Clovel - Premium Web Novels

Chapter 19: Magic Training [II] Luna stands up smoothly, her expression caught between shock and real admiration. Iris did all that in the blink of an eye. She’s freakishly strong, way beyond anything I can even wrap my head around. Being with her is like standing next to a hurricane disguised as a supermodel. But Luna? Her blast was insane, impressive in every way possible. She’s only been using magic for two days, and she’s already doing things that would take other people years to master. The fact that she’s keeping up with Iris at all is incredible "Luna, that was amazing," I say, my voice full of genuine awe. "Seriously, you’re getting stronger every second. I don’t know how you do it." She looks at me, her usual stoic demeanor slipping just enough to reveal a flicker of something eager and vulnerable beneath. Her ears twitch forward expectantly, and her tail sways with an uncharacteristic softness. Is she...waiting for me to do something? Oh. Tentatively, I reach up and gently pat her head between those twitching fox ears. Her eyes widen just a bit, and she leans into my touch, the smallest hint of a smile curving her lips. It’s so unlike her that it makes my heart skip, sending unexpected warmth flooding through me. Iris watches the interaction with narrowed eyes, her lips pressed into a thin line as if holding back a storm of words—or maybe just another magical explosion. "Seriously," I continue, laying it on thick because I can’t help myself. "You’re incredible, Luna. It’s amazing how quickly you get stronger." Luna trembles at my words, her ears quivering wildly and her eyes snapping shut. Even with her usual poker face, it’s clear her body is more honest than she is—she can barely contain her reaction, and I can’t help but laugh at how cute it is. Iris doesn’t share the sentiment. She watches us with smoldering intensity, her fists clenching and a dangerous gleam in her eyes. I brace myself for whatever nuclear-level tantrum she’s about to unleash. But instead of exploding, she lets out a long, dramatic sigh, flicking her hair over her shoulder with theatrical flair. "Fine," she says, her voice dripping with mock surrender. "If Luke is impressed by pathetic little tricks like that—" Luna’s eyes fly open at the word ’pathetic,’ and her expression flickers between bewilderment and disbelief. Her tail stiffens like a live wire, and I’m half-expecting her to hurl another mana-nuke out of sheer indignation. "—then I guess I’ll just have to step up my game," Iris finishes with a smirk, clearly baiting Luna into another power duel. "Uh, hold on," I interject, trying to prevent another forest-leveling catastrophe. "Maybe we should, you know, take a breather first? Recharge a bit?" Luna shakes her head adamantly, her expression set with pure determination. "No," she insists, her voice as unyielding as ever. "Keep going." I don’t even have a chance to argue before she’s back at it, pulling in more mana like an insatiable sponge. The air thickens with power as she condenses it with swift precision, firing blast after blast in rapid succession. Trees tremble and earth flies, each explosion more intense than the last. Iris watches with a wicked gleam in her eyes, relishing the challenge. She matches Luna’s pace effortlessly, her attacks larger and more explosive. The ground shakes under their relentless barrage, but Iris shows no sign of fatigue. They duel for over an hour, the forest alternating between pristine and war-torn as their magic rips through it. Luna pushes with everything she has, sweat gleaming on her skin as she funnels every last bit of energy into her attacks. But even at her absolute limit, it’s painfully obvious how outclassed she is. Iris hardly seems to be trying. Her attacks are impossibly powerful, each one dwarfing Luna’s by an order of magnitude that shouldn’t even be possible. Iris is a force of nature—a cosmic event in human form—and the gap between them is indescribably vast. She’s playing at this duel like it’s a game, and Luna’s strongest blasts are mere whispers next to her cataclysmic strikes. Luna’s last attack fizzles out pathetically, a mere puff of air where a missile should be. She staggers, her mana utterly drained, and drops to one knee with a look of disbelief. I rush to her side, catching her before she collapses completely. "Hey, are you okay?" Her golden eyes meet mine, wide and bewildered. I can tell from the way she trembles that this is as much a shock to her pride as it is to her body. Being pushed this far must be demoralizing, but maybe it’s a good learning experience? Luna clutches my arm, leaning into me with more weight than I’d expect from someone so tall and statuesque. "I’m...fine," she says quietly, though the shiver in her voice suggests otherwise. "Don’t push yourself too hard," I tell her, trying to sound reassuring. "You’ve already improved so much." Luna hesitates for a fraction of a second before her resolve crumbles. She leans fully into me, collapsing into my arms with a dizzy shudder. Her body is warm and impossibly soft against mine, her curves fitting perfectly as if she’s meant to be here. Her tail wraps around my leg, and her ears droop with exhaustion. I hold her close, feeling the rapid rise and fall of her breaths, the smoothness of her shoulders as she allows herself to rest against me. The power she displayed moments ago seems almost unreal now, replaced by vulnerability and trust that makes my chest tighten in unexpected ways. "Just take it easy," I murmur, stroking her hair gently as I feel the tension leave her muscles. She nestles closer, burying her face against my neck with a sigh that’s halfway between relief and resignation. Iris storms over, the ground barely daring to crunch beneath her booted feet. Her mismatched eyes are burning jealousy, and I brace myself for impact. "Luuuuke," she purrs, though there’s a sharp edge to it that makes the back of my neck prickle. "You look so comfortable with my little rival." I swallow hard as she crouches down next to us, her tail swishing with dangerous intent. Luna responds with a defiant twitch of her own tail, but she’s in no state to fight back. She clings to me like her life depends on it, and judging by Iris’s current mood, maybe it does. I flick Iris’s nose with my free hand, catching her completely off guard. "Behave," I tell her, trying to sound more confident than I feel. She blinks, her aggressive posture deflating into surprise. For a moment, I think she might actually listen to me. Then her lips curl into a slow, wicked smile. "Oh, Luke," she says softly, leaning so close that her breath tickles my ear. "You know I can’t resist when you get all assertive." My heart stumbles over itself as she presses against me from the other side, sandwiching me between two impossibly soft bodies. Luna shifts slightly, eyes fluttering open at the added pressure but making no move to get away. If anything, she clings even tighter. Iris lets out an exaggerated sigh and turns her attention to Luna, who’s still recovering in my arms. "I guess you earned this little break," she concedes. There was something when she looked at her eyes. Maybe a little respect? Iris knight? Respecting someone? Yeah right. This girl doesn’t respect anything. She just likes a challenge. "Don’t get too comfortable, though," she continues, flicking Luna’s forehead with a playful tap. "I’m not going to go easy on you next time." Luna’s ears perk up slightly, and the ghost of a smile tugs at her lips. Maybe she’s pleased that Iris actually acknowledged her effort? "Next time," Luna says, her voice barely above a whisper but filled with steely determination. "Next time," Luna says, her voice barely above a whisper but filled with steely determination. Iris leans back, propping herself on her hands. She watches us with an expression hovering between irritation and amusement, clearly savoring the moment while it lasts. "Don’t say I didn’t warn you," she teases, trailing a finger along my chest in a way that makes my skin burn. Iris is still snuggled into me, her finger tracing lazy patterns and her expression smug. "This would be so much more relaxing without the mosquitoes," she says with a pointed glance at Luna. "Maybe we should head back," I say quickly, before they start another round. Luna gives a small nod against my shoulder.