Levi continued to watch Eliza, battered and fatigued, as she left the stadium. His gaze wasn't focused on her physique but on understanding the turmoil she was experiencing, something probably he could never experience.

The incident with Noel had solidified one truth for Levi: the events in the game plot wouldn't unfold in real life.

Noel never abducted Blake, Luna did perished, and Eliza and Blake were never destined to engage in a duel. The second part of the first arc was a duel, not just between these two.

'Like a game, not everything revolves around the main character I choose; the entire world is in constant motion and flux, and as a lone human, I won't be able to navigate all the changes.'

This realization drove Levi to seek the ten heroes, not as friends but as beacons of absolute strength. Most of the heroes he encountered behaved similarly to their in-game personalities, except for the lionheart princess. It felt like a blend of her character and something striving to fit into her soul—perhaps character development, but not what Levi desired.

Instead of embracing unwavering confidence and determination after defeat, Eliza seemed to be evolving into a sore loser, perhaps even an antagonist. Levi had no responsibility to manage her attitude; he only needed her to stay alive. Yet, what is a person if they lose their sense of self and purpose?

Levi wasn't doing this for Eliza but for himself. '

I don't want any trouble caused just because she decided to change for the worse.'

******

Levi stuck to his usual routine—work, training at Ryan's office, and then heading to his dorm. However, today marked the beginning of his training with Irina, so he made his way to her house. The city's atmosphere had returned to normal, and Levi now had eyes all over the city, deploying a hundred lesser eyes to their full capacity, with ninety-nine of them scattered across the city and academy.

Upon entering Irina's room, Tyson was engrossed in work, and Luna approached Levi with a book in hand.

"Can you read this to me?"

She asked, a bit scared not of Levi's look but the possibility of him rejecting her offer.

"Sure."

Levi offered her a small smile that eased her shyness as she moved closer and sat beside him.

"The Knight and His Princess."

Levi read the story title, slowly progressing through the book. Initially amusing, Luna began dozing off once political and boring elements emerged, eventually falling asleep on Levi's lap.

Levi, however, persisted in reading, only to realize as he turned more pages that the book was not suitable for children—it was an erotica novel. He glanced at Tyson, who worked with a shy expression. The story closely mirrored Tyson and Irina's relationship, explaining why it was Irina's favorite, hidden under the worst visible place—beneath a bed.

About a third into the book, the door to the shop opened, and Irina entered, holding an axe. Initially, she smiled at Levi and Luna fe, then turned her attention to Tyson working.

'Wait.'

She again looked at Levi and noticed the book in his hand. A current of flash passed by Levi and the book no longer in his hand.

A shy and beet red Irina threw the book right across the room and fake laughed.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

"Come on, the good part was just starting,"

Levi teased, reading a line from the book, eliciting a shy, embarrassed reaction from Irina.

"Ohhh…my knight…my lower body feel hot….do you have a holy sword that can fix it?"

Levi read a line from the book and smoke started coming out from the top of her head. At this moment, she wished she never picked up the book. Tyson too felt his body squirm in cringe.

"My princess…..your small cave won't be able to handle my holy sword-"

Before Levi could finish talking an axe flew towards him inches away from his face.

"One more word, and I will chop your head off."

Irina threatened Levi, her face reddened like a tomato. Levi decided not to push further, planning to tease her later and by later he meant for the rest of her life.

Irina used magic to gently pick up Luna and put her to bed, then signaled Levi to follow her. Tyson smiled at Levi and kept working as the door shut.

Irina pulled out a mask that expanded on its own and wore it without drawing attention. Their house was already exiled from society, so she had to wear a mask each time she ventured out. The cool thing about the mask was its changed the wearer appearance. Right now, Irina had brown hair and brown eyes though her beauty still wasn't hidden so she wore a robe on top

Levi followed Irina without questioning, as she skillfully navigated the streets, avoiding anyone in their path. After five minutes, they entered a small forest to the west of Hilica, relatively safe with no mana beasts except for some foxes, moose, wild chickens and common insects. The forest was unguarded, separated from the outside by a twenty-meter wall and a mana barrier.

Outside the wall, Irina conjured a magic circle in her hand, unlike any Levi had seen in the game. Although Levi had no interest in magic, the pattern, aura, and descending beautiful colors of the magic circle captivated him. There was no writing on it like regular magic circles, only strange geometrical patterns he had never seen.

The magic circle dissipated into the air, and like winter flakes, it fell on the magic barrier, temporarily disabling it. Irina glanced at Levi, who was still mesmerized by the magic spell. She smiled and, in a single jump, leaped over the entire wall. Levi had to cling to the walls and made it over after three jumps.

Inside the forest, they walked for a minute, the laughter of foxes, the croaking of frogs, and the chirping of cicadas filling the silence. Irina stopped, leading them to an open space within the forest.

Levi observed the large space and wondered

'This is odd. How is there such a big space unless someone—'

He looked at Irina and remembered she had come home with an axe.

'Did she cut down all these trees just for my training? Not just cut—she uprooted the trees themselves.'

Levi feigned amazement, and Irina noticed his "shocked" expression.

"This is where your training will happen each day,"

Irina said as they walked to the middle of the open field.

"Just by looking at the muscle proportion and mana vessels, I can tell you are an archer, am I right?"

"Yes," Irina's guess was accurate. An S-rank's eyes were truly fearsome.

"You did ask me to teach you my art. I am or used to be a Toxotai, but teaching the family art is against the rules. If someone catches you using it, you will be interrogated or even killed."

A gloomy expression appeared on her face as she recalled those days when she too was accepted by her family.

"That is why, after thinking all night, I decided to teach you a magic art that my sensei taught me."

'Sensei?'

Levi was shocked to hear the word 'sensei' and checked if he heard it right. 'Sensei' was a Japanese word for teacher.

'How do they know these words?'

Servania had its own different language. Even after transmigration, Levi knew the single human language by default. He doubted the elves, dwarves, and other races would call anyone 'sensei.'

"What does sensei mean?"

Levi asked innocently. Irina shrugged and pouted her lips.

"I don't know. I asked him, but he just told me to call him that. Maybe it means asshole for how much he beat me."

She clenched her fist remembering how much she had to suffer.

One thing was clear: the man who taught Irina knew Japanese or maybe it was just some accident. But like a wise man said

'There are no accidents.'

The question was,

'Is he one of the twelve players sent before me? No, that's not possible. The twelve players failed, and time reversed so I could come and save the world. So how?'

Many questions ran through Levi's head, but he decided to focus on his training for now.

"I will be teaching you an art he called 'True Magic.' Either you can learn this magic, or I can teach you some close combat, though I am not proficient at it either."

Levi's close combat skills weren't the best; he relied on [Essence] to land critical hits on his enemies. Learning close combat would be useful, but he had never heard of 'True magic' before in his life

"I will learn the True Magic Art."

Levi's answer made an evil smile appear on Irina's face as tens of magic circles materialized right above her.

"Don't get hit by any of this."

"Wait what. What are the rules."

Irina didn't wait nor say anything, and chaos ensued for Levi.

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