legs would have been weaker.
However, he was sorely mistaken!
"Eh?.. Ouch!!!" A second later, Damon's expression faltered. He sprang up nimbly, hopped on one leg and seized his throbbing ankle in pain. "What the hell! Her leg is hard as a boulder?!"
Diana raised one of her muscular legs and smacked it with smile." You focus too heavily on my upper body when this is just as dangerous."
Despite saying this with confidence she knew that blow might have been successful in slowlng her down if it were three months ago.
Unbeknownst to the children, the attendants normally held a yearly battle royal competition at the beginning of summer to compare their skills. All ten participants were required to undergo rigorous training as their ranks would be reallocated according to their performance.
The others had a complete grasp of her weaknesses and Diana was not so arrogant to believe they were incapable of exploiting them.
The training regiment recommended by the director was difficult, but she had adapted well in a week, and managed to turn her biggest flaw into weapons more lethal than her fist, able to split a tree in half with single kick without applying her Forte's power.
Naturally Damon had no means of knowing this, but the sensation spreading along his calf told him enough.
"This isn't fair. I'm down a leg and this isn't even teaching me anything!"
Diana lowered her leg then replied with harsh tone,"Quit whining like a toddler. Have you forgotten already? This is a punishment it's not meant to be fair."
"I'm afraid I'd have to agree with the boy." another woman sounded with even tone.