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Fenris/Ethan's POV

In the past few months I've been training under Lionel, memories of sparring with my grandpa flood back to me. Ah...those were the good ol' days.

"Come on, Ethan!" My grandfather's voice echoes across the granite room. "You can't hold back. Attack!" Determined to finally win, I charge forward, aiming a downward strike at the frontal region of his head. But he easily parries and counters with a horizontal strike, forcing me to retreat.

Despite his advanced age, my grandfather was still stronger than anyone I've ever met. I struggle to block his lunges, feeling the weight of his sword against mine.

I see glimpses of my grandfather in Lionel as we spar together in the present. But in reality, I am truly struggling now that Lionel has stopped holding back and my skills have improved.

"Don't hesitate!" Lionel shouts, but all I hear are two equally loud voices. Nostalgia clouds my mind and distracts me from focusing on the present.

But then, my grandfather's voice got louder. "Don't dodge. Drive your blade through to the chest!" My grandfather fell back before leaping forward, with his wooden sword in the air, lunging forward at my chest.

Back in reality, a fire lit up in the pit of my stomach. I deflected Lionel's blade, sending him stumbling back slightly. Then I dove forward with my blade pointed at the sternum, the middle of the chest.

In the nick of time, Lionel blocked my attack. But the thought that I was getting closer to a true victory was exhilarating enough that I accepted this small setback.

As we stood facing each other, both exhausted from our fight, the feelings of nostalgia faded away. In a show of respect, we crossed our blades in salute. "I've never seen that move before. Were you trying to kill me?" Lionel asked playfully.

"N-No..." I blushed, feeling a wave of dread wash over me as I realized that I could have potentially killed my own teacher. Seeing my distress, Lionel came closer and put a comforting hand on my shoulder while giving me a reassuring smile. "It's okay, man. If using your own techniques helps you win, then go for it." His words lifted my spirits and I couldn't help but smile up at him gratefully.

"But seriously, what do you call that move?" Lionel asked with a smirk on his face.

I racked my brain, trying to recall the name of the technique, but came up empty-handed.

"I guess you could just call it..." I hesitated, embarrassed that I didn't have a cool name for it.

"...A finishing move where you thrust your blade into your opponent's chest when they are unarmed," I explained, feeling a slight blush creeping onto my face.

"Well, it's definitely effective if your opponent is disarmed. Just don't rely on it too heavily or it could backfire," Lionel commented analytically. His answer satisfied me for the moment.

"I won't," I replied. 

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Narrator (3rd Person) POV

It had been ten months since Fenris left home, and he was making outstanding progress in his sword training. However, after the initial first few months of learning (or rather, re-learning) the fundamentals, things had begun to slow down significantly. Now it was simply refining those already-existent skills he had acquired.

Feeling exhausted and in need of a break, Fenris and Lionel decided to take a breather. They left the barracks and made their way through the bustling streets of the Commercial District before heading down to the Noble's District, one layer below the city's core.

After a few months living in Asurand, Fenris still couldn't get over the vastness of the city and the constant hustle and bustle of people. The impressive architecture was far beyond anything he had seen from medieval times, with well-maintained roads and functioning water fountains throughout the marketplaces. The abundant use of cut stone hinted at a highly advanced craftsmanship industry. As he took in his surroundings, Fenris realized that his assumptions about this being a typical medieval capital were completely wrong.

The two came across a group of girls around Fenris's age, all fashionably dressed. They caught Lionel's attention, causing him to grow a cheeky smile.

"Hey, Fenris, those girls look cute to you?" He said in a teasing voice as he hugged Fenris around the shoulder. Fenris blushed out of embarrassment, as he had never seen Lionel's perverted side.

Fenris shook his head in denial, but that only left room for more teasing. "Come onnn... I saw that look in your eyes just now," Lionel nudged Fenris, which made his cheeks grow even redder.

Despite being disappointed by Fenris's lack of response, Lionel tried to help him out. "Well, if you're that shy about it, maybe I should lend a hand."

This was one of the few times Fenris truly felt his age. Typically, noble children were already betrothed to other families as a means of forming alliances and consolidating power. However, the Tonelico family was an exception. Unlike other noble houses, they did not practice arranged marriage. However, it was certainly encouraged for children to find a suitor early on.

Fenris was left out of the loop due to being a bastard child, and he was okay with that. However, lately, such thoughts had been creeping into his mind. Since he was in a different world than Earth, he figured he'd give it a shot.

It's okay. I can be a responsible adult about this, Fenris told himself, as he waited for Lionel's anticipated "words of wisdom".

