Owen drove the SUV onto the private entrance of the gym, which stood alone on a low hill. It was a modern and formidable geometric building of bare concrete, like a modern fortress. Large, pitch-black windows reflected the sky, obscuring the interior and making Talia and Victoria, who were in the car with him, feel an invisible pressure before they even stepped out.
Victoria looked at the building with a skeptical gaze. 'This is it? Looks more like a prison than a gym.'
Meanwhile, Talia could only clutch her hands tightly in her lap, her small heart pounding with nervousness.
Owen got out of the car with a familiar air. He led the two women through a thick steel door, and the moment they stepped over the threshold... the aura of the place hit them. It was the smell of sweat, leather, and metal, all mixed into the true scent of battle.
THUD! THWACK! THWACK! SLAM!
The sound of a massive leather punching bag being kicked and punched with violent speed echoed through the spacious gym hall. Downlights shone down, revealing professional-grade training equipment arranged with perfect order.
And in the center of the gym... they saw the figure of Nova, training fiercely, all alone.
Her sweat-drenched body moved with the power and beauty of a legendary Valkyrie warrior. Every kick that landed on the punching bag was so heavy the chains holding it trembled. Every punch was so fast it sliced through the air. Every muscle on her perfect body worked in harmony. It was a terrifyingly graceful image of destruction that made the two slave girls unintentionally hold their breath.
Nova stopped her movements abruptly when she sensed their arrival. She turned, panting only slightly, as if her recent training had just been a warm-up. She casually picked up a small towel nearby to wipe the sweat from her face and neck before walking straight towards the three of them with an unreadable smile.
Owen introduced the two formally. "Nova, this is Victoria and Talia... my team members."
Nova raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk at the corner of her lips, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Owen. "Hmm… your team? I thought it was more like your 'harem'~"
She teased him directly before her gaze turned serious. "You know I only train those who 'meet my standards'... Clara was an exception because I liked her body and her personality. But as for these girls…"
She didn't wait for Owen's reply but began to slowly circle the two slave girls. Her sharp, emerald eyes assessed them from head to toe before she stopped in front of Talia and spoke in a flat, cutting tone. "A weak body, but your life force is strangely intense... like a piece of fruit that's about to rot but still looks beautiful on the outside… How useless!"
Those words made Talia flinch. She could only clench her fists until her nails dug into her palms, but she remained calm and lowered her head, accepting the criticism.
Then Nova turned to face Victoria, who was standing with her chin up, challenging her. "As for you... you have a lot of mana, like a large oil drum ready to explode at any moment, but you don't know how to light a fire... Even more pathetic. All quantity, no quality!"
Victoria stared back into those emerald eyes, displeased, her lips pressed into a thin line. But the pressure radiating from Nova was too heavy, and she didn't dare to say a word in protest.
"Follow me," Nova said shortly, having lost interest, and led everyone out a back door of the gym.
It was a wide, outdoor training ground of packed earth, surrounded by tall trees that acted as a natural wall. The atmosphere here was much more primal than inside. Nova bent down and nonchalantly picked up a dry branch from the ground, then casually drew a circle no more than a meter in diameter on the dirt.
She tossed the branch aside before stepping into the middle of the small circle with a firm stance. She crossed her arms and announced the first test in a cold voice. "I'll give you two a simple test as Awakened... Do whatever it takes to make me move even a single foot out of this small circle."
She glanced at the two of them, her eyes full of contempt. "Of course, you can both attack me at the same time... but if you can't do it in 5 minutes... then get lost. This place doesn't welcome trash. Even if you're under the care of my favorite student... there are no exceptions!"
The atmosphere immediately fell silent. Only the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves could be heard.
Talia and Victoria looked at each other. There was no longer any hesitation in their eyes... The motivation from the "reward" Owen had promised, and the desire to erase this shameful insult, made the flames of battle in both their hearts blaze with a mad frenzy!
They turned back to look at Nova, who stood calmly in the middle of the circle like an unshakeable mountain... and prepared to attack with all their might!
Talia didn't hesitate for a second…
She took a deep breath, her mind empty of Nova's insults. There was only the image of Owen's face and the promise that was a guiding light... the complete faith she had in her 'Master.'
Her pupils dilated... and she was the first to charge!
"For my Master!" she screamed in her heart. The body that had seemed so fragile unleashed its elastic power to its fullest. Both her arms stretched out like long whips of flesh, lashing out at Nova, who stood calmly in the middle of the circle, from all directions.
