The two squared off, and this time, Kailash felt a surge of confidence.
He could feel the difference in every move he made the power behind his strikes, the fluidity of his footwork.
He dodged Ravi's first strike with ease, spinning away just in time to counter with a sharp thrust aimed at Ravi's side.
Ravi barely managed to block, his eyes widening. "Well, well," he said, grinning despite the effort it took to deflect the blow.
"Looks like you're not the same kid I was beating up last week."
"Told you I'd catch up!" Kailash shot back, feeling the adrenaline pump through him.
He didn't wait for Ravi to recover, immediately following up with a flurry of quick strikes.
Each one flowed smoothly into the next, just like in the Intermediate Swordsmanship Manual he'd been studying.
His muscles moved on instinct, his Qi guiding his body like a well-tuned machine.
Ravi grunted, parrying each blow but clearly surprised by the speed and strength behind Kailash's attacks.
He wasn't used to being on the defensive, and it showed. "You've got more bite now, I'll give you that."
Kailash didn't let up.
This was his chance to prove that his breakthrough wasn't just a fluke. He pressed forward, his strikes getting more precise, his movements more deliberate.
The Qi-Infused Gloves helped amplify his strikes, making every swing of his sword feel weightier, more powerful.
Ravi, breathing harder now, managed to shove Kailash back with a forceful strike, creating space between them. "Alright, alright," he said, shaking his head. "Enough for today. You've earned a break."
Kailash, panting but grinning, lowered his sword. "Did I… did I actually win?"
Ravi laughed, a deep, rumbling sound that echoed in the quiet training yard. "Win? Let's not get ahead of ourselves, kid. But you definitely didn't lose, and that's a big improvement."
He clapped Kailash on the shoulder. "You're getting better every day. I think you might just survive that tournament after all."
Kailash beamed, feeling a rush of pride. "Thanks, Ravi. Means a lot coming from you."
"Don't let it get to your head," Ravi said with a wink. "You still have a lot to learn, but you're on the right path. Keep training like this, and who knows? You might even surprise those big-shot kids from the other villages."
For the rest of the month, Kailash pushed himself harder than ever.
He balanced his days between cultivating his Qi, practicing his swordsmanship, and sparring with Ravi.
The Intermediate Swordsmanship Manual became his personal bible, and he devoted hours each day to perfecting the techniques it described.
Each time he faced off against Ravi, the matches got more intense.
He wasn't just defending himself anymore he was actively challenging Ravi, forcing him to fight harder than usual.
The older hunter seemed impressed, though he still kept up the teasing.
"Look at you, almost like a real cultivator," Ravi said after one particularly grueling session where Kailash had managed to hold his ground for nearly the entire match.
Kailash, drenched in sweat but feeling more alive than ever, grinned. "Almost?"
"Don't get cocky," Ravi replied with a laugh. "You're doing great, but remember, those kids at the tournament aren't going to go easy on you. They'll have been training just as hard, if not harder."
"Yeah, but they won't have these," Kailash said, wiggling his fingers in the Qi-Infused Gloves.
Ravi rolled his eyes. "Sure, sure, magic gloves. Just don't forget to rely on your skills, not your fancy toys. I envy your luck and please next time don't say a immortal master came, accepted you as a disciple and gave you this. All these stories are very famous and everybody has read them not to mention that immortal master's of your had to be very poor to give you these which you can easily buy in market for 500 qi crystal."
After seeing his Cultivation improve and suddenly him having these gloves, people did ask him about where he found them.
So he used the oldest webnovel excuse about a master but unfortunately for him he didn't knew that God knows from where these stories are already famous in this world.
It seems some brother from earth already came here before and spread these stories around.
But these villager they didn't ask anything beyond that.
As the tournament day grew closer, Kailash's nerves began to creep up on him.
The thought of facing off against kids from all over the region some who had probably been training in big sects made his stomach churn.
What if he wasn't ready?
What if all his progress still wasn't enough?
Late one night, after a particularly exhausting day of training, Kailash sat alone by the stream, staring at the reflection of the moon in the water.
He absentmindedly flexed his fingers in the gloves, feeling the faint feeling of Qi coursing through them.
"I can do this," he whispered to himself, though his voice lacked the confidence he usually projected.
"Talking to yourself again?"
Kailash jumped, nearly falling into the stream as Ajit appeared out of the shadows, his face split into a wide grin. "Man, you're gonna give yourself a reputation as the village weirdo at this rate."
"Don't sneak up on me like that!" Kailash snapped, glaring at his friend.
"Sorry, couldn't resist." Ajit plopped down beside him, leaning back on his elbows. "Nervous about the tournament?"
Kailash hesitated, then nodded. "A little. Okay, maybe a lot. What if I'm not ready?"
Ajit snorted. "You've been training nonstop for weeks, and you've gotten, like, ten times better since we started this. If you're not ready, then no one is."
Kailash gave him a sideways glance. "You think so?"
"I know so," Ajit said, completely serious for once. "You're going to crush it, man. Besides, if you mess up, at least you'll make a memorable impression, right? Imagine the stories they'll tell about the kid who tripped over his own sword during the big tournament."
Kailash groaned. "You're not helping."
Ajit grinned. "Just trying to lighten the mood. But seriously, Kailash, you've got this. You're stronger than you think. And you've got all of us behind you. Just go out there and show them what you've been working for."
Kailash smiled, feeling a little bit of the tension in his chest ease. "Thanks, Ajit. I'll try not to trip."
The final days before the tournament passed in a blur of last-minute training and preparations.
The village was buzzing with excitement, and it seemed like everyone was eager to see their "local hero" take on the best of the region.
"No pressure," Kailash muttered to himself as he packed up his gear for the trip to Tethar Town.
He could already hear the villagers' cheers in his head, and while part of him wanted to make them proud, another part just hoped he didn't make a fool of himself.
As he slung his sword over his back and adjusted his gloves, he took one last look around the village square.
Ajit, Ravi, and even the elders had gathered to see him off, all of them smiling with a mix of encouragement and amusement.
"Ready to be a champion?" Ajit called out, grinning like always.
"Ready as I'll ever be," Kailash replied, his voice steady but his heart pounding in his chest.
Ravi gave him a nod. "You've done the work. Now go show them what you're made of."
Kailash nodded back, feeling the weight of the sword on his back and the energy humming in his gloves.
He had trained, he had pushed himself harder than ever, and he had made it to Basic Level 3.
Now it was time to see if all of that was enough.