Moments later, Lune and Cassian were already in a private tutoring training room. It was filled with matted floors, reinforced walls, training dummies, and racks filled with wooden weapons.
The two of them had already picked up their training swords and were standing opposite one another.
Only now did Lune truly notice Cassian's presence, his stance. There was no mistaking it. The man knew what he was doing.
"Let's start with something easy," Cassian suddenly spoke, "Show me your vertical cut."
Lune barely adjusted his stance as he lifted the training sword and brought it down in a fast but unsteady swing.
Bu as his eyes lifted to meet Cassian's gaze, he saw a flash of disappointment.
"H-how about a horizontal cut?"
Noticing Cassian's expression, Lune adjusted his stance, putting all his focus into his next move. He took a moment to take a long breath before swinging his sword.
'That was decent,' he thought, but as his eyes lifted once more, he saw nothing but disappointment.
'How did he survive the First Expedition?' Cassian thought to himself.
"If you don't mind me asking…" he began, "is your technique offense-related?"
Lune tilted his head.
'My technique?'
"I'm not quite sure how to use my technique just yet," Lune replied honestly.
Cassian's eyes widened at the remark.
'He survived the First Expedition without a technique and with this level of swordsmanship? Did he get lucky with his quest?'
The man lingered for a moment until a sudden idea came to mind.
"Let's change it up. How about this… I come at you, and you have to defend for as long as you can."
"Okay—" Lune barely managed to utter the word as the man lunged forward, catching him completely and utterly off guard.
Lune awkwardly pivoted backward, avoiding the first swing of the blade, but Cassian gave him no time to recover, already on him again, and too fast to avoid.
THUD
Lune hit the ground hard. Pain flared at his side as the wooden sword connected faster than he could follow.
"Again," Cassian said. His previously laid-back expression was gone, replaced by sheer focus and determination.
The second attempt lasted no longer than the first. A moment of desperate defence followed by him hitting the ground, breath knocked from his lungs and wincing in pain.
"Again."
Third time, Lune adjusted his stance, he held his blade higher, readier than before.
But it made no difference as he hit the ground all the same.
"Again."
THUD
"Again."
THUD
With each attempt, Lune managed to last just a moment longer, but in the end, he would still hit the ground all the same.
'Is this supposed to be training?! What exactly am I learning here? ...to hit the ground?!'
"Hold on," Cassian said, just as Lune got to his feet for the fifth time.
Lune raised a brow.
At the same time, Cassian threw away the wooden blade.
"This time, let's use the real weapons."
"What?!" Lune yelped.
'Is he mad? If any of those previous strikes had connected with a real weapon, I would've been dead.'
But Cassian didn't bother explaining.
'He's getting better,' he thought to himself. 'He's starting to follow my movements. Perhaps he's one of those who only grow stronger in real danger.'
Just as the wooden sword hit the ground, another weapon manifested in his hand, a double-edged sword with a silver blade and dark hilt.
Lune hesitated for a moment, but seeing the determination in Cassian's face, he too threw away the wooden sword and summoned his relic, the Dark Moon Katana.
Their eyes met for only a moment before Cassian lunged forward.
CLANG!
Lune blocked the first strike, his arms trembling under the force, but Cassian had already pivoted. His sword style was proud, each movement clear, unafraid to show its intention.
Lune sidestepped a moment too late. The silver blade cut across his left arm.
He grimaced at the pain but remained focused.
'Isn't this a bit too—!?'
Cassian lunged again, this time too fast.
Lune stumbled backward, losing his footing. He expected the man to stop, to slow or redirect the path of his blade, but the silver edge was heading straight for his head.
But at that moment, something shifted.
For some reason, Lune called for his technique, and this time it didn't sit idly still. The Hollow moved to where the blade was about to strike, creating something like a shadowy veil over Lune's face. When the blade met its dark surface… it simply phased through, passing harmlessly through him.
Cassian's eyes widened for a moment before forming a wide grin, but that grin didn't last long as Lune instinctively swung his weapon wide.
CLANG!
Lune didn't even see the man move as his weapon flew across the training hall. Only now did he realize how much Cassian had been holding back.
"What the hell was that?!" Lune yelped.
"Haha, that was amazing! Was that your technique?" Cassian laughed, a wide grin cutting across his face in satisfaction.
"It's just like I thought! You're the type to get better in life or death situations!"
Lune frowned at the man's joyful remarks.
'Is he a lunatic?'
"How did you know I would avoid the strike?" Lune asked, confused. How could the man know what his technique would do when even he had no idea?
And to his surprise, Cassian shrugged.
"I didn't. I just felt like you weren't going to die so easily."
'Yeah…' Lune nodded to himself. 'He's definitely a lunatic…'
"Let's do this again—" Cassian began, but a sudden alarm cut through the room.
As the two looked to the side, they saw that an hour had already passed since they reserved the training room.
Cassian frowned slightly, while Lune let out a long exhale.
'Free session's over, huh,' he thought to himself. A faint smirk crossed his face. The man was a better instructor than he had expected... despite being a bit of a lunatic, of course.
"How about this, since you've piqued my interest, I'll give you a discount—" Cassian began, but Lune quickly cut him off.
"No, thank you," he said as he got to his feet and simply walked away from the training room.
Cassian stared, half flabbergasted and half perplexed, as Lune left without another word.
Normally, people would negotiate, try to get another session for free. Hell, he was even willing to do just that. If Lune had only asked, he would've given him another free session after having taken quite an interest in him. But now, seeing him just walk away, he didn't know how to react.
Lune, however, wasn't simply walking away. He was going to test a theory.
Since his existence could not be remembered, he was going to put it to the test. He would return in an hour to see if the man remembered him, and if he didn't, he was going to finesse another free session.
And so he did just that.
After about an hour of resting outside the training facility, he went back inside.
Just as expected, Cassian was still there, standing and trying to find someone to buy his expertise.
"Hello there," Cassian began with a polite smile the moment Lune approached him.
Lune lingered for a moment, trying to see if the man recognized him in any way. And after realising he didn't, he spoke up.
"Do you do free sessions?"
"Uhhh, well… yes," Cassian replied, taken back, as he had never had someone approach him just to ask for a free session.
But Lune left him no room to wonder, already beginning to walk.
"Very well, let's go then," Lune replied with a satisfied smile on his face.