POV: Erza Scarlet
Age (Kaito): 5
Date: April, X770
Season: Spring
Location: Rosemary Village → Forest Training Route
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Erza decided one thing the moment she woke up.
I won't be the one falling behind.
The weighted vest was waiting where Kaito had left it—neatly folded, straps adjusted exactly to her size. She stared at it for a long moment before pulling it on.
Heavy.
Not crushing.
Not unfair.
Intentional.
She tightened the straps, teeth clenched, and stood.
Her legs shook once.
Then steadied.
Outside, Kaito was already eating. Again. A lot. She watched him finish a bowl, then another, like it was routine.
"You're going to eat the village dry," she said.
He glanced up, unfazed. "I'll pay them back."
"You already are."
He smiled at that. "Put the vest on?"
She rolled her shoulders deliberately. "Obviously."
His eyes flicked over her stance—not lingering, not judging. Assessing.
> "Grate Sage"
Observation: Companion posture stable under load.
Adjustment recommendation: reduce leg plate weight by 5% for first hour.
Kaito nodded once and stepped closer, loosening a strap near her thigh.
She didn't pull away.
"You're hovering," she said.
"Quality control," he replied. "Can't have my training partner breaking."
She smirked. "Worried about me?"
"Always," he said, casually honest.
Her heart skipped—annoyingly so.
---
They moved out before the sun climbed high.
Every step with the weights burned. Every jump landed heavier. Erza forced herself to keep pace, breathing controlled, teeth clenched.
Kaito noticed everything.
He adjusted routes—slightly flatter terrain, longer stretches instead of sharp bursts.
> "Grate Sage"
Load adaptation in progress.
Muscle fiber response: positive.
Recommendation: Protein intake post-session mandatory.
Erza caught him watching her again.
"…Stop analyzing me."
He shrugged. "No."
She snorted. "Then stop being right."
They hunted twice that day.
The first fight was messy—Erza slower than she liked, footwork strained. She compensated with aggression, pushing forward, refusing space.
The second fight—
She adapted.
Shorter steps. Tighter swings. Letting the weight work with her instead of against her.
When she dropped the beast cleanly, she didn't look at Kaito.
She waited.
"Well?" she demanded.
He grinned. "That was better."
Her chest warmed. "Just better?"
"For day one," he added smoothly. "Impressive."
She turned, stepping into his space deliberately. "Careful. Compliment me like that and I'll expect more."
He leaned in just enough to match her. "I plan to give you more."
They broke apart before it became something else.
Barely.
---
Back in the village, Kaito was already at work again.
Meat dried over low heat. Beans ground and mixed. Oils measured carefully.
"What is all this?" Erza asked, sitting heavily on a crate, finally removing the vest.
"Protein concentrate," he replied. "High yield. Easy digestion."
She raised a brow. "For you?"
"For us," he corrected.
> "Predator"
Testing enhanced nutrient compound.
Digestibility confirmed.
Secondary batch viable for non-enhanced individuals.
Erza took the cup he handed her and drank.
It was… good. Warm. Filling in a way normal food wasn't.
Her muscles stopped trembling.
"…That worked," she said quietly.
Kaito nodded. "You won't lag. I won't allow it."
She stared at him—really stared this time.
"You don't say things you don't mean," she said.
"No," he agreed. "I don't."
She stood, stepped closer, and poked his chest. "Then don't you dare race ahead without telling me."
He caught her finger gently. "Then keep up."
She smiled—sharp, fearless. "I will."
---
That night, as they sat watching the stars, Erza felt it.
Not magic.
Pressure.
Like something inside her responding to effort instead of fear.
She clenched her fist.
Nothing happened.
Yet.
But when she glanced at Kaito, she realized—he wasn't surprised.
He was waiting.
And for the first time in her life, Erza Scarlet felt certain of something:
When her power awakened—
She wouldn't face it alone.
---