The Strongest With Nothing Left

The relentless sparring continued, sweat pouring from Arin's face as he kept pushing himself beyond his limits. Every time he tried to strike, Li would either dodge or counter him effortlessly. It was like trying to hit a phantom no wasted movement, no hesitation, just pure, calculated precision.

"Faster!" Li barked, narrowly sidestepping Arin's punch. "You're still hesitating before you attack. Stop thinking. Move." 

"Then push harder." Li's foot swept toward Arin's legs, but Arin, for the first time, predicted it. "Tch—!"

THUD!

Arin jumped back, barely avoiding the sweep. "Hah… Hah… I saw that one!" he grinned, proud of himself. "Don't celebrate yet." Li suddenly closed the gap, his fist rocketing toward Arin's face. "Your guard is down."

"Ah—!" Arin instinctively ducked, barely avoiding the punch. His heart pounded like a drum, his vision blurred from exhaustion, but his body his body kept moving. Without thinking, his arm shot forward. "HAAA!!"

RIIIIIP!

The sound of tearing fabric echoed in the clearing. 

Both of them froze. Arin's fist had just grazed Li's side, barely nicking his shirt. Silence hung in the air for a brief moment as Arin blinked, registering what just happened.

"…I-I… I hit you…" Arin stammered, his hand still raised. "I ACTUALLY HIT YOU!!" Li glanced down at his slightly torn shirt, his expression unreadable. "…Barely."

"BUT I STILL HIT YOU!!" Arin jumped up in joy, raising his arms in victory. "Did you see that, Master?! I finally—" 

BAM!

Li's fist slammed into Arin's stomach, sending him crumpling to his knees, coughing hard. "GHHACK—!!"

"Don't get distracted." Li said coldly, standing over him. "A graze means nothing in a real fight. Had that been an actual battle, you would've died celebrating."

"H-Hurk…" Arin gripped his stomach, gasping for air. "B-But… I still grazed you…"

"And you should've capitalized on it instead of bragging." Li scoffed. "You get one opportunity in a fight, Arin. Miss it, and you die. Remember that." 

"Y-Yes… Master…" Arin coughed, his body aching but his heart swelling with pride. "B-But… admit it. I still touched you…" he grinned weakly. 

Li remained silent, staring at the torn part of his shirt. He actually grazed me… his adaptation is getting even faster…

For the first time in their training… Li was quietly impressed.

"Hmph. Training's over." Li said coldly, standing straight. "I told you hit me once, and it's over."

Arin blinked in disbelief, still clutching his stomach. "W-Wait… seriously?" 

"Did I stutter?" Li turned around, walking away. "You're done for today. Rest up."

Arin, despite the pain, couldn't help but grin. He did it. He finally landed a hit.

As Li walked off the training grounds without another word, Mia quickly rushed over to Arin, who was sprawled on the ground, still catching his breath.

"That was amazing, Arin!" Mia beamed, kneeling beside him. "You actually hit him! I mean… it was just a graze, but still! That's insane!"

Arin let out a strained chuckle, his body sore from the brutal training. "Y-Yeah… honestly, I didn't think I'd do it… but I did." He grinned despite the aching pain. "Man… Master's really something else, huh?"

Mia nodded, her eyes still wide with amazement. "Yeah! The way you kept dodging and closing in on him it was like watching a real fight between two professionals!"

Arin winced as he sat up. "Ugh… well, I wouldn't say that. I mean, did you see how he barely broke a sweat?" He chuckled. "But hey… progress is progress, right?" 

Mia smiled warmly. "Definitely. At this rate, you'll be catching up to him in no time!" 

Arin laughed dryly. "Heh… yeah, sure. Maybe in a few decades or so…"

As Li entered the town, his usual cold expression plastered on his face, he quietly walked through the busy streets. However, as he turned a corner, a familiar voice called out to him. 

"Li!"

He stopped, his gaze shifting to the side to see Elise approaching him, a soft smile on her face.

"…What do you want?" Li asked, his tone as indifferent as ever.

Elise slowed her pace as she reached him, her eyes briefly scanning him. "Did you just finish training Arin?" she asked, noticing the faint hint of dirt on Li's boots.

Li didn't react. "…What's it to you?"

