The murmurs hadn't fully died down yet. Haneul was still standing in the center of the training grounds, gripping the staff tightly, his chest rising and falling with steady breaths. His expression was unreadable—half-shocked that he had won, half-unsure if he had actually done well.
Jin stepped forward, breaking the silence.
"You're good," he said.
Haneul's fingers flexed slightly around the staff. He didn't speak, just nodded.
Jin continued, his voice calm but firm. "Your form is strong. You're fast. You know exactly when to strike and where to hit."
He let that sit for a second before adding, "But you didn't use your skill once."
The praise that had been creeping into Haneul's expression faded slightly.
"You won this fight with technique alone," Jin said. "That won't be enough against stronger enemies."
Haneul's grip tightened. "I didn't need it," he admitted. "I just… focused on what I already knew."
