After dinner, I went to the backyard with Kokan to have another sparring session with him. Well, that was the plan. I foolishly believed the only way to get stronger was through a ‘trial by fire’ of getting my ass kicked. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized I was an idiot. Getting battered, broken, and bruised with strikes I couldn’t hope to see was a masochist’s wet dream, and I wasn’t the biggest fan of taking pointless damage. However, I couldn’t deny it helped me become more efficient in healing my wounds via biomass, but it wasn’t enough. 

"Hmm? Is there something on your mind?” Kokan asked before we started. He was stretching and preparing his muscles. I explained my thoughts and wondered if this was really the best way. “I’m glad you came to that conclusion by yourself.” 

“Huh? You knew this wouldn’t help me? Why didn’t you say anything?” I asked, only slightly annoyed. 

“Because I am an educator. I guide my students to the correct answer because I want them to grow. Why would I deprive them of a chance to better themselves? I’m proud of you for coming to this conclusion without any hints from me. But yes. What we did in our first session did very little to help you other than increase your proficiency in using biomass to heal your wounds. In that regard, I’d say it was a success. But in my eyes, it would be more apt to begin with the basics of the spear instead of a sword since you have the weapon skill [Spear]. First, let’s start with the Iron Tree Stance. It is said that all other spear stances trace their origins to it, hence the name. You can find its roots in any spearmen worth their weapon.” 

“Okay, yeah. That sounds good. Let’s do it,” I replied, picking up a wooden spear. With something new in mind, Kokan spent an hour and a half teaching me the bare basics.  

A lot went into the placement of your hands and how far away they were from the other, as well as if you held it more towards the tip rather than the bottom base. But like the name suggested, the Iron Tree was a stance with many options. It was flexible to be a jack of all trades, and you could defend, attack, and evade from any of its core movements or strikes. You could think of it like a flow chart. A quick thrust could easily flow into a backwards dodge, and that could be chained into a flourish to strike anyone standing behind you, or you can combo a second dodge and emerge back into the basic stance. 

Kokan quickly assured me of something. You wouldn’t be considered a master of the spear unless you were proficient enough to add your branch to the Iron Tree—that is, nurture your own style of spearmanship and make it your own. Metaphorically speaking, of course. According to Kokan, you weren’t the one who decided if you were good enough. Instead, you were sought out. Well, hunted, more like it, by those who had added their own branches.  There were rumors that the iron tree the stance was named after was a real tree made of iron. If it existed, its location would be a secret only known to those who had carved a branch into it. 

I’m not one for traditions...but that sounds cool... Mastering a style and making it my own... 

Eventually, my muscles started to ache from overuse. Pumping them full of biomass worked wonders at removing the pain, but I wanted to endure it since it was proof of my determination to better myself. When it was too much, I collapsed to my ass and watched Kokan, a layer of sweat staining my shirt’s collar. Even my gloves felt gross, but I kept them on. 

For the next fifteen minutes, I watched Irisa’s father. He performed the stance, motions, and strikes he taught me, but he moved like molasses. Then he gradually sped it up. This was designed to train my eyes to bring out the full potential of [Eyes of the Huntress]. But at some point, he was just too fast for me to follow. Sweat glistened off his toned body, and his magnificent black horns and piercing yellow eyes were sturdy and determined.  

I wanted to end this session with another sparring match, but Kokan refused. His arguments held merit, and I guess I didn’t want Tilde to suffer any more pain tonight. Instead, we ended the night by practicing with [String Shot] and [Web Bomb]. The backyard was fenced in, so we had little to worry about. But Kokan threw items in the air, and I caught them with my webs. Sure, we just spent 30 minutes, so it wasn’t a surprise the skills didn’t evolve into [Web Manipulation]. 

When we returned to the living room, it was late—pretty much time for bed—and we all said our goodnights. Since Kokan was back in their lives, Irisa knew her dad wanted to spend some time with her mom. And because Sekh, Tilde, and I had Irisa’s room, that just left the kitchen. There was that couch, and Irisa decided it would serve her head well. I wanted to offer my bed to her. Sure, it was a tight fit with three bodies, but I didn’t think I was ready to get ‘that’ close to someone. Eating and training was one thing, but allowing someone that wasn’t Sekh or Tilde to see me in my most vulnerable state? One could argue that I had no reason not to permit it since Irisa and her mother had seen me totally nude and in a state of near death, but I thought the opposite and wanted to wait. 

