It was hard for Shuu to get that demon king out of his mind. There was something gravitating about Kaiden that kept Shuu’s attention on him. He felt like he could see the demon king taunting him every time Shuu closed his eyes.

It was frustrating, and Shuu finally decided to get up and leave. A small walk would surely clear his mind.

His feet unconsciously took him toward the training ground, but the soldiers who should have been training hard were nowhere to be found.

One of the instructors who came to look after the training fields noticed Shuu and quickly walked over to greet him.

"Sir, what are you doing here? If you want to use these training fields, then there is no need to ask. But should you even be here? Why are you not with the others, celebrating the recent victory?"

’Victory? What victory? Did they fight another battle and win?’

There had not been enough time between their fight against Kaiden and the present for there to be another fight. His confused expression caused the instructor to frown.

Shuu decided to ask the question instead of letting it go on endlessly.

"What victory are they celebrating?"

He asked, and the training instructor gave him a surprised look.

"Sir, they are celebrating the victory you brought them recently. I did hear that you were humble, but being this humble is not a good thing. Others will try to trample all over you."

Shuu felt a stab of disappointment after hearing these words.

He did not consider his encounter with Kaiden as his victory. Their fight had been even, and Shuu might even have lost if it had dragged on for too long. The only reason he had not lost was because Kaiden retreated.

But that was only because his side had started to kill bystanders.

’I want an honest fight with Kaiden. Should I go and seek him out myself?’

Shuu was sure that it would yield better results than going with others. But he doubted he would get permission to go alone.

He was busy thinking about ways to leave when he suddenly felt a presence standing behind him. The instructor yelled and immediately looked frightened to see Goddess Astoria standing not too far behind him.

"Shuu, I have come to fetch you. Everyone else is celebrating our victory; come and join us in our celebration."

Her invitation was clear, but Shuu still paused to consider if he should follow her or not. Maybe he could establish his own faction as well and then chase after the demon king—

"Child, are you troubled? Sharing with others can make you feel a lot better. Come, tell me what is wrong."

Goddess Astoria was using her magic to compel Shuu, but he saw no reason to stop her. She was not harming him, and her magic did not feel offensive. He closed his eyes and, after taking a deep breath, decided to ask her.

"Why are we celebrating this occasion? It was not a fight we won—"

"But it is not a fight we lost either. Sometimes, it is much more important to look at the bigger picture. I know you feel frustrated, but let the others have their moment."

Shuu did not see the point in letting others rush to their deaths when he could protect them. But Goddess Astoria had other things on her mind.

"I understand that it’s a little frustrating, but try to endure it. These people might look like fools, but they have longer experience living in this world compared to you."

Shuu shrugged off her words but chose not to pull away from her gentle touch. Her influence on him was much stronger than he had thought.

Shuu did not like that realization.

The more he thought about it, the more suffocating it felt to remain where he was, surrounded by people who celebrated something he did not believe in and guided by a goddess whose intentions he could not fully trust.

The unease settled deep in his chest, heavy and persistent, refusing to fade no matter how much he tried to ignore it.

Astoria’s hand was still on his shoulder.

That alone made the feeling worse.

Shuu took a slow breath before stepping back, just enough to break contact. The moment her hand left him, the fog in his mind thinned, and his thoughts became clearer.

"I...need some air. Being in here is making my mind fester with useless thoughts."

He said, his voice steady but distant.

Astoria’s gaze lingered on him for a second longer than necessary, as if she was trying to read something from his expression. But then she smiled, calm and composed.

"Do not stray too far. I trust your powers, but the demon kind is not something I want you to be along with."

Shuu nodded, but he had no intention of listening.

The moment he turned his back to her, his steps quickened. What started as a simple walk soon turned into something faster, more urgent, until he was no longer within the castle walls.

And then—

He ran.

The wind rushed past him as he moved, his body acting on instinct rather than thought. He did not have a destination in mind, only a need to get away from everything that felt wrong.

From the celebration. From the expectations.

From her.

By the time he slowed down, he was far from Astoria’s territory, standing in a barren stretch of land where the remnants of past battles still lingered in the air.

And he was not alone.

"You really don’t know how to stay put, do you?"

The voice reached him before the figure fully came into view, calm and familiar in a way that made Shuu’s body react on instinct.

His muscles tensed immediately, his grip tightening around his weapon as his eyes locked onto the man standing ahead, already waiting as if he had known Shuu would come.

Kaiden stood there without a hint of urgency, his posture relaxed but his presence overwhelming. He looked the same as before, composed and unreadable, yet there was a clear shift in his gaze this time.

The faint spark of interest in his eyes had grown sharper, more focused, as if Shuu had become something worth paying attention to.

"You came to me this time.I was beginning to think I would have to hunt you down again. You are just as curious about me as I am about you, right?"

Kaiden said, his lips curling into a slight smile that did not quite reach his eyes.

Shuu did not waste time responding. Words felt unnecessary in this moment, and anything he could have said would have only delayed what both of them already understood was inevitable.

Instead, he stepped forward, closing the distance with clear intent, and that alone was enough of an answer.

Kaiden’s smile widened just slightly before he moved as well.

The space between them vanished in an instant as their weapons met with a force that shook the ground beneath their feet. The impact rang out sharply, sending cracks spidering through the earth while the air itself seemed to recoil from the collision.

Neither of them pulled back, and neither showed any intention of yielding.

Shuu attacked without hesitation, every movement driven by instinct and the frustration that had been building inside him.

This was what he had been looking for—a fight that demanded everything from him, one where he did not have to hold back or question his own actions.

Kaiden met him head-on, matching each strike with precision. His movements were controlled and efficient, lacking any wasted motion, yet there was no mistaking the weight behind each attack. He was not holding back either.

Their weapons clashed again and again, the sound echoing across the empty land as sparks and energy burst from each impact.

Neither gained a clear advantage, and yet the difference between them was undeniable.

Kaiden was stronger.

Shuu could feel it in every exchange, in the way his arms absorbed the force of each blow and how his footing shifted ever so slightly under pressure.

And yet, he did not fall behind. If anything, he adapted, his body responding faster with each passing second as if it had been waiting for this kind of challenge all along.

"Interesting. You’re learning faster than I expected."

Kaiden murmured as he blocked another strike, his tone carrying a hint of amusement.

Shuu ignored him completely, pushing forward with renewed force. His attacks grew sharper, faster, forcing Kaiden to give ground for the first time since the fight had begun.

For a brief moment, it felt like the balance had shifted in his favor.

But that moment was fleeting.

Kaiden adjusted almost immediately, the change subtle but decisive.

The pressure increased without warning, his strikes becoming heavier and more precise, targeting the smallest openings in Shuu’s defense.

Shuu’s movements slowed by the slightest margin, and that was all it took.