"Calm down, Honey Badger."
Alfie grinned, holding up a roughly carved wooden sword.
"I made this from one of the fallen trees. Surprisingly, it can withstand my Renshi without getting destroyed. Unlike my silver sword, it doesn't cut through everything it touches. That makes it perfect for training."
Rebekah raised an eyebrow.
"Hmm, I see. I was hoping we could have a proper duel, but if you're using a wooden sword, forget it. We'll just practise against the trees."
"Who said we can't fight one-on-one, Honey Badger?" Alfie chuckled.
"That's a death wish, you fool..." Rebekah shot back. "You might be stronger than me, but with a wooden sword? That's an easy win for me. And stop calling me Honey Badger. I'm not some little animal, you moron."
Alfie grinned mischievously.
"You're seriously underestimating me, Honey Badger. Come on, try cutting through this wooden sword with your silver one. Let's see what happens."
He stepped back and raised the wooden blade, gripping it firmly with both hands. His playful expression faded as he settled into a fighting stance.
Rebekah frowned.
"What are you doing? I don't want to damage you with your own sword. My papa always told me and my brother that a Shinra's sword is his best friend. I can't bring myself to use it against you."
"Cut the crap, Rebekah. Here I come."
Alfie suddenly rushed forward, shifting the wooden sword into his right hand as he closed the distance.
"You asked for it. Don't complain when you get hurt," Rebekah snapped, tightening her grip on the silver blade.
Just before reaching her, Alfie veered to the side and began circling her, switching the wooden sword between his hands. He kept changing his angle of approach, forcing Rebekah to adjust her footing and turn to keep him in sight.
What's he doing? Is this some kind of trick?
Rebekah kept her sword raised between them, refusing to let him approach carelessly.
Then Alfie suddenly charged.
Rebekah raised her silver sword to intercept him. But just as their blades were about to meet, Alfie shifted the wooden sword into his left hand and changed his angle of attack.
Her block caught nothing but air.
Before she could turn around, Alfie stepped behind her and tapped her back with the flat of his wooden blade.
"Point to me. You lost because you hesitated."
Rebekah spun around, glaring at him.
"You little..."
"Come at me with everything you've got," Alfie interrupted, his expression turning serious. "We don't have time to keep being weak."
Rebekah clenched her teeth, stung by the loss.
"Fine... If that's what you want, don't blame me if you get hurt."
She planted her feet and channelled her Renshi into the silver sword. A brilliant purple aura spread along the blade, crackling with sparks as the energy intensified.
Alfie's grin returned.
"That's more like it."
He focused his own Renshi into the wooden sword. A faint aura shimmered along its rough surface, tracing the grain of the wood.
"Here I come, Alfie."
Rebekah charged, bringing her sword down in a powerful overhead strike.
Alfie raised his wooden blade diagonally, meeting the silver sword at an angle rather than trying to withstand the full force head-on.
CLANG!
The impact sent a jolt through both their arms. Alfie's boots slid backward across the dirt, but he maintained his grip. The wooden blade held firm, its Renshi reinforcement preventing the silver edge from cutting through it.
Rebekah's eyes widened.
"It actually held?"
"See? I told you it wouldn't break that easily."
She immediately followed up with a horizontal slash.
Alfie turned his wrists, redirecting the strike away from his body. Rebekah recovered quickly, changing the angle of her next attack and thrusting toward his chest.
He shifted sideways, allowing the thrust to pass before bringing his wooden sword up to catch her blade, preventing her from pulling it back for another strike.
"How are you doing that?" Rebekah demanded, pushing against his weapon.
"I'm concentrating my Renshi into the wood and reinforcing it from within. I calmed down and figured out how to bring out my Renshi... though it's more because I'm angry about what I've been feeling. I still don't have total control over it."
Alfie disengaged before she could overpower him.
"It makes the blade much harder to damage. But I still have to control how much force I put into each movement."
Rebekah pulled back, studying the wooden sword with newfound interest.
