"Alright, here is your reward for completing the Minotaur subjugation quest. Thank you for your hard work, both of you."
After hunting down several Minotaurs rumored to be terrorizing nearby villages, Yujin and Aurelia had returned to the guild to report their success.
"Thank you for your assistance as well, Miss Viola," Aurelia said, looking completely drained as she stood beside Yujin.
"What’s with that face? Did something unpleasant happen?" Viola asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.
Aurelia let out a sharp click of her tongue. "It’s because this idiot went and made a deal without my permission!"
"Hey, it was for our own good..." Yujin muttered.
"For our own good my foot! I would have preferred dying right then and there!" Aurelia angrily snatched her share of the reward and stormed off without looking back.
Viola watched her go, utterly baffled by how fast Yujin and Aurelia’s relationship had soured right after a successful mission. She turned her sharp gaze back to him. "So... care to explain?"
Yujin stood in silence for a moment, scratching his head even though it didn’t itch at all. "Well, long story short..."
After Yujin finished explaining the timeline of events, Viola's expression wasn't too different from Aurelia’s initial reaction. The only difference was that Viola managed to keep her voice calmer.
"Wait, you seriously wagered both of your Magic Cores? Do you have any idea what kind of risk you just took?"
"Umm..." Yujin quickly checked his surroundings. He didn't want anyone else overhearing his next words. Leaning in, he whispered, "To be honest, I didn't really know much about it. I just kinda pulled that out of my ass."
"And you acted like you knew everything about Magic Cores?!"
Yujin nodded awkwardly, offering a sheepish grin.
As expected, Viola let out a long, heavy sigh, massaging her furrowed brow. Just as the name implied, a Magic Core was a vital essence for any living being. It acted like a second heart, filtering raw Aether into a form of energy that the body could safely absorb and utilize. Without a Magic Core, a living creature would suffer from Aether poisoning due to the unfiltered energy. Moreover, the core was the very reason living beings could wield magic in the first place.
"Do you understand now, Mr. Yujin?"
"Yeah... I guess I do. Thanks for filling me in, Viola." Yujin stared down at his black sword for a long moment. He only now realized just how suicidal his gamble had been—especially for Aurelia. If they lost, her life would be forfeit. And even if they won, the reward might not even be worth the risk.
It was my fault... but for some reason, I felt like the gear that demon was wearing would be extremely useful. Was I just hallucinating?
"Sorry, did you say something?" Viola asked.
"Nothing. Thanks, Viola. I'll be taking my leave."
Yujin waded into the crowd gathered around the quest board. His eyes scanned the parchment sheets pinned to the wood, but nothing caught his eye. Nothing seems to fit me right now.
He turned around, and his gaze inadvertently locked onto someone sitting peacefully not far away. It was the same woman he had seen back in the forest, right before he followed old man Junpei to Lumeris. Oh? She's here too?
Her deep blue eyes seemed to be scanning every corner of the guild. However, the moment her eyes met Yujin's by accident, she immediately averted her gaze, stood up, and hurriedly walked away.
Yujin raised an eyebrow in confusion. Before he could ponder on it, a heavy hand clapped his shoulder from behind. He turned around to find Kluivert standing there, accompanied by a burly, black-haired man with streaks of grey running through his hair.
"Ah, we meet again, Yujin. I was actually looking for you. Come, follow me to my office. There is something important we need to discuss."
Yujin glanced at the man standing behind the Guild Master. Although they were roughly the same height, Yujin could sense an entirely different aura radiating from him.
As they walked down the hallway, which gradually grew quieter and less decorated, Kluivert spoke up. "It seems you're starting to get used to the atmosphere of our guild, Yujin. I’m relieved you completed your first mission safely."
"Thank you for the compliment, sir. If I may ask, what is this about?"
"We’ll talk once we reach my office."
Once inside, Kluivert quickly seated himself at his desk, while Yujin and the other man stood before him.
"Alright, let’s get straight to the main topic," Kluivert began. "We received a request from an inland village. There have been numerous reports of a massive beast haunting the area. Not only that, but in several cases, people have mysteriously vanished—ranging from adults to young children. The village chief requested our help with a handsome reward. And I called you here to assign this mission to you."
Yujin’s breath caught in his throat. "Wait, why me? Aren't I just a rookie?"
Kluivert let out a soft chuckle. "It’s a fact that you’re a rookie. But seeing your assessment recording was proof enough that you are highly experienced in combat." He then gestured to the silent man beside Yujin. "Don't worry, you'll be accompanied by a senior who has been an adventurer for two years."
The man finally spoke, a confident smile on his face. "Thank you for your trust, Guild Master." He turned to Yujin and extended a hand. "The name's Kaien Rask. You can just call me Kaien."
"I'm Yujin Baek. Nice to meet you."
"Excellent. Now that introductions are out of the way, I hope you two can build a good rapport. You have two weeks to prepare."
