Seneca had always operated solo, though she was occasionally approached at the guild or on the field. While she never ignored these invitations, she was not particurly adept at conversation, nor was she especially social by nature.

  However, now she was working alongside Maiol on various assignments.

  Maiol was a social individual, and having been part of numerous parties, she had a wide circle of acquaintances.

  As a result, Seneca had naturally begun to engage with other adventurers and guild staff, becoming more involved in social exchanges.

  One day, Maiol brought up a matter.

  "Hey, the Moonlit Day is approaching. There's a request for an escort for the children from a nearby vilge who are traveling to the Baetica Temple. Want to take it up? I think it’ll involve several parties working together."

  "Sure, let's take it. These kinds of requests will probably become more frequent in the future."

  "Alright then. I’ll leave the details—like the location and the team members—to the guild."

  Seneca nodded in agreement.

  The day for the request briefing arrived.

  The guild had organized several parties for the task of escorting children from a small vilge, all of whom were coming to receive skills from the temple. Each party was assigned a different destination.

  Seneca and Maiol were assigned to the furthest vilge, with pns to stay there for three nights.

  Once the team members were revealed, Maiol quickly sprang into action, arranging a meet-and-greet.

  The groups they would be working with were Oak Branch, a veteran party, and New Green Prayer, a party consisting of seventeen- and eighteen-year-old women.

  Oak Branch was a four-member party of Copper rank, with three men and one woman. Experienced, they would undoubtedly keep the group well-coordinated.

  New Green Prayer was a party of rising stars, with both the leader and sub-leader being Copper-ranked. Maiol had been eager to meet them as she hoped to learn more about how female adventurers carried themselves.

  When they arrived at the guild's meeting pce, the members began introducing themselves.

  Seneca made an effort to remember only the leaders of both parties.

  The leader of Oak Branch was Naeus, a solidly built man who wielded a two-handed sword.

  According to Maiol, Naeus was currently the adventurer closest to reaching Silver rank in Baetica, and he was in his te twenties.

  The leader of New Green Prayer was Annia. She had long red hair tied at the back and carried a short staff.

  Although her exact skills were unknown, Maiol mentioned she could use both offensive and healing magic.

  Annia’s sharp, alluring eyes had made her extremely popur among male adventurers, as Maiol had pointed out.

  After Seneca and Maiol had introduced themselves, the others gathered around, eager to ask questions.

  The women had been curious about Seneca for some time, but seeing the men flock around her and noting Seneca’s somewhat aloof nature, they had been hesitant to approach.

  However, recently, as Seneca had begun smiling more often at those she was close to—Maiol included—the women now felt more inclined to speak to her.

  After some pleasant conversation, they agreed to have a brief sparring match to assess their respective strengths.

  The main purpose of the match was to evaluate Seneca and Maiol’s abilities, so the two of them took the initiative and stepped forward.

  Seneca, being keen to test herself, immediately pointed to Naeus as her opponent.

  She was eager to assess her current strength.

  However, she wasn’t sure whether using all her skills in the match was the right approach. So, she decided to begin by relying solely on her swordpy, using her skills only sparingly if the opportunity arose.

  Naeus, in turn, brought a dulled two-handed sword for the sparring session.

  In front of him stood a ten-year-old girl. Though she was reportedly strong, her youth was an obvious factor. He reminded himself to be cautious not to harm her.

  Seneca examined the practice swords at the guild, but as none were suitable, she picked up a lighter scimitar, deciding to use it for the duel.

  A sense of joy welled up inside her at the thought of facing a powerful foe, though she quickly suppressed it, knowing that such emotions could hinder her focus.

  Both Naeus and Seneca took their stances, keeping their distance from each other.

  Seeing Seneca’s composed posture, Naeus heightened his guard.

  "Whenever you're ready," he called.

  No sooner had he spoken than Seneca lunged at him.

  "Fast!" Naeus thought, stunned by the speed at which she moved. But he had trained to face even greater speeds, so he deftly parried her strike.

