After the sparring match with Olga, Laverna sat quietly on a training mat, her chest still heaving from the intense effort. The sting of defeat hadn't worn off, but something about Olga's no-nonsense approach stuck with her.
She had rushed in headfirst, thinking she could brute-force her way through skill and discipline. Shin approached her side, kneeling and handing her a bottle of water.
"Mind if we watch the others for a bit?" he asked, glancing toward the open sparring grounds.
She nodded silently, her pride still smarting, but curiosity winning out.
Shin stepped forward and approached Captain Rorick with a respectful nod. With a charming tone and his usual grace, he spoke.
"Captain, if it's alright with you, may we observe the rest of your unit's training session today?"
Rorick crossed his arms, one brow raised in thought. "You two caused quite the stir during the Harvest Festival yesterday," he said with a smirk.
"Heroes or not, you've earned the right to see what our unit's made of. Just don't cause any more duels, unless I call them."
Shin smiled and bowed slightly. "Understood. Thank you, Captain."
Captain Rorick turned to address his squad, his voice carrying authority. "Listen up, everyone. These two here are Shin and Laverna. If you were at the Harvest Festival yesterday, you've probably heard their names whispered more than once."
Shin gave a modest nod. "It's an honor to stand among the Crown's elite."
Laverna offered a small wave, her expression calm but focused.
The captain gestured toward his gathered unit. "This here is the Fourth Talon, my personal squad. They've seen more real combat than most of the capital combined."
He pointed to two lean warriors. "That's Rynn and Dalen, expert swordsmen."
Then to a pair of sharp-eyed young women. "The twins there, Mira and Tove, are archers with deadeye aim."
He gestured to a calm, broad-shouldered man in white robes. "That's Father Grent, our healer. Don't let his robes fool you, he's tough as nails."
A woman with crackling energy around her fingertips leaned against a post. "Lyssa over there is our battle mage. She specializes in barrier magic and lightning spells."
Finally, he nodded toward the imposing figure at the edge of the ring. "And of course, you already met Olga, our powerhouse tank and frontline bruiser."
There were nods of greeting and a few curious glances from the soldiers. Laverna's eyes swept across each of them, silently gauging their auras.
Shin, meanwhile, kept his smile polite, always calculating.
Captain Rorick then stepped to the center of the ring and called for the next pair. Two foot soldiers stepped forward, taking their positions with disciplined poise.
Shin and Laverna moved to the sidelines, their eyes fixed on the fighters. As the match began, Shin leaned toward her.
"Watch their stances. The one on the right favors his dominant leg. He'll overextend on side strikes. And the one on the left, she's too tense. Her flow will falter the longer the match goes on."
Laverna hung onto every word, her mind drinking in his insights. Each movement she observed now came with layers of meaning she hadn't seen before.
When the match ended with a swift takedown, Laverna rose from her seat, eyes narrowing as she looked toward Olga. "One more round. I need to see if I can put what I learned into practice."
Olga grinned from the distance, cracking her knuckles. "Round three, huh? I like your fire."
Olga approached, towering yet composed. "You want another go, don't you?"
Laverna stood, rubbing her shoulder. "One more. I can do better."
The beastwoman grinned. "Good. Let's see if you learned anything."
This time, Laverna moved with more caution. Instead of charging, she studied Olga's stance—weight distribution, subtle shifts in balance.
She feinted left, then rolled right, attempting a sweep. Olga blocked with ease but nodded approvingly.
"Better. You're thinking now."
Laverna used her smaller frame to try and outmaneuver Olga, throwing quick jabs and spinning kicks. Olga absorbed each with practiced grace.
Finally, she caught Laverna mid-lunge and twisted her down again, but this time, Laverna managed to land on her feet.
Breathing hard, Laverna crouched and eyed her opponent. "Still lost."
"Yes, but you adapted. Remember that," Olga said. "You won't always win, but if you learn, it's never wasted."
That loss lit a new fire in her.
Shin stood before her, arms crossed, watching her silently. When he spoke, his voice was calm but firm.
"We're going to start training differently from here on out. You've got the instincts, but we need to refine both sides of you."
He turned his gaze toward Olga, who stood nearby stretching her shoulders from their spar. "Olga, are you up for another round? With me this time."
The beastwoman raised a brow, chuckling. "Thought you'd never ask. I'm warmed up already. Don't expect me to go easy."
They squared off in the center of the field. Laverna stepped back, surprised but curious.
