"Training…?"
Endi tilted his head, doubt and impatience etched on his brow.
"Endi, you must first learn to control the power of wind. And you—Rabesta, was it? From the looks of you, you're a swordsman. I shall teach you swordsmanship myself."
The old man's calm words were laced with quiet fire as his eyes moved between the two of them.
"One month…? We don't have that kind of time! Lamia could be—"
Endi's voice trembled with urgency, but the old man cut him off.
"If you march into the Yudra Empire now, you'll accomplish nothing. You'll simply be crushed. Before that, you need one month of unrelenting training."
Endi's face darkened at the truth of it.
"If we train for a month… will we really be able to fight the Yudra on equal ground?" Rabesta asked, eyes burning with seriousness.
"…Perhaps. Rabesta, at the very least you'll gain enough strength to rescue this Nova child," the old man said, though his words carried a subtle weight.
Rabesta's sharp intuition sensed the unspoken truth at once.
"Even with a month of training, it won't be enough… The Yudra are that strong, aren't they?"
"…Aye. Ivanka commands a unit called the Sacred Apostles—ten warriors in all. They are formidable, especially the five known as the First Division."
Nostra's tone grew heavy, shaded with the quiet despair only a man who had lived through long years could carry.
Endi swallowed hard.
"And Ivanka himself… is he stronger still?"
"Ivanka's power… cannot be described by the word 'strong.' It transcends even the realm of gods. Not even the Three Marshals of Nakatam combined could stand against him."
Silence fell, thick and suffocating.
"Wait, wait a second—so after one month of training, the three of us just march in there? Do you really think we'll be okay!?" Endi blurted, panic creeping into his voice.
"Endi… I believe with all certainty that you can defeat Ivanka."
The old man's eyes burned with conviction, a fierce flame of faith smoldering deep within his aged body.
"…What?"
"Endi, regain the instincts you once had. Master the wind as you did long ago, and then go even further. If you can do that, you will have the strength to topple even Ivanka."
"What do you mean, instincts? You're saying… I used to control the wind?"
"…Aye."
The old man nodded.
"Endi… are you really that strong?"
"You and Cain… the two of you were once hailed as the greatest prodigies the Yudra ever produced."
The revelation hit like a thunderclap. Endi's eyes widened as he grasped the enormity of the power sleeping within him.
Even Rabesta's ever-stoic gaze flickered with emotion for an instant.
"Old man… I'll do it. I'll train." Endi clenched his fist, staring straight at him.
"I won't let Endi outpace me. I'll get stronger too. Please, guide me, Nostra."
"Gahahaha! I'll be harsh, mind you. You'd better keep up!"
"Yes, sir!" Endi replied with energy.
Rabesta stood expressionless, yet the fire in his eyes betrayed his resolve.
"You know, one thing bothers me… Stop calling me 'old man' or 'grandpa.' My name is Nostra."
"Nostra-san, got it!"
"Looking forward to it, Nostra."
Nostra chuckled, as though embarrassed.
"Good. Then let's begin! We can't stay here—pursuers will find us. Follow me, we'll move to a new place."
They pressed through a dim forest until they reached a yawning cave mouth, black as night.
"Nostra, are we really training in here? It's pitch dark, you can't see a thing," Endi said, peering into the gloom.
The next instant, a sharp killing intent surged from behind.
Nostra's expression turned to steel.
Without warning, he drew his sword and slashed at Endi.
"Wha—!? Nostra!? What the hell are you doing!?"
Endi barely leapt back as the blade flashed again.
"Wait, wait! Did you lose your mind!?" Rabesta shouted, drawing his own blade—but Nostra's killing aura froze him in place like chains.
In a blink, Nostra's sword cut for Endi's throat.
At the brink of death, Endi's body erupted with a storm.
A violent gale burst forth, shaking the forest and tearing the ground apart.
"So… this is Endi's wind," Rabesta muttered, covering his face with one hand.
Nostra stepped back, satisfied, as the winds sharpened into scythes that shredded everything in their path.
Trees toppled, rocks split, and the cave's entrance was gouged wide.
Nostra parried each invisible blade of wind with perfect precision. Rabesta, relying on grit alone, managed to defend himself, though his breath grew ragged.
At last the storm subsided, and Endi collapsed to his knees.
"As I thought… even if you've forgotten how to fight, your instincts awaken when your life is on the line."
"Endi, what was that? You scared me half to death!" Rabesta exclaimed, his eyes wide in shock.
"Stand, Endi." Nostra's voice rang sharp.
"Do you feel it? Have you regained even a fraction of your old sense?"
"No… nothing. I don't understand any of it…"
"I see. Still, unless you learn to control your wind, you're a danger to everyone around you. Step into the cave. You won't leave until you master it. Understood?"
"H-How am I supposed to—" Endi faltered, shoulders sagging.
"You'll face yourself in that silent, lightless cave. Think about when your powers have surfaced before. You once commanded them freely—you can do so again. You are a genius, Endi. I believe in you."
"…All right. I'll try!"
Endi vanished into the cave at a brisk pace.
"Gahahaha! Still the same simple-minded brat!" Nostra laughed gleefully.
"You set quite the impossible task. So what about me?" Rabesta asked.
"That's obvious. You're a swordsman like me. I want to see your skill—attack me with everything you have. I'll strike back, of course. Learn what you can from my sword."
"…Understood."
Rabesta's face remained unreadable, but the sand at his feet stirred faintly.
The stillness before battle had ended.