The next morning came faster than expected.
Or maybe I just didn't sleep much.
Either way, I was already outside before the village fully woke up.
The air was cool.
Quiet.
Normal.
A sharp contrast to the forest.
"You're up early," Pip said, appearing beside me.
"Couldn't sleep," I replied.
"Thinking about it?"
"Yeah."
He nodded. "Good. Means you're taking it seriously."
I stood up, stretching slightly.
"Before we go back," I said, "I want to test something."
"Your new skill?"
"And the dagger."
Pip grinned. "Now you're thinking like an adventurer."
We headed to the outer edge of the forest—just enough danger to practice, not enough to die.
"Start small," Pip said.
"I plan to."
A familiar rustling sound came from nearby.
A Forest Fang stepped out.
Level 1.
This time…
I didn't feel nervous.
I stepped forward.
Confident.
"Let's try this."
The creature lunged.
I activated Quick Step.
In an instant, my body shifted sideways—faster than before.
Cleaner.
More precise.
"Nice!" Pip said.
I followed immediately with a strike.
No hesitation.
No panic.
The dagger cut clean.
The creature stumbled.
I stepped in again—
"Energy Strike."
The hit landed.
The creature dropped instantly.
Enemy Defeated
I exhaled slowly.
"That was… easy."
"That's growth," Pip said.
"No," I said. "That's a big difference."
He smiled. "Exactly."
Two more creatures appeared soon after.
This time, I didn't even think.
Move.
Dodge.
Strike.
Everything flowed naturally.
Quick Step for positioning.
Dagger for damage.
Energy Strike to finish.
Within moments—
Both creatures were down.
Enemies Defeated
Experience Gained
I stood there, barely out of breath.
"Okay," I said. "Now I see it."
"You've improved a lot in a short time," Pip said. "That's dangerous, you know."
"How is that dangerous?"
"Because fast growth attracts attention."
I frowned slightly. "From what?"
He didn't answer.
That was becoming a pattern.
I looked deeper into the forest again.
The memory of that creature came back instantly.
The pressure.
The silence.
The control.
I tightened my grip on the dagger.
"I'm still not ready," I said.
"Correct," Pip replied.
"But I'm closer."
"Also correct."
I took a step forward.
Then stopped.
Not yet.
"One more round," I said.
"Good call."
We spent the next hour fighting smaller monsters.
Practicing.
Refining.
Learning.
By the end of it, I could feel it clearly.
The difference.
Not just in strength.
In control.
In awareness.
In confidence.
I wiped sweat from my forehead.
"Alright," I said. "Now I'm ready."
Pip looked at me.
For once…
He didn't smile.
"Now," he said, "you're less unready."
I sighed. "I was waiting for that."
He floated ahead slightly.
"But yeah," he said. "This is the point."
"The point?"
"Where you stop being a beginner…"
He looked back at me.
"And start becoming something else."
I looked toward the deeper forest.
This time…
I didn't feel fear.
Not the same way.
It was still there.
But now—
It was mixed with something else.
Focus.
Determination.
"Let's go," I said.
And this time…
When we stepped into the forest—
I wasn't just reacting anymore.
I was ready to hunt.
Even if something far stronger…
Was waiting for me in the dark.