— Materials for Hikari's saddle —
[Cotton] The most common material for clothing. Good sweat-absorbent properties. It's sufficient for Hikari's tops and skirt, which don't see much wear. But parts that move a lot, like her joints and pelvis, tear quite often.
[Silver rubber] A strange material forged in the spire city. It has limited elasticity but incredible durability, and is used in zeppelins and other machinery. It can withstand Hikari's movements, but it's very uncomfortable because it doesn't absorb sweat.
[Sinew of giant turtle] The muscle on the giant turtle's legs that can hurl several steam tanks. Flexible, durable, perfect for making Hikari's saddle. Supply is very inconsistent, as domesticated giant turtles are much more useful alive.
Focus.
Hikari holds her new sword in both hands.
The blacksmiths wrapped the handle in wyvern skin for a better grip.
It was fortunate that a sword found in the middle of nowhere had a handle big enough for her to grip with both hands.
She raises it over her head and swings down in a vertical slash.
She feels its weight as she gradually brings it to a stop at the end of a swing.
Another stroke.
She raises the sword over her head again.
Swing.
Repeat.
Repeat.
Hikari wipes off her sweat.
She swings again.
Back to basic drills.
A new size and a new sword.
She needs to adjust to the rhythm.
The reach was modest compared to her old claymore.
But she could tell that the sword was much sturdier.
Her skin is harder than steel.
If she reinforces it with her telekinesis, it makes her body impervious to cannon fire.
But if the sword in her hands were swung at her, she wasn't confident she could deflect it with her bare hands without risking injury.
Time for a break.
She sinks the blade into the ground and gulps down a tank of water.
Loose tops and a short skirt.
She has enough cloth pieces to assemble a decent outfit that covers her modesty.
She feels the rough ground beneath her bare feet.
A new pair of shoes would require more work from the shoemakers.
Her boot soles would take another shipment of strips.
While her muscles rest, she circulates her mana.
A strange feeling.
The mana she absorbed from the mana vein courses through her.
It felt different from her RazenHeir flame and the Hearthstone form she learned from Sheela.
This time, she absorbed more than mana.
She tries to make sense of it.
Perhaps a different kind of flame.
Perhaps she might summon a wyvern with it.
She tried to channel it into her hand to materialize something.
But her mastery of the new mana form was too thin for her to focus enough of it to make anything.
There was a brief chill.
Perhaps it was just her imagination.
Perhaps it was just the wind drying her sweat.
"Hey! Hikari!"
A loud voice from afar.
A massive body barrels towards her.
It stops just in front of her, kicking up a cloud of dust.
The sandstorm clears.
Tanned skin. Short brown hair. Little more than a thin rectangular breach hanging from her waist.
"He! Looks like you're back from that excursion and back to training."
"Master Sheela."
"Hello there, my good student! How ya doing? You look like you're in good shape and ready to receive more of your master's teachings?"
"Yes, Master Sheela."
"Good! I see you training barefoot. That's the way!"
Hikari looks down at the ground awkwardly.
She sees her rough toenails.
The dirty soles are revealed as she lifts her foot uncomfortably.
"My shoes are small."
"Ha! Who cares? Don't need them anyway."
Sheela stomps her foot.
Hikari feels the shockwaves through the ground.
"See. You have to feel the earth. Your shoes will get in the way."
"Yes, master Sheela."
Hikari still feels uncomfortable at the thought.
She is used to fighting in her boots.
The soles cushion her foot as she jumps, reducing the strain on her muscles.
"You don't seem so convinced yet. Ha! No matter! Come to the arena."
"Yes, master Sheela."
…
Hikari stood across from Sheela.
The sandbender studies her from head to toe.
"Hmmm….! I'm not imagining it. You have gotten bigger. Much bigger."
Sheela approaches Hikari, tilting her head back to meet Hikari's eyes as she stands in her shadow.
"Haha! Am I a great master or what? Some training from me and it even makes your muscles bigger!"
"Yes, master sheela."
"Again. Tell me how great a master I am!"
"Master Sheela."
"Ok! Ok! Time for a quick health check before we begin."
Sheela channels.
The sand behind Hikari moves.
A mound of sand rises, coalescing into a solid rectangular shape.
"Sit."
Hikari sits down, feeling her bottom rest on a solid surface.
The stone mound was wide enough for her to sit comfortably.
It was tall enough for her lower leg to rest vertically on the ground.
