---
Time passed quietly.
One full year, in fact.
Ryu turned 15, and Mina turned 13. They still lived in the same village, their modest home better built now thanks to Ryu's efforts. The wooden roof no longer leaked, and the kitchen finally had a second pot. It wasn't much, but for Rainforest, they were comfortable. Far more than most.
During that year, Ryu had become something of a quiet figure in the town. People called him for help—hauling supplies, escorting caravans, dealing with beasts in the outer fields. Never anything grand. Never glory. Just honest work.
And Ryu never complained.
He still trained every day. Still used the Mid Sword Art, now refined through real experience. Still improved his body with the Strengthening Technique, which had pushed him beyond the standard strength of a Trained Class. But most importantly, he kept learning how to move better—faster, smarter, smoother.
He remained at Expert Class, but it was a polished, firm kind of strength.
Rainforest no longer had anything to teach him.
---
Departure
It was early spring when Ryu decided to travel.
He didn't leave because of some grand calling.
Just… he realized he was too used to winning.
Fights were easy. Work was manageable. His body moved well even when half asleep. The labor that once challenged him now felt like a morning stretch.
He needed something that pushed back.
Only one region in the Southern Continent was known for its toughness.
> Ambriza.
Located in the Southwest, it was a place of high cliffs, red soil, and rough people. Bordered by rough terrain and home to dense, beast-filled forests, it was famous for producing Regional Class Mobs—a miracle for a continent so weak.
People in Ambriza trained seriously.
The poor learned to fight.
The strong were respected.
The weak didn't complain—they adapted.
---
Mina had been quiet when he told her.
"Are you… leaving for a long time?" she asked.
"Three or four months," he said. "Maybe more. You'll stay with Aunt Ri's family, okay? I've left them with enough silver."
"I want to come."
"No."
"I'll behave."
"No."
She pouted. "You're just afraid I'll beat you at swordplay before you return."
He ruffled her hair.
---
Arrival in Ambriza
Traveling from Rainforest to Ambriza took nearly ten days. Ryu joined a caravan heading that direction. Bandit raids were frequent in the wilderness zones between towns, but the sight of Ryu sharpening his sword kept most troublemakers quiet.
The roads became redder. The hills steeper. Trees more twisted. And when they finally reached Ambriza's border town, Clayhorn, Ryu immediately knew…
> This wasn't Rainforest anymore.
The buildings were sturdier, made from sandstone bricks and black wood. Most men and women walked with weapons on their hips, whether they were Mobs or not. Children trained with dull blades in open yards. Food stalls sold strange, spicy meats. The language was rougher, but still understandable.
Ryu could feel the air was heavier.
And for the first time in over a year—
> He didn't stand out.
---
A Different Culture
In Rainforest, a Trained Class Mob was nearly a legend. An Expert Class like Ryu? Unheard of.
But here, in Ambriza?
> He was just above average.
There were other teens his age already in Trained Class. A few adults at Expert. Stronger ones too—men with sun-hardened muscles and eyes that had seen real war. He even spotted a tall woman at the plaza who carried herself like a Master Class Mob.
No one gawked at Ryu's sword. No one called him impressive.
And Ryu liked that.
---
First Clash
On his second day in Ambriza, Ryu was helping lift crates for a merchant when he was approached by a boy in his late teens—maybe seventeen.
"You look like you're from Rainforest," the boy said.
"I am."
"You a Mob?"
"Expert Class."
The boy raised an eyebrow, surprised, then smiled. "Want to spar? Friendly match. No serious injuries."
Ryu paused, then nodded.
They found an open sand patch behind a smithy.
The boy moved fast. Not flashy, but controlled. His blade had no wasted motion. He used short steps, body feints, and took good angles.
Ryu dodged the first few swipes. Blocked the next three. His eyes sharpened.
When he moved—Flash Step—the boy's face changed.
Ryu appeared behind him, blade held near the boy's neck.
The boy surrendered.
But instead of being humiliated, he grinned.
"You're pretty good."
"Thanks."
"What's your name?"
"Ryu."
"Name's Kashta. Let me buy you dinner. I think you'll like the real food here."
---
New Routine
Ryu settled in Clayhorn with a small room above an old stable. It wasn't fancy, but the rent was fair. He worked part-time helping with beast hunts, hauling construction stone, and even giving a few sword basics to local kids.
He trained harder now.
Here, even effort had weight.
Fighting Ambrizan beasts forced him to dodge properly. One mistake and you lost blood. The sword duels were faster, less predictable. He started watching local martial artists, learning tricks Rainforest techniques never taught him.
He even started creating his own sword forms—subtle changes to footwork and angle that fit his reflexes better.
---
Letter to Mina
One night, after returning from a quarry beast job, he sat down to write Mina a letter.
> Mina,
Clayhorn is red and dry. The people talk loud, and the food stings your tongue. But they train hard. I'm learning things I never knew I was missing.
I hope you're still training. You better be. I can't have you surpassing me while I'm gone.
I'll send you sweets from Ambriza next month. Tell Aunt Ri I'm doing fine.
P.S. I saw a goat climb a vertical cliff yesterday. I don't know why. Maybe it was trying to show off.
–Ryu
---
The Whisper
Late one evening, as he was returning from the beast fields, he overheard a conversation near the tavern.
"…I heard a World Class Mob passed through Ambriza last week."
"World Class? That's a legend. We don't get that kind of power down here."
"No, I swear. People said the man just walked past a monster wave. Didn't even raise his hand. Everything within twenty steps just collapsed."
Ryu kept walking.
He didn't believe the story. Or rather, he didn't care if it was real.
He wasn't aiming for that.
All he wanted—
Was to be ready for anything.
---
To be continued...