Valmor and Ephini stood quietly, watching Gilly. She knew deep down this might be the last time she'd be allowed to see Uyi while he was under the grip of corruption. After a few silent moments at his side, she turned, walking up to Valmor and Ephini, and bowed deeply in gratitude.
Then she spoke, her voice steady and firm."Please... teach me how to survive in this world."
Her eyes gleamed with determination, surprising even Valmor. He smiled softly, finally understanding why Seras had taken such an interest in this little one.
Ephini crossed her arms and gently pointed out,"It's not that you're weak—not in spirit, at least. It's your body. Your frame's too soft. Anyone with elven blood could tell just by how you move—you've never trained, have you?"
Gilly frowned, her confidence faltering. But Valmor gave a reassuring chuckle."Don't let that trouble you, little one. Zin will handle your training."
At that, her face brightened like morning light breaking through clouds. She eagerly led the way out of the room, unaware of the faint, mysterious marking that had just appeared on Uyi's neck as they left.
They walked for a short while until they reached the training grounds. Zin was lounging to the side, gazing calmly at the sky. When he spotted Gilly, he stood and approached, his usual detached expression in place. Valmor and Ephini quietly slipped away, leaving Gilly without her noticing.
By the time she realized they were gone, Zin stood directly before her, silent and watchful. The air between them was thick with unspoken words until Zin finally broke it.
"I'll be blunt. You might have a fair amount of mana… maybe even a strong elemental affinity. But physically? You're weak."His cold eyes held no softness.
Gilly bit her lip, clenching her fists tight.Why is he always so cold towards me…?But deep down, she knew it was the truth. And truth stung worse than cruelty.
Her head drooped as frustration swelled in her chest, her vision blurring with unshed tears."If only I'd been strong… none of this would've happened…"A tear escaped, sliding down her cheek, quickly followed by others. Zin arched a brow, surprised by her open display of emotion—but he waited. Would she break? Or fight back?
With trembling fingers, Gilly wiped her face, her red-rimmed eyes locking onto his without hesitation. She straightened her back and, with steady breath, declared:
"I'll be in your care, master."
For the first time, Zin's stern mask cracked into a small, approving smile.
"Good. Follow me."
Without another word, he turned, leading her into the depths of the forest.
When they reached the northern edge of the training grounds—the point where the forest began—Gilly noticed a sword driven into the earth, its hilt gleaming in the dappled sunlight. Zin casually approached, gripped the sword with one hand, and yanked it free with ease. Without a word, he tossed it towards her.
Startled, Gilly barely caught it, the unfamiliar weight throwing her off balance.
"No lessons?" she asked, confused.
Zin smirked."Lesson one: survival. We're running the entire village border. Try not to get left behind."
Before she could question him further, Zin leapt effortlessly into the trees. In the blink of an eye, he was crouched on a high branch, waving lazily at her before vanishing into the forest canopy ahead.
Gilly stared, stunned for a heartbeat—then gripped the sword tightly and began to run.
The forest floor was rough and uneven, every step testing her balance and strength. The blade in her hands felt impossibly heavy; her muscles screamed with each stride. Several kilometers in, her breath became ragged, her chest burning with every gasp. Sweat poured down her face, soaking her clothes. Still, she ran.
But Zin was long gone—no trace of him remained.
She stumbled, nearly falling, but forced herself onward, her legs moving only by sheer willpower. Another kilometer… then another… until her strength finally gave out. Her knees buckled, and she collapsed face-first into the dirt, the sword clattering beside her.
"I... (huff)... can't... (huff)... go any further..." she gasped, her body shaking, vision dimming.
Darkness crept at the edges of her sight. Just as she was about to lose consciousness, a deep, guttural grunt echoed from behind.
Her eyes snapped open. Turning her head slowly, she froze.
A massive forest pig stood roughly eighteen meters away, its thick hide marked by scars and patches of mud. Easily the size of a small car, it stared at her with black, soulless eyes, snorting heavily, its breath misting in the cool air.
Her heart skipped.
"So that's why he gave me the sword…"
With trembling arms, she pushed herself upright, grabbing the sword's hilt as the beast began to paw at the ground, preparing to charge.
Gilly gritted her teeth, swearing under her breath.
"Damn him… no warning at all…"
The forest fell silent as predator and prey faced off—except this time, she wasn't sure which one she was meant to be.
Gilly stood frozen, sword gripped tight in trembling hands as the monstrous boar snorted and scraped the earth. The beast was the size of a small car, its jagged tusks gleaming in the dying light.
Then, with a guttural roar, it charged.
The ground quaked under its weight as it lunged straight at her, faster than something that massive had any right to be. Gilly gasped and raised the sword instinctively. Metal met tusk with a deafening clang—and the sheer force sent her flying backwards like a ragdoll, flipping wildly through the air.
I can't block it... it's too strong!
As the boar rushed underneath her midair body, she twisted into a desperate spin—an awkward 360 turn—using the weight of the sword to catch its tusk again and push herself away. The impact jarred her arms to the bone, but it gave her distance. She landed roughly, rolling on the dirt several meters away.
Panting, she rose to her feet, sword scraping the ground. Her eyes faintly glowed now, her instincts sharpening, focusing entirely on the beast.
The boar raised one massive foreleg and slammed it down with thunderous force. The earth shuddered under her feet—the shockwave throwing Gilly off balance. She staggered, legs wobbling.
Damn it… can't stand straight…
Before she could regain her footing, the boar charged again. Its ugly snout and glinting tusks rushed toward her with terrifying speed.
With no time to dodge, Gilly threw her sword up in a desperate block. The impact cracked through her arms and chest like lightning—once more, she was flung like a broken doll, tumbling far across the clearing.
Coughing dust, she hit the ground hard, feeling her body scream in pain.
How... how weak am I… to struggle against a beast fit for bacon?
Her fingers dug into the dirt. But this time, when the boar came thundering after her, she didn't wait.
She ran.
Stumbling, gasping, half-dragging the sword, she bolted toward the training ground—the setting sun throwing long shadows across the clearing. Her lungs burned, her legs wobbled, but she didn't stop.
As she broke through the forest's edge onto the field, Zin was waiting—arms crossed, watching the southern horizon with a distant gaze.
She collapsed to her knees, gasping for air.
Zin turned casually at her arrival—then raised a brow as the forest shuddered behind her.
Emerging from the tree line was the giant boar, its bloodshot eyes fixed on Gilly, frothing at the mouth with rage.
Zin rubbed his chin thoughtfully."Mad boar, huh...?" he muttered with mild interest.
Gilly barely lifted her head, gasping. She wanted to shout a warning—but Zin simply smiled.
"Watch closely, Gilly. This... is what strength looks like."
He raised a hand and lazily swung it in a vertical arc, as if slicing the air itself.
A heartbeat later, a crimson line split the boar's forehead down to its belly.
Silence.
Then—with a heavy thud—the beast fell in two perfect halves, split cleanly, lifeless on the field.
Gilly stared wide-eyed from the dirt, too exhausted even to be shocked. Her mind reeled—not only at the impossibility of what she'd seen but at the simple, effortless way Zin had done it... with no blade, no stance... just sheer overwhelming power.
Zin glanced down at her, grinning.
"Same time tomorrow," he said softly—and vanished without another word, leaving only the whisper of wind in his place.
Gilly collapsed back to the ground, the weight of exhaustion finally dragging her into darkness.