It was 6 A.M. in Ashton city, and the sun was slowly starting to rise from the horizon.
Refreshed from my goodnight's sleep, I headed towards section B. Just the usual private training with Donna.
Navigating my way through section B like it was my own backyard, I slowly made my way towards the private training grounds and opened the doors.
—Clank!
"Good morning"
Covering my eyes I waved at Donna who was already in the room. With how bright the ceiling lights were I needed a bit of time to adjust my eyes to the lights.
"Oh? you're here. Morning"
With her hands behind her head, Donna tied her hair into a ponytail.
"Are we doing the usual?"
"Yup"
Letting loose of her now tied ponytail, Donna picked up a metal staff.
"Alright let's get star—"
Donna abruptly cut her sentence short.
Her brows suddenly knit tightly as she looked towards the entrance of the training room.
'Hm? what's up with her?'
"Hu..."
Noticing Donna's odd behavior, I looked towards the direction she was looking at. A strange sound escaped from my mouth.
Peeking from the small glass window on the door that led to the training room, a familiar face flashed by.
Although she was covering herself with a mask and sunglasses, I was easily able to see through her terrible disguise.
Monica Jeffrey. The sunset witch.
"Monica, I know it's you. Come in"
Donna massaged her forehead.
Glaring at the door, her cold voice echoed across the room.
Flinching, the masked figure awkwardly opened the door to the training ground.
—Clank!
"Hehe, I didn't expect for you to see through my disguise. You are indeed formidable, Donna"
Removing her disguise, Monica awkwardly laughed.
'To think that my disguise was seen through that quickly. Donna truly is my archnemesis'
Monica once again told herself to never mess with Donna.
'Your hair color and stature gave you away'
Staring at Monica, I inwardly facepalmed. Even though she didn't say what she was thinking out loud, her facial expression gave away what she was thinking.
The number of people that had the same colored hair and were the same size could only be counted with one hand.
Seeing through her disguise wasn't hard at all.
"What are you doing here Monica?"
"Keumm...well, I was just passing by and noticed that the lights were on—"
"You were following me weren't you?"
Before Monica could finish speaking, Donna cut her mid-sentence. In response, Monica turned her head to the side.
"I have no idea about what you're talking about"
"Haa...Monica, you've got to improve on your acting skills. I can easily see through your lies"
Donna let out a sigh.
If not for the fact that she was used to Monica already, she would've long given up on her.
"Ghhh, enough about that Donna. If I didn't follow you, I would've never been able to find out that you were doing something so exciting!"
"Exciting? What are you talking about?"
"Him of course!"
Snapping her head, Monica pointed in my direction.
"Me?"
"Yes, you!"
With hawk-like eyes, Monica crossed her arms and observed my body carefully. Suddenly her eyes lit up.
"Oh!"
"Uk!"
Arriving before me, Monica put her hands on my body as her eyes twinkled.
"Hehe, what an amazing figure. You must've trained a lot"
"Ehh..."
Being touched all over, I tried to move away, but as if rooted on the spot I couldn't move. It was then that I realized who was before me. Monica Jeffrey, one of the strongest people in the human domain.
"Don't move and let me examine your body"
'This is sexual harassment I say...'
With her hands feeling my arms and legs, I felt extremely uncomfortable.
The way she talked made her sound like a sexual predator. No, her eyes also looked like that of a sexual predator.
"Monica what are you doing!"
Noticing that the situation was getting out of control, Donna knew that she had to act quickly. Taking one step forward, Donna arrived before Monica.
"Ghhh, Donna wait! What if someone suddenly comes in?"
Grabbing her by the armpits, Donna flung Monica away. Or at least tried. But as if she was an octopus, Monica's hands remained stuck on my body.
"Donna no! It's fine, if someone sees us they'll just think it's normal since I look his age"
"No! Even if you look his age you are 28, act your age!"
"Don't expose my age like that Donna!"
"What? It's something that everyone knows"
Monica's had a celebrity-like status, most of her personal information was known to the public. Her age included.
Regardless of whether she tried to hide it or not, everyone knew her age.
"Hmph, then you won't mind me saying that you're also 28?"
"You!"
Donna's eyes opened wide. Instantly she started exerting more strength.
"Hmph, hmph, since you disclosed my age it is only natural that I do the same"
"Haaa...alright, I give up. Can you please stop sexually harassing my student"
Struggling for a couple of more seconds, Donna eventually gave up as a loud sigh escaped from her mouth.
"I'm not sexually harassing him"
"Sure"
Donna stared at Monica who was still all over my body and apathetically nodded her head.
'As if anyone would believe you...'
With her all over my body, no one would believe her.
"No, really! Donna, you know my abilities best! You know I wouldn't do something like this unless something really interesting happened"
Feeling wronged, Monica finally let go of me and started explaining. As she listened, Donna's brows knit tightly.
'Ah right, there was something like this...'
Donna almost forgot.
Monica did in fact have a special ability that allowed her to detect certain things. Although she didn't know the specific details, her previous behavior started to make more sense.
"That's true, but that still does not justify your actions. You can't be acting like that in my presence. Please don't act like this again, okay?"
Regardless, Donna still needed Monica to calm down. She couldn't just do as she pleased like in the Union.
She was at the Lock right now. Her domain.
"Fine, I'm sorry"
Monica lowered her head and apologized.
