"You got me, Hiro," Kyren admitted, coming to a stop and taking a seat on the sandy beach, his breath still coming in heavy gasps.

"Ah, finally decided to quit?" Hiro teased, acting tough but he can see to his face that he's also tired.

"Yeah, this will be 0-1 in our record" Kyren said with a nod.

"We've been running for almost three hours, Kyren. I never thought I could do that," Hiro remarked, his gaze fixed on the clear sky, while holding his knees and catching his breath.

"Yo boys did impress me. I didn't think you'd last more than an hour," Patricia interjected, approaching with water bottles in hand.

"Ha, guess what? I never want to think about my body later," Hiro quipped with a laugh.

"After you've feasted down and kicked back in the office, we gonna keep grinding on the trainings. Ain't no time to be wasting" Patricia declared.

"From now on, consider yourselves part of the celebration. Welcome to the guild!" Alaine chimed in, holding out beach clothes that Roland had procured for them.

After changing into their beach attire, they joined the festivities.

"I can't wait for you guys to graduate from Sky Academy," Lili exclaimed, holding a skewered meat stick.

"Yeah! I'm so hyped!" Hiro exclaimed, flexing his muscles but suddenly felt his muscle aching. "Ouch Ouch."

"Hahaha, I know you guys can make it," Alaine reassured them with a smile.

However, as Kyren watched his friends enjoy themselves, he was suddenly overcome by a sense of unease, his nightmare flashing before his eyes once more. He dropped the food he was holding, catching everyone. "Are you okay?" Alaine asked, concern etched on her face.

"Yeah, I'm just really tired from all the training we've been doing," Kyren replied, masking his inner turmoil.

"I see. If you need to rest, you can head back to the office now. We'll be finished up here soon," Alaine offered.

"Alright," Kyren agreed.

...

As Kyren lay on the couch, he was joined by Hiro and Alaine, who had followed him, sensing his struggle with deeper issues.

"Kyren, seriously, this is the first time your nightmare has affected you like this," Hiro remarked.

Kyren nodded in acknowledgment. "You figured it out."

"Can you tell us about your nightmare?" Alaine gently prodded.

Kyren hesitated, the memories of his nightmares stirring up anxiety within him. "It's just... dark and evil. Every night, it evolves, creating scenarios I could never have imagined," Kyren explained.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

Alaine's concern deepened as she pressed gently for more details. "What kind of scenarios?"

Kyren swallowed hard, grappling with the memories he wished he could forget. "My nightmares seem to hone in on my vulnerabilities, twisting them into nightmares whenever I dare to feel hopeful. This time, it was all of you," he confessed, his voice strained with emotion. "You were imprisoned, tortured by creatures I couldn't recognize. And she... she laughed, reveling in each of your sufferings. It felt like more than just a dream; it felt like a grim prophecy," Kyren admitted, his words heavy with dread.

Hiro and Alaine exchanged concerned glances, mirroring the gravity of Kyren's revelation. "That's... deeply disturbing," Hiro remarked, his voice reflecting the weight of the situation.

Alaine offered a comforting suggestion, trying to piece together the puzzle. "Maybe the girl haunting your nightmares is the same one you encountered in the Forest of Paramnesia? It's just a guess, but don't forget, Kyren, you're not alone. You have us," she reminded him, her tone filled with reassurance.

"Yeah, and we've got Alaine and Patricia. We'll never let anything like that happen," Hiro assured Kyren.

"That's right! We'll keep improving ourselves and watch each other's backs. And I have something to tell you guys," Alaine said, her tone firm. "We can rely on Patricia; she's as strong as I am. While we've never faced that forest before, I believe we could stand against it if we had to. But first, you guys need to get stronger so you won't be a burden. We've talked about your problems, Kyren, and we're all willing to help. So don't worry about it and focus on improving yourself," she reassured them both.

"Alaine," Kyren spoke up, his tone earnest.

"Yes?" Alaine responded, turning her attention to him.

"I hope you won't take this the wrong way, but I want to spar with you. I want you to go all out, don't hold back. If you need to beat me hard, then do it," Kyren requested, his gaze steady.

"Kyren, what's going on?" Hiro interjected, clearly puzzled by the sudden request.

"Alright," Alaine agreed without hesitation, her expression serious and focused.

"Wait, why are you both agreeing to this? Kyren, do you realize what you're asking? Are you trying to disrespect Alaine?" Hiro attempted to diffuse the tension, his confusion evident.

"Hiro, stop it." Kyren interjected firmly.

"Kyren, what's gotten into you? Why do you want to get beaten up?" Hiro persisted, standing between them in an attempt to understand.

"It's okay, Hiro. I'll explain," Kyren assured him.

"Explain what? Are you questioning Alaine's strength?" Hiro continued to probe, perplexed by the situation unfolding before him.

Meanwhile, Alaine began to equip her battle gear, Her armor, crafted from shining bronze, adorned her form with sturdy plates secured by leather straps, proudly displaying the emblem of the Heart Blade guild on her chest plate. Her gauntlets, made of tough leather with metal-plated knuckles, exuded an aura of strength, while her finely crafted sword hung from a leather-wrapped hilt at her side, its sharp blade ready for battle. Alaine appeared formidable, her armor gleaming in the light, as Kyren stood before her with only his light sword in hand.

"Are you two really going to do this now?" Hiro persisted, still trying to grasp the situation.

"Let's head to the training hall, Kyren," Alaine directed, ignoring Hiro's questions as she led the way.

...

As they arrived at the gym, Alaine turned to Kyren. "Are you sure about your gear, Kyren?"

"Yeah," Kyren replied confidently, his resolve unwavering.

"Okay, let's begin," Alaine said as she charged in to start the duel. Kyren tried to dodge Alaine's attacks, but he was forced to parry them because he couldn't keep up with her speed. Unable to find an opportunity to analyze Alaine's attack patterns, Kyren played defensively. However, he couldn't keep up, realizing that Alaine was truly strong. Each strike hurt his grip and numbed his arm. Kyren attempted to counterattack, but Alaine was too fast. The final strike from Alaine sent Kyren's sword flying, leaving him disarmed.

"Whoa, Alaine, you're really strong," Hiro remarked, now he's enjoying the fight and forget about the purpose of why they are doing it.

"Why I'm this weak? I'm so sick of it."

"Not yet," Kyren became more serious.