"If you were in my place what would you have done instead?" Jin looked up at Becky as he slowly got up on his feet. This was the first day they had a mock battle but he took it seriously. He always appeared cheerful and laidback when he was talking to them but once he started fighting, he became a different person. Unbeknownst to him, he earned Becky's respect with his fighting mentality - yet he would never know about this at all.

"Since your opponent uses speed to their advantage, then use your spear to tie them up instead of using your s.h.i.+eld first. Your s.h.i.+eld movements are versatile, but you can't keep on waiting to be hit first. Take the preemptive strike next time and push them back. Drag them to your speed or pace where you are most comfortable with. I use daggers so your spear has an advantage at that part. To me your s.h.i.+eld is nothing more than a nuisance."

"If you put it that way then it really does make sense. Thanks. I'll keep that in mind for this today's weapon practice as well." Jin collected himself before having a drink of water. As per their training routine, next would be his mock battle with Elias while Becky trained with Sebastian.

"Next would be sir Forgotten One. Are you ready for this fight or should I not even warm up and just take it easy?" Becky stood in front of Sebastian as she readied her two wooden daggers again. She had a fierce gaze as she looked at Sebastian. He could almost feel the animosity from her aura.

"Like you said yesterday, please treat this as an actual battle and not a training session. I also need to learn more and to meet your standards." Sebastian was still using a single wooden sword as he only started training dual sword wielding that morning.

"Well said - although I would prefer it if you learn and develop in this lifetime. Otherwise it would be such a waste of mana stones from your previous world."

Rivie took a step forward as if to signal the both of them to prepare for the spar. "That is enough. Let's get on with the training session. Same rules apply, begin when I give the signal."

Sebastian took a deep breath as he prepared his stance and focused on his mana.

'She is too quick for my basic senses. Time to put my training to the test. [Augmentation] Steel body and mind, Enhance all senses.' He kept practicing the flow and grouped his [Augmentation] processes into similar a.s.sociations. This method enabled him to use it at a faster pace and to augment multiple body systems at once - although his naming style was a bit too bland.

"Begin!"

Becky raised the corner of her mouth again as she smirked before using her skill. 'We'll see if he actually learned anything from yesterday. [Shadow Step].'

'I see it! She's gathering the mana on the b.a.l.l.s of her heels while in her stance. She's going to use it to launch herself towards me? That's crazy.'

To the untrained eye, She disappeared with a blur again. However Sebastian was ready this time. 'She's actually doing it multiple times to go faster and to circle around me! She's coming from the left side!'

Sebastian gripped the wooden sword hard. Hearing her lesson with Jin, he needed to take the first strike and bring her to his speed. Using his augmented muscles, he swung towards his left!

'What? He was able to sense me? It doesn't matter. My speed isn't the only thing, don't look down on my agility!'

Becky leaped over Sebastian's strike as she somersaulted in the air. 'With this I can easily hit your head again. Pitiful. [Rock Kick]'

'Tense right leg and right shoulder. She's leaning inwards meaning she will somersault and turn.' Sebastian was able to read her movements this time even before she jumped.

She used her weight as she spun and kicked where his head was. In this case, where she thought his head was supposed to be. Feeling no resistance from her kick, Becky knew something was off. 'Eh? Don't tell me he also used [Shadow Step]?'

As soon as Sebastian saw her jump up, he ducked down and prepared an upward slash. Using both of his hand to grip the sword, he slashed with brute force.

THWOCK!

Sebastian felt his sword recoil from hitting something hard. 'Did I break her bone? s.h.i.+t!' He instinctively stepped back.

Seeing that he was crouched down and preparing to slash, Becky knew she couldn't avoid his strike. 'This sly b.a.s.t.a.r.d! I'll have to use both daggers!' She placed the two daggers in the sword's trajectory as she continued to spin mid-air. Deflecting the bone-crus.h.i.+ng strike, she used the momentum to land a few steps away from him. She immediately crouched down and got into an attacking stance again.

'Is she okay? I think she's actually hurt!' Sebastian noticed that Becky appeared to be crouching down after the exchange. "Oi! Are you okay?"