Snapping her head in my direction, she suddenly pointed at me.
"You! You must be Ren Dover right?"
"Yes?"
"You are practicing a five-star sword aren't you? I can feel it. With the energy, your body is releasing and your muscular structure, I can tell that you've been practicing a five-star sword art. I'm right aren't I?"
The edges of my mouth twitched.
'Shit, does she have no filter?'
This was the reason why I wanted to avoid Monica at all costs.
She had a terrifying ability that allowed her to identify what grade art they were practicing. In the novel, she exposed Kevin this way.
If the was one good thing, it was that Monica wasn't a blabbermouth. Even though she worked for the union, she knew what lines to cross and which ones not to cross.
This became even more glaring now that Donna was with her. There was no way Donna would allow Monica to reveal such information.
"So, am I right or not?"
Monica leaned forward and poke my arm. Feeling Monica's intense gaze, I remained calm and kept my mouth shut.
"..."
Regardless of whether I answered or not, the cat was out of the bag. Monica was sure about the fact that I was practicing a five-star sword manual.
Didn't really matter if I didn't answer.
"I'll take the silence as a yes"
"Five-star?"
By the side, Donna's brows were knit.
'Although I knew that he was hiding something, to think that it was a five-star sword art. I see everything is starting to make sense now....'
Even she, a ranked hero only had a four-star sword manual. Putting the two and two together, Donna now understood why I always acted the way I did.
"Donna, you won't mind me taking over right?"
Monica looked at Donna with unusual seriousness in her eyes. A slim sword suddenly appeared on her right hand.
"Haa...do whatever you want"
Putting her staff away, Donna nodded her head. Not many people knew this about Monica, but she also practiced a five-star sword manual.
Despite the 'witch' in her nickname, Monica was actually a formidable swordsman.
So strong that many hailed her as one of the strongest swordsmen in the human domain.
'Since Monica specializes in swords just like Ren, it is only right that she teaches him'
Donna wasn't really good with swords so she wasn't the best person to look for when learning swords. She could at most help with psyon control, but that was about it.
However, at this point, just psyons control wasn't enough to raise my strength. Donna understood that.
Hence why having Monica teach me was more appropriate. At least for the sword part. Regarding psyon control, she would still do the teaching.
Furthermore, now that she knew that I practiced a five-star sword manual, it was only natural that she let Monica do the teaching.
"Oh right Donna, I think you should get that Kevin kid to join the training session"
Monica suggested as she swung her sword around.
"Kevin? Why him?"
"Just like Ren over here, he is also practicing a five-star sword art"
"What!? Are you sure?"
This time, Donna couldn't retain her composure and her voice increased a few pitches. Monica nodded her head.
"Yes I'm more or less sure of it"
When she scanned the classroom, she felt peculiar energy coming off from Kevin.
At first, she didn't think much of it, but being in the classroom for a full hour, she was eventually able to notice something odd about Kevin.
It was then that she caught sight of me and compared our energies. From there, she was able to conclude that we both practiced a five-star sword art.
'What an annoying ability...'
Standing by the side, I inwardly shook my head. In a way, it was a pretty strong ability.
With more experience, Monica would be able to determine what sort of art her opponent practiced and from there come up with a counter for that art.
"Seriously, what in the world is happening?"
Donna muttered. She was completely shocked by Monica's revelation about my sword art.
'Since when did five-star manuals become so easily accessible!"
It would've been understandable if the owners were Jin, Emma, or Amanda. With their backgrounds, such things wouldn't be strange.
They had enough funds and power to acquire a five-star sword art.
'But Kevin and Ren?'
Donna shook her head. She couldn't believe it.
Untying her ponytail, Donna secretly thought to herself, 'To think that the two students with the lowest background in my class ended up being the ones with the five-star sword manuals...'
The irony.
"Alright, if what you said is true we should also get Kevin to join the practice sessions"
Donna looked at Monica and suggested. Monica's eyes lit up as a result.
"Oh, that's a brilliant idea! If Kevin joins I'll be able to observe two amazing sword arts!"
'Is no one going to ask about my opinion?'
Standing by the side watching Donna and Monica converse, I was left speechless. Not once did they ask about my opinion. Donna and Monica just suddenly decided to train Kevin and me out of nowhere.
Though I wasn't against the idea of Monica teaching me since she was indeed the best possible teacher I could ask for, I wasn't exactly comfortable with the prospect of someone knowing about one of my hidden cards.
but, oh well...
Sometimes one had to lose some in order to gain some in the long run. Such was life.
I could only bear with it for now.
"Right, why don't you show me your sword art so that I can come up with an appropriate training method for you"
Having reached an agreement with Donna, Monica turned her head in my direction. With twinkling eyes, she fervently looked at me. My brows knit.
"Now?"
"Yes, show me your sword art. I want to see which one you are practicing"
"Hmmm..."
"Just show her, we won't reveal anything to the world. You can trust me"
With her back against a wall, Donna reassured me.
'I know...'
Knowing Donna's character very well, I knew that she was someone that kept her words. I knew I could trust her.
"Haaa...alright"
Nodding my head I moved towards the center of the training ground. Both Donna's and Monica's full attention was on me.
'Here goes nothing'
—Click!
Placing my hand on the grip of my sword, a subtle clicking sound resounded across the training ground.
Not long after, silence descended the training ground.
