The Dawn of strength

As Haruki and Yuki trudged back toward the hotel, Haruki winced with every step. His wounds throbbed, the fight with Arai still fresh in his mind. Yuki glanced over at him, concern etched on her face.

"You sure you're okay? You look like you're about to collapse," she said.

"I'm fine," Haruki muttered through gritted teeth. "I've been through worse."

As they approached the inn, Dante emerged from the shadows, his arms crossed and his usual smirk in place. "What the hell happened to you, Haruki? You look like you went through a blender."

Haruki rolled his eyes. "I got into a fight. Don't worry about it."

"Don't worry about it? You're bleeding all over the place! Come on, we're going to the hospital," Dante said, grabbing Haruki's arm.

Despite Haruki's protests, Dante dragged him to the nearest healer. After a brief visit, Haruki was patched up, but he refused to stay.

"I don't have time to sit around," Haruki said, clenching his fists. "I need to get stronger."

Dante raised an eyebrow. "Stronger, huh? What are you thinking?"

"I need to improve my Angel's Assault. I've only focused on speed and quick kills, but that's not enough. I need to learn how to defend, how to gain the upper hand, like Aiko used to do."

Dante's expression softened slightly at the mention of Aiko. "Alright, kid. If you're serious about this, I'll teach you. But this time, we're doing it right. No shortcuts."

Haruki nodded, determination burning in his green eyes.

"Oh, and one more thing," Dante added, glancing at Yuki. "You're part of this team now, so you're training too. We all need to step it up. If people are already targeting us, we've got to be ready for anything."

Yuki's eyes widened. "Me? But I'm not a fighter like you two—"

"No excuses," Dante interrupted. "If you're with us, you fight. Got it?"

Yuki hesitated, then nodded. "Alright. I'll do my best."

One Month Later

The trio stood in the forest clearing, the crisp morning air carrying the sounds of clashing steel. Haruki had spent the last month refining his Angel's Assault technique under Dante's guidance, but he still felt there was something missing.

"I want to learn a new style," Haruki said one day after training. "The Sword of Hope. It's a style built around defending and protecting. That's what I need right now—to protect my friends."

Dante scratched his head, looking skeptical. "The Sword of Hope, huh? Not exactly my specialty, but I can help you get started."

As Haruki practiced, Yuki trained in spellcasting, her once-clumsy techniques now brimming with precision and power. One afternoon, she sat beside Haruki after a particularly grueling session.

"That was hard, you know," she said, wiping sweat from her brow. "But it was fun. Don't you think?"

Haruki smirked. "Fun isn't the word I'd use, but I guess it's worth it."

Yuki laughed, then tilted her head, her expression turning curious. "Hey, Haruki, can I ask you something?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"That girl you mentioned, Aiko… Is she your girlfriend?"

Haruki blinked, caught off guard. "What? No, she's just… an old friend."

"Oh," Yuki said, her tone light but teasing. "So, do you have a type? In clothes, I mean."

Haruki stared at her, dumbfounded. "What kind of question is that—"

Before he could finish, Dante strolled into the clearing, clapping his hands. "Alright, lovebirds, enough chatting. Time to spar!"

Yuki flushed. "W-We're not—"

"Doesn't matter," Dante said, drawing his sword. "You two versus me. Let's see if you've actually gotten stronger."

Haruki stood, his dagger gleaming in the sunlight. "You're on."

The Sparring Match

Dante wasted no time, rushing forward with a cocky grin. "Let's see if you can keep up!"

He slashed at Haruki with his longsword, the force of the blow sending a gust of wind through the clearing. Haruki ducked, his dagger flashing as he countered with a quick upward slash. Dante parried effortlessly, spinning around to deliver a kick that sent Haruki stumbling back.

"You're still too slow," Dante taunted.

Yuki stepped in, firing a lightning bolt at Dante. He sidestepped, the bolt striking a tree behind him. "Nice try, Yuki, but you'll need to do better than that!"

"Fine!" Yuki shouted, conjuring a barrage of ice shards. Dante slashed through them with ease, his movements fluid and confident.

"Is that all you've got?" Dante asked, laughing.

Haruki seized the opening, darting forward with his Angel's Assault: Rising Gale technique. His blade moved like a whirlwind, striking at Dante from multiple angles.

"Not bad!" Dante said, blocking each strike with surprising ease. He retaliated with a powerful downward slash, forcing Haruki to roll out of the way.

"You're awfully cocky for someone fighting two people," Haruki said, wiping sweat from his brow.

"Cocky?" Dante grinned. "Nah, I'm just that good."

As Haruki and Dante clashed again, Yuki focused her energy, chanting under her breath. Suddenly, a massive fireball erupted from her hands, barreling toward Dante.

Dante's eyes widened as he leapt back, the fireball exploding just inches from where he stood. "Alright, Yuki! Now we're talking!"

Haruki took advantage of the distraction, rushing in with a feint to the left before spinning to the right. His dagger grazed Dante's arm, drawing blood.

Dante chuckled, shaking his head. "Finally landed a hit, huh? Guess I should start taking you seriously."

The spar continued, the clearing filled with the sounds of steel, spells, and laughter. Despite their exhaustion, Haruki and Yuki refused to back down, their teamwork pushing Dante to his limits.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Dante finally called for a halt. "Alright, that's enough. You two did good today. Better than I expected."

Haruki collapsed onto the grass, panting. "We'll beat you one day, Dante. Just wait."

Dante smirked. "I'll be waiting."

The chapter ends.