Not a barbarian warrior.

Lethe, the magic Lorena had completed after years of research, ultimately ended in failure.

She still stammers. On the surface, nothing had changed.

However, one thing, she decided not to deny her past. She forgave herself and decided to move forward looking for another way.

From Eugene’s perspective, it was a positive ending. Unlike himself who couldn’t be forgiven, she was forgiven.

Of course, this wasn’t completely over.

The stammer was fatal for Lorena as a magician, so it was a condition that had to be cured.

Eugene willingly agreed to help her. It was his responsibility for advising her not to erase her memories and to forgive her past self.

However, there was one problem.

Eugene was wandering this world looking for clues to return to Earth.

He couldn’t settle in this fortress city of Carlisle until he died.

So the plan he came up with was as follows:

“Lorena, as you know, I’ll be traveling to many cities and villages in the future. I’ll look for a way to solve your condition. I’ll find anything and send a letter to your house here in Carlisle.”

Eugene offered to help until her condition was completely cured without receiving any compensation.

Hearing those words, Lorena looked at Eugene with somewhat unfocused, darkened eyes and tilted her head.

“Wh-What do you mean…? Are you sa-saying you’re going to leave this master alone and le-leave by yourself…? I mu-must have heard wrong…?”

“Well… It won’t be right away, but I’ll have to leave here someday. I have things I need to do. I can’t stay here in Carlisle forever.”

Eugene thought Lorena would send him off, saying it was regrettable but to go well.

However, her reaction was unexpected.

“Ma-Master and disciple are one body… So… I want to leave together with Eugene…!”

“What about this house? Besides, we’ll often have to sleep on the streets, it’ll be hard.”

“The, the house can be sold…! And sleeping outdoors… well, it would be good to build up some stamina now… I’ll try taking regular walks for a while…”

“…Lorena, aren’t you deciding this too impulsively? Wouldn’t it be better to think it over a bit-”

“The-There’s nothing to think about…! I won’t find any more answers staying in Carlisle anyway… Since it’s come to this, I think it would be good to go on a journey with Eugene…”

“…”

Eugene explained how arduous and dangerous his journey would be, but still Lorena didn’t budge.

“Um… Do-Do you not want me to come with you…?”

She carefully asked while watching Eugene’s expression. If he answered yes, she looked like she would burst into tears right there.

For Eugene, who had been wandering this world alone, having a reliable companion was an extremely joyful thing.

Eugene immediately shook his head and said:

“Not at all. How could that be. But think it through carefully before deciding. It’s going to be very difficult.”

“It’s, it’s okay… At least I won’t be a hindrance to Eugene… Rather, I think there’s a lot I can help with for the ‘things you need to do’ in the future…?”

“…Do you know what I’m trying to do in the future?”

When Eugene asked in puzzlement, Lorena answered that she had already noticed.

“I’ve, I’ve been guessing since you asked about methods of moving to other dimensions…”

Eugene unconsciously gulped at those words. She continued with a confident face.

“You’re, you’re trying to become a great warrior renowned across the continent… Your dream is the ‘Eternal Battlefield’ that only the souls of honorable warriors can go to after death, right…?”

“…?”

“…Am I wrong?”

“Uh… well… Yes, that’s right… You’re accurate…”

Eugene nodded to Lorena, who was thoroughly misunderstanding. He thought it was just as well since he couldn’t tell her the truth anyway.

“Wh-When are you planning to leave…?”

“Hmm… I still haven’t received enough guidance from Sir Bernard, so I think I’ll need to stay for at least a few more months.”

“That’s a relief… It’ll ta-take some time to sell the house anyway… I won’t have to dispose of it at a low price…”

“…Yes, that’s fortunate.”

Thus, Eugene gained his first companion in this world.

One day, after returning to his usual routine of receiving guidance from Sir Bernard at the swordsmanship guild:

As Eugene was swinging his sword in front of him as usual, Bernard ordered him to demonstrate all the movements he had learned so far.

Eugene began swinging his sword immediately, without even catching his breath.

The four basic stances, six steps, and swordsmanship covering eight directions that Bernard had taught unfolded in harmony.

With the sound of cutting wind echoing, Eugene’s sword continued flowing like water without a single interruption.

Compared to before he received Bernard’s teachings, at a glance it didn’t seem like a great change had occurred.

Even Eugene, who was swinging the sword, felt that something had changed, but it was subtle.

Meanwhile, Bernard, who was watching Eugene’s sword, wore a very satisfied smile.

His sword, which had focused on exerting strong force while fighting beasts and monsters, had many unnecessary movements and was excessively large.

However, Eugene’s sword now showed no such excess.

His sword, which had become more concise, retained its fast and deadly power without unnecessary movements.

“Stop. That’s enough. Excellent.”

“…Sir Bernard, I still don’t understand.”

As Eugene made an expression of complete incomprehension about what was supposed to be excellent, Bernard grinned and took him outside the building.

Going to the training ground set up in an open space, Bernard called Clea who was training in a corner.

“Sir Bernard, did you call for me?”

“Now, Clea, and Eugene. Both of you draw your swords.”

“Don’t tell me… a duel?”