FWIP! FWIP! FWIP!
It wasn't a planned or graceful attack, but a storm of attacks driven by raw instinct and the desire to do it for one person alone!
However... a mountain is not swayed by the wind.
Nova remained standing with her arms crossed, as calm as a statue. Both her feet remained rooted to the ground, not moving an inch, but her upper body moved with a fluid speed that was unbelievable.
She used only the backs of her hands and the knife-edges of her palms to parry Talia's attacks with an ease as if she were swatting away an annoying fly. Every parry was gentle yet firm, deflecting the elastic arms to slam into the ground, kicking up dust, or to slice through the empty air, uselessly.
'Zero combat foundation… Her movements are a complete waste of energy,' Nova thought with contempt at first.
But then she noticed something interesting... Talia's attack rhythm, though formless, was strangely aimed at her blind spots from unexpected directions. It was an extremely flexible movement that was hard to predict because it didn't come from thought, but from a pure "spirit" and "instinct."
'No… this isn't just a random attack…' Nova's gaze changed from boredom to a slight interest. 'This girl has a terrifying talent for combat instinct, but her body is too weak to keep up… like a master race car driver forced to drive a beetle… Interesting.'
Victoria, watching from the side, bit her lip tightly. Seeing that Talia's physical attacks were ineffective, she quickly moved in to support her. Her heart was blazing with the fire of competition and the image of the "reward" Owen had promised. It was a motivation more powerful than any dignity she had ever had!
She unleashed her telekinetic power to its fullest, but when she tried to use it to directly control Nova's body, she found it was like trying to push a mountain with her bare hands. Nova's body, constantly reinforced with mana, didn't budge at all.
Realizing a direct attack wouldn't work, Victoria's intelligence made her change her strategy instantly. She changed her target to her surroundings!
WHOOSH!
Countless rocks, branches, and leaves were lifted into the air, then shot towards Nova like a hailstorm of debris, making a loud, chaotic sound.
But Nova still stood motionless. She let the debris fly at her, but the moment it came within a foot of her body, it disintegrated into dust as if it had hit an invisible glass wall. It was the thin 'Mana Armor' she had unconsciously projected to defend herself.
Time continued to tick by until it was almost up… Seeing that their coordinated attacks still couldn't do anything to Nova, Victoria's face began to grow pale. The fear of failing and being "punished"... denied her reward from Owen... began to gnaw at her mind.
'No! I can't lose! I have to get that reward!'
And in the final moment... the pressure, the desire for the reward, and the fear of losing everything, pushed Victoria to her breaking point... Her mind snapped!
"Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!"
She shrieked madly, both hands stretched out in front of her. Her blue eyes widened and glowed brightly. All the A-Rank mana she had burst from her body like a broken dam! It was pure, uncontrolled, and immense power!
The released mana rapidly formed in the air before her. It compressed the surrounding air until a low hum was heard, before it took the shape of a translucent [Giant Psychic Hammer], its mass of condensed energy clearly visible. It was massive and radiated a pressure so great that Talia, who was nearby, had to retreat in shock.
For the first time... the smile vanished from Nova's face.
She raised an eyebrow in genuine shock. 'This much power… from a girl who can't even control her mana!?'
Her fighter's instinct told her to take this seriously. She unconsciously used a real combat technique. Both her arms came up to cross in front of her as she circulated the mana throughout her body to create a perfect [Emerald Mana Armor] for defense.
And Victoria's psychic hammer slammed into Nova's body!
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
A deafening explosion sounded. An invisible shockwave erupted in all directions, making the ground tremble and kicking up a storm of dust that filled the area. Owen had to raise his arm to shield his face from the violent wind.
When the dust began to settle... all eyes were fixed on the center of the circle with pounding hearts.
The sight before them made everyone's eyes widen…
Nova was still standing in the same defensive stance... but her mana armor had dissipated. A faint smoke was rising from both her arms.
And most importantly... on the ground behind her right heel was a small scratch... Her heel had moved back until it was just 1 millimeter past the edge of the circle!
An unbelievable victory had been achieved!
And in that same instant, Victoria's body was completely drained of strength. Her knees gave out, and she was about to collapse, but Owen shot forward and caught her unconscious body in his arms just in time.
