The Northern White Yeti (2)
Regaf Krauzen. The intelligence agency agent, right? He looked incredibly old. His graying hair and beard, along with the wrinkles, clearly screamed frailty, but that rigidly straight-backed body of his... it was bizarrely solid. It felt like swinging a weapon at an iron wall. Knowing your attacks wouldn't land made it feel so powerless somehow.
We'd been at it for nearly 30 minutes straight without a break, hounding him relentlessly. But we still hadn't made that white yeti budge an inch. He swung his massive axe as lightly as a feather, blocking every single assault. Not a single gap in sight. Even if we aimed for his back, it was like he had eyes there—he'd shatter our stances with uncanny precision.
"This is weird, right...?" Vina panted, jamming her sword into the ground to prop herself up. "He doesn't have eyes everywhere, so how can his reactions be this fast?"
As Vina groaned, Elvin picked up the axe we'd somehow knocked away and said, "Instructor always gets misunderstood because of his size—he's slow, they think—but I've never seen anyone faster or with quicker reflexes than him."
He even grinned, adding that even bears fled before the instructor. "Elvin... why are you grinning like that?!"
I'd rolled into a snowball, poking just my face out with a pop! and yelling. His eyes shone like he was proud of his teacher.
"Ahem, slipped out."
"Finding an opening definitely won't be easy," Iri said. She'd recovered her stance quickest among us and still had some gas left, her eyes never leaving Regaf.
"If we can't find one, we make one."
We all stared at her. What did that even mean?
"Wrap your rings as best you can. We rush him all at once."
"This is just training, though...?"
"Getting to go all-out against an opponent who won't get hurt? That's a rare chance."
Vina nodded unconsciously at Iri's words. "Well..."
"Makes sense." Elvin glanced at Regaf, agreeing it was spot-on.
An opponent we could truly unleash on without worry. If they wouldn't get hurt anyway, why not treat it like real combat? That's what she meant—we'd learn something from it.
"Yufir."
"Yeah?"
Iri looked at me. "Whatever you're hesitating about, just do what you've been doing."
She knew I wasn't going full throttle. Makes sense—she'd fought right beside me, and someone as sharp as her would notice. Even Regaf, seeing me for the first time, had clocked my holding back instantly.
"Alright, then..."
Iri was about to signal when—
"That's enough."
Thud. Regaf set his axe down, and it sank straight into the ground, standing upright.
"What, planning to go all day? You've got places to be."
Oh right—we'd snuck out here. We'd used our free time, but regs didn't allow coming this far.
"Well, sparring like this gives me a rough gauge." Regaf approached, eyeing each of us one by one. "Impressive. Excellent for trainees. But..."
I thought he'd toss us a carrot, but nope—whip incoming.
"You're all too honest. Your eyes and body language give everything away. Where you want to strike, how you'll move—it's all plain as day."
Regaf looked at Vina. "Quick on the uptake, but too considerate. Caring for teammates is fine, but never the enemy."
"Yeees..." Vina scratched her head with a hehe.
Next up: Elvin. "Grown a lot, but still lacking composure. No need to panic if one path closes. Your narrowing vision makes it easier for foes as time drags."
"Yes, sir..."
"Your losses probably came from similar spots."
"Exactly, sir."
Elvin bowed his head at the cold critique.
Then Iri. "What are you, anyway? Where'd you come from?"
"...?"
Not a critique, so Iri tilted her head.
"Only one reading moves ahead. But stubborn—pushing when you could pivot. Normally I'd say fix it, but that trait got you here, so it's fine."
"Th-thank you...?" Iri's eyes widened in surprise as she nodded. Critique, sure, but mostly praise compared to us.
"Finally."
A massive shadow engulfed me.
"Pink kid."
"Well, I'm not really a kid..."
"Most obvious intent was yours, obviously." Regaf stared me down. "Not even hiding it—you practically announce your target. No deception in those eyes or moves."
"...Eep."
Ouch. Spot-on. Movements facing death were still beyond my control anyway.
"Like you marked my neck or something."
I flinched, shoulders shaking.
"Hah, can't hide for shit. Instructor ever call you out for bad at lying?"
"Spot on..."
"Haha!" Regaf laughed like he'd known. "But here's the thing. Same reason as that red girl—I can't tell you to fix it. Those sucking-you-in moves scream intent, but that's why they explode with power."
