Riser didn't feel stronger the next morning.
That was the first thing he noticed.
Not faster.Not sharper.Not suddenly transformed into someone who could stand toe-to-toe with monsters.
If anything—
He felt worse.
His entire body ached in that deep, dull way that meant yesterday had been real. Not just training. Not just pushing limits.
Getting beaten.
Repeatedly.
He rolled his shoulder slowly as he stepped onto the training yard again.
"…Yeah, that's still there."
Phenex regeneration was doing its job—but it wasn't instant. Not at his current level. Which meant something important:
He could push past limits.
But he still had to pay for it.
That was… fair.
"You're slower today."
Riser didn't turn.
"Good morning to you too."
Yubelluna stepped beside him, already dressed for training. No tray this time. No tea. No softness.
Just focus.
"You didn't recover fully."
"Didn't try to."
That earned him a glance.
"Explain."
Riser stretched his arms out slowly, testing the stiffness.
"If I wait until I feel perfect, I'll never train consistently."
Yubelluna studied him.
"That approach leads to long-term inefficiency."
"Yeah," he said, smirking slightly. "But it also builds tolerance."
A pause.
Then—
"…Acceptable."
That was about as close to approval as she got.
Riser stepped forward, taking his position again.
"Same as yesterday?"
"Yes."
She didn't move immediately.
"…But this time," she added, "I won't hold back as much."
Riser blinked.
"That sounds like a threat."
"It is a warning."
"Close enough."
Training Begins
The first strike came faster than yesterday.
Not dramatically—
But enough.
Riser reacted instinctively, shifting his weight, raising his guard—
Too slow.
Impact.
His arm shook as the force traveled through it.
He held his ground.
Barely.
"Better," Yubelluna said.
Then moved again.
Adjustment
Riser didn't chase.
Didn't rush.
That had been his mistake yesterday.
Instead—
He watched.
Her shoulders.
Her stance.
Her breathing.
Tiny shifts.
Subtle tells.
Nothing obvious.
But not invisible either.
There—
A slight shift to the right.
He moved—
Half a second earlier than before.
Her strike still landed.
But—
Not cleanly.
Riser slid back instead of being thrown.
"…There it is," he muttered.
Yubelluna's eyes sharpened slightly.
"You're anticipating."
"Trying to."
"Not enough."
"Working on it."
She moved again.
Faster.
This time—
Riser blocked.
Properly.
For a moment—
Just a moment—
They were actually in contact.
Force against force.
Then—
She broke through.
A sharp strike to his side sent him stumbling again.
But not falling.
Not this time.
The Gap
That was the difference.
Yesterday—
He couldn't keep up.
Today—
He still couldn't keep up.
But he could see it.
The gap.
Clear.
Defined.
Reachable.
"…Again," Riser said, resetting his stance.
Yubelluna didn't comment.
But she didn't refuse either.
After Several Rounds
By the fifth exchange—
Riser was breathing harder.
By the seventh—
His movements were slower.
By the tenth—
He made a mistake.
A big one.
He overcommitted.
Yubelluna stepped inside his guard effortlessly.
Her hand stopped at his chest.
Right over his heart.
"Dead."
Riser didn't argue.
Didn't laugh.
Just nodded once.
"Yeah."
He stepped back.
Hands on his hips.
Breathing controlled.
Thinking.
Not reacting.
That was new.
"…You hesitate," Yubelluna said.
"Where?"
"When you're unsure."
"That sounds obvious."
"It is also fatal."
Riser exhaled slowly.
"…So I need to commit even when I'm wrong."
"No," she said calmly. "You need to understand before you commit."
"That's harder."
"Yes."
Shift in Focus
Riser lowered his hands slightly.
"…Let's change something."
Yubelluna raised an eyebrow.
"Explain."
"I'm not trying to win."
"You never were."
"Yeah, yeah."
He rolled his neck slightly.
"I want one clean hit."
Silence.
Then—
"…That is realistic."
"Thanks."
"Relatively."
"Less thanks."
Final Round
This time—
Riser slowed down.
Not physically.
Mentally.
He stopped chasing outcomes.
Stopped thinking about winning.
Focused on:
TimingPositionOpportunity
Yubelluna moved.
He didn't react immediately.
He waited.
Half a second longer than instinct allowed.
Then—
He moved.
Not where she was.
Where she would be.
Hellfire flared—
Controlled.
Condensed.
His hand cut forward—
Not fast enough to dominate.
But—
Precise enough to matter.
For a single moment—
Yubelluna's movement adjusted.
Just slightly.
And Riser's strike—
Touched her shoulder.
A clean hit.
Stillness
They both froze.
Just for a second.
Then—
Yubelluna stepped back.
Riser didn't follow.
Didn't push.
Just stood there.
Breathing.
"…Got you."
It wasn't arrogance.
Just fact.
Yubelluna looked at her shoulder.
Then back at him.
"…Yes."
Silence.
Then—
"That was not luck."
"Good."
"You read the movement."
"Yeah."
"You committed."
"Finally."
A small pause.
Then—
"…Acceptable."
That word again.
But this time—
It felt different.
System Notification
[Training Milestone Achieved]
→ Combat Awareness Increased→ Reaction Speed Slightly Improved
Riser glanced at the notification briefly.
Then dismissed it.
His focus wasn't there.
It was still on Yubelluna.
"…Again tomorrow?"
She turned slightly.
"Yes."
No hesitation.
After Training
They didn't leave immediately.
That was new.
Riser sat down on the edge of the training field.
Yubelluna remained standing nearby.
Not formal.
Not distant.
Just—
Present.
"…You're strong," Riser said.
Yubelluna didn't react.
"You already knew that."
"Yeah."
He leaned back slightly.
"But now I understand it better."
A pause.
Then—
"You don't waste movement."
"That is correct."
"You don't panic."
"No."
"You don't hesitate."
"Rarely."
Riser nodded slowly.
"…I need that."
Silence.
Then—
"You are improving."
He glanced up at her.
"That sounded almost like praise."
"Do not misunderstand."
"Too late."
She ignored that.
But—
There was the faintest shift in her expression.
The Realization
As they walked back toward the castle—
Riser's thoughts shifted.
Not about training.
Not about strength.
About something else.
"…Yubelluna."
"Yes?"
"How strong do I need to be to influence another clan?"
That made her stop.
Completely.
"…That is not a simple question."
"I know."
"You would need status."
"Got that."
"Reputation."
"Working on it."
"Power."
"Obviously."
"And—"
She looked at him carefully.
"—recognition."
Riser frowned slightly.
"Recognition?"
"Other clans must acknowledge you as someone worth listening to."
That—
That hit.
Because strength alone wasn't enough.
Not in this world.
Politics.
Status.
Influence.
"…So even if I'm strong—"
"It does not mean they will obey you."
Riser exhaled slowly.
"…That's annoying."
"It is reality."
He smirked slightly.
"Yeah. I'm starting to notice."
Ending
As they reached the castle entrance—
Riser paused.
Looked back once at the training yard.
Then forward again.
"…I need more than strength."
Yubelluna didn't respond.
She didn't need to.
Because this time—
He wasn't talking to her.
He was thinking out loud.
And for the first time—
His plans weren't just about surviving.
They were about moving pieces.
Changing things.
Actually affecting the world.
"…Alright."
Riser stepped inside.
Eyes steady.
Mind already working.
"Let's raise my rank."