Stingy’s eyes opened slowly, the fragments of a dream disappearing out the back of her head as awareness pushed them out.

I feel… Huh, pretty okay today!

That was a pleasant surprise. The last several days had been a haze, where her body felt like it was made of lead and her brain cobwebs. But even that had been less terrible than a week before, which was better than the week before, and so on.

Those little pills might taste bad, but they work. Tentatively, she stretched out – no pain. She stood and cracked her knuckles by tensing her hand muscles – again, nothing.

“Yeah!” She leaped up, full of energy. A man – woman? It was hard to tell with humans, they all looked and smelled so similar – startled at the sudden movement. A little bit of energy wormed itself into her head, soft and fragile.

“[…Young lady?]” Their voice had a certain quality to it that the telepathy didn’t convey all the way. That sounds like a woman-human, I think. “[Are you well?]”

“[Yeah! I’m feeling pretty good.]” At the end of her sentence she remembered to whisper; the people around here made faces at her if she spoke normally. “[I’m gonna go outside today. Do you have pills for me?]”

The woman – did she know her? Her hair was black and her eyes a dull shade of blue, almost exactly like everyone else – looked down at her clipboard. “[No, miss Stinger-Tail. You aren’t scheduled for another round before the end of the month.]”

She squinted. Next month is… Okay, I’ve been asleep for at least four days, and the last date I remember is the twenty-second, so-

Before she could puzzle it out for herself, the woman decided to help her out. “[Four days, miss. It’s the twenty-seventh.]”

“[Right, thanks.]” They both paused for a moment. Then Stingy sprung to the side, dashing for the door. “[I’m going, then! Bye!]”

----------------------------------------

Something struck Lu’s door, catapulting him out of bed like- well, like a stone from a siege engine. “…Guh?” he said eloquently.

Whatever had rammed his door replied with a sound like someone playing a string instrument with a sword, and Lu’s heart sank. His door rattled in its frame again as it was struck.

“Stingy? Is that you?” How did you find- no, who told you where to find my room? I specifically asked the doctors not to do that, in order to avoid this exact scenario! Another pound, and he could swear there were splinters coming off despite the reinforcement arrays he had added after the fifth accidental explosion.

“I’m coming, I’m coming! There’s no need to make a ruckus!” Luckily, Lu was wearing his sleeping robes and was thus able to open the door – unlike certain barbaric individuals who slept in only their underthings, who will remain unnamed.

The latch was undone, the knob turned, and Lu opened the door to see something like a humanoid purple crocodile. Stingy had changed much more than any of his other acquaintances from Salt, going from a human-like figure to a reptilian monstrosity. Fine scales had replaced skin, her teeth lengthened while her lips thinned, and two horns like those of a scimitar-horned antelope curved gently back from the top of her head.

Her raised hand, tipped with claws rather than nails, paused before it could impact his face. Then her ever-present smile widened, and another, shrieking-glass sound erupted. Ah, and of course she isn’t wearing her necklace.

The familiar forms of Lu’s Interpreter assembled themselves in his head. “[Good morning, Stingy. You’re up early.]” That was an understatement; the sun had yet to rise.

“[Lu! I feel good today!]” She pumped her arm, and despite her long sickness he could still see muscle clearly visible like thick bundles of rope inside a linen sack. “[Do you have time to spar a bit?]”

Lu’s mouth opened, but before he could reflexively answer with I have errands to run or maybe another day or some other platitude, he stopped and considered.

Stingy has basically been in a coma for a month. She’s almost certainly putting up a strong front. I should probably say yes – even though I really don’t feel like being stabbed today.

Although he didn’t feel quite as responsible for Stingy’s misfortune as he did Cobo’s, it was never a bad thing to demonstrate chivalry.

“[I suppose I can make some time. Ah, just give me a moment to freshen up – please, come inside.]”

After preparing a cup of tea for his guest, donning his robes, replacing his daily walking-around robes with something he was willing to dirty, and finally locking all his sensitive projects away behind closed doors, Lu was ready to fight. He had a good sword in his hand, a straight and broad two-edged blade with a long hilt, and he felt that he could confidently block with it without the steel bending.

…Ah, I don’t know why I’m lying to myself; she’ll definitely cut right through the moment things get serious. I’ve experienced her sword arts first-hand, and that was before she quadrupled in size.

