From Outcast to National Power: Training Begins

Even after the blazing sun rose, Ha-eun still couldn't pull herself together for a while. She'd drunk so much, it was only natural. It wasn't until nearly evening that she finally managed her first meal of the day, and with her, I headed to the association's training ground.

And... I should probably say this upfront, right?

"First things first, let's make this clear. Ha-eun-ah."

"What...?"

"You're right—you've got no talent. Be honest. You've been getting all the support for eight years, and this is the result?"

"…."

Ha-eun hung her head at my words.

"From the family's perspective, you're a total liability."

"I... guess so...."

"Even in that situation, there are three reasons why I'm stepping in to help and train you." I held up three fingers.

"One. You've got other talents."

Unfortunately, Ha-eun had no gift for the Park family's swordsmanship. But that didn't mean she lacked all talent. Just yesterday, she'd summoned fire to her sword for the first time. Her growth potential was clear as day.

"Two. No matter how you slice it, I can't understand them abandoning you."

You can lack talent. You can be a family liability. But ditching the daughter they were grooming as heir in some back alley? No matter how I looked at it, something was off. There had to be more to it.

"And three. You're useful to me."

Honestly, this was the most important from my standpoint. If I didn't need her, I wouldn't be helping for real.

"And what exactly do you want? Revenge on the family? ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠If you want to wipe them out entirely, tell me now. It'll change the direction of our lessons."

"N-no, nothing like that!... I just...."

She trailed off. After a moment, she murmured softly.

"I want... recognition...."

"You want to go back to the family?"

"N-no... I've already been cast out.... But I want to show them my efforts... my growth. At least prove that being a Park isn't wasted on me...."

Recognition, huh. Honestly, I didn't get it. I preferred satisfying myself over others' approval.

"Is that why you hated me stepping in?"

"Yes. It has to mean something if I do it myself. At least to my brother... maybe then the family would look at me differently...."

Well, her goal wasn't all that violent. I'd figured a timid girl like her wouldn't be thinking "kill 'em all." It just came off a bit spineless, though.

Thwack!

"Eek?!"

I half-draped myself over Ha-eun's shoulder and said,

"And right now, someone's offering to guide you, but you're benchmarking against a mere A-rank hunter? I told you yesterday. I'm making you national power level."

"Haha...."

"Why the laugh? I'm dead serious. If we're doing this, let's make them regret kicking you out."

Goals should always be big. The problem? One little issue.

"But I've never trained a human before."

"Uh... what?"

"If I go full dragon method, you might not last a day before screaming your last breath."

Even Terra survived absorbing those spirit gems because she's a dragon at heart. So, what method to use? Attaching someone like Bern would be ideal, but I couldn't drag him here.

Hmm. Guess the best way is to dive right in!

"For today, I'll be your sparring partner. Gotta check your skills in detail anyway."

"Y-you, sis...?"

"Yeah. You've only watched from the sidelines—we've never actually sparred."

To really gauge her, this was the way.

Screeech—

"Welcome. Please present your hunter ID."

"Here."

The Busan training ground was impressively large. Probably because so many hunters hung around. Felt like two soccer fields stitched together.

"I'd like to rent a sparring arena. Something sturdy, if possible."

"With a B-rank hunter present, you can use the special arena. Fee is 100,000 won per hour."

Eh...? 100,000 won...? Screw this, why not just hit the hills behind...?

"I-I'll pay! Here!"

Did she read my face? Ha-eun hurriedly shoved her card at the clerk.

"Whoa, Ha-eun-ah, loaded much?"

"I'm scared you'll do something weird, sis!... "

"Weird? I'm frugal, that's all."

Step, step—

Inside the arena, all sorts of machines and tools caught my eye. Punch testers, weird bat-like things.

"World's come a long way. What's this?"

"Th-that's a dynamic vision tester."

"Neat. I just beat the hell out of sandbags back in the day."

"Sandbags...? You did that too, sis?"

"I practiced when I first handled power, yeah? We had moving ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ones. Orcs."

Ha-eun blinked at "orcs," looking utterly baffled.

"For real. They were everywhere back then. Noisy bastards, so I swept 'em once."

I positioned myself at one end of the arena.

"You get the gist? Come at me full power. Oh, stream okay?"

"Sure."

As I fiddled with my hunter watch,

Clink—

"Huu...."

Ha-eun gripped her sword hilt, ready.

"I'll get serious ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠too, so give it everything."

Click—

One step. Two steps. Three steps.

Clang!

"Your stance takes too long. Three steps is plenty to see and prepare."

I stopped Ha-eun's forward lunge—sword first—with two fingers.

Definitely not B-rank strength levels. Her ingrained swordsmanship tried to overpower anyway, so that needed fixing.

Thwack!

"Ugh?!"

I flicked her blocked blade, sending Ha-eun's sword flying. It spun twice in the air before hitting the ground. I frowned slightly.

"Grip harder. What kinda swordsman drops their sword?"

"Y-yes, ma'am!"

Ha-eun snatched her fallen sword and charged again, raising it high for an overhead smash. Sloppy form, though. Narrow stance. Forced learning.

Thwack!

"Aaaack?!"

A Magic Missile nailed her forehead. Stung like a bee, sending her stumbling back before she could swing.

"Useless form. Ditch what the family taught you."

"B-but—"

"It's not helping now. Bern gave you the basics, right?"

She probably couldn't grasp it. Like telling her to demolish her sandcastle and rebuild. But her current style had obvious limits—no more growth there.

"At least tweak the techniques to fit you."

"Ugh... got it!... "

Thud!

Next, she spun, using momentum for a slash. Decent form, but for speed-focused, the burst acceleration was lacking. Opposite of Bern's endless speed bursts in their last spar.

Claaang!

I blocked without moving, just lifting my tail.

Clang!Clang!

I stayed rooted, flicking my tail to parry her attacks. Her swings slowed—fatigue setting in?

"Got nothing stronger?"

"Haa... haa... I-I'm trying my best!... "

She reset her stance, gripping two-handed like for a finisher.

"Nngh!"

Fwoosh!

A small flame sparked at her blade tip.

"Guess that's your best for now."

Thud!

She lunged faster than before, sword leading. Mastering artifacts boosts physical stats too? Interesting. Maybe boosting body first amps artifact response.

I moved to block with my tail again.

Clang!

"...! Hot?!"

The heat traveled through my scales. I reflexively shoved her sword away with my tail.

Twaang!

"Eek!"

Ha-eun flew back but kept her grip, somehow steadying.

But what shocked me was...

'Even through my scales... enough heat to reach me if I'm wide open?'

My scales block heat, obviously. They'd shrug off demon realm lava. Feeling burn from my tail? Something special....

Wait. I'd felt something like this once before. Back home, fighting over treasure—blowing half the demon continent away. The Demon King's attacks.

His fire. The look, the power. No rotting flesh stench, but the raw heat sensation? Eerily similar.

"That flame...."

"...Pardon?"

"What is it?"

Of course... fundamentally different. Too "gentle" for Demon King fire.

Still.

"Sis...?"

"Things just keep getting more interesting."

Worth researching, for sure.