Nareth — Training Arena
The Nareth training arena stood not far from the Village Hall.
It wasn’t anything grand.
Just a dirt field that had been packed down by decades of training.
Footprints and weapon marks covered the ground.
On the right side of the arena stood several wooden racks filled with various training weapons.
Swords.
Daggers.
Axes.
Spears.
Shields.
Every one of them was made from hardwood and deliberately crafted to weigh almost as much as the real thing, so the Vestigers would never forget what it felt like to fight without relying on their Authority.
On the left side, several large trees stood in a row.
Their trunks were covered in old slash marks, stab wounds, and deep cracks.
This was where the young people of Nareth had trained since childhood.
And now…
the field was beginning to fill up.
The villagers who had finished their morning work slowly gathered around the arena.
Children sat along the wooden fence.
Some fishermen still had their nets hanging over their shoulders.
Several mothers stood nearby with their shopping baskets.
They were all curious.
The stranger they had found on the beach…
was about to fight Finn.
Finn stepped into the middle of the arena.
Two wooden daggers spun smoothly between his fingers.
He flashed the villagers a wide grin.
Finn:
“If I win so quickly…”
“…don’t forget to give me a big round of applause.”
One of the children immediately shouted.
“Go on, Finn!”
A fisherman laughed.
“Just don’t lose quickly!”
The entire arena erupted in laughter.
Finn placed a hand over his chest.
Finn:
“Sir…”
“My dignity has been wounded.”
Another wave of laughter followed.
Even Rowan let out a quiet sigh at Finn’s antics.
On the opposite side…
Aether walked into the arena.
A wooden sword rested in his right hand.
His steps were calm.
Neither hurried nor nervous.
He stopped several meters in front of Finn.
Then…
he slowly raised his wooden sword.
There was no flashy stance.
No unnecessary movement meant to show off.
Just one simple position.
And yet…
Rowan’s eyes immediately narrowed.
That stance…
was incredibly clean for beginner.
Almost too stable.
Not a single part of Aether’s body appeared tense.
His center of gravity was perfectly balanced.
As if…
the young man had stood in that exact position thousands of times before.
Outside the arena…
Kael watched closely.
Doran crossed his arms.
Lyra didn’t blink.
Mira clasped her hands together.
Finn spun both daggers one more time.
Finn:
“Aether! Don’t look so tense…”
“I’m a nice guy, you know.”
“If you fall…”
“…I’ll definitely help you back up.”
Aether didn’t answer.
His eyes remained fixed on Finn.
Finn let out another small laugh.
Finn:
“Wow…”
“When you’re this quiet, you really make me feel like the bad guy.”
Still…
no answer.
Lyra frowned.
Lyra:
“…He didn’t even react.”
Doran nodded.
Doran:
“Ever since he stepped into the arena…”
“…something about his eyes changed.”
Kael watched more carefully.
He was right.
The Aether who had been talking with them earlier…
and the Aether standing in the arena now…
felt like two completely different people.
His gaze was much sharper.
All of his attention was focused on his opponent.
There wasn’t a single wasted movement.
Even…
he barely blinked.
Rowan said nothing.
But his observation grew more serious.
Finn was still trying to lighten the mood.
Finn:
“After this spar, we’re still friends, right?”
Silence.
Finn scratched his cheek.
Finn:
“…At least nod.”
Still no answer.
It wasn’t because Aether was ignoring him.
He genuinely couldn’t hear him.
His entire mind had sunk into focus.
Distance.
Posture.
Stride length.
Foot placement.
Shoulder position.
The way Finn held both daggers.
Everything entered his field of observation without him even realizing it.
There was no expression on his face.
Only focus.
Rowan saw the change clearly.
Deep inside, he muttered to himself.
He’s reading his opponent…
Clang.
Rowan’s iron staff tapped against the ground.
Rowan:
“Begin.”
Before the echo of his voice had even faded…
Finn disappeared from where he stood.
A thin cloud of dust rose from the ground.
His body shot to the left.
Then to the right.
Then disappeared again.
Several children immediately gasped in amazement.
“He’s fast!”
Finn wasn’t a fighter who relied on raw strength.
He was a Scout.
And an Assassin.
Speed.
Attack angles.
Feints.
That was his specialty.