"That's amazing... You're finally getting the hang of your power."
"Of course, Honey Badger."
"STOP CALLING ME THAT."
She attacked again.
This time, Rebekah didn't rush blindly. She kept her guard up, mixed high and low strikes, and tried to corner Alfie by limiting his escape routes. Her purple-coated sword swept through the clearing as she pressed forward.
Alfie blocked twice, then sidestepped the third strike. He attempted a counterattack, but Rebekah anticipated his movement and brought her sword around to intercept him.
Their blades collided again.
For a few moments, neither could gain a clear advantage.
Then Alfie changed his rhythm.
Instead of meeting her next attack, he let the blade pass and stepped inside her reach. Rebekah hurriedly pulled her sword back, but the movement left her guard open for an instant.
Alfie tapped her shoulder with the wooden blade.
Before she could recover, he withdrew and shifted to her other side. When she turned to follow, he feinted high, drawing her guard upward before sweeping the wooden sword toward her exposed flank.
He stopped the strike just short of her ribs.
Rebekah froze.
She hadn't even noticed the opening until it was too late.
H-He's too fast...
She panted, struggling to catch her breath.
Alfie lowered his sword.
"Speed isn't everything. You need to watch your opponent's feet and shoulders, not just their weapon. If you focus only on the blade, you'll keep falling for feints."
Rebekah opened her mouth to argue.
"ENOUGH! BOTH OF YOU!"
The sharp voice rang through the clearing.
They immediately stopped and looked up.
Lucy was perched comfortably on a thick tree branch above them, watching with an unimpressed expression.
"We cannot afford to waste our Renshi out here," she said. "Especially not when Alfie's instincts are warning us that something might be coming. If his feeling is right, we're leaving. Now."
Alfie and Rebekah stared at her.
"MASTER? HOW DID YOU EVEN GET UP THERE?"
Lucy rolled her eyes.
"Don't look so surprised, kiddos. I used to be a Special Darkside Knight. Don't underestimate what I can do."
She jumped from the branch and landed lightly on the ground beside them.
Alfie immediately grew serious.
"You heard everything?"
"Every word."
Lucy studied him for a moment, her usual teasing expression nowhere to be seen.
"That feeling you're describing doesn't sound ordinary. I can't say for certain what it means, but I'd rather take it seriously than regret ignoring it later."
She glanced toward the darkening forest.
"I just hope it's nothing worse than bad."
Rebekah swallowed.
"What's worse than bad, Master?"
"You don't want to know."
Lucy turned toward the town.
"Now, both of you. Get changed, eat something, and gather your belongings. We're leaving this kingdom immediately."
She started walking before either of them could ask another question.
Alfie hurried after her.
"Master, wait. You don't think I'm going crazy, do you? You actually believe me?"
Lucy didn't even look back.
"I'm not so inexperienced that I can't tell when a kid is being serious. You weren't joking out there, Alfie. Whatever you're feeling, it's real to you, and that's enough reason for us to be cautious."
She quickened her pace.
"Now hurry up. It'll be dark soon, and I don't want us wandering around when we should be on the road."
Alfie and Rebekah followed her in silence.
After a while, Rebekah glanced down at the silver sword in her hands. She hesitated before holding it out to him.
"Here, Alfie."
He looked at the weapon, then at her.
"Huh? Oh, no. You keep it."
"But it's yours."
"I know."
Alfie lifted his wooden sword.
"I think this suits me better for now. Besides, you don't have a weapon of your own. How are you supposed to protect yourself if something happens?"
Rebekah looked down at the silver blade, her expression troubled.
"I don't know... But doesn't it feel wrong for me to carry the sword your papa made for you?"
Alfie fell quiet for a moment.
Then he gave her a small, reassuring smile.
"Don't worry about it. If my papa were here, I think he'd tell me to give it to someone who needed it."
He gently pushed the sword back toward her.
"So keep it safe for me, okay?"
Rebekah stared at him before finally nodding and securing the sword at her side.
"Okay, Alfie."