— So… what exactly am I being dragged into?

Reilan lifted his gaze from the documents he was reading, one eyebrow raised.

— A mission.

— Great. — I crossed my arms. — Now tell me something I don't know.

He sighed, closing the papers and turning fully toward me.

— We're leaving in five days. The preparations are almost complete.

— And you're only telling me this now?

— You didn't need to know before. — He shrugged. — But I thought you'd like to prepare yourself mentally.

Mentally.

Of course.

Because the most sensible thing in the world was for an eight-year-old child to be sent on a mission involving a region full of bloodthirsty monsters.

I could call it stupidity.

But, in reality, it was something that was bound to happen eventually.

That's how this society worked.

Strength was forged in danger.

And, in the end… it was exactly what I needed.

— Alright. Where is this mission, anyway?

— The Monster Forest.

Ah. Perfect.

My smile formed before I even realized it.

Reilan, misinterpreting it, smiled back.

He thought I was excited for the same reason he was.

But no.

Inside that forest, there was an item the protagonist of the game was meant to obtain.

A cheat item that would life easier in many ways.

And I would make sure to get to it first.

— Don't lower your guard. — Reilan continued, his voice turning more serious. — The Monster Forest is no place for mistakes. No matter how skilled you think you are, there's always something stronger waiting.

— I know that. — I replied, my expression unchanged.

I vividly remembered the difficulties I had experienced during the game's runs in that place.

Damn shitty monsters.

He studied me for a moment, then nodded.

— Our task is simple in theory. We just need to eliminate a certain amount of monsters. Or at least enter a certain position to find out where they are coming from.

— And in practice?

— In practice, everything can go wrong. Anything can happen in there.

— Sounds fun.

Reilan sighed but didn't argue.

— Either way, for the next five days, I won't be able to train you.

— I'm not neglecting my training. You don't have to worry.

He looked surprised for a second.

Then he smiled.

— Good. That's how it should be.

_______

The training hall wasempty, except for me.

The sound of blades cutting through the air echoed alone, as I repeated the movements.

The basics.

[Errors identified.]

Bolster Up's voice rang out.

[Move 2: entry angle misaligned.]

[Move 5: slow retreat.]

[Move 8: unbalanced transition.]

I sighed.

My body was drenched in sweat, but I continued.

I had read the scrolls over and over again.

It was to the point where I could already write my own book about it.

The technique I needed to learn correctly.

The technique that would put me on the right path.

The Velnore Basic Technique.

In theory it was quite simple, to be honest.

The first move was a fast, straight thrust, designed to create initial pressure on the opponent.

The second move was a thrust with an angled variation, meant to trick predictable defenses.

The third move combined a light thrust with a diagonal slash at the last moment, disrupting the enemy's rhythm.

The fourth move was a quick retreat, followed by an immediate counterattack, perfect for baiting reckless strikes.

The fifth move was a lateral dodge, paired with a low-positioned strike.

The sixth move involved a grip switch, allowing rapid angle changes during combat.

The seventh move was an aggressive advance, forcing the enemy to constantly defend.

The eighth move used the body's weight to enhance a spinning strike, leveraging the momentum for repositioning.

And the ninth move… was the simplest.

But also the most essential.

The guard stance.

The base.

The foundation of everything that followed.

I took a moment to think. Adjusted my footing once again.

Felt how it was moving.

Then, I executed the ninth move, with fewer imperfections than before.

It wasn't at the level I wanted it to be yet.

It wasn't even close to what the hologram could do.

The system remained silent for a moment, as if it were processing something.

Then, Bolster Up's synthetic voice echoed in the hall.

[Progress recorded.]

[Execution of ninth movement improved by 3.2%.]

⟪Suggestion: Practical application test.⟫

The suggestion was expected.

Training alone would only get me so far.

I was nowhere near a prodigy.

— Generate Reilan's hologram. Emulate a fight.

[Generating combat profile.]

A silhouette took shape before me.

The bluish light of the hologram flickered before solidifying into a familiar image.

Reilan.

Sword held with a dangerously careless grip.

Loose stance. Relaxed shoulders.

But I knew better.

That was the bait.

The fight began without a single warning.

Reilan propelled forward in an instant.

His rapier sliced through the air in a swift thrust.

The thin blade aimed for my chest with deadly precision.

I reacted on instinct.

Moved my sword to parry.

Metal clashed against metal, my blade trembling from the impact.

The force behind the strike was disproportionate for such a casual attack.

And then he spun.

Reilan's footwork was impeccable.

Completely different from whatever I was doing.

Without hesitation, he adjusted his position before I could stabilize my defense.

My body was still recovering from the first clash when the second thrust came — an upward curve, forcing me to jump back.

But he didn't stop.

Reilan pressed forward, keeping the momentum.

Every move of his was calculated to maintain control of the fight's pace.

I tried to break the pattern.

Made a surprise attack, a lateral slash aiming for his flank.

But he had already moved before my blade even reached the target.

[Error identified: inconsistent foot positioning.]

The system's cold voice resounded as I was forced to recover my balance in a rush.

Too late.

The rapier slid through an opening, cutting directly into my unguarded stance.

The tip touched my stomach.

A clean hit. Undeniable

[Simulation complete. Result: Defeat.]

I closed my eyes for a moment.

My biggest weakness had been laid bare.

— Generate Hologram: Serenna. Emulate a fight.

Reilan's translucent figure vanished, replaced by another blue silhouette.

Serenna.

Low stance.

Feet firmly planted.

Blade slightly tilted, almost as if waiting for something from me.

Unlike Reilan, she didn't take the initiative.

There wasn't a single visible opening.

So, I was the one who moved first.

My blade sliced through the air, aiming for her guard.

Serenna stepped back just enough to let the strike pass right by her skin without even raising her sword.

Her eyes didn't blink.

And then, she struck.

The world became a whirlwind of fierce and unpredictable cuts.

Serenna danced on the edge of chaos.

Her blade flowed like a river of steel, a relentless intent to cut with every motion.

But it wasn't disorderly.

It was controlled chaos.

Her sword came from angles that made no sense.

A sideways slash turned into a thrust.

A descending strike curved at the last second.

She crushed me without mercy.

But… I was keeping up better.

Maybe because of the system's adjustments.

Maybe because this holographic version was much weaker and sloppier than the real thing would be.

But it didn't matter.

I adjusted my stance when another attack came. Corrected my footing.

And then, I almost landed a hit.

My blade grazed the hologram's chest before Serenna slipped just out of reach.

Her sword lifted to strike my left arm with force.

[Simulation complete. Result: Defeat.]

But this time, it was close.

This time, it was much closer.

I gripped my rapier tighter.

And smiled.

I would get there.