The next day arrived, bringing no change to the eternal twilight bathing the Holy Land.
We gathered at the training ground behind the tower—me, Grey, Aria, and Boraz. The open space was familiar after our previous sessions, the dirt packed hard from years of use. The sky held that same strange, unchanging glow—neither day nor night, neither bright nor dark. Just the perpetual in-between defining this world.
Today felt different. Along one side, enchanted equipment and magical weapons lay on wooden racks, gleaming in the twilight with faint runic engravings pulsing with subtle energy.
Aria stood before the equipment, her expression serious but encouraging. "Let's start with the enchanted equipment and try to move in it first. Once you're comfortable with basic movements, Sir Boraz and I will train you properly."
She gestured to the armor pieces. "These enhance both physical abilities and magical capacity. But be careful—the sensitivity is much higher. The power output is significantly amplified."
"Like your robe?" Grey asked suddenly.
Aria blinked, then nodded with a small smile. "Yes, actually. My robe is an enchanted item too. I mentioned it before when I first took you to the canteen, remember? It gives me slight movement speed and defense enhancement."
"So that's how you moved so fast during the demon fight," Grey said, snapping his fingers. "I couldn't see much from inside that barrier, but I saw you moving around like crazy."
"The enchantment helps," Aria admitted with a smile. "But it still requires control and practice. Just like what you're about to learn."
Boraz let out a low sigh. "Haaah... I miss my Warhammer now." He scratched his jaw, looking almost wistful. "Should've picked it up when I grabbed those two kids and ran back here. Left it lying around somewhere after that demon fight."
Aria turned to him, her expression shifting to something more formal. "Don't worry, Sir Boraz. I'll give you a set of armor and a weapon of your choice from the storage area as a reward for your help during the demon attack."
Boraz's eyebrows rose. "Yeah?"
"But I can only offer one set," Aria added. "The enchanted equipment is limited, and we need to preserve supplies for the hero's party."
"One set's plenty, butterfly girl." Boraz grinned wide, showing teeth. "Now that's what I call a damn good deal! Way better than risking my neck hitting supply caravans."
"Please, don't do that anymore," Aria said quietly.
"I'll try, but it's not like we're robbing innocents. Just fat nobles, most of the time," he said, looking away.
Aria's expression softened, understanding dawning in her eyes.
"Consider the equipment payment for services rendered," Aria said. "And for agreeing to help train Sir Kaito and Grey."
"I'm getting paid to beat up those kids? This day keeps getting better."
"Hey!" Grey's eyes widened. "Am I ***your*** punching bag now?"
"What? You think training's gonna be gentle like a princess carry?" Boraz crossed his arms, smirking—not at Grey but at me now. A flush crept across my face. Aria averted her gaze from me.
Grey shot him a glare before letting out a long breath. "Haaah... whatever."
Aria gestured toward the equipment racks. "You should both choose your gear while we finalize the arrangements."
Then she turned to me. "Sir Kaito, your customized equipment is at the Holy Cathedral now, currently being enchanted with holy blessings. It will give you compatibility with the Holy Sword and extra boosts."
She paused, turning to Grey. "Grey, you should keep the equipment you chose before for later use. It was much more powerful than these."
Grey nodded, processing that, then turned toward me with a slight grin. "Let's do this, bro!"
With a quick nod, I followed him.
---
We approached the racks. The armor pieces looked deceptively ordinary—leather and metal. Up close, I could see faint engravings along the surfaces, runes pulsing with subtle light.
"Let's see what I can do," Grey muttered, already reaching for a chest piece.
I picked up my own set, feeling the weight. Lighter than expected. We helped each other strap on the pieces—chest armor, gauntlets, greaves. The leather straps tightened with surprising ease, almost like the armor was adjusting itself to fit our bodies.
The moment the last piece clicked into place, I felt it—a tingling sensation spreading through my limbs, energy flowing beneath my skin. My muscles felt different. More responsive. Too responsive.
Grey shifted beside me, testing his arms carefully. "Whoa. This feels weird."
"Don't move too much yet," Aria warned.
Grey nodded, his expression focused. "Yeah, I can feel it. Everything feels... amplified."
