Sandhill's Town Training Hall

Alaine observed as Patricia began mentoring Kyren and Hiro, her eyes keenly following their every move.

"Alright boys, listen up. First things first, we need to get acquainted. I gotta see how y'all throw down so I can figure out where we need to start. Let's get to it!" Patricia explained, wrapping her hands with bandages in preparation.

"What do you mean?" Hiro inquired, curiosity piqued.

"Alright, here's the deal. We're gonna have a duel. You two against me. Let's see what y'all got." Patricia clarified, finishing up with her bandages.

"Oh, I see. We're teaming up against you?" Hiro clarified.

"Yes, and don't hold back. I can handle it. Go all out." Patricia affirmed with a confident smile, her eyes glinting with anticipation.

"Are you really sure we will use these real weapons?" Kyren questioned, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

"Yeah, think of it like this: Alaine's been captured by me, and y'all gotta save her. That should give you the fire you need, It will help" Patricia explained confidently.

Kyren's mind swirled with doubts once again.

"That scenario... it really could happen... What will we do if that really happened?" He pondered silently to himself as he remembered his past nightmare when Hiro was in danger. This time, more and more people he's concerned about, and if that happened, he really couldn't think of any solution.

But before he could dwell on his thoughts any further, Hiro once again tapped his shoulder, breaking him out of his reverie. "Are you ready, Kyren? Let's show her what we got" Hiro said.

"Aight, boys, let's begin," Patricia announced, charging forward to open the duel.

The duel commenced with Patricia pushing the two to counterattack. Hiro hesitated, reluctant to wield his sword for fear of hurting Patricia. On the other hand, Kyren analyzed Patricia's movements, waiting for the opportune moment to strike. "What are y'all doing? Did I say the duel began??" Patricia chided.

"I'm intimidated and hesitant to attack you with this sword," Hiro admitted.

But for Kyren, it was a chance to seize the initiative. He almost landed a hit on Patricia, but she evaded with impressive speed.

"Kyren, what are you doing?" Hiro exclaimed, surprised by Kyren's aggression.

"Hiro, she's a strong opponent. Remember, she has a 3-starred badge. These blades won't cause any fatal injuries to her," Kyren explained calmly.

"You're really smart, Kyren. I like that you're attacking. For a moment, I was listening to Hiro and got momentarily distracted. You've got a point there," Patricia acknowledged with a nod of approval.

"WOAH! THAT'S RIGHT, I'LL NEVER GO BEHIND YOU, KYREN," Hiro exclaimed, finally finding his resolve and launching his own attacks at Patricia. However, despite his efforts, he struggled to land a hit.

After a minute of trying to land a hit on Patricia, both Hiro and Kyren found themselves reaching their limits. "Boys, you only lasted for 9 minutes," Patricia remarked, her tone matter-of-fact.

"I see. Let's end here. I know now where we should start. We'll begin with cardio exercises. Your wielding skills are at an entry level and can improve along the way as you develop your own style. But your stamina, man, it sucks. Tomorrow morning, we will do the cardio exercises, from now on let's call it a day, it's getting late and the team might be there too, let's introduce you to them first." Patricia declared.

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"Last thing, tomorrow morning, you guys need to equip the spare armors in the office and bring your swords too," Patricia reminded them before they concluded their training session.

After the training, they returned to the guild's office, where they were greeted by the rest of the squad, consisting of seven members, including Alaine, Patricia, and Roland.

"Hello, Alaine and Patricia, we've successfully completed the mission and received the reward. I've already dropped the checks from our treasury," one of the members named Lili reported.

"Alright, Lili," Patricia acknowledged.

"Good job, team. Anyway, I'd like to introduce our future members, Kyren and Hiro," Alaine announced.

"Nice to meet you, Kyren... Hiro," Lili greeted them warmly.

"Anyway, this is Lili, our treasurer here, and also our healer," Alaine introduced.

