Hunt Race

"Again."

Kael tightened his grip on the wooden sword.

He stepped forward and swung.

The instructor sidestepped effortlessly.

Before Kael could recover—

Tap.

The wooden sword struck his shoulder.

"You'd be dead."

Kael exhaled and reset his stance.

Again.

He attacked.

A downward slash.

The instructor blocked it with one hand.

Tap.

A strike landed against Kael's ribs.

"You'd be dead."

Kael frowned.

"I know."

"No."

The instructor shook his head.

"You don't."

He pointed the wooden sword at Kael's chest.

"You're fighting to win."

"You should be fighting to survive."

Kael remained silent.

The instructor continued.

"In Green Moss Valley, you survived because you adapted."

"You stopped challenging the beast's strength."

"You watched."

"You learned."

"You waited."

"Out here..."

He gestured to the training grounds.

"...you're trying to overpower an opponent again."

Kael lowered his eyes.

He hadn't realized it.

The instructor walked over and adjusted Kael's footing with the tip of his practice sword.

"Your feet."

"They decide whether you live or die."

He stepped back.

"Again."

This time Kael didn't attack immediately.

He settled into his stance.

Balanced.

Steady.

Watching.

A faint smile appeared on the instructor's face.

"Better."

Without warning, the instructor lunged.

Kael instinctively stepped aside instead of blocking.

The wooden sword passed harmlessly by.

For the first time—

He wasn't hit.

"Good."

The instructor nodded.

"You finally moved before swinging."

Kael couldn't help but smile.

They continued for another hour.

Sometimes Kael managed to avoid a strike.

Sometimes he didn't.

More often than not, the instructor's wooden sword still found its mark.

By the end of the session, Kael was drenched in sweat.

His arms felt heavier than they had during the beast fight.

The instructor rested his practice sword on his shoulder.

"That's enough."

Kael let out a tired laugh.

"I didn't land a single hit."

"You weren't supposed to."

Kael looked up.

"The purpose of today's lesson wasn't attacking."

"It was learning not to die."

He turned to leave before stopping after a few steps.

"Oh."

Kael looked over.

"If you really want to become stronger..."

The instructor glanced toward the far end of the training grounds.

"...start paying attention to the hunters over there."

Kael followed his gaze.

A small group trained in silence.

Unlike everyone else, they barely seemed to move.

Yet every strike they exchanged was clean.

Precise.

No wasted motion.

No unnecessary strength.

Just skill.

Kael watched quietly.

For the first time...

He understood how far he still had to go.

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