  Seneca, knowing she hadn't expected her initial strike to nd, swiftly repositioned herself.

  She unleashed a second and third strike in quick succession, but both were easily deflected by Naeus.

  Naeus found that while Seneca’s attacks were fast, they were also repetitive.

  Despite the surprising speed, he felt no need to rush. He could either counter or exploit an opening.

  Naeus prepared himself to meet the next attack.

  Suddenly, Seneca pivoted with incredible speed, preparing to unch her fourth strike from a distance.

  But she only moved her right leg.

  Naeus, having assumed that Seneca was a novice swordswoman with a predictable rhythm, found himself completely thrown off bance as she paused after shifting her weight to one leg.

  "Wait, what?" he excimed.

  Had he continued moving with his original momentum, he would have been fine. But instead, he hesitated, and his bance was lost.

  For a split second, Seneca stopped, but she was back in motion almost instantly.

  Naeus, caught completely off-guard, was forced to try and intercept her strike while in a compromised position.

  Maiol, watching intently, cheered, "She’s won!"

  "[Great Sword]!" Naeus shouted, activating his sub-skill.

  A surge of magical power coursed through him, greatly enhancing his physical strength.

  In an instant, Naeus swung his sword with terrifying speed, knocking Seneca's bde aside.

  The force of the blow sent Seneca flying, but she managed to regain her composure mid-air, nding gracefully on her feet.

  Though Naeus’s attack had been fierce, Maiol felt a pang of fear. However, Seneca seemed completely unfazed.

  "Light as a feather," she remarked casually.

  After this exchange, Seneca continued to press forward without hesitation.

  But from then on, she found herself outcssed. Every move she made was countered—her attacks parried, her evasions followed, and her defenses broken.

  She had hoped to nd a surprise strike using [Magical Needle], but she was unable to even begin the incantation before she found herself overwhelmed.

  Naeus was serious.

  He had no intention of holding back. The thought of underestimating Seneca would only lead to his own defeat.

  Though he had pushed too far, his warrior’s pride wouldn’t allow him to ease up.

  "I yield," Seneca decred, her voice carrying through the arena.

  ...

  Seneca’s face was marred with cuts, her skin mottled with bruises—a painful sight to behold.

  In stark contrast, Naeus remained completely unscathed.

  Annia, New Green Prayer, hurried to Seneca’s side, likely intending to heal her with magic. Meanwhile, the other members of both parties, as well as Maiol, inhaled sharply, ready to protest what they saw as excessive force on Naeus’s part.

  But Naeus spoke first.

  "She’s as skilled as I am with a sword," he said with a smile. "If you protest, you’ll be undermining her efforts. I had no choice but to fight seriously. So, praise her—she was incredible."

  A rare, genuine smile graced his lips.

  It was hard to believe, but this ten-year-old girl was on the cusp of reaching Copper rank. She possessed that level of talent.

  She would reach their level one day.

  And Naeus couldn’t shake the feeling that it was his responsibility—along with his companions—to protect such a promising, if naive, young soul.

  Baetica’s closest adventurer to Silver rank had, without even realising it, become an ardent fan of Seneca.

  By the time the healing was complete, Seneca’s spirits had lifted considerably.

  Maiol, having observed the battle, couldn’t deny the strength in Seneca's swordpy. Yet, she suspected Naeus’s praise carried a touch of fttery. While Seneca was stronger than she had initially believed, ciming she was on par with Naeus felt like a stretch.

  However, when factoring in her long-range prowess with [Sewing]—a technique that could stitch wounds and more—Seneca’s skill as an adventurer might already rival that of a Copper-ranked one.

  At that moment, Maiol saw the path she aspired to take.

  With Seneca’s mock battle concluded, it was now her turn. She had used the spar to gauge her own abilities, and now she wished to do the same—to challenge the one she most wanted to fight.

  Taking a deep breath, she spoke.

  "Annia, please."

  Annia gave a brief, confident nod. "Understood," she replied, stepping forward as she prepared for the duel.

