Jay took a cautious step forward. "Who…who are you?" he asked.
The woman turned slightly. "Yuki," she said simply. "And you?"
"I'm Jay," he replied while looking at Lina on his arms. "This girl, Lina, is with me. We were attacked by that mage..."
Yuki studied him for a moment, then nodded once. "And what brings you to this forest, Jay?"
Jay hesitated, then spoke honestly. "I'm looking for someone named Bruce. Mozar told me to find him. Said he'd help me get stronger."
At the mention of that name, Yuki sighed and rolled her eyes. "Figures. That pervert geezer never knows when to mind his own business." She crossed her arms. "So, Mozar sent you? Hmph. You must be trouble already."
Jay almost smiled. "Then…you know him?"
"Unfortunately," Yuki muttered. Then she turned toward Lina. "Let's go. I'll lead you to Bruce. But first..."
She kneeled beside Lina and extended her hand. A faint blue mist formed, circling around Lina's burns. The frost soothed over her burns. The charred skin regained color as the girl's pained expression softened.
"That should alleviate her condition until we get to the temple," Yuki said, standing up again.
From the trees, several Nutiks emerged. They cautiously approached, bowing their heads.
"They're thanking you," Jay said.
Yuki nodded faintly. "Good. They'll live another day." Then, without another word, she started walking eastward.
Jay adjusted Lina in his arms and followed.
They walked for what felt like an hour. The forest slowly thinned out, the air growing sharper. Then Yuki stopped in front of what appeared to be nothing more than a small, unremarkable hill.
"We're here," she said.
Jay blinked. "Uh…here?"
"Just do as I do." Yuki took a single step forward, and vanished.
Jay froze. "An illusory passage?"
He took a breath and stepped forward. For a moment, his vision blurred, and then the world changed.
A breathtaking landscape stretched before him. Snow-covered cliffs, a crystal sky, and far above, a towering mountain crowned with white mist. A stone stairway led upward toward a temple near the top.
Jay adjusted Lina's weight and began the climb beside Yuki. The cold bit at his skin, but he pressed on, step after step, until they reached the top.
At the peak stood an ancient temple.
Inside, a man in his forties sat cross-legged on a mat, drinking straight from a bottle. His black hair was disheveled, his robe halfway open, and his cheeks flushed with red. He looked up with half-lidded eyes as they entered.
"Bruce," Yuki said flatly. "You have visitors. I'll clean up the mess from earlier. Deal with them."
"Eh?" Bruce muttered, squinting. "Visitors?"
Yuki didn't answer, she simply turned and left.
Bruce sighed and took another sip before standing up, wobbling slightly. "So…what brings you brats here?"
Jay straightened. "I'm Jay, and this is Lina. We were attacked by a mage named Holluk. Do you have anything that can heal her?"
Before Bruce could reply, a metallic voice sounded from behind Jay. "Hello! I'm Tina!"
Jay jumped as a robotic woman with porcelain skin and glowing blue eyes appeared, smiling brightly. "You can leave her to me! She'll be brand new in no time."
Without waiting, Tina gently took Lina from Jay's arms and carried her away, humming cheerfully.
[A robot? So this world also has technology?], Jay thought.
Jay blinked, still startled, then turned back to Bruce. The man was already pouring himself another drink.
"I have a request," Jay said firmly.
Bruce raised an eyebrow. "A request? Sorry, kid, but I don't do favors. Tina likes helping people, that's her thing. You can leave when she's done with your friend."
"Actually," Jay said, meeting his gaze, "I'm here to ask to be your disciple."
Bruce stared at him for a second, then laughed. "Hahaha! Sorry, not interested. Teaching's too much work."
Jay clenched his fists. "Mozar told me to find you."
That made Bruce pause. His expression shifted ever so slightly. "…Mozar, huh? That old fool keeps pushing stuff onto me." He sighed, scratching his chin. "Sorry, kid, but the answer's still no."
Jay's eyes narrowed. "Then...I have no choice but to make you interested!"
Suddenly, Jay dashed forward and launched a roundhouse kick aimed at Bruce's face.
Bruce, without even spilling his drink, raised his hand and deflected the attack effortlessly, pushing Jay back. "I appreciate the spirit, kid," he said. "But this will only hurt you."
Jay didn't listen. He rushed again, throwing an uppercut toward Bruce's chin. Bruce tilted his head slightly, avoiding the hit, and countered with a palm strike to Jay's chest.
The blow sent Jay flying into the temple wall with a loud *crash*.
Jay groaned but stood again, glaring with determination. He sprinted forward, feinting a punch before delivering a sudden kick toward Bruce's pelvis.
Bruce blocked with his knee, grabbed Jay's shoe midair, and suddenly found himself off balance when Jay dislocated his foot, slipped free of the shoe, and spun to deliver a sharp kick that connected with Bruce's chin.
The impact echoed through the temple.
Bruce blinked, rubbing his jaw. "…Impressive kicking power," he admitted. "But it wouldn't be fair if only you attacked. My turn."
He blurred forward, closing the distance instantly, and struck downward with a precise karate chop toward Jay's shoulder.
The hit connected, but Jay twisted with it, letting the blow dislocate his arm. Using the force of Bruce's attack, he spun his body and grabbed Bruce's arm, trying to flip him over with a judo throw.
[He anticipated my strike and used my momentum against me?] Bruce thought mid-motion, surprised.
But Jay couldn't finish the move. Bruce's toes dug into the stone floor, anchoring him in place.
[No way… what kind of strength is this?] Jay thought, straining.
"Sorry, kid," Bruce said calmly. "Good effort, but playtime's over."
He twisted, reversed the grip, and flipped Jay over instead, then delivered a swift karate chop to Jay's neck, knocking him cold.
Bruce brushed off his hands and turned away.
Then...
*THUMP*
Jay stood again.
Bruce froze. "That's…strange. I'm sure I knocked you out."
But Jay said nothing. His eyes glowed faintly blue, his expression blank.
[He's… unconscious?] Bruce thought.
In the blink of an eye, Jay vanished, and reappeared in front of Bruce with a flying kick.
"What the?!" Bruce exclaimed, barely dodging.
Jay spun immediately, landing another kick. Bruce blocked with his arm, but the impact pushed him several meters back.
[He's faster…and stronger. And he is doing this while unconscious?]
Bruce smirked.
He stepped forward and threw a Gyaku-tsuki punch. Jay parried, grabbed his arm, and astonishingly, lifted him off the ground before hurling him across the room.
Bruce flipped midair, landing on his feet. But Jay was already on him, moving with a speed faster than lightning.
[He is growing in real time as hefights!], Bruce thought.
Jay dropped low, planted his hands on the floor, and spun, delivering a rapid flurry of kicks, each one faster than the last. Bruce blocked with both forearms, his stance cracking the stone beneath him.
[Now he is using a completely different style from before], Bruce thought.
Then Bruce lunged, aiming a front kick for Jay's stomach.
Jay used the man's own leg as leverage with his foot, twisting around it, and slammed a spinning heel kick toward Bruce's chin.
Bruce managed to react and block it, but the force still sent him crashing through the temple's wall and hitting a huge boulder outside, breaking it in half.
Silence fell.
Then Jay's eyes dimmed back to normal, and he collapsed, unconscious for real this time.
Bruce stood, brushing dust off his shoulder with a laugh while still unharmed.
He walked toward Jay's body, looking down with a smile. "Well done, brat. You earned my interest."