Morning light streamed through the windows of the training hall.
Erik was already inside, standing alone on the stone floor, mentally bracing himself for another round with Leena.
"You're early today," Archmage Kruzen remarked as he entered the hall with Leena trailing behind.
Erik didn't respond. He just gave a small nod.
"Let's begin, then," Kruzen said, walking to his usual corner.
Erik and Leena stepped into the center of the training ground and faced each other. No words exchanged. Just silence, tension, and the hum of gathering mana.
"Begin," Kruzen called out.
Leena moved instantly—straight toward Erik. But he knew better than to expect a direct hit. She wasn't aiming for his front. She would vanish and strike from behind, like always.
Teleportation leaves a trace—faint, barely noticeable mana marks where the caster plans to reappear.
Only someone with sharp mana perception could sense it in time.
Erik had that gift. But it still demanded perfect timing. One wrong guess, and it was over.
Behind me—!
He spun and caught her kick just in time, blocking it with his arm.
But Leena didn't stop. She twisted, using Erik's dagger as a pivot point, and spun around with frightening speed. Her second kick caught him in the side—where he was wide open.
Damn it—!
Before he could steady himself, she closed the distance again. A gut punch. Erik moved to guard, but the blow landed clean. It lifted him off the ground and sent him flying.
He hit the floor hard but rolled with it, planting his feet and readying for the next strike.
Because she was coming. Fast.
Golden sparks danced across Leena's body. Her skin shimmered like polished steel under lightning.
"She's charging."
The moment Erik's feet touched the ground, she was already moving.
He jumped right.
But that wasn't it—she followed. Adjusted. He jumped left instead, narrowly dodging the second rush.
Then he launched a counterattack, swinging a kick toward her midsection.
She slipped to the side, narrowly avoiding it—and disappeared from view.
"Shit—behind me!"
Erik turned—
Nothing.
Then he turned back.
Too late.
Leena's foot was already there, a flash of gold inches from his face.
Shit!
The kick landed clean, snapping his head back and sending him flying. He hit the ground face-first, skidding across the floor before coming to a painful, undignified stop.
Flat on the stone, groaning.
Erik pulled himself to his feet, breath ragged, face still stinging from the last kick. Leena stood a few meters away, silent as ever, her expression unreadable.
He adjusted his stance.
Then charged.
This time, he had to change his approach. He'd made a mistake—forgotten who he was fighting. Leena was human, not a monster. But the raw power she wielded had tricked his instincts into thinking otherwise.
Treat her like a monster, and I lose. I need to fight her like a person.
He closed the gap. Fast. Leena came at him head-on, no teleportation this time. Her kick came quick, but Erik met it with a solid block. She pulled back to reset, but he didn't let her. He pushed forward, slashing at her midsection.
She evaded, jumping right.
Erik followed instantly—closed in and stabbed toward her face.
Another dodge.
Still, he kept pressing.
Don't give her space. No time to vanish.
And that's when he noticed it.
She wasn't using teleportation.
Why?
He didn't know. But he wasn't about to question it. He kept applying pressure, driving her back step by step.
Until, without realizing it, he had her cornered.
Leena's back hit the wall. Then, suddenly, she jumped—ran up the wall and launched herself forward.
Straight at him.
Unexpected.
Erik raised his guard and redirected her momentum, swinging her body overhead toward the ceiling.
The weight shifted. She flipped—midair.
Erik looked up.
Dammit—!
But Leena didn't strike.
Instead, she landed a few feet away, sliding to a stop. Calm. Controlled.
I almost had her… huh!
Then she raised her right hand.
A gleam of silver caught Erik's eye. A spear flew through the air and snapped into her grip.
"…What the hell?" Erik muttered.
"It seems you've figured it out," Leena said, her tone cold and even.
Erik narrowed his eyes. So, there is a limit to teleportation.
She didn't confirm it. Didn't deny it either.
But her silence was answer enough.
Leena slid into her usual stance.
Then vanished.
Erik spun around—there!—just in time to see the flash of silver coming for his eye. He ducked, the spear narrowly missing, then jumped back several paces.
Damn it…
With a weapon in her hand, the strategy he used before wouldn't work.
What do I do now?
He didn't have time to think.
Leena charged in—blindingly fast. A barrage of spear strikes came at him from every direction. He barely managed to dodge each one, instincts driving his limbs more than thought.
I have to improvise.
A thrust came low, aimed for his waist. Erik sidestepped, planted his foot on the spear's shaft—and pushed down.
Then lunged.
He swung his dagger in a clean arc, aiming for her exposed side.
Leena released the spear and leapt back, avoiding the strike. But Erik wasn't fast enough to guard against the follow-up—her boot slammed into his gut like a hammer.
He flew into the wall.
Stone cracked behind him.
He collapsed to the ground.
Groaning, Erik pushed himself upright. But his legs trembled. His vision blurred at the edges. He could feel consciousness slipping away.
"That's enough," Kruzen's voice echoed through the hall.
Erik dropped to his knees, breathing hard.
Leena approached him.
He looked up—ready for another cold, impassive stare.
But what he saw surprised him.
A cut.
Small, barely noticeable, but bleeding. A thin crimson line traced down her cheek.
Leena gave a slight nod. "Good job, Erik."
Erik blinked. Then smirked, despite the pain. "Hell… yeah."
"Well done," Kruzen said, walking over. "You've managed to injure one of the fastest fighters in the kingdom. Be proud of that."
Erik could barely hear him through his ragged breathing. Then he felt it—Kruzen's mana, flowing gently into his core.
"…You, you weren't supporting me this whole time?" Erik muttered.
Kruzen raised an eyebrow. "Of course not. You've been fighting on your own, Erik. All week."
Erik collapsed onto his back, staring up at the ceiling. A patch of sky peeked through the glass dome above. For the first time in days, he felt… content.
"Starting today, we have two months until the Velhein raid," Kruzen continued. "You'll train every day until then. From morning to night, you'll burn your mana core dry. Refill it. Then burn it again. And again. That's how we'll prepare your body for your second element."
"…What about ethics class?" Erik asked between breaths.
"Oh, you won't be joining those anymore."
Erik smiled. "Best thing I've heard all week."
"But—before we begin…" Kruzen tilted his head. "Tell me. Why don't you use your legs?"
"…Huh?"
"This whole week, you've rarely used them. Remember—when a swordmaster fights, footwork is often the deciding factor. A kick can be the surprise that turns a fight."
Erik nodded, still lying flat.
"Good. Focus on meditation for the rest of the day. We start the real training tomorrow."
With that, Kruzen turned and walked off. Leena followed him, silent as always.
Erik remained on the floor, sore and bruised—but proud.
He'd drawn blood.
And that meant progress.
Erik closed his eyes, his smirk lingering.
Two months… Just wait!