The Martial Unity

2940  Growing Girl

A girl stood before a young tree with an expression of curiosity and determination, pulling her right leg back while her arms curled the other way to leverage the ensuing kick, before unleashing her strongest kick as hard as she could. BANG!

In one fell swoop, she cracked the young tree in half, causing it to collapse and fall sideways. Her blood-red eyes lit up with jubilation as a triumphant smile emerged on her face. Her long, flowing blood-red hair swayed with swift maneuver.

”Impressive.”

A voice behind her drew her attention as she turned around with delight to the man and woman standing several meters behind her. ”How did I do?” she asked with ecstatic excitement.

”That was a brilliant kick,” Max smiled at her with a proud expression. ”Your form was excellent. I can see that you have been practicing well, Arastia.”

Mana nodded in agreement. ”You will surely become a great Martial Artist when you enter the Martial Academy.”

Arastia smiled with delight at the praise from her two mentors. ”Do you think I can play with the other girls now?”

Max and Mana exchanged a knowing glance at each other, turning back to her with a melancholic expression. ”Not yet, my dear.” Manaʼs smile was bittersweet. Her eyes transitioned from delight to hurt disappointment. ”But why not?!”

STEP Max knelt before her with a gentle smile as he patted her head with affection. ”Youʼre too strong, dear Arastia. You canʼt control it well enough yet. The other girls might get hurt.”

Arastiaʼs expression grew even more forlorn as her eyes grew teary. ”B-But I wonʼt hurt them. I didnʼt hurt them in the past!”

”We know you never hurt anybody,” Mana replied as she affectionately pulled the girl in for a warm, loving embrace. ”After all, you are such a sweet, precious baby.”

”Iʼm not a baby!” Arastia complained. ”The two of you are also super strong, but you get to play with the others.”

Maxʼs smile was amused. ”Thatʼs because we have complete mastery and control of our power. If you want to be like us, then you will have to learn to control your power perfectly.”

”But I can control my power,” she insisted with an adorably defiant expression. Max smirked. ”Well, why donʼt we put that to the test?” With a single breath, he manipulated a basket of eggs some distance away, bringing it to him as a single egg emerged from the basket.

”Catch,” Max tossed the egg at her slowly while Arastiaʼs hands poised themselves to catch the egg.

CRACK!

SPLAT!

The egg flattened to a thin sheet under the sheer force and pressure of her grabbing motion, while the egg white and yolk splattered across not only her body, but all around them like a jet spray.

”Ewww!” Arastiaʼs lips curled with disgust at the egg all over her body while Max simply laughed, earning a glare from Mana, who immediately helped the girl change into another set of the many clothes they had brought with them. ”You still arenʼt there yet,” Max calmly remarked. ”You will need to gain better and deeper control.”

Arastiaʼs expression grew sad as she finished changing into fresh clothes. ”So I canʼt play with the others?”

Her eyes lit up with ecstasy. ”Yes! I want to fly in the sky again!”

”Hehehe…” Max grinned. ”Then flying it is. Today weʼll take you to a new place in the Kandrian Empire.”

”Really?” Her eyes lit up as she held Max and Manaʼs hands.

”Yep,” he smirked. ”We can even have you play with the other girls like you if theyʼre there today.”

”Yay!” she leaped with joy, launching herself more than a dozen meters in the air. ”I canʼt wait to play with them!”

Max and Mana caught her before sky-walking away with Arastia, squealing with excitement.

WHOOSH

They elevated in the skies as Arastia gazed down at the vast expanse of the Quarrier City. Numerous skyscrapers could be spotted across the cityscape as what was once a small town had ballooned in size to qualify as its own city.

”Itʼs as big as always…” A faint murmur escaped her as they rose to the skies. Max smiled. ”Would you believe me if I told you that, once upon a time, this massive city was just a small orphanage?”

”Eh?!” she jolted with surprise at Max, staring at him with her widened blood-red eyes. ”Really?!”

”It was truly a long, long time ago,” Mana remarked with a nostalgic expression. ”We were kids back then, just like you are now.”

Arastia gazed at them with a shocked expression. ”How could a small orphanage become such a large city?!”

The two of them directed a profound smile at her.

”Itʼs all thanks to big brother Rui.”

Arastiaʼs eyes lit up with curiosity.

There it was again.

It was a name that she had heard countless times growing up, in one fashion or another. After hearing about this fellow her entire life, even she was now brimming with interest and curiosity.

”Well, technically,” Max scratched his head. ”Heʼs not quite a big brother to us anymore.”

Mana stiffened. ”…Donʼt bring that up. Manifold time doesnʼt count.”

”What was the Prince like?” Arastia directed a curious gaze at the two of them.

Max grinned with a hint of childish excitement.

”Heʼs the best.”

There wasnʼt even the slightest hint of doubt in his voice.

Mana nodded with absolute certainty. ”Nobody is greater than him in this whole wide world.”

Arastiaʼs blood-red eyes twinkled with blood-red eyes as her imagination flew wild at their words. She wondered just what extraordinary kind of man the one touted as the Dawnbringer was to make even Max and Mana, whom she had looked up to her entire life, speak so highly of him. ”Where is he now?” she asked with a curious expression.

Max grinned. ”Heʼs kick the butts of monsters and beasts in the Beast Domain. When he returns after fixing the Beast Incursion, you will get to meet him.”

Arastiaʼs eyes lit up with excitement. ”I canʼt wait!”