Wait, is she coming onto me? I recalled the lessons from Zero’s books about different character archetypes. What was it again? Oh yeah, the deredere… A warm, affectionate personality, often eager to express their feelings openly. It made sense, but now that I was in the moment, I didn’t know how to respond. My heart was pounding, and I was lost in thought, trying to make sense of it. A tap on my shoulder jolted me back to reality. I snapped my head around, and Jane’s playful expression shifted to something more somber as the world came crashing back in. The carriage driver, Albert, was standing there, a look of gratitude on his face. He reached out, shaking my hand vigorously. "Thank you so much, Vellin! You beat those guys to a pulp!" he exclaimed, his voice full of relief. I shook his hand firmly, offering a small smile. "No problem, Albert. But I thought this route was supposed to be safe?"

Albert’s face fell, and he looked away, his expression darkening. "I thought it was... This country is becoming more violent by the day." His grip on my hand tightened, and his voice dropped to a more pleading tone. "I’m sorry to ask this, but could you ride with me for maybe three more miles? Then we can rest?" I hesitated for a moment, turning to Jane for her opinion. She met my gaze and gave a nod. "That’s fine, Albert. You’re not used to this kind of stuff, so take it easy if you need to," she said, her tone reassuring. Albert tipped his hat gratefully. "Thank you, Ms. Jane." With that, he returned to the front, taking hold of the reins once more. I slipped my hands into my pockets, feeling the weight of everything that had just happened settling in. "Let’s leave this behind," I muttered, walking toward the back of the carriage. Jane followed, silently falling in step beside me. We climbed into the back, sitting down as Albert gave a loud roar of triumph. "Goodbye, Jiggit Bandits!" he shouted, shaking the reins with newfound vigor. The horses neighed, and the carriage began to move again, the sound of their hooves clip-clopping against the dirt road.

One hour later..

Albert pulled the reins and shouted, "This is our stop!" I glanced outside—it was close to sundown. He had parked the carriage alongside the road, nestled just next to a few sparse trees. While I would have preferred to push on a little further, this spot would suffice. Stepping out, I slung my bag over my shoulder, feeling the weight shift as I adjusted it. Albert, ever observant, poked at the bag and said, "Unless you’ve got some wood in there, we’ll need to find some for a fire." Wood... right, I thought, realizing we still had a bit of work to do before settling down.

I handed my bag over to Jane. "Find what food you want to eat tonight. I’m going to get some logs and firewood. Set up some rocks in a circle for the fire, too." Jane took the bag with a nod. "Alright," she said as she began sorting through it. I turned my attention to a nearby tree. Its thick trunk would provide all the wood we needed. My right arm drooped to my side as I began gathering my strength. I could feel the familiar hum of energy coursing through my muscles as I prepared to use the sixth technique, Mingling Cuts. My fingers straightened like blades, sharp and focused.

Raising my arms perpendicular to one another, I held my breath, feeling the tension in the air. With precise control, I struck. One cut. Two cuts. The wood split cleanly under my hands, bark shattering and falling away. Four cuts. Eight cuts. Faster! I pushed myself, my arms blurring into a flurry of motion. Sixteen cuts. Thirty-two cuts. The tree was no match for the technique’s sheer speed and precision. Sixty-four cuts, one hundred and twelve cuts! I let out a deep breath as the last slice cut through the bark, leaving the ground littered with thin, even pieces of kindling. I bent down, gathering the small logs and twigs in my arms, more than enough to keep a fire burning for hours.

When I returned to the makeshift camp, Jane had already set up the stone circle, just as I asked. We didn’t have chairs or much else, but it was functional. I dropped the kindling in the middle of the stone circle and turned to Jane. "Did you pick out what you wanted?" I asked, nodding toward the bag. She gave a sly smile and dropped the bag behind her, revealing the prize she’d chosen: "This beautiful steak. It’ll go bad soon, so we should eat it now."

I glanced at the slab of meat—juicy and ready for a fire. "Good choice." I said, but then realized something. We still need larger wood for the fire. I spun around and dashed toward another tree, wasting no time. My fist smashed into its thick trunk, leaving a sizable indent. I punched it again, loosening pieces of wood until four smaller logs snapped free. Perfect for cooking. I hefted the wood over my shoulder and hurled it toward Jane’s feet. "Give me one moment," I said, getting ready to light the fire and make sure everything was prepared for the night ahead.

