{Rin}

Rin wiped some blood off her knuckles. 

"You... will never stop-" The bunny-eared girl, hole-punched through her chest, began to try to hiss some final, ominous words but, in truth, Rin had no desire to hear her out.

She stomped on the girl's neck, cutting those words off and replacing them with a nasty cracking sound. 

[Okay, done.] Rin exhaled deeply. 

"Xhez," she turned toward the sprite. "Any monsters still incoming?" 

"I do not believe so." 

"Good. Let's head home, then." 

---

Rin spent the better part of the night walking back to Libera, with Xhez awake but resting her legs in her bag. In one hand, Rin was holding her container, in the other she had the map she'd used to make it here. 

The moonlit Liberan region was calm and cold. The tension from the confrontation with the Scorned still lingered, casting a shadow over the otherwise peaceful night. Rin's steps were automatic, her mind swirling with the events of the evening.

"Rin," Xhez spoke gently, her voice reaching up from her shrunken form. "You seem troubled. Is there something wrong?" 

Rin sighed, her gaze fixed on the dirt path beneath their feet

"... I don't know," Rin muttered. "I wish I could do more." 

Ever since she'd found out about her brother's involvement with the Scorned, Rin had made it her personal mission to stop them. She'd been training as hard as possible, chasing them all around the world, and yet, things like this continued to happen. 

[You take one guy's head off and four other people pop up to take his place. I hate it.] 

Xhez listened intently, her translucent form shifting in hues of blue as she absorbed Rin's emotions.

"You have taken on a lot lately, my friend. It is a heavy load."

"Yeah," Rin admitted, rubbing the back of her neck. "I thought this would be a little simpler, but... It feels like there is just too much going on." 

Xhez paused before saying: 

"No matter where this mission takes you, I will be there, standing by your side."

Rin managed a small smile, grateful for the support.

"I know, Xhez. It's just... I want to get this done, for myself and for others. But sometimes, it feels like the more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know."

By the time Rin arrived back at Libera, the sun was beginning to rise. Rin caught a few eyes on her way back to the academy, but she largely kept her head down, only stopping to make sure Xhez wasn't visible to anyone. By the time she made it back to the academy, she almost felt like she'd fall asleep for a whole week. 

But, after getting some rest, she woke up at midday and got up, preparing for her usual routine. 

As she arrived at the Meditation Center, Rin found Maria sitting with her legs crossed at the edge of the room, watching out the landscape.

"Hey," Rin announced her presence. Maria's head turned slightly. 

"You really should work on your sleep schedule." Rin's eyes widened. "I knocked on your door and Xhez had to inform me you were knocked out. 

"I-I was busy last night," Rin said, putting a bottle of water she'd gotten on the floor. "You know..." 

"I understand. But, you should try to make sure you're taking adequate care of yourself." 

"I'll try." 

Not tonight, though. No, she was going to be doing more damage to her sleep schedule later. 

"Setting that aside, though, Rin, you've been making remarkable progress," Maria remarked, her voice carrying the weight of experience. "It's almost scary how much a little bit of genuine motivation has changed your entire outlook." 

Rin grinned, a mix of pride and excitement coursing through her.

"I've been putting in the hours." 

"Indeed, you have." Maria nodded approvingly. "Today, we'll focus on refining your techniques. You're on the verge of completing the Stage of the Body and entering the Stage of Essence. It's a crucial transition in your journey."

Rin's excitement was through the roof. 

"How long do you think it'll take?" 

"If you keep training as hard as you have been?" 

"Yep. I promise I will!" 

"Eh..." Maria considered it. "Probably another year or two." 

Rin's excitement came crashing down. 

"What!?" 

"Hm?" Maria was surprised to see her so surprised. "That's how bottlenecks work. The more you improve, the harder it becomes to improve. How do I say this..." Maria tapped her index finger against her bottom lip. "If I was in my prime, it would take less time for you to get to a point where you could beat Cara in a fight than it would take for Cara to get to the point where she could beat me. The higher the level of skill, the more effort developing begins to take." 

[Wow... I never thought about it that way.] 

"But, cheer up. You seem to possess an unnatural amount of talent!" Maria told her. "You could end up breaking through a little faster. Now," Maria stood up. "Prepare yourself." 

Suddenly, Rin buzzed with anticipation as Maria faced her.

There was a mutual understanding of the upcoming exchange reflected in their eyes.

Rin took a deep breath, centering herself as Maria assumed a poised stance. The atmosphere crackled with Essence as the first move initiated the spar.

Maria lunged forward with a swift kick, her movements a seamless blend of grace and power. Rin reacted instinctively, sidestepping the kick and countering with a series of rapid punches. 

As always, Maria remained on the limits of Rin's potential. Fighting with a speed and power that Rin certainly could not match, but not completely overwhelming her. 

The training ground echoed with the rhythmic sounds of their strikes, each movement calculated and deliberate.

Maria deftly parried Rin's blows and retaliated with slipping, quick strikes, showcasing her mastery of techniques Rin guessed she'd teach her in the future. Despite the difference in experience, Rin held her own. Then, she used a couple of moves Maria had taught her recently. 

First was {Piercing Dragon}, a kick that saw Rin jump up, push Essence into her right foot, and get dragged forward by the force of her own movement. Maria avoided the attack easily. 

