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"You actually escaped."
Ifrit, the Flame Giant, spoke for the first time without immediately unleashing another attack.
His voice carried disbelief.
He had already used his sure-kill technique. By all logic, Emiya Shirou should have been reduced to ashes. Yet here he was, rapidly closing the distance, completely unharmed.
At this moment, Ifrit found himself pushed into a corner.
"Don't think I can't deal with you just because you got close!"
Ifrit roared.
His massive frame twisted as he swung his fist forward. As the Flame Giant, his physical strength matched his title. The punch tore through the air, heat and pressure compressing together as it flew straight toward Emiya Shirou.
"Punching, huh?"
Emiya Shirou's eyes narrowed.
"You're still too green."
Instead of retreating, he stepped in.
An uppercut shot upward.
Their fists collided.
The impact exploded outward, violent winds spiraling around them as power met power. Emiya Shirou didn't linger in the clash. He slipped forward, shifting his weight, and drove a heavy punch straight into Ifrit's chest.
Ifrit hadn't anticipated it.
His massive body staggered backward.
"Did you put everything into flames?" Emiya Shirou said calmly. "Did you never even consider the possibility of being countered?"
Another step.
Another punch.
"Despite being a Flame Giant, despite having a body this strong..."
A blow landed cleanly.
"Your punches are weak."
His voice was flat.
"Laughably weak."
Ifrit's footing was unstable now.
Emiya Shirou closed the distance again.
Punch after punch fell without pause. Each strike was direct, efficient, and merciless. The sound of impact echoed as Ifrit was driven back again and again.
Relying on his innate durability, Ifrit forced himself to throw out counterattacks. One fist. Then another.
They all missed.
Emiya Shirou dodged them with minimal movement, his steps tight and precise. Watching those clumsy counters only deepened his dissatisfaction.
This world demanded skills.
Not just power.
A sufficiently refined skill could completely change a warrior's path. It could turn a swordsman into a mage. It could redefine combat entirely.
Emiya Shirou had already seen this future.
Benimaru was the clearest example.
When Benimaru first appeared, he was unmistakably a swordsman. A samurai through and through. But after receiving a name from Rimuru and evolving into an Ogre, his entire combat style shifted.
Instant transformation.
He became a mage.
That was the reality of this world.
Because of powerful skills, many monsters abandoned their potential as warriors. They leaned fully into abilities that made direct combat unnecessary.
Ifrit was exactly that type.
Every one of his punches carried tremendous power.
But power alone wasn't enough.
He couldn't hit anything.
His movements were simple. Repetitive. Predictable.
Emiya Shirou saw through them instantly.
An attack with only strength and no technique could never land on a warrior at his level.
So even when Ifrit fought back, it changed nothing.
There was no path to victory.
The final punch came without flourish.
Emiya Shirou stepped in and drove his fist straight into Ifrit's face.
The Flame Giant's massive body flew backward, rolling across the ground for more than ten meters before finally coming to a halt.
He didn't get up.
At this point, he couldn't even move.
"Hah," Emiya Shirou exhaled. "That felt good."
He rolled his shoulders slightly.
"Not exactly a proper brawl, but one-sided beatings have their own appeal."
He looked down at the unmoving Flame Giant.
"What a good punching bag."
Stretching his arms, Emiya Shirou planted his hands on his hips. He didn't press the attack any further.
Instead, he turned.
With a casual motion, he beckoned toward Rimuru, who was perched atop Ranga's head.
"Looking for me?"
Rimuru hopped down, still a little confused.
"What's up, Shirou?"
Emiya Shirou smiled faintly. He pointed toward Ifrit.
"Go eat him."
"...Huh?"
"Go eat him, Rimuru."
"If you do, you'll grow even faster, right?"
Rimuru froze.
He had been eyeing Ifrit's abilities from the start. After all, Emiya Shirou had actually been caught off guard earlier. If Shirou hadn't been so strong, the situation might have turned dangerous.
Still, it had been Shirou's fight.
Rimuru hadn't planned to bring it up.
Now, Emiya Shirou was handing it to him directly.
"I... I can?" Rimuru asked.
"Of course," Emiya Shirou replied. "The stronger you get, the better."
His gaze was steady.
"That way, I'll get more out of fighting you later."
"...Alright. I get it."
Even if Emiya Shirou framed it that way, Rimuru silently engraved the gesture in his heart.
Then another thought surfaced.
Hadn't he already owed Shirou far too much?
Probably.
Mid-air, Rimuru transformed into a fluid mass and surged forward, engulfing Ifrit in one smooth motion.
The Flame Giant disappeared.
Watching it happen, Emiya Shirou's lips curved upward.
Perfect.
"With this," he muttered, "Rimuru won't be far from taking a human form."
"And with a little training..."
"He'll make the perfect sparring partner."
A soft chuckle escaped him.
"I can already see my basic ability values climbing."
Satisfied, Emiya Shirou turned and walked toward Ellen and the others.
"Senpai Shirou, you're incredible!"
"That was Ifrit, the Flame Giant!"
"He was completely overwhelmed!"
The three voices overlapped in excitement.
Emiya Shirou's smile deepened.
"My strength speaks for itself," he said lightly. "But you three are lacking."
He looked at them seriously.
"I've thought about it."
"Instead of teaching you how to survive in the wilderness, it's better to teach you how to fight."
"So," he continued, "you're not leaving for the next few days."
"I'll train you properly."
"...Training?"
The color drained from their faces instantly.
They remembered.
They remembered very clearly.
During the time they had traveled together, Emiya Shirou's training methods had been anything but gentle. Those memories still sent chills down their spines.
"Don't even think about running."
Emiya Shirou patted each of them on the shoulder in turn.
Then he turned and walked toward the town.
Rigurd and the others still needed instructions. The village had suffered damage and needed to be restored. With Ifrit gone and Shizue Izawa nearing the end of her life, Rimuru wouldn't have time to handle those details.
Which meant Emiya Shirou had to.
Everything had to be ready.
Ready to welcome the reborn Rimuru.
"I can't anymore!"
"Yeah, let's take a break!"
"This is way too brutal!"
Ellen and the others collapsed where they stood, voices strained.
Leaning against a tree, Emiya Shirou waved a hand lazily.
Gobta stopped immediately.
The three adventurers fell flat onto the ground, gasping for air.
As a B-rank team, Ellen and the others were facing a B-rank opponent.
Gobta.
But after continuous training under Emiya Shirou, Gobta's actual combat power had already reached the edge of A-minus.
Daily battles against Emiya Shirou had forced his potential out at an alarming rate.
With his refined spearmanship, Ellen and the others were overwhelmed again and again. They couldn't win a single exchange.
Still, the past few days hadn't been meaningless.
Compared to the beginning, they could now last two to three times longer under Gobta's pressure.
That alone was proof of improvement.
Looking at the three sprawled on the ground, Emiya Shirou smiled.
"You still don't train enough."
"Keep at it. You'll be fine."
"That's right, that's right," Gobta added quickly.
It wasn't easy finding people to share his training burden. There was no way he'd let them off lightly.
Hearing that, Ellen and the others continued playing dead, not daring to respond.
Just as Emiya Shirou was about to speak again, a sudden magical fluctuation surged from Rimuru's room.
Emiya Shirou's expression changed.
He stood up instantly.
"This is..."
"Devouring?"
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