Finn grinned.
Finn:
“Now…”
“…try guessing where I’m coming from!”
In an instant…
he appeared on Aether’s right.
His wooden dagger slashed forward.
Tak!
Aether’s wooden sword was already there.
Blocking it.
Finn immediately spun his body.
His second dagger came from the left.
Tak!
Blocked again.
Finn didn’t stop.
He moved behind Aether.
A stab.
Tak!
Blocked.
Another spin.
Tak!
Blocked.
Tak!
Tak!
Tak!
The sound of wooden weapons colliding began to echo throughout the arena.
Finn kept changing directions.
Right.
Left.
Behind.
In front.
Yet…
Aether didn’t move even an inch.
Both of his feet remained where they were.
The only thing moving…
was one hand.
His wooden sword always appeared at exactly the right moment.
As if…
he already knew where Finn’s next attack would come from before Finn even made it.
Finn’s brows began to furrow.
Finn:
“…Huh?”
“…This isn’t funny.”
Tak!
Tak!
Tak!
His attacks became faster.
More aggressive.
But the result remained the same.
Every single one was blocked.
The villagers who had been laughing moments ago…
slowly fell silent.
Lyra narrowed her eyes.
Lyra:
“…He’s not following Finn’s movements.”
Kael turned toward her.
Lyra continued.
Lyra:
“He’s following Finn’s center of gravity.”
“From there…”
“…it’s much easier to predict where his next attack will come from.”
Kael’s eyes widened.
He looked back at the arena.
She was right.
Aether barely looked at Finn’s daggers.
His eyes were mostly focused on his shoulders.
His waist.
And his feet.
Doran scratched his head.
Doran:
“I didn’t even notice.”
Rowan remained silent.
His eyes never left Aether.
Finn was starting to sweat.
Finn:
“…Hey.”
“…Didn’t you say you’ve never actually trained with a sword?”
No answer.
Tak!
His left dagger was knocked aside again.
Finn clicked his tongue.
Finn:
“At least answer me, damn it!”
Still…
no answer.
Aether remained completely lost in his concentration.
Several seconds passed.
Then…
for the first time…
Aether moved.
Just…
one step.
His body moved forward.
His wooden sword rose.
Finn immediately smiled.
“Finally!”
He crossed both daggers in front of his chest.
TAKK!!
This clash was much harder.
Finn’s eyes widened.
Heavy.
That sword…
was way too heavy.
His arms trembled.
His feet slid several centimeters backward.
Finn gritted his teeth.
“That’s way too heavy…!”
Before he could steady himself…
the second strike came.
TAKK!!
The next impact left both of his arms numb.
Finn still held his ground.
But his breathing was becoming heavier.
The villagers began cheering.
“Come on, Finn!”
“Don’t lose!”
“One more hit!”
Finn forced a smile.
Finn:
“I’m trying…”
“…DAMN IT!”
A few people laughed again.
But…
Aether had already taken another step.
Not fast.
Not slow.
Just one straight step.
His sword swung again.
TAKKKK!!
Both of Finn’s wooden daggers finally flew from his hands.
They spun through the air…
then landed several meters behind him.
Tok.
Tok.
The entire arena suddenly fell silent.
Finn was still standing.
Both of his hands were trembling badly.
Meanwhile…
the tip of Aether’s wooden sword had stopped just a few centimeters from his neck.
It hadn’t touched him.
But…
that was more than enough to determine the winner.
Silence.
Several seconds passed.
Finn swallowed.
Then…
he raised both hands in surrender.
Finn:
“…I give up.”
For a moment, the entire arena remained frozen.
Then…
loud applause erupted across the field.
The children cheered.
The villagers clapped and laughed.
One fisherman shouted.
“Finn!”
“You said you’d win quickly!”
The entire arena erupted in laughter once again.
Finn covered his face with both hands.
Finn:
“Please…”
“…just pretend I was never born today.”
The laughter grew even louder.
Even Doran was doubled over, laughing too hard.
Kael simply shook his head.
Lyra, however, was still staring at Aether.
Her expression was far more serious than before.
Lyra:
“…He’s not just skilled.”
“His fundamentals…”
“…barely have any openings.”
Rowan remained where he stood.
His gaze was no longer on Finn.
It was on Aether.