He tapped his foot nervously, a series of divots appearing under his soft-soled shoes. This suddenly seems like a much worse idea. Maybe I can still back out with dignity? Go fetch Bull? He’s fully recovered, so I’m sure he’d put up a much better fight than my demure self!

But even as his thoughts became panicked, Lu’s body smoothly moved into a stance. “[I’m… ready when you are!]”

Stingy continued stretching, as though she hadn’t heard him – and if her own sword, curved and long as his arm, hadn’t been in her hand, he might have let his guard down.

But he didn’t. When she moved, he was already casting. Full shields, Disjointed Image, Lightning Palm! That huge body isn’t entirely a good thing; it makes you an easier target!

She was fast – faster than he expected, even – but she wasn’t faster than the electricity projected from his off-hand. She barrelled into the flash of blue tines, lines of burned tissue appearing like spilled black ink flowing down her body.

But she didn’t stop.

“Eep-!” With a swipe of her arm, his Image was dashed, the qi making up the spell unable to withstand whatever technique she was using. Again his body moved on instinct, his straight sword meeting her curved one with a tremendous impact.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

Qi and ki pumped through his muscles as he activated his body enhancements. For a moment they both strained, blades locked, before she shoved up and Lu’s feet left the ground.

Oh dear, she’s somehow even stronger than I expected. Weren’t you bedridden just yesterday? Space Ripper halted his momentum, allowing him to touch gracefully down like a hovering dragonfly.

Stingy swiped a few more times at the empty air, seemingly testing her body’s motions. “[Hmm, not bad. I thought I’d lose a lot more muscle.]”

“[Ah, I just had the same thought. It seems our sect’s alchemists are even more skilled than I had believed.]”

Rather than reply, Stingy simply bounded forward again – but Lu smiled. Don’t think I won’t play dirty! This is a fight!

With a gesture, the pills Lu had left in the dust where he had stood detonated. Stingy’s eyes widened in surprise as she was flung away, just as she had done to him a moment before.

But unlike Lu, she didn’t have a space-warping art to keep from hitting the ground. Her body left a sizable dent where it landed, earth moving and small stones cracking into shards as she rolled.

When she righted herself, flipping up and cancelling her remaining momentum with a spin, there was soot staining every centimetre of her body. She shook her head, a mix of delight and determination in her eyes despite her injuries.

Ugh. All of my friends are battle maniacs! The closest thing I have to someone who shares my interests is Lan, and we haven’t said two words to each other since we got back!

…Hmm, maybe I should reach out? I’ve been meaning to learn a bit more enchanting, and-

Lu dodged an upwards slash with his movement art, teleporting behind her back to land a second Lightning Palm.

Like the first one, it didn’t seem to slow her down even a little. She whirled around, her sword taking a chunk of his hair off as his ducking head passed under. The double-layer shield had been blown away just as easily as his Image, not slowing the sharpened metal even a little.

“[My-!]” My hair! Oh, you’ve done it now! The gloves are coming off!

With a flex of his stomach Lu sent himself straight up, then used an experimental technique based on Weight Reduction to cancel gravity for himself. Stingy’s sword reared back over her shoulder, like she was going to throw it.

Of course, he didn’t just hover there. Space Ripper moved him as multiple illusions layered themselves over his form, until he was less visible than the air around him. Add some anti-divinations too, while I’m at it. Then he teleported again, using the standard art rather than his technique in case she could sense the ki somehow.

Stingy slowly circled in place, her guard up. That sword won’t help you now, junior sister! Her eyes flicked wildly around, never still for even a moment.

Lu let go of his sword, letting Dancing Blade take it as two orbs, hopefully as invisible to his opponent’s senses as he was, formed from his outstretched palms. One was of fire, the other ice, and the temperature of his body fluctuated as stray bits of energy escaped the confines of the spells.

Then, a third spell entered the mix. I’ve had great success turning spells into techniques – but who says I can’t go in the opposite direction? Rejoice, Lady Stingy! You’re about to see something no-one’s ever seen before!

He brought his hands together, smashing the balls of opposing element together. For a fraction of a second they expanded as the detonation began – but then they stopped, the power of Spacial Freeze Qi Edition locking the explosion in place. Where before there were two double-fist-sized balls, now there was one, violently streaked in red and yellow and icy blue, sized like a prize watermelon.

He hefted it up above his head, a slightly manic look on his face. He reared back, took careful aim, and- Ah, perhaps this is a bit much for a spar? This is a very destructive combination move, it’s not like I want to actually hurt her...

