A full year had passed since Kavi began training Little Rosa.
From struggling to complete three laps a day in her weighted gear to now running ten without complaint, Rosa had become a local icon. Every villager knew of the little girl who ran before dawn in what looked like a turtle shell strapped to her back.
Her physical strength had grown tremendously—she could easily take down most grown men in town. And now, it was time for a new phase in her training.
"Rosa, come here," Kavi called. "You don't have to run today."
"Huh? Why?" Rosa paused in the middle of fastening her weight vest, puzzled.
Over the past year, Kavi had been strict with her—harsh physical training by day, academic lessons by night. Math, physics, chemistry, navigation—he made her learn them all. He told her that to become truly strong, she couldn't just rely on her fists. Brains mattered too.
"If you master knowledge," he'd said, "you can go anywhere in this world—and survive."
Thankfully, Rosa was a quick learner, absorbing information like a sponge. Despite the complaints and exhaustion, she stuck with it.
"Today's different," Kavi said, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "I'm giving you an assessment. If you pass, I'll teach you real combat techniques."
Rosa's eyes sparkled. "Really? What kind of test? Tell me!"
"If you fail, we'll return to physical training," he added with a grin.
Then, he dropped the bomb: "You have to survive in the wilderness. Alone. For three days."
"W-What?" Rosa blinked. "Survive in the wild?! With wild beasts?! Are you trying to kill me!?"
"I believe in you," Kavi said, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Didn't you say you wanted to become an admiral? The strongest in the Navy? Someone like that can't be scared of the woods."
"I-I… I mean… sure, I did say that, but—" Rosa turned red and covered her face. "Fine! I'll do it! I'll show you!"
That night, Kavi led Rosa into the dense forest and gave her a single command: "Go. Survive."
"Wait! Don't leave me here—!"
But he was already gone.
"Grr… stupid Kavi… you jerk!" she muttered, hugging herself.
With no other choice, Rosa climbed a tall, sturdy tree, hoping to spend the night safely up high.
But elsewhere, Kavi was busy… making things interesting.
He found a black bear sleeping in a cave, gave it a good kick, and sprinted away as it roared awake.
"ROARRR!"
The furious bear gave chase.
Poor Rosa, who'd just started dozing off, jolted upright at the sound.
"Oh no… don't tell me there's a beast!"
Through the moonlight, she saw it—an enormous black bear thundering toward her.
"I'm gonna die!" she screamed, leaping from the tree and running for her life.
The bear, confused by losing Kavi's scent, locked onto Rosa's movement instead and pursued her into the night.
"Why aren't you asleep, you stupid bear!? Go back to bed!" Rosa cried as she ran, panting. "I swear, I'll turn you into stew someday!"
The bear, the true victim in all this, could only roar in response.
After nearly an hour of running, Rosa finally lost the bear and collapsed behind a boulder, gasping for breath.
Before long, she was up a tree again, exhausted. But peace wouldn't last.
Another roar echoed through the forest—closer this time.
"You've gotta be kidding me!!" she screamed. "I swear on my name—Kallen Rosa—I'll kill that damn bear within a year!!"
Throughout the night, Rosa was chased again and again. The forest echoed with roars. She didn't sleep a wink.
Meanwhile, Kavi lounged by a campfire, casually roasting a fat wild boar until it turned golden-brown, its juices hissing in the flames.
He bit into it with glee.
"Ahh, perfection," he murmured.
In contrast, Rosa was surviving on wild fruits, paranoid and weary, dodging predators left and right during the day, then enduring a night full of terror.
And Kavi wasn't done.
On the second night, he found more "playmates" for Rosa—a juvenile tiger, a curious wolf pup. Each new animal drove her further to the brink.
At one point, she muttered through gritted teeth, "I'll kill you, Uncle. You hear me? One day, I'll make you PAY!"
Dark circles ringed her red eyes. She hadn't slept in days. Hunger gnawed at her. She'd nearly lost her mind.
But she endured.
By the third day, dragging herself through the underbrush, Rosa finally emerged from the forest—torn, filthy, hollow-eyed.
And there, sat Kavi.
Roasting another pig.
Tears of joy welled in Rosa's eyes. Her stomach growled violently as she stumbled toward the food.
But before she could get close, Kavi devoured the entire pig in two enormous bites.
Chomp. Chomp. Gone.
"R-Rosa's back," Kavi said nonchalantly, licking oil from his fingers.
Rosa froze.
"You… YOU ATE THE WHOLE THING?!"
All the exhaustion, fear, frustration, and hunger exploded out of her in a wail.
"WAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!"
Kavi's face paled. "W-Wait… did I go too far?"
He stepped forward to calm her, but Rosa fainted on the spot.
With a quick teleport, Kavi caught her in his arms.
"Phew… still breathing." He sighed, relieved. "Maybe I did overdo it…"
He looked down at the girl in his arms—scraped, dirty, but alive.
And stronger than she'd ever been.
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