Finally, bedtime. Blessed sleep, a sweet escape from the day's torment. Training with Lou and Romeo was a baptism by fire, worse than any inferno I could imagine. Describing it wouldn't even come close. They pushed me to my absolute limits – Flow exchange after grueling Flow exchange, overloading objects until I practically begged for mercy, and relentless technique drills that left my muscles screaming. They even managed to get me burned again during a particularly intense Flow exchange though both of them were Harmonizers, so they pretty much kept patching me up in a flash. The urge to unleash the waterworks of my eyes was strong, but I held them back – this time, at least.

One week. It felt like an eternity. How would I survive years of this? And the thought of Lou dragging me off for "solo training" sent shivers down my spine. The way he smirked whenever I faltered, a predator eyeing wounded prey, chilled me to the bone. Was I truly cut out for the demanding life of a Sponsor's apprentice?

Despite the relentless torture, a flicker of pride flickered within me. I could now sustain the Flow of my Morphblade for longer stretches – a small victory in the grand scheme of things, but a victory nonetheless. This journey was a marathon, not a sprint, and I was just taking the first steps. Sleep, glorious sleep, was a necessity now. I burrowed into the warmth of the sheets, letting the fatigue wash over me. I needed to savor every precious moment of rest. Because come month's end, Lou would whisk me away for further training, and the unknown terrified me more than any Flow overload ever could. The future was a hazy blur, and all I could do was hold on tight and hope I wouldn't break.

The promise of sleep, a sweet escape from the day's ordeal, had barely begun to lull me when the sound of my door splintering open shattered the peace. A gust of wind whipped through the room, but I ignored it, simply rolling over and burrowing deeper into the covers. Sleep, I pleaded silently, take me now.

Fate, however, had a different agenda. Faint footsteps, deliberate and unsettling, echoed on the wooden floor. Someone was in my room. A shiver ran down my spine despite the warmth of the blankets. Who was it? A thief? A kidnapper? Fear prickled at my skin, but I clung to the hope that it was just my imagination, a product of exhaustion.

The footsteps grew closer, and I squeezed my eyes shut tighter, feigning sleep. I could feel the figure looming, their presence a heavyweight in the small room. A hand hovered near me, sending a jolt of terror through me. This wasn't a dream. They were real.

Just as I readied myself to scream, the figure ripped the blanket away, revealing my small frame bathed in the moonlight. My eyes snapped open, a scream building in my throat. But before the sound could escape, a hand clamped over my mouth, stifling the cry.

Panic surged through me. I struggled against the unseen attacker, my body trembling. Then, a flicker of recognition pierced the haze of fear. The hand, rough and calloused, felt oddly familiar. I forced my blurry vision to focus, and through the terror, I saw him. Bags hung heavy under his eyes, his face etched with exhaustion. It was Lou.

"Shhh," he rasped, his voice strained. "Don't wake up your Mr. Perfect Uncle, Bug."

The tension drained from me in a wave of relief so intense it almost made me dizzy. This annoying goofball, the one who nearly gave me a heart attack, was Lou? I sighed, a shaky breath escaping my lips. Reaching up, I gently tapped his hand, urging him to remove it from my mouth. Relief turned to simmering anger as he finally complied.

"What the heck were you thinking, Lou?" I shrieked, my voice laced with fury. "You scared the living daylights out of me!"

"Jeez," Lou muttered, rolling his eyes dramatically as he covered his ears with exaggerated theatrics. "I specifically requested no screaming, didn't I?" He flicked on the light, momentarily blinding me, before sauntering over to my closet. Really, Lou? Digging through a girl's closet with such audacity? Thankfully, at six years old, the concept of personal space hadn't quite sunk in yet.

He rifled through my clothes, finally emerging with my cloak and Morphblade. He tossed them at me with a nonchalance that bordered on disrespect. "Well, uh," he stammered, scratching the back of his head. "We kinda need these...and pajamas aren't exactly ideal for...well, you know." He tossed another garment towards me – a bright blue tracksuit that didn’t really suit my taste. "So...there we go. Ready to roll, I guess?" He finished with a flourish, hand resting on his chin in a pose that tried (and failed) to project confidence.

"Um, could you at least explain what's going on?" I whispered, clutching the clothes he'd thrown at me. Confusion swirled in my stomach. "Are you taking me somewhere? Shouldn't I have a say in this? Don't my feelings matter?"

Lou stared at me blankly for a moment, head tilted to one side. Then, as if a rusty gear finally clicked into place, he offered a response that left much to be desired. "You're just a little bug," he said dismissively. "Why would your opinion matter?"

Ouch. That stung more than a scraped knee. "That was a pretty low blow, unworthy Sponsor," I retorted, my voice tight with anger.

