I was still catching my breath, knees trembling, when a sudden burst of laughter echoed from the side.
I turned my head, already dreading what I'd see.
And then I realized I was damned.
Elder Jiro was leaning casually against a wooden post, arms crossed, shaking his head in amusement. Despite being FOUR HUNDRED AND THIRTY-ONE YEARS OLD, he grinned like a mischievous teenager.
"Hey, kid," he called out with that signature demonic grin only villagers around here could wear so naturally. "You're gonna have to toughen up a bit before Ryoji shows you what real training looks like."
Still gripping my sword, I gasped for air and blurted out, "If this isn't real training, then what the hell is?!"
Jiro chuckled, his shoulders shaking. "Oh no, this was just him testing the waters. The real training hasn't even started yet."
From behind him, Kaito let out a long whistle. "Heh. If you think that was bad, wait till my father gets serious."
My eyes flicked to Ryoji, who stood a few feet away, arms folded, watching me with the intensity of a predator. That silent stare alone made my spine stiffen. He hadn't even broken a sweat.
Jiro leaned closer, his voice lowering just enough to feel dangerous. "Did Kaito tell you his father's old title?"
A small bead of sweat trickled down my forehead. I wiped it with the back of my hand. "Old title?"
Jiro's grin widened. "Ryoji Kasama… was once known as the Dragon Fire Soldier."
My stomach twisted.
Dragon. Fire. Soldier.
That didn't just sound powerful—it sounded terrifyingly cool.
Jiro looked up at the sky, as if reminiscing. "That was a long time ago though. Before the war ended."
I swallowed thickly. My thoughts spun.
Maybe it was long ago… but a title like that isn't given lightly. That kind of name... you earn it with blood and fire. He might have been feared on the battlefield.
Kaito practically beamed with pride beside me. "Yep! Father was a monster in combat! People used to say entire enemy squads would retreat just from hearing his footsteps."
Oh great. Just great.
Then a new thought struck me—one that tightened my gut even more.
Wait a minute… if he was that strong, could he be one of the six unrivaled warriors Ryoji mentioned before?
I leaned closer to Jiro and whispered, "So, Ryoji… he's one of the Six Unrivaled, right?"
Jiro snorted, genuinely amused. "Hah! Not even close. I'd rate him… maybe a B-minus. Maybe B-plus on a good day."
I blinked. "Wait—what?!"
Jiro shook his head, still grinning. "Don't get me wrong—Ryoji is strong. Stronger than most. But those six? They're on another level entirely. We're talking monsters among monsters."
I slowly turned back to Ryoji, who hadn't moved a muscle. He stood there like a wall of muscle, heat, and silent judgment.
And he isn't even one of the six? Then what kind of monsters are they?!
Curiosity burned in my mind. I had to know more.
I quickly pulled up my system menu and focused on Ryoji Kasama's profile.
> [Character Profile]
Name: Ryoji Kasama
Age: 56
—
Strength: Lv. 54
Agility: Lv. 36
Stamina: Lv. 65
Mana Heart: Fire Type
I froze.
Wait a second…
His stats—they matched Elder Jiro's almost exactly.
I glanced sideways at the grinning old man. "You… you and Ryoji are nearly equal in strength."
Jiro laughed, clearly pleased I'd noticed. "I'd say I've got a slight edge. But yeah, Ryoji's no slouch. He was next in line to become the elder of this village, you know."
I turned to Kaito, still struggling to process everything. "Your father is this strong?!"
Kaito puffed out his chest. "Of course! He was an elite soldier before settling down. Everyone around here used to look up to him—or run from him."
I looked back at Ryoji. Still silent. Still terrifying.
If he wasn't one of the six… what kind of beasts were they?
Just what am I training for? And why do I feel like I need to get stronger? Like it's not just about survival… but something bigger?
Ryoji's voice suddenly snapped me out of my thoughts.
"All right," he said. His tone was calm, but carried the weight of a hammer. "If you're done thinking, get to sleep. Tomorrow's going to be hell."
I blinked. "Huh?"
He smirked—that kind of smirk. The evil, terrifying, you-will-regret-waking-up kind.
"Good," he said darkly. "Because now… your real training begins."
It felt like my soul left my body for a second.
Jiro erupted into laughter. "Hahahaha! Good luck, kid! You'll need it!"