The Apostle of Ruin

Chapter 12: Will and Ambition

A few hours earlier...

Rei and Roma had departed from the capital, their footsteps now muffled by the thick undergrowth of the dense forest outside of Shrade. The silence between them was broken when Roma finally asked, his voice thoughtful.

"Why do you truly fight?"

Rei tilted his head slightly, puzzled by the unexpected question. "Pardon?" he asked, studying the taller man in front of him.

"Since I've decided to train you so I want to know," Roma said, "It's just no one has ever asked me that but like I said I want to protect my freedom."

"Yes, I know that," Roma replied, lighting a cigarette and exhaling a cloud of smoke with practiced nonchalance. "But is there more to it? I would've thought that, given the type of person you are, your ambition wouldn't be so vague."

"What do you mean by that?" Rei asked, sounding slightly offended. "Are you calling me dumb?"

"No," Roma replied, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips as he exhaled another puff of smoke. "I'm calling you simple." As the forest began to thin and the trees gave way to an open clearing, he continued, "Spirits like yours tend to leave a huge mark on the world—usually the first sign of a new era on the horizon."

Rei frowned in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Roma raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. "Wait, she never explained that to you?"

"No," Rei replied, shaking his head. "Kris just gave me a bunch of books to study—mostly basic magic theory—before she started training me with the sword."

Roma sighed, silently cursing Kris under his breath. As they entered a forest clearing, he turned to face Rei, his expression shifting from surprise to determination. "Alright, kid, first lesson," he said, flicking his spent cigarette aside and lighting a fresh one. "Your goal is simple: come at me with everything you've got and take this cigarette from me. You have until it burns out."

"Wait, what?" Rei blurted, still processing Roma's challenge.

In an instant, Roma was standing in the center of the large clearing, cigarette already lit between his lips. He looked at Rei, his eyes sharp. "Begin," he commanded.

Rei sprang into action, dashing toward Roma with his fist clenched, aiming to knock the cigarette from his mouth. But Roma effortlessly sidestepped, evading the strike with practiced ease.

"That might've worked on an inexperienced fighter," Roma said coolly, the cigarette still balanced between his lips. "But I'm a veteran. You'll have to try harder than that, kid."

"Don't underestimate me!" Rei shouted, frustration clear in his voice. He swept low, aiming to take out Roma's legs, but Roma effortlessly leaped over the attack.

"And that temper of yours yeah, we'll work on that," Roma added with a chuckle, only fueling Rei's anger.

Without hesitation, Rei launched back into the fray with an uppercut. Roma dodged, but this time he hadn't expected the follow-up. He had assumed Rei was just a rookie, but the sudden precision in Rei's movements said otherwise.

"So, that sloppy stance earlier was just a bluff, huh? Looking at you now, you actually know what you're doing," Roma remarked mentally, surprised.

Rei's left hook connected with Roma's arm, but it felt like hitting a wall. Gritting his teeth, Rei knew he couldn't back down. Tapping into his unstable magic, he pushed harder, and ice began to crystallize at the point of contact.

Roma leaped back, noticing the ice spreading from Rei's touch, but Rei was already a step ahead. In one swift motion, he drew his sword, slashing toward the cigarette. Roma jerked his head to the side, narrowly avoiding the blade.