“Yo… Mister Playboy…” When Ethan reentered the room after his conversation with the girl named Emily, his two friends, Lucas and Julia, welcomed him with grins that held a hint of mischief.
Rolling his eyes at their predictable antics, he braced himself for the upcoming teasing session. It wasn’t the first time they had jumped at the chance to rib him about anything remotely related to romance or relationships.
“How was your little chat with the mysterious girl?” Julia’s tone dripped with sweetness, but her twinkling eyes betrayed her true intentions.
Ethan let out an exasperated sigh, deciding to humor them. “Just a conversation, you guys. Nothing to write home about.”
Lucas arched an eyebrow, his grin widening. “Oh, come on, Ethan. ‘Just a conversation’? You’ve never been one to strike up random conversations with strangers, especially not attractive ones like her.”
Running a hand through his hair, Ethan felt his cheeks warm under their playful gazes. “Well, she needed to discuss something with me. Not a big deal.”
Julia’s smirk turned into a knowing one. “Something, huh? Care to share?”
Shaking his head, Ethan refused to give them more ammunition. “I hate to break it to you, but there’s really nothing juicy to spill.”
Hearing this, the smile on Lucas’ face widened. “It seems our Ethan finally managed to break free from that little edgy guy?”
“Tch….How much am I going to tell you that it is not like that?” Seeing that the point was once again turning into that, Ethan clicked his tongue. These two twins were talented at making everything into a joke.
“Ho? So, how is it like that, then? Whenever I see you, I feel like you are talking about him?”
“It is just how you feel.”
“Yes, yes.” Lounging back in his chair, Lucas let out an exaggerated sigh. “And here I thought our Ethan was finally stepping out of his hermit shell. Talking to mysterious girls—next thing you know, you’ll be exchanging love letters.”
Ethan shot him a mock glare, amusement slowly overtaking his embarrassment. “You guys are relentless.”
Julia shrugged nonchalantly, her smirk unrepentant. “Just making sure our friend’s social life gets some action.”
“You make it sound like I am not talking with anyone?”
“But, you aren’t right? Aside from us, whom are you talking with?”
When Ethan heard about this, he started thinking about his life in the academy. When it looked at this aspect, they were right. Ethan was someone who didn’t spend time with others aside from his friend circle.
“But, is that even a bad thing?”? He asked in response. He was no stupid guy, and he knew that if not for his surname, he would get rough treatment from everyone around him thanks to his rank.
“Well…..It is not that bad, but you should really meet someone, you know.” Julia answered. It was true that having low amounts of friends was not that bad, but she also wanted Ethan to explore the life of youngsters like her.
“Look at me….For example, I am meeting with someone.”
“HA! Who are you meeting with?”
“None of your business.”
“Tch. Of course, it is my business; I am your brother.”
“So?”
“At least, tell me. I am curious.”
“No.”
“Sigh…..”
While those two were bickering amongst themselves, Ethan’s thoughts turned to what he should do about Emily’s offer.
He had no reason to accept such an offer out of nowhere, but part of him was feeling pitiful after seeing Emily’s appearance. As Ethan could see, it was obvious that Emily’s family was having a hard time, as she explained, and he wanted to help her.
“Hey, guys. Do you know about Emily’s Family?” Ethan asked, diverting the conversation to a different topic.
Lucas waggled his eyebrows playfully. “Oh, is this another one of your ‘casual conversations’?”
Ethan sighed, used to their teasing by now. “Just answer the question.”
Julia leaned forward, her tone faux-serious. “Well, well. Our Ethan, showing interest in someone’s family matters? I’m shocked.”
Rolling his eyes, Ethan ignored their antics. “Come on, just tell me if you know anything.”
Lucas leaned back, putting on an exaggerated thinking expression. “Hmmm, let me think… Nope, don’t know anything.”
Julia nodded in agreement. “Yeah, Ethan. We’re just your friends, not your personal investigators.”
Ethan shot them a mock glare. “You two are impossible.”
Lucas chuckled. “Alright, alright. Fine, we do know a bit. Emily’s family is in a bit of a tough spot, financially speaking.”
Julia nodded. “Yeah, she doesn’t talk about it much, but she’s been trying to find ways to help out.”
Ethan frowned. “What do you mean, find ways to help out?”
Julia shrugged. “I’ve heard that she spends most of her weekends outside of the academy. Apparently, she’s been exploring dungeons to make some extra money.”
Ethan’s eyebrows shot up. “Exploring dungeons? That’s risky business for a cadet, no?”
Lucas nodded. “Yeah, but from what I’ve gathered, she’s pretty skilled. She’s been doing it for a while, I think.”
Looking at it like that, it seems what Emily said was not a lie. Of course, Ethan wanted to believe her, but in the end, he also needed to confirm those things.
“Then it makes sense.”
“What makes sense?”
“Nothing.”
Just like that, Ethan’s investigation concluded as his judgment on the matter. Just like a hero would do, he immediately judged that he should help a person in need….
*****
“I wish to use the PhantomGlide Dummy,” I declared, standing in the midst of the academy’s training grounds. My gaze was focused on a particular area, which was fairly empty at this hour of the day.
The academy personnel, a trainer overseeing the training activities, raised an eyebrow at my request. “Are you certain about that?”
My answer left no room for doubt. “Yes. I want to use my remaining ticket for it.”
A faint smile curved the trainer’s lips. “Very well, then. PhantomGlide Dummy it is.”
