The evening sun cast its golden light over the vast grasslands, the tall blades swaying gently with the passing breeze.
The heat was no longer as scorching as midday, but it was still enough to leave a sheen of sweat on everyone's forehead.
Ren stood in the open field, his gaze calm. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword, but he made no move to guard himself.
"All right... attack me." His voice was light, as if he were merely asking for a small favor.
Nautilus and Yuna hesitated, exchanging uncertain glances.
Neither of them was sure if this was a good idea.
Ren sighed at their reluctance.
At first, he had intended for them to train by directly facing Dire Wolves, monsters far more dangerous than boars, with agile movements that would sharpen their combat reflexes.
…However, after that incident, the wolves had all but vanished from the area, either wiped out or temporarily scattered to avoid being hunted by players.
If that were the case, it would take a long time before they returned.
A shame, really, fighting monsters wouldn't just help them get used to their unpredictable movements, but it would also offer practical benefits: rewards, experience points to level up, and most importantly, loot. The right piece of equipment could make a huge difference between a strong player and a weak one.
Ren frowned slightly at the thought. Since the beginning of his journey, he had defeated countless monsters, from wild boars to more formidable creatures, yet he had yet to obtain a truly useful piece of gear.
It was frustrating, especially when he had seen other players get lucky, stumbling upon powerful weapons or armor from a single fight.
But regardless, Nautilus had reached level 4, while Yuna was now level 3.
Compared to players who had just entered this world, they were no longer complete rookies.
If they got the chance to fight Dire Wolves, he believed they could hold their own without needing too much of his assistance.
However, if they remained stuck doing simple and safe quests within town, all they would gain was a trickle of experience, enough to push them past the beginner phase, but never enough to truly prepare them for the real challenges waiting outside.
Nautilus swallowed hard, then tightened his grip on his sword hilt. "All right. You want me to go first, right?"
Ren didn't answer. He merely tilted his head slightly, effortlessly avoiding a clumsy slash from Nautilus. He stepped lightly to the side, his sword flashing in the sunlight as it slashed just beyond Nautilus's reach.
Startled, Nautilus stumbled backward, but it was too late to adjust his stance. He hastily raised his sword to block the counterattack.
A strong force traveled through his arms, making him stagger, his heels dragging a long mark across the grass before he managed to regain balance.
"Better than last time," Ren remarked, his eyes never leaving his opponent. "But you reacted too slowly."
Nautilus grimaced but said nothing.
A short distance away, Yuna clenched her sword hilt. Her gaze wavered between the two, worried but silent.
She carefully observed every movement, how Ren evaded so easily, how Nautilus counterattacked instinctively yet failed to land a single hit.
"Keep your stance firm," Ren continued, pressing forward. "Don't retreat too fast, or your enemy will take advantage of it."
Nautilus gritted his teeth. This time, instead of backing away, he suddenly spun and attacked.
His blade sliced through the air in a sharp arc, but Ren merely tilted his head slightly, letting the tip of the sword graze past his cheek without touching him.
In that instant, a chill ran down Nautilus's spine.
Ren had vanished from his sight.
"—!"
His instincts screamed at him to turn around, but it was too late. A gleaming blade was already at his throat, its cold edge freezing him in place.
"Dead," Ren murmured, his breath ghosting against the back of Nautilus's neck.
For a moment, neither of them moved. The wind rustled through the grass, filling the silence with its gentle whispers.
Ren was the first to lower his sword. He took a step back, his expression devoid of satisfaction despite his effortless victory.
Nautilus clenched his fists, his face dark with frustration. He didn't need anyone to tell him, he already knew just how far he was from being able to truly fight.
"…Again," he muttered.
"There will be plenty more rounds," Ren replied. "But not just for you."
He turned his gaze toward Yuna.
She flinched slightly, her hand tightening unconsciously around the sword at her hip.
"You can't just stand by and watch forever." Ren's tone wasn't forceful, but it carried a quiet certainty that was hard to refuse.
Yuna bit her lip. For a moment, hesitation flickered in her eyes, but then, slowly, determination settled in.
"…Okay."
She stepped forward.
Taking a deep breath, she felt her chest rise and fall, steadying her breathing.
She wasn't used to fighting, that much was obvious.
Basic drills and watching from the sidelines could never truly prepare her for what it felt like to grip a weapon and face an opponent who was waiting for her to strike.
Her hands trembled slightly around the hilt of her sword, not from fear, but from uncertainty.
She wasn't sure if she could do this.
But her eyes remained focused.
Ren studied her for a moment, his gaze careful, as if weighing something in his mind. Then, at last, he nodded. "Good. Don't tense up too much."
Yuna didn't reply. She simply tightened her grip on her sword.
Still, Ren didn't attack. He remained where he stood, steady as a wall, waiting for her to make the first move.
The air around them suddenly felt unnaturally quiet.
Under the golden hues of the setting sun, the gentle breeze swept through the grass, making the tall blades sway and whisper in soft rustles.