The young man slowly lowered his wooden sword.
His breathing remained steady.
His expression was calm.
As if the battle just now…
had never happened.
Finn let out a long sigh.
Then he looked toward Doran.
Finn:
“I changed my mind.”
Doran grinned.
Finn pointed at Aether without turning around.
Finn:
“…You can be the one to experience it yourself.”
Laughter immediately erupted across the field.
Even several villagers slapped Finn on the shoulder.
Doran laughed the loudest.
Doran:
“You were just saying you wanted to win quickly.”
Finn clicked his tongue.
Finn:
“How was I supposed to know his sword would be that heavy?”
He picked up his two wooden daggers and rubbed his wrists.
Finn:
“I gave it everything I had.”
“And I still got blown away.”
Kael was beginning to understand the strange feeling he’d had this entire time.
The frightening thing wasn’t Aether’s speed.
Nor was it his strength.
It was…
the way every single movement felt like the result of thousands of battles.
There was no hesitation.
Not even a bad habit.
As if his body had repeated the same movements…
over and over again.
For who knew how long.
Mira walked toward Finn.
A soft green light began gathering in her palms.
Mira:
“Finn, let me—”
Before she could finish…
Rowan raised a hand.
Rowan:
“No.”
Mira stopped.
Mira:
“…Huh?”
Rowan kept his eyes on the arena.
Rowan:
“Let his body recover on its own.”
“If you heal them every time they finish training…”
“…their muscles will never develop.”
Mira slowly lowered her hand.
She still looked worried…
but eventually nodded.
Meanwhile…
Finn walked past Aether.
He stopped briefly beside him.
Finn:
“…You’re seriously weird.”
This time…
Aether finally answered.
Aether:
“…Sorry.”
Finn scratched his head.
Finn:
“That wasn’t an insult.”
“Take it as a compliment.”
Aether looked slightly confused.
But before he could say anything…
Rowan’s iron staff tapped against the ground again.
Clang.
Rowan:
“Doran.”
“Get in there. Your turn.”
Finn caught the towel Mira threw at him.
Still wiping the sweat from his face, he walked out of the arena.
Finn:
“I don’t want to fight him again.”
Doran bumped his shoulder.
Doran:
“You only lost once.”
Finn snorted.
Finn:
“You try.”
Doran grinned.
Doran:
“I was planning to.”
He took a wooden sword from the weapon rack.
A greatsword.
The wooden weapon was much larger than Aether’s.
Thicker.
Heavier.
The moment Doran gripped it, several watching villagers stepped closer.
They knew Doran.
When it came to raw strength in Nareth, his name was among the most feared.
Doran:
“If Finn relies on speed…”
“…I’m different.”
“I won’t give you time to breathe.”
Aether slowly nodded.
No other answer.
His eyes changed again.
Calm.
Deep.
And completely focused on his opponent.
Kael, standing at the edge of the arena, noticed the change.
Kael:
“…Again.”
Lyra nodded slightly.
Lyra:
“Yeah.”
“The moment he enters the arena, he’s completely different.”
Mira stared at Aether as well.
Mira:
“It’s like he’s another person…”
Rowan said nothing.
But his eyes continued to follow Aether’s movements.
Doran stepped into the center of the arena, resting his wooden greatsword on his shoulder.
Doran:
“Come on.”
“Don’t just stand there this time.”
“I can take more hits than Finn.”
From outside the arena, Finn immediately shouted.
Finn:
“Hey, muscle-brain!”
“Why am I the standard now?!”
Several villagers laughed.
The tension eased once again.
Rowan raised his staff.
Rowan:
“Positions.”
The two fighters took their distance.
Doran lowered his body.
Both hands gripped the sword tightly.
Aether stood upright.
His wooden sword pointed casually toward the ground.
No exaggerated stance.
No wasted movement.
Clang.
Rowan’s staff tapped the ground.
Rowan:
“Begin.”
Doran immediately charged.
Unlike Finn, who had spent some time testing his opponent, Doran attacked from the very beginning.
BAM!
He stomped the ground and lunged forward.
His wooden greatsword swung toward Aether’s shoulder.
Whoosh!
The attack was fast.
And far heavier than anything Finn had thrown at him.
Yet…
Aether didn’t retreat.
