Chapter 231: Mystery figure

The training room echoed with the sound of heavy breathing and the occasional grunt of exertion. Zafron and Sakura stood facing each other, both drenched in sweat, their clothes clinging to their bodies. Despite the intense workout, there was a gleam of satisfaction in Sakura's eyes."Not bad, slime boy," she said, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand. "You're picking this up faster than I expected. Maybe you won't get completely obliterated in the arena after all."

Zafron grinned, still trying to catch his breath. "Was that... a compliment? Be careful, Sakura. People might start to think you actually like me."

[Oh, smooth, my lord. Nothing says 'romance' quite like being drenched in sweat and making sarcastic comments.]

'Quiet, you,' Zafron thought back, rolling his eyes.

Sakura snorted, tossing a towel at his face. "Don't get ahead of yourself, slime boy. I just don't want my time investment to go to waste when Draco turns you into a puddle."

"Aw, you do care," Zafron teased, dramatically clutching the towel to his chest. "I'm touched. Really."

"Keep it up, and you'll be touched alright," Sakura growled, but there was a hint of amusement in her eyes. "Right in that smart mouth of yours."

Zafron held up his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. I yield to the mighty Sakura. Your wish is my command, oh great and terrifying one."

Sakura rolled her eyes, but Zafron could swear he saw the ghost of a smile tugging at her lips. She turned away, grabbing her water bottle and taking a long drink before speaking again.

"Come on," she said, nodding towards the door. "I want to show you something."

Intrigued, Zafron followed her out of the training room and into the winding corridors of the Undercity. As they walked, he couldn't help but notice the way other residents seemed to give Sakura a wide berth, their eyes flickering between respect and fear.

"So," he said, quickening his pace to walk beside her, "is this the part where you lead me to a secret underground fight club? Because I've got to tell you, I'm not sure I'm ready for that level of commitment yet."

Sakura shot him a look that was half exasperation, half amusement. "Do you ever stop talking?"

"Only when I'm unconscious," Zafron replied cheerfully. "And even then, I make no guarantees."

[It's true, my lord. Your snoring could wake the dead.]

'Hey! I do not snore!'

[Of course not, my lord. Those earth-shaking rumbles from your room at night must be some sort of localized earthquake phenomenon.]

Zafron was so caught up in his mental argument with Calista that he almost walked right into Sakura, who had stopped at the base of a tall building.

"We're here," she announced, shrugging on her pink jacket. Sёarch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

Zafron looked up, squinting against the artificial light that passed for daylight in the Undercity. "Uh, Sakura? I hate to break it to you, but this is just a wall."

"Is it?" she asked, a mischievous glint in her eye. Before Zafron could respond, Sakura's body began to change. Her hands elongated into claws, and her legs took on a more feline appearance.

With a grace that seemed impossible for a human, she leapt at the wall, her claws easily finding purchase in the rough stone. In a matter of seconds, she had scaled halfway up the building.

She paused, looking down at a slack-jawed Zafron. "Well?" she called down, her voice carrying a hint of challenge. "Are you coming, or are you going to stand there catching flies all day?"

Zafron snapped his mouth shut, a slow grin spreading across his face. "Oh, it is on, kitty cat."

[Kitty cat? Really, my lord? I fear your talent for nicknames is almost as lacking as your talent for not getting hit by magical wrenches.]

Ignoring Calista's commentary, Zafron focused on his slime powers. With a thought, he extended tendrils of slime from his hands and feet, using them to grip the wall as he began to climb.

It wasn't nearly as graceful as Sakura's ascent, but it got the job done. By the time he hauled himself onto the roof, panting slightly, Sakura was already there, lounging casually as if she'd been waiting for hours.

"Took you long enough," she said, but there was no real bite to her words.

Zafron dramatically collapsed onto his back, spreading his arms wide. "Some of us don't have the advantage of turning into cat-people, you know. We have to make do with good old-fashioned slime power."

Sakura laughed, the sound surprisingly light and carefree. "You're ridiculous, you know that?"

"It's part of my charm," Zafron replied, sitting up to take in the view. From up here, he could see the sprawl of the Undercity laid out before him, a maze of buildings and streets bathed in the eternal twilight of the magical lighting.

"Wow," he breathed, genuinely impressed. "I didn't realize it was so... big."

Sakura nodded, her expression softening as she gazed out over the city. "It's easy to forget when you're down in the streets. Up here, you can almost pretend it's a real city, not just some magical prison."

They sat in companionable silence for a while, watching the ebb and flow of life in the streets below. Finally, Sakura spoke again, her voice uncharacteristically hesitant.

"You know, I haven't had this much fun in... well, longer than I can remember."

Zafron turned to look at her, surprised by the admission. "Really? I find that hard to believe. Surely beating up helpless opponents in the arena must be a barrel of laughs."

Sakura snorted, shoving him playfully. "You're an idiot."

"So I've been told," Zafron replied cheerfully. "Multiple times. Usually by you."

They lapsed into silence again, but this time it felt charged with something Zafron couldn't quite name. Finally, Sakura turned to face him, her expression serious.

"Zafron," she said, her voice low. "Do you really want to leave this place? And if so... why? There aren't many rules down here, you know. You could do almost anything you want."

Zafron was quiet for a moment, considering his answer. "I guess... I just can't shake the feeling that there's more out there, you know? Don't get me wrong, the Undercity is... interesting. But it's not home.

Not for me, at least."

He paused, glancing at Sakura. "What about you? Don't you ever think about what's beyond these walls?"

Sakura's gaze dropped, her fingers absently tracing patterns on the rooftop. "Sometimes," she admitted. "But like I said before, it's impossible. No one's ever escaped."

"Maybe," Zafron said, a hint of challenge in his voice. "Or maybe no one's been crazy enough to really try."

Sakura looked up at him, a mix of emotions playing across her face. For a moment, Zafron thought she might say something more, but instead, she just shook her head, a rueful smile on her lips.

"You're going to be trouble, aren't you?" she said, but there was no heat in her words.

Zafron grinned, spreading his arms wide. "Me? Trouble? I'm as innocent as a newborn slime."

[Oh, please. You couldn't look innocent if your life depended on it, my lord.]

Their banter was interrupted by a sudden chill that ran down Zafron's spine. He turned, his eyes scanning the streets below, and for a brief moment, he caught sight of a hooded figure staring directly at him with a staff in hand.