Sirius, after the battle, was so tired that he didn't even think about training. He just went to his room and collapsed onto the bed, falling asleep instantly.
The fight had been brutal. Sirius still couldn't quite believe he had won. The innkeeper wasn't just stronger, he was two whole stages above him. And yet, somehow, Sirius had managed to win.
He understood perfectly how he won, but still couldn't believe it. This victory… it mattered.
Not to mention the breakthrough to the mid stage and the mastery of new movements, Sirius now felt sure that, before reaching the Echo of Resolve realm, very few could truly threaten his life.
If he chose not to fight, but only to flee or dodge, he believed he could survive for quite a long time, even if faced with peak-stage Completion martial artists.
He would eventually die, of course, but he could last long enough for help to come. That was valuable information.
After this fight, Sirius was confident he could defeat opponents even one stage above him. He understood the reason for his victory clearly now, and with his breakthrough to mid stage, he was certain he could defeat the innkeeper even in a real duel, with real blades.
With all these thoughts circling in his mind, Sirius drifted into deep sleep.
He woke up around noon, one of the rare times he had ever slept so late. The battle had drained him entirely.
Now that he was rested, it was time to explore what his breakthrough to the mid stage had truly given him.
The inert energy that had previously resided only in his upper daitan was now flowing through every part of his body, his bones, his blood vessels, his muscles. It was everywhere.
He could feel it: he was faster, stronger, and more enduring than ever before. His body had become something far beyond ordinary humans.
For example, he was confident he could now run at sixty kilometers per hour or leave a visible crack in a solid wall, feats entirely impossible for a normal person.
Sirius left his room and looked down toward the counter where the innkeeper stood, then greeted him with respect.
"Sir, have you stayed behind the counter all night?"
"Indeed, junior. It's my job, after all."
Sirius sat at the stool closest to the counter. He wanted to speak with the innkeeper, after all, he would be leaving in two days.
"May I ask your name, senior?"
"My name is Darin Holtwain. And you, my dear junior?"
"Mine is Sirius Altharys."
Darin Holtwain… I'll remember it.
"Oh? Are you from the same family as Aurelius Altharys?"
Sirius looked at Darin, surprised. He hadn't expected him to know his grandfather.
He nodded.
"Aurelius was my grandfather."
Darin's eyes widened slightly with surprise. He hadn't truly believed the boy was of Aurelius' blood.
"Then… I must apologize for how I treated you during your first days here. Had I known who you were, I would never have acted that way."
"Why? Because you were afraid of my grandfather?"
Darin shook his head.
"No. Because Aurelius was an old friend. Even though he was much older than me, we spoke often. He helped me reach the mid stage of Self Vision."
He continued, his tone softening.
"How is he? It's been a long time since I last saw him. He must be in his eighties by now, no? Did he ever take up martial arts again?"
But as Darin spoke, he noticed the sorrow that clouded Sirius' expression. He sensed something was wrong.
"Did something happen?"
Sirius waited a full minute before answering.
"Aurelius… died almost a week ago."
Darin's eyes widened in shock.
But Sirius went on.
"He took up martial arts again. He regained the peak stage of the Completion realm. And… just before he died, he reached the Echo of Resolve."
Darin remained silent for several minutes, slowly nodding as he fully understood the weight of those words.
"I see… I'm glad he reached the realm he was aiming for. He truly deserved it."
There was a moment of quiet before Darin asked again:
"But… why are you here, Sirius? I can understand you lived with Aurelius to learn martial arts, but now that he's gone, why haven't you returned to your parents' home?"
"Because they're gone too. They were killed by bandits when I was one year old. Now that Aurelius is gone, I'm alone. I came to Bright Village to stay for a week before heading to Sephoria City."
Darin looked at the boy with a trace of pity in his eyes. So young… and already he had lost everyone.
"If I may offer advice, wait three more days. A convoy will be passing through here, heading toward Jade City. It stops at Sephoria on the way."
Sirius considered the option. The caravan would save him several days, maybe even a week or more, but it would also cost money.
"I don't want to spend too much before I reach Sephoria City. I'll need to buy a mercenary badge and find a place to live."
"Don't worry about that. The caravan master is a friend of mine. I'll ask him to take you for free. And don't worry about the cost of the next three nights, I'll cover that too."
Sirius looked at him, deeply grateful.
"Then, I'll trust you. A caravan will definitely help me reach Sephoria faster. Thank you."
"It's nothing. I overcharged you the first few days, remember? Besides, you're Aurelius' grandson. With the caravan, the journey that normally takes two months on foot will only take one month."
Sirius nodded. It was even faster than he expected, only one month to reach Sephoria.
"Can I have a beer, please? I've never tried one, but everyone seems to like that drink."
Darin handed him a mug.
"Be careful. Drink too much, and you'll lose your senses, and that can be dangerous if someone decides to strike at that moment. As someone who's reached the mid stage of Self Vision, alcohol will have less effect on you… but you should still be careful."
"I see… A drink that makes you lose your senses. How strange."
The two of them kept talking for hours, like old friends reuniting after years apart. After all, they had fought each other, and they both had known Aurelius. That was more than enough to forge a bond.
Darin gave Sirius some useful advice about Sephoria City, the location of the mercenary guild, affordable inns, even places where one could pay to spar against martial artists.
Sirius had thought he understood people, thought he had a decent grasp on human nature. But someone he had assumed was cruel and selfish had just offered him free lodging, a spot on a caravan, and genuine kindness.
Sirius realized that, in truth, he still knew nothing.