CLACK!
Their wooden swords collided.
The impact was much louder this time.
Doran’s eyes widened slightly.
That clash…
was incredibly heavy.
Damn.
Finn wasn’t lying.
This guy…
Aether…
his physical abilities are clearly better than mine, both in speed and strength.
It felt like he had slammed his sword into a tree that refused to move.
Doran immediately rotated his sword.
A second swing.
Then a third.
Fourth.
Fifth.
Each attack followed the previous one without giving Aether even a moment to breathe.
CLACK!
CLACK!
CLACK!
CLACK!
The sound of wooden weapons filled the arena.
Dust slowly rose from the ground.
Yet…
Aether continued blocking.
He neither retreated nor advanced.
Every one of Doran’s attacks was stopped mere centimeters before reaching his body.
His movements were short.
Just a flick of the wrist.
A slight turn of the shoulder.
And nearly silent footwork.
Lyra narrowed her eyes.
Lyra:
“…He’s starting to read Doran’s rhythm.”
Kael nodded.
Kael:
“Not just read it.”
“…It’s like he already knows the next swing.”
Doran increased the pressure.
“Haah!”
His sword came crashing down from above.
Then a sweeping horizontal strike.
A straight thrust.
Then an upward slash.
The combination would normally be enough to force an opponent into constant defense.
But…
Aether remained the same.
Not a single movement was late.
Not a single block was excessive.
Finn started scratching his head.
Finn:
“…I’m starting to feel sorry for Doran.”
Mira turned toward him.
Mira:
“Why?”
Finn pointed toward the arena.
Finn:
“Look at his face.”
Everyone looked.
Doran was beginning to breathe heavily.
Sweat ran down his forehead.
Meanwhile, Aether’s breathing remained steady.
His expression hadn’t changed.
Doran gritted his teeth.
Doran:
“Then…”
“…take this!”
He raised his sword high.
Every ounce of strength in his body poured into one massive swing.
WUUUSSH!!
The wooden greatsword tore through the air with a loud whistle.
But…
just before the attack reached him…
Aether moved.
Just one step.
His left foot shifted half a step to the side.
His body turned slightly.
Doran’s swing missed by a few centimeters.
Before Doran could pull his sword back…
Aether was already inside his range.
CLACK!
Aether’s wooden sword struck the side of Doran’s greatsword.
Not hard.
Just precise.
The angle was perfect.
Doran’s grip immediately shifted.
Before he could tighten it again…
Aether twisted his wrist.
CLACK!
A second impact followed.
Doran’s sword was knocked away.
He barely managed to keep hold of it.
But Aether stepped forward again.
Half a step.
CLACK!!
The third impact.
Doran’s wooden sword flew from his hands.
It spun through the air…
then landed several meters away.
Tok…
The arena fell silent again.
Doran was still standing.
Both hands were empty.
Meanwhile, the tip of Aether’s wooden sword had stopped right in front of his chest.
It didn’t touch him.
Only a few centimeters away.
Doran let out a quiet laugh.
Then his laughter grew louder.
Doran:
“Hahahaha…”
“Alright.”
“I give up.”
Aether lowered his sword.
His expression remained calm.
Doran picked up his fallen weapon and rubbed the back of his neck.
Doran:
“Well then…”
“…Kael.”
“Your turn, Captain.”
Kael didn’t answer immediately.
His eyes were still fixed on Aether.
The longer he watched him, the clearer one thing became.
This young man wasn’t an ordinary opponent.
At the side of the arena, Rowan remained silent.
But his gaze had become sharper.
The question that had been lingering in his mind was becoming harder and harder to ignore.
Who exactly is Aether?
Kael took a wooden sword leaning against the weapon rack.
Unlike Doran’s sword…
this one was slimmer.
But much longer.
And almost three times heavier than an ordinary training sword.
He swung it once.
Whoosh.
The sound of air rushing past it was soft.
Kael stepped into the arena.
His eyes locked onto Aether.
There was no smile anymore.
No jokes.
Finn, Doran, Lyra, and Mira were the same.
They all understood.
The next fight would be different.
Outside the arena…
more and more people from Nareth began gathering.
Several children sat on the wooden fence.
The fishermen stopped their work.
Some of the village mothers watched from a distance.
