Volume 1: Chapter 06.5: "Training Clash -1v1 With Yulleus!”

Part 3

The backyard of Clara's mansion had been turned into a training field. The grass was cut, the trees were trimmed, and training dummies were pushed to the side.

Yulleus stood calmly in the center, one hand on her sword.

Masashi, Elra, Clara, and Crystella lined up on the side, watching her quietly.

Yulleus spoke with her usual calm tone.

"You're strong, but strength needs control. That's why today, I'll test you. One by one."

She drew her sword slowly.

"Let's start. Who's first?"

ROUND ONE: CLARA vs YULLEUS

Clara stepped forward, gripping her twin short swords. "I'll go."

She dashed in quickly, fast on her feet. She swung left, right, then flipped backward and threw a small magic wave.

Yulleus deflected it with one clean swipe.

She moved so fast, she disappeared for a second. Then reappeared behind Clara, pointing her blade at her neck — but not touching.

"You're quick… but your guard is open."

Clara gasped, sweating.

"You're... really fast."

Yulleus smiled faintly. "Good footwork, though. You'll go far."

Clara returned to the line, a bit frustrated — but motivated.

ROUND TWO: ELRA vs YULLEUS

Elra walked forward, brushing her hair aside. Her staff glowed faintly.

"I won't go easy," she said.

She raised her hand — flames circled around her like rings.

"Blazing Spiral!"

Fire shot toward Yulleus like a spinning storm. Yulleus sliced through it, spinning once, and charged straight through the smoke.

Elra quickly backed up and threw a light burst spell—

But Yulleus disappeared again.

She appeared in front of Elra, touching her forehead with the hilt of her sword.

"You're strong. But you hesitate at the last second."

Elra took a deep breath. "Tch… I'll fix that."

ROUND THREE: MASASHI vs YULLEUS

Masashi walked forward, eyes calm.

He didn't draw his sword at first.

"Come," Yulleus said.

Masashi focused.

A light blue flame flickered in his palm.

He launched it straight forward—then vanished mid-cast.

Yulleus raised her sword to block—

but Masashi was already behind her.

"Surprise strike—Flare Fang!"

A flaming slash cut through the air toward her shoulder—

but she blocked it with the flat of her blade.

"Not bad," she said, stepping back.

Masashi landed, panting.

"Your magic timing is good," Yulleus said. "You're reading your opponent. Better than I expected."

Masashi stayed quiet. But he gave a small nod.

ROUND FOUR: CRYSTELLA vs YULLEUS

The air suddenly got cold.

Crystella walked forward with a lazy smile.

She spun her staff once. Ice shimmered beneath her boots.

"You'll freeze if you're not ready," she teased.

She raised both arms.

"Winter Chains!"

Dozens of sharp ice blades shot forward.

Yulleus sliced them one by one.

"You rely on too much area magic," Yulleus said. "Try aiming."

Crystella smirked. "Fine."

One last spike of ice flew straight—Yulleus dodged, but it barely scraped her shoulder.

"…Well aimed."

Crystella gave a small shrug. "I don't like fighting. But I'll get serious if I have to."

After Training

Yulleus stood in the center again.

"You all did better than I thought. Your teamwork is already strong. But now I know what each of you needs to work on."

She pointed at the group.

"Tomorrow, we start real drills."

Everyone nodded, tired but motivated.

Part 4

The next day....

The training grounds behind Clara's mansion were open and breezy, sunlight flickering through the trees above. Wooden dummies, stone targets, and soft sand covered the area for safe footing.

Yulleus stood in the center of the arena with a calm expression. She twirled her wooden sword with practiced ease.

Yulleus: "Alright. One-on-one. Wooden swords only. Magic is limited to your base abilities—no special spells. This is about skill, not destruction."

Masashi, Clara, Elra, and Crystella stood in a line, watching her. Each of them held their training weapons. They could feel her presence—firm but not threatening. Like a true mentor.

First Match: Masashi vs. Yulleus

Masashi stepped forward, gripping his wooden katana. He looked calm, like he always did, but his stance was focused.

Yulleus raised a brow. "Come at me when ready."

Masashi made the first move—swift and direct. A basic slash.

CLACK!

Yulleus blocked it with ease, her stance unmoving.

He went for a quick second strike from the side—but she was already gone.

Yulleus: "Too readable."

A soft tap from her sword struck his shoulder, and Masashi stumbled back a step. He didn't fall—but he was clearly surprised.

Yulleus (smiling): "You've got the form. What you need is unpredictability."

Second Match: Clara vs. Yulleus

Clara was faster. She rushed forward with dual wooden blades, dancing around like wind.

Clara: "Yaaaah!"

CLACK! CLACK!

Multiple hits were blocked. Clara even managed to graze Yulleus' shoulder.

