The training had lasted for hours, stretching far beyond what Kumuna had anticipated. The once blazing sun had dipped below the horizon, casting hues of deep oranges and purples across the sky.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhlhyCxGMfL
Kumuna’s body screamed in exhaustion, his muscles aching from the relentless drills, the endless sparring, and the never-ending corrections from Orwin. Despite this, he stood his ground, his stance wobbly but determined. His breath came in sharp, ragged pants as he wiped the sweat from his brow.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Zxz6Utn2l
Orwin, who had barely broken a sweat throughout the entire session, observed him carefully. His sharp golden eyes traced the subtle shakes in Kumuna’s stance, the way his shoulders sagged slightly from fatigue.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWlqToN4a8d
“Alright, kid,” Orwin finally said, lowering his own stance. “That’s enough for today.”
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcQYPmm6P6w
Kumuna huffed, rolling his shoulders. “Tch… I’m not done yet.”
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjgbDq13hqm
The moment the words left his mouth, his legs buckled.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ277K9oDzk0
His body lurched forward, but before he could hit the ground, Orwin caught him, gripping his arm firmly but gently.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsmpc6FEdI3
“Hey.” Orwin’s voice was calm, steady. “I said that’s enough.”
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPioWl9suV8
Kumuna gritted his teeth, his body shaking as he tried to steady himself.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl6YzJYeVR2
Orwin sighed and placed a reassuring hand on Kumuna’s shoulder. “Look, I get it. You don’t wanna stop. You wanna keep pushing yourself until you drop.”
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiPNPd1gk5K
Kumuna remained silent, his jaw tightening.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsC6RRv4Ajn
Orwin’s grip on his shoulder tightened slightly.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHhiX8pNCah
“But you gotta remember what I told you.”
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ23asUUblih
Kumuna finally looked up at him, eyes still filled with stubborn determination.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo4BDs9YLxD
Orwin nodded firmly.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp9r27nxGiX
“A warrior isn’t just brute strength. He’s not just skill. He’s the balance of mind and body.”
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzpiyCmcAZF
Orwin smirked slightly, his tail flicking behind him. “And that means knowing when your body’s hit its damn limit and accepting it.”
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMGB2ON80K
Kumuna felt his tense shoulders loosen. His breath finally evened out.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCgXi11CmCR
He let out a tired chuckle. “…Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdAp2HRJjbL
Orwin stepped back, allowing Kumuna to regain his footing as they began walking back toward the castle entrance.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdR4JTJCnCY
As they reached the grand stone steps, Orwin’s golden eyes drifted upward, fixing on a lone figure standing beneath a nearby tree—watching.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi3CflLhyZ4
Kai’Zen.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW4RlwUM4sX
Orwin stopped in his tracks.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8V7EdLDNGb
“Kumuna, go on ahead,” he said, his tone lighter but firm. “I’ll catch up.”
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYwtuf87NjX
Kumuna blinked at him, then followed Orwin’s gaze—he barely caught the silhouette of the warlord standing in the shadows.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3K2AURR51
His expression soured slightly.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwsSVaBNm8i
“…Tch. Fine.” He rolled his shoulders before dragging himself toward the entrance, disappearing inside.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2gWZwVhz4u
Orwin turned, his sharp gaze locking onto Kai’Zen.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1jR6pNfABr
“Seen enough?”
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyXqCJHfchF
Kai’Zen stepped forward, his arms crossed. His face was unreadable, but the tension in his jaw was evident.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUJo11zoG2q
“You’re too soft on him.”
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLN8Dbz5kp
Orwin didn’t react, his tail swaying slowly behind him.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAOsg5q2YGn
“You coddle him,” Kai’Zen continued, stepping closer. “You train him too gently. The boy lacks discipline, lacks respect, and yet you praise him for every small step like a child taking his first walk.”
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaisjUq6Osh
Orwin sighed through his nose.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrpqJa6sFoC
“We made an oath to train the hero, not beat him into the ground,” Orwin replied, his voice calm, but firm.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2s5xWVcYC4
Kai’Zen’s eyes narrowed. “And you think I’m trying to beat him into the ground?”
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQdqdbQzFDd
Orwin crossed his arms, mirroring Kai’Zen’s stance. “Aren’t you?”
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8CJ8kXlXdB
Kai’Zen exhaled sharply, clearly agitated.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa9sGbUen3Q
“The world isn’t kind to the naive, Orwin. If we don’t drill that into him now, he won’t make it past a month—let alone five years.”
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3dLblSGDg5
Orwin was silent.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3dp1y3wJ09
Kai’Zen’s gaze hardened. “I won’t waste my time training someone who’s too arrogant to see how weak he truly is.”
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP2upsRtFjo
Orwin finally spoke.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY0oYUvhc62
“He’s not like us.”
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnkbg7xvKA1
Kai’Zen tensed.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ192xbQNL2d
Orwin took a slow step forward, his voice quieter, but heavier.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVtzEGNXT9k
“We were born into this,” Orwin said, his golden eyes flickering. “From the moment we could walk, we trained. We fought. We knew what war was before we even understood what peace meant.”
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTVf1rVkRlL
Kai’Zen’s fingers twitched slightly at his side.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5QX08vcB8p
“But Kumuna? He came from a world that doesn’t prepare you for this. He wasn’t raised for war. And yet—he’s still here.”
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCb1n9eZX5Q
Kai’Zen’s jaw ticked.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ73xVigkyaf
Orwin exhaled. “You don’t have to like him, Kai. You don’t have to coddle him like I do.” His gaze hardened. “But at least try to see things from his perspective.”
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkGhPqwRIYv
Kai’Zen remained silent.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLfdY7XmsE9
Orwin turned away.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzmy2WLX0Ax
Before he left, he glanced back one last time.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuOi4S6Hqb0
“Just… think about it before you write him off.”
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfczOB9mRh8
And with that, he disappeared into the night, leaving Kai’Zen alone.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6loBGbRb3V
The warlord stayed there, unmoving, staring out into the darkness.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7vQoPIpNK5
His fists clenched at his sides in irritation but something made him calm down, he took a moment to think.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXGSielwWAk
Orwin’s words gnawed at him, refusing to be easily cast aside.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNmjt1e3pm
He exhaled sharply through his nose. This was a mistake. The gods had made a mistake. The boy was reckless, undisciplined, and far too naïve to truly understand what was at stake.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIS1UidKoas
And yet…
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvzQDKvLKqB
Kai’Zen’s gaze flickered toward the empty training grounds in the distance.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZP1hlAIoh
Kumuna had stayed. He didn’t quit. Even after being knocked down, after struggling, after failing time and time again… he kept standing back up.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZ9DDaPn9v
Kai’Zen closed his eyes for a moment.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCfD04ZAYJ
Then, his lips curled into the faintest smirk.
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNnuGGmcW1K
“Tch. Stubborn brat.”
212Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGfNAYewptH
With that, he turned sharply on his heel and disappeared into the shadows.
→ Request update
and then Add to home screen.