Maybe Irisa looked disappointed I didn’t offer, but she didn’t vocalize her dispiritedness. Because of that, my heart had no regrets when I closed the door and placed Beccy’s shield against the door. I still did that. I just felt more comfortable that way. I trusted them with my life, but it was hard to break a habit created out of necessity when you were no longer in danger.  

But maybe in the future... I’ll be confident enough to share a bed with you. Can you wait for me, Irisa? 

Sekh already had the bath warmed and ready, and she jumped in first. I decided to sit between her legs and rested my head between her tits. I’d done this before, but it never got old. She wrapped her hands around my stomach and rubbed. Even wet, the fur on her arms and legs was so soft and fluffy.   

“Hmm... That hits the spot,” I moaned, turning my head and kissing and licking her breasts and nipples. Her angelic touch and warmed water washed the soreness of training away.  

“I’m glad you like it, my liege,” Sekh whispered. A few seconds later, Tilde, after recovering from our shared injuries, flew into the bathroom, stripped, and jumped right in. I started to apologize, but Tilde cut me off. She outright demanded that my training had better be worth the anguish she felt. On top of that, she ordered that I sew her a cute dress to her exact specifications when she felt my skill was up to it. “Whatever you want, Tilde,” I replied. Then I closed my eyes and relaxed the night away. 

Well, I wanted to do that, but I couldn’t because I had to plan a murder. Sekh took my sigh as something to worry about, but I calmed her heart. “Everything’s fine. I’m just trying to figure out how to kill Noelia.”  

“Where are they at now?” Tilde asked.  

I expanded my map and said they were in the dungeon. Satellite mode told me they were camping out in front of the boss’s chambers in the mines. It was Noelia and her four attendants. Their names weren’t important because they were going to die. The five of them surrounded a campfire and ate dinner. After Noelia ate her piece, she reached into the fire to grab a second helping of meat with her bare hands. Quickly, I moved the map to Niva—the half-breed Cyclops and Lizardfolk—and saw her hand burn. She was placed away from the others. She wasn’t naked, but the torn brown shirt exposed her sensitive bits. With a dull eye, Niva just sat there and waited for death to claim her. It probably wouldn’t be long, though, since her HP was about 10%. Death’s scythe was probably going to swing any day now. 

I relayed what I saw but stopped because Noelia and her four attendants stood up, talked a bit, and walked into the boss’s chambers. Over the next few minutes, new wounds appeared to corrupt Niva’s skin as it sizzled and smoked. I peeked inside the boss’s arena and saw Noelia walk through a field of fire and lighting coming from her hammer. 

Back to Niva, her limping wrist grasped the bag of potions next to her, but she didn’t have the strength to pop the cork. Her other arm was strangely sharpened at the shoulder. The cyclops struggled to open her mouth, bit into the vial, and swallowed both liquid and glass. 

How odd... That potion did nothing. 

I watched for longer than necessary, keeping Tilde and Sekh updated on what I saw. Noelia and her group soon emerged victorious, and I learned something interesting. 

“It appears she’s planning on staying in the mines for a month. For some reason, she’s hell-bent on acquiring strength. Probably from how she acted like a total fool... And I hear them talking about how the officer at the guild gave them exclusive permission because it was an order from Gloria,” I said. “That sadistic cunt also said she wanted a second ‘shield,’ so I assume she means another person like Niva. I think it’s safe to say Niva’s the only damage sponge she has. I used [Analysis], and it looks like it’s some curse or something that combined with the slave collar around her neck. I think they fused together or something.” 

“Interesting... You know, we can work with that. If it’s an order from Gloria, the guild won’t let anyone near the boss’s chambers because they don’t want to risk her wrath if something happens to her little Soul Warrior. If we don’t want to kill Noelia twice, we’d have to take out Niva. Master, how often do all four enter the boss arena?” Tilde asked. I watched a little bit more. We remained in the tub for about an hour and a half. When the water got cold, Sekh used her flames to reheat it. 

“Well, it’s rare, but sometimes one remains outside. All that fighting must wear them out. This time, two of her attendants remained around the campfire to nurse a small cut to their arm. Still, they can’t possibly expect to fight every fifteen minutes. And I don’t see a lot of supplies.” 

