POV: Kaito
Location: Rosemary Village & nearby forest
Time: June, X772
Age: Kaito – 7 years old
---
Kaito noticed things.
Not just tracks in the dirt or shifts in balance during a swing—but the way Erza's footsteps changed when she was thinking, or how her grip tightened on her sword when she was frustrated rather than tired.
Right now?
She was annoyed.
He could tell because she was walking half a step ahead of him.
Yep. Definitely annoyed.
They were heading into the forest again, baskets strapped to their backs this time. Material day. Erza had decided that if they were going to keep training seriously, they needed better equipment—starting with basics.
Leather. Bone. Dense monster hide.
Kaito didn't complain.
Mostly because he liked walking next to her.
And also because—
Great Sage: Environmental scan complete. Low-risk fauna detected within a 300-meter radius.
—this made everything easier.
"Stop smiling," Erza said suddenly.
Kaito blinked. "I wasn't smiling."
She glanced back at him, unimpressed. "You were."
"…Okay, maybe a little."
"Why?"
He shrugged. "You're cute when you're planning."
She stopped walking.
Kaito nearly walked into her.
Erza turned slowly, red eyes narrowing—not angry, not embarrassed.
Dangerous.
"Say that again."
His heart skipped, but not in a bad way.
"You're," he repeated calmly, meeting her gaze, "cute when you're planning."
A pause.
Then—
"Hmph."
She turned away again, ears slightly red.
Kaito grinned openly now.
Worth it.
---
Late Morning – The Hunt
They found their target faster than expected.
A horned forest lizard—large, armored scales, slow but durable. Perfect for crafting reinforcement plates.
Kaito crouched behind a fallen log, eyes focused.
Analytical Appraisal.
The world sharpened.
Weak points highlighted—not glowing or obvious, just… understood. Joint gaps. Scale overlap inconsistencies. Muscle tension.
Erza whispered, "I'll distract it."
Kaito shook his head slightly. "No need."
She looked at him.
Confidence—not arrogance.
He moved.
One stone from his pouch, thrown not hard, but precisely.
It struck the lizard's side—not enough to injure, just enough to draw attention.
The creature hissed, turning—
—and Kaito was already behind it.
He struck once.
Clean. Efficient.
The lizard collapsed, unconscious.
Erza stared.
"…You didn't even let it fight back."
Kaito scratched his cheek. "It didn't need to."
She studied him closely now.
"You're getting scary."
He tilted his head. "You say that like it's bad."
"…It's not."
That answer warmed him more than he expected.
---
Afternoon – Materials & Predator
Kaito placed a hand on the creature's body.
Predator: Predation confirmed.
The sensation was familiar now—not hunger, but control. The body vanished into storage.
Inside, separation happened instantly.
Scales → stacked, sorted by density
Bone → isolated, purified
Organic waste → broken down into mana
Nothing wasted.
Nothing rushed.
Erza watched silently.
"You don't even look tired," she said.
He smiled. "I'm not."
She crossed her arms. "Show-off."
He stepped closer, lowering his voice. "You like it."
She scoffed.
Didn't step away.
---
Evening – Back in Rosemary
They laid out the usable materials at Erza's place.
She knelt, inspecting the scales carefully.
"These could work for gauntlets," she murmured. "Light but strong."
Kaito crouched beside her. "I can get more. Different types too."
She glanced sideways at him. "Trying to impress me?"
He met her gaze easily.
"Yes."
The honesty caught her off guard.
"…You're bold," she said.
"You trained me," he replied.
For a moment, they were very close. Close enough that he could see the faint scar near her collarbone. Close enough that her mana felt warm, unstable—but growing.
She leaned back first.
"Tomorrow," she said, standing, "we train earlier."
Kaito smiled up at her. "Looking forward to it."
She paused at the door.
"…Don't get ahead of yourself."
But her tone lacked conviction.
---
Kaito lay awake that night, staring at the ceiling.
Stronger every day.
Closer every day.
And somehow—
—this felt like the most dangerous part.
---
End of Chapter 19
---