Inventories were among humanity’s greatest creations within the Frontier Realm.

Forged from resources harvested from the Frontier and crafted by Hunters possessing specialized forging, enchanting, and manufacturing abilities, they formed the backbone of Hunter civilization.

As a result, Inventories were expensive.

Obtaining two Uncommon-grade Inventories for free was no small fortune. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

If anything, it was probably the greatest thing that had happened to Rohan since becoming a Hunter.

Which, admittedly, had only happened yesterday.

As of now, however, Rohan found himself facing another decision.

The First Pavilion Guild offered free introductory training sessions for newly awakened Hunters.

These sessions were divided into several categories.

Weapon mastery, martial arts, survival training, and live combat practice against captured Frontier Beasts.

The last option attracted the largest crowds. After all, most Hunters wanted to test their newfound powers against real monsters as soon as possible.

Rohan was tempted, but after some thought, he ultimately decided against it.

His Class was unusual. Unlike most Hunters, his growth relied heavily on forming bonds with others and sharing abilities.

Charging headfirst into combat against monsters before fully understanding how his Class functioned felt reckless... at least for now.

What he needed first was a better understanding of combat itself.

Things that remained important regardless of Class or abilities.

With that in mind, Rohan headed toward the general martial arts training grounds.

The main training complex was situated near the eastern side of the settlement.

Even from a distance, he could hear the sounds of practice weapons colliding and instructors barking commands.

Thousands of Hunters filled the enormous compound.

Some sparred in designated arenas.

Others practiced sword forms beneath the watchful eyes of instructors.

Groups of newly awakened Hunters struggled through basic stances while veteran trainers corrected their mistakes with little mercy.

Since arriving in First Jianghu, Rohan felt as though he had stepped into a true martial world.

And judging by the number of bruises he could already see on some trainees, First Jianghu intended to teach its lessons the hard way.

He walked toward the rack of wooden swords and picked one out. He was still wearing the standard blue leather armor issued by the First Pavilion Guild, so there was no particular rush to change into his newly acquired equipment.

With a wooden sword in hand, he stepped into the open training grounds.

The field was enormous.

The ground was covered in packed sand, while sturdy wooden fences enclosed the surrounding area. Rows of training dummies stood across the field, their surfaces scarred from countless strikes.

Hunters occupied nearly every corner.

Rohan’s eyes drifted toward those practicing together.

That was what he wanted. Unfortunately, there was one small problem.

He was terrible at approaching people. Not because he had low self-esteem or was shy, but because interactions with strangers occasionally made him want to punch someone.

One of the reasons Mia remained his only real friend.

After gathering his courage, Rohan approached a young man who appeared roughly his age.

The boy possessed long white hair tied into a neat ponytail, sharp blue eyes, and a face so exquisitely handsome it almost felt unfair.

Above his head floated a familiar panel.

[Hunter Level 1]

Seeing that, Rohan relaxed slightly. At least they were the same level.

"Um... hi."

The young man turned toward him.

"What do you want?" he asked in a mildly annoyed tone.

Rohan tightened his grip on the wooden sword. "I was hoping we could spar."

The boy blinked, then looked Rohan up and down. His gaze lingered on the standard blue armor.

Then he laughed. "You want to spar with me?"

"Yeah."

"Why?" the boy asked.

Rohan frowned. "To train?"

The boy laughed harder, making nearby Hunters turn their gazes toward them.

"No. I mean why me?"

He gestured around them. "There are dozens of beginners here." Then he tilted his head. "Or did you think that because we’re both Level One Hunters, we’d be equals?"

The smile on his face widened.

"My father is a Level Four Hunter."

He tapped his chest proudly. "I’ve been training since I was six years old."

His eyes swept over Rohan again.

"You awakened yesterday."

Rohan controlled his anger and sighed. "Well, okay then."

The boy looked surprised. "Okay?"

Rohan nodded. "I wouldn’t want to force you into something you don’t want to do."

With that, he walked away.

As Rohan walked away, he could still hear the boy talking behind him, though he paid little attention to it. There was no point wasting time over something so small. The training ground was filled with people, and there were many others willing to train. He continued moving through the large field while observing the different groups.

Some Hunters were practicing sword swings in front of wooden dummies, while others were learning how to properly hold their weapons from instructors. A few people were already sparring in small circles formed by spectators. Looking at them, Rohan quickly realized how inexperienced he actually was.

Back on Earth, he had watched countless videos about combat and Hunters, but watching and doing were two completely different things. Many of the people here moved awkwardly, yet they still looked more prepared than him. At the very least, most seemed to have some form of martial arts background. Rohan, on the other hand, only had enthusiasm and a wooden sword.

After searching for several minutes, he eventually noticed another young man standing alone near one of the training dummies. He had short black hair and an average appearance that made him easy to overlook in a crowd. Unlike the white-haired boy, he wasn’t surrounded by anyone and didn’t seem interested in drawing attention to himself.

He was repeatedly striking a dummy with a wooden spear, stopping after every attack to adjust his stance before trying again. The movements were rough and lacked confidence. More importantly, they looked familiar. It was the kind of practice someone did when they were learning from scratch.