Hikari was amazed that the sand bender could conjure a stone platform big enough for her.
Sheela knelt at Hikari's feet.
"Master?"
"Quiet, let me focus."
She placed her hands on her feet.
Like hers, Sheela's hands were muscular but well-kept.
They had the build of a warrior, but no scars to match.
The sand bander channels her mana into Hikari's feet.
The spread was uneven.
The movements weren't as smooth as before.
Hikari tries to relax to make it easier for Sheela to work.
But her expanding body made it hard even for her to channel her mana properly.
"Phew! That was tough. Yeah, expanding your body does rejiggle everything and makes it really hard to do whatever it is that you were doing before."
Sheela fell backward into the sand.
She was sweating and panting after a meditation session more intense than what she was used to.
"Bad."
"Sure is. I remember that time when I underwent muscle growth. Never wanted to do that again. After the process, it was as though I had to relearn my entire skill from scratch again."
Hikari opens her palm.
A sputter of RazenHeir flame licks the sky.
"Works."
But Sheela was right; the cast wasn't as effortless as she remembered.
She had known how to use the RazenHeir flames for years, and it no longer felt like second nature.
"Don't worry, it'll come back. Now lift your foot."
"Hmm?"
A pause.
Hikari carefully lifts her foot to avoid kicking up sand.
The dirty, sandy sole was right in front of Sheela's face.
"Hold still."
Sheela conjures a stone pillar so Hikari can rest her ankle.
She conjures a mini tornado of sand that wraps around Hikari's foot and lower leg.
Hikari feels the sand scrub her foot, the friction removing her dirt and sweat.
"There!"
Her feet felt fresh again.
"Master, Sheela."
"He! Impressed by what your master can do? You've seen nothing yet!"
Sheela grabbed a bit of sand in each hand and rubbed her palms together.
Hikari senses mana building up in her muscular arms.
With a sudden thrust, she slammed both palms onto the sole of Hikari's foot.
"Mmm!"
To her surprise, Hikari feels Sheela's fingers press into her skin, thicker than a sandworm's carapace.
With a surge of mana, Sheela squeezes.
Hikari moans in pleasure.
Relax.
A surge of mana.
Squeeze.
Relax.
Squeeze relax.
She moves down to the arches.
Same force.
Hikari's skin was softer there, so she felt the pressing force more acutely.
"Mmm"
Squeeze.
Relax.
Squeeze.
Relax.
"Mmm"
Hikari wriggles her toes.
"Don't move."
"Sorry."
Squeeze.
Relax.
Squeeze.
Relax.
Sheela moves down to Hikari's heels, which were the toughest part of her feet.
Hikari still felt the pressure, but the tough skin on her heels was too stubborn even for the sandbender.
"Alright, looks like I need some extra firepower."
Sheela stretched her arms.
She held out her hands in the same stance Hikari used when she telekinetically grabbed something.
A long piece of cloth flies towards the sandbender.
It looked like bandages.
The cloth wraps around her arms and hand.
Sheela flexes her muscles to test the resistance.
It was no simple cloth wrap.
Hikari senses faint runes inscribed within the cloth.
"This will do."
The sound of her knuckles cracking.
The stone pillar supporting Hikari's ankle expands, lifting it higher up.
Stomp.
Sheela takes a stance, her eyes focused on the heel of Hikari's foot.
"Here I come."
Her palms slam into the heel with the force of both arms and her body's weight.
Hikari feels it this time.
It felt good.
Hikari wriggles her toes in response.
The fingers grab the foot with the residual momentum, making a shallow dent in the heel.
"Mmm."
That hits the spot.
Hikari moans in pleasure.
Back to the bore.
Squeeze, release, squeeze, release.
"Mmm."
The extra strength from the wrappings around Sheela's arms.
It was the best massage Hikari had had in a long while.
"Huff* Huff*. Phew! That's a tough foot you got there. That'll crush a sandworm nice and good for sure."
Hikari scrunches her toes; her foot was asking for more.
"Feels good."
"He. You didn't doubt your master could give a good massage, did you?"
"No."
The pillar holding up Hikari's foot disappeared into the ground, resting the foot back on the ground.
Another pillar raised her other foot.
Sheela stretched herself, getting ready for a second round.
A sand tornado engulfed the foot, scrubbing it clean.
"Here I go again."
Thud!
Sheela's fist smashed into Hikari's foot with force enough to break walls.
Hikari tilted her head back and moaned with pleasure.