Blank paper

A bright morning illuminated the yard of the old church that served as the headquarters of the Hestia Familia. Morning dew still hung on the leaves, creating a soft shimmer when touched by the sunlight.

In the quiet courtyard, two figures stood facing each other—Bell Cranel and Kazuma Shinrai.

Only the two of them were there, while the goddess Hestia was still attending a divine banquet that had not finished since yesterday. The cool morning breeze blew through Bell's white hair and Kazuma's black hair.

Kazuma looked at Bell with his sharp blue eyes, carefully assessing the young man before him. Bell appeared nervous under that gaze, his hands fidgeting with the hem of his jacket.

"Bell," Kazuma broke the silence, "do you know what your weakness is in battle?"

Bell blinked, surprised by the direct question. "My weakness? Um... maybe strength? I'm not as strong as other adventurers..."

Kazuma shook his head. "Not strength. Strength can be gained through training and status increases."

"Then... my speed? Or perhaps my fighting technique is still amateur?" Bell tried to guess again.

"You're thinking too narrowly." Kazuma walked around Bell, observing his posture. "Yesterday in the Dungeon, what did you feel when facing those monsters?"

Bell looked down, remembering their battle on the 8th floor. "I... felt overwhelmed. Every movement I made felt... unnatural."

"Exactly," Kazuma stopped in front of Bell. "You fight like someone who has read a fighting manual without ever being properly taught. Every movement is stiff, as if you're thinking too hard about what to do next."

"But I've fought many monsters..."

"And you survived because of luck and your quick adaptability. But that's not enough, Bell."

Bell looked slightly downcast, but his eyes showed determination to accept the criticism. "Then what should I do, Kazuma-san?"

Kazuma looked directly into Bell's eyes. "Bell, you're like a blank piece of paper."

"Blank... paper?"

"Yes, a very blank piece of paper," Kazuma nodded firmly. "You've never had a teacher who truly taught you how to fight. You've survived by relying on instinct and raw power."

Looking at Bell in front of him, Kazuma thought that even though Bell would eventually be trained by the Sword Princess, Aiz Wallenstein had never trained anyone before. She was an instinctive fighter, not a teacher.

Bell remained silent, processing Kazuma's words.

"Don't misunderstand," Kazuma continued, "you have extraordinary potential. But right now, you're just a blank piece of paper waiting to be written on."

"I... understand," Bell finally nodded. "So, what should I do?"

A thin smile appeared on Kazuma's face. "Today I'm going to train you, Bell. From being just a blank piece of paper to becoming a beautiful one."

Bell's eyes widened, shining with hope. "Really? You'll teach me how to fight?"

"Not just how to fight," Kazuma smirked, "but how to survive. Get ready, because this won't be easy."

"I'm ready!" Bell exclaimed enthusiastically, almost making Kazuma laugh at his eagerness.

"Alright," Kazuma took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves. "Let's start with the basics."

Basic Training 1: "A Strong Stance"

Kazuma stood with an upright posture in the middle of the yard, while Bell observed seriously.

"First of all," Kazuma began, "we need to fix your stance. Stance is the foundation of all fighting movements. Without a strong foundation, the building will collapse."

Bell nodded attentively.

"Try standing in your fighting stance," Kazuma ordered.

Bell immediately took what he thought was a fighting position—both feet close together, fists clenched in front of his face like an amateur boxer.

Kazuma sighed. "Bell, with a stance like that, even a Dungeon rabbit could push you over."

"Eh? Is it really that bad?" Bell looked at his own position in confusion.

"Feet apart, shoulder-width," Kazuma instructed while gently kicking Bell's feet to make them shift. "One foot slightly forward. Yes, like that."

Bell adjusted his position according to Kazuma's directions.

"Don't be so stiff! You look like a statue!" Kazuma shook his head. "Imagine yourself as a flexible tree, not a stone statue. Able to move at any time, but still sturdy."

Bell tried to loosen his posture a bit, but still looked stiff.

"Let me see how strong your position is," Kazuma said as he stepped closer. Without warning, he pushed Bell's shoulder with moderate force.

"Waaaa!" Bell tumbled backward, falling on his backside with a surprised expression.

"Too high!" Kazuma exclaimed. "Lower your hips! You're not a baby giraffe!"

Bell got up with a reddened face. "S-sorry, I'll try again."

"Remember, your center of gravity must be low. Open your feet a little wider," Kazuma demonstrated the correct position. "Like this."

Bell followed Kazuma's example, this time with his hips lower and feet wider apart.

"Better," Kazuma nodded. "Now, maintain this position for 30 minutes."

"Thirty minutes?!" Bell was shocked.

"Yes, and I'll occasionally push you. If you fall, you have to run around the church 5 times while shouting 'I want to be a hero!'"

"W-what?!" Bell's face paled.

"Starting now!" Kazuma clapped his hands loudly, and Bell immediately took his stance.

Five minutes passed. Bell was already sweating, both legs trembling as he held the position.

Suddenly Kazuma kicked Bell's front foot. "Front foot too straight! Bend your knee slightly!"

Bell quickly adjusted his position, trying not to fall.

Ten minutes passed. Kazuma pushed Bell's shoulder suddenly. This time Bell almost maintained his balance, but ultimately still fell.

"Five laps!" Kazuma called out.

Bell groaned quietly but quickly got up and started running around the church.

"I WANT TO BE A HERO!" he shouted with a crimson face, causing several passersby outside the church to turn in surprise.

After five laps, Bell returned to his stance, breathing heavily.

"Hips even lower!" Kazuma commanded.

Twenty minutes passed. Bell fell two more times, resulting in ten additional running laps and increasingly embarrassed shouts each time.

When thirty minutes finally passed, Bell collapsed sitting on the ground, sweat soaking his entire body.

"That was... very exhausting..." he panted.

"This is just the beginning," Kazuma smiled. "But you did well for the first day. Next time will be easier."

Bell could only nod weakly, still trying to catch his breath.