Part XIII Djuana Yard

Silence gripped the room as Djuana announced her challenge to Lazuro from the stage. Teachers and students alike were stunned into disbelief until Fiore broke the silence with a question.

"Are you sure you want to fight this rookie? That's not fair, Mrs. Djuana." Fiore stared at Djuana with a disbelieving expression.

"So what if I test students? Son, I don't need your approval. But you'll have a better chance of entering the academy if you're willing to fight me. So, what do you think? Are you interested?" asked Djuana.

"I…"

Since Lazuro's first two tests had been disasters, Djuana's offer might be a lifesaver. Lazuro began to hesitate over whether to accept Djuana's offer or simply decline. Then a thought crossed Lazuro's mind. There was no guarantee Lazuro would win against the previous student if he rejected Djuana's offer. Finally, Lazuro nodded in agreement with Djuana's offer.

"Very good, kid. I'm Djuana Yard; my mythbreaker is the white byako. Now introduce yourself!" Djuana ordered.

"My name is Akutagawa Lazuro. My mythbreaker is…" Lazuro scratched his head briefly. "I don't know his name."

Djuana took off her long robe, revealing only her left arm. It wore a hilt guard with white fur and black stripes. Djuana smiled, moving it until she bit it slightly, then bit her lip until it bled.

"Get ready, kid."

Djuana kissed her hilt guard, and suddenly it sprouted a foot-long claw that looked very much like a saber-tooth's fang and a tendril that pierced Djuana's neck. Lazuro gripped his sword tightly, focusing on Djuana. Suddenly, in a flash, Djuana vanished and reappeared in front of Lazuro like the wind. Before he could react, Djuana delivered a kick to Lazuro's shoulder. Lazuro's body was dragged, and he nearly fell out of the arena if only Lazuro hadn't stabbed his sword into the ground to slow his momentum.

"Why are you making that expression, kid? I've already reduced my strength." Djuana blinked. "I'm sure you can do better than this, Show me!"

Lazuro clutched his left shoulder, feeling excruciating pain. The young man tried opening and closing his hand to reassure himself that his arm was still connected.

"Just one kick can make me feel like an idiot. Shouldn't I have accepted this woman's offer?"

Djuana reappeared, kicking Lazuro in the chest and sending him and his mythbreaker flying across the arena. As he neared the edge, Djuana intercepted him, shoving his shoulder to keep him inside before retreating to prepare her next attack.

"Damn, I can't see his movements. How can anyone move—"

Djuana disappeared once more and reappeared, delivering a kick to Lazuro's back. Like a ball, Lazuro was continuously kicked in all directions until the boy finally fell and coughed.

"Is that all? Do you want to enter this academy and become a hunter with your abilities?" Djuana sighed. "Fine, let's see. If you can land one attack on me, I'll grant you two wishes. You can ask me for anything. Isn't that a tempting reward?"

Lazuro staggered to his feet, catching himself from falling. Gasping for breath, he stared at Djuana. Her curly blonde hair, black pants, and white medieval-style dress that felt tight, along with her black boots, captivated Lazuro. Then a thought struck him.

"Someone told me you possess extraordinary power. I've seen it for myself, and I've decided on my first wish."

This time, Lazuro took the lead, launching an energy slash at Djuana. The slash traveled fast and crashed into the wall of the room, as Djuana had already disappeared. Lazuro didn't stand still, continuing to unleash energy slashes in all directions. However, Djuana moved so fast that Lazuro's attacks had no effect.

"Shit," Lazuro muttered repeatedly.

Lazuro finally stopped, and as expected, Djuana appeared and gave a barrage of counterattacks like before. Lazuro fell to the ground again, this time with a feeling of extreme dizziness.

"Attacking blindly is futile; her speed makes her impossible to hit. I need to find a way to counteract her agility. I wish I could consult an AI for a solution."

Lazuro stood back up, holding his sword shakily. He stared at Djuana, who was standing casually at the edge of the arena.

"What else are you planning now? Trying to predict my movements won't be easy. You see the air beneath my feet? That's how I dodge, even when I'm in the air." Djuana slapped the air with her foot, causing her body to float.