Everyone wanted to see the battle between Nareth’s young Vestiger leader…
and the mysterious young man who had only arrived in the village yesterday.
Kael raised his sword.
Kael:
“I won’t hold back.”
Aether nodded slowly.
No answer.
But…
his eyes changed again.
Silent.
Deep.
Completely absorbed in the opponent standing before him.
Rowan watched the two of them for several moments.
Then he tapped his iron staff against the ground.
Clang.
Rowan:
“Begin.”
Instantly…
Aether disappeared from where he stood.
CRACK!!
The ground beneath his feet showed thin cracks.
In a single breath…
he was already directly in front of Kael.
CLACKKK!!
Their wooden swords collided with tremendous force.
Kael’s eyes widened.
Heavy.
That first clash…
was far heavier than anything he had felt when sparring with Doran.
Before he could even catch his breath…
Aether’s sword came again.
CLACK!
CLACK!
CLACK!
There was no pause.
No preparation.
Every swing came from a different angle.
Vertical.
Horizontal.
Diagonal.
A thrust.
Then another slash.
Everything flowed without interruption.
Fast.
Precise.
And three times faster than when he had fought Finn.
Kael was forced backward.
One step.
Two steps.
Three.
CLACK!
CLACK!
CLACK!
His sword continued to vibrate.
Kael’s arms began going numb.
“Heavy…”
Every clash felt like striking stone.
And yet his opponent was only using a wooden sword.
Outside the arena…
the entire crowd fell silent.
Finn clenched both fists.
Finn:
“Come on, Kael!”
Doran shouted as well.
Doran:
“Don’t lose, Captain!”
Several villagers joined in.
“Go, Kael!”
“Come on!”
“Hold on!”
But…
Kael didn’t even have an opportunity to counterattack.
CLACK!!
Aether’s sword struck again.
Kael blocked.
Another impact immediately followed.
CLACK!
Before it was over…
another slash came from the right.
CLACK!!
Then the left.
Above.
Below.
There was no pattern to predict.
No wasted movement.
Everything flowed like a single sequence that had been perfected thousands of times.
Kael gritted his teeth.
Sweat began running down his forehead.
His hands trembled.
His sword felt heavier and heavier.
Not because of the weapon…
but because every collision forced more and more pressure into his arms.
Yet…
he held on.
He refused to retreat any farther.
He wouldn’t let go of his sword.
As their leader…
he couldn’t simply fall.
“I…”
“…I’m not done yet!”
Kael controlled his breathing.
Then he rotated his sword, trying to find an opening for a counterattack.
But…
before he could complete the movement…
Aether had already moved.
One step.
So short…
yet it instantly broke through Kael’s safe distance.
Kael’s eyes widened.
“Too fast!”
CLACK!!
Another powerful collision.
Kael’s sword nearly slipped from his hands.
He forced every ounce of strength he had into his grip.
His arms trembled violently.
But…
he still refused to let go.
The villagers cheered even louder.
“Kael!”
“Come on!”
“Don’t give up!”
Finn shouted until his voice grew hoarse.
Doran clenched his fists.
There were no more jokes.
They all knew…
Kael was giving everything he had just to stay standing.
Before them…
Aether continued moving forward.
His gaze never changed.
His breathing remained steady.
Every swing of his sword was just as sharp as before.
As if…
he hadn’t even begun to tire.
CLACK!!
Kael blocked again.
This time, both knees bent slightly.
The ground beneath his feet shifted several centimeters.
His hands were almost out of strength.
But…
he remained standing.
“I…”
“…won’t fall.”
His eyes stayed locked on his opponent.
His determination didn’t waver even slightly.
For a moment…
time seemed to slow.
Aether stepped forward.
His sword moved in a straight line.
Simple.
Yet so fast that it was almost invisible.
Kael knew…
he wouldn’t have time to block.
And then—
Whoosh…
A powerful wave of Aura spread across the arena.
It wasn’t overwhelming.
But it was enough to stop the spar.
Aether’s gaze trembled slightly.
In a fraction of a second…
his sword stopped.
The tip of the wooden blade…
was only about a centimeter from Kael’s neck.
Silence.
No one spoke.
Kael was still standing.
His breathing was ragged.
Both arms were trembling violently.