The peaceful scenery was almost enough to make one forget that this was a battlefield.
Yuna bit her lip. She knew she couldn't stand still forever.
If she kept hesitating, she would never improve.
'I have to do something.'
Without further delay, she tightened her grip and charged forward.
Her first slash carried hesitation and tension, lacking the smoothness and certainty of a proper attack.
Her blade cut through the air at a slightly off angle and before it could even reach Ren, he had already shifted aside, dodging effortlessly as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
There was no immediate counterattack.
Ren simply looked at her, his gaze calm and sharp, but without a trace of mockery or pity.
"Again."
Yuna pressed her lips together, refusing to back down.
She immediately twisted her sword, this time putting more force into her swing, trying to create an attack strong enough to force Ren into a defensive position.
The blade cut through the air, but once again, it only struck empty space.
Ren stepped back, lightly, as if he were taking a stroll, showing no signs of being threatened by her attack.
Yuna gritted her teeth. Impossible. She lunged again, but Ren continued to evade her strikes with a calm ease, as if he didn't need to exert much effort to do so.
"Focus on your movement rhythm." Ren's voice rang out, not loud, but clear. "You're swinging your sword without thinking."
"I'm trying!" Yuna panted, her legs growing heavier with each missed strike.
"No, you're swinging just for the sake of swinging."
Ren suddenly closed the distance between them, making Yuna instinctively step back. But instead of launching a counterattack, he merely raised his sword in front of his chest, showing no intention of striking.
Yuna froze, her instincts telling her not to move.
Ren tilted his head slightly, as if studying her reaction.
"Are you afraid to attack me?"
Yuna tightened her grip on the sword, her shoulders stiff. She didn't deny it, because it was true.
"I'm not a monster," Ren continued, his voice steady and firm. "If you're always afraid of hurting your opponent, you'll never win."
Yuna bit her lip. She knew that.
But knowing was one thing, doing it was another.
Behind them, Nautilus had been watching the fight from the beginning, his brows slightly furrowed. He didn't say anything, only clenching his fists.
Another gust of wind swept across the grassy plains, carrying a steady rustling sound.
Yuna took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of thoughts in her mind.
Then, she stepped forward again.
She focused on controlling her breathing, gripping the sword tightly in her hands. She couldn't afford to hesitate any longer.
If she kept hesitating, she would never grow stronger, she would never be able to fight on equal footing with others.
Or worse… even protecting herself would become an unreachable goal.
So this time, she didn't rush in recklessly.
She slowed down, watching Ren more carefully.
He wasn't guarding himself.
No, more precisely, Ren didn't need to guard himself. He was letting her attack, yet leaving no openings.
'I need to find a way.'
Her anxiety slowly shifted into focus.
Yuna tightened her grip, then moved, not with a mindless swing this time. Instead, she stepped into Ren's attack range, then quickly changed the direction of her strike at the last moment.
Her blade slashed through the air, faster and more precise than before.
But Ren still dodged.
Just a light step back, then a slight tilt of his body.
However, for the first time, a flicker of approval flashed in his eyes.
"Better." He said.
Yuna had no time to react to the praise. She immediately twisted her sword again, using the momentum to redirect her attack, this time aiming for Ren's side.
The blade cut through the air.
Ren raised his sword.
Clang!
For the first time, their weapons clashed.
Yuna froze for a moment.
She hadn't expected Ren to block. She had grown used to him simply dodging, making her strikes feel meaningless.
But now, the impact of Ren's sword sent a force reverberating through her arms, reminding her that this wasn't just a simple training session.
Her eyes widened.
Ren pushed her sword away, throwing her off balance.
"Not bad," he said. "But still not enough."
Yuna gritted her teeth, immediately regaining her stance, but before she could attack again, Ren moved.
She only saw a shadow blur past.
And in the next instant, the cold edge of Ren's blade was pressed lightly against her neck.
Yuna froze.
She had lost.
Of course, Ren didn't strike down. His sword stopped the moment it barely touched her skin. Not enough to deal damage, but enough to send a clear message.
"In real combat, you won't have time to hesitate," he said, his voice calm, but not cold. "Your opponent won't let you keep trying over and over again."
Yuna clenched her fists.
She knew that.
But she still couldn't do anything about it.
Ren lowered his sword.
"You've improved since the beginning," he continued, his tone holding neither criticism nor pity. "But you're still thinking too much. Fighting isn't just about analysis, it's also about instinct."
Yuna remained silent.
Nautilus, who had been standing still the entire time, finally took a step forward.
"Yuna…" His voice carried a trace of concern.
Yuna took a deep breath, then shook her head.
She didn't want comfort.
She didn't want someone to say, "You did well."
Because she knew she wasn't good enough yet.
She wanted to be stronger.
So she wouldn't give up.
"Again." She lifted her head, looking straight at Ren. "I want to try again."
Ren was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.
"Alright."