Chapter 24: I'm training you
White flame guild
Ini's sub penthouse
The sound of grunting filled the air as Ini counted out loud, "Two hundred and forty-seven!" Arike grunted in response, her voice strained from the effort of doing push-ups with Ini sitting on her back. "Two hundred and forty-eight!" Ini called out, his voice steady and calm.
Arike grunted again, her body trembling with exhaustion. "Two hundred and forty-nine!" Ini said, his voice firm but encouraging. With one final grunt, Arike collapsed onto the ground, Ini's weight lifting off her back.
As Ini stood up, he said, "That was better." Arike's face was still pressed against the floor, her chest heaving with exhaustion. She muttered, "Isn't it meant to be the other way around? You doing the push-ups and me sitting on your back, munching on some snacks?"
Ini chuckled lightly, his mask glinting in the dim light of the sub-penthouse. "One, I didn't munch on any snacks. Two, you're the one training, and I'm the trainer. And three, you'll notice the results soon." He offered Arike a hand up, helping her to her feet.
Arike stood up, her athletic body glistening with sweat. She was wearing a simple sports bra and leggings, her hair tied back in a ponytail. She took a gulp of water from a nearby bottle, then asked, "Ini, why do you wear a mask, anyway? You're powerful enough to defend yourself from most people trying to hurt you, so you don't need a secret identity."
Ini smiled beneath his mask, his eyes glinting with amusement. "I have my reasons, and it's not to keep my identity a secret..." Arike's eyes narrowed, her curiosity piqued. "Can I see your face?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Ini's smile grew wider, and he pulled his mask down to his chin, revealing his face for a brief moment. Arike's eyes widened in surprise, and she stared at Ini, saying nothing. Ini pulled his mask back up, his expression serious once more. "Come on, let's continue," he said, his voice firm but gentle.
Arike nodded, her eyes still fixed on Ini's mask. "For what it's worth, you're handsome," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Ini's mask glinted in the dim light, and he said, "Let's focus on your training." Arike nodded, taking a deep breath before assuming a fighting stance. "Let's go," she said, her eyes flashing with determination.
With a nod, Ini assumed a fighting stance as well, and the two of them began to spar, their movements lightning-fast and deadly. The sound of their breathing and the clash of their fists and feet filled the air, a symphony of violence and discipline.
The top floor of the White Flame Guild was abuzz with activity as Blaze, Kale, and Aurora worked on various guild-related tasks. The silence was broken by Kale, who commented on the magical outbursts coming from Ini and Arike's training session below. "How long do those two plan to fight for?"
Blaze responded sarcastically, "Hopefully before the building collapses." Temi, however, reassured them, "Relax, they're keeping their powers in check. If it wasn't for our high perception, you wouldn't even know they're fighting."
Kale changed the subject, asking, "What did he say? Is he staying permanently?" Blaze turned to Temi, awaiting her response. Temi replied, "I haven't asked him yet, but he says he'll be staying for a while, and he's growing fond of Arike, so I think he should."
Kale smiled, impressed. "So that's why you gave him a female mentee. I'm impressed." Blaze also realized that most S-ranks took on mentees of the same gender, but Temi had intentionally paired Ini with Arike.
Just then, a knock at the door interrupted their conversation. "Come in," Temi called out. Her mentee, Omotola, rushed in, trying to catch her breath. "Mako is here," she announced, her eyes wide with excitement.
The faces of the S-ranks changed, their expressions turning serious. They sent their consciousness throughout the building, sensing Mako's presence. He was smiling, aware that they had detected him. Temi wondered aloud, "What could he want? He's far away from the Red Fangs' Guild region."
No one had an answer, so Blaze stood up, saying, "Let's go greet our guest." The group headed to the elevator, proceeding to the ground floor to meet Mako. The air was filled with anticipation and a hint of caution, as they wondered what had brought Maco to their guild.
The elevator doors slid open with a soft "pom" sound, signaling their arrival at the reception area. Blaze, Kale, and Aurora proceeded to the reception, where Mako was patiently waiting. His face broke into a smile as he saw the three S-ranks approaching.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of being greeted by three S-ranks?" Mako asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm. Temi, never one for small talk, cut straight to the point.
"Just say why you're here and cut the bullshit," Temi said bluntly. Mako's smile never wavered as he replied, "Rumors are going around... no, I'm sure you silently gobbled up the newest S-rank without even giving the rest of us a chance to put forth our proposals. I don't think that's fair."
The three S-ranks exchanged knowing glances. They understood exactly what Mako was implying - that they should have allowed Ini to hear proposals from other guilds before making a decision. It was a valid point, considering the White Flame Guild's coastal cities gave them an advantage in terms of resources, but they weren't the richest guild. That title belonged to the Red Fang Guild.
The S-ranks were calculating, weighing their options. They wanted Ini to stay, but they couldn't keep him against his wishes. While Ini was currently wealthy and would only grow richer with more colossal battles, he could potentially become even wealthier if he joined the Red Fang Guild in the East region.
Mako broke the silence, his voice smooth as silk. "Could I see this distinguished S-rank?" Temi quickly responded, "Sorry, he's busy with his mentee and won't be available for some time."
Instead of pressing the issue, Mako simply turned and said, "That's a shame." With that, he left, leaving the three S-ranks to wonder what he was planning. The air was thick with tension as they pondered their next move.
As they returned to their meeting room, Kale spoke up, "Aurora, I want you to convince Ini to stay with us. We can't let him slip away, not now that we've finally got him." Blaze nodded in agreement, "I know we haven't exactly seen eye-to-eye, Ini and I, but we need him. He's too valuable an asset to let go."
Kale added, "And I don't just mean his strength. If he joins another guild, especially the Red Fangs, it could shift the balance of power in the region. We can't afford to let that happen." Aurora nodded thoughtfully, "I'll do my best to convince him. But what if he's already made up his mind?"
Blaze frowned, "We'll just have to hope that he's open to persuasion. We need to make him see that staying with us is the best option for him." Kale stood up, "I'll leave it to you, Aurora. Just make sure you convince him before Mako or anyone else from the other guilds gets to him."