Two months had passed since the party first strapped on the weighted clothing. What once left them gasping and stumbling had become their second skin. The straps no longer cut into their shoulders, the added load no longer dragged their limbs like anchors. Instead, the weight had become a constant reminder of growth — a burden turned into a forge.
The training ground bore witness to their progress. The grass was worn to dirt where their laps had carved endless circles. Trees were scarred with hammer strikes, fist imprints, and arrows. Rocks lay split from relentless blows. The morning mist clung to the ground as the four took their positions, their breath visible in the crisp air.
Hunnt adjusted his gauntlets, rolling his shoulders as he stretched. His body felt different — heavier but also steadier, stronger. Each movement carried the promise of control. His fists clenched, knuckles cracking softly. "Two months," he murmured under his breath, "and already the difference is clear."
Corwin hefted his hammer, swinging it in a smooth arc. The weapon no longer dragged him off balance. His arms and legs had hardened, his shoulders broader, his stance firmer. He shifted his grip and tried a heavier combination — a downward smash into a sweeping side arc. The air whistled as the hammer cut through it. He nodded once, satisfied.
Elara stood near a row of wooden targets, bow in hand. The weighted clothing pressed against her shoulders and ribs, but it didn't shake her form. Her arms no longer trembled when she drew the bowstring. She loosed an arrow — thunk — dead center of the target. Without hesitation, she drew another, then another. Sweat beaded on her brow, but her stance remained flawless.
Pyro bounded forward with a chirp, chestplate and leg weights clinking faintly. He twisted midair, landing neatly on all fours. His tail lashed with playful pride. "Master! Look at me! Nyaah! Not even a stumble this time!" He darted again, flipping over a stump and weaving between rocks, the weights tugging but failing to slow him.
Hunnt's lips curved into a faint grin. "Good. That's what I wanted to see. We're not fighting the weight anymore. We're using it. Every step, every breath — it's ours now."
He raised his voice, eyes sharp. "Form up. Perimeter laps. Keep your stances. This is about stamina and posture. No sloppy movements."
The four launched into motion. Their feet pounded against dirt, the rhythm steady and unified. The laps circled the clearing, weaving between trees and stumps, twisting through roots and fallen logs. Hunnt led, his steps controlled. Corwin followed, hammer bouncing lightly on his back, his heavy frame moving with surprising fluidity. Elara sprinted lightly, using Soru to reposition and simulate dodging ambushes. Pyro darted ahead and behind, bounding up branches and springing down again, his Kami-e rolls fluid even under weight.
By the fifth lap, their breathing had quickened, sweat dripping down brows and cheeks. Hunnt called out over the thud of footsteps. "Focus on posture! Don't let fatigue break your stance!"
Corwin gritted his teeth but kept his shoulders square. "Understood."
Elara exhaled sharply, her bow still held tight as she moved. "I… I can feel my legs stabilizing. The weight doesn't drag me anymore. It… helps me focus."
Pyro darted past her, tail flicking. "Nyaaaah! Even with weights, I'm faster than all of you! Master, am I amazing yet?!"
Hunnt smirked through the strain. "You're amazing when you stop talking mid-lap."
Pyro yowled dramatically but didn't falter.
After ten full laps, Hunnt finally raised his hand. They slowed to a stop, gasping for air, legs burning but bodies upright.
"Good," Hunnt said, panting slightly. "You're adapting. Not just surviving the weight — you're moving with it. That's endurance. That's control."
Corwin rolled his shoulders, sweat dripping down his temple. "I can maintain Tekkai longer now, even under repeated impacts. It doesn't drain me as quickly."
Hunnt nodded approvingly. "That's what I wanted to hear."
They shifted into sparring drills. Hunnt paired with Corwin, fists against hammer, while Elara and Pyro worked together to simulate battlefield spacing.
Hunnt lunged, fists snapping forward. Corwin swung his hammer in a defensive arc, intercepting the strikes. The collision cracked through the clearing, dust kicking up around their feet. Hunnt's black steel flickered faintly over his knuckles. Corwin braced with Tekkai, his stance unshakable. Sweat poured as they clashed, both pushing endurance past comfort.
A few meters away, Elara sprinted across the field, Soru carrying her into new positions. She fired arrows at shifting targets, some enhanced with monster materials. Pyro leapt around her, darting with Kami-e through imagined claws, occasionally batting at a target to force her to adjust mid-shot.
"Faster, Elara!" Pyro shouted between flips. "Keep up with me, nyaah!"
Elara loosed another arrow, striking a moving target dead center. "I am keeping up!" she shot back, cheeks flushed, but her aim didn't falter.
Hunnt and Corwin broke apart after a final clash, both panting. Hunnt wiped his brow and glanced at the others. "Look at this. Two months ago, none of us could last half an hour like this. Now? We're sparring, sprinting, shooting — and we're still standing."
Corwin leaned on his hammer, but his eyes gleamed with quiet pride. "We're stronger. If Ravagerak showed up again, we wouldn't struggle the same way."
Elara lowered her bow, chest heaving, sweat dripping down her neck. "My shots are cleaner… even under strain. I don't feel like the weight is crushing me anymore. It's… freeing."
Pyro flopped onto the grass, panting dramatically but grinning wide. "Master! I'm faster, stronger, and cuter! Nyaah! The perfect Palico!"
Hunnt chuckled softly, ruffling Pyro's ears as he passed. "You're not wrong."
The sun dipped lower, shadows stretching long across the clearing. The party gathered, sitting in a circle to cool down. Their bodies ached, their muscles screamed, but none of them looked defeated. Their eyes shone with determination.
Hunnt clenched his fists, the black sheen flickering faintly. He remembered the pain of his shattered gauntlets, the blood dripping from his fists in the fight against Ravagerak. Not again. Never again.
Next time… I'll be stronger. Strong enough to endure. Strong enough to protect them all.
He looked up at his team — his friends. "We're close," he said quietly but firmly. "When the time comes to push into Haki, we'll be ready. And when the monsters come again… they won't break us."
Elara smiled faintly, exhaustion softening her expression. "Then let's keep going. One step at a time."
Corwin gave a short nod. "Every day makes us stronger."
Pyro purred softly, curling up against Hunnt's side. "Nyaah… Master, I'll never fall behind."
Hunnt exhaled, gaze lifting to the treeline. The forest seemed calm, but he knew danger lurked beyond the silence. For now, though, they were stronger than yesterday. And tomorrow, they'd be stronger still.
The clearing held the quiet hum of unity, their bond forged deeper through sweat, discipline, and determination. Weighted training had transformed them — body and spirit alike.
And though the sun set over Ravenshire, casting the forest in shadow, Hunnt's fists gleamed faintly in the dim light, promising that this was only the beginning.