"Never lose focus of your opponent. The moment you do, you're dead on the battlefield, kid."
Captain Sangiff's voice echoed through the clearing as his left leg snapped forward like a whip.
The crimson-haired girl reacted slowly but still threw both arms up to block.
Bang!
The kick still sent her flying.
The difference in weight and experience was simply too great.
She crashed into the forest floor and rolled several times before finally coming to a stop.
Unlike before, she didn't immediately rise.
Instead, she remained lying on her back, chest rising and falling as she stared at the patches of blue sky visible through the canopy overhead.
A hand wiped sweat from her brow.
Not far away, beneath the shade of one of the enormous trees that filled the Forest of Ruin, Light watched the scene unfold.
Or rather—
He watched while recovering from the beating he had received himself.
They had been "training" for nearly thirty minutes now.
If one were being generous.
If one were being honest, Captain Sangiff had simply spent the last half hour throwing both of them around like sacks of grain.
"I think he just enjoys bullying us..."
Light rubbed the back of his head.
The captain hadn't even drawn his sword.
***
Earlier that morning, before they departed, the Adventurer's Guild had posted an urgent request.
A large group of Fallen had been spotted approaching from the eastern region.
The city needed every available fighter.
Most of the mercenaries traveling with them had eagerly accepted the opportunity. Winter was approaching, and urgent quests paid well.
As a result, only three people continued their journey through the forest.
Light.
The girl.
And Captain Sangiff.
The captain still needed to return proof of contract completion to his employer, and with a smaller group they could travel significantly faster.
Something he seemed very pleased about.
Perhaps a little too pleased.
***
"Alright!"
The captain clapped his hands together.
"I've got a rough idea of your combat abilities."
Light immediately disliked the grin on his face.
"How about you two start using your blessings now?"
Both Light and the girl visibly perked up.
Finally,
Something they could actually do.
"So," Sangiff continued, "who wants to go first?"
Light opened his mouth.
The girl shot to her feet before a sound could leave him.
"I will."
Her answer came immediately.
Light blinked.
Even now, he still wasn't accustomed to her appearance.
The girl standing before him looked nothing like the one he'd met only yesterday.
The frail body was gone.
The unhealthy thinness.
The pale skin stretched over protruding bones.
All of it had disappeared.
Though still young, she now looked healthy.
Alive.
There was color in her cheeks.
Strength in her posture.
Confidence in the way she stood.
For the first time, she looked like a child who had been given the chance to grow.
But that wasn't what drew his attention.
It never was.
It was her eyes.
Ruby-red gemstones that sparkled beneath the sunlight.
Once dull and lifeless.
Now shining with unmistakable vitality.
The difference was impossible to ignore.
Light remembered Captain Sangiff's comments that morning.
"Kid, what happened to you? You look like you haven't eaten in months."
And then—
"And you look like you ate for the entire night straight."
A joking remark aimed at the girl.
The captain had noticed.
Of course he had.
Yet despite the obvious changes, he had never once questioned how a blind girl had suddenly regained her sight or had become healthier.
Light appreciated that.
Some things were better left unasked.
Sangiff reached into his pack.
"I don't expect either of you to fully understand your Miracle Arts yet."
He pulled out a circular stone fitted with a crystal sphere.
"Luckily, I carry a Star Stone."
Light leaned forward curiously.
"What is that, Captain?"
The captain placed a hand on the crystal.
A moment later, a translucent box appeared.
Light immediately recognized it.
Unlike his own floating windows, however, this one was anchored directly to the stone.
"This is a Star Stone."
Sangiff lifted it slightly.
"It allows those blessed by the heavens to view their Miracle Arts. Most people who possess a blessing carry one."
The display shimmered.
[Name: Sangiff]
[Blessing: Sword Mastery]
[Brilliance: Awakened (7,484/1000)]
[Mana: 948/948]
[Miracle Arts: Intermediate Swordplay | Swift Step | Harden Body | Focus]
Light's eyes widened.
The captain had shown them everything.
His blessing.
His miracle arts.
Even his mana.
In a world where information meant survival, such openness wasn't common.
The captain had revealed it anyway.
Trust.
That was what it was.
'The captain really is a good man.'
Scratching his cheek awkwardly, Light decided to be honest.
"Actually... we already know our Miracle Arts."
Sangiff raised an eyebrow.
"My blessing lets us see them."
The captain looked genuinely surprised.
Then his expression became serious.
"I see."
His voice lowered.
"Don't tell anyone else that."
Light blinked.
"Why?"
"Because blessings that can perceive mana are rare."
The captain folded his arms.
"Rare blessings attract attention. Attention attracts problems."
After a brief pause he added,
"Buy a Star Stone when you get the chance. It'll help you blend in."
Light nodded.
That made sense.
"Now then."
The captain stepped back into the clearing.
"Let's continue."
The girl was already waiting.
Eager.
Focused.
"Don't hold back this time," Sangiff said.
"Use your blessing from the start."
"Okay."
She immediately copied his stance.
One hand extended.
One hand near her stomach.
Knees slightly bent.
Almost identical.
Light felt anticipation build inside him.
He was about to witness two combat blessings clash.
Granted, he expected the captain to win.
Spectacularly.
But it was still exciting.
This was the world of the blessed.
The world he had dreamed about since childhood.
Then the girl lowered her stance.
Raised her hand.
And asked,
"...How do I use my Miracle Arts?"
The anticipation died instantly.
Light nearly fell over.
Sangiff burst out laughing.
"Focus on the art's name."
The captain resumed his stance.
