"Here we are," Sirius said, his tone calm yet tinged with challenge.
The roar of the waterfall echoed through the valley, crashing violently against the rocks below. Lush greenery framed the cliffs, while the falling water poured into a crystal-clear pond, flowing gently into a river that twisted into the horizon.
Sukiro stood still, eyes wide as he took in the sheer height of the cascade.
"So… what am I supposed to do here?" he asked, confused.
Sirius smirked, arms crossed. "I did say we're going to be testing your strength, endurance, and stamina, right?"
"Well, yeah, obviously?"
"It's about time for your endurance test, Sukiro," Sirius said, stepping forward. "You're going to sit in the rocks beneath the waterfall."
"What?!" Sukiro's voice cracked with disbelief.
Sirius just smiled. "We need you to be able to concentrate mana under tough conditions. This method trains both endurance and focus."
"That water is falling from at least 400 meters!" Sukiro pointed out, panic setting in.
"Exactly." Sirius stepped forward. "Let me show you how it's done."
In a flash, Sirius jumped—leaping high and landing precisely beneath the thunderous waterfall. The force of the water crashed against him, yet he stood there unfazed, as if it were mere rain. Then he lowered himself, sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed, immersed in silent meditation.
Sukiro stared, wide-eyed. How is he pulling this off?!
The sheer pressure of the waterfall was unreal, and yet Sirius remained perfectly composed, utterly focused.
Sukiro clenched his fists. If he can do it, so can I!
He stepped into the shallow pond, feeling the chill of the water as he crossed. With a deep breath, he leapt up to the ledge beneath the waterfall.
Instantly, the crushing pressure hit him like a wall.
How does he do this?! he thought, gritting his teeth. This pressure… it's intense!
He struggled to sit down, the water battering his body relentlessly. The noise, the force, the cold—it was overwhelming. He glanced at Sirius, who remained still and composed.
Just focus… just focus…
With all his will, Sukiro closed his eyes and forced himself into a seated position. For a while, he held on.
And then… everything went black.
He awoke, floating on the calm pond, the roar of the waterfall now distant.
Did I pass out and fall into the pond? he thought, groggy.
He looked up. Sirius was still under the waterfall.
Sukiro clenched his fists again. I can't give up now… can I?
Fueled by determination, he leapt back onto the ledge. The pressure was just as bad—but his resolve was different.
"Focus on your breathing," Sirius finally said. "Don't push yourself to absorb mana. Let it flow."
Sukiro glanced at him and managed a small smile. "Thanks, Sirius."
Breathe in… breathe out… in… out… in… out…
They sat there together, the thunderous water surrounding them—but the mana around them had begun to respond.
It moved.
It danced.
And it flowed toward Sukiro.
He was absorbing it.
He was letting mana flow in and out..
Eventually, Sirius opened his eyes. A vast amount of mana had accumulated within him flowing through him. He stood up, walking over to Sukiro with a grin.
"Good enough, Sukiro. You did well—for a beginner!"
Sukiro's body trembled with exhaustion, his voice glitching slightly. "Yeah… I think so…"
Without warning, Sirius grabbed his leg and jumped, launching them both from the waterfall. Sukiro screamed in shock until they landed safely.
He groaned. "What was that for?!"
"You would've collapsed soon," Sirius replied nonchalantly. "So I got you out."
"You could have asked first!!"
The sun had dipped below the horizon. But the day wasn't over—not yet.
"For the final part of your training today," Sirius said, "you'll be running."
Sukiro stretched. "Running? That's going to be easy."
"Compared to earlier? Probably," Sirius said. "Just hold those rocks—one in each hand—and run five kilometers."
Sukiro turned to see the rocks. "Yeah, sure I'll just—wait. Those rocks?!"
"Yep. Ten kilos each. Good resistance training," Sirius said with a smile.
Sukiro chuckled nervously. "I've done so many things today… what's one more, right? Haha…"
"this is gonna suck..."
He approached the first rock, grabbing it with his right arm. He barely managed to balance it. With a grunt, he picked up the second.
