An Unusual Match Against the Hero! The Elf Takes Notice!

The peace following the expedition was broken by something unusual. Members of the Loki Familia began discussing it in private—

The main officers had been exceptionally busy lately. Besides handling Familia affairs each day, they would bury themselves in the training grounds for hours on end.

At that moment, moonlight draped itself over Bete like a frosty robe as he moved with ghostly speed.

Afterimages trailed behind him. Moonlight gathered around his legs, and a torrent of kicks crashed down upon Kashu like a raging storm!

The shrill sound of tearing air ripped through the training ground, yet every blow was blocked by an unbreakable curtain of platinum sword light. Only the violent clang of steel against steel thundered through the air!

Though his attacks were sharper than ever before, they still achieved nothing. Bete was not discouraged in the slightest; instead, he only grew fiercer with every setback.

After all, he had long since grown accustomed to getting crushed over the past week. This was nothing!

On the right side of the training grounds, the Amazon sisters and Ais had already finished their sparring. All three turned to watch.

Bete's kicks had once been broad and forceful, but now, empowered by moonlight, they carried an added hint of elusive, uncanny unpredictability.

The three women watched Bete's rare look of concentration and spoke quietly among themselves.

"Bete's speed... improved again?"

"Yeah. Kashu said that although Bete's magic power isn't high, his compatibility with Moon Breathing is surprisingly good!"

"Damn it! Why does it feel like that guy's the only one who hit the jackpot?!"

Tione gritted her teeth, her voice filled with unwillingness.

"If you don't like it, go switch to Sun Breathing, you stupid Amazon!"

Bete and Kashu, having just finished their spar, walked over side by side. Bete's breathing was ragged, but his mockery was as precise as ever.

Tione's brows shot up as she immediately planted her hands on her hips and fired back.

"I don't need you to remind me! You stupid wolf who isn't suited for Sun Breathing either!"

Bete snorted. In an unusually good mood, he surprisingly did not continue arguing.

Kashu walked to the edge of the field, took two drinks of water, and explained in a low voice.

"All of you have already mastered the basics of your Breathing Styles. Next, you must challenge yourselves to maintain them for extended periods."

The moment he said that, troubled expressions appeared on everyone's faces.

Maintaining a specific breathing rhythm all day was not difficult, but having to constantly coordinate it with the flow of magic power within their bodies made the challenge self-evident.

Kashu ignored their miserable looks and continued tempting them.

"When a Breathing Style reaches perfection, its uses are limitless. It may not be all-powerful, but it can let you surpass the person you were yesterday, every single day."

With that, he turned and headed out of the training grounds.

"I'll report the situation to Finn and the others. Rest for now."

The captain's meeting room.

Finn and Gareth were discussing logistical supplies when Kashu pushed open the door and entered.

"Captain, old man Gareth, I've compiled the report on the officers' training progress."

"Good work."

Finn set down the logistics documents in his hand and reached for the parchment Kashu offered him.

It contained detailed records of every officer's training progress, including Finn's own.

While Finn reviewed the report, Gareth exchanged a few casual words with Kashu before taking a document and leaving first.

With nothing else to do, Kashu swept his gaze around the meeting room. Then something entirely unlike the surrounding decorations caught his attention—

It was a finely crafted Go board.

After finishing the report, Finn followed Kashu's gaze. Seeing him stare at the board, a flicker of delight appeared in his eyes.

"Tione gave that to me. I heard it's an elegant game popular among the Eastern gods. Kashu... are you interested too?"

Kashu smiled calmly. "I wouldn't say I understand it well. I only know a little."

The moment he said that, Finn's eyes lit up.

He had always loved strategy games and believed that a game played among gods best embodied the essence of military strategy and tactics.

Unfortunately, few members of the Familia were willing to play against him.

Even Riveria, who was equally renowned for her wisdom, had no desire to compete with him across a board.

