Chapter 46: [46] Hunger

--Chapter 46--

Title: Hunger

Nyxara came at him again. Takeshi kept his stance low and waited until she entered range again before moving.

Their exchange was fast and direct just the way Nyxara liked it and Takeshi preferred it.

Years of learning self defense in the real world would make sense to have him prepared for situations like this.

But now that he was here... Facing a crimson menace that he knew was barely using one percent of her power.

He still struggled.. sure he dodged and weaved but Takeshi was painfully aware of his own limitations.

Limitations he wanted to overcome no matter what. But one thing was certain to him.

It would all happen in due time.

For now, he needed to amass as much essence from this women so he could increase his reserves and get magic from them.

But his body’s capacity was still a limit. Which was why he was doing all of this training.

Bam!

Amidst their short exchange, he was almost able to get a clean strike on her face. But Nyxara caught the punch with one hand.

"That’s more like it,"she croaked as Takeshi pulled back.

Nyxara’s grin widened. "You’re finally attacking instead of waiting for permission."

She swung.

Takeshi ducked beneath the hellfire-coated fist and moved around her side. His foot planted firmly against the floor as he turned his hips.

His punch came hard and for the first time. A 1% Nyxara had to take him seriously as she crossed her arm in time.

The weight of his punch forced her back a full step.

Takeshi’s eyes widened slightly. Even as Nyxara looked at the arm she had used to block.

Then she laughed hysterically for a few ten seconds. "Now that’s a punch. You definitely have more talents other than fucking me daddy."

Takeshi didn’t answer. His breathing was heavier now, and his arms felt like they would snap from repeatedly reinforcing them.

"Your mana is running thin," Lana at the side pointed out.

"I can still fight," Takeshi stubbornly spoke. After all, he knew he had Solaria there to heal him.

"I know," Nyxara cut in. Lowering her heated fists. "But you don’t need to prove that by collapsing."

The hellfire around her fists faded completely in time.

It was only after she had brought down her fist and was now approaching. Did Takeshi managed to leave the fighting stance she thought him.

Nyxara walked over and tapped his chest.

"You learned three things today. Keep your feet under you. Reinforce the part that’s actually getting hit. And when you see an opening, don’t ask yourself whether you should take it."

She grinned. "Take whatever you want."

Takeshi nodded like a toddler. That was simple enough to remember.

Nyxara turned away, then glanced back at him.

"And tomorrow, I’m going to teach you what to do when your opponent is faster than you."

Takeshi raised an eyebrow. He was aware of the reality but he asked none the less.

"You’re holding back that much?"

Nyxara’s smile became wicked. "You have no idea."

She walked toward the edge of the room. Takeshi watched her go before looking down at his hands.

His body was exhausted again and there was still some time in the day to be productive.

His lip had split. Sweat ran down his face and neck, and his breathing was heavier than he wanted to admit.

His arms felt heavy, and the mana inside him was beginning to leak away instead of staying where he put it. But it hadn’t completely collapsed.

He looked down at his hands. He was improving in control. And now he had a decent amount of understanding.

But none of it was near enough.

Solaria approached with the cloth she had been holding.

"Master, your lip."

Takeshi touched it with his thumb and looked at the small smear of blood.

"I’ve had worse."

Solaria reached up and carefully wiped the blood away.

"You shouldn’t make that a habit."

"I’ll keep that in mind."

Nyxara laughed from nearby. She had lingered longer to see that was okay but pretended otherwise.

"Let him bleed a little. He learns faster that way."

Solaria gave her a flat look.

"He also learns faster when he can still think."

Before Nyxara could answer, Takeshi noticed that Lana hadn’t moved.

She just stood near the doorway. Completely still.

Her crimson eyes were fixed on the blood on the cloth in Solaria’s hand.

Takeshi’s expression changed. "Lana?"

Her eyes lifted immediately. And a deceptive smile appeared on her lips.

"I have something to attend to."

She turned toward the doorway. Planning to pace away as quickly as possible.

But Takeshi called out first. "Lana."

She stopped and turned to him. "I said I’m managing it," her tone was calm.

However, Takeshi knew better than to trust that calm. He stared at her.

Their time at market came back to him. The way she had paused near the butcher stalls.

The way she had tried to hide it.

Mme way she had insisted she could control herself.

He had believed her. And still believed she could control herself.

What he was no longer certain about was how long that would remain true.

"You’re getting worse," he said.

For a moment, Lana said nothing. Then she looked back at him.

Her smile was still there, but it had become thinner. "I am aware."

That answer bothered him more than a denial would have. Takeshi looked at the blood on the cloth again.

His own blood. He knew she had smelled and watched it.

And now she was leaving before she had to stay near it any longer.

He didn’t like that. Not because he was afraid she would attack him.

Because he was beginning to realize that Lana had been handling the problem alone for longer than he had understood.

"Don’t disappear completely," he said.

Lana’s eyes softened for the briefest moment. "I won’t."

Shadows gathered around her feet.

Mmm she was gone.

Solaria finished cleaning the cut on his lip.

Takeshi looked down at the cloth in her hand.

He had spent the entire day learning how to become harder to break.

But strength wasn’t the only problem in this house.

Lana had been telling him she could manage her hunger, and until now, he had accepted that answer.

He wasn’t going to keep doing that.

If her control was beginning to fail, waiting until she finally lost it would be stupid.

He didn’t know enough about vampires to know exactly what she needed.

But he knew enough to understand that something had changed.

And this time, he intended to find out what.

<End of Chapter>