"The sensitivity is extremely high," Aria explained, moving closer with Boraz following behind. "The enchantments amplify even the smallest muscle movement. You're used to exerting a certain amount of force to move normally, but with the equipment, that same effort produces far more power."
Boraz crossed his arms. "Go ahead, Grey boy. Try to walk."
Grey took a breath, clearly trying to be careful. "Alright. Just... one step."
He lifted his leg to take a simple step forward.
His leg shot forward with far too much force, knee rising too high, too fast. His balance completely thrown off, his other leg tried to compensate instinctively, but that moved too quickly as well, sending him stumbling forward. His arms windmilled wildly.
Boraz moved instantly, his hands catching Grey's shoulders with practiced ease, steadying him before he could crash face-first into the ground.
"Easy there." Boraz's grip was firm, holding Grey upright until his feet found solid ground.
Grey's face was flushed. "What the hell? I just tried to walk! One step!"
"This is dangerous if we aren't careful," Boraz said. "You could break your own bones trying to move wrong with this kind of amplification."
Aria nodded gravely. "The enchantments don't just boost strength—they boost everything. Speed, reflexes, power output. Your body's doing exactly what you tell it to, just multiplied several times over."
Grey tested another small movement, barely shifting his weight. Even that slight motion caused his leg to twitch more than intended. "It's like... everything I do is too much."
"Exactly," Aria said. "You need to relearn how to move. Every action requires a fraction of the effort you're used to."
"Your turn bro," Grey said, finally finding stable footing. He stepped back carefully, each movement deliberate.
I took a breath.
I tried to take a step.
My leg launched forward, knee rising too high, too fast. I barely managed to plant my foot before my momentum carried me off-balance. My arms shot out instinctively to catch myself, but they moved with such explosive force that I nearly punched myself.
Unlike the magical weapons that responded to our intent, these enchanted equipments amplified our physical movements automatically regardless of our thoughts.
I stumbled sideways.
Boraz was there immediately, his rough hand catching my arm and pulling me back to center. "Slow down. Think smaller. Whatever movement you want to make, do half of it."
"Half?" I managed.
"Half of half," he corrected firmly. "Your body's doing what you tell it, just amplified beyond what you can currently handle."
Aria stepped closer. "Try standing still first. Just... exist in the armor. Feel how it responds to your breathing, your smallest shifts in weight."
We stood there, Grey and I, like statues trying not to topple over. Every breath felt magnified. Every slight adjustment of balance became a conscious effort.
Minutes passed. Slow, careful minutes.
"This is going to take a while," Grey said quietly.
"Yeah," I agreed.
Boraz watched us. "Great! You're both getting better already."
---
We tried the equipment with different combinations—adjusting pieces, testing enhancement levels, swapping gauntlets for lighter ones.
Grey ended up with slightly heavier pieces, suitable for his more muscular frame. "The weight grounds me," he explained during a break. "Gives me something to push against."
I stuck with lighter armor, finding that less bulk meant fewer variables to control.
Aria and Boraz watched our progress, offering corrections when we miscalculated.
"Grey, you're overcompensating now," Aria called out as Grey tried to crouch and ended up dropping too fast.
"Sir Kaito, relax your shoulders," she added when I tried to pick up a practice dummy and nearly flung it across the training ground.
By midday, we could walk without stumbling. By the time the twilight seemed to shift slightly—though it was hard to tell in this unchanging light—we could move with something approaching normalcy, though every action carried power we'd never felt before.
Finally, we stood before the equipment racks again. This time, facing the weapons section.
Swords, spears, bows—all bearing the same subtle engravings as the armor.
"Now it's time to check the magical weapons," Boraz said, his tone shifting to something more serious.
Grey and I exchanged glances.
Boraz stepped forward. "This is where it gets really dangerous, kids. The armor amplifies your movements. The weapons? These amplify your intent. Your will to strike."
"Actually," Aria said, raising her hand slightly. "Let's take a break first. You two need rest before we move to weapons training."
She gestured toward the edge of the training ground. "Sir Boraz and I need to discuss the training approach anyway. Grey, Sir Kaito, sit. Drink some water."
