To be honest, with Renjiro's current physical ability, even if Bell fought him barehanded or with a real dagger, Renjiro could easily defeat him using just one hand… or even a single finger.
The reason Renjiro chose rubber practice daggers was simple: this white rabbit boy was far too kind.
If he used real weapons, he wouldn't hold back at all.
And that would drastically reduce the effectiveness of the training.
At this moment…
"Swish~"
Bell had been wondering since yesterday why his captain had chosen dual daggers as his weapon.
He knew the set of equipment he had received was precious, so it wasn't about "saving money" that Renjiro only gave him daggers.
In fact, Bell had already realized yesterday that daggers suited him best. Other weapons… perhaps only a greatsword might work.
So he couldn't understand how the black-haired youth in front of him could tell at a glance what he was good at.
No, it was too arrogant to say good at at this point.
Because…
"Don't swing so wildly. Daggers rely on agility, not brute strength. What you're holding isn't a battle axe."
Renjiro's simple instructions didn't involve extraordinary strength, yet somehow the practice dagger was pressed against Bell's neck before he realized it.
"When attacking, control your force, or you'll lose balance and struggle to react to emergencies."
"And when trapped, don't stiffen instinctively. That's a sign of fear—it must be corrected. Always think about turning the situation around immediately."
He tapped the side of the rubber dagger against Bell's face.
"Stiffening like that is like telling your opponent: I've given up resisting… understand?"
"Yes!"
"Then continue."
Bell wasn't slow; he swung the rubber daggers again with renewed effort.
His movements were still wide and unrefined, but he was beginning to observe Renjiro's actions and mimic them.
Not long after…
"Once you learn to evade, don't aim for one-hit kills—you're not an assassin."
"Trying to instantly kill an enemy head-on is arrogance and goes against your weapon's characteristics."
"If you face someone equal or stronger, change tactics. Gradually, leave wounds over time instead of rushing."
"Like this…"
Renjiro, without using more than ordinary human strength, easily dodged Bell's attacks while the dagger slithered across Bell's body like a swift snake.
Rubber daggers hardly caused harm, but they weren't completely harmless.
The friction from a fast strike could burn the skin.
"Wah~"
Red marks appeared on Bell's body instantly.
In pain, the boy instinctively tried to jump back…
"Remember, when fighting with daggers, don't leave both feet off the ground. Stick close to the floor, like suction cups on your feet."
"Because… you can't jump—uh, just a slip of the tongue."
As Bell leapt, Renjiro caught him in midair, supporting him by the abdomen with his right arm.
He had done the same to Rye before.
At that moment…
"You see what happens when you leave the air empty? You're a sitting target, waiting to be slaughtered."
Bell nodded.
No leverage in midair meant complete vulnerability.
If Renjiro had actually attacked, Bell might have been seriously hurt.
"Also…"
Renjiro added, "If you can't use dual daggers efficiently yet, focus on one attack and one defense first."
"Otherwise, having two weapons without space awareness limits your other hand's flexibility."
"Understood."
Bell knew the techniques being taught were precious.
Nearby, the other children—even Lili—watched carefully.
Lili realized these combat techniques could be applied to her as well.
After all…
"Compared to hunting monsters, this feels more like… killing humans."
The little humanoid girl frowned in thought.
She didn't know… in Renjiro's mind, humans were just another type of enemy.
=======
Meanwhile…
"That's settled then."
Around 9:30 a.m., while Renjiro trained Bell in close combat, the Central Plaza outside the Babel saw three particularly conspicuous figures.
Two of them were well-known to adventurers:
They were Aether and Lumine, the famous Twin Stars.
The third, trailing beside them…
"I always take a seat for solo actions."
"And in return, most of the magic stones I earn go to you… and the monster drops too."
At that moment, a brown-haired youth wearing a dark red mask spoke excitedly to Aether and Lumine.
"This is the life I've always dreamed of."
"A body that never tires, endless battles, and constant awareness of my growth."
The brown-haired youth—Tartaglia—looked toward the bottom floors of Babel.
"The dungeon… this incredible place is the perfect training ground made for me."
"If I lived here, I'd never get bored."
Aether and Lumine glanced at the battle-obsessed youth beside them, both clearly unimpressed.
After a long pause…
"Whatever makes you happy." — Lumine said, thinking to herself: Enjoy yourself, and be our group's 'wallet' while you're at it.
A win-win situation.
Yes. Tartaglia felt like he was winning, but Renjiro and the Twin Stars were winning even more.
As long as this battle-crazy youth roamed the dungeon uncontested… Renjiro's mana would be barely affected.
Why?
Because…
"MyThe Ten Rings of the Human King and the two hundred million from the original timeline… ahem, just like the Hestia Blade, also self-grow."
Just last night, Renjiro had noticed golden cracks forming on the ring on his left index finger.
They had been gradually expanding, like a spreading infection.
With these cracks "shedding" like skin…
"Currently, the mana capacity of the Ten Rings has increased from being enough for a single Genshin to remain manifested for ten days to thirteen days."
"From now on, as long as Tartaglia keeps farming magic stones in the dungeon, it can create a semi-permanent mana supply cycle."
"The only concern is if Zhongli or Venti get serious, causing a short-term shortage of mana."
"But even that can be overcome as the Ten Rings continue to grow."
It was foreseeable: one day, when all ten black rings turned gold…
"By then, my mana reserves will be… nearly infinite."