Leonar rolled across the ground, arms raised in a futile attempt to shield his face as a straw dummy pummeled him mercilessly.

  Each punch landed with a dull "paf!" against his skin, leaving red marks that faded almost instantly thanks to the accelerated regeneration of this world.

  Above, hovering with her white wings spread wide like a giant umbrella, Celestia watched the scene with a mix of amusement and resignation.

  Her golden hair swayed gently, and her green eyes glinted with a mischievous spark.

  Suddenly, she tilted her head, as if something in the real world had caught her attention.

  With a slight frown, she muttered to herself:

  "Well, well… Eleonora sure knows how to make the most of this idiot’s body."

  Her gaze drifted for a moment, like she was peering through an invisible window.

  In her mind, the image of Eleonora dropping those three thugs with precise neck strikes—all while holding a phone—pulled a chuckle from her.

  Celestia shook her head, impressed, and glanced down at Leonar, who at that exact moment took a straw uppercut straight to the chin.

  The poor guy flopped onto his back with a grunt, spitting out a: "Damn it!" that echoed in the empty space.

  Celestia sighed, crossing her arms as she descended slowly, her wings flapping gracefully.

  ‘This is gonna take a while…’ she thought, rubbing her temple with two fingers. ‘This guy doesn’t have a shred of combat instinct. How am I supposed to turn him into a decent mage if he can’t even dodge a pile of straw?’

  Just as she was about to snap her fingers to stop the dummy, something made her blink in surprise.

  A figure appeared out of nowhere in front of Leonar: a girl with short white hair, so bright it looked like fresh snow, and red eyes glowing like embers.

  She wore black athletic gear, snug and practical, with a stance screaming confidence.

  Before the dummy could land another hit on Leonar, the girl grabbed its straw arm, spun on her heels, and slammed it into the ground with a move so smooth it looked choreographed.

  The pile of straw collapsed into a sad heap, and the girl, without even mussing her hair, flashed Leonar a crooked grin and a thumbs-up.

  Leonar, still sprawled on the ground with his chest heaving like a bellows, blinked twice before returning the gesture with a shaky hand.

  "That’s my girl!" he gasped, forcing a smile as he sat up with effort.

  Celestia landed beside him with an elegant step, planting her feet and crossing her arms.

  Her wings folded with a soft "flap," and her expression shifted from surprise to a mix of disbelief and annoyance.

  "And who’s this?" she asked, pointing at the girl with an accusing finger.

  Her tone carried a hint of suspicion, like Leonar had just pulled a rabbit out of a hat.

  Leonar scratched the back of his neck, still panting, and let out a tired chuckle.

  "I summoned her," he said, like it was the most normal thing in the world.

  Celestia’s eyes widened, her mouth forming a perfect "O" before she scowled.

  "You summoned her? That’s cheating!" she exclaimed, now pointing the finger at him. Her wings quivered slightly, as if they were offended by proxy.

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  "Cheating?"

  Leonar staggered to his feet, brushing dust off his pants with one hand.

  "How’s that cheating! I’m supposed to be a mage, right? Staying back, casting spells while my buddies cover me. This is pure strategy!"

  Celestia narrowed her eyes, tilting her head like she was debating whether to applaud his logic or smack him for his nerve.

  Finally, she huffed and crossed her arms again.

  "Yeah, sure, that’s true," she admitted reluctantly, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "But first you’ve got to learn to fend for yourself, moron. What happens if an enemy gets to you? You gonna rely on someone else to pull your bacon out of the fire every time? You need instincts, reflexes—something!"

  Leonar gave her a grimace, rubbing his jaw where the dummy had clocked him.

  "Instincts? Reflexes? How do you expect me to do that when I don’t even have a decent build?" he protested, spreading his arms like he was presenting evidence. "Look at me! I’m a walking disaster."

  Celestia studied him silently for a moment, her eyes scanning his lanky frame with a mix of pity and curiosity.

  Then, raising an eyebrow, she asked:

  "How long have you been a hunter, Leonar?"

  He blinked, scratching his head as he thought back.

  "Uh… about four days?" he said, shrugging.

  "Four days?"

  Celestia let out a dry chuckle, pressing a hand to her forehead like she had a sudden headache.

