Chapter 123: Power-UpGrace’s sword crashed against Diana’s, metal ringing through the arena.

    Something was different.

    She ducked under Diana’s next swing, spun on her heel, brought her blade up. Diana blocked—but Grace caught that tiny flicker of surprise in her grey eyes.

    [What the heck?]

    Something was off. Twenty minutes of sparring and Grace hadn’t eaten dirt once. Not even close, actually. Her body moved like someone had upgraded all her parts overnight. Smoother. Faster. Actually competent.

    Diana came at her with that combo that usually left Grace flat on her ass. High strike, low sweep, thrust.

    Grace parried high. Jumped the sweep. Twisted away from the thrust.

    Then countered with her own attack that actually made Diana step back.

    The watching Bravery Sisters went dead quiet.

    "Okay." Grace lowered her sword, panting. "Why are you going easy on me?"

    Diana’s jaw clenched.

    "I’m not."

    "Bullshit. You haven’t thrown me once."

    "I’ve been trying."

    Grace blinked.

    "What?"

    "I said—" Diana reset her stance, looking pissed. "I’ve been trying. You keep dodging."

    "But that’s impossible. You always kick my butt. It’s like... our thing."

    "Not today, it seems."

    They went again. This time Grace paid attention. Really focused.

    It really did look like Diana wasn’t holding back. Her strikes came full force, full speed. The same moves that had put Grace in the dirt hundreds of times before.

    But Grace’s body just... responded. Faster reflexes. Better balance. She blocked strikes that should’ve sent her sword flying. Sidestepped charges that should’ve knocked her flat. Even landed a hit on Diana’s shoulder that made the taller woman grunt.

    "What the fuck?" Grace stopped mid-swing. "When did I get good at this?"

    "Apparently while you were getting dismembered." Diana rubbed her shoulder. "That actually hurt."

    The other Sisters started whispering. Grace caught bits.

    "—never seen Diana get tagged by a rookie—"

    "—that speed though—"

    "—gotta be the Flame thing—"

    Grace stared at her hands. Same hands. Same calluses. But something had changed.

    [Is this what 81 Bravery feels like? Holy shit.]

    "Again," Diana ordered.

    "Diana—"

    "Again. I need to see something."

    Ten more minutes of sparring. Grace held her own the entire time. More than that—she was winning. Actually winning against Diana.

    When they finally stopped, Diana was breathing hard. Sweat dripped down her bare chest.

    Grace had never seen Diana winded from training.

    "Well?" Grace asked.

    "You’re faster. Stronger. Better reflexes." Diana sheathed her sword. "Whatever happened with the Flame changed you."

    Grace thought about that void. Fighting rage demons. The notification about gaining twenty Bravery points.

    "Yeah. Maybe."

    "Definitely." Diana stepped closer, still topless and sweaty. "Which means we adjust your training."

    "Adjust how?"

    Diana smiled. Not her usual smirk. A real, terrifying smile.

    "Now I can stop holding back."

    [Oh fuck.]

    ---

    As usual, Venus’s classroom smelled like sex and perfume.

    Grace walked in to find Love Sisters already going at it. Naked bodies tangled together, practicing their "morale boosting techniques" with enthusiasm. One blonde had another Sister bent over a desk, fingers working between her legs while she whispered instructions about "proper energy flow."

    "Grace! Perfect." Venus glided over in a dress made of suggestions and good intentions. "Energy transfer today."

    "Energy transfer?" Sёar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    "Through kissing, obviously." Venus waved at a cute redhead nearby. "Carthy volunteered as your partner."

    Carthy waved. Freckles, green eyes, curves that made Grace’s mouth water instantly.

    [Whoa. Since when do I just wanna jump random angels?]

    "Hi," Carthy said. "Heard a lot about you."

    "All terrible, probably."

    "Actually, all impressive." Carthy stepped closer. "They say you fucked the Tide into submission."

    Grace’s brows shot up.

    "T-That’s not exactly—"

    "And survived getting chopped up by the Flame."

    "Barely—"

    "And killed two Primal Demons."

    "Um..."

    Venus clapped.

    "Less talking, more tongue action. Show me that morale boosting."

    Grace looked at Carthy. Carthy looked back.

    And something in Grace just... snapped.

    She grabbed Carthy’s waist and shoved her against the wall. Carthy gasped, but it turned into a moan when Grace’s mouth crashed into hers.

    [Wait... What am I doing?]

    Her body didn’t care. She didn’t care. Hands roamed over curves, pulling Carthy closer. Tongue invaded like it owned the place. She could taste strawberries on Carthy’s lips, feel the way the redhead’s whole body trembled against her.

    Carthy melted, making these perfect whimpering sounds that went straight to Grace’s core.

    "My my," Venus purred from somewhere behind them. "Someone’s hungry today."

    Grace pulled back just enough to breathe. Carthy’s eyes were glazed over, chest heaving.

    "Sorry. Don’t know what—"

    "Shut up." Carthy grabbed Grace’s face. "Do it again."

