I woke up… and for the first time in what felt like forever, the silence inside me didn't hurt.
The ceiling looked the same, the stiff mattress still pressed against my bones—but something was different. Something subtle.
The emptiness that used to gnaw at me was… gone. Or maybe buried so deep I couldn't hear it anymore.
I sat up slowly, wary of my own body. The world seemed clearer, more vivid. Even the air, which used to burn in my lungs, just… existed.
I walked over to the mirror. My eyes were still hollow, sure—but there was a light in them. A reflection I wasn't ashamed of.
"…Am I… better?"
I whispered it, afraid I might jinx it. I needed to be sure. So I tried.
The old reflex kicked in: pull mana, channel through my circuits…
Nothing.
No current. Not even a flicker. Not even a spark to mock me.
Only silence.
I closed my eyes, and that bitter taste of disappointment returned like bile.
"So this is it…"
I sighed, reaching for the doorknob. I didn't even know where I planned to go—but before my fingers touched it, I felt someone wrap their arms around my neck from behind.
I knew that touch. Instantly.
— "See, stallion? I told you you'd make it through one more day."
Ciny's voice was soft, warm. Like a scarf wrapped around the coldest part of me.
I exhaled.
— "Now I feel embarrassed."
She laughed gently, and despite everything, I cracked a crooked smile.
We stood there for a moment. No magic, no monsters, no fear. Just us. That rare stillness… fragile, but real.
But reality waits for no one.
— "So... now what?" I asked, my voice quieter than I expected. "What am I supposed to do without magic? I still have to fight... still have to survive."
Ciny stepped back and crossed her arms, wearing that face that always meant she had a plan.
— "We train. Old style."
— "Old style?"
— "Swordplay. No mana channeling, no spellwork. We'll find you an enchanted blade. Even without magic, if the enchantments are strong enough, you'll still be able to use some basic techniques. Not as powerful... but better than nothing."
I nodded.
— "Sounds good to me."
— "Then let's head to the arena's armory. Something might be waiting for you there."
We made our way down the stone corridors of the fortress. Sunlight filtered through the cracks in the ceiling, casting sharp shadows that danced along the walls. Our footsteps echoed—sharp and steady—like a heartbeat.
The armory doors groaned as they opened. Inside was a warrior's graveyard. Blades lined every wall. Broken shields. Forgotten staves.
The air smelled of oil and rust and old magic.
— "Go on, stallion," Ciny said with a smirk. "Pick something that screams your name."
I walked through the rows. I touched short swords, heavy axes, staffs engraved with glyphs I couldn't read.
But then I saw it.
A katana.
Slim. Lightweight. The metal gleamed like moonlight. The hilt was wrapped in black leather. Pale blue runes glowed faintly along the blade's surface.
I reached out. My hand tingled the moment I touched it.
— "This one."
— "Nice choice!" Ciny beamed. "Katanas are swift and easy to handle. Perfect for someone who needs to adapt quickly. Come on, we don't have time to waste—you've got a fight today."
— "Yeah… I know."
The training grounds were nearly empty. The faint roar of the other arenas rumbled in the distance like a dying storm.
We spent the whole afternoon there.
Posture. Breathing. Flow.
Ciny moved like a dancer—fluid and deliberate. I copied her moves, step by step. And slowly, the katana began to feel less like a weapon, and more like a limb.
— "Alright," she said, stepping back. "Let's test it. I'll send a weak spell your way—see if your new girlfriend here can block it."
— "I thought you only knew clone magic."
— "There's a lot you don't know about me, hot stuff."
— "Watch that tongue."
— "Hehe~"
She launched a small mana bolt toward me—barely more than a flicker.
I raised the katana by instinct.
The bolt split in two as the blade sliced through it.
I stared, stunned.
— "That's... amazing."
— "Mm-hm. And you can still improve."
We kept going. Over and over. Until sweat dripped from my chin and the muscles in my arms screamed. But for once, the pain didn't bother me.
It felt earned.
The sun was low when Ciny finally spoke again.
— "I already had my fight today, while you were training. Now it's your turn, stallion."
I looked at the katana, then back at her.
— "I hope I come back."
She placed a hand on my shoulder.
— "You will."
And I believed her.
I stepped toward the gate of the arena. The sound of the crowd hit me like a wave.
My heart was pounding.
But I wasn't alone anymore.
And this time...
It was my turn to fight.