Book 6: Chapter 12


    <strong>The Maze</strong>


    Aria narrows her eyes at the sight of Va entering her berserker mode. Then she quickly begins to summon one miniature kraken after another while quickly making her retreat. Because she knows from previous battles with Va that the entire battle at this point depends on this.


    On whether or not she can survive Vas attacks in her berserker mode.


    Since Aria cant leave any damage on Va while shes in that form, the only thing she can do is flee and hope the miniature krakens buy her enough time for Vas skill to run out.


    Fortunately for Aria, her own transformation skillsts for far longer than Vas. Something they both know already.


    Which is no doubt why Va immediately ignores the miniature krakens trying to slow her down to chase after Aria instead of bothering to attack them or even block their attacks. And since Vas transformation doesnt allow her to take any damage, the ck veins across her skin shing every single time damage would be received, Va manages to slowly close the distance between them. Despite the size difference between the two. And despite Aria being physically stronger and faster than her.


    Simply by ignoring the limits of a human body and pushing herself far more than her body would normally be able to take.


    But Aria continues pushing as well, healing every wound she takes from the ranged attacks sent her way by Va. Even when entire tentacles of hers are cut off.


    Because she <em>needs </em>to win this. Scarlet is watching after all.


    And Aria <em>will not let her down</em>.


    So Aria continues pushing, taking one hit after another. Blocking one every now and then with her own des and walls made of water. And regenerating all the way.


    Eventually Va seems to begin cracking. The ck veins slowly turning into cracks running across her body.


    A clear sign that the transformation is reaching its end.


    Aria begins to smirk slightly, only for Va to suddenly grin widely and cover herself entirely in a pitch ck me. One very simr to hellfire yet somehow different at the same time.


    Then Va boosts herself straight towards Aria using the me as a propulsion, making Arias eyes widen in shock.


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    Aria, recognizing that she wont be able to dodge or take this hit, stops fleeing and turns around, raising all of her tentacles while manifesting a bunch of miniature krakens and walls of water to block Va. Only for her to st straight through most of them until she ends up pushing Aria back against her tentacles, crushing every demon in the hallway along with a few unluckypetitors who were finally managing to catch up to them after turning a corner.


    Va lets out a scream as she charges forward, pushing with everything she has to <em>finally </em>get one up on her rival. On the girl she is alwayspared to at every single turn.


    This is the closest she has ever been at beating her, and she doesnt even care if she loses thepetition to do it.


    She probably will lose, simply because of all the damage shes done to her mana stores.


    Because while her skill does grant her immortality so long as its active, the damage doesnt simply vanish. Instead its reduced to a mere fifth of the damage she wouldve taken otherwise and turned towards her mana cap instead. Decreasing the maximum amount of mana she can have until it gradually recovers over time.


    And the amount of damage shes taken has been enough to nearly put her in the red.


    She wont have any mana left for the rest of thepetition.


    But she doesnt care.


    Va has grown sick and tired of losing to Aria at every single turn. Whether its in her parents and guardians power inparison to Arias family. In her own power. In their etched skills. In how Vas mother never participates in Fractures and is sometimes looked down upon by the people for that as a coward.


    She has grown sick of it all.


    And she puts all of those emotions of anger, loneliness, and hatred into onest skill, yanking her fist back and sending it flying straight at the tentacles Aria is using to block. Herst defense.


    Right when her hit is about tond though, she feels her manapletely depleting, leaving her just under the amount of power she had calcted needing to defeat Aria in one blow. Then her strikends, sending a powerful wave of ck death mes scattered all around the maze corridor, burning several of the otherpetitors and the demons alike in the process.


    At some point she hears a message ringing out that one of the otherpetitors defeated the Captain. But she ignores that as she grits her teeth, waiting for the death mes to fade away. Having dropped to her knees, unable to remain standing with her remaining strength.


    And when the mes do finally fade, Va feels herself almost begin crying.


    But she holds herself back.


    Because she would never make a fool of herself in front of all of these people.


    Aria, who is now revealed amidst the slowly dissipating death mes, finishes regenerating in her human form in front of Va. With a brand new set of clothes on, her previous outfit no doubt having been destroyed in the st.


    Then Aria puts one of her hands in her pocket and walks up to Va while stretching the other out towards Vas head.


    A few seconds pass with no sounds other than her footsteps and the sizzling walls, floor, and ceiling of the maze. Until Aria stops right in front of her and says with a faint smile, That was fun. Lets do it again soon.


    Vas mind nks out at that statement, and she begins to wonder something. To wonder if herpetitive hatred of Aria is all one sided.


    She doesnt get to ask though as Aria sends an arc of water out that makes everything in Vas vision go dark.


    Thest thing Va manages to see is Aria raising the fist she had pocketed before into the air with a smile on her face.