Chương 97: Amazoness Challenge

"Waiting here for me? Why? Did I offend you somehow? I do not remember offending any Amazonesses or Ishtar Familia." Cael did not have many people connected to him, and he did not even have any enemies worth naming. Wait. Was it because of Haruhime? He quickly understood. Because Haruhime foamed at the mouth and fainted when she saw a man's collarbone or anything below it, she had scared off enough men to damage Ishtar Familia's reputation. Aisha had taken Haruhime's place with customers to cover for her.

If Aisha was waiting here, had she been listening when Cael and Haruhime told stories?

"Do you not understand Amazoness habits?" Aisha asked, licking her lips with a seductive smile.

"We like violence, and we like taking men. I watched you defeat the Monster Rex the other day. Do you understand now?" Powerful pressure and a savage aura burst from her, making Cael's mouth twitch. So she wanted to fight, then drag him back if he lost. How fierce. Unfortunately, he did not want his first woman to be her.

"I see. In other words, if I cannot beat you, I am finished." Cael sighed helplessly, and blue magical light condensed in his hand, forming a sword. He became serious. She was a Lv. 3 adventurer and an Amazoness. Amazonesses were born fighters. They could use almost any weapon freely, but especially excelled in fists and kicks. Few races could match them in close combat. She was the same Level as Hyakinthos, but Hyakinthos was a swordsman. Yesterday, fighting him with fists had only used his weakest area.

If Cael fought an Amazoness barehanded, he would lose badly. Even doubled Basic Abilities, Beast Instinct, and Transparent World would not let him beat a Lv. 3 Amazoness in unarmed combat.

"Exactly. A Lv. 1 rookie who nearly defeated the Monster Rex alone. I like you." You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Aisha ran her tongue over her lips and charged with her large blade. Clang. Her blade collided with Cael's sword. The force of the impact created a gust of air that blew their hair around. Both Cael and Aisha took a step back from the recoil. That happened only when their strength was close.

"You really have Lv. 3 strength. How does a mere Lv. 1 do that?" Aisha spoke while swinging her blade with fierce speed. She was faster than Hyakinthos and even a little faster than Gyutaro.

"This is central Orario. The Guild forbids fighting in the city and surrounding districts. We will be fined." Cael deflected the heavy blade with one hand as it fell from different angles like a mountain-splitting axe. Heavy. In pure strength, I am only slightly above her. She is slightly above me in Agility. I am stronger in the other areas. So in my normal state, I am around Lv. 3. Still, as long as he held a sword, no one below Lv. 4 could beat him. With only a one-handed sword, he handled Aisha with ease.

"It is fine. This place is lively at night, but no one comes here during the day." Aisha's attacks were blocked easily, but that only made her blood hotter. She laughed boldly.

"Hahahaha! Strong! But not enough!" While laughing wildly, her movements became even more savage. She gave no thought to danger. Like a berserker, she closed in and chopped down with her blade. Cael dodged, and the blade struck the stone street, cracking the hard ground and lifting thick paving stones. Boom. The ground where he had just stood shattered, cracks spreading like a spiderweb. She used the blade stuck in the ground as a support and flipped over it, bringing her leg down like a hammer.

Does she not worry that I could cut her leg? No. Perhaps the technique had worked too many times, so she ignored the possible risk.

"What is wrong? I know you are absurdly strong. Why are you swinging so lightly against me?" Aisha laughed.

"Or are you trying to be a gentleman who does not hit women?" Cael deflected the blade while dodging unexpected punches and kicks. Floor tiles and part of a nearby wall were crushed by Aisha's fists and feet. Fragments flew everywhere, stinging the skin. Amazoness fists and kicks looked slender, but they were terrifying. An ordinary Lv. 1 adventurer struck by one punch or kick would not merely suffer broken bones. The body might be smashed apart. Normally, even an Amazoness should not be this strong.

It had to be Development Abilities. Cael remembered that Aisha had Hunter, Abnormal Resistance, and Fist Strike. Fist Strike strengthened the Amazonesses' already exceptional hand-to-hand combat and made their fists and feet as hard as steel in battle.

"It is not that I refuse to fight women," Cael said, sending out a fan-shaped arc of sword light to drive back Aisha's blade.

"My techniques are all meant to kill. If I use them properly, I cannot guarantee you will be unharmed." The next instant, Aisha's fist rushed in without pause. The wind from the punch grazed Cael's cheek and tore away a few strands of hair. Through these exchanges, Cael realized one of his weaknesses. He did not know many techniques meant to subdue opponents. Until now, most of his enemies had been monsters or demons. Against them, maximum killing power was enough.

But against someone who was not an enemy and only needed to be restrained, he lacked suitable methods.

"Do not treat me like an ordinary woman," Aisha said.

"Use it. Make my blood boil. Fight the way you cut down monsters: arrogant, wild, rough, and strong. Show me a power I cannot ignore."