My jaw dropped. One fight, and he'd dissected me completely.
"Hmm... tricky. Honestly, no clue what critique would help you grow. Best I got is..." Regaf leaned in, peering into my pupils. "Next time, go all-out. You're marching into the jaws of death yourself. Not sure if that's your goal, but fighting half-assed against enemies... you'll be gone in a blink."
Go all-out. But my full power only kicked in when killing something. That's what it was from the start—not just making me strong. It surged only when facing death, intent on reaping it.
What do I do in a spot like this?
An opponent I could only beat at full power. But one I couldn't kill... what then?
Three days passed. We kept roaming the snow mountains, repeating drills, and hitting up Regaf for personal pointers during free time. Naturally, we couldn't land a hit; he just got better at countering as he learned us. Raw strength plus veteran savvy—beating that was a wall way too high for us.
Rustle.
I'd barely slept, so the tiny noise snapped my eyes open. Peering over, Elvin was getting up, heading somewhere.
"Elvin?"
"Ah... did I wake you?"
"Hehe, couldn't sleep anyway. Where to?"
"Just... need to think. Don't worry, not sneaking off like last time."
Insomnia hitting me too, I followed for some air. Brutally cold wind, but perfect for clearing the head. Back to the barracks' glow, we gazed at the starry sky—the dark made that all we could see.
"Yufir."
"Yeah?"
"Actually, I owe you an apology."
"Huh, really?"
Elvin rubbed his neck sheepishly. "After our first spar, I avoided you without thinking."
"Oh yeah, you were acting weird!"
"Haha, no excuse. I never expected to lose, so I was embarrassed... and scared of your killing intent."
Hmm, shouldn't I apologize for losing control of my death-sight power? But letting it slide seemed easiest.
"Truth is, I'm a huge coward—unlike what everyone thinks."
Elvin opened up candidly. "They call me cold, composed... but I just hide it. Folks who see through—like instructor—spot it quick."
Yeah, Regaf nagged Elvin most about staying calm, despite his stone face.
"That guy with the greatsword back then... probably clocked me too. Knew exactly how to handle a coward like me."
Elvin bit his lip in frustration, fists clenched, trembling. Greatsword dude brought up an unwanted face.
"Facing death over and over... forgot how to overcome the fear."
He dropped his head with a thud.
"Hehe, same here."
Sorry Elvin, but coward buddy vibes had me giggling.
"Flinch at a shout, shake at danger—no controlling it. That mission sandwiched between senior and Iri..."
I doodled in the snow—bat like Batman.
"Pitch black, nothing visible, so I collapsed. Dumped everything on them."
Fear of being left alone. Now, total darkness felt like a trigger.
"Iri grabbed my collar, yelled something. Ears ringing, didn't catch it all, but snapped me out of it."
"As expected... Enposiem's different."
"Yeah, Iri's on another level. Wanted to be like her, so despite terror, I psyched myself: do it. And boom—made a ring."
Tiny dark-red ring swirled at my fingertip.
"Hehe, maybe fear blinded me to the goal right nearby."
Super embarrassing spilling my flaws.
"B-but better than before, right? Used to not see blood at all! Now... still squeamish, but improved! S-so what I'm saying is!"
I babbled to a vague conclusion.
"No need to rush! You're less coward than me anyway? Taller, longer limbs, stamina beast... keeps making me feel worse..."
Elvin chuckled, nodding.
"Rushing from impatience... might've blinded me too."
He gazed at stars, exhaling deeply. A bit relieved maybe.
"But I'm no average coward. Might top you."
"Oho, got enough coward tales stocked?"
"Plenty."
About 30 minutes of swapping scary stories. Got sleepy, headed back first. Elvin a bit later.
Regaf eyed the four trainees, axe over his shoulder. Days of grinding showed exhaustion plain on their faces.
"What, didn't blab I'm giving personal lessons?"
Despite the torment, no despair in their eyes. Especially those two—eyes worth noting.
Elvin's clearer than before. Used to project his fears onto tormentors; now stared straight at the foe.
And the other.
"Haha."
Who else had eyes that terrifying on a kid? Regaf's throat tightened oddly. Like it'd cleave him soon.
"Expecting full sincerity today."