"Just approach them and talk to them as you would with any other person. And, of course, try to steer the conversation in your favor," Lionel said, sporting a goofy smile. Fenris took a deep breath and approached the girls who were walking along the other end of the street, trying to hold off giving a dirty look from the way Lionel said that last part.

The group of girls noticed Fenris's presence and tried to hide their disgust at his roughened clothes, a result of all the training he had done under Lionel. Nevertheless, Fenris persisted and performed a bow right in front of them.

"Hmph, at least this commoner has manners," one girl remarked, her mouth twitching into an amused smile as she observed his humility.

Are you calling me a commoner?! Ugh, these clothes... Fenris glanced down at his outfit, which certainly wouldn't appeal to the eye of a noble. Although, perhaps an actual commoner or peasant would envy it. Dammit, Lionel!

"What is a boy like you doing out in the Nobles' District?" another girl asked, approaching Fenris with a smug smile. He gritted his teeth, feeling both humiliated and disregarded by Lionel. However, despite that, Fenris tried to put on his best poker face.

"I wish to become friends with you," he said in a shaky voice, struggling to contain his anger. The girls snickered at Fenris's proposal, treating him as if he were nothing more than an insignificant ant.

As Fenris lifted his head, possibly on his last nerve, the girls' expressions quickly shifted from smugness to absolute terror.

"What's with your eyes? Why are they red like that?!" one of the girls asked, leaving Fenris more confused than angry.

"What do you mean? This is my natural color—" Fenris tried to explain, but he was interrupted by the girls' shrieks as they all started running away at full speed.

"Wait, come back...!" he called out, but soon he gave up trying to pursue them. A wave of confusion washed over him as he repeatedly touched his eyes, before concluding that there was nothing wrong with them.

Was my poker face that bad? Fenris asked himself, feeling somewhat guilty for driving them away. In the background, he could almost hear Lionel's snickering, which only fueled his anger once again.

Fenris approached Lionel and forcefully grabbed him by the ear, giving him a menacing glare. "Thanks a lot," he said through gritted teeth. Unnerved by Fenris's rage, Lionel remained quiet as Fenris walked all the way back to the barracks, feeling that his day was ruined.

-----

A few hours later, as night fell upon Asurand, the city's magic-powered streetlights shined brightly. After scolding Lionel, Fenris decided to relieve his stress from today's events and take an evening stroll.

He was well aware that there wouldn't be any trouble, and even if there were, he was confident in his ability to handle it. After all, Fenris possessed the strength to deal with any ruffian who crossed his path.

On that chilly night, Fenris opted for a cozy knitted sweater that he had purchased from a local store in the marketplace. The refreshing cool breeze allowed him to unwind, strolling with his hands nestled in his pockets.

However, his moment of zen was quickly shattered when he heard footsteps sprinting across the rooftops of buildings. Fenris decided to follow the source of the sound, but it was challenging for him to keep up as the sound rapidly dispersed into the background. Determined to find out, Fenris snuck into an alleyway and leapt up to the rooftop. Using his keen sense of smell, he discovered a trail left by the mysterious person and decided to follow it.

Fenris leaped across buildings, tracing the scent for a while. Suddenly, the scent abruptly shifted its trajectory to the right and downwards. If this was a person, they must have been using magic to soften their fall.

Fenris jumped down, landing softly on the ground as he continued to trace the scent. He quickly realized he had found himself in the Adventurer's District, leaving him confused as to why this person would have wanted to come here.

Following the scent all the way to the city's adventurer's guild, Fenris entered the rather large building. It felt to him like he was a young boy entering an adults-only tavern in the West, despite being mentally old enough to drink.

There, he witnessed a white-haired girl, who appeared to be around his age, approaching the receptionist's desk. She was wearing a hooded robe, and when Fenris caught a glimpse of her face, he noticed she was also wearing a gray mask. Why go to such length to hide yourself? Fenris thought as he tiptoed a little closer.

A pair of intoxicated adventurers approached the girl with smug expressions, making her feel uneasy. One of them even attempted to touch her inappropriately.

The girl swiftly slapped away their hands the moment they touched her, turning to them with an annoyed expression. "Don't you know it's rude to touch a girl without her consent?"

"'Ey, shweety! You musht be all cute 'n' shhtuff under that mushk of yourssh. Why don'tcha take it off fur ush?" one of the adventurers asked, slurring over their speech due to how drunk they are.