I returned to the tree, slicing it once more. As it creaked and fell, I glanced up and executed a perfect cut mid-fall, splitting the trunk cleanly in half. Without missing a beat, I caught the two heavy logs on my shoulders and carried them back to the campsite, dropping one next to Jane. “Our seat.” I said with a smirk. She glanced at the log and nodded appreciatively, continuing to work on setting up the firewood. I moved over to where Albert was rummaging through his things. Tapping him lightly on the shoulder, I got his attention. He turned around, eyes wide as I dropped the second log in front of him. “This is your seat.” I said simply. Albert staggered a bit, clearly surprised by my casual strength, but he quickly sat down, still processing. “Thanks,” he mumbled, his awe not going unnoticed.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

Meanwhile, Jane had already started arranging the wood atop the kindling I had prepared. I crouched down, took a small piece, and swiped my hand across it. The speed and friction from the movement created a spark, and I tossed the burning wood into the center of the fire pit. In seconds, the flames roared to life. Jane crossed her arms, tilting her head in curiosity. “You can create fire?” she asked, sounding impressed. I chuckled, shaking my head. “No, not exactly. I can move fast—hundreds of meters per second at my level. A swipe of my hand with enough effort generates enough heat to start a fire. It’s just physics.” I said with a grin, brushing off the feat as if it were nothing. She raised an eyebrow, intrigued, but didn’t push further. Instead, she waved the steak in the air. “Well, no more talking until we eat!” I couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, yeah.” I replied, smiling as I settled down, ready to enjoy the meal and recharge before discussing the journey ahead.

Twenty minutes later..

The fire crackled and burned brightly in front of us, its warm light casting flickering shadows. I tore into the steak with my hands, not caring much about manners—old habits from living with Zero. Jane, on the other hand, ate with grace, using the fork and knife she’d smartly packed. Even Albert, despite eating with his hands, somehow managed to look more dignified than I did. Jane smirked, her eyes flicking toward me as she cut into her steak. "You eat a bit funny." she teased. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. "Didn't exactly get a lot of lessons in manners where I grew up." I admitted, a little more self-conscious than I wanted to be. Dropping the steak onto the plate in front of me, I decided it was time to get serious. I leaned forward, staring intently at her. "Let's talk about Sun."

Hearing the shift in tone, Jane placed her fork down, her face more focused. "Alright." she replied, her gaze steady. The stars were just beginning to peek out, dotting the night sky with faint glimmers of light. I took a moment to gather my thoughts, trying to explain what she needed to know. "There are three ranks in Sun," I began, my voice steady. "At the top, you have the Five Flames—these are the strongest members. They’ve got unlimited authority. Below them are the officers, each one controlling their own group of soldiers. And then there are the soldiers themselves. They’re the lowest rank, but don’t underestimate them. They’re still strong, stronger than most outside of Sun."

Jane listened carefully, her attention fully on me as I spoke. I could feel the weight of my words, knowing what I was preparing for. "You can join Sun the normal way," I continued, "by generating more than a thousand pounds of force on a punching machine. But then there’s the Burnout Tournament. The winner automatically becomes an officer. There’s a rumor that if you win, you can challenge one of the Flames. If you beat them, you take their place. If you lose, however, you forfeit your officer rank entirely and start as a soldier." I clenched my fist, my hatred growing as I spoke. "When I win the tournament, I plan to challenge one of the Flames."

Jane asked, "How strong are they?" I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. "That's an interesting question." I started, buying myself a little time as I mulled it over. "My master, in his prime, was on par with the strongest Flame, the Demon Buddha." Jane couldn’t hold back her scoff. "Dumbass nickname. Are you as strong as your master in his prime?" she muttered, rolling her eyes. I clicked my tongue, trying to stay focused despite her reaction. "Yeah. My master said I was as strong as he was in his prime, but..." I paused, my expression growing serious. "my master was beaten easily by the leader of Sun." Jane cut me off. "Leo. Everyone knows him. Who is your master anyway?"

I shifted slightly, grabbing another quick bite of my steak before responding. "Can't say," I replied through a mouthful of food. I chewed and swallowed, then continued, "but I'm hoping in this tournament I can improve even further." Leaning back, I grabbed a rag and began wiping down my plate, trying to clear away the remnants of the meal. I glanced at her as I spoke again. "That's what I wanted to tell you. Are you sure you still want to come along?" Jane sighed, her gaze steady as she answered, "Of course I do. I'm not weak." I winced slightly, realizing how my words could’ve been taken. Shaking my head quickly, I tried to clarify, "No, no. I didn't mean that—" She cut me off again, but this time her voice was softer, more understanding. "I know what you meant. You're just worried. You showcased that when the bandits attacked us."

Her eyes seemed to focus more intently, almost as if she had decided something in that moment. "How about you train me?" I blinked, taken slightly off guard by her request. The words left my mouth almost instinctively. ".. I can't make you as strong as me, but I can certainly increase your defensive and offensive capabilities, endurance, and stamina tenfold." The look of excitement in her eyes was unmistakable. She wrapped her arms around me, squeezing tightly. "Yes, thank you! I'll work hard!" The sudden contact made my face flush, but I hesitated for only a second before I returned the hug, my arms encircling her in a firm, reassuring embrace.