“I heard you lost last time, Eugene. That you were defeated after rolling on the ground. The result will be different this time.”

When Bernard asserted this confidently, Clea pouted her lips and said:

“No. It won’t be much different from last time. Hmph.”

“…”

Eugene felt he had somehow gotten on her bad side and held his tongue.

Meanwhile, when they heard that Eugene, who had been taught directly by Bernard, was dueling Clea again, the trainees nearby swarmed like bees.

“Clea and that barbarian are dueling again?”

“He’s only learned under Sir Bernard for about a month, what could have changed?”

“No, last time he had dueled ten times without rest. He was completely exhausted, so wouldn’t it be different this time?”

“Still, the difference was overwhelming. I bet on Clea winning.”

“Hmm… I bet on Clea too.”

The trainees naturally placed bets on who would win.

While the overwhelming majority bet on Clea winning, only a very small minority predicted Eugene’s victory.

Amidst the murmuring crowd, the two people who had distanced themselves from each other simultaneously drew their swords.

Clea’s eyes changed in an instant as she raised her sword above her head.

Like a sharply honed blade, the aura rising from her body momentarily pounced on Eugene.

‘It’s much sharper than before… But it’s nothing compared to Sir Bernard.’

“Haah-!”

Eugene dispelled the formless energy constricting his body with a single simple shout.

And stepping forward, he instantly closed the distance with Clea.

“…!”

Eugene, who had approached suddenly, brought Clea into his range.

Although Clea’s sword was also within range to reach Eugene, it was Eugene who had taken the offensive first.

Clang-!

The moment their swords met, Clea realized that Eugene’s sword had clearly changed.

‘Fast… And… strong…!’

She involuntarily gritted her teeth and frowned.

The impact felt from the sword entered through the vibrations and dug into her grip.

“Kuk…!”

While she was flustered, Eugene faithfully applied the basic swordsmanship he had learned from Bernard.

As Eugene’s wrist holding the sword turned flexibly, his sword rushed towards Clea’s empty side.

Clang-!

Clea hurriedly lowered her sword and barely blocked Eugene’s attack.

‘This time her right shoulder is open.’

Eugene had no intention of giving up the offensive he had seized.

He moved one breath faster than Clea, finding openings and attacking.

Clang-! Clang-! Clang-!

The speed at which Eugene and Clea exchanged offense and defense gradually increased.

Eugene was the one leading this flow. Clea was in a situation where she was being dragged along, unable to overcome his coercion.

“Kuk… This bastard…!”

Clea, driven to defense in the duel everyone was watching, couldn’t hold back and spewed out her anger.

Against Eugene, who only knew how to use basic swordsmanship, she finally pulled out her secret sword technique.

‘Let’s see you handle this…!’

At a glance, it looked like an ordinary slashing motion.

It was falling diagonally from top to bottom, drawing a large arc.

Eugene was still on the offensive, so his attack came before Clea’s.

‘An attack that disregards defense. It’s too early for my sword to reach for it to be aiming for mutual destruction… What on earth is it?’

He couldn’t understand her intentions at all, but he couldn’t withdraw the offensive he was pressing down with such momentum.

Thus, the moment Eugene’s sword met Clea’s sword.

It was just an instant, but Eugene felt Clea’s sword moving subtly.

Her sword, which had been falling diagonally, gradually changed its trajectory to vertical as it came down along Eugene’s sword.

Eugene felt his sword being pushed sideways more and more.

“…!”

Eugene couldn’t even grasp what kind of technique her sword was, but his instinctive senses were ringing a loud alarm.

The feeling that if this continued, his head would be split open first!

Eugene, who had only learned the basics from Bernard, couldn’t make any further changes to his sword.

As he desperately sought a way out, Eugene instinctively thought:

‘Should I throw the sword and roll?’

If he was lucky, he might only get his shoulder cut and survive.

But he couldn’t see what would happen after that.

If it were a real battle, he would have turned tail and run immediately, but wasn’t this a duel?

The moment he rolled ungracefully on the ground, it was obvious that Clea would immediately thrust her sword at Eugene.

If he lost like that, it was clear that Sir Bernard would make Eugene do the hellish eight thousand cuts again.

‘If I can’t overcome it with technique… There’s only this…!’

Having made a quick decision, Eugene gritted his teeth and poured all his strength into the hand holding the sword.

The muscles that were suddenly overloaded screamed and exploded all their energy.

Then Clea was inwardly astonished.

‘Thi-This uncivilized barbarian bastard! What strength…!’

Eugene’s sword, which had been tilting sideways, began to regain its original position.

And instead, his sword pushed Clea’s sword to the side.

“…!”

All of this happened in an instant during a single exchange.

She looked with wide eyes at Eugene’s sword coming down straight towards her head.

Although it was a blunt practice sword without an edge, it seemed like it would be more than enough to crack her skull if hit.

Just as Clea was about to close her eyes tightly.

Clang-!

Just before Eugene’s sword touched Clea’s head, Bernard’s sword blocked his attack.

A clear metallic sound rang out, signaling the end of the duel.

Bernard laughed heartily and said:

“Eugene, it’s your victory.”

“…!!”

The moment his victory was announced, all the trainees around were astonished and couldn’t close their mouths.