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The sun was gentle that day.
Ryu and Mina were at the small village playground. It was nothing fancy—just a worn swing, some broken wooden beams, and dirt under their feet. But Mina was laughing, chasing butterflies. That was enough.
Ryu smiled, leaning against the fence.
Then, someone called out behind him.
---
A boy, maybe a year older, stood at the edge of the path.
Short hair. Worn boots.
He looked similar to Ryu—skinny, but sharp-eyed.
His registration tag dangled from his belt.
> MOB – Amateur Class
He pointed at Ryu.
"You're that Trained Class kid, right? Wanna spar?"
Ryu blinked. "Here?"
The boy shrugged. "There's a dry field behind the trees."
---
The Fight
They moved away from the playground.
No one followed.
Just the two of them.
Ryu didn't even draw his practice sword.
He used open hand movements—calm, basic techniques.
The boy charged with confidence.
Ryu sidestepped.
Tapped his shoulder.
Knocked him off balance.
A few moves later, the fight ended.
The boy sat on the dirt, gasping. "You're... really trained."
Ryu offered him a hand. "Just practiced a bit longer, that's all."
---
After
Ryu stopped by the local store on the way back.
He had a few bronze ounces in his pocket.
He bought a small bottle of fresh milk—Mina's favorite.
By the time he returned, she was still at the swing.
He handed her the bottle.
"Where'd you go?" she asked.
Ryu just smiled, "Nowhere far."
---
To be continued..