…

“Arrogant Bug…”

He sighed, running a hand over his head. "Alright, alright," he conceded, frustration evident on his face. "Look, to put it simply, I'm taking over your training. No more interference from Romeo. I don't want any more of that!" He grimaced at the last part, as if recalling a particularly unpleasant encounter.

"Hold on," I interrupted, bewildered. "Weren't we supposed to start next month? What changed?"

Lou scratched his head, a familiar stalling tactic. Sure, his mind wasn't exactly lightning fast, but this was Internet Explorer levels of slow. "Well, uh," he stammered, "how do I put this..."

"Patience isn't your strong suit, is it?" I finished for him, a hint of amusement in my voice.

He shot me a sheepish grin. "Bingo! Look, if everyone's okay with me taking over your training, why wait another month? Besides, all this drama..." He waved his hand dismissively, "Not a fan."

"Fair enough," I conceded, starting to change into the clothes he'd thrown at me. "So you spoke to Romeo about this?"

Lou went silent, a telltale sign of evasion as he turned his back to me. Finishing with the tracksuit and cloak, I waited, the silence stretching uncomfortably.

"Lou," I pressed, "does Romeo know I'm starting early?"

He turned back, finally meeting my gaze, his eyes narrowed. "He wouldn't approve. Just nagging and getting on my nerves, that one."

"Actually," I countered, taking the coat from him, "I think you'll be the one doing the nagging."

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…

“Arrogant Bug…” Lou sighed dramatically, a hand slapping his forehead. "Alright, alright, listen up, Bug!" He knelt, forcing eye contact. "Here's the deal. I'm putting in the effort to turn you into something respectable. The key ingredient? Time. Lots of it."

He stood up, a predatory glint in his eye. "So, what do you say? Take a chance on a one-time offer, or stick with Romeo's snail-paced training?"

A steely glint hardened Lou's eyes – a seriousness I'd never witnessed before. Here, under the cloak of night, a silent pact was forged. For the first time since my rebirth, a decision echoed across both my past and present lives. I, the reincarnated warrior, accepted this unorthodox teacher's offer. A contented smile tugged at my lips as I turned towards the door. "Perhaps this training holds more promise than I initially thought," I ventured.

A short chuckle rumbled from Lou's chest. "Oh, Bug," he said, his voice tinged with a hint of amusement, "you have no idea." He scooped me up with surprising ease, not a stark contrast to my tiny frame. Instead of the front door, he strode towards the living room window, throwing it open with a flourish. A blast of frigid winter air swept in, sending shivers down my spine.

"We could have used the door," I pointed out, a hint of amusement dancing in my eyes. Why the theatrics?

He winked, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Where's the fun in that? Now hold on tight, Bug. Our training ground awaits." So he really just wanted a flashy leave, huh?

With that, he launched himself out the window, propelling us into the cold night. Despite the sudden chill, I couldn't help but feel a thrill course through me. Lou might be unorthodox, even borderline crazy, but under the cloak of darkness, I glimpsed a spark of something more – a spark of a teacher who wouldn't hold back, who would push me to the very edge of my limits.

"Focus some Flow on your eyes, Bug!" Lou's sudden bark jolted me awake, shattering the peaceful silence. My eyelids fluttered open, heavy with sleep.

"Huh?" I mumbled, barely registering his words.

"Flow circuits," he clarified impatiently. "Remember what I told you? Channel a bit more Flow into the ones in your eyes."

Intrigued, but still groggy, I did as instructed. A surge of energy pulsed through my eyes, and then...wow. The world transformed. Gone was the suffocating darkness, replaced by an ethereal blue glow. I could see! Night vision, granted by the power of Flow itself.

The revelation was exhilarating, but the sudden strain on my eyes was intense. A dull ache throbbed behind my eyelids, forcing me to stop after a few seconds.

"Flow isn't just for flashy attacks, Bug," Lou said, his voice gruff but not unkind. "Doubling the Flow in those circuits near your eyes alters its state on an atomic level, essentially turning it into something akin to light particles."

"So we're basically turning our eyes into low-powered flashlights?" I asked, piecing things together.

"Precisely," he confirmed with a curt nod. "It's not the most efficient technique. Flow expenditure is high. Most wouldn't bother, but with your seemingly bottomless reserves..." He trailed off, leaving the implication hanging heavy in the air.

A slow smile spread across my face. Maybe starting my training early with Lou wasn't such a bad idea after all.

Lou's sudden stop jolted me out of the remnants of sleep. Finally, we'd reached our destination. Tentatively, I activated my night vision once again. The world reappeared, a stark contrast to the inky blackness moments before.

But my newfound wonder was shattered in an instant. A primal jolt of fear electrified me, stopping my words mid-sentence. My gaze landed on a sight that would send shivers down anyone's spine, especially at night.

A Flow-Beast.