"Good," Sirius nodded. "Now, run five kilometers. You have one hour and thirty minutes."
"We have a time limit?!"
"Obviously."
"Damn it…" Sukiro muttered, teeth clenched. "but I can't be weak anymore.."
He remembered the goblin attack. How Elijah defeated them so effortlessly. "I will be a S rank hunter" he thought determined
He started running. But time and again, he fell—the rocks slipping, his stamina draining rapidly. Breathing became a challenge. His muscles screamed for rest.
I… I can't breathe… this sucks…
But it's not like I have a choice.
Damn it!
He picked up the rocks again. "Just one more kilometer…"
His pace was slow, but he pushed through. His eyes were dead. His body was in agony.
But his spirit refused to quit.
At the end of the path, a soft light glowed.
Sirius stood there, holding a lantern, smiling proudly.
"Well done, kiddo. You pushed through."
Sukiro collapsed, using his knees for support. He smiled faintly. "Yeah… I did it…"
Sirius caught him just before he hit the ground, and without a word, hoisted him onto his back.
Meanwhile in the camel, Elijah smiled faintly as sirius approached the camp. "So he pushed through, I assume?"
"You best believe it," Sirius replied.
Sapphire clapped her hands, impressed. "That's incredible! He went through a elite D-Rank's training while still being E-Rank!"
Klaus stroked his chin thoughtfully. "That is impressive… almost too impressive…"
The others looked at him, puzzled.
"What are you implying, Klaus?" Sebastian asked.
Klaus's eyes narrowed. "It's just a theory, but a wild one. He's… adapting. Rapidly."
Sapphire's eyes widened. "You're saying he can adapt and improve? If that's true…"
Elijah's voice turned grim. "Then there's no limit to his powers."
The party fell silent. The campfire crackled in the stillness.
Sirius exhaled. "Crazy theory, Klaus. But I still think he's going to be a tank."
"And what makes you so sure?" Klaus asked.
"He survived today's training—the training of a tank—and did surprisingly well! Sukiro is a tank."
"That doesn't prove anything," Klaus replied. "What if he survives my training… or any of ours?"
"That won't happen," Sirius said firmly. "Everyone has only one class."
Klaus smirked. "That's for common people. And I don't think Sukiro is one of them."
"We'll see," Sirius replied, his tone firm. "Time will decide what he is."
Klaus's eyes gleamed. "You're afraid he'll be something else, aren't you?" he teased.
Sirius scoffed. "No, I'm not!"
Meanwhile, Sebastian and Sapphire were cooking dinner over the fire. You might wonder—how can one cook with nothing but a campfire?
Well, their party carried all sorts of tools. Cooking equipment, knives, tables—everything.
Sebastian was deep in thought. "if klaus is right, we have to make sure sukiro stays on the good path, no matter what"
He remembered Sukiro fighting the goblin. That goblin was D-Rank. Sukiro was E. No novice should have been able to win…
Then he felt a soft touch on his shoulder.
He turned to see Sapphire pointing to the pan.
The fish was now a charred, black lump.
Sukiro awoke in the tent, the glow of the fire shining through.
He stepped out. "What are you guys doin—"
He froze. "You're eating without me?!"
Sapphire waved her hands. "Calm down, Sukiro! We just set it up! Elijah was going to wake you."
Sukiro raised a brow. "Elijah? Really?"
"Right behind you," she pointed.
Sukiro turned. Elijah was walking back. Apparently, he'd just gone for a walk… and smelled food.
"Tch… guess I'll let this slide…" he thought
The group sat down, sharing stories and food.
Eventually, Klaus turned to Sukiro. "How was training?"
Sukiro's face darkened slightly. "It…" He paused. "It was brutal. I felt like I was going to die every step. I couldn't breathe… sometimes I couldn't even stand."
"But you still did it, right?" Klaus asked.
Sukiro smiled. "Yeah. I did it."
Klaus adjusted his glasses, smirking. "That means you're ready… for my training. And the others."
Sukiro's eyes widened. "There's more?!"
Klaus chuckled darkly. "You didn't think becoming an S-Rank Hunter would be easy, did you?"