The meeting concluded, and Yujin turned to leave the room. However, Kluivert’s voice boomed across the office, stopping him in his tracks.
"Don't leave just yet, Yujin."
Yujin looked back. Kluivert was still sitting calmly in his chair. "I already know about the burden you’re carrying, Yujin. It’s about a certain deal, isn't it?"
Yujin’s eyes widened in shock. "Wait... how do you know about that?"
Kluivert chuckled softly. "Viola informed me before I met you. It seems you’ve stirred up quite a hornets' nest on your very first mission, huh?"
"I-I'm sorry..."
"I'm not asking for an apology. I'm offering help. As you are right now, you are far too weak to face that demon. Frankly, I don't even think you're ready for this upcoming village mission. However, I am willing to train you so that you will be. Do you accept?"
Yujin’s body stiffened for a moment. He knew all too well that his current self was nowhere near strong enough to survive the dangers of the outside world. But if he didn't face them, how could he ever grow?
"Alright. I accept your training, Mr. Kluivert. I look forward to working with you."
"Glad to hear it. We start tomorrow morning. Meet me in front of the guild doors before sunrise," Kluivert said, tapping a stack of papers on his desk.
The next morning, while most people were still fast asleep, Yujin was already awake and ready to move. The moment he stepped into the dark corridor of the guild, a biting chill wrapped around his body.
Opening the main heavy doors, he found Kluivert already waiting outside. "M-Mr. Kluivert?"
The old man merely glanced at him once before gesturing for Yujin to follow. The surrounding trees swayed gently in the whistling wind. The streets were pitch black, saved only by the dim, sparse glow of streetlamps that barely pierced the darkness.
"So... where are we going?"
"To your training grounds. It’s not too far. Even with your current fractured bones, you'll be able to run back and forth from the guild multiple times."
As they plunged deep into the forest, the faint morning light faded entirely, allowing the dense canopy's shadows to dominate. Suddenly, Yujin’s black sword began to glow. Though the light was faint and murky, Yujin could feel the blade emitting distinct particles of Aether.
Eventually, they arrived at a large clearing far from the city, featuring a towering waterfall that faintly caught the reflection of the rising sun.
"Alright, this is where you will be training." Without warning, Kluivert shed his heavy coat, revealing his casual attire underneath.
For some reason, the hairs on the back of Yujin’s neck stood on end. Driven by pure reflex, he drew his black sword. His instincts were spot on—Kluivert lunged at him without a single word of warning, leaving small cracks in the dirt.
Kluivert swung his arm, launching a straight punch directly toward Yujin’s chest. Even though Yujin managed to parry the strike with his blade, the sheer, overwhelming kinetic force behind the attack blasted him backward.
Before he could even recover his balance, Kluivert was already in front of him again. Unprepared to block a second strike, Yujin took a brutal, direct kick to the ribs. Kluivert didn't stop there; he unleashed a rapid barrage of punches, throwing Yujin heavily against a thick tree trunk.
Yujin’s sword slipped from his grip, clattering to the ground. Kluivert calmly walked over and picked it up. "I'm impressed you can actually wield this blade, Yujin. It seems you two are quite compatible."
"W-What?"
Kluivert tossed the sword aside, far out of reach. "Though you are skilled with a blade, I'm curious to see how well you can swing those fists of yours."
Kluivert stamped his foot heavily onto the ground, shattering the earth and throwing a massive chunk of rock straight at Yujin. Yujin scrambled to his feet, sprinting to dodge the projectile. As the boulder smashed into a tree, shattering into pieces, Yujin failed to notice another massive rock already hurtling his way.
Fortunately, relying on his innate traits, he rapidly triggered Acceleration. He successfully evaded the boulder by a hair's breadth and instantly countered, lunging straight at Kluivert.
Kluivert looked mildly surprised by Yujin’s sudden burst of speed. Yet, despite the dizzying speed of Yujin’s consecutive strikes, Kluivert evaded every single one with effortless grace. With a single, swift sweep to Yujin's left calf, his entire offensive rhythm was utterly shattered.
Yujin let out a pained roar as his leg buckled. To make matters worse, Kluivert had maintained absolute dominance over the flow of the battle since the very beginning, backing Yujin into a desperate corner.
Ignoring the throbbing pain in his leg, Yujin threw a desperate, rapid kick aimed at Kluivert’s stomach. Upon impact, Kluivert was pushed back slightly, but his hand instantly clamped onto Yujin’s ankle. Without a shred of mercy, he slammed Yujin violently into the hard ground.
Brak!
Yujin’s shoulder felt as though a mountain had dropped on it the moment he hit the dirt. As he desperately gasped and tried to push himself up, his chest flared with a burning sensation, making it impossible to catch his breath. Even standing up felt like an impossible feat.
Kluivert merely turned his back, acting as if the absolute beatdown he had just delivered was nothing out of the ordinary.
"That’s enough for today's warm-up. Get up, Yujin. Your training is far from over."
"Wait... what?!"