Rain tightened his grip on his weapon, feeling its weight settle in his hands. He gave it a quick once-over, ensuring it was in good condition before exhaling steadily. ‘Alright, time to focus,’ he thought, rolling his shoulders as he readied himself.

  Rain made his way through the forest, following the familiar path to his training spot with Diego. As he walked, he couldn't help but admire the scenery—the vibrant blue glow of the trees and foliage casting an otherworldly light around him. It was a sight he had seen before, yet it never failed to captivate him.

  Rain arrived at the clearing, spotting Diego already standing there, arms crossed as if he'd been waiting for a while. In the distance, the sounds of training echoed through the forest—cshes of steel, grunts of effort, and the occasional barked command. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and sweat, a reminder that he wasn’t the only one pushing himself to grow stronger.

  Diego gnced at Rain and smirked. "Took you long enough."

  Without another word, he unsheathed his bde and tossed it to the ground, keeping only the sheath in his hand.

  Rain raised an eyebrow at Diego's actions. "You're not using your sword?"

  Diego smirked, tapping the sheath against his palm. "You’re not ready for that yet. If you can’t even handle me like this, then you’ve got a long way to go."

  Rain exhaled, rolling his shoulders as he tightened his grip on his weapon. "Fine by me."

  Rain unsheathed his sword, gripping it firmly as he faced Diego.

  Diego smirked before the spar began. "I'll teach you what you need to know while we fight."

  Both sprang into action. Rain channeled essence into his feet, boosting his speed, but Diego caught on instantly. In response, he gathered essence into his arm and the sheath, preparing for the csh.

  Rain swung his bde with force, but Diego met it head-on with his sheath. The impact sent a shockwave through Rain’s arms as the essence-infused sheath overpowered his strike, pushing him back.

  "If you wanna get stronger than that, you need to kill more monsters and spend more time in your inner realm," Diego remarked, his tone firm yet casual.

  Diego channeled essence into his feet, closing the distance between them in an instant. Before Rain could react, Diego was already in his face. With a swift swing of his sheath, he struck with surprising force.

  Rain raised his sword to block, gripping it tightly with both hands for support. But even with his full strength, he was still being pushed back, his feet sliding against the ground from the impact.

  "Normally, your inner self would be the one teaching you this," Diego remarked, effortlessly keeping up the pressure. "But it looks like your meeting got cut short."

  Diego, still locked in the csh with Rain, suddenly used his free hand to strike Rain’s side. The impact sent a sharp jolt through Rain’s body, forcing him to stagger backward.

  Diego spoke in a casual tone, "Essence isn't just for offense, but defense too. If you had reacted in time and focused your essence on the spot I was about to hit, you could've softened the blow."

  Rain panted heavily, his reckless use of essence draining him faster than expected. His body ached from exertion, and his arms trembled under the strain.

  Diego smirked, unfazed. "Like I said earlier, if you want to get stronger, you need to kill more monsters and meditate in your inner realm before attempting another ascension ritual."

  The two circled each other, Rain clutching his side where Diego’s fist had struck.

  Diego spoke in a casual tone, "Before you can start another ascension ritual, you need to meet your inner realm’s requirements." He quickly added, "There are two of them, and they go hand in hand—Focus and Experience."

  Before Rain could fully process his words, Diego made the first move. His essence spread evenly throughout his body, and in a blur of motion, he outsped Rain completely.

  Rain barely managed to react, his sword instinctively moving to block, but Diego’s relentless attacks pushed him back. His arms shook from the impact, the force behind each strike sending painful jolts through his muscles.

  Finally, Rain saw an opening—his chance to counter. He shifted his stance, preparing to strike—

  But in an instant, Diego had already moved behind him.

  A sudden force smmed into Rain’s back.

  'Too fast—!'

  Diego’s kick sent him stumbling forward, barely able to keep his footing.

  Rain panted, exhaustion creeping into his limbs. His body felt heavy, and his breathing was uneven.

  Diego’s voice cut through the haze, firm and unwavering. "Experience is gained from killing beasts, while Focus comes from meditating in your inner realm."

  He paused for a moment before adding, "Since you're an Essentia like me, you'll need 50 Focus and 50 Experience before you can attempt another ascension."

  Rain steadied himself, taking a deep breath as he closed his eyes for a moment. He focused, gathering every bit of his remaining essence into his feet. The moment he reopened his eyes, he unched himself forward, charging at Diego with everything he had.