Massive and terrifying, it loomed before us. Its scales, a mesmerizing canvas of bioluminescent hues, shifted from deep indigo to radiant gold with each ripple of movement. A crest of ethereal filaments crowned its serpentine head, adding an otherworldly beauty to its fearsome visage. Compound eyes, like those of a monstrous insect, reflected the surrounding environment like a thousand tiny prisms.

It roared, a sound that resonated deep within my core, sending a fresh wave of terror crashing over me. My voice trembled as I stammered, "L-Lou..." Stepping back instinctively, I finally managed to shake out a question laced with panic. "Are you out of your mind? You brought me to the Beast Territory for training?"

Lou's nonchalant mutter, "Stop screaming, both of you," did little to quell the rising terror in my throat. Seeing a Flow-Beast up close was enough to make anyone lose their composure, let alone a six-year-old girl. Unlike me, these creatures were a regular sight for Lou, living as he did on the fringes of the Beast Territory.

Despite the tremor in my voice, I managed a panicked shriek. "Lou, what are you doing?"

He ignored me, taking a series of measured steps toward the colossal beast. The creature, its bioluminescent scales pulsing with agitation, hissed in response.

"Just giving you a little gift, Bug," Lou said, his voice surprisingly calm considering the situation. He positioned himself directly in front of the beast, further provoking its ire. "This," he gestured, pointing at his chest, "is what experience looks like."

Lou raised his right hand, prompting another hair-raising screech from the Flow-Beast. "Most of the Flow practitioners," he explained, his voice barely audible over the creature's roars, "has something that sets them apart, or maybe more than one. And no, I'm not talking about a fancy Flow signature."

My eyes darted between Lou and the agitated beast. "It's a technique, right?" I yelled, trying to be heard over the din. "A unique skill you create yourself. Like a secret weapon?"

"Bingo, Bug!" Lou shouted back, a hint of amusement creeping into his voice. "They're called Eidos. Offensive, defensive, healing – anything goes, really. Your own personalized brand of Flow manipulation."

The Flow-Beast launched itself at Lou with a deafening roar, its colossal maw agape, ready to devour him whole. Despite the creature's immense size and razor-sharp teeth, an inexplicable sense of calm washed over me. It felt…unnatural. Almost as if the predator had become the prey.

Just as the beast lunged, a strange, shimmering silver sheen erupted from Lou's outstretched arm. "Eidos: Necro-Veil," he muttered, his voice laced with power.

The silver layer pulsed with an intensified light as the Flow-Beast made contact. In a nightmarish display of power, the creature exploded on impact. Flesh and blood rained down around us, the putrid stench filling the air. I stared in stunned silence, my mind struggling to comprehend the scene before me. A colossal beast, four meters of pure terror, reduced to a gory mess with a single touch from Lou.

Were Sponsors truly this powerful? Shame burned in my cheeks as I realized this was the first time I'd ever seen him fight. My initial dismissal of his abilities seemed laughably naive now. His power level was off the charts.

Finally, Lou turned towards me, his silver arm slowly returning to its normal flesh tone. "That, Bug," he said, his voice gruff but not unkind, "was my Eidos – Necro-Veil. It allows me to envelop a part of my body in a thin layer of Flow for a short time. This layer has the ability to instantly break down the tissue of any living creature, essentially rotting it from the inside out. While I may be a Harmonizer," he continued, his eyes gleaming with a hidden intensity, "I'm far from ordinary."

Lou, his silver arm completely normal again, finally addressed me. "Alright, Bug," he said, his gruffness softened by a hint of amusement, "let's cut to the chase. Here's the deal with your training – your one and only benchmark." He held up a finger, emphasizing his point. "For the next four years, you'll be living by my side in the heart of the Beast Territory. Understood?"

I stared at him, the weight of his words settling in. Four years. Surrounded by creatures that could rip me to shreds in a heartbeat. Fear prickled at my skin, cold and sharp, but it was swiftly pushed back by a tide of exhilarating possibility. This wasn't the safe, structured training I'd envisioned, but it was undeniably...unorthodox. And for some reason, the unorthodoxy of it all resonated deep within me.

With a firm nod, I met his gaze. My voice, though small, held a newfound resolve. "Alright, Lou," I said, "tell me more about this 'survival game' of yours."

A genuine grin, wide and toothy, split his face. "That's the spirit, Bug!" he boomed, a hearty laugh echoing through the night. "Now, listen up. I won't be spoon-feeding you techniques or drilling you with endless exercises. This isn't about replicating my fighting style – I want you to forge your own path. I'll offer guidance, share my experience, but ultimately, you'll discover your own way to fight."

He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Think you can handle a little adventure, Bug? Are you ready to embrace the chaos?"

A slow smile spread across my face. Chaos? Challenge? The chance to carve my own destiny as a warrior, not a pale imitation? The chance to know the connection between this world and my old one? And, most importantly, another step closer to unveiling the reason behind my assassination! Bring it on.

"Lou," I declared, my voice ringing with newfound confidence that surprised even me, "Let the game begin."