Depthless Hunger

Technically these were some of the least important duels of Zae Zin Nim's entire life, yet she found herself filled with tension. Yes, nothing in her life was at stake and the Frontier elites would probably keep training them even if they failed. But if she came back to Deadwaste after gaining so much power and couldn't overcome a challenge like this... she wasn't sure she could ever live that down.

They conducted the duels in one of the nicest gardens, one with a smooth earthen slab prepared for fights. Various nobles of the Earth Union had come to watch, and according to Inafay their performance would be judged carefully. The only one Zae Zin Nim knew was the Princess of Quakes, sitting calmly on a throne-like chair. Another chair had been set out for the Prince of Pebbles, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Some Earthborn was making a big speech, but Zae Zin Nim didn't really care about him any more than she cared about every puffed up little sect. All that mattered was her own progress, and Inafay's, and finishing their objectives here.

The first battle was between Inafay and an Earthborn woman. Unlike most of the other Earthborn Zae Zin Nim had seen, she didn't build stone armor or weapons, instead she skated around the arena as if the rock was ice. She might have been a serious problem for Inafay a month earlier.

But for that entire training period, Inafay had been refining her elemental abilities. Even without the mana-limiting band she currently wore, she didn't reach for her Class. Instead she took the match slowly and carefully, not letting her opponent hem her in. There were no flashy maneuvers or new techniques, just a display of raw elemental power. That was what the guests had wanted to see, after all.

And in the end, Inafay ducked a rocky strike and released a spike of wind that knocked her opponent out of the ring. Zae Zin Nim gave her a nod.

Next came the match Zae Zin Nim cared about least: some snotty brat who was... whatever they called young masters in the Elemental Nations. Apparently Orotaisin had been working with him, and he must have done some good, because the kid actually seemed to be taking his fight seriously. It was some sort of grudge match but he didn't let his emotions get the better of him.

Instead of paying attention to them, Zae Zin Nim found herself thinking about Inafay and Orotaisin. The two of them worked well together, with Inafay drawing attention at the lead while Orotaisin quietly acted out of sight. They had an easy companionship that she envied.

And the two of them were dual cultivating because of her. She didn't regret giving them the techniques from Rosemount, but she couldn't get the images out of her head. Every time they were even slightly affectionate, such as when Inafay touched his arm after the match, she immediately thought about the whole thing again and paled.

"Psst." Inafay glanced at her and nodded toward the stone. "Your turn next."

"Yes." Zae Zin Nim pushed aside all other thoughts, accepted the band that suppressed her cultivation, and stepped out for the match. Nobody had been able to learn anything about her designated opponent, so she examined him as the leaders announced the match.

Her opponent was a man with strange hair, part red and part blond. That suggested mixed Elemental Nations ancestry, which she thought didn't usually breed true like that. They were supposed to be fighting with mana alone, though, so presumably he didn't have elemental powers unless he was also handicapping himself. Currently she couldn't get through his shroud, so she would have to guess.

When the gong rang, Zae Zin Nim bowed to him and stepped forward. He clenched his fists, clearly using a hard style that was more than simple brawling. Mana reinforced his body, but nothing as impressive Kai or other threats, so she should be able to take him.

They clashed twice, exchanging careful blows - and then suddenly his fist was driving into her stomach. She barely managed to stumble out of his range, clutching the place he'd struck. He danced between his feet at a distance, smiling now, and she got a glimpse of his soul.

Name: ???

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Total Power: 373

Earthfist Advanced Class: 2 (306)

Physique: F-6 (42)

Soul Level: 5 (25)

>

This man was no idle prince, he had 373 Power, enough to make him a Diamond Crystallier! Presumably he was one of the stronger people in the Elemental Nations, so what was he doing in this duel against her? Worse, his power was overwhelmingly composed of a single Earthfist Class, which wouldn't be limited for this fight.

Without her cultivation, she had only some strength from her Class and Physique, just a little over 200 Power in total. The gap between them was huge, there was no way she could fight him.