"No," the girl firmly said. Fenris witnessed the drama of the situation unfold and felt a surge of anger rise within him. Even though it wasn't his business, he still felt compelled to do the right thing.

The girl seemed ready to confront the drunken thugs and overpower them, but before she could do so, Fenris quickly disabled them with a few kicks to their groins.

The girl smiled with amusement as she watched Fenris incapacitate the men in a brutal manner. After knocking each one of them out, he approached the girl with a sympathetic expression.

"Are you alright, miss?" asked Fenris.

"I'm fine, thanks to you. But I could have handled those men myself," replied the girl, with a hint of pride in her tone.

"I'm glad you took the initiative, but you shouldn't have to watch your back like that," Fenris said, sounding concerned.

"Well... thanks, anyhow," the girl said, turning away from Fenris as if nothing had happened. She continued speaking with the receptionist.

Having gone to such lengths to find her, Fenris couldn't allow his efforts to go to waste. As the white-haired girl was leaving, he followed her outside, maintaining his pace until he was close enough to confront her properly.

Feeling the need to protect herself, the girl unsheathed the longsword that she had been carrying around her hip. With a scowled expression, she turned to Fenris, pointing her sword at him.

"What do you want with me? If you're going to be another one of those creeps, I'll kill you on the spot," she said with a fierce voice, far from what one would expect from a ten-year-old girl.

"I-I just wanted to know your name," Fenris said, visibly unnerved by the girl's violent threat against him. He did not expect it coming from someone like her. "I swear, I'm not trying to stalk you or anything like that."

"How do I know I can believe you? Just because you're a child?" she said coldly.

Determined, Fenris persists in trying to calm the girl down. However, he stumbles as he tries to come up with the right words. "Would a stalker beat up sleazy guys for you?" he asks.

The girl's face relaxed as she realized Fenris was right. With a frustrated sigh, she sheathed her blade, deciding it wasn't worth killing him over it. "I'm sorry. It's just that I really hate guys who look at me pervertedly."

"It's okay," Fenris said, feeling his body relax as the girl put away her sword. "So, what's your name? What are you doing out here?"

"...Shiroi. Shiroi Kaslana," Shiroi introduced herself, pulling off her mask to reveal her pretty and delicate face. Fenris was briefly mesmerized by her appearance.

Wait, isn't 'Shiroi' a Japanese name? Holy hell...

He blinked his eyes a few times in disbelief, suspecting that Shiroi might be just like him. She emits an otherworldly aura that only further confirms his suspicions in his mind.

"Not that it's any of your business, but I'm running away," Shiroi said, snapping Fenris back to reality. "My family is trying to arrange a marriage for me, and I refuse to go along with it," she continued.

"Oh, I see..." Fenris replied with a frown. Typical noble stuff...arranged marriages are complete ass in my opinion.

"Where do you plan to go?" 

"I don't know, but I'm looking to get out of the capital as soon as possible."

I don't know whether I should stop this girl or let her do as she wished. I don't want to make her mad again, so...

"You do what you think is right, then."

Touched by Fenris's support of her decision, Shiroi decided to ask him a question: "What's your name?"

"...Fenris. Fenris Tonelico," he was surprised that Shiroi had asked him that kind of question, but he welcomed it with open arms.

Her eyes widened upon learning Fenris's name. So, he's the child of one of the great mage families... interesting, she thought to herself as a smirk appeared on her face. I could use this...

She proposed to Fenris, saying, "Would you be interested in becoming my fiancé? That way, my parents will stop bugging me about it."

Fenris was shocked by Shiroi's rather forward question, leaving him speechless and unsure of how to respond.

Gulping, Fenris mustered the courage to respond. "That's a very tempting offer, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to accept it."

Shiroi was surprised and slightly disappointed by Fenris's answer. However, she maintained her optimism that he would eventually change his mind.

"I'm sure you'll come around eventually," she said with a playful tone. 

"Anyway, I'm afraid it's time for me to depart. However, I'm certain that we'll see each other again."

Shiroi made her exit, leaving Fenris both alone and confused. "What. The. Actual. FUCK just happened?!" he shouted, his words echoing across the empty alleyway.

-----

Around a year had passed since that night. Fenris was now 11, soon to be 12. He had been training under Lionel for nearly two years at this point, and Fenris was reaching the point where his instructor had taught him almost everything he could.

"Well, sport, I have some good news for you! You have learned everything you can from me in swordsmanship. The bad news is, it means we will have to part ways very soon," Lionel said, his voice filled with an almost-sentimental tone.

Although saddened, Fenris understood that the time had come. He had learned everything he could from Lionel, becoming a skilled swordsman in his own right. Moreover, he was satisfied with the physical results of his training.

Fenris possessed lean, yet well-developed muscles, making him significantly stronger and faster than before. In addition, he had used magic to fine-tune his physique, optimizing it for combat. Through relentless experimentation of this form of magic control, Fenris gained the ability to manipulate his own body from within.

Lionel unsheathed his sword, pointing it at Fenris. "But before we go, I would like to challenge you to one final duel."

Fenris's face lit up with joy as he contemplated the prospect of battling Lionel. With a swift motion, he unsheathed his blade and assumed a battle-ready stance, eagerly anticipating his opponent's first move.

Lionel teleported to Fenris's side, but he was easily able to trace his opponents' movements, allowing him to counter with a casual block.

Fenris followed up by executing a vertical slash, but Lionel's blade successfully blocked it. The sheer power behind Fenris's strike was evident, however. 

Lionel barely managed to parry it in time, resulting in Fenris being knocked back slightly. Seizing his opportunity, Lionel leapt forward and executed a powerful downward strike, channeling all of his strength into the attack.

However, Fenris successfully blocked Lionel's attack, causing it to reverberate and knocking Lionel's katana out of his hand. With a smug face of satisfaction, Fenris held his sword against his opponent's neck, having finally emerged as the winner, fair and square.

"... Alright, I accept my loss. You have won," Lionel said, acknowledging his defeat. With a gesture of surrender, he raised his hands in the air, displaying humility towards his disciple.

Fenris sheathed his blade, finally achieving the satisfaction of victory he had long desired. With that, his sword training came to an end.

After sharing a hug, Fenris and Lionel bid their goodbyes and went their separate ways. Fenris was filled with excitement as he looked forward to returning home and seeing the familiar faces of Sara and Rifa once again.

----- 

Fenris eventually made his way back home, as he was filled with excitement to see the mansion again. Heading inside, it seemed hardly anything changed in the last two years. 

Sara recognized his presence almost immediately. With tears of joy flowing through her eyes, she ran up to Fenris, diving forward in a passionate hug that pinned him down to the floor. 

"I've missed you so much," Sara said, burying her face into Fenris's chest. It seemed like she weighed more than the last time they had seen each other. Feeling happy under Sara's presence, Fenris returned the gesture, embracing her back.

Eventually, the two stood up, pulling away from their embrace. With a small blush on her face, Sara tilted her head cutely at Fenris.

Despite this warm moment between them, Fenris had other priorities in mind. "Do you know where Rifa is?" he asked.

"Oh, yeah, she should be in her room!" Sara exclaimed, grabbing Fenris's hand and intertwining her fingers with his as they ascended the stairs to the second floor together. In the distance, Rifa stood there, seemingly gazing at the wall without any apparent reason.

"Rifa..." Fenris said softly, his words immediately snapping her back to reality.

Rifa's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh, hey, Fenris! You're back!" she exclaimed, her face shining a little brighter at the sight of Fenris finally returning.

"I'm glad to be back," Fenris replied, wearing a proud smile on his face. "I'm ready to start lessons again tomorrow if you'd like."

Upon Fenris mentioning that, Rifa's face immediately dimmed as she looked away from him, as if she were ashamed.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Fenris asked with a concerned look on his face. I think I know what's coming...

Summoning the courage to confront Fenris once more, Rifa forced a smile as she gazed at him. "I think it's time you and Sara graduated from my lessons. You two have learned quicker than anyone I've ever met, and while I am grateful for being apart of your family for so many years, I think it's time for me to go."

Even though Fenris knew what was coming, the way she said it was almost heart-wrenching. It felt like a beloved family member was leaving home. Lionel and Fenris had formed a sort of bromance relationship, but Rifa's departure hit even closer to home.

For Sara, it didn't seem to hit as hard, but it was still saddening for her. After all, she was the one who filled the void in Fenris's absence and taught her magic, just like Fenris did.

"I had something planned for graduation," Rifa said. "Fenris, as my star pupil, you'll be the one to participate in it."

"Hm? What is it?" Fenris asked.

"I feel like the only way I see fit to test a student's skills is to have them fight the master, and win. Fenris, if you beat me in one-on-one combat with magic, you will receive my utmost praise.

And even if you don't, you're still a boy with so much talent to behold, far surpassing any man I've seen before."

"I understand," Fenris nodded in agreement. So my final challenge is to beat the teacher? This reminds me of a certain martial arts manga...