As always i paid the ten silvers for the usual alcohol Sui demanded, and we trudged back to Orm's forge.And as usual, Sui accepted the booze without a word, gave us his usual zy wave, and kicked us out.The final walk of the day was silent. Elise and I were too tired to talk, too exhausted to think.By the time we reached the city outskirts, Elise went her separate way, and I returned home.Inside, my twin siblings immediately pounced on me, demanding to py. My mother gave me a concerned look, and my father simply nodded in understanding.Dinner was a blur, my mind barely registering the taste of food before I colpsed into my bed.And as my body screamed in protest, I knew—Tomorrow, we will do it all over again.At some point, the impossible had become routine.The ankle weights? They no longer dragged us down. It was like as if it was just a yer of my skin.The dungeon? It no longer felt impossible. We smash and kill all goblins we id our eyes on.
Something had changed.We were stronger. Faster. Our bodies had adapted to the brutal training.And yet, we hadn't even noticed.Sui had, though.And that same knowing smile remained on his lips."You're starting to feel it, aren't you kids?"We didn't answer.But deep down—we knew.The morning air was crisp and cold, a biting chill that settled deep into our bones. It was the st day of our training—though, by now, the word "training" felt too soft to describe the relentless punishment Sui had put us through.Elise and I stood in the courtyard, our bodies honed from a month of torment, yet still aching from yesterday's hellish routine. The once brutal ankle weights we had cursed daily no longer felt as burdensome, our legs having adapted to their presence like second nature.I gnced at Elise, her usual confident smirk repced by an expression of quiet focus. She wasn't the same girl I had met that day in the dungeon—her stance was firmer, her posture unwavering. Sharper. Deadlier.And me? I didn't need a mirror to know I had changed too. My movements were smoother, my muscles denser, my body more in tune with itself.We were stronger. Much much more stronger than before.And Sui knew it.Sui sat in his usual spot, barefoot and draped zily in his loose robes. His eyes remained half-lidded, as if he had just woken up, but we both knew he never missed a thing.He took a slow sip of whatever mystery liquid sat in his gourd before exhaling deeply.
"Get lost, i don't wanna see your faces for awhile I'm getting sick of seeing you kids everyday, I need a ME TIME got it? A ME TIME!"
"And don't come back here until you've defeated the fifth floor boss got it?"His words dropped like a heavy stone, sending a ripple of silence through the courtyard.I blinked. Elise stiffened beside me.
The Hellish training is finally over? Wait did he say Fifth Floor Boss? Just the two of us? Can we even do it? Does he want us to die inside the dungeon?
My mind is boiling from what I've heard.
Sui leaned back against the wooden pilr, tilting his head slightly as if pondering his next words. Then, with a slow grin, he added,"I'm not saying you two can solo it, back in my days I did solo a boss before it was a piece of cake. But if you can do it then try, you also have the ability to build a team or join one to get it done. But the catch is—"His eyes finally opened fully, sharp and serious."You two will be at the front of that team fighting that 5th floor boss."The words settled in. I felt the weight of their meaning press against my chest. The front line. The shield. The ones who would take the brunt of the danger while leading the charge.Sui didn't just want us to be strong.He wanted us to be leaders or something?For the first time since meeting him, I understood, I think he want us to create a party."If you successfully finish my test," he continued, smirking slightly, "you have my word—I'll teach you Magia cultivation that you wanted so much to learn and throw in some battle skills."Elise inhaled sharply. I clenched my fists.Magia cultivation.
Battle skills.The key to unlocking real power. The power that separated ordinary divers from legends.Sui stretched his arms above his head and yawned. "Alright, kids, that's all. Now go. Don't bother my naps."Neither of us spoke.We simply bowed.Not out of obligation.But out of respect.We owed this man more than we could ever put into words.Then, without hesitation, we turned and walked out of the red door of the courtyard.The transition from the secluded training yard to Orm's forge, Bear Paw, was like stepping from one world into another.Inside the courtyard, it had been quiet, disciplined, suffocating.Outside, the forge was alive—filled with the constant ring of metal against metal, the billowing hiss of steam, the earthy scent of burning coals and molten iron.Orm was waiting just outside, his massive frame partially silhouetted by the forge's glow. His thick arms were crossed, his beard singed at the edges from long hours at the anvil.For a long moment, he simply looked at us.Then, his deep voice rumbled through the air."Just don't rush without thinking first."His words were heavy. Not a warning. Not a lesson. A plea."Just come back."A pause."I'll give you a discount on repairs."Elise and I blinked—then ughed.That was as close as we were ever going to get to Orm showing emotion.Still, the meaning behind his words was clear. He was telling us to survive.We turned to him, grinning. "Thanks, Gramps," we said in unison.Orm grunted, rolling his eyes, but we didn't miss the faint curve of his lips.And with that, we stepped out of Bear Paw and into the streets of the city.The te afternoon air was cool and fresh, a stark contrast to the forge's suffocating heat.
The streets of Dragnir were still lively, merchants packing up their stalls, adventurers returning from their dives, and city folk going about their business.For the first time in a month, we weren't walking back to the forge.For the first time in a month, we weren't going to wake up and train in that courtyard.We were finally free.But as we walked toward my home, the reality of what y ahead sank in.The fifth floor.A challenge that would determine whether or not we would be worthy to learn true magia cultivation.Elise exhaled beside me, rolling her shoulders."So... a team, huh?"I smirked, cracking my knuckles. "Sounds like a pain."She elbowed me. "Yeah? Well, we better get used to it."I gnced up at the darkening sky, the stars beginning to peek through.