Sweat covered his body.
Meanwhile, Aether remained perfectly calm.
His sword was still pointed forward.
Only then did Rowan lower his iron staff.
Rowan:
“Enough!”
“The match is over.”
Several seconds later…
Aether slowly blinked.
The sharpness in his eyes gradually faded back to normal.
He lowered his sword.
Then looked at Kael.
For the first time since the fight began…
a faint smile appeared on his face.
Aether:
“That was…”
“…fun, Kael.”
Kael took a long breath.
Even though his arms were still trembling…
he returned the smile.
Kael:
“…Yeah.”
“That was the best fight I’ve ever had.”
Only then…
did the entire field erupt in cheers.
“That was amazing!”
“Incredible!”
“Give them a round of applause!”
The sound of applause filled the Nareth Training Ground.
Meanwhile, the morning wind gently swept through the arena…
carrying with it the end of a battle that would be remembered by the villagers for a long time.
The cheers still filled the training ground.
Applause.
Laughter.
Praise from every direction.
Some of the children had even started imitating Aether’s sword movements with wooden branches.
“I’m Aether!”
“Then I’m Kael!”
Seeing that…
Doran laughed loudly.
Doran:
“One fight and he’s already got fans.”
Finn nudged his shoulder.
Finn:
“Even though we’re the ones who fight here all the time.”
“That’s not fair.”
Kael let out a long breath as he leaned his wooden sword against the weapon rack.
Both of his arms still felt heavy from all the impacts he’d taken.
Yet…
he looked satisfied.
Kael:
“I learned a lot.”
Finn immediately approached him.
Finn:
“Captain!”
“Still alive?”
Kael gave him a flat look.
Kael:
“Still alive.”
Finn let out an exaggerated sigh of relief.
Finn:
“Thank goodness…”
“I was already halfway through preparing a farewell speech.”
Doran immediately smacked Finn on the head.
Smack!
Finn:
“Ow!”
Doran:
“If you can’t make things better…”
“…just shut up.”
A few quiet laughs followed.
On the other side…
Mira looked between Kael, Doran, and Finn.
Their arms were still trembling slightly.
Doran’s breathing hadn’t completely returned to normal either.
Mira’s expression slowly filled with worry.
She glanced toward Rowan.
The old man was speaking briefly with several villagers.
“…Now.”
Mira tightened her grip on her small staff.
Slowly…
she stepped toward Kael.
The tip of her staff began glowing with a soft green light.
One more step…
and—
Rowan:
“Mira.”
Mira froze.
Slowly, she turned around.
Rowan was still standing quite far away.
But his eyes were fixed directly on her.
Mira gave an awkward smile.
Mira:
“…Hehe, Mr. Rowan.”
Rowan slowly shook his head.
Rowan:
“What did I just say?”
Mira immediately lowered her head.
Mira:
“…We’re not allowed to use Heal after training.”
Rowan:
“Correct.”
Mira let out a small sigh.
“…Alright.”
Finn immediately chuckled.
Finn:
“I told you she’d get caught.”
Mira pouted.
Mira:
“I just wanted to help.”
Doran smiled kindly.
Doran:
“We’re fine.”
Kael nodded as well.
Kael:
“If it’s just a little soreness…”
“…it’ll probably be gone by tomorrow.”
Rowan walked toward them.
Rowan:
“Fatigue.”
“Muscle pain.”
“All of it is part of training.”
“If you heal yourselves after every fight…”
“…your bodies will never grow stronger.”
Mira puffed out her cheeks.
Mira:
“…Still.”
“Seeing you guys like this makes me worried.”
Rowan smiled faintly.
Rowan:
“That’s the duty of a support.”
“But a support must also know…”
“…when to use their abilities.”
Mira finally nodded.
Mira:
“…I understand.”
At that moment…
Finn suddenly glanced toward Aether.
The young man was returning his wooden sword to the weapon rack.
His breathing remained steady.
Even though his body was covered in sweat…
he didn’t look tired at all.
Finn blinked several times.
Then pointed at Aether.
Finn:
“Wait a second.”
“Why is he the only one who looks completely fine?”
Everyone instinctively turned toward him.
Sure enough.
Aether stood as usual.
He wasn’t leaning on his knees.
He wasn’t rubbing his arms.