Now that Kashu had shown interest in Go, Finn's enthusiasm surged. Without another word, he pulled Kashu over to play a game.

The match began. At first, Finn had merely wanted to play a little and satisfy his craving.

Yet as the stones continued to fall, he gradually became absorbed, throwing even his official duties out of mind.

Time slipped away silently amid the alternating black and white.

Clang—!

A melodious bell rang through the window, announcing that dinner time had arrived.

Finn and Kashu sat across from one another at the board, both frowning as they stared at the intricate game in silence, each lost in thought.

The outcome had yet to be decided, but both of them could feel it.

They were walking along the edge of a cliff. One careless move would mean total defeat.

Finn looked up at Kashu with bright, alert eyes. This super rookie's performance truly astonished him.

Not only did he possess adventurer potential far beyond that of ordinary people, but did he also possess strategic intelligence enough to stand on equal footing with him?

No!

If not for the needle-like warnings that had come from his thumb several times during the match, allowing him to reevaluate the board, he would likely have already lost.

Finn was secretly shaken, but the turmoil in Kashu's heart was even greater.

As a special existence of Chaldea, his mind contained countless military strategies and tactical doctrines from throughout history. He was even thoroughly versed in the art of Go.

And yet he still could not completely suppress his opponent?

Throughout the game, Kashu had openly and covertly laid one interconnected trap after another, but Finn always managed to escape danger and dismantle them one by one.

As the endgame approached, one of Kashu's killing moves was about to succeed when Finn casually licked his thumb and placed a stone, once again narrowly avoiding the trap!

Kashu's heart tightened. This... isn't cheating, is it?

Wait!

His thumb? Cheating?

In a flash, a detail Kashu had overlooked surged into his mind.

He abruptly looked up, his sharp gaze stabbing straight at Finn, filled with incredulous shock!

Finn McCool from Celtic mythology?

That thumb stained with the broth of the Salmon of Wisdom?

Could the legend be true?

Such an absurd ability was even more unreasonable than the intuition Finn took such pride in!

Creak—!

The meeting room door slowly opened, and the beautiful elf woman with emerald hair entered with a touch of reproach in her expression.

"Finn, you... Kashu is here too?"

"Perfect. What are you two doing? Don't you know everyone is waiting in the dining hall for you before they can eat?"

The Loki Familia had an unspoken rule: meals were to be eaten together!

Therefore, at breakfast and dinner each day, aside from members on patrol or guard duty, everyone else had to be present before they could begin.

With the captain and Kashu both absent for so long, the Familia members in the dining hall had already been waiting anxiously.

Finn and Kashu exchanged a look, then rose at the same time in perfect understanding and apologized.

"Sorry. I pulled Kashu into a game and lost track of time."

"No, I'm at fault too. I got too absorbed in the game and forgot the time."

Riveria's elegant brows knit slightly. Her gaze swept over the board of black and white stones, but she offered no immediate comment.

Finn then gestured for Kashu to head to the dining hall first, saying that he would put the board away himself.

The moment Kashu left, Riveria hurried to the board and studied it intently.

"The winner hasn't been decided yet. You were White?"

Finn answered openly, "I was. It really was only a little difference."

Riveria turned her face toward him, astonishment written across features beautiful enough to put goddesses to shame.

She had known Finn for decades and understood just how profound her old friend's strategic mind was. Yet he had nearly lost to a young man who had only just begun his journey?

"A game is like a mirror, reflecting the heart. How would you evaluate your opponent?"

"His play is aggressive, valuing offense over defense, with a strong sense of individual heroism. But—"

Finn turned his gaze back to the cluster of black stones forming an encirclement on the board and pondered.

"He does not act without regard for the cost. Rather, he understands deeply that sacrifice is sometimes unavoidable."

"He's still so young. What kind of experiences could have tempered such a disposition?"

The curiosity in Riveria's beautiful eyes deepened. Her interest in this new companion had already reached its peak.