Thump!

I took a step forward.

Immediately, a rush of mana drained from my body.

I gritted my teeth.

I had only a few seconds before my mana would run dry.

I needed to act—fast.

Think, Aestrea.

Think!

I needed to create a spell!

A spell… something that could delay the damage Eleonora would take, something subtle enough so she wouldn’t notice.

I needed to make sure the impact wouldn’t hit her right away…

A damage-delay spell…

Transferring the pain from now to later…

My eyes fluttered shut.

“Trust your instincts…”

The instinct honed both me and past Aestrea.

The instincts that saved our life on multiple occasions.

“…Fuuu…”

A cold breath escaped my lips.

Fwoop!

『 Damage Delay (✯ ???-Level Spell ✯) 』

I launched myself towards her.

The pointers of the clock symbol on my pupils started running crazily.

THUD!

The first hit landed—my fist slamming into her stomach.

Bam!

A sharp kick connected with the side of her waist, sending a shock of pressure through her body.

And finally…

THWACK!

My aura-infused, mana-coated fist drove straight into her solar plexus, the force behind it rattling her form.

Thump!

I jumped back, pushing myself out of range.

And then…

FWOOOP!

A violent gust of wind swirled around me as Eleonora’s figure—frozen in time—suddenly rocketed toward me, her body a blur in my vision.

She swung a punch at my head, but my body didn’t need to think. I ducked, just in time for her fist to whiz above me.

SWISH!

But unfortunately I was much slower than before.

I didn’t have that acceleration anymore.

Eleonora’s next strike came fast—a sharp knee aimed at my chest. I barely managed to raise my arms to block it.

THUD!

The force hit like a sledgehammer, sending a wave of pain through my arms and chest.

I staggered back but kept my balance.

She didn’t give me a chance to breathe.

She stepped forward, throwing another punch.

WHAM!

It crashed into my side, and I felt my ribs creak under the pressure.

I gritted my teeth, but my arms moved before I could think—just like instinct told me.

I raised my elbow in time to deflect the blow. It still hurt, but it wasn’t a direct hit.

Then, she twisted, her foot snapping out for my legs.

CRACK!

Her heel hit my knee, sending a sharp pain up my leg. My body jolted, but I barely managed to stay on my feet.

I couldn’t keep up with her anymore.

Eleonora came at me again, her fist aimed for my jaw.

SPLAT!

I threw my arm up to block it, the shock from the impact making my arm feel like it was about to snap.

But my body reacted without hesitation.

I pivoted, ducking under the next blow aimed at my ribs, twisting my body to stay out of her reach.

But she was so fast.

Before I could recover, she was already spinning around, her fist catching me across the shoulder.

BAM!

My body jerked back, pain shot through my shoulder and down my arm. I stumbled, struggling to stay upright, but my body reacted again.

My fist shot out, landing a weak punch to her midsection.

THWACK!

She didn’t even flinch.

With a quick move, Eleonora gripped my wrist and yanked it down, twisting it behind me.

SNAP!

I gasped as the pressure on my arm made me feel like it might snap off. But my body didn’t give up. I kicked out with my legs, forcing her to stagger back.

But Eleonora didn’t stop, and in the next second, she was already back on me.

Her next strike was a fast, brutal elbow to my face.

CRACK!

I felt my nose break, the taste of blood in my mouth, but I didn’t flinch. I kept my hands up, trying to block the next blow.

But I couldn’t react fast enough.

She hit my stomach with a swift knee.

THUD!

I gasped for air, the force almost knocking the wind out of me.

My body buckled, but I didn’t hit the ground.

I just needed to wait for the perfect moment.

My arms came up just in time to catch her next punch aimed at my head.

SPLAT!

I blocked it, but the force of the hit rattled my skull. My body rocked backward, and I stumbled, barely able to stay on my feet.

Swoosh!

She swung another punch. I tried to block it, but my arm didn’t react in time. It slammed into my face, sending me reeling.

THWACK!

Her knee smashed into my ribs with a sickening crunch.

BAM!

She followed with a fist to my stomach, knocking the air from my lungs.

“Kafgh…!”

A mouthful of blood escaped my mouth, causing my stomach to churn.

I was stumbling now, barely holding it together, but still I moved—my body reacting on its own, driven by the instinct that had kept me alive.

Eleonora took a step back, eyes narrowing as she watched me struggle.

“…Is that all?”

Eleonora raised an eyebrow.

She must’ve thought I was done, that my body had finally given out.

But I couldn’t let her think that. I forced a grin, blood dripping down from my lips.