“They’ll have to eventually leave to restock. Noelia might prefer to remain behind. If Niva chugs those potions and holds out, that cunt can fight for hours.” 

“Do you have a plan?” Sekh asked.  

“I don’t, but we have time. I want to end her life as soon as possible, but her four goons might be difficult unless we take them by surprise. They’re twice our level. Noelia’s weak, I suppose, but still.” 

“There’s nothing wrong with waiting for more information. It’s a smart plan,” Sekh said. She continued to speak about her past and talk about how intel could turn the tide of battle. That was true. The history in my world had numerous examples to back that up. 

But for the time being, we just had to wait. After getting out of the bath and drying off, the three of us crawled into bed. In another change of pace, Sekh hugged me from behind. Her furry forearms warmed my stomach. She pressed her boobs against my back. Some light cuddling later, her hands slipped down my stomach and onto my crotch, which gently wrapped around my penis. 

“Hmm... You’re so warm,” she whispered, very slowly and subtly stroking me off while kissing the back of my neck. “If you need to cum, then do it. I’ll clean up the mess in the morning, so don’t hold back...” 

“I love you, Sekh.” 

“I love you too, my liege. Sweet dreams,” Sekh whispered. 

Even though I was hard, I somehow found the strength to delve into a deep slumber. 

When I awoke hours later, the evidence indicating I had a wet dream sauntered into my nostrils before my eyes opened. A few moments later, I felt Sekh wiggle under the covers and roll me to my back. Her hands massaged my thighs as I spread my legs. Suddenly, something very hot and wet swallowed my penis. 

Naturally, that escalated into some early morning sex with the woman I loved with all my heart. 

---

In the blink of an eye, two weeks passed me by, but the time did not go unused. I was out in the backyard every day without fail with Kokan and Irisa, training until my bones felt like jelly. It was rare Kokan allowed us to spar, and when we did, and when I had Tilde’s permission, every strike that broke my jaw and sent teeth flying into the body ground, every thrust that fractured my knee, and every kick that imploded my chest inched me ever closer to my goal of trying to perceive Kokan’s attacks.  

It wasn’t often we had a full-contact fight, though. Most of the time was spent performing the Iron Tree Stance and trying to master its moves. 

Progress was slow, but I discovered a breakthrough out of desperation. The clothes I wore had a small tear at the elbow that I planned to fix, so I didn’t pay much attention to it. But during one of our few sparring matches, I had the bright idea to shoot web through those gaps, then pull myself to dodge more efficiently. The first time I did that, I caught Kokan off guard, which allowed me to shoot another web forward by adjusting my arm to close the distance before he could react. Unfortunately, I forgot to remove the initial web, so I was dragged back to the ground, but at least my wooden spear left my hand and smacked Kokan in the chest. 

The oni let out a boisterous laugh. “Whahaha!!! How did I not think of that? It’s so obvious that I’m kicking myself.” He walked over and held out a hand, and I grabbed it. With his strength, he effortlessly pulled me to my feet. Sekh ran over to dust off my back and was downtrodden that she didn’t think of it as well. Irisa heard Kokan’s laughter and ran out to see what was happening, then gave me a big hug for managing to land a strike, albeit an accidental strike, on her father. 

We worked on my new discovery for the rest of the day, trying to figure out the optimal angle to shoot my webs while trying to incorporate the dodges into the Iron Tree Stance. 

Are there any chimeras who’ve added their branch to the tree? Could I be the first? Hmm... I wonder if I can pioneer fighting with a spear in one hand and a gun in the other? I should focus on the former first. 

It seemed the best option was to attach my webbing to something about as tall as me. As for the launch location? My wrists seemed the best position, but that couldn’t happen until I acquired [Base Body]. With my face and elbows in mind, I spent the rest of the day working on my new technique. After a few hours of practice, I could run up and web dodge to the left, jump back, and web dodge to the right. My mobility practically increased overnight, and this unique advantage was exclusive to spiders and chimeras. And with Kokan’s and Sekh’s assistance, I applied this advantage to the Iron Tree Stance by incorporating web dodges. It turned out that using webs could decrease the recovery period, so I could act sooner. Mastering two different techniques and applying them to a third was crazy difficult, and I only had minor success. 

But success was progress, and that was the goal. Of course, I couldn’t use these enhanced moves without revealing my secret, but in cases where the foe I fought was absolutely going to perish? It didn’t matter if my enemy knew since death was waiting for them. 

The very next day, I had my first success. It was a windy afternoon. Scattered around the grass were puddles of my blood, some bone, and teeth I had no more use for.  

Irisa and Sekh were cheering me on from the sidelines. After nodding to Kokan, he rushed forward and stopped, bringing his hulking, sweaty body to an immediate standstill. He held the spear with both hands and alternated between tensing and relaxing his muscles and taking stances I didn’t know about. A twitch of the eye or nose followed, but those were feints designed to make me move. 

I responded with one of my own, jerking to the left while reversing the grip on my spear. I shot a web out from my left elbow. Kokan’s sharp, yellow eyes followed the strand and slammed his spear down where it touched the ground, yet his attack thrashed thin air because I did not follow through. 

The opportunity was there, and I was going to take it. I turned my body and held my spear as if I was readying a quick thrust. Kokan recovered quickly and swung his spear in a wide arc, fully intending on cracking my jaw when the impossible happened. 

His strike was no longer instantaneous. 

I saw it... 

I saw it... 

I saw it!!! 

It was perceivable for less than I would have liked, but I saw his arm mid-swing. Instinctively, I shot a web from my elbow directly to the ground, dragging me down and dirtying my cheeks with bloody mud as his swing completely missed me. Meanwhile, I shot web from where the spear touched my hand, launching it right at his unprotected chin. The wooden tip grazed him, inflicting the tiniest cut that didn’t even bleed... 

But even if it was minor, it was a wound. 

An injury. 

A strike... 

It might not have been clean, but it was proof I was improving! 

I had nothing! I started from nothing! I did this! I! Did! This! My hard work was paying off! 

“My liege!” Sekh rushed forward and almost threw herself on top of me. “You did it! You did it!” She cheered her heart out and gave me a congratulatory kiss. Irisa hugged me when she lifted me up with one hand, and Tilde flew around my head and approvingly stared, clapping her hands as a show of affection.  

“Do you know what happened?” Kokan asked me while Sekh dusted me off. 

“Yeah. I’m finally adjusting to [Eyes of the Huntress].” 

“That’s right. If you can see that, then I feel more confident doing these full-contact sparring matches more often. But this will be the last one for today. Now that you’ve seen it, you need to focus on what you felt during that moment. Let’s head back to the Iron Tree Stance’s basics. I’m going to go at full speed, so mirror me the best you can. And don’t try to predict what I’m going to do.” 

"Got it,” I said, lifting my spear while assuming the core stance. Kokan took it as well, and we were off. This was another exercise I liked because it taught me to split my attention between focusing on my instructor and my body, something I had trouble with. Kokan always had a different way to chain the stance’s movements, strikes, and dodges together. Then once that was done, he helped me add my web dodges to the mix and refined them even more.  

Before long, Sekh went inside the house with Irisa. She returned wearing her armor, and Irisa held the matching set she promised to make me.  Like she said, a few alterations came with it. The backside had small holes for my spider legs. And even though it was short notice, she had modified the elbows to have small holes for my webs to shoot from. They matched perfectly with the gaps in my shirt. Potentially being exposed sounded bad, but everything was situated in a manner where accidentally revealing my secret was not something I needed to be concerned with.  

I quickly ran inside to change, then hustled back outside to move around to get used to the weight it added to my body. 

 When my training ended, and Kokan had to excuse himself for a few hours, Sekh approached me. I didn’t give her a chance to speak before throwing Kokan’s wooden spear towards her. She grabbed it out of the air, smiled, and we each took a combat stance. 

She had multiple lifetimes to master the art of killing, and she was a far more technical fighter than me. I was knocked on my ass a dozen times, and Sekh was always there with a hundred different apologies. Really, there was no need for hard feelings since I always healed the damage. Besides, I told her it was an honor to fight against someone like her because I could always learn something from her. Whenever we fought in the dungeon, I was inspired by her brutality. She was like an angel of death, and I was watching someone I had all my faith in wipe out my enemies in her black flames of purifying destruction. 

After exhausting ourselves, we took a small break before spending the next few hours going through the motions of the Iron Tree Stance until it was time to wash up for dinner.