"You've seen how she fights," Shin said to Laverna without taking his eyes off Olga. "Now, watch how to think during a fight."
Shin was given some padded open gloves by the Captain. He adjusted his gloves and stepped into the training ring with a calm, unreadable expression.
Laverna sat cross-legged nearby, her eyes glued to him, while the soldiers who had gathered for their drills leaned in with anticipation.
Captain Rorick gave a nod. "Alright, eyes sharp, boys and girls. You're about to get a free masterclass."
Olga cracked her neck with a grin, lowering into a fighting stance. "Hope you're not just all talk, Shin."
"You'll find out soon enough," he replied, cracking his knuckles and stepping into a loose, grounded stance. His fists were relaxed, but his aura brimmed with coiled energy, ready to meet Olga blow for blow.
The air tightened with tension. A few soldiers muttered to each other.
"Bet the beastwoman gets him with that lariat again."
"No way, he's too clean with his footwork."
"Fifty crowns says Olga gets flipped on her back."
Captain Rorick stifled a smirk as the match began.
Olga moved first, thundering forward with a powerful shoulder charge aimed to knock him clean off his feet. Shin didn't flinch.
He stepped aside with fluid grace, letting her bulk shoot past him. As she spun to follow up with a wide hook, he stepped in close.
With a blend of timing and technique, Shin guided her arm along its arc and redirected her momentum, his palm pressing into her shoulder as he turned with her.
He flowed behind her like water, stepping off the line and using a circular pivot to unbalance her. In one smooth motion, he redirected her force, using her size against her and bringing her down with a controlled wrist lock and shoulder pin, firmly but respectfully.
"Yield?" he asked.
Olga blinked, wide-eyed, then huffed out a laugh. "Fine. I yield. Didn't expect a foxy human like you to be this slippery."
The soldiers broke into cheers and murmurs, clearly impressed. Captain Rorick gave a low whistle and clapped once.
"Told you he was good."
Shin helped Olga up with a nod of respect. From the sidelines, Laverna's tail twitched.
She leaned forward, glowing with a mix of pride and sparkly-eyed admiration. Her gaze lingered on Shin, watching the way he moved—each step a dance, every shift of weight deliberate.
There was something magnetic about him. Laverna could see him standing there, and it felt like everyone was attracted to his presence.
His piercing crimson eyes seemed like dark gems, pulling at the souls of those who met his gaze. The gentle light of the training yard reflected off his features, highlighting his sharp jawline and the quiet strength in his posture.
He wasn't just handsome. He had the kind of allure that made hearts skip—an effortless charm that left a mark long after he was gone.
"He's so graceful," she muttered to herself, completely lost in the moment.
A nearby soldier stifled a chuckle. "Someone's got it bad."
Realizing she'd been overheard, Laverna jerked back, her cheeks blazing red. "I... I was just... observing technique!"
Laverna looked away, cheeks burning.
Olga dusted herself off, grinning as she rolled her shoulders. "Alright, you win. But now I'm curious about something."
She walked up to Shin and gave him a once-over. "So, uh… You single?"
Shin blinked again. "Wait, what?"
Laverna's ears immediately twitched. "He's not!"
Olga raised a brow and smirked. "Oh? That sounded pretty official."
Shin opened his mouth to respond, but Laverna beat him to it again.
"I-I mean, he's not interested. Because, uh, training! Yeah, training focus. He's laser-focused on it."
Shin gave a tired sigh and shook his head with an amused smile. "Right. Can we return to training now?"
Captain Rorick crossed his arms, chuckling. "If you can dodge flirting as well as fists, Shin, I think you'll survive the Crown's gauntlet."
Shin gave him a respectful nod, then turned toward Laverna. "Let's continue observing for now. Watch how they shift their weight. Even when attacking, their balance is everything."
Laverna nodded eagerly, absorbing every detail. She even started mimicking some footwork with small steps, repeating movements Shin pointed out.
After a few more sparring rounds between soldiers, she stepped toward Olga again, determination on her face. "Hey. I want that rematch now."
Olga raised a brow, then grinned. "Round four? You're persistent. I like that."
Shin smiled softly, arms crossed. That's the spirit.
Despite being officially registered as Rank G Hunters on paper, word had already spread through whispers and records that Shin and Laverna had taken down a massive Falzath on their own—a feat that even seasoned teams struggled to accomplish. Among both the Hunters Guild and the Crown's forces, their reputation was rapidly catching up to their actual strength.