Peak Between Two: Mushoku Tensei

-Third-Person Perspective-

Not far from where Ryu was training, Eris quietly observed him from the shadows.

She was curious—what kind of training could allow Ryu to defeat an entire pack of Leaf Tigers with his bare hands?

Eris sharpened her gaze, watching his every movement closely.

She expected to witness an extraordinary fighting style—blindingly fast movements, or raw strength capable of toppling trees with a single strike.

But reality was…

"Hah… this is it?" she muttered, scoffing in disappointment.

Ryu's training seemed simple. Warm-ups, balance exercises, and then practicing attacks and defenses with a wooden staff. No magic, no flashy movements that could be considered special.

Eris felt her pride stir.

She remembered how effortlessly Ryu had crushed the Leaf Tigers. But if this was all he did in training… how could he possibly be that strong?

Without thinking twice, Eris decided to test him directly.

Without warning, she leaped from her hiding spot and launched an attack.

Ryu, fully focused on his training, sensed the shift in the air just before the strike came. The change in the wind, the sound of quick footsteps against the ground, and then—

Wush!

Ryu turned just in time to block Eris's first strike with his wooden staff. Their bodies trembled from the force of the impact.

Eris hadn't held back at all—her raw power was evident from the very first blow.

"Eris?" Ryu narrowed his eyes, quickly stepping back to create distance.

But the girl didn't answer. She only grinned, her eyes shining with excitement.

"I want to see for myself how strong you really are!" she declared before charging at him again, giving Ryu no time to think.

Eris fought aggressively. Every swing of her staff carried enough force to break a tree trunk if it landed properly. She relied on her speed and raw strength, trying to overwhelm Ryu and leave him no room to breathe.

But Ryu remained unfazed.

He didn't let himself be provoked by Eris's reckless offense. Instead of blocking every strike, he began dodging with minimal movement. Every attack Eris threw missed by mere millimeters.

Eris grit her teeth. "Stop dodging and fight me seriously!"

Ryu remained silent, his sharp eyes analyzing her movements.

Then, as Eris unleashed a full-powered horizontal strike—Ryu moved.

In a single swift motion, he crouched low, evading the swing, then countered by thrusting the tip of his staff into Eris's stomach.

Dug!

Eris staggered back a step, feeling the impact on her abdomen.

But rather than backing down, she became even more fired up.

"I'm not done yet!"

She changed her approach.

This time, she abandoned structured attacks and embraced wild, unpredictable movements—imitating the raw, instinctive fighting style she had seen from Ghislaine.

No clear patterns.

Her attacks came from all angles, without a rhythm that could be read.

Ryu narrowed his eyes.

Interesting… but still too raw.

He spotted an opening.

As Eris lunged forward with a powerful overhead strike, Ryu sidestepped at the last moment.

Then, in a swift and controlled motion, he grabbed Eris's wrist and used her own momentum against her—

Brak!

Eris tumbled onto the grassy ground, rolling from the force of the throw.

She didn't feel pain—what she felt was frustration.

Ryu stood calmly, looking down at her. "You're wasting too much energy. Your attacks are strong, but if you keep charging in without strategy, you're just throwing your stamina away for nothing."

Eris growled, quickly jumping back to her feet. "I don't care about strategy! I'll get stronger just by fighting!"

Ryu sighed.

Was this girl really a noble?

"No matter how strong you are, if you can't think during a fight, you're just a wild beast rampaging without direction."

Eris glared at him. "What did you just say?!"

She prepared to attack again, but before she could move—

"Enough!"

A voice echoed from the distance.

Rudeus stood at the edge of the clearing, looking awkward. "Eris, stop causing trouble. Ryu, are you alright?"

Ryu let out a sigh and shrugged. "I'm fine. She's just a little too eager."

Eris scoffed, turning away.

Rudeus scratched the back of his head, then approached her. "I know you want to fight, but you need to learn how to read your opponent too, Eris. Not everything can be beaten with raw strength alone."

Eris was still annoyed, but this time, she didn't argue.

Ryu studied her for a moment before giving a small smirk. "I don't mind sparring again. After all, I need training partners who can push my limits. I also don't mind adjusting my combat style while you two are here."

Eris crossed her arms, pouting. "Hmph!"

Rudeus stepped forward, looking somewhat guilty. "Ryu… sorry about this. We didn't mean to trouble you more than we already have."

Ryu casually shrugged. "Don't worry about it."

His eyes flickered toward Eris, who still seemed reluctant to acknowledge her exhaustion—or her loss.

Ryu could see the fire in her.

Perhaps, next time, their sparring would turn into a true test of skill.

Later That Afternoon

By the river, Ryu continued his training.

But this time, he wasn't honing his physical abilities.

He was meditating.

Trying to clear his mind of distractions.

Trying to focus.

But it wasn't working.

His thoughts wandered, restless and uneasy.

Frustrated, Ryu eventually decided to take a walk through the forest, looking for game or gathering wild vegetables and firewood for the village. The cool air carried the gentle whispers of rustling leaves, but for some reason, his heart remained unsettled.

As he was picking wild greens near the edge of the woods, his wolf ears twitched.

A strange noise…

Footsteps.

Something being dragged.

His eyes narrowed. Instinct kicked in.

Without hesitation, he dropped everything and sprinted toward the source of the sound.

His feet moved swiftly and silently, weaving through the underbrush and gnarled tree roots.

Then, as he reached a clearing deep within the forest—

His breath caught.

His eyes widened.

There, a group of humans was dragging several village children away, their hands bound, their faces filled with fear.

Ryu felt something inside him ignite—something he hadn't felt in a long time.

Pure, unfiltered rage.

His body tensed, every muscle coiling, ready to strike. His battle instincts surged, screaming at him to move, to attack, to tear these bastards apart for daring to lay a hand on his people.

But before he could act—

Someone else made the first move.

From the treeline, Rudeus and Eris stormed in like a sudden tempest.

Rudeus raised his hands, and in an instant—

A powerful wind spell roared to life.

A violent gust crashed into the captors, sending several of them sprawling across the ground.

On the other side, Eris charged straight into the fray.

Her sword gleamed under the dimming sunlight, slashing through the air with terrifying precision. She cut down the first enemy without hesitation, her movements fierce and unrelenting.

Screams erupted.

The remaining captors scrambled to fight back, but Rudeus and Eris were too fast, too strong.

Ryu was just about to leap in and finish the job—

But then, something far worse happened.

From a distance…

Near the village—

A thick column of black smoke rose into the sky.

Raging flames swallowed parts of the village, their red tongues flickering hungrily at the wooden homes.

Ryu's eyes widened.

He clenched his jaw.

"I see… so that's their plan."

The rainy season was approaching.

And this was the perfect time for those filthy slavers to strike.

Burning the village.

Creating chaos.

Forcing the Beastmen out of hiding—

To make them easier to capture.

Ryu's blood boiled.

His hands clenched into fists.

"Not today."

"Not on my watch."

"Today, there will be no mercy."