Zelir couldn’t help but feel a jolt of excitement at the thought.

Manlin and Marvin were both Upper Level Mages... and then there was Instructor Lena, whom he had never met.

What would they look like in battle? What kind of Magic would they use?

’It would have to be at least Level Four, right? Maybe they’ll even show off some Level Five or Six Magic.’

’Opportunities to witness an Upper Level Mage in combat were rare.’

Zelir also remembered the standard for the Middle Level Mage exam.

One had to master a Four Level Multi-layered Spell Structure Magic.

’I wonder if I’ll be lucky enough to see one during this Monster Hunting trip...’

There were still a few days until the Monster Hunting officially began.

Zelir mulled it over.

’I should use this time to prepare...’

A thought suddenly popped into Zelir’s head.

’That’s right.’

’That area really is my biggest weakness right now.’

...

「Aoki Inn.」

Zelir stood outside a worn-out door and raised his hand to knock.

No response...

He knocked again, this time with more force. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

After a moment, a rustling sound came from inside the room, and the door was pulled open with a CREAK.

"Who is it...? So early in the morning..."

Gray rubbed his drowsy eyes, his blond hair a messy bird’s nest.

He sobered up a little when he saw who it was. "Oh... it’s you, Zelir."

"Dude, it’s almost noon. You’re not up yet?"

Zelir was a little surprised to see him in such a state.

But he quickly understood why—a strong smell of alcohol was wafting off Gray.

Peeking through the crack in the door, he could see several empty liquor bottles scattered on the floor by the bed.

"Haven’t had any missions lately."

Gray let out a huge yawn and said nonchalantly, "It’s rare to get some time off, so I decided to let loose a bit."

He welcomed Zelir into the room, then casually scooped up the dirty clothes draped over a chair and tossed them onto the foot of the bed, clearing a place for Zelir to sit.

"It’s all set for you to join the Monster Hunting," Zelir said. "The Adventurer’s Association should send you an official notice when the time comes."

"Really? That’s awesome!"

Hearing the news, Gray’s sleepiness vanished in an instant, his face lighting up. "You’re a real one, man! My treat tonight! Let’s go have a good drink at the Drunk Wild Boar!"

"That won’t be necessary..."

Zelir waved his hand dismissively. "But actually, there is a favor I wanted to ask you."

"What is it?" Gray asked, looking puzzled.

"I want to learn Swordsmanship," Zelir said seriously.

"Huh?"

...

「Black Stone Town.」

「Swordsmanship Training Ground.」

This was a training area in town specifically open to Adventurers.

The usage fee wasn’t cheap. It cost a full three Silver Coins per day, which was even more expensive than a room at the Night Flower Inn.

Most Adventurers couldn’t afford it and had to practice in their rooms or out in the countryside.

However, for the sake of a better training environment, Zelir paid the fee without hesitation and chose to come here.

The training area he rented was an open-air courtyard surrounded by high walls. The space was quite large, nearly ten meters long and wide.

The ground was covered in a thick layer of soft sand to cushion any falls.

Several tall weapon racks stood around the courtyard, filled with all sorts of training weapons.

There was everything from wooden swords, axes, and spears to unsharpened iron bludgeons, and even wooden training dummies.

Gray, dressed in practical clothes that allowed for easy movement, was stretching his neck.

He glanced sideways at Zelir, who had also changed into light clothing, still not quite understanding.

"Zelir, what made you suddenly decide you want to learn Swordsmanship?"

"I want to shore up my weaknesses as much as possible," Zelir said as he warmed up.

"Hah... I guess that makes sense."

Gray recalled the Power Zelir had shown when they arm-wrestled and couldn’t help but chuckle.

"You’re definitely strong; it’d be a waste not to learn some sword skills. But let me warn you, brute strength is one thing. When it comes to Swordsmanship, you’ve still got a long way to go."

"We’ll see about that."

Zelir’s competitive spirit was roused.

He picked through the rack and pulled out a standard-issue Wooden Sword of a moderate weight.

Gray also casually pulled out a Wooden Sword and walked to the center of the training area.

"Alright, come on. Let’s see how much talent you have for Swordsmanship."

Zelir gripped the hilt with both hands, mimicking the stances of Swordsmen he remembered. He pointed the tip forward, keeping the blade firmly on the centerline.

His breathing was light, his eyes focused.

Gray, opposite Zelir, looked completely casual. He held his sword loosely in one hand, his other hand even resting on his hip.

The two circled each other slowly in the center of the yard, their feet making soft shuffling sounds in the sand.

As the distance between them closed, Zelir felt an inexplicable pressure.

The usually goofy and carefree Gray seemed to transform into a different person the moment he held a sword.

His expression wasn’t fierce—he even wore a faint smile—but the aura around him felt sharp and dangerous.

’You never realize how dependable your allies are until you have to face them as an enemy,’ Zelir thought.

Without further hesitation, Zelir launched the first attack!

He took a sharp step forward and swung his Wooden Sword down, using brute force to knock Gray’s weapon straight off the centerline.

Then he immediately followed up with another step and a vertical slash!

However, just as Zelir’s Wooden Sword was about to hit, Gray shifted his body slightly to the side and brought his sword up in a reverse grip to block.

He steadily blocked Zelir’s strike and countered with a diagonal slash.

The move forced Zelir to hastily switch from offense to defense, but Gray’s attack was as fluid as flowing water. He changed his slash into a thrust, instantly breaking through Zelir’s guard.

THUD...

The tip of the Wooden Sword struck Zelir square in the chest.

If this had been a real battle, that single strike would have killed Zelir.

Round one: Gray wins.

"Not bad..." Zelir retreated two steps, rubbing his chest where the blow had left a dull ache.

"Want to go again?" Gray asked, casually withdrawing his Wooden Sword.

"Again!"

The two took up their stances again, swords held at mid-level, tips pointed toward each other from a distance.

This time, Zelir didn’t rush to attack.

He mentally analyzed his own offensive methods and the ways Gray might counter them.

’If I go for a vertical slash again, he’ll definitely block with a horizontal parry and then counter with a slash to my stomach...’

’So... what if I start with a Thrust?’

’No, a Thrust leaves an even bigger opening.’

’With the speed he just showed, he could definitely counter before I could recover my form.’

’And what if he uses a different counter? Like... dodging to the side?’

’Or maybe I should start with a horizontal slash and try to force my way through his centerline defense...’

"What’s wrong? Scared to attack?"

Gray watched him overthinking, a taunting smile on his face. "If I make the first move, you’ll have even less of a chance."