Ria took a deep breath. She found herself facing the ground on her knees.
Slowly raising her head, a pair of humongous flats came into her view.
She looked up and saw Hikari's usual cold face.
"Are you alright, my lady?"
"Yes, I'm fine." Ria slowly got up and dusted herself off, wobbling as she stood.
Hikari walked past her towards her corner of drillhall where her training gear was. After unloading her claymore and leaning it against the wall, she picked up the spare pair of shoes and began burning gratings on the soles with her finger before changing into them.
Then she put on her arm and knee guards and began her stretching routine. Shoulder stretches, triceps, neck, followed by hamstrings and the calves. Then she picked up the claymore, holding it steady with just one hand in an uncomfortable stance for minutes before switching hands.
Once her warm up was done, she moved on to simple strokes. She raised the claymore up with both hands, holding it over her head and swinging it downwards, halting it before the tip touched the ground. Ria felt a slight gust brushing against her hair from the shockwave of the swing from across the drill hall.
Like clockwork, she repeated the exact same movement several more times.
Ria stood on the other half of the drill hall and watched. It was an incredible sight. From where she was. It felt as though the sheer force behind them could shatter the gates of fortresses.
Then the air changed. Hikari began channeling her mana. It was Hikari's mana form, reinforcing her physical strength even higher. The overwhelming build up of energy pierced Ria's skin.
Horizontal sweeps, the full half crescent. A whirlwind of slashes, using the constant spinning momentum of the blade. A dash into a sweep, her range easily reaches the ends of the guild hall.
A dash from one end, a whirling sweep in the middle, a full sweep at the end of the dash followed by a sudden backward dash into a sweep to obliterate any foes who may attempt to backstab her, ending with another forward sweep, finally landing in the middle.
Hikari leaned her sword back in the corner. She took several deep breaths to calm her breathing before picking up a water tank the circumference of a well.
As she gulped down its contents, her huge eyes turned to Ria.
Ba dum! Ba dum! Ria's heart pounded against her chest as her mind processes the display she just witnessed.
Ria blanked out for a brief moment as her eyes met the piercing gaze.
When she came to, Hikari was suddenly standing right in front of her, startling her.
The overbearing stench of the sweat Hikari accumulated over the course of her workout, squishing below her foot in her flats, escaping into the air whenever Hikari scrunches her toes, filling Ria's nostrils.
Ba dum! Ba dum! It triggered something primal in Ria.
"Face to the ground…"
she heard the echo in her head.
When she came to, she found her forehead on the ground again.
"Please stand"
After wobbling for a bit, she was able to stand straight, arc her neck back in a steep angle and look Hikari in the eye.
"Huff* Huff* Please don't speak of this to anyone."
"Of course"
Ria dusts herself off.
"That was quite an impressive display. That sword of yours must be heavier than a full mounted knight. My heart could barely take merely just watching you swing it like a feather duster."
Hikari tilts her head in confusion.
"It's just my daily routine."
"That's not what everyone else's training routine looks like, including other giants. That looked like a display of force one might find in the spire colosseum. It's no wonder those cultists were no match for you."
The corner of Hikari's mouth lifted.
"Your training?"
"Erm! That's- well-. That's quite astute of you. I had originally come to get some training done. You know-. If you hadn't been the one to escort me, I would have certainly been carted off to some freakish ritual in the swamp or perhaps even killed on the spot. I'm not very strong as I'm sure you can tell. But if I can stab a cultist in the eye or two, perhaps that might take some burden off of you."
Hikari squatted down, the air that she displaced pushed Ria down onto the ground.
"Would my lady like some instruction?"
Ria's eyes lit up
"From you? That'll be most welcomed. A knight of your calibre. I only fear I might not be the most competent to receive your teachings."
"It's just some basics."
"Alright then. What do you have in mind?"
Hikari stops to study her.
"She looks so cute and frail. I could probably carry her in my shoe. But what can I actually teach her? "
She blurted out.
"Start with the physical, I guess"
"That's a great idea!"
Ria felt odd at her quick reply. She hates physical exercises with every fiber of her being.
Hikari continued pondering for a bit.
"How about crawling?"
An outrageous suggestion.
"Umm…! That's Interesting. But isn't that quite., uh… unfitting for a knight. Knights are supposed to stand tall and proud, like you Hikari."
Ria protested.
"Not so. I used to crawl in the trenches. Saves your life."
Ria was silent.
Then, she assumed her position on her hands and knees.
"You are quite right. I had been arrogant. I will follow your teachings from now on."
Hikari stood up.
"Let us begin."
Ria began crawling. It wasn't as strenuous as running or sword drills as she only has to contend with a fraction of her meagre weight.
Meanwhile, Hikari walked alongside her. Pausing after every step until Ria was level with her foot again.
They made it to the end of the drill hall and back. Ria was panting, her arms and legs were already sore from one round.
"How did I do?"
"Again. You are too slow."
Hikari allowed her a brief rest.
"Continue."
Hikari's foot swing forward. Ria felt as though she was dragged along towards the shoe.
They reached the starting point again.
"Continue."
And another round, and another.
"Continue."
Ria's arms were feeling soft.
She feels like fainting, but she continued. Hikari's voice echoing in her head.
Then, Ria collapsed flat onto her stomach. As she rested, she felt something press down on her back. A warm energy flowed into her, dissipating the fatigue in her arms and legs.
"Continue."
Ria got back on her hands and knees. As she started crawling, Hikari's massive shoe swung forward.
"You're too slow. Follow." Ria scrambled to catch up to the shoe. Then it swung away again, moving way ahead of her.
She worked her tiny arms and legs as fast as she could.
"Faster."
The order came from above, the strides widened as the pauses shortened.
Hikari reached one end of the hall, while Ria was already three steps behind.
Just that short sprint drained her energy again as she limped towards Hikari's shoe.
"Pathetic, I just healed you."
That scolding pierced Ria's heart like a spear. She had never been so brutally humiliated before. She looked up at Hikari's displeased face, her piercing glare thrusting another spear into her heart.
But it felt good. Really good, arousing even.
"I'm sorry Hikari! I'll do better!" She tucked her arm in and bowed her head.
"Tsk, Tsk, looks like you need more training. "
"Yes, Hikari!"
"How do you expect to survive out there if you can't even keep up with my feet?"
"I'll try harder! I'll give it everything!"
"Move"
Hikari's shoe flew right over her, landing with a loud thud. It was markedly different from her usual foot steps where she took care to conceal her sound.
Each time she steps, Ria could feel the vibrations in the ground.
"Move"
Ria scrambled after Hikari's feet.
But she plowed forward, in spite of the aching in her arms which was turning into numbness nor the nauseating stench of foot odor emanating from the gigantic pair of flats she was chasing.
"Move"
Hikari's voice echoed in her mind. Ria could no longer feel her arms. But she continued crawling.
At last, Hikari turned around, allowing her to reach her feet and collapse from exhaustion.
"That is all."
—- Ria —--
Physique : 6 -> 6.5