Grey collapsed onto the ground immediately. "Thank god. I thought my body would tear itself apart."
I sat down more carefully. Aria handed us both water skins and a few sweet potatoes she'd brought. We ate and drank gratefully.
---
Boraz moved to stand beside Aria, and they spoke in lowered voices. Not quite whispering, but clearly meant to be private. Still, I could hear bits and pieces.
"The Grey boy's got good instincts," Boraz said. "Natural sense of balance."
"Sir Kaito is more analytical," Aria replied. "He's thinking through every movement, which helps with control."
There was a pause, then Boraz's voice dropped lower. "You sure the hero kid won't lose control during weapons training? Like what happened with that demon."
"Don't worry, Sir Boraz," Aria said calmly. "The triggering factors are only demons and demonic beasts. Sir Kaito will be fine during normal training."
"You're certain?"
"Yes. The holy sword's defensive mechanism only activates in the presence of demonic energy. There's no risk here."
Boraz grunted, seeming satisfied. "Good. Last thing we need is the kid going berserk with enchanted weapons in his hands."
"Agreed. But as long as we're inside the holy land, there's no danger of that."
Grey leaned over and whispered to me, "They talking about you?"
"Probably," I muttered back.
"At least Ay says you won't go crazy this time."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence."
"Hey, old man," Grey called out suddenly. "You're not gonna go easy on us or anything, right?"
Boraz turned. "Why would I do that?"
"I dunno. You and Ay keep whispering over there."
"We're discussing how to keep you idiots from accidentally killing yourselves," Boraz said bluntly. "Different from going easy."
"Wow. Inspiring."
Aria cleared her throat. "What Sir Boraz means is that enchanted weapons require careful handling. We're just making sure we approach this safely."
"So we'll be extra careful."
"Exactly, Sir Kaito."
Aria moved closer, kneeling to our level. "The plan for today is to get you both comfortable with how enchanted weapons feel and move. Basic strikes, managing the amplification. Tomorrow, we'll work on applying the coordination skills you've already learned with this enchanted equipment."
"So today's just about not launching ourselves across the training ground?" Grey asked.
"Essentially, yes."
"Sounds reasonable."
Aria stood. "We should continue. You've both rested enough."
"On your feet, kids," Boraz said. "Time to see if you can swing a sword without launching it into the sky."
We stood. The short rest had helped. My muscles still ached, but the trembling had stopped.
Grey stretched. "Alright. Let's do this."
---
We walked back to the weapons rack.
Aria picked up a training sword, its blade engraved with runes glowing with soft golden light. "These are training versions of magical weapons. They have the same enchantments as real combat gear, but they're designed to be non-lethal. You can strike with full force and they'll create impact without cutting."
"So we won't accidentally kill each other," Grey said.
"Exactly."
Boraz picked up a training spear, inspected it, and handed it to Aria. "Still hurts like hell if you get hit though."
"Grey, since you chose the spear as your style, take this." Aria handed him the training version. The spear was wooden with a dulled metal tip, runes glowing faintly along the shaft.
Grey took it carefully, and his eyes widened as he felt the enchantments activate. "Whoa. Okay. That's... different."
"Sir Kaito, for you..." Aria hesitated, glancing at the various training swords. "We'll start with a standard enchanted blade. Something balanced."
She handed me a training sword. The moment my gauntleted hand closed around the grip, I felt the weapon come alive. Energy flowed from the blade into my arm, synchronizing with the armor's enchantments.
"First lesson," Boraz said, moving to the center of the training ground. "Don't think about swinging. Think about guiding. The enchantment will do most of the work. You're just directing where the power goes."
He demonstrated with his own training sword, making a slow, controlled swing through the air. The blade moved smoothly, leaving a faint trail of light. "See? Minimal effort, maximum result. Now you try, hero kid."
Aria stepped closer, her expression serious. "Sir Kaito, remember—the enchantment amplifies everything. Start with the absolute minimum force. Think of it like breathing, not fighting."
"Be careful," Boraz added, stepping back to give me space.
I stepped forward, raising the training sword. I tried to replicate Boraz's movement—a simple horizontal swing.
