I'm a proper student; I only take nine kinds of potions every day.

So he instinctively dodged to the left.

But the next moment...

Bang.

He realized that Hill had thrown a right punch.

He hit his own left side.

A solid fist slammed into his ribs.

The entire training room was filled with that muffled thud in that instant.

Then the whole scene became awkward.

Hill's right fist remained in the position it had struck Evan's body in.

Her eyes were wide open, and an indescribable sense of bewilderment appeared in her beautiful blue pupils.

Ivan slowly turned his head.

"Senior Sister?"

His tone was genuinely concerned.

"Are you okay?"

Hill coughed and slowly, discreetly, withdrew his right hand behind his back.

Her voice was visibly trembling.

"It's nothing...it's just...my hand is a little numb."

As she spoke, her other hand, hidden behind her back, was rapidly rubbing the knuckles of the hand that had just thrown the punch.

excruciating pain.

Hill's punch was originally intended to sneak up on Evan's ribs and give the kid some experience in close combat.

She deliberately controlled the force to a level that was "painful enough but not harmful".

But the moment she concentrated on throwing the punch, she realized how naive she had been.

This guy's ribs.

It's frighteningly hard.

It completely lacks the slight elasticity that bones should have.

It looks more like the thick steel bars used on construction sites.

and!

The skin underneath the clothes was also ridiculously thick.

When she threw that punch, she felt like she hadn't hit a single person's body.

Instead, it struck an iron golem covered with a layer of old cowhide.

The recoil pain that shot from her wrist all the way to her shoulder almost made her cry on the spot.

"Your body... is quite robust."

Hill quickly changed the subject, trying to distract herself and prevent her tear ducts from suddenly overwhelming her.

Ivan, of course, noticed Hill's embarrassment and trembling voice, and scratched his head as he spoke.

"When I fought that bloodthirsty creature before, it bit me."

He frankly explained one of the reasons.

"When I woke up this morning, I found that I was much stronger."

"Even its self-healing ability has been greatly improved."

Hill's witcher instincts were completely ignited by those words in that instant.

She forgot to rub her hands.

She strode up to Evan and grabbed his shoulder.

"So... are you afraid of the sun?"

Ivan shook his head.

"Not afraid."

Hill's brow furrowed even more.

Thirsty for blood?

Ivan nodded.

"A little."

He added frankly.

"I drank some rat blood this morning to satisfy my craving."

Hill's face twitched, and he turned around to pull an antique-style silver bracelet from the pocket of his jacket hanging on the wall.

The bracelet is entirely silver-white and has been polished into the shape of intertwined vines, with a circle of fine runes engraved on the inside.

"Then this one."

She lifted the bracelet.

"Give it a try..."

"Senior sister! Stop!"

Ivan abruptly raised his hand to his forehead and quickly took two steps back.

I feel a little dizzy.

Hill's hand froze in mid-air.

As she watched Ivan's sudden dizziness, a mixture of joy and worry appeared on her face.

"It seems so."

She let out a long sigh.

"You have already crossed the threshold of the basic Bloodthirsty species characteristics."

She put the silver bracelet back into her pocket.

"However, you haven't fully mastered this characteristic, so you haven't yet developed those truly fatal weaknesses."

Ivan grinned.

"It's alright, senior sister."

His tone carried an indescribable optimism and cheerfulness.

"I've decided to take this route."

"I have already asked my senior brother to refine the properties of that bloodthirsty creature into a magic potion for me."

Hill looked at Ivan's radiant smile, still bright and cheerful even under the electric light, remained silent for a few seconds, and finally sighed.

"Ok."

She rubbed her temples.

"I will protect you from now on."

"After all! Our branch started by killing thirsty blood types. We know the thirsty blood types best."

She raised her head, a serious yet gentle glint in her eyes.

"That way, I can protect you in the most meticulous way."

For the next hour or so.

Hill put aside the horrific incident from the punch he had just delivered and systematically taught Evan some basic fighting techniques for demon hunters.

How to use an opponent's force against them, how to counterattack when the enemy gets close, and how to maximize damage output during the window before the potion takes effect.

Every technique was precisely memorized by Ivan's near-photographic memory.

When the clock tower's hands pointed to 6:30, the two finished their training.

After changing his clothes and leaving the training room, Ivan carefully put the blue investigator's badge and the small leather bag containing four bottles of potions into the inside pocket of his suit.

Dr. Armitage stood at the top of the stairs on the second floor to say goodbye to them.

The old man didn't say much, but patted Evan on the shoulder and then on Hill's head.

By the time we left the museum, the sky over New Haven was completely dark.

One by one, the streetlights were turned on, bathing the entire street in a bright orange hue.

Hill raised his hand and pointed to the building in the distance that shone brightly in the night, like a torch planted on the horizon.

"That's the New Haven Hotel."

She gestured with her chin toward Evan.

"All sorts of nobles and wealthy merchants who came to this city almost all stayed there."

Ivan looked over.

That hotel was over ten stories high, making it an absolute behemoth on the city skyline of that era.

Almost all the windows on the building's facade were lit up, making it quite spectacular and impressive.

"Senior sister."

Ivan turned his gaze back to Hill.

"Then be careful on your way back."

"If you encounter any problems, you can come to me anytime."

He raised his chin, revealing that kind of almost boastful smile unique to young boys.

"I, your junior brother, am feeling pretty good right now."