Elise chuckled softly. "Nothing, just curious. It's impressive how fast Arin's growing stronger under your training, you know?" 

Li scoffed. "Tch. That's his own effort, not mine. Don't give me credit for something I didn't do."

Elise tilted her head slightly. "Still, you're the one guiding him. I think that counts for something." She paused, then added, "And… I heard from Arin that you saved him and Mia from that A-rank monster."

Li froze for a moment, his cold demeanor cracking just slightly before he quickly composed himself. "…I was there. That's all." Elise smiled softly. "Well… either way. Thanks, Li." 

Li turned his back to her, already walking off. "Stop thanking me for things I don't care about," he muttered.

Elise watched him leave, her smile never fading. He acts cold, but he definitely cares… even if he doesn't want to admit it.

As Li walked away, Elise suddenly called out from behind him.

"Hey… next time you train Arin, let me watch."

Li didn't stop. He didn't turn around. He didn't even acknowledge her request. 

Silence.

Elise chuckled softly to herself, watching his figure disappear into the crowd. "I'll take that as a yes."

Curious about where Li was training Arin, Elise decided to take a walk toward the outskirts of the forest. She figured if Li was going to train someone, it wouldn't be in a comfortable spot it'd be somewhere rough, isolated.

As she approached a clearing, she suddenly heard faint laughter echoing through the trees. Following the sound, she stepped closer and finally spotted Arin… laughing alongside Mia.

Arin, sitting on the grass with his back resting against a tree, was covered in dirt, sweat, and a few fresh bruises from today's training. Yet, despite his battered state, his grin was wide and genuine. Mia sat beside him, giggling along with him as they exchanged jokes and stories.

Elise stopped in her tracks, watching the two interact. A warm smile crept on her face. So he's not just being beaten down every day… he's actually having fun too.

Arin suddenly turned his head toward the tree Elise was hiding behind, his voice casual yet loud enough to catch her off guard. "Hey, Miss Elise! What are you doing here?"

Elise flinched, her heart skipping a beat. "H-How did he know I was here…?" she thought, slowly stepping out from behind the tree, clearly confused. "W-Wait… how did you—"

ing. And since Master already left, I figured it had to be you."Arin simply grinned, scratching his head. "Ah, well… I kinda felt someone was watching."

Elise blinked, still puzzled. "This kid's got sharp senses…"

Elise smiled, stepping out from behind the tree. "So… how was training today?" she asked, genuinely curious.

Arin let out a tired laugh, wiping the sweat from his forehead. "Oh, it was rough, like always. Master said if I managed to hit him once, training would be over and guess what? I actually did it!"

Elise's eyes widened. "Wait, really? You actually landed a hit on him?" Arin nodded, grinning proudly. "Yup! It was just a graze, though… but still, Master kept his word and ended training right there." He chuckled, rubbing his sore arm. "Man, I thought I was gonna die today."

Elise glanced at Mia, who was sitting beside Arin, giggling softly at his words. "What about her? What's Mia doing here?" Elise asked curiously.

Mia perked up at the mention of her name. "Oh! I just… asked if I could watch Arin train," she answered, smiling. "I was really curious after he told me about it. Plus, I thought it'd be fun to see how strong he's getting!"

Arin scratched the back of his head, a faint blush forming. "Y-yeah… she showed up earlier, and Master didn't really say anything, so I guess it was fine."

Elise arched a brow. "Huh… and here I thought Li wouldn't want anyone interrupting his training sessions."

Mia chuckled. "Well… he did glance at me once, but after that, he just ignored me and kept training Arin."

Arin suddenly turned his attention to Elise, curiosity gleaming in his eyes. "Hey, Miss Elise… do you know what kind of ability my master has?" he asked.

Elise blinked, caught off guard by the question. "Li's ability?" she repeated, folding her arms as she leaned against the tree. "Huh… that's actually a good question."

Arin nodded eagerly. "Yeah! I mean, Master is insanely strong, and his combat skills are terrifying… but I've never seen him use any ability. Does he even have one?"

Elise tapped her chin, deep in thought. "Well… I don't know the full extent of his abilities," she admitted. "But I've heard stories terrifying ones."

