Kael continued staring at the empty space where the Crystal Devourer had stood.
His mind refused to accept what his eyes had witnessed.
A creature that had forced him to flee, one capable of destroying stone with a casual swipe of its claws, had vanished with nothing more than a flick of Lyra's finger.
There hadn't been an explosion.
No overwhelming aura.
No legendary spell.
Just... absolute control.
Lyra walked back toward the lake as though she had merely brushed away a falling leaf.
"You seem disappointed."
Kael blinked.
"Disappointed?"
"You expected a spectacular battle."
"I..."
He hesitated.
"I expected something."
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"That was something."
She knelt beside the lake and gently touched its surface. Tiny ripples spread outward, disturbing the perfect reflection of the underground sky.
"The greatest warriors do not waste effort."
Kael slowly approached.
"What did you do?"
"I cut it."
"You... cut it?"
She nodded.
"The space it occupied."
Kael frowned.
"I don't understand."
"You aren't supposed to."
She stood once more.
"If you understood it now, you would already stand where I do."
Kael let out a quiet breath.
The more she spoke, the more he realized how insignificant his current strength truly was.
He had celebrated defeating an E-Rank beast.
Yet to Lyra...
Such a creature wasn't even worth acknowledging.
She turned toward him.
"Show me your stance."
"My stance?"
"With your weapon."
Kael looked down.
"My weapon broke."
"Then use your hands."
Though confused, he obeyed.
He planted his feet shoulder-width apart, lowering his center of gravity just as Rowan had taught him years ago. One hand extended forward while the other remained near his waist, ready to draw a sword that was no longer there.
Lyra circled him slowly.
"You've been trained."
"My father."
"A blacksmith."
Kael's eyes widened.
"How did you know?"
"The calluses on your hands."
She gently lifted his right hand.
"They're not the hands of someone raised by nobles."
Her gaze shifted to his stance.
"Your father understood combat."
"He used to be a Hunter."
Lyra nodded.
"I can see that."
She suddenly tapped his shoulder.
Kael stumbled.
Before he regained his balance, she tapped his elbow.
His posture collapsed.
Another light push against his knee sent him to the ground.
He hadn't even seen her move.
"Too rigid," she said calmly.
"You rely on strength to maintain balance."
She offered him a hand.
Kael accepted it and stood.
"Again."
He assumed the stance once more.
This time Lyra attacked.
Or rather...
She appeared in front of him.
Kael instinctively threw a punch.
She wasn't there.
A finger lightly touched the back of his neck.
"If that were a blade..."
She disappeared again.
Another tap landed against his ribs.
"You would already be dead."
Again.
His wrist.
Again.
His chest.
Again.
His forehead.
Within less than a minute, Kael had been struck more than twenty times.
He hadn't landed a single hit.
Sweat rolled down his forehead.
"I couldn't even follow your movements."
"You were trying to."
She folded her arms.
"Instead of seeing me..."
"...see where I must be."
Kael frowned.
"What does that mean?"
"A sword can only reach certain places."
"A fist has limits."
"A spear has direction."
She picked up a small crystal from the ground.
Without warning, she tossed it toward him.
Kael caught it.
"It flew toward your hand because that was its only path."
She pointed toward the surrounding trees.
"So do people."
Understanding slowly dawned on him.
"You're saying..."
"...predict movement."
"Exactly."
She smiled approvingly.
"Strength defeats the weak."
"Technique defeats the strong."
"Wisdom defeats everything."
Kael silently repeated those words.
They sounded simple.
Yet they carried a depth he couldn't fully grasp.
Lyra walked toward one of the crystal trees surrounding the lake.
"Attack me."
Kael hesitated.
"I don't think that's a good idea."
"It isn't."
She agreed.
"But do it anyway."
Taking a deep breath, Kael rushed forward.
He aimed a straight punch toward her shoulder.
She shifted half a step.
His fist struck empty air.
Using almost no force, she placed two fingers against his arm.
Kael felt his balance disappear.
The next thing he knew, he was lying on the ground staring at the cavern ceiling.
He blinked.
"What..."
"I didn't throw you."
She looked down at him.
"You threw yourself."
Kael slowly sat up.
"I don't understand."
"You committed your weight."
"When I removed your target..."
"...your own momentum defeated you."
She extended her hand again.
"This is your greatest weakness."
"You believe victory comes from overwhelming your opponent."
She shook her head.
"True victory comes from making your opponent defeat themselves."
Kael accepted her hand and rose.
For the next several hours, Lyra taught him nothing flashy.
No legendary techniques.
No forbidden arts.
Instead, she corrected the smallest details.
How to breathe during movement.
How to distribute his weight.
How to observe an opponent's shoulders instead of their weapon.
How to recognize hesitation.
How to move without wasting energy.
Every lesson seemed insignificant on its own.
Together...
They completely changed the way Kael viewed combat.
By the time they stopped, his body was exhausted.
Yet his mind felt clearer than ever before.
A notification appeared before him.
Void Breathing
Proficiency increased.
Void Step
Proficiency increased.
Combat Efficiency Improved.
Kael smiled.
"So the System recognizes improvement even without killing monsters."
"It recognizes growth."
Lyra corrected.
"There is a difference."
Kael nodded thoughtfully.
Before he could ask another question, Void Sense suddenly activated on its own.
Several unfamiliar presences had entered the surrounding tunnels.
Not one.
Not two.
At least a dozen.
Each one stronger than the Void Fang Alpha.
Kael's expression immediately became serious.
"You sensed them."
Lyra said.
He nodded.
"They're coming here."
"They are."
She looked toward the dark tunnel with an expression that remained completely calm.
"They've awakened because of you."
"What are they?"
"The true rulers of the Upper Abyss."
Deep growls echoed through the surrounding tunnels.
The crystal trees began trembling.
The underground lake rippled violently.
One by one...
Pairs of glowing eyes appeared within the darkness.
They weren't hunting.
They were gathering.
And every one of them was staring directly at Kael.