The blade moved so fast it blurred.
The momentum nearly pulled me off my feet. I stumbled, barely managing to keep my grip on the weapon.
"Too much!" Boraz barked. "Way too much!"
I steadied myself, breathing hard. My heart was pounding from just that one movement.
"Try a vertical slash," Aria suggested. "Slower. Let gravity help you."
I nodded, repositioning myself. This time, I raised the sword overhead and began a slow downward cut, trying to use even less force than before.
But the enchantment caught the movement halfway through.
The blade accelerated suddenly, the power output surging beyond my control. My grip slipped, fingers unable to hold against the unexpected force. The training sword tore free from my hands and plunged downward, embedding itself into the packed dirt with a solid thunk.
"Ah—" I reached down instinctively to pull it free.
I grabbed the grip and pulled.
Too much force. Again.
My own amplified strength yanked the sword up so fast that my balance completely gave out. My feet slipped on the loose dirt around the embedded blade, and I stumbled backwards, landing hard on my back with a grunt.
"Sir Kaito!" Aria rushed forward, her voice edged with worry. She knelt beside me quickly, her hand hovering near my shoulder. "Are you hurt? Can you move?"
"I'm fine," I managed, getting to my feet and rubbing my back.
From behind Aria, I could see Grey and Boraz both covering their mouths, their shoulders shaking as they struggled to contain their laughter.
"Real professional, you two," I muttered.
Grey lost it first, his laughter bursting out. "Bro—you just—" He couldn't even finish the sentence.
Boraz let out a deep chuckle. "Well, at least now you know what happens when you overdo it."
Aria shot them both a disapproving look before turning back to me. "Are you sure you're alright, Sir Kaito?"
"I'm okay," I said, dusting myself off so I wouldn't have to look at her directly.
"Good." She straightened, her expression softening slightly. "The important thing is that you're learning the limits. Let's try again, but this time—"
"Cut it in half," I finished. "I know."
I picked up the training sword again, more carefully this time. I tried once more, barely moving my arm, just the slightest rotation of my wrist.
The blade swung in a perfect arc, controlled and precise.
"Better!" Aria said. "That's exactly right, Sir Kaito."
"Now it's my turn to laugh, buddy." I turned to see Grey.
He shot me a glare. "Don't even start."
"Now it's your turn," Boraz called out, gesturing him forward.
Grey took position, gripping the spear with both hands. He glanced at me once, then at the training dummy ahead.
---
He was having similar struggles. His first thrust nearly launched him forward, his feet skidding across the dirt as the enchanted weapon shot out with far more force than intended. He barely managed to stay upright, stumbling to the side.
"Whoa—shit!" Grey windmilled his arms, catching his balance.
I couldn't help it. A laugh escaped me.
"Shut up," Grey said, too exhausted to put any real irritation behind it.
"Try again," Boraz said, though even he was grinning now. "Less power. You're not trying to skewer a dragon."
Grey reset his stance, visibly more cautious. His second attempt was too timid, barely moving the spear at all. The tip wavered in the air, the enchantment hardly activating.
"Find the middle ground," Boraz advised. "The enchantment responds to intent as much as physical movement. Think about where you want the spear to go, and let the magic help you get there."
We practiced basic strikes for what felt like hours. Slow, controlled movements that gradually became more natural. Vertical slashes. Horizontal cuts. Overhead strikes. Thrust motions for Grey. Each movement requiring careful calibration of how much effort to put in, how much to let the enchantment handle.
"Good," Aria said after watching us practice. "Now try striking that training dummy. Grey first."
Grey approached the reinforced dummy at the far end of the training ground. He positioned himself, raised his spear, and thrust forward.
The spear shot out with tremendous speed, the enchanted tip slamming into the dummy's padded chest. The impact created a loud *crack* and the dummy rocked backward violently.
Grey's eyes went wide. "Holy—I barely pushed!"
"That's the amplification," Boraz said. "In real combat, that thrust would pierce through armor. These enchantments aren't just for show."
"Sir Kaito, your turn," Aria said.
I approached the dummy, raised my sword, and swung horizontally at its midsection.