Even his breathing was still perfectly steady.
Finn looked completely baffled.
Finn:
“I was the first one to fight and I’m already sore.”
“Doran’s sore too.”
“Kael can barely lift his sword.”
“And yet…”
“…you look like you just came back from a walk.”
Aether looked at himself for a moment.
Then slowly shook his head.
Aether:
“…I don’t know either.”
Finn narrowed his eyes.
Finn:
“Don’t tell me you’re secretly hiding your strength.”
Aether shook his head again.
Aether:
“No.”
“I really don’t know.”
Lyra, who had been silent until now, finally spoke.
Lyra:
“Then…”
“How can you use a sword like that?”
Aether fell silent for a moment.
As if he were trying to remember.
But…
nothing came to him.
Aether:
“…I don’t know.”
“Earlier…”
“…it just happened.”
He fell silent again.
Then spoke quietly.
Aether:
“What I remember…”
“…is that I felt really excited.”
“That’s all.”
Finn scratched his cheek.
Finn:
“That’s the weirdest answer I’ve ever heard.”
Doran chuckled.
Doran:
“When you think about it…”
“It actually fits someone who lost his memories.”
Kael looked at Aether for a while.
He could still remember every clash from their fight.
So heavy.
So fast.
Yet looking at Aether’s expression now…
there wasn’t even the slightest sign that he was lying.
He genuinely looked just as confused as they were.
Silence settled over them for a moment.
Then Rowan spoke, quietly, almost to himself.
Rowan:
“A body without a Vestige shouldn’t be able to do that.”
No one answered.
Aether lowered his gaze.
Then…
Lyra turned toward Rowan.
Lyra:
“Mr. Rowan.”
“Earlier…”
“…what did you use to stop the fight?”
Rowan answered simply.
Rowan:
“Aura.”
Lyra asked again.
Lyra:
“That wasn’t Authority?”
Rowan shook his head.
Rowan:
“No.”
“Authority and Aura are two different things.”
“Authority is a power that comes from a Vestige.”
“While Aura…”
“…is pressure that can be released by a Vestiger who has reached Grandmaster.”
Finn immediately shouted.
Finn:
“So we can use it someday too?”
Rowan nodded.
Rowan:
“If your Mastery is high enough.”
“The higher your Mastery…”
“…the greater the Aura you can release.”
Finn immediately grinned.
Finn:
“Then I want to get Aura quickly too.”
Doran nodded excitedly.
Doran:
“That’d be awesome.”
Kael, however, looked thoughtful.
Kael:
“But…”
“The pressure you released earlier was really intense.”
“I could barely move.”
Lyra nodded.
Lyra:
“Me too.”
“It felt like something was pressing down on my entire body.”
Mira hugged her arms.
Mira:
“I was even afraid to move.”
Finn scratched his cheek.
Finn:
“I thought you were actually angry.”
Rowan chuckled softly.
Rowan:
“That wasn’t even half of my Aura.”
The five young Vestigers immediately fell silent.
Finn’s eyes widened.
Finn:
“Not even half?”
Rowan nodded.
Rowan:
“If I had truly released it here…”
“…the five of you would probably have passed out.”
“And so would most of the villagers.”
Several villagers nearby exchanged nervous glances.
Doran gave an awkward laugh.
Doran:
“…Good thing you held back.”
Rowan only smiled faintly.
His gaze then shifted toward Aether.
Rowan:
“What about you?”
“Did you feel the Aura earlier?”
Everyone’s eyes immediately turned toward Aether.
Aether thought for a moment.
Then slowly nodded.
Aether:
“…Yes.”
“The pressure was very strong.”
Inside, however…
Aether was slightly confused.
Pressure…?
Is that what they felt…?
He tried to remember.
When Rowan released his Aura earlier…
all Aether had felt was something resembling a faint breeze.
So light…
that he had barely noticed it.
But seeing everyone’s reactions…
Aether decided not to say anything.
Rowan continued walking.
The others followed behind him.
As they walked along the village’s main road…
Rowan spoke again.
Rowan:
“A Vestiger’s Mastery also has ranks.”
“Each rank is divided into three stages.”
“Early.”
“Middle.”
“And peak.”
Lyra immediately listened carefully.
Rowan continued.