Nova slowly lowered her arms. She shook her hands slightly to get rid of the numbness before looking at Talia, who was standing with her jaw dropped, and Victoria, who had fainted in Owen's arms. The once-cold and contemptuous look in her eyes had completely changed…
It was the gaze of a diamond cutter who had just discovered two priceless "diamonds in the rough" at the same time. The corner of her mouth lifted... into a truly satisfied smile.
…..
Inside the simple but functional rest area of the gym, the atmosphere was completely different from the tension of the training ground. Silence fell, with only the soft hum of the beverage cooler for company.
Owen was gently dabbing a cold, damp towel on Victoria's forehead. She was leaning against the black leather sofa, looking exhausted, but her eyes were filled with complex emotions. She was happy that her master was taking care of her, tired and headachy from overusing her power, but deep down... a flame of pride had been quietly lit.
Talia stood beside them, quietly handing a water bottle to her master, but her eyes never left Nova, who was walking over.
Nova entered the room with a completely changed demeanor. The coldness and contempt were gone, replaced by the gaze of a "trainer" who was pleased with her new students. She pulled a chair over and sat down opposite the three of them casually, before beginning with a voice that was serious but tinged with admiration.
"You two managed to surprise me… You passed, albeit barely… From today on, I will officially accept you both as my students." She paused for a moment before adding clearly, "Of course, only as 'students,' not a direct 'disciple' like Owen. I think he's the only one who has made me feel that level of acceptance."
Those words made Owen smile faintly, while the two slave girls could only lower their heads in acceptance.
Nova looked at Talia first. "As for you, Talia… your problem is that you have excellent 'instincts,' but your 'body' is too weak and is a burden. Your training will be to build a new foundation from scratch, from running, sit-ups, to basic martial arts like Muay Thai. You have to build a body strong enough to be a vessel for your talent."
Talia clenched her fists, her eyes sparkling with determination. She nodded firmly. "Yes, Trainer!"
Then Nova turned to Victoria. "As for you, Victoria… your problem is the complete opposite. You have immense 'power,' but you can't 'control' it at all, like a baby holding a nuclear bomb. Your training will be mana control, first and foremost. You must learn to circulate your mana throughout your body as freely as you breathe. And I forbid you... from using any attack powers at all, until you pass my control test."
Victoria frowned, displeased at being forbidden from using the power she was so proud of, but when she thought of the destructive power she had unleashed unintentionally, she nodded in reluctant acceptance.
Finally, Nova turned to Owen, who had been listening quietly. Her eyes turned challenging. "As for you, Owen… your lesson begins now."
She stood to her full height, a signal that the conversation was over. "We will start training the [Mana Armor] technique today… and it's rather dangerous if you make a mistake. So, I will teach you the basic training method 'up close' myself… Get up and follow me."
Owen nodded in understanding. He knew this wasn't an invitation, but a command. He put down the towel and was about to get up and follow Nova, but he had to stop. He remembered he hadn't taken care of the most important thing yet…
Owen slowly turned back to look at the two slave girls on the sofa. His gaze changed from that of a student ready for training to that of a "Master." He looked at them, now with clear goals, and gave a gentle smile... a smile that made their hearts tremble.
Nova, who was waiting, raised an eyebrow slightly but said nothing. She chose to lean against the wall with her arms crossed and quietly watch this "special scene."
"You both did better than I expected… You didn't just pass Nova's test, you passed my first test as well…" He paused, letting his words sink into their hearts.
The eyes of Talia and Victoria lit up instantly. They turned to look at each other, and an invisible atmosphere of competition began to form again.
Owen continued in a deep and seductive voice... a voice that made their bodies flush hot. "Therefore… tonight… you will both receive your reward."
The words "reward" and "tonight" made both their faces flush. They knew what a reward from their master meant... It was the bliss they craved.
Owen stood to his full height, looking down at his two slave girls with the eyes of a possessor. The corner of his mouth lifted into a sly smile... a smile that made the hearts of the two young women pound with anticipation.
"And to celebrate… tonight… I will give you your reward… 'both of you at the same time'!"
That declaration made the entire world of the two slave girls stop spinning!
They stared, wide-eyed with shock, before the shock turned into an intense embarrassment that made their ears burn, and finally... it became a blazing spark of competition!
They glanced at each other again, but this time it was no longer just a simple competition... It was a silent declaration of war, of who, in this "reward," would be the one to serve and please their master more!
After dropping his final bombshell, Owen turned and walked out of the room after Nova, leaving the two young women to drown alone in the storm of emotions he had created…
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