Chapter 176: The Reward of Growth

I wanted to scream and say ’no Kassie don’t do that’, but I figured as Kassie looked in her direction with a smirk that the comment itself might have been intentional.

Maggie folded her hand over her breast and gave Kassie a cold death glare before stepping out of the Nave.

I glanced at her worriedly as she left, then returned my gaze to Kassie.

“Isn’t she dangerous?”

“Aren’t we all?”

I nodded. “Indeed, you do make a fair point.”

She examined me for a moment, her eyes lingering on my stance, my posture, the way I held myself differently than I had two months ago.

“I guess the sessions with the young lady must’ve been quite yielding…”

My eyes met Kassie’s and I answered with undisguised excitement.

“Actually, I didn’t even expect that it was going to be this helpful. I had just wanted to take knowledge from all useful sources, but so far so good, I haven’t even regretted it.”

Kassie raised her chin slightly, her gaze sharpening as she looked at me.

“I see. You must be so happy.”

Something in her tone felt off, but I was too caught up in my own enthusiasm to examine it closely.

“Yes! So much! Did you see it? Did you notice how my movement has improved! I can also carry myself better now, like it’s just so amazing, I have no words—”

The last word died in my mouth just as my eyes found Kassie’s cold glare.

For some reason, she was looking at me like she wanted to strangle me with a pillow. There was something oddly familiar about that particular expression — usually, Kassie’s glare should be terrifying, vicious, the kind that made your survival instincts kick in. But this felt slightly different. Less murderous… More…

’Did I say something wrong?’

Did I even do something wrong? It was hard to say with these girls.

I stopped talking and chuckled shyly, rubbing the back of my neck.

“Is something… wrong?”

Kassie averted her gaze and exhaled slowly through her nose.

“Nothing…” She straightened, and whatever had been darkening her expression retreated behind her usual composure. “Since you’re moving better while consistently using enhanced hearing and movement, perhaps you can try wielding the sword with the weight bracelets.”

’With?’

I was confident that without the weight bracelets, I was going to be able to lift and swing the sword properly. I had most certainly expected that she was going to ask me to wield it without them, not with them.

I hesitated for a moment but answered her nonetheless.

I got ready, steadied my stance, and summoned the sword into my hand. Immediately it settled into my grip, and I had expected my arm to be driven towards the ground — but my hand held.

Its familiar weight pressed into my palm, heavy but somehow manageable. In fact, manageable enough that I slowly lifted my arm and swung.

I swung once.

I swung again.

My muscles weren’t even close to burning.

Something warm expanded in my chest, pressing outward until I felt like I might burst from it. Two months. Two months of training, of aching arms and trembling legs and Kassie’s relentless corrections, and now—

I turned to Kassie, and I knew my face was doing something ridiculous. I could feel the grin stretching my cheeks, could feel the way my eyes had gone wide and bright like a child who’d just been handed a gift.

She smiled back and nodded.

“This is nice, Summoner. You managed to cross the foundational stage of training all in two months. It’s all thanks to your resolve and dedication.”

Kassie was smiling. Openly! And complimenting me! Openly!

Her lips stayed curled even as she saw that I was staring at her, a little bit caught in my own happiness and a little bit shocked that she was being so genuine about it. She didn’t seem to mind.

She shifted and stood straight, stretching freely as if releasing tension she’d been holding. Oh and did I mention — Kassie wasn’t wearing those armors anymore. She hadn’t been for a while. So right now, my eyes were being fed with peak.

She wore a common gown of dull brown color, and the gown loved her body so much it was refusing to not cling to it. Her breasts lifted the fabric up slightly and drew it taut, leaving creases on her chest. Her hips flared beneath the cinched waist, and her ass raised a portion of the gown in a way that made me always want to fall down and peek underneath to see if Spirits employed the concept of wearing panties.

Kassie caught my eyes and glared for a brief moment, warding me off with the sharp look in her gaze.

But it did not last. She immediately asked me:

“Have you properly checked the sword?”

“Properly…?”

I first thought about what she meant by that, then I suddenly remembered.

’Of course you fool!’

How did I not think to do that?

’I guess too many things happened that I forgot.’

Now that I remembered, I focused on the sword. Its array of details floated right before my eyes.

[Spirit Gear]

Name: Frostfang Blade

Grade: Uncommon

Type: Weapon (Sword)

Base Effect:

– +20% Physical Damage

– Cold Touch: Attacks slow enemy movement (5% per hit, max 15%)

Durability: 100/100

SE cost: None (Passive)

[A blade forged from the spine of a frost serpent. The cold never fades]

The weight continued to settle into my hands as I read through the information, and I could feel satisfaction spreading warm through my chest. No spirit essence cost because it only had passive effects. Plus full durability.

Kassie’s voice came just as I finished reading.

“Frostfang was my first weapon. I am quite sentimental towards the blade itself…”

She paused, as if she wanted to pay attention to her tone before continuing.

“On lonely nights, on days I thought were going to be my last, on days my clumsiness got the best of me… that sword kept saving my life over and over again. Until I learnt to become fearsome. Until I learnt to become disastrous…”

Her voice had grown quieter, more distant, as if she were looking at something I couldn’t see.

“It was that sword that stood beside me. Frostfang is my first companion, and I want it to be yours too…”

She looked at me, and there was something vulnerable in her expression that I had never seen before.

“I… and Frostfang… will guide and guard you throughout your journey.”

Something tightened in my chest. My eyes scrunched, burning at the edges as if tears were going to start pouring out any minute — but no, they weren’t. They just threatened, hovering somewhere behind my eyes, making everything feel too full.

“Does that mean you acknowledge me?”

A small look of surprise appeared on her face, then she released a soft chuckle.

“Of course. Of course I do. I acknowledge you as my Master.” She held up a hand before I could react. “This doesn’t set the free grounds for your perversion and ruinous behavior. But it does mean I am willing to see beyond your stupidity and accept the person you’re consistently trying to hide away from everyone.”

I frowned in defense.

“I’m not hiding anything.”

Kassie scoffed. “Sure.”

I stood there looking at her. She stood, returning the stare with a small smile on her face.

Gods know… that smile was so annoying.

Why was it so annoying especially now?

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