chapter 398 — beginning of training in the s-rank dungeon
I left the mansion before the sun had even risen.
The morning air was cold and silent. I walked through the nearly empty streets of Valor thinking only about what Scarlet had said the day before.
She wouldn't teach me anything at first.
She would only observe.
That bothered me a little, but at the same time it made sense. If she didn't know how I fought, there would be no way for her to know what to correct.
I arrived at the agreed meeting point, near the entrance of the S-Rank dungeon. Scarlet was already there, leaning against a rock with her arms crossed.
"You're punctual," she said.
"So are you."
She pushed herself off the rock and began walking toward the entrance.
"Today I won't fight. I'll just watch."
"Understood."
"Don't try to impress me. Fight the way you always do."
I nodded.
We descended through the dark corridors of the dungeon. The air inside was heavy, damp, and thick with mana. The kind of place where any carelessness cost your life.
A few meters ahead, the first group of monsters appeared. Large creatures, with thick skin and long fangs, typical of that kind of dungeon.
I slowly drew my sword.
Took a deep breath.
Advanced.
The first monster came straight at me. I dodged to the left and cut along its side. The second tried to strike me from behind. I turned my body and blocked the blow, pushing the blade against the creature's arm.
Two more came together.
I used mana in my legs and advanced quickly, cutting one of them before it could react. The other retreated, but soon charged again.
It took me a few minutes to bring them all down.
When the last one fell, I took a deep breath and looked at Scarlet.
She said nothing.
She only made a gesture with her hand for me to continue.
We moved down the corridor. More monsters appeared. This time in greater numbers.
I fought the way I always fought.
Direct strikes.
Using mana to reinforce my body.
Fast attacks to end the fight as quickly as possible.
When I finished, I was already sweating.
Scarlet continued observing me in silence.
"Continue," she said.
We advanced deeper into the dungeon.
Another group.
Then another.
Then another.
Time passed without her saying a single word.
At some point, I started to feel uncomfortable with that silence.
Until, after another fight, she finally spoke.
"You leave your guard open all the time."
I stood still, breathing heavily.
"What do you mean?"
"When you attack, you expose yourself too much. You trust that you'll defeat the enemy before it can react."
I thought about what she said.
"You hesitate too."
"I don't hesitate."
"Yes, you do. Before the first strike, you always calculate too much. That gives the enemy time to move."
I stayed silent.
She stepped a little closer.
"You're strong. Very strong. But you fight like someone who has always depended on strength to solve everything."
I looked at the sword in my hand.
"So what do I do?"
"For now, nothing. Keep fighting. I'm just observing."
We continued.
This time, when the monsters appeared, I tried to pay attention to what she had said.
I attacked.
And I realized.
When I raised my sword for the strike, my left side was completely exposed.
And before attacking, I really did think too much.
I finished that fight slower than the others.
Scarlet gave a slight nod.
"You noticed."
"Yes."
"Good. That was the first lesson."
We sat for a few minutes to rest.
The silence of the dungeon was broken only by the distant sound of creatures moving.
"I've always fought like this," I said.
"I know."
"Why was it never a problem before?"
"Because no one was strong enough to punish your mistakes."
That made sense.
I stood up.
"Let's continue."
We fought for some more time.
Or rather, I fought and she observed.
With each confrontation, I tried to correct my posture, keep my guard tighter, attack with less exposure.
It was strange.
I felt slower, but at the same time more aware.
After hours, she raised her hand.
"That's enough for today."
I sheathed my sword.
"This was only the first stage," she said.
"I know."
"You have a lot to correct."
"I figured."
We began walking back toward the dungeon's exit.
As we climbed, I felt a strange sensation.
As if I were being watched.
I discreetly looked to the sides.
Nothing.
But the feeling was still there.
Scarlet noticed my glance.
"What is it?"
"Nothing."
I knew that feeling.
And I knew exactly what it was.
But I chose not to say anything.
We left the dungeon.
The sun was already high in the sky.
I breathed in the fresh surface air and felt my body tired, but my mind strangely alert.
Today I hadn't learned any new strike.
No new technique.
But for the first time, I had seen flaws I had never noticed before.
And that, somehow, bothered me more than any wound.
I returned home in silence, with the clear feeling that this training would be far more difficult than I had imagined.
And that someone, somewhere, was watching me the entire time.