Before the sun showed in the morning, Rowan woke up and greeted Reiji goodmorning.
"Do you need some sleep?"
In which Reiji responded, "No, I'm all good."
They both go about to start the day, the same way they prepare the last time Reiji remembered.
When he stared at Rowan, he noticed something odd about him.
"You look beat, take a seat and I'll do the rest of the preparation." He offered.
Rowan agreed and sat by the campfire.
Moments later, Reiji completed the necessary preparations Rowan had asked him. So he went to sit with Rowan by the fire to take a little breather.
When he settled, he immediately got reminded of the dangers in the ruins.
"We need to strategize our approach in the ruins, Rowan." He said.
Rowan nodded and replied, "You're right, I only have three crystals left. We're not even close to its core."
Reiji responded, "I noticed. Did it cost you a lot just to save me?"
Rowan chuckled as he shook his head.
"I will leave you to die if that's the case." Rowan teasingly said.
Then he stood and took a deep breath.
"You were asleep for almost a week. I returned to the ruins by myself in your absence." He started storytelling.
Reiji twitched his head to gaze at Rowan in shock. "What?"
"That's significantly shorter than the normal, I'm more shocked when you suddenly woke up yesterday." Rowan explained.
Then he began expounding what happened to him when he returned, "the springgan wasn't a problem. I could take care of hundreds of them."
Reiji remembered, "It's that small entity."
Simultaneously with his thought, Rowan said, "Just yesterday, I discovered a Catis that kept on commanding those reinforced Springgan."
It took Reiji's attention.
"That's an emergent rank monster. It would require learning a Champion rank offensive magic user to top that." Rowan continued.
"I couldn't still wrap my head around the length of me being unconscious. But I have to get myself together." Reiji stood thinking.
Rowan paused momentarily thinking.
Then he said, "I'm ranked champion myself but I specialize in support. I was lucky to get away yesterday since Catis only stayed at a specific perimeter. But we can't beat that thing."
"Rowan," Reiji stared at him intently. "I might be useful in that."
Rowan smiled and said, "I appreciate it, Reiji. But you'll just die there."
He continued to intensely gaze at Rowan.
"Do you insist?" Rowan asked. "Are you willing to sacrifice yourself for me to perform my duty?"
Reiji smirked, "Even though you find no purpose in doing this duty at all, I'll do it."
Rowan smiled and shook his head.
"But I'm not sacrificing anything," Reiji stated. "I might not be able to cast spells but I am way away stronger than you in physical strength."
"You must have forgotten I almost killed you with one shot. Although you recovered in Drainea unthinkably fast, aren't you being a little too confident?" Rowan stated in a matter of fact attitude.
"Do you want me to prove myself? He asked.
Rowan nodded, "Maybe we can skip the ruins for now and entertain that notion of you to make you a decent fighter?"
Reiji stretched his hand and body.
"Come on, let's get that opinion changed to amusement."
Rowan and Reiji moved to a clearing away from the camp and the ruins.
Their shadow cast upon the grass the clearing. Morning air was crisp filled with the smell of burnt logs caused by the cinder spirit Rowan summoned.
Rowan turned and said, "You're here to learn how to survive."
Reiji smiled, thinking, "I've never really fought anyone before, but I've got ideas. Proprioception passively enhances my physical strength even when I don't use it."
He fixed his form, "This is a good opportunity to test it without activating that power."
"I'll learn more than just how to survive." He responded to Rowan.
Rowan stood over and began chanting, "Ignis, mea virtus est. Pyrogenic."
Heat built up around Rowan, seemingly amplifying physical abilities.
"Not so fast," Reiji lunged himself in.
Before Rowan's aura even settled, he was shocked by Reiji's sudden charge.
Fist clenched he targeted Rowan's jaw aiming to knock him out.
But then he stopped himself, allowing Rowan to dash back away from him.
"You're fast!" Rowan raised his voice.
"I can't directly target him in the face, I'm still not sure of the impact I can give." Reiji considered.
"Exi flamma, et consume in me voluntatem." Rowan chanted.
"He's quick to reach." Reiji calculated.
"Fireball!" Rowan casted.
Reiji ran to the side to avoid the ball of fire planning to circle around Rowan. But Rowan kept throwing fireball after fireball at him keeping him away.
"He's strategizing this well." Reiji deliberated.
Then he decided to stop.
A fireball directly flying towards him.
"This fire is significantly smaller," He reflected.
Then.
*WHOOSH!
The flames flickering around his hands as he deflected it away with his right hand to the side.
Rowan was shocked, but when he tried to recover, it was too late for him.
"He's outbalanced." Reiji ruminated.
He took the opportunity and dashed forwards at Rowan who fell on his back, hands down defenseless.
He stood over Rowan and said, "That fireball will not stop me. Don't be afraid to use the flame version next round."
Rowan chuckled, rebutted with, "You're full of surprises. I will not be so considerate next time."
Reiji reached out to Rowan and said, "I noticed. But with that healing magic you have, you don't have to be afraid if your attack mauled my whole being."
Rowan grabbed his hand and looked at him amazed by his confidence and willingness to push to his limit.
After Rowan healed Reiji's burned right hand, Reiji suggested,"Let's move to the next round."
Without hesitation Rowan began casting, "Exi flamma, et consume in me voluntatem. Flameball!"
The two continued to spar.
Reiji got to learn his limits without the Proprioception while Rowan started to trust him and his capabilities.
They continued until fatigue took over.
"This should be good for now." Rowan stated.
Reiji nodded while catching his breath.
"You're right, we should head back." Reiji suggested.
Rowan took a deep breath and asked, "Did you intentionally let yourself be burned when we first met?"
Reiji stood up straight.
"That's a good conversation on our way back," he responded.