"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
"Ahahaha! Run! Run!"
Deep within Dogma Forest, our training had begun. Stella and I were currently hot on Ariane’s heels.
I had decided that the first of our three days would be spent entirely on a game of tag.
While this was a staple of the Ainsworth-style Boot Camp... it was no game.
It was a drill. Specifically, it was one of the training exercises colloquially known as "hell."
The brutal thing about this particular version of tag was that the target was forced to keep running indefinitely, regardless of how many times they were caught. Furthermore, fleeing from a pursuer who exerted such overwhelming pressure was an ideal way to build mental fortitude.
Looking back, when Master was the one chasing us, the forest truly became a scene out of a nightmare.
That Gorilla would come barreling toward you, radiating an absurd amount of pressure. It was common for even grown men to burst into tears—even if they were seasoned soldiers.
Since my presence alone wasn't enough to simulate that level of intensity, I had enlisted Stella to help me.
Ariane seemed to have a low opinion of herself, but her abilities were already among the best in the student body. Even so, she still had plenty of room to grow. That was exactly why I was pushing her like this—to drag those latent limits to the surface.
"Big Brother! I’ll take the left!"
"Understood. I’ll go right."
As before, Stella and I were prohibited from using magic. Ariane, meanwhile, was permitted to use Physical Reinforcement via Inside Code for the duration of the drill.
By the time the tournament arrived, I wanted Ariane to reach a level of strength comparable to mine—specifically, my strength while my restrictions remained in place.
She already possessed more than enough potential.
If I could hammer forest combat into her and then thoroughly polish her magic-based techniques, I believed she would grow exponentially.
Above all else, Ariane’s spirit was remarkably resilient. She undoubtedly felt a sense of urgency and confusion, yet she never let it show, devoting herself wholeheartedly to this training.
I truly felt that Ariane was someone worthy of respect.
"The right... no, she’s planning to drift left."
Her vertical platinum ringlets swaying, she dashed gallantly through the woods.
Sensing my approach from the right, she had evidently chosen to break toward the left. Her options were limited: continue straight or bank to one of the sides.
Had she chosen the left because she judged she could break past Stella? Or did she simply want to test herself against Stella head-on?
Since I couldn't see her face from behind, I couldn't be sure. However, I could feel a certain fighting spirit emanating from her. She wasn't fleeing out of desperation or by process of elimination; there was intent behind her movements.
"Gotcha!"
Stella, who had been leaping between the trees, pounced on Ariane from above. But without even needing to look, Ariane shifted her weight and evaded the strike with a fluid motion, never losing her stride.
"Stella. No need to announce yourself."
"Ah... right. Ehehe."
She scratched her head as she ran, looking bashful. She was so charmingly innocent that I almost felt the urge to pat her head then and there.
But now was not the time.
We ran side-by-side, coordinating our next move.
"Big Brother."
"What is it?"
"Ariane is amazing, isn't she?"
"Yeah. She works harder than anyone I know."
"I see. In that case, maybe I’ll get a little serious too!"
"Just don't use magic, alright?"
"Of course!"
After that, Ariane was captured numerous times by a Stella who had truly begun to give her all, but the girl never showed a hint of surrender.
The time limit for the session was one hour. If she could evade us for that duration, it would count as her victory... but eventually, today’s training pushed late into the night.
"Ha... ha... ha... ha...!"
She ran.
She sprinted through the darkened forest, guided only by the faint, shimmering moonlight. Her body was likely reaching its breaking point. The same went for us.
Even I, who likely had the most stamina of the three, was starting to feel the weight of fatigue.
And Ariane, who had been continuously channeling magic, was surely suffering the most.
Even so, I showed no mercy. Both Stella and I continued to pursue her with everything we had. We didn't let the pressure slacken for a moment. We tore through the forest, projecting a relentless intent to catch her.
"I won't lose... I absolutely won't lose!"
Her voice rang out from up ahead.
A battle cry.
She was surely using it to fire herself up. This game of tag had been going on for hours now. On top of that, she had to navigate the terrain while avoiding the monsters that prowled the woods.
Given the darkness, the mental strain on Ariane must have been extraordinary.
Stella and I knew these woods like the backs of our hands. Furthermore, I had extensive experience in night warfare. I was accustomed to fighting in the dark.
Despite having the least experience, she continued to flee with everything she had.
"Stella."
"Yeah... this is getting close."
As we ran side-by-side, we were starting to feel the pressure ourselves. Stella’s usual cheerfulness had vanished, replaced by a look of grim determination.
Ten minutes remained.
Whether she had finally acclimated to the Physical Reinforcement or had simply surpassed her limits, I felt as though Ariane’s performance was actually peaking.
"Big Brother. If she escapes this next attack, it's over."
"I know. I'll come in from above to draw her attention. Stella, you secure her from below."
"Roger that!"
We split up.
I launched a surprise attack from the canopy while Stella lunged from the brush.
As I bounded across the branches, I kept a lock on Ariane’s position. I wasn't just using my eyes; I was tracking her presence itself—a skill born not from magic, but from grueling experience.
Closing the distance, I dropped from above, reaching out to catch her.
"...I knew you’d come!"
Having been targeted this way multiple times already, she managed to narrowly evade my descent. However, Stella was waiting right in her path.
"Stella! Now!"
"I’ve got her!"
Staying low, Stella launched a full-power tackle. Ariane, sensing the incoming threat, desperately twisted her body to avoid the impact.
It was a moment of pure chaos.
A single wrong move and Ariane would be caught. But I saw it—the one narrow opening she had left.
"Ngyaaaaaaaaah!"
The shout belonged to Ariane.
Exhaustion had finally affected Stella’s form; her tackle was lower than usual. While she had been aiming for the waist before, this time she was diving toward Ariane’s shins.
All Ariane had to do was jump. Stella seemed to realize the mistake and tried to adjust her reach, but—
Suddenly, the timer on my watch let out a sharp beep.
"Is it over?"
The final struggle was over.
The victor was Ariane. She had managed to leap at the perfect moment, spinning gracefully in mid-air to clear Stella’s charge.
As soon as she landed, she collapsed onto the ground, limbs splayed out as she gasped for air.
"Ha... ha... ha... did I... ha... win...?"
"Yeah. It’s your victory, Ariane."
"Waaaah! No fair! I'm so frustrated!"
Stella was wailing in earnest, right there on the forest floor. I reached down and gently patted my little sister’s head.
She had always been a sore loser, crying whenever she was bested... it seemed that part of her hadn't changed at all.
"Ha... ha... cough... ugh... I seriously thought... I was going to die this time..."
"I don't doubt it. That was likely the most grueling hour of your life. But you made it through."
"Ha... I couldn't very well lose... it would have been a disgrace to my ladyhood."
She managed a small, tired smirk. Her body, however, was clearly finished.
"Up you go."
"Whoa!"
I hoisted Ariane onto my back and began to walk.
"Stella. We're heading back."
"Sniff... okay..."
Though she was still sniffling, Stella was able to walk on her own.
"Hey, Ray."
"Yeah?"
"Am I... am I getting stronger?"
"Of course you are. You should be proud of what you did today. Being able to evade both of us is nothing short of incredible."
"I see... is that... so...?"
I heard the sound of someone stifling a sob behind me. It wasn't Stella this time.
Bathed in the soft moonlight, we made our way back toward the house.