Week 1: Endurance
External POV
The morning sun beat down mercilessly on the training grounds. Fifteen children ran in formation, their small bodies already drenched in sweat despite the early hour.
Gareth watched from the sidelines, arms crossed, his usual "heartless instructor" expression carved into his face.
"Keep moving! Ten laps today!"
The kids groaned but obeyed.
Arthur led the pack, maintaining a steady, controlled pace. His breathing was deep and stable; his strides were perfectly calibrated. Only a few meters behind, Iode followed like a shadow.
The Clan Head's son refused to let Arthur pull ahead. Teeth clenched, fists tight, he held the pace. I won't let you outrun me, you bastard.
Fifth Lap.
Most of the children were flagging. Some slowed down; others stumbled. Arthur? Still the same rhythm. It looked like he was taking a Sunday stroll. Iode, however, was starting to suffer. His breathing turned ragged, his shoulders tensed—but he didn't quit.
Eighth Lap.
Nicolas and Teresa, holding third and fourth place, were fading fast. Nicolas, despite his raw strength, lacked Arthur's stamina. His round face was beet-red. Teresa ground her teeth with fierce grit, her small legs moving despite the obvious pain.
But up front, Arthur and Iode continued their silent duel.
Tenth Lap.
Several children collapsed by the side of the track.
"Pathetic!" Gareth barked. "Get up and finish your laps walking!"
Arthur glanced over his shoulder. Iode was still there. Face crimson. Lungs wheezing. But still there. A faint, almost invisible smile touched Arthur's lips. Interesting.
Fifteenth Lap.
Only the two of them remained. Arthur kept the exact same pace he'd started with—a mechanical consistency that defied logic. Iode was wavering. His legs shook; his vision blurred. But he wouldn't stop. Not in front of him.
Sixteenth Lap.
Halfway through, Iode's legs finally gave out. He collapsed hard, rolling onto his side, gasping as if he'd just run a marathon. Arthur stopped immediately and turned back.
For a long moment, they stared at each other—one standing, barely out of breath; the other on the ground, trembling with exhaustion. Then, Arthur reached out a hand.
Iode looked at it, first with surprise, then with a flicker of defiance. He took the hand. Arthur pulled him up.
"Good run," Arthur said simply.
Iode tightened his jaw and looked away. "Next time... I won't stop."
Arthur smiled. "I'm counting on it."
Gareth's POV
Gareth watched the scene with an unreadable expression.
Arthur... he's a physical freak. But Iode... His gaze shifted to the boy limping toward the sidelines. ...Iode has something just as valuable. Absolute grit. He refuses to break, even when his body screams at him to quit.
Gareth nodded slowly. If these two keep pushing each other... they're going to become monsters.
Arthur's POV
After the run, we gathered for meditation with Liora. Lotus position. Controlled breathing. Absolute focus.
Inhale... Hold... Exhale...
The mana particles swirled around me, drawn to my body like an invisible magnet. But something was different. My progress was slowing down.
Tch. My body has adapted to the absorption rate. The honeymoon phase is over. I frowned. Growth can't stay exponential forever. I've hit a plateau. That means I have to work even harder.
I looked at Iode next to me. He was meditating with fierce concentration. I discreetly toggled my special vision.
What...?!
Around Iode, particles of deep royal blue mana were swirling in complex patterns—almost as structured as the ones I'd seen around Marquoc. Not as dense, but the synchronization... it was better than Nicolas's. Almost as good as mine.
I deactivated the vision. This kid... he's the real deal. He isn't just relying on his family name. He's putting in the work.
I felt a spark of excitement. Keep it up, Iode. I need rivals who force me to be my best.
Week 2: Routine and Progress
External POV
The following days settled into a brutal routine.
• 5:00 AM: Endurance Run
• 7:00 AM: Meditation & Mana Breathing
• 9:00 AM: Weapon Training
• 2:00 PM: Close Quarters Combat
• 9:00 PM: Rest
But the official schedule only told half the story.
Arthur's POV
One week in. I checked my reflection in the polished steel of my sword. My muscles were getting leaner, more defined.
[STATUS - ARTHUR BERHER]
Strength: 15 (+3)
Agility: 18 (+3)
Endurance: 25 (+5)
Not bad. But not enough. I looked at Iode, already meditating in the corner of the dorm before the wake-up call. This guy never stops. Neither will I.
2:00 AM — The Dorms
Every night, Iode woke up in silence. He'd slip out of bed and start a secret workout. Push-ups, pull-ups on the window frame, squats. An entire hour. Every single day. I'd watch him, pretending to sleep. He's serious.