Rin then transitioned into a {Falling Hammer}, pushing Essence into her right hand and descending, punching the ground where Maria had been. She left a web of cracks behind in her place. 

Maria's movements flowed like a seasoned river, while Rin embraced the unpredictability of her evolving style.

As the spar progressed, Maria gradually increased the intensity, encouraging Rin to push her limits. The essence within Rin naturally responded. Without thinking about it, Rin pushed Essence through her limbs to keep up, enhancing the power and speed of her strikes. Maria, in turn, adjusted her tactics, creating a dynamic exchange that transcended mere physical combat.

Despite the competitive nature of the spar, there was an unspoken camaraderie between Rin and Maria. Each strike carried the weight of respect, a recognition of the shared journey toward martial excellence. Rin made her gratitude known with every exchange. 

After a little while longer, the two combatants paused, catching their breath. Maria wore a proud smile, acknowledging Rin's progress.

"You've done well, Rin."

Someone then knocked on the door. 

"Yes?" 

It was the receptionist. Both Rin and Maria were fairly surprised to see her, given that she usually never left her desk. 

"Um, Mrs. Camille?" 

"Mhm?" 

"Someone has come to the academy with... an offer. Cara sent me. She believes you'll want to hear this." 

"Is that right? Rin," Maria turned. "Let's pause for now. Come with me." 

"Right." 

Maria and Rin followed the receptionist through the halls of the academy, their curiosity piqued by the unexpected interruption.

They reached the front courtyard, where the crisp air carried a sense of anticipation. Standing near the entrance were three figures, a man in rugged construction attire, a well-dressed businessman, and Cara. 

The construction worker, with calloused hands and a determined gaze, stepped forward.

"Mrs. Camille, a pleasure to meet you. I'm Jim Thornton, and this here is Mr. Benjamin Harlan," he gestured to the businessman beside him.

Maria nodded, acknowledging their presence. Both she and Rin noticed the pensive look on Cara's face. 

"What brings you here, gentlemen?"

Jim cleared his throat before presenting an intricately detailed blueprint.

"We're working on a project, a grand endeavor, you might say. We've heard of your reputation, Mrs. Camille, and we believe your expertise could greatly benefit us."

Maria scrutinized the blueprint, her sharp eyes tracing the lines and notations. Rin observed with curiosity, sensing the significance of the proposal. The businessman, Mr. Harlan, spoke with an air of confidence.

Jim Thornton cleared his throat, exchanging a quick glance with Mr. Harlan before addressing Maria.

"We come bearing a proposal, Mrs. Camille," Jim began. "As you know, it's been a while since anyone heard from Cardana, the city to the west that's been isolated for quite some time. They've lost communication with the outside world. People head out to look for it and never return. We know that this is because, at least in part, the land route from Libera to Cardana has become treacherous due to monsters and ruins."

"Rank S monsters," Maria clarified, crossing her arms. "Yes, and?" 

Maria's interest was piqued.

Mr. Harlan stepped forward, producing a map that detailed the hazardous route.

"We're looking for skilled adventurers to journey from Libera to Cardana."

That declaration left everyone stunned. Suddenly, Rin understood why Cara looked the way she did. 

"The journey will take you through a region plagued by monsters. We wish to see if there may be some other reason why no one ever comes back. The goal would be simple, make it to Cardana, touch base if you will, and then come back. That's all." 

"On the way," the construction worker said, "My company would take the time to build a few outposts. That's all." 

Rin studied the map, noting the challenges marked on the route. Cara remained silent, her thoughts veiled behind a contemplative expression. Maria, ever perceptive, addressed the unspoken concerns.

"Cardana has been isolated for years. If we take on this mission, we'll be navigating through dangerous unknown territory. Unexpected opposition and a situation that is by no means urgent. If anything was happening in Cardana, it's likely already finished. Why should we take this?" 

Cara interjected, her tone measured.

"There's something more, isn't there?"

Jim hesitated before responding.

"Yes, Mrs. Camille. There have been rumors that the Cardanian ruins on the way hold powerful artifacts. Items that adventurers like yourselves and businessmen like us can both benefit from recovering. Unfortunately, we lack the means to send a full-fledged expedition, but we can pay you for the task of asking as our bodyguards. To be clear, we're offering this as a mission to the academy in general." 

That clarification made Rin's brows shoot up. 

"We figure that if we're going to hire many adventurers at once, it might be better to simply hire you all, since, to some extent, you all know each other and have some synergy built already." 

Maria considered the information, her mind processing the risks and potential rewards. Rin sensed the gravity of the decision...

... But she wanted to go, admittedly. It sounded very interesting. 

Besides, if there was something powerful just sitting out in the wilderness, then, perhaps a certain group known for spending their time in remote locations would be interested in grabbing it. 

And Rin didn't want to let that happen. 

[Obviously, it's nowhere near guaranteed to happen, but just the chance that it could happen is enough to make me want to take that stuff first.] 

"I'll need some time to discuss this with everyone and assess the feasibility," Maria stated. "Rest assured, we won't take on a mission of this magnitude without careful consideration."

Jim nodded appreciatively.

"Understood, Mrs. Camille. We can provide additional details and answer any questions you may have. We await your decision."