On a boat that was slowly drifting away from Melen, Tione fought with hatred in her eyes as trails of blood continued to drip down from her forehead.
The two exchanged blows with their bare hands, blood splattering all over the floor as Argana wore a battle-crazed grin, her bloodlust rising with every passing second.
"Your movements are faster than before. You are doing much better than when we had that little scuffle yesterday."
Argana said as she landed a blow directly to Tione's jaw, remembering the brief fight they had before Loki intervened.
Tione quickly steadied herself and drove a knee into her opponent's stomach.
"Or maybe you're just getting sloppier, bitch?"
Tione replied as Argana was sent flying back a few meters.
'At that time, I was still not used to my Level 6 status, which is why I was at a disadvantage...'
Tione thought as the two kept trading punches, kicks, and anything else that could hurt their opponent, caring nothing for defense at all.
They were focused solely on tearing each other apart.
For Tione, this was about vengeance and severing the chains of her past.
For Argana, it was a golden opportunity to butcher Tione and secure the feat required to achieve a level up.
Adventurers blessed by the Falna naturally craved strength, but few ever had a realistic chance of reaching Level 7.
As far as Argana knew, only two individuals in the world currently stood at that peak.
Ottar, the Warlord of the Freya Familia, and Leon, the Knight of Knights from the School District.
This was why Kali and the members of her familia dared to confront the Loki Familia, unafraid of the repercussions if they killed the Hiryute sisters.
If either Argana or Bache successfully killed one of them, the Kali Familia would become the third faction in the world to welcome a Level 7 adventurer into its ranks.
Even if they earned the resentment of the Loki Familia and became their sworn enemy after this incident, Kali wouldn't mind.
With Level 7 captains leading her familia, she would even welcome the Loki Familia marching into her country in retaliation.
Given her nature, she would relish it.
As the two continued their battle, their fists collided.
Tione found herself skidding back three inches, while Argana slid back only two and a half.
'Thankfully, I managed to get a few reps in before coming here... now there is no longer any dissonance between my mind and body after leveling up... otherwise I would've suffered another humiliating defeat like last time.'
Tione thought as she continued fighting back.
Although she knew Argana had been a Level 6 for several years now...
She had no doubt that, in terms of Status Points and raw power alone, her former mentor was superior.
'But she isn't an opponent I can't beat...'
The gap was there, but it wasn't large enough to determine the absolute victor of this match.
'I can do this!'
If one were to put a percentage on Tione's chances of winning...
They would be around forty percent.
Of course, that was only if skills and magic were taken out of the equation.
As Tione spat a mouthful of bloody saliva to the side, a loud explosion suddenly reached her ears.
She turned her head to see Melen in the distance had become a warzone.
'Wait... what is happening over there?'
She had been so focused on fighting Argana that she had only just noticed.
But her attention snapped back the moment Argana suddenly charged in.
'She got faster?'
Her eyes widened as Argana slammed her fist into Tione's shoulder, sending her crashing into the deck.
When Tione tried to get back up, Argana stomped down on her stomach, pinning her in place.
"This is going to be fun."
Argana muttered with a grin as she crouched down, clenched her fist, and began pummeling Tione with everything she had.
"Come on! Come on! Fight back, Tione!"
Argana mocked as she continued raining down heavy punches onto Tione's face, causing the boat to rock violently from the impact.
With every blow she landed, blood splattered outward as Tione desperately tried to fight back.
"Ah, you must be curious as to why I suddenly got stronger."
Argana said as she licked the blood from her fists.
"I have a skill called [Kalima], also known as Blood Drain. It raises my abilities based on the amount of blood I drink from someone blessed with a Falna."
"This whole time, I've been drinking your blood... slowly getting stronger until I can eventually overwhelm you."
She added as Tione became completely bloodied, looking as though she had reached her limit.
Seeing this, the corners of Argana's lips curled downward.
"I see... how disappointing."
Argana drew back her fist and looked down at Tione one last time.
"Just like the others I faced before, you will become my nourishment."
With that, she intended to end everything once and for all.
Her arm blurred as it shot forward at terrifying speed, aiming to crush Tione's skull.
However, just as her fist was mere millimeters away...
Tione's hand shot upward and grabbed Argana's wrist.
"What?"
Argana exclaimed in surprise as she tried to break free from Tione's grasp.
But her grip was like an iron vice.
No matter how violently Argana struggled, Tione refused to let go.
'When did she get so strong?'
"Let go!"
Argana shouted.
Tione's eyes suddenly opened.
She sat upright and delivered a devastating headbutt that shook the air.
The impact rattled Argana's skull, sending her stumbling backward before falling onto her rear.
When she shook her head and regained her bearings...
A blood-covered Tione stood over her, calmly cracking her knuckles.
"Did you think you were the only one with a powerful skill?"
Argana could sense it...
Tione's strength was rising with every passing second.
From another location, Bache, who was fighting Tiona, was experiencing the exact same phenomenon.
'What is going on? Why is she getting stronger?'
Bache wondered as she looked at the smiling Tiona despite the Amazon being covered in injuries.
[Berserk]
It was the skill possessed by both Hiryute sisters.
It had the ability to increase their power every time they took damage.
Which was why, when Judas performed his wide-range healing spell, he made sure it wouldn't affect either Tiona or Tione.
Combined with an Amazon's naturally resilient physique, it was a skill perfectly suited for the two of them.
"I'll show you my true power, Bache!"
Tiona declared.
But it wasn't just [Berserk] that had activated.
Tiona's unique skill, [Intense Heat], had awakened as well.
A skill that further boosted her abilities whenever she found herself in danger, stacking on top of the effects of [Berserk].
"This time, I'm going to tear you to pieces, Argana!"
Tione shouted.
Tione's unique skill, [Backdraft], dramatically increased her strength whenever she was pushed into a dangerous situation.
Just like her sister's skill, it stacked with [Berserk].
The synergy between these skills was so absurd that even Judas remained wary of activating them whenever he sparred with either sister.
In a battle of attrition, they were widely acknowledged as the strongest members of the familia.
Yet neither Argana nor Bache showed any intention of backing down.
"Good! I knew you had it in you, Tione!"
Argana's grin turned feral.
Her instincts screamed that she was facing danger, but rather than fear, it only intensified her desire to kill.
"You haven't changed, Tiona."
Bache replied calmly, though the caution in her eyes was impossible to miss.
Just like the Hiryute sisters, they had yet to truly go all out.
"Hahaha!"
Kali watched the scene unfold with undisguised excitement.
"Let us see which pair of sisters comes out on top!"
...
"Hey, Judas... I know this isn't the right time, but can I hitch a ride?"
While Judas and Riveria were battling the Dis Sisters, Finn suddenly appeared beside them.
"Finn..."
Judas wiped the sweat from his brow after sending their opponents flying.
His gaze drifted toward the ship in the distance, where he knew Tione was fighting, and he immediately understood what Finn was asking.
"Alright, I got you."
He cast his telekinesis magic on Finn before launching him like a cannonball toward the vessel.
"Huh!? How dare you look away!"
The Dis Sisters suddenly reappeared in front of them.
Dina swung her sword while Vena unleashed a barrage of magic.
Judas immediately raised several barriers, intercepting the attacks before they could reach him.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Explosions rang through the air as their battle resumed in full force.
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