Bell's eyes burned with determination, even after being thrown back yet again.
Ais was his idol, and he could never allow himself to appear weak in front of her.
Ignoring the pain that radiated through his body, Bell gripped his dagger tightly, forcing himself back to his feet and immediately preparing to attack once more.
Sensing Bell's fighting spirit, Ais also shifted into a battle stance.
As someone who wasn't good at expressing her emotions, Ais could only help Bell by beating him down repeatedly, pushing him from a green novice into an elite adventurer through constant sparring.
"That's enough for now," Shirou said firmly, stepping in just as the two were about to clash again.
"Take a rest, Bell."
The moment Shirou gave the order, Bell's exhausted body finally gave in. He collapsed onto the ground, breathing heavily.
Ais, on the other hand, stood to the side, perfectly composed, not even breaking a sweat.
Staring at Bell as he gasped for breath, she finally asked, in her calm, flat tone:
"Why are you so strong?"
It had only been about a dozen days since she first met Bell.
But compared to that first meeting, Bell was an entirely different person now.
How could he have grown so quickly?
At her question, Bell's heart skipped a beat. He remembered their last battle—his own weakness, his inability to fight back.
Misunderstanding her intent, he answered awkwardly:
"I… I'm not strong at all."
Bonk!
Shirou, who had been silently watching, lightly tapped Ais on the head with his hand. She tilted her head in confusion, and he muttered:
"You just beat him half to death, and now you ask why he's so strong?"
"If someone said that to me after giving me such a thrashing, I'd think they were mocking me. I'd probably hold a grudge and get revenge someday."
"Huh?"
Only then did Ais realize what she had done. Her expression instantly turned into panic.
Shirou patted her head again, soothing her, before turning to Bell.
"What she really meant was: how did you improve so fast."
"When we first met, you were a complete rookie. But now, even as a Level 1, your stats are already excellent."
"Eh?"
Finally realizing what Ais wanted to ask, Bell stammered to explain.
"I don't know. Somehow, ever since that day, my stats have been rising at an incredible rate."
"Is that so? Maybe you awakened some kind of skill that accelerates growth?" Shirou asked.
He spoke with a teasing grin, watching Bell's panicked expression.
Ais's face immediately darkened with disappointment at Shirou's speculation.
Unlike in the original tale, where she had no clue, Ais now knew that growth-boosting skills existed—because Shirou himself possessed one.
[Anima Ignis]
Shirou's signature ability.
Not only did it accelerate his growth, it also enhanced the power of his weapons. In short, it was absurdly powerful.
Skills like this left Ais deeply envious, though she knew there was nothing she could do. After all, such skills were unique to each person.
She had hoped Bell's rapid growth came from some special training method, like the one Shirou had taught her.
But unfortunately, that didn't seem to be the case.
If it was a skill, then it couldn't be replicated.
"A skill that accelerates growth? Such a thing exists?" Bell asked, wide-eyed.
"Of course. You're not the only one in Orario who grows at an abnormal pace," Shirou replied.
"But… my goddess never told me anything like that!" Bell's face twisted with anguish.
Though Shirou's words made sense, he couldn't help but wonder—if such a skill existed, why wouldn't Hestia tell him?
"That's easy to guess," Shirou said. "There are only a few possibilities."
"For example: since the skill is so rare, maybe she was afraid someone would try to steal you away."
"By the way, Bell—have you ever noticed your status sheet smudged or stained where a skill should have been? Or has your goddess ever directly avoided explaining something?" Shirou asked, his grin widening.
"Uh…"
Bell froze. After Shirou's reminder, he suddenly recalled that something like that had happened before.
Could it be true? Did he really have such a rare, accelerated-growth skill?
And his goddess had hidden it to protect him?
That was… incredible.
As Bell's face lit up with pure joy, Shirou sighed inwardly.
This boy… he's so kind.
He truly was worthy of being a hero of this world.
It reminded Shirou of his own past.
He, too, had been stubbornly persistent.
Perhaps persistence was the one quality all heroes had to share.
"All right, break's over!" Shirou suddenly declared.
"Next up, Ais and Lefiya will begin combat training."
"Lefiya, you'll need to balance close combat while chanting spells at the same time. Understood?"
"Understood!" Lefiya answered quickly.
Without giving her another glance, Shirou turned away.
He already knew the torment she was about to endure.
After all, Ais would show no mercy. It was better not to watch.
"Ahhh!"
Lefiya's scream echoed almost immediately.
Ais truly wasn't holding back.
Forcing himself to ignore the chaos of their training, Shirou turned back to Bell, his tone serious.
"You've never been taught proper dagger techniques, have you?"
"No one taught me, but I've picked up the basics on my own," Bell replied.
"Then show me."
At Shirou's order, Bell demonstrated the simple moves he had practiced in secret.
After watching him finish, Shirou spoke calmly:
"Not bad… but they need correction."
Summoning Kanshou and Bakuya, Shirou demonstrated the proper form, then guided Bell through correcting each movement.
Basic training, especially in fundamentals, was essential.
Only after mastering these foundations could one truly walk their own path.
Thus, Shirou's lessons were straightforward: he drilled Bell on the basics—stances, breathing, footwork—layer by layer.
From there, it was all about repetition.
Bell's natural talent was undeniable. He absorbed Shirou's lessons with remarkable speed, soon reaching the point where Shirou no longer needed to watch him closely.
Time passed, and before long, dawn broke across the horizon.
Shirou clapped his hands, signaling the end.
"That's enough for today!" he announced.
"Bell, you can keep practicing what I taught you after you go back, but only when you have free time. Got it?"
"Yes! Thank you for teaching me, Mr. Emiya—and you too, Miss Ais!" Bell said gratefully.
"Haha, you're welcome," Shirou replied with a smile.
Reaching into his pack, he pulled out a lunchbox. "Now, how about breakfast while we watch the sunrise?"
"Yes!"
Bell, Ais, and Lefiya all answered enthusiastically.
---
(End of Chapter)
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."