  Even Diego raised an eyebrow at Rain’s sudden burst of speed, but it still wasn’t enough to fully catch him off guard. With practiced ease, he shifted his stance, ready to counter.

  Rain quickly shifted direction, his agile footwork catching Diego off guard once again. Seizing the moment, he swung from the side.

  Diego reacted instantly, blocking the strike with his sheathe. For a brief moment, Rain managed to push him back, but Diego quickly regained control of the csh, overpowering Rain and forcing him to back off.

  Diego smirked before saying, "Well done."

  He continued from his previous expnation, "Once you’ve fulfilled the requirements, you can attempt another ascension ritual. Normally, you’d have to decipher the essence in your inner realm to figure out what materials you need, but our predecessors have already id out the path and shared the requirements."

  Rain, still panting, asked, "So what's the ritual requirement to become an Awoken like Bryan?"

  Diego frowned slightly before saying, "I don't know. The vilge elders keep it a secret."

  Rain understood immediately. The vilge elders were the type to keep their cards close to their chest. They wanted to control those who sought strength rather than letting them grow freely and risk losing their influence.

  But deep down, Rain couldn’t bme them. They were all hiding, scheming, and even sacrificing others for the survival of the majority. If he were in their position, he knew he might have done the same.

  Rain took a deep breath, gathering every st drop of essence he could muster. This would be his final attack for the sparring session.

  'I'll end this in one move.'

  He spread the essence throughout his body, feeling it course through him like tiny needles pricking his veins. His control was still rough, his guidance clumsy, but he ignored the discomfort—this was his st chance to turn the tide.

  Diego caught the slight grimace on Rain’s face and immediately understood what was coming. The way Rain tensed, the reckless determination in his eyes—it was all too familiar.

  Diego thought to himself. 'It’s like fighting my younger self.'

  Without hesitation, Diego spread his essence throughout his body, preparing for the inevitable attack.

  Rain gritted his teeth and leaped, his veins burning as if liquid fire coursed through them. The essence surged wildly inside him, untamed but powerful. He lunged forward, sword in hand, and swung with all his might.

  Diego met the strike head-on, his sheathe absorbing the impact. The force sent him back a step, but in an instant, he twisted his stance and deflected the blow, redirecting Rain’s momentum. The shift sent Rain soaring a few feet into the air.

  But Rain was ready. Midair, he adjusted his grip raising his sword upwards and funneled every st bit of essence into his arms and bde. His muscles screamed in protest, but he ignored the pain, committing fully to a devastating downward ssh.

  Diego’s eyes widened—'he’s still pushing forward?!'

  In the blink of an eye, Rain's sword came crashing down. Diego barely had time to react, raising his sheathe just in time to intercept the strike. The ground beneath him cracked under the sheer force.

  For a moment, it became a battle of will. Both warriors poured their essence into their weapons, straining against each other as the energy in the air crackled with intensity.

  The ground beneath Diego cracked as he held firm against Rain’s attack. The force of the downward ssh pressed against his sheath, the sheer weight of essence behind it making his arms tremble slightly.

  Rain gritted his teeth, his entire body screaming in protest from the strain. The boiling sensation of essence coursing through his veins intensified, his arms feeling like they were on fire. 'Just a little more…!' He pushed down with all he had, but Diego didn’t falter.

  Then, with a sharp exhale, Diego twisted his stance and redirected the force of Rain’s attack to the side. Rain’s bde scraped against the sheath before slipping off and hitting the ground, throwing him off bance.

  Seizing the opening, Diego struck. With a swift movement, he drove his knee into Rain’s stomach. The impact knocked the air out of him, his vision briefly shaking as he was sent flying backward, crashing onto the ground with a heavy thud.

  Silence hung in the air for a moment.

  Diego let out a small chuckle, resting his sheath on his shoulder. "Not bad, kid. That st move? If your control was better, you might've actually nded a clean hit on me."

  Rain, still catching his breath, struggled to form a proper sentence. His body ached, and his vision blurred slightly from exhaustion.

  "I k-know," he managed to say weakly.

  Diego stepped forward, his expression unreadable. Without a word, he stretched out his hand, palm open, offering Rain a chance to stand.

  Rain accepted the offer, gripping Diego’s hand. With a firm pull, Diego lifted him to his feet, steadying him as Rain swayed slightly, his body still unsteady from the intense exertion.

  "Let's get you up and running again," Diego said calmly.

  With that, the two made their way toward the Spring of Vitality, Rain still catching his breath as he followed.