Chapter 113: Domineering, I Like It

The Commander and the officers had asked Elinox to spar with them.

It did not take long for Zishan to realize they had severely overestimated themselves.

The training ground itself was already one of the stronger ones inside the compound. Defensive formations were buried beneath the floor, with barriers surrounding the entire field so the soldiers using it would not have to worry too much about damaging the area during training.

Even with all of that, Elinox was holding herself back.

Well, she kind of he had to.

With how powerful she was, releasing too much Mana here could damage the formations themselves, and if that happened, the training ground might not survive whatever came after.

Zishan watched from outside the barrier with Ollie beside him and Silvy sitting comfortably on top of his head.

Several officers were attacking Elinox at the same time. And calling it a spar was starting to feel generous.

Elinox remained near the middle of the field as attacks came toward her from different directions. One officer rushed in with Wind wrapped around his sword, another sent several compressed blades of Mana across the ground, while the Commander closed the distance hard enough to make the reinforced floor shake beneath his feet.

However, none of them managed to make her move very far.

She redirected one attack with her hand, stopped another against a thin layer of Mana, then shifted her body enough for the Commander’s weapon to miss her.

After several more exchanges, Elinox finally looked around at them. "Is this the only thing you can do?"

The officers slowed down.

Her lavender eyes moved from one person to another. "Pathetic. And you wish to win during the Sumwear Ascendant Convergence? In your dreams."

Nobody answered her.

"I’ve met peers who can stand toe-to-toe with me. I’ve never been defeated by any of them, but some were far stronger than what you’re showing me right now." She looked toward the Commander for a moment before turning to the others. "Especially among people at your Levels, you should already know that geniuses can appear from places you’ve never even heard of."

A few of the officers tightened their grips around their weapons.

"You’re all getting too complacent," Elinox continued. "Some of you even hesitate before attacking me because you’re already thinking about what will happen if I retaliate."

The change around her was subtle at first, but Zishan noticed it.

Mana began spreading from Elinox in waves.

The pressure reached the officers surrounding her, and their bodies reacted almost at once. Shoulders dropped. Legs started trembling. The weapons in some of their hands suddenly looked much heavier than they had a few seconds earlier.

Elinox stared at them.

"Are you really soldiers?!"

One of the officers stumbled while another planted his weapon against the ground to keep himself from falling. Even the Commander began having trouble breathing under the pressure. He lasted longer than the rest, but after several seconds, one of his knees finally hit the ground.

Zishan watched Elinox from outside the barrier. ’Damn. She’s so strong. If she ever had a husband in the future, he will suffer if he messes up...’

Elinox kept the pressure on them.

"If this is everything you’re all capable of doing, then you better not join that Convergence." Her gaze swept across the officers struggling in front of her. "You’ll only bring shame to the Kingdom of Olmost."

Only then did the pressure disappear.

Several of the soldiers took deep breaths, while the Commander remained on one knee for a few seconds longer.

Elinox gave them one last look before turning away.

Zishan watched her come toward them.

"Let’s go," she said.

He had initially thought she would give them a few pointers, maybe correct their movements or teach them something about fighting stronger opponents.

She had done that, in a way, but she had just chosen to crush their confidence first.

Zishan actually liked that about her. Those soldiers had asked Elinox to show them where they were lacking, and she did exactly that. No comforting words, no pretending they were better than they really were.

"Domineering. I like it," he muttered.

Elinox stopped and turned toward him. "What do you mean?"

Zishan realized he had said it loud enough for her to hear.

His eyes quickly moved somewhere else. "Nothing, nothing. I was just thinking about something."

"Okay..."

Silvy seemed to have enjoyed the entire thing much more than either of them.

The little dragon was still sitting on top of Zishan’s head, clapping her tiny claws together while staring at Elinox with sparkling silver-gray eyes.

"Mama! Mama! Good! Mama!"

Elinox smiled. "Don’t move too much, Little Silvy. You’ll fall off your Papa’s head..."

She had already said it before she seemed to realize what had just come out of her mouth. Her eyes moved away from Silvy, while her ears slowly started turning red despite the stern look she was trying to maintain.

Zishan did not notice any of it. He got another problem on top of his head at the moment.

Silvy had started moving again.

"Settle down, Little Silvy—wait, ah! You’re pulling my hair againnn!"

The little dragon grabbed a fistful of his white hair to keep herself balanced. "Papa!"

"Yes, Papa knows you’re happy, but Papa also wants to keep his hair!"

Ollie started laughing beside him.

Zishan reached up and tried to adjust Silvy without letting her fall off his head. He was complaining, but he was laughing too.

There was just something about having someone as small and cute as Silvy around that made it difficult for him to stay annoyed with her. Even getting his hair pulled had somehow become part of it.

Elinox looked back at the three of them and slowed down until they caught up with her.

From the side, the four of them looked less like a High General escorting a newly promoted Captain and more like a small family wandering around the military compound.

But none of them seemed to realize it.

They left the training grounds soon after and headed toward one of the larger administrative buildings near the middle of the compound.

All the soldiers they passed saluted Elinox. A few of them saluted Zishan, too.

And he still had not gotten used to that part.

’Captain Walker...’