The Morning After
Yuuto woke up to sore muscles and an aching body. His entire body felt like lead, and even lifting a finger was a struggle. The past day of training had taken a heavy toll on him.
He groaned, rolling onto his side. The morning sun peeked through the trees, its warm glow casting golden rays over the forest clearing where he had colpsed after training.
"Ugh… everything hurts."
A familiar voice scoffed inside his head. "Of course it does. That’s what happens when a zy newbie actually trains for once."
Yuuto groaned louder. "Celia, can you, for once, not insult me first thing in the morning?"
"Where's the fun in that?"
Still, despite her usual sarcasm, Celia had been a little different yesterday. She had actually encouraged him a little—even if she quickly covered it up with her usual teasing.
Yuuto shook his head. "Alright, time to get moving."
He pushed himself up, forcing his sore muscles to work, and stretched his stiff limbs. Today was another day of training. He needed to build his endurance, refine his swordsmanship, and push himself further.
But before he could begin…
---
An Unwanted Guest
As Yuuto stood up, dusting himself off, he suddenly heard footsteps approaching from the forest path.
Turning toward the source, he spotted a figure casually strolling into his training area.
A tall young man, probably in his early twenties, with short silver hair and sharp, arrogant blue eyes. He wore fancy adventurer armor, clearly high-quality gear that a newbie like Yuuto couldn’t afford. A rapier hung at his waist, its polished bde gleaming in the sunlight.
The guy looked too clean, too refined, as if he had never struggled a day in his life.
Yuuto already didn’t like him.
"Well, well," the man said with a smug grin, "what do we have here? A weakling trying to train in MY territory?"
Yuuto blinked. "Huh? Your territory?"
"That’s right." The man flicked his silver hair dramatically. "This pce is a well-known training ground for low-rank adventurers, but I’ve cimed it as my personal area. And I don’t recall giving a no-name rookie permission to use it."
Yuuto raised an eyebrow. "So you just… decided you own the whole damn forest?"
The man smirked. "Exactly. Now scram."
"Wow, what a grade-A asshole," Celia muttered in Yuuto’s head. "I kinda respect his confidence in being a total jerk."
Yuuto sighed. He had just started training, and now this guy was causing trouble.
---
System Analysis
Yuuto discreetly used Celia’s system to analyze the guy.
---
[Target Identified]
Name: Rainer Doran
Level: 15
Css: Swordsman (Intermediate)
Strength: 38
Speed: 45
Mana: 30
Skills:
Rapier Mastery (Intermediate)
Quick Step (Evasive Skill)
Precision Strike (Increased Attack Power on Weak Points)
---
Yuuto stiffened.
This guy was leagues ahead of him.
Yuuto was only Level 6 after his recent training, and his stats were nowhere near as high.
Celia clicked her tongue. "Yeah, you’re screwed if you fight him head-on. That rapier skill will tear you apart."
Yuuto knew she was right. He had only just started learning proper swordpy. Rushing into a fight against someone nine levels higher would be suicide.
But something about Rainer’s smug attitude pissed him off.
He had encountered plenty of arrogant jerks back in his world, but none of them had tried to cim an entire damn forest.
So Yuuto didn’t move.
Instead, he smirked. "Nah. I think I’ll stay."
Rainer’s eyebrow twitched. "What did you just say?"
"I said I’ll stay. You don’t own this pce, so I’ll train here as much as I want."
Celia whistled. "Bold move, dumbass. I like it."
Rainer ughed. "Oh? And what exactly do you think you can do to stop me? A weak little brat like you?"
Yuuto knew he was outmatched. But this wasn’t just about strength. It was about not backing down.
So he raised his sword. "Why don’t we find out?"
---
The Duel Begins
Rainer’s smirk widened. "Fine. I’ll py along. But don’t cry when you lose."
He unsheathed his rapier, the thin bde glinting in the sunlight.
Yuuto tightened his grip on his sword. He needed to be smart. He couldn’t match Rainer in speed or technique, but he had something Rainer didn’t—
Celia’s system.
"Alright, Celia," Yuuto muttered in his mind, "I need every advantage I can get."
Celia chuckled. "I thought you'd never ask. Activating System Assistance Mode."
---
[System Assistance Activated]
Reaction Speed Boost: +10%
Prediction Mode: Enemy movement tracking enabled
Warning: Overuse may cause exhaustion
---
Yuuto felt his body react instantly.
The world slowed down slightly.
Rainer lunged forward, his rapier aiming for Yuuto’s chest.
Yuuto dodged—barely. The thin bde grazed his side, cutting through his shirt.
He countered. He swung his sword at Rainer’s exposed side—
CLANG!
Rainer parried with ease, smirking. "Too slow."
Yuuto gritted his teeth. He needed to keep moving.
He adjusted his stance, keeping his weight banced. His system-assisted senses allowed him to anticipate Rainer’s next attack.
Rainer lunged again—this time, Yuuto sidestepped and swung downward.
SLASH!
A shallow cut appeared on Rainer’s arm.
It wasn’t deep, but it was enough to make him pause.
Rainer’s smug expression darkened. "Hah. So you’re not completely useless."
Yuuto smirked. "Surprised?"
Celia ughed in his head. "Damn, I actually enjoyed that."
Rainer gritted his teeth. He tightened his grip on his rapier, his eyes narrowing.
"Pytime’s over."
Yuuto tensed.
---
To Be Continued...