“…I just need a single hit.”

I raised a finger like it was the most important thing in the world.

Her laugh echoed in the air.

“Let’s see if you can last until then.”

I stepped back, trying to regain my balance.

Eleonora tilted her head, eyes narrowing with curiosity.

I had to create an opening.

Fwoop!

I darted in fast, feinting with a quick jab to her left side.

She shifted to block it, just as I spun and aimed a fake punch to her face.

SWISH!

She blocked it easily, expecting me to go for another strike. But I wasn’t done. I stepped back again, pretending to stumble, and feinted a low kick at her shin.

WHOOOSH!

Eleonora’s foot lifted as she tried to dodge, thinking I was off balance.

That’s when I struck—my palm flying straight for her chest.

THWACK!

The slap of my hand between her massive breasts wasn’t nearly enough to do any real damage.

She stumbled back, blinking in surprise, before raising an eyebrow and smirking.

“Oh my~? Is that what you were after?” she teased.

I stayed silent, my chest rising and falling as I tried to catch my breath.

It wasn’t the plan I’d hoped for, but I’d created a moment of distraction.

I raised my eyes, locking them with hers.

A cold smirk crept across my face.

Thump!

“Impacto.”

I whispered, and with a flick of my fingers, mana pressure coiled around my palm.

Eleonora’s eyes widened, her smile faltering as she instinctively covered her body in thick layers of mana.

She thought that would stop me.

But it wouldn’t.

I watched her for a second longer, then closed my eyes for a split second.

My mind flashed, and the clock symbol appeared in my vision—suddenly, everything felt still.

『 Damage Transfer (✯ ???-Level Spell ✯) 』

I focused hard, the mana surging through my body.

CRACK!

The air trembled as the damage I’d dealt to her when time had stopped, all that pain and force, exploded back to her.

The sound of a huge impact shattered the air, like the cracking of space itself.

KRRRAACK!

A sharp, screeching sound split the air as her body was sent flying back with the force of the blast.

SSSSZZZZZZZZ…

The air sizzled as the wind exploded outward, a wave of pressure rippling through the air as her own mana couldn’t contain the damage that had been transferred.

“Haaa… fuuu… f-fuck…”

I collapsed to the ground, my chest heaving with every breath.

My body felt like it was made of lead, too tired to move, too drained even to think straight.

Eleonora’s body crashed into the ground with a deafening thud, the impact leaving a crater in the earth.

For a long moment, she didn’t stir, just lying there as the dust settled.

Everything was still.

But then, slowly, she pushed herself up, shaking her head, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

“T-that… was fucking impressive!” she shouted, her voice full of excitement, as if she was genuinely amazed.

“That move actually broke through a layer of my mana! To do that… only someone with the power of a strong SS-ranker could! But you… you actually did it!”

She threw her head back, laughing, clearly impressed.

“I’m beyond speechless!”

I could barely keep my eyes open, staring at her as my breath rattled in my chest.

I exhaled deeply, letting my head fall back.

“Haaa… haa…”

I was done.

My mana was nearly gone, and my body couldn’t take another second of this.

Eleonora’s smile softened as she looked at me, the amusement in her eyes giving way to something gentler.

“…I see. This should be enough for now.”

Her voice was quieter now, almost tender.

Then, without warning, she knelt down beside me.

She reached for my head and carefully placed it on her thighs,

I could feel the softness of her legs beneath me, the slight pressure of her hand resting on my head.

Sizzle…!

Suddenly, I felt a faint pull, like a tug in the air around me.

Her mana started to leak out, a soft, shimmering energy that wrapped around me, flowing through my tired muscles.

It wasn’t much at first, but it kept coming, a steady stream of warmth that seeped into my body, slowly healing the bruises, mending the cuts, and replenishing the energy I had drained.

My chest didn’t hurt as much anymore, and the ache in my ribs faded into a dull throb.

I opened my eyes and looked up at her, still resting my head in her lap.

“Thanks.”

She was silent for a moment.

But then, her eyes brightened, like a spark of excitement had lit up behind them.

Before I could say anything else, she leaned forward quickly,

Muah~♡

Her lips met mine, warm and soft, the pressure gentle at first, then a little more insistent.

I froze for a second.

Her hands were on my shoulders now, holding me just a little tighter as her lips moved against mine, tasting me.

Then, after a few seconds, she pulled back slightly, her lips hovering just above mine, her breath warm against my face.

Her eyes were wide, full of something intense, like a spark of playfulness mixed with curiosity.

“You’re welcome, my little moon~”

She tilted her head, smiling brightly.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep