The next morning, I head over to the training ground like I did so many times in the past, but without any of the shame I carried before. I walk in, head held high, and grab a sword to do light exercises with until the teacher arrives and begins the class.

As more students arrive, the number of eyes on me increases. I can hear some of them whisper:

"Who is that? A visitor?"

"No, that's clearly a Rai'in. She's the Rai'ire everyone's been talking about."

"A Rai'ire...? Oh! Then, she must be..."

Looks like people are slowly realizing who I am. I'm a bit annoyed at how much attention I'm getting, but there isn't much I can do about it now.

Once the teacher arrives, everyone positions themselves in our usual ranks, and she says:

"As I'm sure you've noticed, you're all adults now. While I did my best to ensure that your training wouldn't be slowed down by the presence of a child up to this point, I am aware that I was unable to fully compensate. Therefore, starting today, I will increase the intensity of your training."

I hear a few exclamations of surprise behind me as the teacher looks at me and continues:

"I know you're probably still a bit behind, but as a Rai'ire, I'm sure you'll have no trouble catching up."

I nod. Now it's up to me to make sure to keep up with the rest of the group.

We start with some light sparring between random partners, which helps me get an idea of how my current skill level compares to my classmates'. My reflexes are rather poor, which allows them to frequently land hits on me, but my movements seem decent. Nothing I can't fix with a bit of practice.

I can also feel some of my old training coming back now that I'm actually fighting. While it doesn't allow me to suddenly reach a Hero's proficiency with a sword, it allows me to learn just a bit quicker. By the time we end this initial sparring session, I already feel like I considerably improved.

For the more in-depth training, I end up teaming up with Xarem. He primarily fights with a spear, so I have to adjust some of my strategies... and am not very successful at it. After getting poked in the chest, arms and legs a few times, I go sit on the side to get some rest. He follows me and gives me some water once we get there. As I'm drinking, he asks:

"So, how's your first day of real training? Not too difficult?"

I give him back the waterskin.

"Well, it's obvious that you all have a few months of extra practice compared to me, but I don't plan on letting that stand! I'll make sure to catch up."

"Do you get anything out of being a Rai'ire when it comes to fighting?"

"Mmmh... I'm not sure. I know that myths and legends about us tell of powerful spells we can use, but I don't believe I heard anything about us being physically stronger. Although, if I'm a magic-oriented monster, I can probably use some spells to improve my physical abilities, I just don't know any right now."

"Are you going to learn magic, then?"

"Oh, absolutely! It would be a waste not to."

I notice that he's looking at me, a dumb smile on his face. I ask:

"Is there something funny on me?"

"Oh, no, I was just thinking about how cool you are."

"Cool?"

"Yeah! You managed to become a rare type of Rai'in with some unique powers, you're going to learn to use magic, you defeated an Earth Wyrm already... You're so incredibly talented!"

"I just got really lucky, it's not like I managed anything special..."

"You're being too modest. In my eyes, you're really awesome."

I don't have anything to say back, but I do smile in response. We spend a few more minutes resting in silence as the rest of the class trains.

I eventually settle into this new routine. I make good progress with my training, I start learning to use a bow, I get used to my new body, and I finally learn how to tie my hair up so it's out of the way. As the months pass, I steadily catch up to the others, in part thanks to my memories of my previous life, and in part thanks to Xarem who's helping me do some extra training.

One morning, as I'm collecting water at one of the wells, I see a procession of strangers pass nearby, guided by the Elder. We're deep in Rai'in territory, so the only travelers we see with any frequency are people from other tribes. Since my rebirth, I think I've only ever seen one Daemor stay the night here before continuing on a journey I didn't know anything about. But this time, there's a whole group of people who come from far away.

At the head of the group is a Daemor. Unlike the Monster King I defeated, the horns on his forehead are straight and very short, and he appears to be a wingless variant. He has long black hair, a well-maintained beard, and wears fancy purple clothes that seem to have been picked specifically to help complement his red skin. He's not dressed like someone who's walking through a large forest, and his attire is perfectly clean, so I assume the group used some kind of transport, although I wouldn't be able to guess what it is.

Behind him is an Arigia, a race recognizable by their lizard-like tail and their horns. This one has green hair reaching slightly past her shoulders, and dark blue scales partially covering her forearms and cheeks. Her horns have a simple shape, originating from a high part of her skull on each side and gently curving upwards. I can tell just by looking at her that she's an experienced warrior, but she's not carrying any weapon right now.

Next to the Arigia is a Faceless. That's how humans call this race, and I'm sure they use a different word to refer to themselves, but I don't know it. Despite the name, they actually do have a face, even if it's constantly changing. This one is wearing a shirt with one very elaborate sleeve as an indicator of their identity, and they also have a mask hiding their unstable face.

Finally, completing the group is a Half-Giant. He's a lot taller than everyone else around him, and his black hair and dark gray skin indicate that he's from a mountainous region. He's not wearing the warm clothes I'm used to seeing them with, likely because he doesn't need them in the climate of this forest.

I wonder what this disparate group of people is doing in our small village. I'm sure the Elder will let us know if it's important. For now, I have to bring this water back home.

Once I'm back home, I tell my parents about what I saw. My dad frowns for a few seconds before saying:

"Something must have happened for such a group to be in our village. The Daemor and the Arigia are likely from the capital, while Half-Giants and Qzenirs usually live on the edge of the territories controlled by monsters. I wonder if it has anything to do with the non-monsters..."

My mom gently puts a hand on his shoulder before responding:

"I'm sure it's nothing they can't handle. It's not like it's time for the next war yet."

"I know, but... with the Hero being dead, I can't help but worry that things will play out differently this time."

A justifiable fear. I was the very first Hero to ever die at the hand of the Monster King. This probably caused some turmoil both here and on the other side of the mountains. Despite my role in all of this, I can't predict how things will develop.

If anything, I'm surprised nothing happened over the last eight years. With no Hero protecting humanity, the monsters could have retaliated, but... They probably aren't organized enough without a king to unify them.

Even in this forest, every village is mostly independent, there's no Rai'in leader who can speak for all of us. If we pledge allegiance to a leader, and that leader falls, we're unlikely to simply all agree to rally behind a successor we know nothing about. Whatever process determines who the next Monster King is would have to play out all over again. This might explain why things haven't spiraled out of control yet, at least here. There's no telling what the Church has been doing now that their Hero is dead.

The next day, during our training, I notice that the Arigia is standing at the edge of the field, paying close attention to us. The teacher explains:

"We have some visitors from the capital, and Lady Mirei here insisted on seeing how well your training is coming along. She says to pay her no mind and to train like you usually do."

I hear a few whispers, some people not minding it much, others worrying that they might get secretly evaluated. Personally, I can't guess what her true intentions are, but it might be pure curiosity.

We move through our usual exercises, then proceed to do a bit of sparring. I can now hold my own against my classmates, sometimes even managing to land hits on them. All that extra training paid off. I can tell that some of my old human reflexes also came back, granting me an edge when my opponent doesn't expect it. Despite the visitor, everything seems to be playing out normally.

However, after a while, she walks into the field and says:

"Pass me a sword, I want to check something."

We're all confused, but a student still ends up giving her a blunt training sword. Wasn't she supposed to only be a spectator? Why did she pick a weapon?

Now armed, she walks in front of me and points her sword in my direction.

"You're the Rai'ire, right? I can tell that you're not being serious with that sparring, so I'll test your ability myself."

"Of course I'm not being serious, we're just training!"

"It's through real battle that you become stronger. Fight me like your life depends on it. These are blunt weapons, but if you don't take me seriously, I might still end up killing you."

Is she crazy? I see that everyone else moved away to make room for our battle. I really didn't plan on risking my life today, but she doesn't look like the type who'll take "no" for an answer here.

I ready myself, and so does she. We stare at each other for a bit, waiting to see who will make the first move. Getting impatient, she decides to go ahead and run in my direction, her sword raised for a first strike.

She's fast! I barely have time to raise my own sword before they collide. The next moment, she's already readying a followup.

I can't move that fast, there's no way!

The sword stops just before hitting my head, and I jump back. I was trying to avoid the attack, but clearly I was too slow.

"If this was real, you'd be dead. Try again."

This time, she doesn't even give me any time to prepare, she jumps in with another attack. I manage to avoid it, this time keeping my sword in the general direction I expect the followup to come from and, sure enough, manage to block it. However, I didn't account for her incredible strength, and she simply pushes my blade aside before pointing her own at my throat.

"Dead again."

We continue fighting, each bout only lasting a few seconds thanks to her easily defeating me. I understand that she wants me to think of this as a real battle, but with these training swords and surrounded by the calm village, I simply can't bring myself to see it this way. I can't get my adrenaline pumping like it did when I fought before.

However, that's when it hits me: I learned the Rot spell because my life was in danger and I took that battle against the Wyrm seriously. Could she be aware of this, and trying to force me to develop a method to figure out the rest of my powers? In that case, if I draw on my past experiences as the Hero, when I fought to the death on a daily basis at the height of the war, I might be able to trick myself into being serious. After all, I know what real battle feels like.

I raise a hand and say:

"Please, give me a minute, I want to try something."

"Sure, go ahead."

I close my eyes and try to remember in vivid details some of my most dangerous battles. Leading large numbers of troops against the enemy army, using spells to protect my back from attacks I can't see coming, localizing and targeting enemy commanders... Yes, those were dangerous, but...

Memories of my battles against the Four Generals take over. A Dragon, defeated thanks to a careful plan to rob him of his ability to fly. A Giant, with a skin tougher than any metal armor, defeated thanks to a supercharged spell. An Arachne, capable of laying complex traps and forcing us to fight on her terms, defeated by a far-fetched plan involving sending her in a magma cave to confront her. And a Vampire, defeated by being forced to bathe too long in sunlight.

All of these battles left one or more of us mortally wounded. It's only thanks to Siyan's magic that we didn't suffer any permanent losses. And it's during those battles that I would learn the fastest.

With those memories now swirling in my mind, I open my eyes and look at my opponent.

"I'm ready."

She smiles before jumping in once more. I parry the first attack, then the second, then the third. She's still too fast for me, so I have to stay on the defensive, but this time I manage to make myself believe that my life really is in danger. I fought like this before. I can force my body to remember.

As the fourth hit is about to land, I suddenly feel the speed of my body increase. With a move that surprises even myself, I parry the attack, then quickly jump back. I managed to instinctively figure out how to increase my physical abilities with my magic. But how? It took me years of practice as a human to manage to do something similar to this!

I don't have time to think about it further, another strike is coming towards me. This time, however, I can follow it. I effortlessly block it, then move to the offensive. As the tip of my blade closes in on her face, I see her smile grow. She avoids the hit, then retaliates, only for me to parry it again. We exchange blows like this, both of us getting progressively faster and putting more and more strength behind each strike. By focusing on her blade and the way she moves, I manage to stay locked in the mindset that this is a real battle. My survival depends on my ability to defeat her.

Eventually, as I'm attempting an attack, she jumps back and casts a spell in my direction. Multiple vines shoot out from the ground, grabbing my arms and legs and immobilizing me. I try to free myself by pulling on them, but they're too strong. She's coming at me, her sword raised high for a finishing strike.

The only thing I have left in my arsenal is that spell. I focus on the vines and cast Rot. I'm not sure of what to expect, as it's the first time I use it on a target I can see, but the result is without surprise: the vines start quickly rotting away, allowing me to free my limbs.

However, it's too late. By the time I finally manage to take a step back, the sword lands on my shoulder, where it stops before it can injure me.

We stay immobile for a few seconds, staring at each other, holding our breath, until someone in the circle around us shouts:

"What was that? It was awesome!"

With the silence now broken, everyone starts excitedly discussing the confrontation they just witnessed. Mirei lets out a sigh, then smiles to me and says:

"I can tell you're a true warrior. You fight like someone who's been through countless battles, and earned her victories. I don't know how that's possible at your age, but... You get my vote."

I look at her in confusion, but she doesn't elaborate, instead giving the sword back and leaving the training ground.

That night, I find myself wondering why my control over magic seems to come naturally to me in this life. Is it because I'm a monster? A lot of creatures that can use spells aren't actually smart enough to learn them the way a more intelligent being would, so they have to know them by instinct, right? Could this also apply to the smarter monsters? As a Rai'ire, are my powers simply already within me, awaiting some kind of trigger to awaken?

Despite my questions, I eventually end up falling asleep.

The next morning, I take some time to see if I can still provide a boost to my body using my magic and, sure enough, it comes as naturally to me as moving my limbs or breathing now. I barely even have to think about it. With enough practice, this could simply become a reflex, allowing me to focus on everything else in battle.

Once I'm done with my morning routine, I head outside to practice my archery for a while. With the help of my dad, I made myself a target, so I can now practice right here at home with a very simple wooden bow my mom gave me.

As I draw the bow, I realize that it's a lot easier now. It won't make me more accurate, but it'll allow me to practice for longer. As I shoot, hitting the very edge of the target, I wonder if this is something all adult Rai'in can do. I've seen how strong some of them are, so I assume so. They just need to find themselves in a situation where they need it before they can completely figure it out.

As I grab another arrow and prepare to shoot again, I see Xarem running in this direction. I let the arrow loose, completely missing the target this time, before turning towards him and waving.

"What's the hurry?"

He stops and takes a moment to catch his breath before responding:

"The Elder wants to see you, it looked really important. I think it has to do with the strangers currently visiting, but I don't know anything else."

"I see... Hopefully it's nothing bad. Lead the way."

As we're walking through the village, Xarem starts a new conversation:

"By the way, you were really amazing yesterday."

"You think so? My opponent just forced me to push myself further, I don't think I did anything special."

"You couldn't see yourself, but the way you moved to avoid her attacks and try to land your own, it was a sight to behold! It felt like a demonstration held by two experienced warriors to show us students what a real battle looks like. I can't believe you're already at that level!"

Someone is definitely going to start suspecting something if this keeps up. I let myself get dragged into that Arigia's game, and now everyone saw that I actually already have combat experience, even if they don't understand what was going on.

"I'm sure it was just a fluke, a heat of the moment thing. Plus, I can tell she was going easy on me. There's no way I'm as strong as you all seem to think I am."

"Even if that's the case, you still caught up to and even surpassed the whole class at this point. That has to be worth something, right?"

"I guess we'll see on our next training session if I fare better than before. I'm not sure there's going to be much of a difference, personally, but... Oh, we're here. Are you going to wait for me outside?"

"Yeah, I'll be right here. Good luck, and hopefully everything's fine."

I climb up the ladder leading to the building that serves as the Elder's office. As I enter, I see him at his desk, and the four strangers I noticed two days ago all sitting on chairs, looking at me. The Elder invites me to sit on the empty chair, then says:

"Welcome, Ai'erina. I had you come here because we've been asked to send a representative of our village to the capital, and I believe you to be our best choice."

"A representative? For what occasion?"

This time, it's the Daemor who responds, his deep voice carrying his authority:

"Thanks to the previous Monster King, our enemies found themselves without a Hero to protect them. To take advantage of this, I and many others have worked tirelessly over the past eight years to prepare everything ahead of this new ceremony. It is time for the various monster tribes and nations to unite behind a new King once more."