Rohan watched for a moment before approaching. The young man noticed him almost immediately and lowered his spear. This time, Rohan didn’t hesitate as much. After surviving one failed attempt, speaking to another stranger felt slightly easier.

"Want to spar?" Rohan asked.

The brown-haired young man blinked. "Me?"

"Yeah."

The young man looked around before pointing at himself.

"You mean me?"

Rohan nodded.

The boy scratched the back of his head. "I’m not very good."

"That’s perfect."

The answer seemed to catch him off guard. After a brief pause, he laughed awkwardly and extended a hand.

"My name is Eric."

"Rohan."

The two shook hands before walking toward an empty section of the field. Neither of them looked particularly confident. One held a wooden sword, while the other carried a wooden spear.

Around them, the sounds of training continued without pause as instructors shouted corrections and weapons clashed against one another.

A few nearby Hunters glanced their way before losing interest almost immediately. They were both Level One Hunters wearing the standard blue armor. There was nothing special about the match. To everyone else, it was just another beginner spar. To Rohan, however, it was the first real fight of his life.

---

Curses.

Rohan hissed as he used his sword to deflect an attack from Eric. Surprisingly, Eric was a stronger opponent than he imagined.

The young man’s fighting was not very good, but it was definitely better than Rohan’s.

Rohan hissed again as he blocked Eric’s spear. His arm shook slightly from the impact. Eric was not strong in a special way, but he was clearly better at basic fighting. His steps were steady, and he did not waste movement.

Rohan kept trying to close the distance, but Eric always kept him away with the spear’s reach. Every time Rohan moved in, he got pushed back again. After a few exchanges, Rohan realized he was always reacting late. He was thinking too much before moving.

Eric noticed it too and spoke while fighting. "You’re slow," he said.

Rohan did not answer and tried again, but Eric struck his leg and broke his balance slightly. Rohan stepped back and steadied himself. He understood the problem now. He had no proper experience. He only knew theory.

Eric waited and did not rush him. Rohan took a breath and changed his approach. This time, he moved first without waiting. He rushed in and forced Eric to defend instead.

Eric blocked but had to step back. Rohan followed with another swing and then another. Eric’s expression changed slightly as he adjusted. Rohan kept going forward without thinking too much now.

Suddenly, Eric shifted his stance, surprising Rohan. He ducked beneath the next strike and trapped the wooden sword with his spear. Twisting his body, he drove a kick into Rohan’s jaw, sending him stumbling before he crashed onto the sandy ground.

Sand filled Rohan’s mouth, and he immediately spat it out with a cough. Before he could get back on his feet, a hand appeared in front of him.

It was Eric.

"Sorry about that," he said sheepishly.

Rohan grabbed the offered hand and allowed himself to be pulled up.

A bruise was already forming along his jaw, and a few drops of blood stained the collar of his blue armor.

Rohan rubbed the sore spot and winced.

"I’m fine," he said.

Eric scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"I got carried away for a second."

"We’re training, aren’t we?"

Eric nodded in relief. "I—"

He wasn’t allowed to finish when Rohan rushed at him with impossible speed, ready to hit Eric’s shoulder with the wooden sword.

Eric immediately reacted to the attack, although it caught him unaware. He used the wooden spear to deflect the attack and twisted with the aid of his left foot on the sand, immediately stabilizing himself behind Rohan.

Not giving it any thought, he aimed a kick at Rohan’s back before his opponent turned, but Rohan also proved to be slowly understanding the battle.

He shifted to his left without turning, his back still turned to Eric, then spiraled around the boy and immediately appeared on his right flank.

Time slowed as both of their eyes locked. They both grinned.

Rohan then slashed an arc forward which grazed Eric’s chin, missing his eyes by inches.

Eric’s eyes widened slightly as he jumped back. His hand moved to his chin where a thin red line had appeared. It wasn’t deep and barely counted as an injury, but it was enough to show that Rohan’s strike had connected. The two quickly created some distance between themselves and began circling once more.

This time neither spoke. Eric’s expression had become more serious than before, while Rohan felt a small sense of satisfaction.

Eric adjusted his grip on the spear and moved first. The wooden weapon shot forward several times in quick succession. Rohan blocked the first strike, avoided the second, and barely managed to deflect the third.

The difference between them was still obvious. Eric had better control, better balance, and a much better understanding of how to use his weapon. Even so, Rohan was improving with every exchange. He was beginning to recognize simple patterns in Eric’s movements.

When the spear pulled back a certain way, a thrust usually followed. When Eric shifted his right foot forward, he often prepared to attack instead of defend. These were small things, but they helped. Rohan stepped inside another attack and swung toward Eric’s shoulder. Eric blocked immediately, but the force pushed both of them backward across the sand.

The fight continued for several more minutes before both boys finally stopped. Their breathing had become ragged and sweat covered their faces. Neither had won. Neither had lost. For two complete beginners, it was probably the best result they could ask for.

Eric lowered his spear first and laughed. "You’re a really fast learner."

Rohan rested the wooden sword on his shoulder and shrugged. "I’m just copying you."

Eric shook his head. "That’s still fast."

The two exchanged tired smiles before heading toward the side of the training grounds.

Neither of them noticed that one of the instructors had been quietly watching their spar for the last few minutes.