Below, Stingy’s brow furrowed in concentration. Then with a slash almost too fast for his superhuman reactions to perceive, she swung at a distant tree who had the misfortune of dropping a leaf at the wrong moment. The leaf, then the tree, were bisected by a force that tasted sharply bitter to his Comprehension.

…No, no, she’ll be fine. She wouldn’t want me to insult her by holding back anyway. With a grunt, Lu heaved the still-invisible spell down like a comet. To his senses it seemed to leave a wake, like space was an otherwise still lake, one ominous fin breaking the surface.

The moment before it impacted, the swordswoman’s eyes flashed. Her sword came up above her head, blocking the frozen space like it nothing more than a falling rock.

Lu gaped openly as she strained to throw the spell off its course. “[Bullshit! I call bullshit!]” That’s just a sword, it isn’t even enchanted! How is she doing that?!

With a yell like crystal bells and cracking stone, Stingy muscled the spell to the side. It struck the ground a half-metre to her right, and she leapt away as a mini-closed space containing nothing but violently reacting death appeared.

Panting, she took up her guard stance again – but that last exchange had put Lu over the edge. He dropped to the ground, coming into visibility with his robed ruffled and a scowl on his face.

“[How?!]” He punctuated the statement by stomping his foot. “[I refuse to believe it! You didn’t cast any technique, I would have felt it!]” Stomp, stomp. “[How did you do that?]”

Stingy was still for a long second, before shrugging minutely. “[Martial arts?]”

Lu’s face reddened – before he seemed to calm down entirely. “[Fine, fine. I’ve comported myself, so let’s continue.]” His sword continued to hover over his shoulder, and a moment later it was joined by five long rifles. “[Come at me whenever you’re ready.]”

“[Hmm...]” Stingy’s head bobbed one way, then the other. “[I feel like...]” Rather than charge forward, she opted for a long range attack; a blade of sword-ki cut into Lu’s form, and like that unfortunate tree it fell into two pieces. “[...This is a trap!]”

Then the pills he had been planting detonated, obliterating what was left of the illusion. Still in the air, the real Lu pouted. Darn, I though she’d fall for that at least one more time. One of the rifles swivelled to point at her. Oh well. I still have plenty of tricks.

----------------------------------------

When they left the torn-up field behind them, neither he nor her were particularly injured. Stingy had some rapidly-healing scars along her side – the lightning burns had been long gone before the spar hit its midpoint – while Lu’s jaw had a sunset-coloured bruise going from his right ear to his chin.

“[I still can’t believe you can just- cut my spells out of the air. Can you not give me even a hint?]”

A small shrug, same as before. “[It’s not like I learned it from someone? It’s just instinct.]” A large hand came down to pat him on the head. “[Just keep practising, you’ll get it eventually.]”

Lu resisted the urge to fiddle with his suddenly shorter hair. I… doubt that, Stingy. It was probably something like his instinctive understanding of space; the absurd cutting ability a sword inherited the moment it touched her hand analogous to his Gravity Vision or Spacial Freeze. But still, it seems like too much! That’s something I’d expect from a core realm disciple at the very least.

…Maybe I’m punching even further above my weight than I thought? No, no, don’t get a swelled head, Lu. She’s about Bull’s level, nowhere near the core realms.

Not to say that Bull is weak or anything, he’s as far above me as I am above a mortal – just that landing a few good hits isn’t anything too unexpected.

“[Well, I’ll take your word for it. Are you sure you’re not feeling unwell?]”

She clenched one fist and rolled her wrist. “[I’m good! Like, seventy percent at worst.]”

He gave her a skeptical look, but then brushed it off. No matter. If she needs to go back to the medical wing tomorrow, that’s her own fault. His hand came up to lightly brush at his bruise. “[Alright. Again, I’ll take your word for it. Do you have any plans for the rest of the day?]”

She made an expression that was too alien to parse. “[Hmm… Nope! What are you doing?]”

“[Nothing special. Picking up some alchemy supplies, making the rounds down in Little Swamp Village, making dinner…]” As much as he would have preferred to subsist entirely on pills, the lack of current income made mortal food more economical.

“[Well, I’ll just tag along then! What’s for dinner?]”

Lu couldn’t help a wry look appearing on his face. Ah, if only a human woman would ask me to dinner with such cavalierness…