Rowan:
“The order begins with Awakened.”
“The stage when someone first learns to use their Vestige.”
“Then Adept.”
“Expert.”
“Master.”
“Grandmaster.”
“Apex.”
“Paragon.”
“And finally…”
“…Peak Mastery.”
Finn let out a low whistle.
Finn:
“That’s a lot.”
Doran nodded.
Doran:
“Sounds like we still have a long way to go.”
Rowan smiled faintly.
Rowan:
“You’ve only just begun.”
“Kael has reached Early Expert.”
“Lyra is currently at Peak Adept.”
“You three…”
His gaze shifted toward Finn, Doran, and Mira.
“…are still at Middle Adept.”
Finn immediately grabbed his head.
Finn:
“Ugh… So I’m the weakest.”
Doran immediately elbowed him.
Doran:
“No surprise there.”
“You’re the one who talks the most.”
Finn clicked his tongue.
They continued walking.
Not long after…
they arrived in front of the village’s weapons storage.
The building was simple.
But neatly organized.
Inside were swords, spears, axes, shields, and various metal tools commonly used by the village’s hunters and guards.
Rowan stopped walking.
He took an old iron sword from the rack.
The sword was covered in scratches.
Even the tip of the blade was slightly cracked.
Rowan raised the sword.
Rowan:
“My Vestige…”
“…Authority of Steel.”
Finn’s eyes immediately lit up.
Finn:
“Cool.”
“So you can control all metal?”
Rowan slowly nodded.
Rowan:
“As long as it’s within the limits of my abilities.”
“The higher my Mastery…”
“…the greater control my Authority gives me.”
He gripped the sword’s handle.
The next second…
a soft hum filled the air.
The metal blade began to move.
The crack that had split the tip of the sword…
slowly closed.
The scratches disappeared one by one.
Before long…
the old sword was completely restored.
It looked as though it had just been forged.
Doran’s eyes widened.
Doran:
“Whoa…”
Finn stepped closer.
Finn:
“So if my sword breaks…”
“…you can just fix it again, right?”
Rowan nodded.
Rowan:
“As long as the metal is still there.”
“As long as it hasn’t been destroyed by corrosion or completely lost its material…”
“…I can reshape it.”
He then raised his palm.
Several iron bars in the corner of the storage room suddenly began to vibrate.
Slowly…
the bars floated into the air.
The metal changed shape.
Stretching.
Twisting.
Then merging together.
Within seconds…
a brand-new steel spear had been formed.
Rowan casually tossed it toward Doran.
Doran caught it with both hands.
His eyes immediately lit up.
Doran:
“Perfect weight…”
Finn moved closer.
Finn:
“Can I borrow it?”
Doran immediately pulled the spear away.
Doran:
“No.”
Finn clicked his tongue in annoyance.
Rowan smiled faintly at their antics.
Rowan:
“On the battlefield…”
“Armor and weapons are just as important as a Vestiger’s strength.”
“That’s why this Authority helped me survive in the military for so many years.”
He took the spear back.
With a single wave of his hand…
the metal transformed back into several iron bars.
Aether watched the pieces of metal without saying much.
What Rowan had done was certainly impressive.
Controlling metal at will.
Changing its shape.
Then returning it to its original form.
But…
Aether felt nothing beyond the simple amazement of someone seeing a Vestiger’s ability for the first time.
He turned his attention back to Rowan.
There was only one question in his mind.
If a village veteran like Rowan could control metal to this extent…
how powerful were the Vestigers standing at the very top of the world?
Aether slowly nodded.
Aether:
“…Amazing.”
Rowan only gave a faint smile.
Then he released control of his Authority.
The floating pieces of metal slowly descended to the ground.
The swords and tools returned neatly to their places.
Rowan:
“If you’ve seen enough…”
“…let’s head back.”
“There’s still a lot you need to learn.”
Everyone nodded.
They continued walking, leaving the training ground behind.
At the back of the group…
several children were still trying to imitate Aether’s sword movements with wooden branches.
Meanwhile, the villagers who had gathered to watch slowly returned to their daily routines.
Morning in Nareth returned to normal.
In the distance…
the sky was beginning to shift toward noon.
No one realized…
that this peaceful-looking day…
would soon become the beginning of something far worse.