After Saruto condition improved, he left the hospital without giving himself a moment of rest. There was no space inside him for hesitation… nor for calm. As if something was pushing him forward from behind without stopping.
He headed straight to the training hall.
The hall was wide, its solid stone floor worn down at the edges from countless blows, filled with deep cracks and marks of old impacts, bearing witness to training that had never known mercy. The air was heavy, thick with the smell of sweat and dust… and the desire to fight.
In the middle of it stood Morvan.
Calm… steady like a mountain untouched by storms.
A few steps away stood Saruto.
His breathing was steady, but something in his eyes was not… a faint glint, determination mixed with something deeper… heavier.
A brief moment of silence passed between them.
Then he moved.
Saruto dashed forward with sudden speed, his body lowering slightly with the motion, then he threw a straight punch toward Morvan stomach. He did not wait for the result, following it immediately with another toward the face, then a third, a fourth, a continuous chain of attacks, accelerating like waves crashing endlessly against the shore.
He was not striking randomly.
Every blow carried a different angle… a simple feint… an attempt to break his opponent rhythm.
But Morvan did not move from his place.
With one hand alone, he began to defend.
A slight shift… a calculated block… a short movement barely seen… yet he nullified every attack before it could complete. His other hand remained behind his back, as if what was happening before him was not worth more than that.
His eyes were calm. Reading. Predicting. Anticipating.
Saruto eyes widened slightly. "He is still… the same…"
He gritted his teeth and suddenly increased his speed, changed his rhythm, tried to break the pattern… a feint toward the shoulder, followed by a real strike toward the ribs.
But in that exact moment, Morvan moved.
His calm vanished for a single instant… a brief moment, yet it was enough.
He struck. It was not an ordinary strike. He hit specific points on Saroto arms with blinding speed, almost invisible to the eye.
Saruto body froze instantly. His arms… no longer responded. "What—?!"
He was not given the chance to finish. One punch. Direct. To his stomach.
But the force behind it… was not normal.
Saruto body was sent flying backward violently, his feet leaving the ground before he crashed into the wall with force. The air burst out of his lungs in one rush, and his chest tightened as if it had shattered from within. "Ghh…!"
His body twisted, pain spreading through him like fire, burning his nerves, paralyzing his thoughts.
He remained lying there for seconds, trying to catch his breath. Inside him, a faint voice spoke. "Father… is still as strong…"
He clenched his fist slowly, his fingers trembling. "When I lost my memories... I lost all my combat experience from my previous life..."
The weight of the truth fell on him mercilessly. "I have returned… to zero."
He slowly raised his head, his breathing still unstable, but his eyes… had changed. "But if I want to defeat Umbra…"
He placed his hand on the ground and pushed himself up, his body screaming in pain, yet he ignored it. He planted his feet firmly. Returned to his fighting stance. "Then I… must become stronger."
Morvan raised an eyebrow slightly. This time… it was not just stubbornness. There was something else. A faint look of approval passed through his eyes, then he gave a slight smile. "As you wish."
But before they could move—
"Stop!"
A sharp voice cut through the hall. Saruto turned. The moment his eyes fell on her, he froze. "…Star?"
She stood at the entrance, her long violet hair swaying lightly, her bright eyes fixed on him. Her arms were crossed, anger clear on her face… but behind it, something else. Disappointment. "Saruto…"
She spoke in a tense tone, "Did you forget what you promised me?"
He did not answer. He could not. He only… looked at her. And in that moment, everything disappeared. The hall… Morvan… the pain… only she remained. "Star…"
His eye trembled slightly. "How much… I missed seeing you…"
Broken scenes flashed through his mind—blood, screams, a hand slipping from his grasp… his heart tightened.
Just one step… was all that separated him from her. But he did not move. "I wish I could… hold you now…"
But his body… remained still. A single tear slipped down silently.
She stepped closer, her brows furrowed. "Why are you not answering?"
Then she stopped suddenly, looking at him closely. "…Are you crying?"
He snapped back. Raised his hand quickly, wiping the tears before they could fall. "No… I got hurt during training."
His voice was steady… more than it should be.
She hesitated for a moment, then said in a calmer tone, although she was still angry: "You promised me that we would go out today... Have you forgotten?"
Silence. Just one moment. But he knew this moment… would decide something. "I am sorry."
He said it calmly. "But I cannot go."
She froze. "Why?"
Saruto said, "Because I need to train."
This time, he did not avoid her gaze. "This is important."
She stepped closer. "And I am not important?"
The question… struck him. But he did not show it. "I can ask one of the servants to accompany you—"
Star cut him off, "I do not want a servant!"
She interrupted, her voice rising. "I wanted to go with you."
Silence. Seconds passed. Heavy.
She waited. But he did not change his mind. He slowly turned his back to her. "Go… Star."
Inside: "I am sorry… but if I do not become stronger now… I will lose you again."
She remained in place for a moment, waiting… for anything. A word. Hesitation. A step.
But nothing came. She clenched her fist.
Then she turned and left, her steps quick, hiding something she did not want to show. Saruto signaled to one of the servants without turning. "Go with her."
"Yes, sir." The servant disappeared after her.
Silence returned. Heavy.
Then Saruto slowly turned. His eyes returned to their coldness. "Let continue… Father."
Morvan looked at him for a long moment. "Do you think what you did was right?"
Saruto paused for a moment. Then said, "I do not know."
Honesty… unexpected. "But I know… if I do not become stronger… I will regret it more."
Silence.
Then he added in a low voice, "This time… I do not want to lose anyone."
Morvan expression changed. For a brief moment. "…Interesting."
He said it calmly. Then he took his fighting stance. "Then… show me how serious you are."
Saruto clenched his fist. Prepared himself. The air between them grew tense again.
Then they vanished.
This time… it was not an ordinary training.