The environment is so light and hospitable, with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Kyren and Hiro introduce themselves to the other members, exchanging friendly handshakes and cheerful greetings.

Patricia, known for her playful teasing, makes her rounds, poking fun at each member in a light-hearted manner. Her jokes and playful remarks bring smiles and laughter to everyone around.

Alaine stands back, observing the scene with a contented smile. She watches as Kyren and Hiro seamlessly integrate into the group, their presence adding to the overall happiness and camaraderie. Kyren, usually silent, shares a rare smile, while Hiro, always playful and friendly, quickly becomes a favorite among the guild members.

As the night unfolded, Hiro found himself thoroughly enjoying the company of the Heart Blade guild members. Engaging in lively conversations about their dreams and aspirations, he felt a sense of camaraderie with those who shared his vision for the future. Meanwhile, Alaine busy reviewing the missions they had completed and searching for new opportunities, and Patricia cleaning the dishes from their feast.

Meanwhile Kyren recalled his conversation with Alaine in Arramaya City the previous night, he realized that Lili was the member Alaine had mentioned who might help him with his past. "She's the member Alaine was talking about who might help me with my past," Kyren realized, his thoughts racing with anticipation, but he didn't understand why he was also feeling anxious about it.

Kyren left the office and grab some fresh air, stood by the fence, lost in contemplation.

...

"It's beautiful to be here, Kyren," Hiro joined him, breaking the silence with his presence, taking in the serene night sky with a windy breeze, and the sound of wave on the nearby beach.

"Yeah," Kyren replied quietly, his mind preoccupied with his inner turmoil.

"I need to thank you again, Kyren. If you hadn't pushed me to pursue my dreams, I'd never have found Alaine," Hiro expressed his gratitude, his voice sincere.

Kyren remained silent.

"What do you think our training will be like tomorrow? Patricia seems like a strict teacher, doesn't she? Have you tried on the armor yet?" Hiro's excitement bubbled over as he eagerly anticipated the next day's training.

Lost in his thoughts, Kyren finally voiced his deepest concerns. "Hiro, do you think I was a warrior before?"

Hiro understood the weight of Kyren's question. "Kyren, I know you're frustrated searching for real identity, and purpose." he responded gently.

"I don't think I was a warrior before, Hiro," Kyren admitted, his voice tinged with uncertainty.

"Why would you say that? Who knows?" Hiro said.

"If I were a warrior from the past... at least my body could have withstood our previous duel with Patricia, at least I could have lasted a little bit longer," Kyren reasoned.

Hiro understood Kyren's point. "But you know... maybe you should enjoy your present now? I mean... you said before that you've been given a second life, so perhaps just appreciate it?" he suggested. 'I mean, I'm not saying that we should forget about your past, but for the meantime, just enjoy yourself being alive? Does that make sense? Hmm" Hiro tried to give advice, though he wasn't really sure if it was good advice because he knew he wasn't a good talker.

"Guys, they're heading home now. Are you both enjoying yourselves here?" Alaine interrupted, drawing Hiro and Kyren's attention.

"Alaine!" Hiro greeted.

"Are you guys okay to stay in our office?" Alaine inquired, her gaze shifting between them.

"Of course, my friend!" Hiro responded with a wide grin.

"Anyway, Kyren, I asked Lili to stay for a little bit. Are you okay to do it now?" Alaine's words caused a flutter of anxiety to rise in Kyren's chest. After all, Alaine hadn't forgotten her promise to help him.

"Yeah," Kyren replied, with he's shaky voice.

"Wait, what?... You guys have a secret? Kyren, are you confessing to Lili? I'm really confused," Hiro interjected, scratching his head in confusion.

"Idiot! Lili is our healer, and she can help Kyren regain his past or at least recall some of it," Alaine clarified.

Hiro exclaimed eagerly. "Really? LET'S GO, KYREN! I'M EXCITED ABOUT IT!"