"When you feel warmth inside your body, you've supplied the mana needed to activate it."
The girl nodded seriously.
"If it's passive, it'll continue draining mana until you turn it off. If it's active, you'll need to use it before activating another."
"Simple enough." he concluded
"I understand."
She immediately copied his stance again.
Then it happened.
The girl's crimson hair began to glow.
Thin strands slowly darkened.
Red becoming black.
Black spreading like ink through scarlet silk.
At the same moment—
Light felt warmth surge through his body.
His eyes widened.
The sensation was familiar.
Mana.
Their shared mana pool had begun moving.
"What?"
Before he could investigate further—
The spar began.
The difference in experience was obvious from the very first exchange.
The girl's stance wobbled.
Her guard opened constantly.
Every movement carried hesitation.
Captain Sangiff looked effortless.
Relaxed.
Calm.
In complete control.
He wasn't fighting.
He was teaching.
The captain stepped forward.
The girl panicked.
Her hands rose too high.
Her stomach became exposed.
A simple shove sent her stumbling backward.
"Too stiff."
The captain's correction was immediate.
The girl frowned.
Then returned to her stance.
This time—
Just slightly better.
Barely noticeable.
But better.
And at that exact moment—
Light felt mana disappear.
A sudden chunk vanished from their shared pool.
His eyes widened.
The girl blinked.
As though something had suddenly made sense.
Then the feeling ended.
Another exchange.
Another mistake.
Another correction.
Another lesson.
Again mana disappeared.
And again.
And again.
And again.
Slowly, painfully slowly, the Miracle Art taught her.
Not mastery.
Not expertise.
Just understanding.
Tiny pieces.
The way weight should be distributed.
How balance should be maintained.
Why certain stances worked.
Minute fragments of knowledge.
And every single fragment cost mana.
A ridiculous amount of mana.
"That much?"
Light stared in disbelief.
The girl had learned almost nothing.
Yet their mana kept disappearing.
Not gradually.
Not steadily.
It vanished in massive chunks whenever she learned something new.
The cost was absurd.
Ten minutes passed.
Then fifteen.
Then twenty.
Sangiff continued overwhelming her.
A jab.
A sweep.
A shove.
A correction.
Again and again.
The girl improved.
But only by inches.
The Miracle Art wasn't making her strong.
It was making her slightly less terrible.
Meanwhile, their mana was evaporating.
The black strands in her hair continued spreading little by little.
More crimson disappeared.
More mana vanished.
The shared pool rapidly approached empty.
Then came another lesson.
A tiny one.
Sangiff shifted his hips before striking.
For the first time—
The girl noticed.
A subtle tell.
A small realization.
The tiniest piece of combat awareness.
The Miracle Art seized upon it.
And demanded payment.
A massive amount of mana disappeared instantly.
Light nearly collapsed.
His vision swam.
The warmth vanished.
Their mana reached zero.
At the exact same moment, the glow faded from the girl's hair.
The black strands stopped spreading and soon returned to its crimson color.
The Miracle Art had shut down.
There was nothing left to fuel it.
The girl still raised her fists.
But now her movements were sluggish.
Heavy.
Exhausted.
Sangiff watched her for a moment.
Then shook his head.
One step.
One movement.
One sweep.
The girl's balance disappeared.
Thud.
She landed flat on her back.
The spar was over.
To absolutely no one's surprise.
Light slid down against the tree.
Every muscle felt heavy.
His body screamed for rest.
Mana exhaustion.
The same sensation he had experienced after awakening his chains.
Only far worse.
The Miracle Art had revealed another truth.
Learning wasn't free.
Every lesson demanded mana.
And for beginners, the cost was horrific.
The girl had gained only fragments of understanding.
Yet the Miracle Art had consumed nearly everything they possessed.
Their shared mana pool was empty.
Recovery would take hours.
Perhaps longer.
Only once their mana naturally replenished could she continue learning.
Sangiff glanced between the two of them.
Then sighed.
"A powerful blessing."
The captain shook his head.
"But both of you are far too weak."
He offered the girl a hand and pulled her to her feet.
"Training you two is going to take time."
The girl didn't argue.
She looked too exhausted to speak.
After helping her sit beside Light, the captain asked,
"How much mana do you share?"
"Four hundred."
Sangiff froze.
"...Four hundred?"
Light nodded.
The captain let out a low whistle.
"Heavens."
For the first time all day, he looked genuinely impressed.
"That's terrifying."
He leaned back against the tree.
"It looks like one of you can train for maybe twenty minutes before running dry."
His gaze shifted toward the girl.
"Maybe longer once you stop fighting like a newborn deer."
The girl stared back blankly shimmering lights surrounding her body.
Sangiff laughed.
"The forest is too dangerous to travel while mana exhausted."
The captain crossed his arms.
"Fortunately, we've made good time."
"We'll rest."
Light wanted to ask more questions.
About blessings.
About mana.
About Miracle Arts.
But his eyelids were already growing heavy.
The exhaustion was overwhelming.
"Rest, kid."
Sangiff's voice sounded distant.
"It seems that girl doesn't care about her surroundings one bit."
Light felt something soft land against his shoulder.
Turning his head, he found the source.
The girl had fallen asleep sitting upright.
Her head rested against him.
A faint snore escaped her lips.
Light stared for a second.
Then laughed weakly.
A moment later, he lost his own battle against exhaustion.
His head lowered onto her crimson hair.
And beneath the shade of ancient trees, surrounded by monsters and dangers lurking beyond the forest, the two children slept.
While Captain Sangiff stood watch alone.
The silent guardian beneath the canopy.