The blade connected with a resounding impact. Energy rippled outward from the point of contact, and I felt the feedback travel up my arm—not painful, but definitely present.
"Excellent control," Aria said. "You're both learning fast."
We continued practicing strikes against the dummy. Getting used to the power, the feedback, the way the enchanted weapons moved. After each strike, Aria or Boraz would offer corrections.
"Grey, your stance is too wide. Tighten it up."
"Sir Kaito, follow through more smoothly. Don't stop the blade—let the enchantment complete the arc."
By the time the twilight seemed to deepen slightly—though it was hard to tell—my arms felt like lead and I could see Grey swaying slightly on his feet.
"Alright," Boraz said finally. "That's enough for today. You're both exhausted, and pushing further will just lead to mistakes."
He was right. Every muscle in my body ached from the constant micro-adjustments, from controlling power I'd never wielded before.
"We'll continue tomorrow," Aria said. "Tomorrow we'll work on applying your coordination training with these enchanted weapons. Today was about individual control. Tomorrow you'll learn to use that control together."
"Sounds good," Grey managed, already starting to remove his enchanted armor.
I followed suit, carefully unstrapping each piece. The moment the last piece came off, I felt the absence of the amplification like a physical weight being lifted. My body felt strange—too slow, too weak, like I'd been walking in deep water and suddenly stepped onto dry land.
"Weird, right?" Grey said, flexing his now-normal arms. "Feels like I'm moving through mud now."
"You'll adjust," Boraz said. "Give it a few minutes."
---
As we walked back toward our rooms, Aria fell into step beside us. "You both did well today. Better than I expected for your first time with enchanted equipment."
"Yeah?" Grey grinned. "We didn't die or anything."
"Hard to mess up with instructors like you two," I said.
Aria laughed softly—a genuine sound that made her seem less like an instructor and more like just Ay.
"Get some rest," she said as we reached our door. "Tomorrow will be more challenging when we add coordination drills to the enchanted equipment."
"Looking forward to it," Grey lied cheerfully.
She smiled and turned to leave, then paused. "Oh, and Sir Kaito? Good work on those strikes. Your control improved significantly by the end."
I felt heat rise to my face. "Thanks, Ay."
She nodded and walked away, her white robe catching the strange twilight glow.
Grey elbowed me as soon as she was out of earshot. "Your control improved significantly," he mimicked in a high voice.
"Shut up."
"Sure, bro. Sure."
---
We entered our room, both of us moving with exaggerated care. Every muscle ached.
We collapsed onto our beds, exhaustion pulling us down. Then Grey sat up suddenly, breaking the moment of peace.
"Do you feel strange, bro? Like... your mind and body are working better than they should?"
"Why are you asking that?" The sudden question made me realize something I'd ignored for too long.
"It's just... I feel strangely hyperactive after I came to this world," he said.
"Yeah? I do too. It's weird, isn't it?" I replied. He was right. Something was strange about this world. Not something—everything.
"Mhmm... Think we can handle tomorrow?" Grey asked quietly. "Coordination with all that power?"
I thought about it. About how we'd managed to learn basic control in just one day. About how we'd already learned to coordinate with normal weapons.
"Yeah," I said. "We've got the foundation. Just need to put it together."
Grey was quiet for a moment. Then: "Same time tomorrow night? Extra practice?"
I should've said no. Should've insisted we follow Aria's advice and rest properly.
But as I lay there, feeling every ache in my body, I knew neither of us would make it tonight. The exhaustion was too heavy, pulling at my consciousness like a weight.
"Yeah," I said anyway. "Same time."
Because even if we couldn't manage it tonight, the intention mattered. The commitment to push ourselves.
I let my exhaustion take control. I closed my eyes. My mind wandered through the day's events—the stumbles, the laughter, the small victories.
Despite all the things that had happened, all the struggles and near-disasters with the enchanted equipment, we could still smile. Laugh. Even make jokes from time to time.
Maybe we'd be okay. I'd put Grey in danger by choosing my path forward—that truth sat heavy in my chest. But we'd survived today. We'd gotten stronger. I didn't have all the answers yet, but I'd figure it out. One day at a time. I had to.
---