Walking to the weapon rack, Sakura didn't hesitate for long. She picked up a long sword that looked relatively handy, gave it a gentle wave, and was ready.
"I'm ready."
Standing in the correct position, Sakura looked at Saria with a serious expression and said.
To be honest, although she wasn't afraid of Saria, the [Rhine Boxing King], she knew she would need to put in some effort in the upcoming match.
After all, she needed to control her strength well and lose to Saria without revealing any flaws.
As for why she intended to lose, it was, of course, similar to Mobius—wanting to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Although Saria wasn't the type to envy the talents of her subordinates, and Sakura showing some of her own abilities wouldn't be a problem—she might even be given more responsibilities after a thorough assessment of her character—it would still cause unnecessary trouble. In Sakura's view, it was better to have less trouble than more.
What's more, the quality and strength Sakura had shown so far were already very impressive in the eyes of most people. This level was entirely sufficient for the time being.
As long as Saria remained at Rhine Lab, Sakura couldn't be promoted above her, so there was no need to show more.
Even if she wanted to reveal more of her abilities later, it would have to wait until Mobius's plan succeeded and Saria left.
"Well, let's begin, Muelsyse."
Hearing this, Saria was also ready. She nodded gently and looked at Muelsyse on the side.
"Okay!"
Muelsyse, instantly understanding Saria's meaning, stood up with a smile and walked a short distance away from the two.
"Ahem... Let the match begin!"
After speaking, Muelsyse quickly retreated to avoid getting caught in the action. She couldn't say how strong Sakura was, but she had a pretty good idea of her friend's strength.
However, as soon as the match began, both participants subconsciously hesitated to take the first strike, and neither moved first.
It wasn't until the next moment that they both reacted and attacked simultaneously.
Saria's bandaged fist, accompanied by a sharp gust of wind, aimed directly at Sakura's chest without hesitation.
Seeing this, Sakura wasn't foolish. Although she noticed that Saria wasn't using her full strength, it didn't mean she should take the punch.
With that thought, she easily dodged the attack with her speed, and at the same time, used the back of the long sword in her hand to slash at Saria from a tricky angle.
"Bang—"
As expected, Sakura's attack was blocked by Saria's calcified arm, producing a muffled sound.
At the same time, Saria seized the opportunity and launched a rapid series of attacks on Sakura.
...
"...?"
As the two continued to exchange blows, Muelsyse, watching from a distance, started to show a subtle expression.
If she remembered correctly, Sakura had told her before that she only knew some self-defense techniques...?
How could some self-defense techniques allow her to fight against her friend whose strength could be considered outrageous?
Even if there might be some elements of letting her win, Muelsyse suddenly felt that her understanding of self-defense techniques and Sakura's definition of them were completely different.
Damn...
For a moment, Muelsyse felt like she had been "cheated." Feeling a bit put out, she decided to treat herself to some candy after Sakura joined the company later!
---
In the Cafeteria—
Mobius was quietly eating breakfast when she finally had an uninvited guest...
"Isn't this Researcher Mobius? I heard that there was no light in your office last night. Did you make any major breakthroughs?"
"..."
The familiar voice made Mobius, who was deep in thought, stop suddenly, and a trace of impatience quickly flashed in her beautiful, gradient-colored snake eyes.
Without any intention of acknowledging the visitor, Mobius picked up her plate, which was nearly empty, and prepared to leave.
"Don't leave so fast. I'm really curious about your research, Researcher Mobius." Watching Mobius about to leave, Ho'olheyak reluctantly tried to stop her.
To be honest, Mobius's deterrence had been quite effective last time. It took Ho'olheyak this long to gather enough courage and make sufficient preparations to approach her again.
There was no other option. Ho'olheyak had been overly concerned about what Mobius said last time, so much so that she hadn't rested well recently, and had been somewhat out of sorts.
Besides that, there were other aspects of Mobius, this "ancient" existence, that intrigued her and piqued her curiosity.
If you want a metaphor, Mobius was like a living history book, containing the "knowledge" or "answers" that Ho'olheyak craved.
For the "gods" who mortals disdain, is there a way to solve the troubles of mortals?
With these questions in mind, she finally mustered the courage to come here.
"..."
Mobius paid no attention to Ho'olheyak's request to stay. Not only that, she quickened her pace.
To be honest, Mobius thought her last warning would last for a long time. Who knew... it had only been a little over a week, and this annoying little snake was back again.
If Mobius were free or in a good mood, she might have the leisure to "enlighten" this little white mouse who seemed pretty decent.
But... she was busy absorbing all kinds of knowledge in this world and researching antidotes, and she had no interest at all.
Besides, would it be good for her to awaken this little snake obsessed with the past? No! Why bother?
With these thoughts, Mobius quickened her pace even more!
"..."
Watching Mobius leave quickly, Ho'olheyak felt helpless but not discouraged.
After all, she had already determined that this person was a god or an ancient being. If it were easy to win her over and get information, that would be truly strange.
However, precisely because she knew this, she had long prepared for a protracted effort.
With this resolve, a trace of determination flashed in Ho'olheyak's eyes.
If Mobius knew what she was thinking at this moment, she wouldn't be able to resist giving her two punches.
This is truly annoying. She can't stand it; she can't study and experiment quietly at all.