The PhantomGlide Dummy wasn’t your run-of-the-mill training tool. It catered to close combatants like me who aimed to enhance their skills in fast-paced engagements. What set it apart was its ability to move rapidly and unpredictably, simulating the agility and tactics of a real opponent. It demanded quick reflexes and adaptability, pushing trainees to their limits.
However, mastering the PhantomGlide Dummy wasn’t child’s play, especially for a first-year student like me.
At least for normal ones.
It required a high level of skill and a deep understanding of combat techniques. Only those well-versed in fighting principles and possessing a keen self-awareness could truly benefit from its challenging training.
‘Considering that I observed most improvement while directly sparring with Ethan, this should help me.’
While fighting with monsters and hunting them, I also improved, but I noticed that the more I sparred with an intelligent opponent, the more I could observe both mine and their faults and erase them one by one.
‘[Perceptive Insight] is truly a strong trait, isn’t it?’
“Alright, Astron. A quick reminder,” the trainer’s tone turned serious. “PhantomGlide Dummy is generally not recommended for first-year students due to its complexity and skill requirements.”
“I’m well aware, and I’m ready to take it on.” It was not a lie.
The trainer nodded approvingly. “Good. Just remember that initial frustration is normal, but every encounter with the PhantomGlide Dummy teaches valuable lessons. Don’t let setbacks discourage you.”
“I won’t.”
It was far away, waiting for me. The sun made long shadows, and there was a little breeze that smelled like grass.
I took out my two daggers and took a deep breath. The cold metal felt good in my hands. I got into a good position and looked at the PhantomGlide Dummy.
It was fairly early in the morning, so the training grounds were mostly empty. Aside from weirdos like me, nobody was here.
My feet shifted, a subtle adjustment in stance that was both instinctive and deliberate.
My eyes locked onto the PhantomGlide Dummy, its form appearing almost ethereal in the morning light.
It stood there, an inanimate object brought to life by the magic coursing through it. I flexed my fingers, the leather of my gloves creaking softly as I tightened my grip on the daggers. My heartbeat sounded calm, not matching the anticipation.
SWOOSH SWOOSH
I launched myself forward. The world around me blurred as I closed the distance to the dummy in seconds. The wind brushed against my skin, carrying a whisper of the challenges to come.
SWISH SWISH
The PhantomGlide Dummy didn’t waste any time. It came to life with unnatural swiftness, its movements a dance of agility and precision.
CLANK
My first strike was aimed at its side, but it sidestepped effortlessly, the air barely ruffling its form. I spun on my heel, my second dagger arcing toward its exposed back.
CLANK
Again, it eluded the blow, a mere shimmer as it glided to safety. I couldn’t help but be impressed by its speed, a true testament to its reputation.
But I wasn’t disheartened. Instead, I felt a rush of exhilaration. Each dodge, each evasion, was a lesson in itself. It was like a conversation, a silent exchange of tactics and techniques.
My eyes were observing every bit of his movements while fighting. The dagger in my hand felt like it was my limb.
Of course, that was an exaggeration, but the sensation was a lot different from how it felt before.
CLINK CLINK
I attacked again, a rapid combination of strikes that were met with equally swift counters from the dummy. It blocked with fluid grace, its movements almost mesmerizing. It was like dancing with a phantom, a dance of blades and agility.
CLANK CLANK
The rhythm of the battle intensified. I blocked its strikes, parrying with my daggers as I sought openings in its defenses. It was a test of my reflexes and adaptability—a challenge that I was going to win.
CLANK SWOOSH THUD
Every tenth attack I launched was met with a sudden burst of movement from the dummy.
It retaliated, striking back with uncanny accuracy. I had to be ready to block, to evade, to respond in kind.
This was one of the reasons why this dummy was not that sought after. It had an incredibly fast speed thanks to the special design, it had an incredibly good reading of the enemy’s movements, and when it attacked, its momentum was strong.
“Kurghk-”
I released a mouthful of saliva from my mouth as I felt the aftereffects of its attack. My body was tingling, but it was a rather refreshing feeling.
SWOOSH SWOOSH
This time, I started attacking while imbuing my mana on my daggers. Even though my mana control was still not that swift, at the very least, I could feel myself getting better at it.
It was awkward, but it was what it was.
The sweat began to bead on my forehead, my breath coming in measured huffs as the battle raged on. It was a dance of precision, a symphony of steel meeting steel. The training grounds seemed to fade away, leaving only me and the PhantomGlide Dummy.
CLANK CLANK
My focus sharpened, each movement calculated as I struck and parried.
But amidst the intensity of the battle, something changed. A fleeting vision, a mirage that shouldn’t be there amidst the PhantomGlide Dummy’s movements.
As I lunged forward to strike, I caught a glimpse of a figure in my peripheral vision.
The enigmatic figure from my recurring dreams stood at the edge of the training ground, just beyond my line of sight. The same figure that had shown me which art was suited for me was now taunting me with its mastery.
And amongst his taunts, my daggers moved as if guided by an unseen force, their trajectory shifting slightly.
CLANK CLANK
The PhantomGlide Dummy’s responses seemed different, almost as if it was adjusting to my new approach. 𝐕𝐥xt.𝑐𝞸𝔪
And at that moment, I saw the movements the enigmatic figure made. My world turned crimson as I observed the figure, understanding the essence of his moves.
The name of the skill appeared before my eyes.
‘Onslaught of Crimson Moon.’