I decided that if he was training in the dark, I was too.
4:00 AM — Pre-Dawn
I started waking up an hour before the official start. I'd sneak out and run laps in the dark, but with a twist: I'd strapped weighted bands—"borrowed" from the gym—to my wrists and ankles. My muscles burned, but my body was adapting. Strengthening. Perfect.
Nicolas's POV
I noticed them. Arthur and Iode. At first, I felt small. Those two are training like possessed demons. And I'm just sleeping? No. Not happening.
Starting Week 2, I began getting up at 3:00 AM—an hour before even Arthur. I took my axe to a lonely corner of the field and repeated the same moves. Over and over. Strike. Block. Rotate.
I might never be as fast as Arthur or as driven as Iode... but I can be the most consistent.
Week 3: The Touch of Mana
Arthur's POV
By the end of the third week, meditation felt different. It wasn't just a tingle anymore. It was tangible. I could feel the mana flowing through me like a network of invisible rivers.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
[Mana Perception Skill: Unlocked]
You can now actively sense surrounding mana without using special vision.
I opened my eyes, a satisfied smirk on my face. Finally.
I glanced at Iode. His eyes snapped open, glowing with triumph. He felt it too. Our eyes met. Iode gave me a look of pure challenge. I gave him a cold smile back. Bring it on, rival.
The Duel
Crâne de Feu's POV
"ALRIGHT, BRATS!" Crâne de Feu barked. "Three weeks are up. Let's see what you've actually learned!"
He grinned like a predator. "Duels! I'm picking the matches!"
Excited whispers broke out.
"Nicolas! You're up against Jacob!"
"Teresa! You take on Dyson!"
Then he turned to the two boys he'd been watching most closely.
"Arthur. Iode. You two are up."
The field went dead silent.
"Grab your weapons. No killing blows. First to disarm or get a blade to the throat wins."
Arthur grabbed his longsword. Iode took his spear, spinning it once with natural ease. They faced off in the center.
Arthur's POV
I watched him. Iode was fast, technical, and smart. He didn't just swing; he calculated. And with a spear, he had the reach.
He's got range. But I've got mobility. And... My eyes narrowed. ...I've got thirty years of Olympic fencing experience from my old life. That doesn't just disappear.
"Ready?" Crâne de Feu asked. Both of us nodded. "FIGHT!"
Iode moved first. His spear lashed out like a viper, aiming for my chest. I pivoted, barely dodging. Fast. He didn't give me room to breathe. High, low, side, spin—a relentless flurry. I was stuck parrying, unable to get close.
Iode smirked. He thought he had the upper hand. But I was analyzing his patterns. There—after a high strike, he pulled the spear back just a fraction too much to reset.
There's the opening.
On the next high strike, I didn't back up. I lunged forward. Iode's eyes went wide. I slammed my blade against the spear's shaft—not to block it, but to parry it downward. In the same fluid motion, I slipped inside his guard.
Too close. The spear was useless now. Iode tried to scramble back, but I was already there.
CLANG!
My sword stopped inches from Iode's throat. Silence.
"Winner: Arthur!" Crâne de Feu roared.
Iode's POV
I froze. The blade was at my throat. No... I'd been so close. I'd controlled the whole fight. But at the end... he found my weakness in seconds.
Arthur lowered his sword. "Good fight," he said.
I clenched my fists, shaking with rage. "You won this time," I hissed. "But next time... I'll crush you, you bastard." I turned and stormed off.
Arthur's POV
Crâne de Feu walked over. "Good job, Arthur. You won." He crossed his arms. "But you hesitated for 0.3 seconds before entering his guard. If Iode were faster, he'd have skewered your shoulder."
My smile vanished.
"From now on, you train with double weights. And Iode... you're learning how to react to distance changes. Extra training for both of you starting tomorrow."
We both groaned internally.
Later, I looked at my hands. They were shaking—not from fatigue, but from adrenaline. Since I got this System, I'd been getting lazy. I was relying too much on absorption and "cheat" skills.
But Iode? He had no system. Just grit and talent. And he almost had me.
I need to stop relying on the system. I have to train like I have nothing. Or else... someone is going to pass me. And I won't let that happen.
Teresa's POV
I watched them from the edge of the field, gripping my daggers. Those two... they're on another level. And me? I'm the weakest one here.
I bit my lip, a cold resolve hardening in my chest. The Earth Shadows didn't send me here to fail. I turned toward a lonely training dummy and threw a dagger. Bullseye. Right in the neck.
If I can't beat them with strength... I'll beat them with precision.