It's been two weeks since I arrived in this world. I was currently leaving work after a ten-hour shift.
It was one in the afternoon, and I had to go train with Luna. Despite the training being highly beneficial, Luna always insisted on sparring with me and I always lost.
When I arrived at the warehouse, I found her seated and glaring at me.
"What are we doing today?" I asked, breaking the silence as I entered the warehouse.
Luna remained silent, her expression stern.
"I'm sorry I didn't respond when you called me," I apologized, acknowledging my earlier avoidance of her calls while I was busy repairing my reputation.
Still, Luna didn't respond.
"Do you have to be so petty?" I questioned, frustration seeping into my voice. Finally, Luna reacted.
She stood up from her seat and approached me, locking eyes with an intense gaze.
"Do you like the feeling of being ignored?" Luna asked, her tone pointed.
"Do you like acting like a big baby?" I retorted, not holding back my frustration.
Her face instantly flushed red with embarrassment. "M-Me?! A b-baby?!" she stammered.
I nodded firmly. "Yes, you're older than me, yet you act immature in certain situations."
Suddenly, Luna lashed out, kicking me in the stomach. I dropped to my knees, clutching my abdomen in pain.
"That's what happens when you ignore me for nearly a week to spend time with that Kim girl!" Luna exclaimed angrily. "You left me here alone, doing nothing, when we were supposed to be training!"
Fortunately, Luna's kick wasn't overly forceful, and I managed to recover quickly. Despite being twenty-two, Luna sometimes exhibited behaviors more akin to a teenager.
My expression shifted to a teasing grin. "Are you perhaps jealous of Kim? Don't be, because I'm not into older women like you," I said, pretending to feign disgust.
"I'm only twenty-two!" Luna retorted indignantly. She sighed and then continued more calmly, "Attack me like you always do, and I'll point out your mistakes."
Luna often had these unpredictable shifts in demeanor, oscillating between moods and reactions seemingly at random.
That unpredictability was what made Luna difficult to trust. It was hard to discern whether her reactions were genuine or calculated. After all, it seemed implausible that she would be jealous of a teenage girl like Kim because of me, considering Luna could easily attract any man in the kingdom with her beauty and strength.
Luna stood with a relaxed yet poised stance, her eyes keenly observing me. I bounced on the balls of my feet, adrenaline coursing through my veins as I prepared to face Luna with the intent to kill, something she told me to do when facing any opponent.
"Remember, Silas," Luna's voice was calm and measured, "control and precision over power."
I nodded, determination etched on my face. Without hesitation, I lunged forward, launching a flurry of punches aimed at Luna's head and torso.
Luna effortlessly deflected each blow with graceful movements, her hands and arms a blur of precise blocks and redirections.
Undeterred, I shifted my approach, aiming a swift kick at Luna's midsection. Luna sidestepped elegantly, her footwork impeccable, and with a fluid motion, she swept my leg out from under me. I fell, but rolled to my feet quickly.
"You need to anticipate, not react," Luna advised, her voice carrying an air of gentle correction.
I took a deep breath, centering myself. I attacked again, this time mixing in feints and low strikes.
Luna remained an unmovable force, reading my movements like an open book. She parried a high punch and flowed seamlessly into a spin, avoiding a low kick, her movements almost dancing around my aggressive offense.
I gritted my teeth, channeling my frustration into a burst of speed and strength. I aimed a powerful roundhouse kick at Luna's head, but she ducked under it smoothly and used my momentum against me, sending me stumbling forward. Before I could recover, Luna's leg swept out again, sending me to the ground.
Breathing heavily, I pushed myself up, sweat dripping down my face. Luna stood over me, her expression serene, not a hint of exhaustion visible.
"You're improving, Silas," she said, extending a hand to help me up. "But you still rely too much on strength. Strength can be a great asset, but without control, it's just chaos."
I took her hand and rose to my feet, respect and frustration warring within me. "I know, I'll get the hang of it I just need time."
Luna nodded, a faint smile gracing her lips. "I know you will. Now, again. And this time, focus on the flow of the fight, not just the impact of your strikes."
***
Four hours later, we finally wrapped up our training session. I was still frustrated, as usual, having failed to land even a single hit.
I understood that Luna was vastly stronger, but facing such overwhelming force and losing every time left me feeling disheartened.
I began to ponder how this change might affect the storyline. Originally, Silas was supposed to have Amara as his teacher for training, but now Luna had taken her place.
Luna's fighting style was a stark contrast to Amara's. While Amara focused on power and destruction, Luna emphasized control and precision.
I personally preferred Amara's style because it complemented The Absolute, which was also focused on destruction, making them a perfect match.
Luna's fighting style, being the complete opposite, posed challenges for me to integrate with my ability. It felt like trying to wield fire and water simultaneously without canceling each other out.
Today, I also received my paycheck from work. As the sole employee, my boss recognized my hard work and added a little extra to my payment.
I received five gold coins. Despite the world's advanced state for its era, it still used gold, silver, and bronze coins as currency.
The game index indicated that one gold coin equated to one thousand dollars on Earth.
"Five thousand dollars simply for working thirty hours!" I muttered in excitement.
I felt grateful to my generous boss for his kindness. After arriving at the Fighting Tower with a bright smile, I headed straight for a shower to wash off all the accumulated sweat.
Once refreshed, I headed to Starlight Mall to finally indulge in some much needed clothes shopping.
Upon entering the mall, I was immediately greeted by a bustling crowd of people milling about near the entrance.
The expansive space was filled with hundreds of stores and multiple floors, presenting a nice opportunity for exploration.
Determined to make the most of my visit, I intended to explore every corner, even if it meant potentially getting lost.
I wandered into the first clothing store I spotted and began browsing through the racks in search of something nice.
However, my excitement quickly turned to disbelief when I glanced at the price tag of a particularly nice outfit.
"Fifty gold coins!" I exclaimed in shock, inadvertently drawing attention from nearby shoppers.
I glanced over my meager five gold coins and realized I had been outplayed by my boss.
"Haha, a commoner crying over fifty gold coins. If you bow before me, I'll purchase that shirt for you," a boy's voice mocked from behind me, followed by laughter from his friends.
I turned to see the typical third rate noble bully cliché: a green haired kid surrounded by his friends.
Upon recognizing my face, the green haired boy and his friends began to panic.
"O-Oh, my apologizes Lord Silas! I didn't notice it was you!" he stammered, kneeling before me with his group of friends.
It was a strange feeling to see people bow before me as if I were some kind of king. In a sense, I suppose I was to him.
The Raven household was one of the five major families, their authority and influence second only to the royal family.
The noble boy before me likely hailed from a minor noble family, and offending me—even though I had been disowned by my own family—was still a great risk that could potentially ruin his family's reputation.