The next morning felt… quieter.
Not outside.
The city was still loud. Still alive. Still celebrating new ranks and new futures.
But for Arin—
Things had settled.
He wasn't thinking about his rank anymore.
Not the way he did yesterday.
Now, he was thinking about something else.
"…How do we actually win?"
He stood at the edge of an open field just outside the city.
Lina was already there.
Staff in hand.
Practicing.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Each time—
She started casting earlier.
Each time—
The magic came out faster.
Cleaner.
More controlled.
"…You're improving," Arin said as he approached.
She didn't stop.
"Not enough."
Another cast.
This time, the light shot forward almost instantly.
"…Better," she muttered.
Then lowered her staff.
"You're early," she added.
"I didn't sleep much."
"Same."
A small pause.
Then she looked at him.
"…So what's the plan?"
Straight to the point.
Good.
Arin nodded slightly.
"We test it."
"Test what?"
"Your magic. My ability. Together."
Lina frowned.
"…You mean fighting something?"
"Yes."
She didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she looked toward the forest beyond the field.
"…Low-level monsters are fine," she said slowly.
"But if something goes wrong—"
"It won't," Arin said.
She gave him a look.
"You keep saying that."
"I know."
"…And you're not even a fighter."
"I know that too."
Another pause.
Then—
"…You're either very confident," she said, "or very stupid."
Arin shrugged.
"…We'll find out."
---
The forest wasn't far.
But the moment they stepped inside—
Everything changed.
The noise of the city disappeared.
Replaced by something else.
Stillness.
Not peaceful.
Just… quiet in the wrong way.
Lina tightened her grip on her staff.
"…Stay behind me."
Arin didn't argue.
Because she was right.
He wasn't here to fight.
He was here to see.
---
It didn't take long.
A low growl echoed from between the trees.
Lina stopped.
"…There."
A small creature stepped out.
Wolf-like.
Dark fur.
Sharp eyes.
Not large.
But fast.
"…Shadow Wolf," Lina whispered.
"Fast. Aggressive."
Arin focused.
The screen flickered.
[TARGET ANALYSIS]
[MOVEMENT PATTERN: LINEAR BURST]
[WEAKNESS: LEFT LEG DELAY (0.3s)]
His eyes narrowed.
"…It's not balanced."
"What?"
"Left side," Arin said quietly. "It hesitates."
Lina didn't question it.
Didn't have time.
The wolf moved.
Fast.
Too fast.
It lunged.
"Now," Arin said.
Not loud.
Not panicked.
Just… precise.
Lina had already started casting.
Earlier.
Before the attack.
The mana was ready.
Waiting.
The moment the wolf pushed forward—
She released it.
A sharp burst of light cut through the air—
And hit.
Direct.
Clean.
The wolf staggered mid-air and crashed to the ground.
Didn't get back up.
---
Silence.
Real silence this time.
Lina stood still.
Staff still raised.
Breathing slightly heavier.
"…That was fast."
Arin walked closer.
Looking at the body.
"…You didn't get faster," he said.
"You just didn't wait."
She lowered her staff slowly.
"…That felt different."
"Because you weren't reacting," Arin said.
"You were ready."
She looked at him.
Then at the wolf.
Then back at him.
"…Again."
---
The second one was harder.
Two wolves this time.
Faster.
More aggressive.
One circled.
The other charged.
Lina hesitated—
Just for a second.
"…Focus," Arin said.
"Don't follow them."
"What?"
"Pick one. Ignore the other."
"They'll flank—"
"I'll tell you when."
She trusted him.
Not fully.
But enough.
The first wolf moved.
Right side.
The second followed—
Left.
The screen flickered.
[ERROR DETECTED: COORDINATION GAP]
"…Now," Arin said.
She turned.
Released.
The first wolf dropped instantly.
The second hesitated—
Just slightly.
That was enough.
Lina had already started casting again.
Earlier.
Faster.
Second strike—
Done.
---
This time—
She smiled.
Just a little.
"…Okay," she said.
"…That was good."
Arin nodded.
"…It works."
Again.
Same words.
But this time—
There was something behind them.
Proof.
---
They rested near a tree.
Not long.
Just enough.
"…This isn't normal," Lina said.
Arin looked at her.
"What part?"
"All of it."
She gestured toward the forest.
"The timing. The calls. The way you… see things."
A pause.
"…That's not something people do."
"I know."
"Then what is it?"
Arin didn't answer immediately.
Because he didn't have a full answer.
Just a direction.
"…It's information," he said.
"Information people ignore."
She studied him.
"…And you don't."
"No."
Another pause.
Then—
"…Then what are we doing?" she asked.
Arin looked ahead.
Through the trees.
Toward something bigger than this forest.
"…We're fixing it."
She frowned.
"Fixing what?"
He didn't hesitate this time.
"The system."
---
They stood up.
Ready to head back.
But before they moved—
Arin stopped.
The screen flickered again.
Stronger this time.
Unstable.
Different.
[WARNING]
[MULTIPLE ERRORS DETECTED]
His expression changed slightly.
"…That's new."
"What?" Lina asked.
Arin looked deeper into the forest.
"…We're not alone."
A low sound echoed.
Not one.
Not two.
More.
Moving.
Fast.
Lina tightened her grip.
"…How many?"
Arin focused.
The screen struggled—
Then stabilized.
[COUNT: 5]
"…Five."
Her expression hardened.
"…We should leave."
Arin didn't move.
Didn't speak.
Just watched.
Thinking.
Calculating.
Then—
"…No."
Lina looked at him.
"…No?"
"If we run now," Arin said, "we learn nothing."
"They'll surround us."
"I know."
"…And you still want to stay?"
A pause.
Then—
"…Yes."
Not confident.
Not reckless.
Just… decided.
Lina stared at him.
For a long second.
Then exhaled.
"…Fine."
She raised her staff.
"…Tell me what to do."
---
The forest grew quiet again.
Too quiet.
Then—
They came.