During that night, Malakai and Valentine discussed numerous scenarios of which the Third Pulse, Varnel, would use to get to Malakai.
Malakai had believed Valentine’s words, considering everything the ghost said had made perfect sense.
However, no matter how many scenarios they came up with, it was difficult to know which one exactly Varnel would go with.
Still, they chose the most likely ones and narrowed their focus to that. After coming up with countermeasures for all, they ended up calling it a night.
And just like that, time passed in a blur. Days turned to months, and on a cold morning, the loud clash of weapons filled the air as youths clashed continuously in a large field.
In the middle of this field were multiple instructors who stood with their hands behind their backs, watching the ongoing battles with focused eyes.
Occasionally, some of the instructors would disappear and reappear just as fast, having stopped one of the youths from delivering a killing blow.
‘They’ve improved,’ the head instructor, the man who had separated the fight between the Ninth and Sixth Vein, thought with a small smile.
It’s been almost three months, and as he scanned the youths, he was satisfied with what he was seeing.
Many who had struggled with even the most basic techniques had now learned them to an acceptable degree.
He didn’t even have to step in to stop a killing blow as often as before, except for the monsters that were the Veins, of course.
It was a good feeling. Seeing the students you trained improve at a good pace. Regardless…
‘Especially him.’
No matter how much he tried to observe the other battles, his eyes kept drifting back to one.
The sharp whistle of a blade ripping the air rang out. Malakai’s scythe screamed towards Renlo’s chest.
But before it could hit, his spear whipped up, colliding with the scythe in a burst of sparks.
Malakai followed up, stepping forward, his head shooting toward Renlo’s.
Renlo’s eyes widened, and he sent his body rolling to the side to evade. But Malakai was upon him in an instant, scythe tearing down.
The instructor’s eyes sharpened.
‘He had improved greatly.’
Contrary to what many would expect, the instructor wasn’t focused on Malakai.
No. His shocked gaze was fixed on Renlo.
There was no instructor, or even youth, in this class who didn’t know of the one they all called ‘Shivers’.
How he made it into the advanced class was still baffling to most. In the intermediate class, he had been paired up with one of the top students there and had somehow overwhelmingly won.
After that, the head instructor of that class had vouched for him, claiming he was good.
Still, the instructor had been baffled to see this coward in his class.
He had been preparing to demote him back to the lower class before Malakai had appeared, and been paired with him.
After that, the instructor watched the change unfold.
Renlo’s arms and legs were still trembling, but it wasn’t because of fear. It was because he was taking Malakai’s attacks head on.
His movements were now less passive and more active. He received attacks, and attacked back.
His eyes were focused, and while he barely survived the onslaught, it was still a major improvement.
‘It’s all thanks to him.’
The instructor’s gaze shifted to Malakai and narrowed.
He couldn’t really blame Renlo for changing.
Being paired up and clashing with this monster in human skin for months would change even the most timid of people.
‘Only he didn’t change.’
Looking at the others, their fighting capabilities had increased significantly, Veins included. However, from day one, Malakai had always been a monster.
The instructor couldn’t claim to have seen any clear improvement. His form had been flawless from the beginning.
But he had noticed something during the period. Malakai had slowed his pace, matching Renlo’s growth. And as Renlo’s mastery increased, Malakai effortlessly adjusted.
“Incredible.” The instructor’s eyes widened slightly.
With each clash with the monster in front of him, Renlo felt his bones rattling. Malakai’s strikes were heavy, his movements precise. Every attack was always a start for the next.
Facing this monster, even when he wasn’t using his full strength, there was no doubt about it, Renlo was struggling.
Still, he felt nothing but excitement budding within him. He had never felt anything like this before.
Since he could remember, Renlo had always hated battle. He hated the blood. The sweat. The sores.
And most importantly, how it made him feel. His fear.
Renlo had never been able to control it. Anytime he was about to face danger, he overthought and ended up being scared.
It had been the same when he faced the darkness creature. The same when he faced practically anyone.
But months of battling with Malakai had changed everything.
He had felt the brush of death more times than he could count. And eventually, he began adjusting.
He forced his body to stop trembling. Every time his fear started overwhelming him, he always asked himself one question:
He had survived this monster before… why couldn’t he do it again?
But that wasn’t where the change stopped.
The usual Renlo who had once trembled when walking at night toward his tree now walked calmly.
If he could survive a battle with that monster, then what couldn’t he do?
Now, as he battled Malakai, Renlo found that, for the first time in his life, instead of fear, he felt excitement.
Without even knowing it, a grin appeared on his face just as he parried one of Malakai’s attacks.
“Hm?” Malakai raised an eyebrow as he saw the grin on Renlo. He frowned slightly. “Looks like I’m going too easy on you.”
Renlo’s eyes widened. “No no no—!”
Malakai vanished from his sight, and before he could react, a sharp pain surged through the side of his leg.
‘He swept me off my feet!’ Renlo realized as he was sent crashing down. He turned his gaze downward, only for his eyes to widen.
Instead of the hard earth, the gleaming pointed tip of a scythe waited for him.
Renlo’s heart shook. His head was heading straight for it!
Just as it was about to pierce through his skull, he felt a strong grip, and came to an abrupt stop.
“Good job, you two.” The head instructor’s voice rang out as he placed Renlo down and retreated.
‘He’s still as scary as ever.’ Renlo gulped.
He gazed at the cold, crimson eyes of Malakai staring at him calmly and felt a shiver surge through his body.
“Alright! Lesson is over! Stop fighting!”
But just as Renlo got into a stance again, the sharp words of the instructor snapped him out of his focus.
‘Ah… thank you.’
Renlo breathed a sigh of relief.