By the time Riser stepped onto the training grounds, the air already carried a familiar tension.
Not the loud kind.
Not chaos.
Something sharper.
Focused.
Yubelluna stood at the center again, exactly where she had been yesterday. As if she hadn't moved at all since then.
But the moment he stepped closer—
Her eyes shifted.
Locked onto him instantly.
"You're late."
Riser exhaled lightly. "I came."
"That wasn't the expectation."
"Yeah, well. Adjust expectations."
A pause.
Then—
"You feel different."
That made him stop for half a second.
"Different how?"
She didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she stepped closer.
Not aggressively.
Just—
Close enough to observe.
Her gaze moved slightly, studying him—not his stance, not his posture.
Him.
"You're thinking."
Riser blinked.
"That's a weird thing to say."
"It's accurate."
"Should I be offended?"
"No."
She turned slightly, walking past him.
"Show me."
Riser smirked faintly.
"Straight to it, huh."
"Yes."
No wasted words.
No buildup.
That was just how she was.
He rolled his shoulders once.
Then stepped forward.
This time—
He didn't rush.
Didn't charge blindly like yesterday.
Instead, he moved carefully.
Testing.
Watching.
Yubelluna noticed immediately.
"…Good."
That one word carried more weight than anything else she had said so far.
Riser didn't respond.
He moved first.
A quick step forward—
A strike aimed at her shoulder.
She shifted slightly—
But this time, he adjusted mid-motion.
Not fully.
Not perfectly.
But enough.
His fist changed direction—
Forcing her to actually block.
A soft impact.
Not strong.
But real.
For a brief moment—
Their hands touched.
And she stopped.
Not because of the hit.
Because of the intent behind it.
"You're learning."
Riser pulled back slightly.
"Told you I wasn't just here to get destroyed again."
"You still will be."
"Wow. Confidence."
She moved.
Fast.
Faster than before.
But—
This time—
He saw it coming.
Not completely.
Not enough to fully dodge.
But enough to react.
He raised his arm—
Took the hit instead of being caught off guard.
The impact still sent him sliding back.
Still hurt.
Still heavy.
But—
He stayed on his feet.
And that alone—
Changed something.
Yubelluna lowered her hand slowly.
"Again."
Riser grinned slightly.
"Gladly."
They moved again.
And again.
And again.
Each exchange still ended with him losing.
Still ended with him being pushed back.
Still ended with pain.
But it was different now.
He wasn't just surviving.
He was participating.
Adjusting.
Thinking.
Fighting.
And Yubelluna—
Was no longer holding back the same way.
Not fully serious.
But no longer treating him like something fragile either.
At some point—
A presence appeared at the edge of the field.
Then another.
And another.
Riser didn't notice at first.
Too focused.
Too locked in.
But Yubelluna—
Did.
Her eyes flickered slightly to the side between movements.
Then back to him.
Interesting.
After another exchange, she stepped back.
"Stop."
Riser exhaled sharply.
"Already?"
"You're being watched."
That made him pause.
"…What?"
He turned slightly.
And then—
He saw them.
A small group.
Nothing major.
But enough to matter.
A few devils standing at a distance.
Observing.
Whispering quietly among themselves.
Riser frowned slightly.
"They've been there long?"
"Long enough."
He clicked his tongue.
"So this is what Ravel meant."
Yubelluna looked at him.
"You expected this?"
"Not this soon."
Her gaze sharpened slightly.
"Then don't waste it."
Riser looked back at the group.
Then back at her.
A slow smile formed.
"…Alright."
Something shifted again.
Subtle.
But real.
This wasn't just training anymore.
This—
Was a stage.
Not a big one.
Not yet.
But still—
A beginning.
Riser stepped forward again.
"Don't hold back."
Yubelluna didn't respond immediately.
But her presence changed.
Sharper.
Colder.
More precise.
"Then don't fall."
"Can't promise that."
She moved first this time.
Fast.
No warning.
No hesitation.
Riser reacted—
Barely.
Their clash was louder now.
Sharper.
Each movement more deliberate.
More visible.
To anyone watching—
It was clear.
He was still weaker.
Still losing.
Still being pushed back.
But—
He wasn't irrelevant.
And that—
Was enough to draw attention.
At the edge of the field, one of the onlookers narrowed their eyes.
"…That's Riser, right?"
"Yeah."
"He changed."
"Definitely."
Another voice joined quietly.
"He's actually fighting back."
Riser didn't hear the words.
But—
He felt the shift.
The weight of being watched.
The pressure of eyes on him.
Yesterday, that would've thrown him off.
Made him stiff.
Distracted.
But now—
He remembered.
Visibility.
A moment.
Something undeniable.
So instead of pulling back—
He leaned into it.
His next move was faster.
Cleaner.
More direct.
Still imperfect.
Still rough.
But—
Intentional.
Yubelluna's eyes flickered.
"…Good."
And then—
She struck harder.
Forcing him back again.
Forcing him to adapt again.
Forcing him to grow—
In front of everyone.
Minutes passed.
Or maybe longer.
Time blurred slightly.
Until finally—
She stopped.
Riser stood there, breathing heavily.
Sweat dripping.
Body aching.
But still standing.
Still conscious.
Still—
In it.
The watchers were quieter now.
More focused.
More interested.
Exactly what Ravel had described.
Yubelluna turned slightly.
"That's enough."
Riser exhaled.
"Yeah… probably."
He glanced toward the onlookers again.
This time—
They didn't look away immediately.
That alone told him everything.
A small step.
But real.
"…Not bad."
The voice came from behind.
Riser turned.
And blinked.
A girl stood there.
Silver hair.
Sharp eyes.
Arms crossed.
She had been watching too.
But unlike the others—
She stepped forward.
Confident.
Unbothered.
Direct.
"You're not as useless as before."
Riser raised an eyebrow.
"Wow. High praise."
She smirked slightly.
"Don't get used to it."
Yubelluna glanced at her briefly.
Then looked back at Riser.
"Your audience is expanding."
"Yeah, I noticed."
The silver-haired girl tilted her head slightly.
"You've got guts."
"Sometimes."
"Or stupidity."
"Probably both."
That earned a faint chuckle.
Short.
But real.
She stepped closer.
Stopping just within reach.
Close enough that her presence felt intentional.
Measured.
"Keep this up," she said quietly, "and people will start paying attention."
Riser smirked.
"That's the plan."
Her eyes lingered on him for a second longer.
Then—
"Good."
And just like that—
She turned and walked away.
No name.
No introduction.
But—
Not dismissive either.
Riser watched her go.
Then looked at Yubelluna.
"…Who was that?"
Yubelluna didn't hesitate.
"Someone you'll see again."
"That sounds ominous."
"It's accurate."
Riser sighed.
"Great. Another problem."
"Or opportunity."
He glanced at her.
Then—
Smiled slightly.
"Yeah."
Maybe both.