Yulleus nodded approvingly. "Very nimble… but."

She ducked, swept Clara's legs with her foot, and gently pushed Clara back with her sword tip.

Yulleus: "You rely too much on speed. Read your opponent more."

Third Match: Elra vs. Yulleus

Elra held a long wooden staff. Her expression was calm and confident.

She started with a magic spark—just enough to distract—and lunged forward.

Yulleus parried it, but Elra spun and launched a wide sweep.

CLACK!

Yulleus blocked it again but had to step back.

The fight went on for a few more clashes before Yulleus caught Elra's staff mid-air with her hand and gently tapped Elra's side with her wooden blade.

Yulleus: "Your magic instincts are sharp—but don't forget your footing."

Elra sighed but smiled. "That was fun, actually."

Fourth Match: Crystella vs. Yulleus

Crystella silently stepped forward with a wooden mage staff. Her eyes glowed softly.

A burst of cold air shot toward Yulleus—nothing harmful, just enough to cloud vision.

Yulleus closed her eyes for a moment. "I see. You use pressure."

Suddenly, she was behind Crystella.

CLACK!

Her sword tapped Crystella's shoulder.

Crystella blinked. "H-How?"

Yulleus (grinning): "A good mage uses terrain. But you relied on the fog. Try more variety."

After all four matches, they all sat under the shade, catching their breath.

Yulleus: "Not bad, all of you. You've got heart—and with more training, strength will follow."

Clara looked at her. "So who was the best?"

Yulleus winked. "Me, of course."

They all laughed.

But deep down, each one of them had grown a little stronger—and closer.

Later that night----

The room was quiet, lit only by the soft flicker of a lantern on the desk. Outside the window, the moonlight spilled over the rooftops of Duskland, calm and silver. The wind was gentle tonight.

Masashi sat at his desk, still in his training clothes. His hands were a little sore from the wooden sword practice earlier, but his mind was somewhere else — drifting into the past.

He opened a small leather-bound notebook — his diary. The pages were filled with scribbles, drawings, and careful dates. But past a certain page… the dates were crossed out, scattered, even repeated.

Masashi (inner thought):

"Day 12... or was it Day 22...? I stopped counting during the time loop. The pages started repeating just like the days did."

He stared at the ink-blotted lines that once meant something — moments trapped in an endless cycle.

He turned to a blank page. Slowly, he began to write.

[Diary Entry]

"I'm still alive. I made it out. And Elra is still here. The real one."

"We've been through so much. The curse... the Witch of Ice... the ruins of Frozenfire."

"I'm not sure when I started to care so much. About them. About this world."

"Today, we trained with Yulleus. I lost. But I'm okay with that. I want to learn. I want to get stronger."

"Not just for the fights... but for the people beside me."

"Clara, Elra... even Crystella. We're not just survivors anymore."

"We're something else. A team? A family? I'm still figuring it out."

"Tomorrow... we keep going."

Masashi put the pen down. He leaned back and looked at the ceiling. His eyes slowly closed as the sound of the wind filled the room again.

Outside, Duskland rested — rebuilding not just its homes, but the hearts of those who protected it.

And in one room, a quiet boy who once had no one… now had more than he ever imagined.

"..."

The diary sat quietly on the desk, its ink still fresh.

Masashi stretched, getting ready for bed. As he pulled off his jacket, something slipped from the inner pocket — a small, folded piece of paper he didn't remember putting there.

Masashi (softly):

"Huh…? What's this?"

He unfolded it.

It wasn't written in any language he recognized — until his eyes widened.

At the bottom corner, one word was written… in Rolugen.

"Beh Vessa... Avangad."

Masashi stood still. The translation echoed in his head.

"To our base... Attack."

Suddenly — a flash of light flickered through his window. Followed by a low rumble… then another.

BOOM.

The sound of an explosion shook the ground beneath him.

Outside, the sky glowed red at the northern wall of Duskland.

He rushed to the window and flung it open.

Smoke.

Shouts.

The alarm bells ringing.

And in the sky — a black flare, the mark of an invasion.

Masashi's heart pounded.

He turned toward his sword.

Masashi (quietly):

"...It's starting again."

But elsewhere… another disaster began.

In the center of Duskland — where the Ember Relic was proudly displayed — a mysterious masked mage stood still beneath the chaos of the raid.

No one noticed him at first.

Until his staff ignited with cursed light.

With one gesture, he whispered:

"Fragmenta Clyreth..."

The Ember Relic shattered into five burning fragments.

Each piece glowed with violent energy — before tearing across the sky in different directions… scattered to the corners of the world.

Everyone saw it, even through the smoke and panic.

The relic was gone.

Two disasters.

One night.

And nothing would be the same again.