The forest was calm the morning after my battle with the demon, as if the earth itself had settled, letting the tension of the fight melt into the soil. I sat by the campfire, the warmth of the flames brushing against my skin, but my mind was still focused on the battle. The memory of it lingered—each strike, every dodge, the way I had controlled the Flow and how Auto-Heal had kept me fighting through the pain.

But Alric’s words from the day before echoed in my mind: This was just a taste of what’s to come. He was right, of course. The demon I had faced was powerful, but it wasn’t the one that had taken everything from me. The real battle still lay ahead, and it would be far more dangerous.

I stared at my hands, flexing my fingers as if trying to feel the mana that flowed through me. My abilities had grown stronger, more refined, but I still had more to learn. More to master.

Alric emerged from the shadows of the forest, his movements as quiet as ever. He looked at me for a moment, as if assessing my state of mind, before sitting down across from me by the fire.

“You did well yesterday,” he said simply.

“Thank you,” I replied, though my tone was quieter than I intended. The victory felt hollow somehow. The demon I had fought had been strong, but it wasn’t the one I wanted to face.

Alric studied me for a moment, his expression thoughtful. “You’re frustrated.”

I didn’t respond at first, letting the crackling of the fire fill the silence. He knew me too well by now, so there was no point in denying it.

“I thought it would feel different,” I admitted after a while. “Killing that demon… I thought it would give me some sense of closure. But all I feel is that the real fight is still out there. I don’t feel like I’ve accomplished anything.”

Alric nodded, his eyes narrowing slightly. “That’s because your journey isn’t over. You’re stronger now, but this isn’t the end. The real challenge is still ahead, and you know that. That’s why the victory feels hollow.”

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “I just want to be ready when the time comes.”

“You will be,” Alric said, his tone firm. “But rushing toward it won’t make you ready any faster. Patience, Niv. You’ve come a long way in a short time. Don’t forget that.”

His words were comforting, but they didn’t erase the gnawing feeling of impatience that had settled in my chest. I knew I needed to keep training, to keep refining my skills, but the desire for revenge burned inside me like a fire that refused to die down.

Alric stood, gesturing for me to follow him. “Come. We have more work to do.”

We spent the next few hours moving through a series of drills, much like we had done in the past, but today, something was different. Alric was pushing me harder than before, forcing me to use every skill I had learned to its fullest potential.

I used Analyze to predict his movements, Slip to alter the terrain, and Auto-Dodge to avoid his strikes. But as the session wore on, I could feel the strain building in my muscles, the lingering soreness from the previous day’s battle slowing me down.

Despite the fatigue, I refused to stop. I pushed harder, determined to prove that I could keep up, that I could overcome whatever Alric threw at me.

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But Alric wasn’t holding back either. His strikes were faster, sharper, and I had to dig deeper to keep pace. My mind raced, every instinct telling me to push through the exhaustion, to rely on Auto-Heal to keep me going.

And then, suddenly, Alric shifted his stance, and I felt a surge of mana around him—something I hadn’t sensed before.

It was a small shift, almost imperceptible, but I knew immediately that this wasn’t a normal drill. He was testing me—pushing me to my limits.

Without warning, Alric moved, faster than I could react. His strike was precise, aimed directly at my chest. I barely managed to dodge, using Auto-Dodge to shift my body out of the way, but the attack left me off-balance, vulnerable.

I countered with a quick strike of my own, but Alric deflected it effortlessly, his movements fluid and controlled. His eyes were sharp, watching me closely, as if he was waiting for something.

“What are you doing?” I asked, panting as I struggled to regain my footing.

“Teaching you,” Alric said simply, his voice calm despite the intensity of the fight.

Before I could respond, he moved again, this time with even greater speed. I felt a sharp pain as his strike connected with my side, and I stumbled back, gritting my teeth as Auto-Heal kicked in to repair the damage. The wound closed quickly, but the pain still lingered, dull and throbbing.

Alric didn’t let up. He pressed forward, his attacks relentless, forcing me to retreat. I tried to keep up, using every ability at my disposal, but it wasn’t enough. He was faster, more experienced, and I was quickly running out of options.

Then, something clicked.

I remembered what Alric had said to me not long ago—you’re relying too much on your abilities. He had been trying to tell me that relying solely on Auto-Dodge and Slip wouldn’t be enough to defeat an opponent of his caliber. I needed to think beyond my abilities.

My mind raced as I adjusted my stance, focusing on the Flow not just within me, but around me. I couldn’t just react. I needed to anticipate, to guide the fight in the direction I wanted.

When Alric moved again, I didn’t dodge. Instead, I stepped toward him, using his momentum against him. His strike missed me by inches, and I twisted my body, driving my elbow toward his ribs. He blocked the attack, but I felt him shift, off-balance for just a moment.

It was all I needed.

I surged forward, using Slip to shift the ground beneath his feet, throwing him off balance again. For the first time, I had the upper hand. I could see it in his eyes—the recognition that I had found the rhythm of the fight.

But Alric was never one to be easily defeated. Even as he stumbled, he recovered with lightning speed, twisting out of my reach and regaining his stance. But I didn’t let up this time. I pressed forward, using my instincts to guide me, not just my abilities.

Our movements became a blur of strikes and counters, the air around us humming with the energy of the Flow. The fatigue in my muscles faded to the background as I entered a state of complete focus, my mind clear.

Finally, after what felt like hours, Alric stepped back, his breathing steady but his eyes alight with approval. He nodded, a rare smile crossing his face.

“You’ve done well, Niv.”

I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, lowering my arms as the tension in my body eased. The soreness from the previous day’s fight returned, but I ignored it. The victory—if it could be called that—felt hard-earned.

Alric approached, his expression softer than usual. “You’re starting to understand. The Flow is not just about power. It’s about understanding the fight, about seeing beyond your abilities and into the heart of your opponent.”

I nodded, my mind still buzzing with the intensity of the fight. “I’m learning.”

“You are,” he agreed. “But there’s more to learn. Always more.”

I wiped the sweat from my brow, feeling the weight of his words. The fight with Alric had been a test, not just of my skills, but of my understanding of the Flow itself. I had always relied on my abilities—Auto-Dodge, Slip, Analyze—to guide me through battle. But today had shown me that true strength came from understanding the Flow on a deeper level, from anticipating and guiding the fight, rather than just reacting.

That night, as I sat by the fire once more, I found myself thinking about what lay ahead. The demon that had destroyed my family was still out there, waiting. And with each day, I was getting closer to being ready to face it.

But today had taught me something important. Strength wasn’t just about abilities. It was about strategy, control, and understanding the fight from every angle.

I still had more to learn, but I was on the right path. And when the time came, I would be ready.