  "By all the heavens, I don’t even know why I’m surprised with you. Fine, another question: have you ever played any sports?"

  Leonar frowned, thinking harder than he probably needed to.

  Then, with a crooked grin, he replied:

  "Well… back in school I played soccer, but I wasn’t great. Spent more time on the bench than the field. Does that count?"

  Celestia let out a sigh so long it sounded like her soul was leaking out.

  Her wings fluttered a bit, as exasperated as she was.

  "Listen, Leonar," she said, dropping her voice to a serious tone as she fixed him with a stare. "Your ideas about yourself are tied to what you’ve done your whole life: sitting around, gambling, losing, whining. But that’s got nothing to do with what you are now."

  Leonar blinked, confused, and tilted his head like a dog puzzled by a new trick.

  "What the heck do you mean by that? Speak plain, I get lost with your angel lectures."

  She rolled her eyes but cracked a slight smile, like she secretly enjoyed his cluelessness.

  "I mean you’ve got to ditch those beliefs that you’re some weak loser. You’ve got stats, Leonar. Strength, endurance, agility—the system’s given you power! But you keep thinking like the slacker who let debt collectors beat him up."

  He frowned, scratching his chin as he processed that.

  "Stats? Wait, wait… Aren’t those supposed to be kicking in already? ‘Cause if they are, I’m not feeling it. This dummy’s been pounding me like I’m a punching bag."

  Celestia raised an eyebrow, her smile turning slyer.

  "Not feeling it? Well, let’s test something. Hit me."

  Leonar blinked, startled, and let out a nervous chuckle.

  "A hit? You? You sure?"

  "Come on, do it!" she insisted, holding out an open hand like she was daring him. Her wings lifted slightly, giving her an imposing air.

  He shrugged, still hesitant, but figured he’d take the shot. He clenched his fist, stepped forward, and threw a weak punch at her palm.

  Celestia caught it effortlessly, her fingers closing around his wrist like it was a twig.

  Then, with a quick shove, she sent him stumbling back a couple steps.

  "That’s it?" she said, laughing. "Pathetic. Try again, but this time with all you’ve got."

  Leonar frowned, confused.

  "All I’ve got? What’s that mean? Didn’t I just—?"

  "Do it!" she cut in, her tone firm but with a playful glint in her eyes.

  Leonar huffed, shaking his head, but this time he took it seriously.

  He stepped back, took a breath, and charged at her, channeling all his energy into his fist.

  When he struck, the impact rang out with a sharp "crack!" against Celestia’s palm.

  She didn’t budge an inch, but her eyes widened slightly, and a satisfied smile spread across her face.

  "See?" she said, releasing his hand as Leonar staggered back, panting. "That was different. You’re not using half of what you’ve got because you still think you’re the same old weakling. Those stats are there, idiot—use them!"

  Leonar stared at his fist, still trembling from the effort, then looked up at her, jaw dropped.

  "So… all this time I’ve been stronger and didn’t know it?"

  Celestia nodded, crossing her arms with a triumphant air.

  "Exactly. But you keep fighting like you’re a sack of spuds. That’s why you need this training."

  Then her gaze slid to the white-haired girl.

  "And speaking of that… tell your little buddy to scram. You’re not gonna learn anything hiding behind her."

  Leonar let out a laugh, resting his hands on his knees to catch his breath.

  "I appreciate the lesson, Celestia, really. But you know what? I think I deserve a breather after this."

  She stared at him, her smile fading for a second.

  Then, with a snap of her fingers, the air around them hummed.

  "A breather, huh?" Celestia said, her voice dropping to a dangerously sweet tone.

  Before Leonar could react, the ground shook, and out of nowhere, five more straw dummies sprang up—each bigger and uglier than the last.

  Their eyes glowed with a reddish light, and without giving him a chance to speak, they lunged at him like a starving pack.

  "CELESTIAAAAA, DAMN IT!" Leonar yelled as the first straw fist slammed into his gut, followed by another to his back.

  He dropped to his knees, rolling across the ground as the dummies pounded him relentlessly.

  "This isn’t training, it’s torture!"

  Celestia floated back up, laughing her head off as her wings beat with glee.

  "Have fun figuring out your strength, hero!" said Celestia, before spinning in the air like she was about to take a break herself.