Mia leaned in, intrigued. "Like what?"

Elise hesitated for a moment before answering. "There was a time when a group of A-rank adventurers took a subjugation quest to eliminate a horde of powerful monsters. But they got overwhelmed. Li was there and took the quest alone after hearing about the situation."

Arin's eyes widened. "And then what happened?" Elise took a deep breath. "They say… he slaughtered every single monster in that horde without using any ability. Just his pure combat skills alone."

Arin and Mia were left speechless. "But…" Elise's voice dropped slightly. "There was one rumor — though I can't confirm if it's true." Arin leaned forward. "What rumor?"

Elise hesitated again. "They say… his ability is something so horrifying that even he refuses to use it. Something that could wipe out a whole city if he ever lost control." 

Arin gulped, his excitement now mixed with disbelief. "T-that's insane…" 

Mia nervously chuckled. "I-I mean… it could just be a rumor, right?"

Elise shrugged. "Maybe. But one thing's for sure — Li Vrak is not someone you'd want to make an enemy of."

"And I don't have such a terrifying ability," a cold, familiar voice suddenly cut through their conversation.

Arin, Mia, and Elise froze, their bodies instantly tensing. Slowly, they turned around — and there stood Li, his usual cold and unbothered expression plastered on his face.

"M-Master?!" Arin stammered, practically jumping out of his skin. "W-When did you—?!"

"Just now," Li answered bluntly, his piercing gaze shifting toward Elise. "And I'd appreciate it if you didn't spread ridiculous rumors about me."

Elise scratched the back of her head awkwardly. "Ah… sorry about that… I was just telling them what I've heard, not claiming it as fact."

Li exhaled sharply through his nose, clearly unamused. "I don't have an ability that can wipe out a city. That's absurd."

"But you do have an ability, right?" Arin suddenly blurted out, his curiosity refusing to die down. "I mean… you never use it. So what is it, Master?"

Li fell silent, his gaze momentarily darkening. "…It doesn't matter," he finally said, turning his back to them. "My ability is useless now."

"Useless?!" Arin and Mia both exclaimed in disbelief.

Elise looked at him carefully, her sharp intuition picking up on the subtle bitterness in his tone. "Why is it useless?" she asked carefully. "An ability can't just… become useless, right?"

Li's shoulders tensed for a moment before he answered flatly. "It's no longer worth using. That's all."

Elise, refusing to let the conversation die there, took a step forward. "Doesn't hurt if you tell us, does it not?" she said casually, her tone light but firm. "I mean… your student is also here. Wouldn't it be fair to show him?"

Li halted mid-step, his back still turned to them. A brief silence followed before he responded coldly. "There's nothing to show."

"Really?" Elise pressed, unfazed by his icy tone. "Even if it's useless… it's still part of you, isn't it?"

Arin's ears perked up at that. "Yeah! I mean, if it's your ability, it can't be that useless, Master!"

Li didn't turn around. His jaw clenched. "Drop it."

Arin, unwilling to let it go, took a deep breath. "Master, wait!"

Li froze, his back still turned to them. His patience was clearly running thin. "I said drop it."

"But why?" Arin stepped forward, determination burning in his eyes. "Why can't you just show us? I mean… you're my master. Wouldn't it be normal for a student to want to see what his master can do?"

"It's useless," Li repeated, his tone sharp like a blade. "There's no point in showing it."

Arin gritted his teeth. "That's not true."

Li finally turned around, his glare icy and threatening. "And what do you know about it, huh?"

Arin didn't flinch. "I know that no ability is useless! Even mine, which needs me to get beaten up to get stronger — you didn't call it useless! So why do you think yours is?"

Li was caught off guard for a split second, his expression faltering before hardening again. "…It's different."

"How is it different?! You're the strongest person I know, Master! If it's really 'useless,' then how the hell did you survive all this time?"

Silence. Li's jaw clenched, his fists tightening. Elise and Mia watched anxiously, not daring to interrupt.

"…You think I survived because of my ability?" Li finally spoke, his voice cold and distant. "You're wrong. I survived because I killed… and I kept killing until nothing else could kill me."

Arin didn't back down. "And you're still alive. That has to mean something, right?"

Li's gaze darkened. "It means nothing."

