"Altashia darling. It's the other way around. Don't expect ME to go easy on you just because I want to tap that perky ass."

Eren said and flashed a cheerful smile at Altashia. The latter snorted in anger before commenting in displeasure.

"Hmph! I'll suck all that confidence out of you dry in a while. You just wait."

Altashia said while folding her hands. With a scornful look on her face that looked exaggerated to Eren, she added up.

"How do you want to do this? Use this army battle ring or take the duel outside where we can use our demon beasts?"

**********

Eren had invited Altashia to meet him on the army battle ring designed to be used by soldiers. It was a standard open space with a rigid, limestone platform that was strengthened by earth-element runes. The battle ring was covered in a mana membrane that restricted spell output to the environment of the battle ring.

There were many battle rings close to each other. They were all inside a large stadium-like structure that was meant to be used by spectators who had come to watch or analyze the ongoing battles.

Other rankers were dueling with each other in different battle rings as well. But unlike the Arangar Colosseum, there were almost no spectators in the audience booth. Life in the army was hectic. Almost nobody was willing to use their free time to watch other army personnel duel with each other when they could step outside and live life a little.

Eren could understand the hidden meaning behind Altashia's proposal to change the venue. Altashia must have thought that Eren was still not completely prepared to take her on. And she didn't want to get him disappointed in his progress after he couldn't beat her. Furthermore, she was unwilling to compromise on her ethics or be lenient towards him, believing that it would also hamper his development.

So she was allowing Eren to use his demon beast in the battle. They both knew that Argo was superior to her Roo in terms of flight capabilities and aerial combat. Plus, Argo's inherent spells were getting more potent by the day.

In short, Altashia wanted to even the supposed odds in Eren's favor by allowing him to use Argo in the battle. Despite the haughty attitude, she was showing at the time, the butcher couldn't help but smile at the care Altashia was showing towards him.

'That kiss we shared has worked for sure. I was beginning to think that was all in my head after seeing Al trying to keep her distance from me. I wonder what's stopping her from being with me?'

Eren thought to himself. He had his communication line open with Layla, enabling her to eavesdrop on his thoughts.

'Gee I don't know. The fact that you try to get into every girl's pants is attractive enough. What could keep a talented girl like Altashia from seeking your companionship?'

Eren again made a weird face as if he had just eaten something bitter and unpalatable when he heard Layla's response. He had it up to his neck this time. He decided to respond in a quiet voice that was devoid of any agitation.

'Keep on trying to roast me like that and I'll shove those Simbelmyne flowers up in a very dark place. A place where you won't be able to see them despite being closer than ever to you.

Imagine how those flowers would look if they were displayed like a peacock's plumage.'

Layla who was chuckling after making that comment suddenly got stiff and had angry expressions on her face. She was about to berate Eren some more but ultimately decided not to.

Angering Eren when he was trying to win Altashia's favor was not a smart idea. An idea that she had indulged in any way because of her irresistible urge to taunt Eren.

'Sometimes playing with fire makes you aware of its nature.'

Layla nodded to herself and justified her act of roasting Eren every chance she got. She then stopped keeping tabs on Eren and focused on the scrolls opened in front of her in her pendant abode while he dealt with his troubles outside.

************

"Haha! Argo has become even more threatening than what you are giving him credit for, Al. that bird brain learns that from me, after all.

Although I'm thankful for the care you show towards me despite acting opposite, I don't need it."

Eren smiled genuinely at Altashia and ended their banter by saying what he felt at the time.

"Let's not worry about each other, Al. Let's not worry about the outcome. Let's just give it our all and see who wins."

Altashia smiled at Eren as well before raising her head to look at the open sky that had the afternoon sun in full splendor acting as their witness.

"Enjoy the battle, huh?"

Altashia mumbled to herself and took out her scythe from her storage space. She immediately started spinning the oversized weapon around herself masterfully to get attuned to it.

While he stood still and gripped his weapons tightly, the butcher heard Altashia's mumbling.

"Enjoy the battle indeed."

**********************

"Hurry the fuck up, you latecomer elf. The duel between our captain and Eren is going to start anytime."

Arjun was grabbed by his shirt collar and dragged into the army's practice arena that housed all the battle rings. He and Lyon were still quite a distance away from where he was supposed to meet his squadmates.

Arjun, who was busy reading a book at the time wearing scholarly specks, found his surroundings changing at a rapid pace while his body felt weightless. He tightened his grip on his almost-fallen book and recognized the person whose hand was holding him by his collar.

"Lyon leave me you dwarf devil Did you learn that weird spell just to drag me like this?"

Arjun's own voice seemed distant to him as he was dragged by Lyon using his movement spell. The dwarf tank member of Eren's team had gotten his hands on a new movement spell that allowed him to create a repulsion effect under his feet.

Plus, Lyon's inherent nature of 'absorb and repel' was more compatible with this movement spell than his previous one. This enabled him to use his legs as if they were springs. Contrary to what Arjun was thinking, Lyon had changed his movement spell because it had allowed him to increase his stature in the battle, if only temporarily.

It was only when he found Dianna seated in the spectator's zone of the arena did Lyon stop moving and let Arjun's collar go. Arjun fell flat on the ground as a result of his careless action.

Dianna was with the rest of Eren's squad mates who were all busy looking at a particular battle ring. She waved her hands at Lyon and Arjun when she saw them from a distance, telling them she had reserved seats for them.

"Did we miss anything?"

Lyon asked Dianna while looking in front of him and taking a seat beside her. Arjun took another seat beside her while adjusting his specks that he only used to wear to look like a cool and geeky elf. He had conveniently forgotten the fact that he was dragged into the arena like a dead weight by Lyon.

Dianna smiled and replied.

"Not at all. The duel will soon begin."

AN: Lyon Muff Dyke has been introduced in chapter 424. His name is an anagram of a well-known anime character. ;)