Chapter 53: Feral Grace
The morning sun was still low in the sky, casting long golden lines across the training courtyard. The air shimmered faintly with magic and heat—evidence of the intense sessions already underway.
But Volundr stood still in the center of the grounds, hands folded behind his back, eyes sharp as flint as he watched the one before him.
Kuroka moved like a shadow. Her feet barely touched the ground, her tail flicking with each pivot and slash of her claws. She weaved between summoned training golems like a feral dance, snarling softly as she cut them down with elegant, chaotic grace.
"Her instincts are sharp," Volundr muttered to himself. "But too wild. No frame. No flow."
A final golem lunged at her, and Kuroka twisted mid-air, slamming both clawed hands into its chest with a burst of Senjutsu energy. It exploded into dust and glowing shards.
She landed in a crouch, panting lightly, then looked over her shoulder with a smug smirk. "So? Impressed?"
Volundr walked toward her slowly, his boots tapping against the stone. "You're fast. Aggressive. Unpredictable."
"Mhmm. That's a compliment, right?"
He stopped a few feet from her, eyes steady. "It is. But you're burning fuel too quickly. Your movements lack rhythm. If someone reads your patterns mid-battle, your biggest strength becomes your downfall."
Kuroka tilted her head, mock-offended. "You want a lady or a hunter, nya?"
Volundr smirked. "Why not both?"
She rolled her eyes and stretched like a cat, arms above her head. "So what now, trainer-sama? Gonna teach me to walk in straight lines and bow before every swing?"
"No," he said, summoning a practice spear. "But I am going to show you how to chain your chaos into something deadlier."
Their next session began with stance work—footing, spacing, control of center mass. Kuroka groaned audibly every ten minutes.
"This is so stiff! I feel like I'm wearing a suit three sizes too tight."
"You'll thank me when you can fight for longer without wasting energy."
She grumbled under her breath but followed his instructions. Volundr guided her posture with measured touches—correcting her hips, adjusting her shoulders, nudging her wrists into alignment.
An hour passed. Then two. Sweat rolled down her neck, ears twitching with frustration.
Finally, Volundr raised a hand. "Enough form. Let's try application. Spar with me."
Kuroka's eyes lit up.
They clashed—fangs against spear, raw speed against honed control. At first, she darted around him, striking high and low with no pattern. He blocked or deflected with minimal motion.
"You're too spread out," he said. "You're chasing momentum instead of using it."
"Stop lecturing and fight!" she snapped playfully, flipping over his shoulder.
Then it came—a moment where her claws found an opening, but instead of lunging wildly, she remembered his earlier correction. She grounded her back leg, twisted from the hip, and delivered a focused strike.
Volundr caught it with the shaft of his spear, but his smile widened. "That's it."
She blinked. "Wait… that actually felt…"
"Efficient," he finished. "Clean. Power without waste."
They exchanged blows again. This time, Volundr called out, "Step in—rotate left—low sweep!"
Kuroka hesitated—just a heartbeat—then followed the command.
The result was a perfect combo: a claw swipe, a pivot, then a leg sweep that took Volundr off his footing for half a second.
She gasped and stepped back. "Did I just…?"
Volundr regained his balance, laughing. "You did."
A strange silence settled between them. Not awkward. But charged. Like something new had been acknowledged between teacher and student. Between predator and strategist.
Volundr lowered his spear and said softly, "You're a blade that refuses a scabbard."
Kuroka arched an eyebrow.
He continued, "But I'll sharpen you anyway."
She snorted, but a faint blush rose to her cheeks.
"Better not try to put me in a sheath, nya."
He chuckled, turning to walk back toward the estate.
"Wouldn't dream of it."
She watched him go, eyes narrowed thoughtfully. Then she touched her chest where her heart raced from more than just training.
What are you doing to me, Volundr?
End of Chapter 53.