Lazuro knew that Djuana hadn't been serious about facing him. If she had been, Lazuro would have died at the hands of Djuana's Mythbreaker claws. However, Djuana was using her feet to attack. Suddenly, the thought of Djuana's feet gave Lazuro an idea. Lazuro immediately moved to a sharp corner of the arena and drew his sword. Lazuro took a deep breath and swung his sword repeatedly, creating dozens of slashes in the process.

"Where... where are you? Show yourself!"

Lazuro continued to squint, trying to locate Djuana. Lazuro's body was starting to tire, as creating a series of energy slashes was no easy feat. Some students were even amazed that Lazuro hadn't collapsed after creating so many energy slashes. Just as Lazuro was about to give up, a hard kick landed on his back, forcing him to release all the air in his chest. Lazuro looked back and smiled. This was indeed the moment Lazuro had been waiting for. He had positioned himself in the corner of the arena so he could predict Djuana's movements.

In that position, Djuana would surely attack his upper body or back to return Lazuro to the arena. For a split second, Lazuro's heart pounded, overcome by adrenaline. The skinny, black-haired youth moved his sword, delivering a super slash towards Djuana, who was now using the air as a foothold. Surprised by Lazuro's attack, Djuana attempted to protect herself by creating an air shield. A loud bang erupted as Lazuro's slash struck Djuana's air shield. Djuana spun around, flung back by the energy impact, nearly hitting the ground.

"That was close. I would have lost face if I hadn't quickly created an air cushion and returned," Djuana said, standing back up in the arena.

"I guess this is my defeat."

Lazuro stood up, brushing aside the debris from the wall that had cracked because of him. With unsteady steps, Lazuro tried to walk but eventually collapsed from exhaustion.

***

Lazuro woke to a warm sensation on his chest. Disoriented, he realized he was no longer in the arena. Djuana stood beside him, her hand pressed against his chest.

"So that warm sensation came from her." Lazuro asked.

"You're finally awake."

"What happened to—"

Lazuro tried to get up, but Djuana stopped him by pressing down on Lazuro's body.

"You've suffered mana burn. Mana burn is a condition where the body is constantly forced to expend mana. Perhaps your mythbreaker has the ability to supply your body with large amounts of mana. However, a body that continuously expends mana will become exhausted, and if you force it, you will damage the meridians in your body. If your meridians are damaged, you will no longer be able to use mana, or worse, the mana will become blocked and explode. I suggest you rest for now," Djuana explained.

The thought of himself exploding into tiny pieces of flesh made Lazuro finally lie down. 

"So, how long do I have to rest?" Lazuro asked.

"You only need to rest for a day. Lie down in this infirmary and eat the food and drinks I've prepared." Djuana pointed to the food on the shelf.

"Ah, thank you, Mrs. Djuana. So... can Tristan enter this academy?" Lazuro asked curiously.

Djuana hit Lazuro with the tray, making him wince in pain.

"Think about your condition first. The student admissions meeting will be held tomorrow. Once you've recovered, a horse-drawn carriage will take you back. By the way, you have two requests of me. Perhaps you could use them to help your friend graduate," Djuana offered.

"No, I think Tristan will definitely graduate. He's an extraordinary person. Besides, I'd feel very bad and disdainful if I used those requests to help Tristan graduate."

Lazuro looked Djuana up and down. Despite losing an arm, Djuana was still incredibly charming. The lines on her body were distinct, showing that she was a veteran hunter.

“W-why are you looking at me like that?” Djuana hugged herself. “Maybe your request is something lewd. I know a young man like you is in that situation. But I… I’m just a fifty-year-old unmarried woman.”

“Fifty years old…” Lazuro nearly dropped his jaw.

Lazuro looked Djuana up and down. Smooth skin, a slim stomach that seemed to have developed, a neat row of teeth, and large, firm breasts.

“Mrs. Djuana must be joking, right?” Lazuro tried to confirm with a smile.

“I am indeed fifty years old.” Djuana hit Lazuro with the metal tray once more. “S-so what do you want?”

“Th-then, please be my teacher. I want to go to the world tree,” Lazuro pleaded.

“Going to the world tree… is impossible.” Djuana made a shocked expression.