    So she did.

    Kissed Carthy like she was trying to consume her. Hands tangled in red hair. Bodies pressed tight. One leg slipped between Carthy’s thighs, making the other girl grind down with a needy whine.

    That divine energy Venus wanted? Definitely happening. Grace felt it crackling between them, warm and electric.

    When they finally broke apart, half the class was watching. Some had stopped their own activities to stare.

    "Impressive," Venus said. "You’re really coming into your own."

    Grace tried catching her breath. Her whole body felt hot. Needy. Like she wanted to drag Carthy somewhere private and—

    [Is that what this is?]

    Grace thought about it. The Tide. Every intimate moment that raised her stats. The way her body had been reacting lately to basically everyone.

    [Yeah, I’m changing.]

    "Everyone pair up! Let’s see that energy!"

    The room exploded into moaning. Grace watched one Sister push another onto a cushion, diving between her legs with practiced enthusiasm.

    Grace looked at Carthy still panting against the wall.

    "Round two?"

    Carthy nodded eagerly.

    [This is my life now. Could be worse.]

    After class, Grace stumbled out on shaky legs. Carthy had been... thorough in their "energy transfer practice." Very thorough.

    Venus caught up, looking amused.

    "Walk with me."

    They strolled through the gardens. Angels flew overhead. Everything looked peaceful.

    Too peaceful.

    "So," Grace said, trying to ignore how her lips still tingled. "This ’more to do’ thing."

    "Straight to business. Good." Venus plucked a flower. "What do you know about the Tempest?"

    "Pillar. Storm-related?"

    "Storms, emotions, chaos." Venus crushed the flower between her fingers. "Lives in the Shattered Isles. Charming place if you enjoy lightning strikes."

    "Sounds great."

    "Gets better. The Tempest moves between islands, carried by its own storms. Never stays put."

    "So we chase it?"

    "Find it first." Venus tossed the crushed petals. "Entire islands swallowed by hurricanes. Ships can’t approach. Flying is... inadvisable unless you enjoy being electrocuted."

    "But we’re going anyway."

    "Tomorrow afternoon. You, me, Diana."

    Grace stopped walking.

    "You’re coming?"

    "Someone needs to babysit you two. Make sure you don’t kill each other. Or fuck each other to death."

    "W-We don’t—"

    "Also, the Tempest feeds on emotional instability. Jealousy. Desire. Heartbreak. All those messy feelings seem to have some sort of... enhancing effect on its emotional manipulations."

    "So it’ll mess with our heads?"

    "Absolutely. Should be funny to watch, in your case."

    "You’re really rooting for this?"

    "It would be entertaining." Venus shrugged.

    Grace rubbed her face.

    Four Pillars down, three to go. Each one worse than the last.

    "How do I prepare for this stuff?"

    "How am I supposed to know? That said, I would guess the Tempest will use every emotion against you. Every frustration. Every bit of whatever’s going on with you and Diana."

    "Nothing’s going on with—"

    "You’re fuck buddies who fight constantly and basically undress each other with your eyes during training." Venus kept walking. "I’m sure the Tempest won’t find anything there."

    "We just—"

    "Screw occasionally while pretending there’s no chemistry?" Venus laughed. "Right. No tension at all. That’s why she gets that look whenever another angel flirts with you."

    "What look?"

    "The ’I’ll rip your wings off’ look. Very subtle."

    Grace hadn’t noticed any look. Then again, she’d been pretty distracted lately. By training. And all the sex. And more training.

    "Pack light," Venus added. "Waterproof everything. The storms are intense."

    "How intense?"

    "Think divine tantrum meets apocalypse. With extra lightning."

    "Wonderful."

    They reached the garden’s edge. Venus turned, golden eyes serious for once.

    "The Flame was straightforward. Just rage and violence. I have a feeling the Tempest won’t be. If I were it, I would dig into every insecurity. Every unspoken want. Every feeling you’ve been shoving down."

    "I figured."

    "Are you ready for that? For it to drag everything into the open?"

    Grace thought about her growing attraction to everyone. The complicated Diana situation. The pressure of being the only demon-killer. The way she sometimes woke up from dreams about the Tide or memories of Eternia that weren’t hers.

    "Not sure, no. But, I’ll do it anyway."

    Venus smiled.

    "Good answer. Now go fuck someone. You look wound up."

    "I’m not wound up."

    "You’re wound up and horny. Very distracting."

    Grace fled before Venus could elaborate on exactly how distracting.

    Tomorrow. The Tempest. Emotional chaos incarnate.

    With Diana and Venus.

    Isolated island.

    Magic storms that would try to break their minds.

    [Yeah. This is gonna be a complete shitshow.]

    Grace headed back to her quarters, already dreading whatever emotional manipulation awaited. At least with the Flame, she’d known what to expect.

    Getting her butt kicked? Simple.

    Having all her feelings dragged out and examined?

    That was terrifying.