He noticed her hesitation and lunged in for the kill. Zae Zin Nim's instinct was to retreat, yet somehow her movements followed her old patterns: she blocked his overconfident punch and drove a palm into his chest. With her limited power she didn't manage to penetrate deep or damage internal organs, but he staggered back and frowned.

"This is what the Frontier has to offer?" he asked, shifting in his weight in a little dance again. "I expected better."

Zae Zin Nim wanted to tell him this wasn't her true strength... no, the truth was that she wanted to tear off the sealing armband and crush him with overwhelming power. It was humiliating for this brute to be pretending to be superior to an Earth Soul cultivator.

And yet, now that she saw this match from another angle, she realized that would be cowardice. She had learned that she was more than her cultivation when Kai had helped her against the Earth Souls from her father's sect. Even if he wasn't here, she couldn't lose that lesson.

Her opponent rushed at her, blows coming fast but heavy, each carrying the mana of his Class. She couldn't equal him in raw power, but that didn't mean she had no assets. Zae Zin Nim focused on her Coldfire Corona, preparing a subtle use equal to his own.

When he struck again she blocked him at first, letting him drive her back with his aggressive blows. Eventually she missed a punch and it connected with her jaw... where a thin layer of blue flame lit up to intercept it. Just briefly, but it stopped him cold, and in the next instant her palm hit his chest again.

"You use your Class, I'll use mine," she told him. "Wasn't this supposed to be about martial skill?"

To his credit, he stopped drawing on his Earthfist Class. Nothing but raw mana flowed through his body as he stomped toward her. Less aggressive this time, instead a focused assault. She defended, then kept up, then realized that she had the advantage over him.

He might be good, but she had long studied her sect's martial arts and then refined them in countless lethal battles. Even if she was first a cultivator, she was also a martial artist. Zae Zin Nim smiled a little and prevented herself from becoming overconfident - she focused on the fundamentals and waited for her moment.

Finally he overreached. She grabbed his wrist and threw him to the floor, and her palm flew down a second later. It halted just before his chest, not dealing the third strike that would have actually pierced through to his heart.

The man stared up at her for several seconds, then sighed and raised his hands in defeat. Zae Zin Nim retreated and for the first time realized that people were cheering.

"That's three out of three matches to the Frontier," the Princess of Quakes announced over the noise. "There are no rewards, but I hope the lessons are clear enough. Now, unfortunately the Prince of Pebbles didn't grace us with his presence, so-"

"I'm here!" One of the doors burst open and the Prince of Pebbles made a grand entrance, riding on some sort of rock palanquin carried by several men. "These folks have been so accommodating, don't you think?"

Zae Zin Nim didn't really care about them, she was more interested in the fact that Kai walked in after the others. When he gave her a smiling nod, she realized that he must have been watching her match while the Prince waited to make his entrance. That might once have made her flush, but she found herself just smiling and nodding back.

"It seems matters are resolved after all," the Princess of Quakes said. "Will our guests step forward, please?"

Even though she didn't particularly want to, Zae Zin Nim recognized that she was an important part of the symbol of their victory. She joined the others as they gathered in front of the two thrones. For most of the Earthborn attending, it was just a ceremony, but Inafay and the Princess were eyeing one another seriously.

"Have we made our point?" Inafay asked.

"I think everyone here is much impressed," the Princess of Quakes said. "You'll have your support."

"And will you stop interfering with Irun? We need the Frontier nations in balance or we'll never last until the next incursion."

"That I can't promise." The Princess's face grew dark. "Our southeastern neighbor is weak. Even if I withdraw, there will only be others making the attempt. If you really care so much, don't come to weaken us, go strengthen them."

They were allowed to go not long after that, technically the conquering victors. Inafay seemed more intrigued by the final comment, and when she looked toward Kai, Zae Zin Nim realized what was going to happen.

"I'd like to see Tusquo again," Kai said. "And isn't a weak Irun a problem for everyone?"

"It's not our exact mission," Inafay said, "but it's definitely the spirit of it."

So they were all headed south again. Once Zae Zin Nim would have been disappointed, but after everything she had seen, she was actually curious. Of all the powers she'd seen on Deadwaste, only Irunian steel still puzzled her. That no longer seemed like a petty mystery, it might well be a step forward for them all.