Once basic swordsmanship is mastered, practical combat skills become particularly important.
After a simple meal, Keare headed towards the "collective dormitory" where the War God Takemikazuchi resided.
Orario was especially lively in the evening, but having found his precise future development direction, his gaze did not linger, his goal quite clear.
He would consider enjoying life only after his own strength and financial situation improved.
"This is the place."
"So, where is Takemikazuchi's room?"
Hestia had brought him here last night, but how to find this War God?
Keare had no precise idea yet, all he could do was wait, and just then, several footsteps and voices came from behind him.
He felt a strange sense of familiarity.
He turned around to look, and the first thing that caught his eye was a long-haired, straight-haired girl.
Her black, smooth long hair naturally draped over her shoulders, and she wore a purple kimono-style dress, with red shoulder pads on both sides as embellishments.
The most eye-catching feature was undoubtedly the girl's tall figure.
Having frequently trained in the Dungeon, her fair-skinned, straight legs were entirely free of excess flesh, and her dark red over-the-knee stockings outlined a perfectly alluring tightness.
Yamato Mikoto.
"Can my luck be this good?"
Keare, of course, knew the identity of the beautiful girl in front of him, an Adventurer from the Takemikazuchi Familia whose strength had reached Lv2.
She was upright and polite to others.
Crucially, she also possessed the gravity barrier magic of 'Futsunomitama', making her an absolute all-rounder for exploration in the Dungeon.
As for the other two accompanying Mikoto.
The tall, strong, short-haired man was Kashima Sakura, the instigator of the original "Monster Offering" incident.
The short-haired, shoulder-length girl with a thick fringe covering the side of her face, and a slightly gloomy personality, was Hitachi Chigusa.
"Just saves me the time of finding the War God Takemikazuchi."
Keare's gaze fell on Yamato Mikoto's beautiful and heroic face: "Hello, are you members of Lord Takemikazuchi's Familia?"
"Who are you?"
Holding a Japanese sword in one hand, the girl crossed her arms over her chest, her brows slightly furrowed, as she carefully scrutinized Keare in front of her.
Her intuition told her.
He was definitely an unfamiliar face she had never seen before.
As for why he was looking for Lord Takemikazuchi, Yamato Mikoto quickly thought of the reason:
"Are you trying to... join Lord Takemikazuchi's Familia? Well, I'm quite sorry, but our Familia is not currently recruiting new members."
"You misunderstood."
"I'm looking for Lord Takemikazuchi to hone my martial arts."
To avoid pointless chatter, Keare's intention was very clear; he directly told Yamato Mikoto the full purpose of his visit to Takemikazuchi.
He emphasized: "It was agreed upon in advance."
"I need to go ask."
Mikoto nodded lightly, and after exchanging glances with Kashima and Chigusa, the other two tacitly remained in place to wait.
Only she entered the collective dormitory.
—
"Hone martial arts?"
Inside the collective dormitory room, Takemikazuchi, upon hearing Mikoto's words, quickly recalled the young boy's face Hestia had brought last night.
Keare.
After just a day of basic training, he was already coming for practical combat training and martial arts honing?
His eyes showed surprise, but since he had promised the other party, he smiled gently: "It was indeed agreed upon in advance, a request from another deity."
"I see..."
Mikoto nodded lightly, having thought he was an Adventurer who wanted to join the Familia.
It wasn't that they rejected new members; the main reason was that all of the Familia's Dungeon exploration income had to be sent back to the orphanage in the Far East for its operation.
Who becomes an Adventurer without aiming to earn money?
From an objective standpoint, the Takemikazuchi Familia might not be suitable for Keare.
She suggested: "Do you need Lord Takemikazuchi to come personally? If the strength difference isn't too great, I can do this for you."
"He just learned basic swordsmanship yesterday, and his weapon style is similar to yours."
Takemikazuchi answered without hesitation.
Honing martial arts was very simple for him.
However, if the strength gap was too large, Keare would find it difficult to gain his own insights from practical combat training.
Considering the strength difference, Takemikazuchi quickly nodded:
"No problem, then the task of honing martial arts will be entrusted to you."
"He hasn't been an Adventurer for long. He should have mastered the basics of swordsmanship, but please be careful during practical combat training."
"I will."
The girl nodded seriously.
Sparring with Familia members was something they usually did; this time, it was just changing the training target to a member of another Familia.
This was commonplace for Yamato Mikoto, as long as it could help Lord Takemikazuchi.
Following the deity's footsteps, she picked up the wooden sword used for training.
Returning to the open space in front of the collective dormitory, Mikoto was about to explain to the other party when she saw Takemikazuchi walk up to the brown-haired boy.
He smiled kindly and said: "Keare, the practical combat training will be conducted by Mikoto, a member of my Familia. When the strength difference isn't particularly large,"
"you will truly experience the refinement of your skills."
"Thank you, Lord Takemikazuchi."
Keare had no objections to Takemikazuchi's arrangement; as long as he could undergo practical combat training, he could use 'Imitation' for a comprehensive improvement.
Who the sparring partner was didn't matter; what more could he ask for than a free sparring partner!
He took the training wooden sword, then turned his gaze to the beautiful girl whose expression was slightly serious.
He greeted her proactively: "Keare Ge."
"Yamato Mikoto."
The girl nodded lightly, thinking that this was a matter entrusted to Lord Takemikazuchi by another deity, and it wouldn't be right if Keare were truly injured.
Her brown-black eyes looked at Keare, and she explained in advance:
"Practical combat training may result in injuries; I must make this clear to you beforehand."
"No problem."
Keare was actually a little worried about sparring with Takemikazuchi, that this deity might hold back during the spar out of consideration for Hestia.
But if it was Yamato Mikoto...
He tightened his grip on the training wooden sword, his heart practically leaping with anticipation.
Healing injuries with magic, and using the 'Imitation' skill to absorb combat experience, would yield double the effect, maximizing his own gains!
Facing the girl's skeptical gaze.
Keare's attitude was calm and composed: "How can practical combat training be just a light touch? If you're worried about such issues,"
"is there still a need to spar?"
"..."
Hearing Keare's words, a flash of surprise crossed Mikoto's eyes.
Her impression of the brown-haired boy, whom she had only just met, was good; at least he needed to possess such qualities to be worthy of Lord Takemikazuchi's meticulous guidance.
She tightened her grip on the training wooden sword.
She did not rashly initiate an attack, but instead carefully scrutinized Keare's movements.
Regardless of his stance or how he held the sword,
it was hard to imagine that Keare had just begun basic swordsmanship training, but the deity he believed in, Takemikazuchi, would not deceive her.
Yamato Mikoto adjusted her breathing, her eyes as sharp as a hawk's, and she decisively moved forward:
"My apologies, here I come."