'[Shadow Step], [Dagger Throw]'

Before giving an answer, Becky dashed forward explosively!

'Eh? She's still fighting me? Block it!' It was Sebastian's turn to be on the defensive as he tried to use his sword to block her frontal piercing strike. However he felt a quick jab at his head!

'What was that? Huh? She actually threw her dagger at me?' He noticed after the sudden strike that it was just a feint. While he was thinking about the dagger thrown at his head, Becky appeared in front of him and ruthlessly kicked his chest!

'[Rock Kick]'

"Ack!" Sebastian could only gasp as the wind from his lungs was knocked out of them forcefully. With Becky's explosive momentum behind her kick, it definitely felt as if Elias had kicked his chest with his raw power. Needless to say he dropped his sword as he clutched his chest instinctively.

"Stop! Finished!" Rivie shouted with urgency as she ran forward and immediately administered [Heal] on Sebastian.

"That was impressive in the sense that I didn't knock you out. I even expected some serious damage with my front kick. Your [Augmentation] has improved. However don't be an idiot and close your eyes as you're about to hit your target. That's why you didn't know if you hit me or if you just hit my two daggers. Were you actually scared that you hit me? Ridiculous. You're still lacking."

Becky this time walked over to the weapon rack as she placed her weapons in their appropriate s.p.a.ces. She also drank herbal tea which was prepared beforehand. 'I used a lot of my mana in that exchange. To think that he grew this much since our exchange yesterday. I understand what they see in him now. I need to train him faster, he's not ready even with this.'

***

Trenlants Forrest. It was located to the east of Wildecross City. Due to the dense tree canopy, it seemed that it was always dark and damp in this place. It was also the place where beginner adventurers frequently went for low-ranking adventures whether it was herb collection, hunting, or even animal subjugation. As of this moment, the stillness of the forrest was being broken by an adventurer desperately running and panting without rest.

'It's all gone to s.h.i.+t! This was supposed to be a basic subjugation mission! This was supposed to be b.l.o.o.d.y E rank! Now everybody's dead and the mutated wolves are after me. s.h.i.+t!'

Jack was running full speed back to Wildecross. He even abandoned his main armour and s.h.i.+eld to make haste in his escape. He was holding onto his long sword for dear life, he even lost the scabbard during the tussle earlier.

Jack and his friends all came from the countryside. Everyone had their reasons to become an adventurer, but they had a common goal: to earn a decent wage and settle down in one way or another. They even composed an all-rounded party consisting of a vanguard, an attacker, a mage, and a healer. They were all rank E adventurers, yet they were having fun and learning the ins and outs of adventuring together.

'Everyone knows it's wolf hunting season now. Why are there mutated wolves here?! It wasn't mentioned in the request. We were not ready!'

Having encountered their first mutated beast, his party was caught in disarray. They were easily overwhelmed with the brute force and tenacity of a single mutated beast, however mutated wolves also hunted in packs. It was enough to wipe his party out - almost completely. Now he was the only survivor left on a desperate run back to the safe walls behind Wildecross.

As he was about to reach the edge of the forrest, he heard a series of low growls in front of him. It froze Jack's heart as he slowed his pace to a stop. His heart was still beating furiously and his breathing was shallow as ever as he prepared his combat stance. Even in this situation he couldn't betray his training.

'I don't need to fight them all, I just need to make a way for me to dash through. I have to go back and report this to the adventurer's guild! Ether, G.o.ddess of fate, please grant me a miracle. I don't care if I spend the rest of my days as a slave. I just need the rest of my days!'

Jack dashed forward as he threw his body onto the mutated wolf blocking his path. Mutated wolves were exposed to mana for long periods of time so their bodies and minds were warped. They became bigger and more efficient hunting machines at the cost of their rationality.

'[Cross Slash]! After I hit this mutated wolf I need to run without looking back!

His slash found its mark as the mutated wolf whimpered away with a mortal injury. With that single blow, Jack's morale rose as he started to gallop towards the edge of the forrest. What he didn't count on was the other members of the pack waiting for him.

'This was supposed to be a rank E subjugation quest.'

When the mutated wolves were done with him, only his longsword remained to mark where he had fallen.