Return of the Woodcutter
Chapter 72 - Sheyla Ryu's Thoughts (part 2)

No, what Sheyla truly disliked about the man was that her brother mistook him for a real hero. She feared that because of him, Ogoro would try again his foolish, childish, idiotic idea of becoming a damn useless hero. 

And once that big oaf set his mind on doing something, he would see it through to the end. Ogoro was that stubborn of a person. 

Sheyla had thought about resolving the problem by just outright killing the black challenger. However, she hadn't done so for two reasons.

First, he had saved her life, and even if she hated to admit it, she felt grateful for that. On top of that, there was that teaching about a life for a life the Ryu household had ingrained in their brain. That's the main reason she had accepted to accompany Ogoro to help the black challenger.

Second, because Sheyla felt she could fail her assassination. Why? Well… the black challenger was strong. She had followed him during his first day and seen what happened to Sam from afar. 

She had also observed him training on the third floor. And that man was just growing stronger every day at a ridiculous pace. It could be attributed to her brother's memories, but not only.

Sheyla had seen an inextinguishable flame burning in the man's eyes. He had the aura of someone who would do anything to accomplish his goal. Anything. With that kind of mindset, it was only a matter of time before he became too strong for her to handle. 

In fact, maybe he already was. Her plan so far has been to expose him as the false hero he was. How? By first waiting for him to come to her and do something unsightly befitting of the man she had seen before. 

Why not go to him first? She hated to admit it, but it was simply a matter of pride. Nothing more, nothing less. Childish? Yeah, maybe. 

However, what she thought would happen actually never happened. Tired of waiting, she crushed her pride and decided to take matters into her own hands. 

Sheyla understood by now that taking a roundabout way with the man was out of the question. In that case, there was only one thing to do, reenact what happened during the tournament in front of her brother. 

By doing so, she hoped to expose the black challenger for what he truly was.

Not a hero, but a shameless bastard.

***

On a corner of the grassy field of the third floor, Aito and Sheyla fought bare-handed. Exchanging flurries of vicious blows. Punches, kicks, knee, elbow strikes. 

With the only rule being no killing, and magical healing means at their disposal, they both let loose of their destructive fighting prowess. 

"I really wonder why she's doing this," Ogoro said, watching their fight from the bench. 

Seated next to him, Gwen simply shrugged. "Maybe she's interested in the little man. That's what I do when I'm attracted to a man. I fight him. If he is stronger, then he's a good match. If he's weaker, then fuck it." 

"What? That… hum. Does such a man even exist?" Ogoro asked, remembering Maba's awe-so-apparent fear towards Gwen. 

"Men who can beat me? Yes, a handful. They just aren't to my taste, though." Gwen said, grimacing as if she remembered someone that disgusted her. 

"Just a handful?" Ogoro asked, surprised. He hadn't expected her to be this strong. "Looks like you will never get a man then." 

"Aye, maybe not now. That's certain." She said, eyeing Aito who was throwing a middle kick. The sheer strength behind it forced Sheyla to take three steps back to regain her balance. "But that might be the case in a not so distant future." 

Ogoro traced her gaze to Aito. Then switched back to Gwen. Understanding what she meant, he pitied Aito and prayed he'd come out alive if he ever did fight Gwen in the future. 

On the track field, looking for entertainment, a few challengers had stopped their training to watch Aito and Sheyla's fight. They seemed evenly matched from their point of view. However…

'What a monstrous strength,' Sheyla thought, eyeing her bruised arms. 'This is so ridiculous.' 

She hadn't even been fighting him for two minutes but felt like thirty minutes had already passed. Realizing Aito had inhuman strength after she had blocked his first strike, she has tried to dodge as many times as possible. 

However, on top of being strong he was also an agile, fast motherfucker and could almost…no, he matched her in terms of speed. 

She had to compensate with pure technique, but Sheyla wasn't as proficient as her brother when it came to close-quarter fighting. And even when she landed a hit it felt like hitting hard, thick wood. 

Sheyla hard tried to trap his arm and break it using a leverage technique. However, common sense didn't apply to this man anymore. With but one arm, he could overpower her entire body strength.

It was too ridiculous. 

Moreover, he wasn't as dumb as to let himself fall for obvious taunts. He differed completely from last time. As if he had grown somehow. 

'Just what happened to him?' She thought, sidestepping to avoid a front kick. 'He seems so…  different. Less arrogant… more mature.' 

She rapidly deviated a punch with her palm, reduced the distance between them, and went for his throat, hoping to damage his breathing capabilities for a few seconds. 

However, at the very last moment, Aito lowered his forehead. Sheyla's knuckles crashed against it as if they hit a brick. Before it was too late to retreat, she pushed Aito away with one of her legs. Though he didn't budge, it allowed her to jump to safety. 

***

"If this fight was just so I could remember you, Layehs Uyr or should I say Sheyla Ryu, then let's stop now. I've realized who you were for a few days already." Aito said, staring at her bruised body. 

How could he not remember her face, no, these eyes? These fearless frozen blue eyes. After seeing it so many times in the nightmares he had had on the island, it was just impossible not to. He'd have to be extremely dull or stupid for that to happen. 

Question was, what should he do with her now? How should he treat her? Honestly, he had no clue. Despite his past defeat by her hands, he didn't hold a grudge against her. 

Why would he? It was too petty to blame her for what had transpired. Even during his past life, he hadn't done so. No, it had been his fault and no one else's. Sheyla might have defeated him, but if she hadn't, would things have turned out differently? Probably not. Someone else would have beaten his ass.

His past self had feared her, yes. Since he accepted himself for what he truly was, the fear disappeared. 

"If what you're looking for is an apology for what happened that day, then let me say that I'm sorry." 

Sheyla clicked her tongue, seemingly unsatisfied with his answer. "Stop your hypocrisy." 

"What the fuck do you mean," or so he would have liked to say if she wasn't rushing at him like a madwoman. 

Tired of whatever game she was playing, Aito grabbed her incoming right fist, slightly fracturing parts of her hand bones with the sheer strength of his grip, which should have resulted in a painful cry, but Sheyla simply greeted her teeth through the pain as she sent a knee to his genitals. 

He deviated the blow with his own knee, then sent a warning gaze for her to stop. She remained oblivious to it and went for a desperate blow. 

The same blow that had defeated him last time. 

However, he simply lowered his elbows to deny access to his armpits. Her knuckles met his shoulder muscles and biceps. 

Pissed, Aito couldn't contain himself anymore. She was unreasonable and needed to be taught a lesson. 

Holding her injured fist tight so she wouldn't escape, he opened his free hand, carefully aimed at his target, and sent a vicious bitch slap to her face. 

SLAP! 

Sheyla halted her struggles at once as if paralyzed by the slap. Aito had gauged his strength as to avoid fatal injury. So he was fairly certain she was fine… physically speaking. 

The all-mighty slap was a mental attack more than a physical one. Much more powerful than what people thought it to be. 

An uneasy silence filled the air as she turned back to stare at Aito with a face… full of tears? 

"Just why aren't you undressing me, you shameless bastard!?"

And an even more awkward silence ensued…