  Annia, New Green Prayer, had entered adventurer school at the age of twelve—at least, that was what Maiol had heard. During her time there, she had risen to Copper rank, graduating at fifteen. Since then, she had continued her journey as an adventurer, operating out of Baetica.

  She might even have been stronger than Naeus had been at her age.

  Maiol wielded a lightweight broadsword, its design allowing for effortless one-handed use. She wasn’t yet sure what weapon truly suited her best, but for now, this would do.

  In contrast, Annia carried a small staff—about the length of three fists, topped with a red gemstone.

  Maiol activated [Detection], a skill that allowed her to sense mana. She had only recently discovered this ability, a revetion that had startled her when she first felt the overwhelming surge of magic from Seneca. At the time, she had thought Seneca had transformed into some kind of monster. But in truth, it had simply been the vast magnitude of her power.

  Even now, Maiol’s ability was fragile and unstable. Her sensitivity to magic was limited—she could only maintain it for a few minutes at best. But this was as good a time as any to put it to the test.

  Maiol held her sword in one hand, a small shield in the other. Her stance was measured, appropriate for her level of experience. Annia’s lips quirked slightly at the sight, but the memory of Seneca’s battle with Naeus soon steeled her resolve.

  The duel began.

  Maiol surged forward, intent on forcing Annia to reveal her magic. She wanted to see how Annia would react—her spells were, after all, her greatest weapon.

  To her surprise, Annia responded immediately.

  Small shards of ice shot toward her, their crystalline edges gleaming in the light.

  Maiol banced what she saw with her eyes against the additional perception granted by [Detection]. The dual perspectives threatened to overwhelm her, her mind teetering on the brink of unraveling. Yet, somehow, she endured. With swift, measured movements, she deflected the ice with her sword and shield, steadily closing the gap between them.

  She swung her bde down—only for Annia to slip away with a fluid retreat, regaining distance with effortless speed.

  Her movements were so graceful that Maiol nearly lost track of her.

  "A magic user isn’t always slow," Annia remarked pyfully.

  Her attacks grew more refined, more precise.

  Perhaps, Maiol mused, Annia was pushing her so that she could grow stronger.

  At times, Annia concealed a smaller ice shard behind a rger one, firing them in quick succession. Yet Maiol saw through the deception, reacting in kind.

  For the most part, she found herself on the defensive.

  Breaking this stalemate would require patience. Rushing in recklessly would only end in failure.

  And so, she bided her time, waiting for the right moment.

  Annia, sensing her intent, decided to stop holding back.

  Magic surged through her hands.

  This was one of her trump cards—an ability she had seen members of The Oak Branch use before. Revealing it here posed no issue.

  Like Naeus had done for Seneca, Annia intended to show Maiol what it meant to be an adventurer.

  Without warning, she unleashed her spell.

  From her right hand, a bolt of ice streaked forward. From her left, a crackling lightning strike followed.

  Maiol’s eyes widened in shock.

  Instinct took over. She raised her shield to block the lightning, but the electricity coursed through the metal, sending a numbing jolt through her arm. She barely managed to deflect the ice bolt with her sword, yet the impact left her staggering, unable to counterattack.

  Before she could fully recover, Annia was already upon her.

  In the blink of an eye, Annia closed the distance, a dagger pressed lightly against Maiol’s throat.

  "That’s enough!" Naeus’s voice rang out across the arena.

  Maiol sank to the ground, breathless.

  Annia knelt beside her, resting a hand on her shoulder as she cast [Healing Magic].

  "You held your ground well," she said softly. "You never panicked, and you waited for the right moment. With more experience, you could make a great leader."

  Then, her lips curled into a sly smile.

  "You even made me use [Double Magic] on you."

  She gave Maiol a pyful wink.

  "Keep working hard, Maiol."

  Flustered, Maiol felt heat rise to her face.

  As for the members of The Oak Branch, one truth had become clear—after today’s battles, they had been knocked down a peg.

  And perhaps, in the presence of these rising talents, they had found rivals worth striving toward.