"Then show us." Arin's voice cracked slightly, but he didn't waver. "Show us that 'nothing.' Prove to us it's useless. Because right now, all I see is my master being too scared to show us his true self."

The air shifted. Li's glare hardened like steel as his killing intent briefly flared. Elise and Mia's breath hitched.

But Arin didn't flinch. He stared straight into Li's cold, piercing eyes, refusing to back down. "Please, Master… show me."

Li's breath was unsteady. He was on the verge of walking away again… but something inside him cracked. His student's unwavering determination, his words — it all cut too deep. Just like back then…

"...Tch." Li looked away, his hand unconsciously tightening into a fist. "You're a damn idiot, you know that?"

Arin smiled weakly. "Guess I learned that from you, Master."

Silence. Then, with a deep sigh, Li finally gave in. "Fine."

Arin's eyes widened. "Really?!"

"Don't get excited." Li walked a few steps away, his back still turned to them. "You wanted to see it, didn't you? Don't blame me if it disappoints you."

Li exhaled slowly, his eyes narrowing. Without turning around, he spoke. "Elise."

Elise flinched slightly. "Y-Yes?"

"Cast a fireball at me."

The request stunned everyone. "W-What?" Elise's voice cracked in disbelief. "B-But why—"

"Just do it." Li's voice was sharp, leaving no room for argument.

Elise hesitated only for a second before raising her staff. "Fireball!"

A blazing orb of fire instantly formed and shot toward Li at high speed. Arin's eyes widened in horror. "Master, are you insane?!"

But Li didn't move. He didn't dodge. As the fireball approached him with terrifying velocity, he simply raised his hand—

FWOOOSH!

The fireball collided with his palm. Or at least… it should have.

Instead, the moment Li touched it, the fireball froze in place its scorching heat seemingly meaningless against his bare hand. Then, before anyone could process what was happening, the fireball morphed.

The flames shifted unnaturally, coiling around Li's arm. And in one smooth motion, the fire molded itself into a long, blazing sword entirely under Li's control. The fire no longer burned him it obeyed him.

Elise, Mia, and Arin's jaws dropped. "W-What the hell…?!" 

Li lifted the flaming sword, its heat radiating intensely, but he held it as if it was a normal blade. "…This is my ability." His voice was low, dark. "The power to manipulate mana itself."

"Mana?!" Elise gasped. "But that's impossible! No human can touch raw mana, let alone control it without burning themselves alive!"

Li scoffed bitterly. "And yet here I am." 

The flames danced wildly as he gave the sword a single swing, causing a powerful shockwave to blast through the air. The trees around them swayed from the force, and the ground cracked slightly beneath his feet.

"Holy shit…" Arin was at a loss for words. "Master… you can control raw mana?"

"Not exactly." Li's grip on the flaming sword tightened, his voice grim. "I can only manipulate it if it's aimed at me. That's why I asked her to attack. If it's not hostile mana, I can't touch it."

Elise's mind raced. "But… that's still impossible. You're not a mage. You're not even using a conduit. You're just—"

"Holding raw mana," Mia finished in shock. "Like it's nothing…"

Li's expression darkened. "That's why it's useless."

Arin's head snapped up. "How the hell is this useless?!"

"Because I can't use it without putting myself in danger first," Li muttered. "I can only touch hostile mana meaning I have to let it get close enough to kill me before I can manipulate it."

The flaming sword slowly dissipated into ash as Li lowered his arm. "In a real fight, if my reaction time is off by a single second I'm dead."

Silence. Heavy, suffocating silence.

Arin stepped forward. "…But you haven't died."

Li froze.

"You said it yourself one wrong move, and you'd be dead. And yet, you're still here." Arin's voice trembled slightly. "That means you've never failed. Every time someone attacked you with magic, you won. Every single time."

Li didn't answer. His jaw clenched.

"That ability's not useless," Arin said firmly. "You're just too damn good at using it that it scares you."

Li's breath hitched slightly. "Tch…" Without another word, he turned around and began walking away. "Training resumes tomorrow. Don't be late."

"But Master—"

"Enough." Li's voice was strained. "I said don't be late."

And with that, he left, refusing to let them see his trembling hands.