When Rina reached the end of the list, she closed the board lightly and spoke in a clear, decisive tone:
"That's all for today. You may leave."
The entire class exhaled in relief at once, as if the weight of countless days had been lifted from their shoulders.
As for me… I stayed seated for a moment, watching everyone leave in silence, making sure no one remained before I moved.
With each student leaving, a sense of calm slowly crept over me. When the room finally emptied, I stood up slowly and walked toward the door.
The hallways were crowded with students; voices blended together, footsteps echoed against the high walls, and the academy's banners hung from the ceiling as if silently watching every move.
Some carried large books, while others hurried past as though chasing time.
Yet amid all this noise… no one noticed me. And that was exactly how I wanted it.
I continued wandering through the academy, taking in the long corridors.
Old stone walls adorned with paintings, small shaded courtyards, fountains trickling clear water… every corner had its own rhythm; the sound of water, the whisper of the wind, the echo of my steps—everything reflected a calm solitude amidst the surrounding chaos.
After some wandering, I finally arrived at the training grounds.
The space was vast, the ground paved with smooth, solid stones, massive pillars surrounding it like silent guards, and the air carried a refreshing breeze that eased the exhaustion of a long day.
The last rays of sunlight filtered from above, the shadows of the tall pillars forming lines on the ground, making it feel as if the place existed solely for me—an arena for uninterrupted training.
As I entered, I noticed lina and Zion at the far end of the grounds, training on a practice dummy.
I gave them a brief glance, then completely ignored them.
I stood in front of the dummy and began practicing a fundamental move: "Ghost Flash."
At first, every movement was difficult. The tilt of my body, the swing of the sword, the step of my foot… everything demanded intense focus, and I stumbled repeatedly.
The sword sliced through the air with a swish… swish… at every attempt, ringing in my ears.
But over time, my body began to remember the motions. Every tilt of the arm, every bend of the body, every step… became natural, as if the sword itself was an extension of my being.
Some students passed by and laughed at me.
They saw me stumble, repeating the motion endlessly, like a shadow circling the dummy… but I ignored them all.
There was only me, the dummy, and the sword.
I kept repeating the move until darkness fell, and eventually, my body could take no more.
I collapsed to the ground, my breath ragged, my body drenched in sweat.
With great effort, I stood up and stumbled out of the grounds, heading to my room.
---
At the same time, lina had been watching Rion from a distance during his training.
He was different… something about him had changed.
-----
barely woke up on time in the morning, my eyes still heavy with fatigue.
I felt as if my body refused to get up after everything I had gone through the day before. Every muscle in my body was protesting, and I was about to fall back asleep, but I forced myself to push through.
I got up with difficulty after a long struggle with myself and headed to the bathroom for a quick shower.
The cold water shocked my body and restored some of the energy I thought I had lost.
When I stepped out of the bathroom and looked into the mirror, I was surprised… I looked better than I expected.
I left my room heading toward the training area, whispering to myself:
"I have to push myself harder… I'm still too weak…"
When I arrived, I couldn't help but admire the place again.
It was around six o'clock, and the arena was nearly empty.
I felt a strange sense of calm here, far from the noise and mockery of the students, far from anything that could distract my mind.
All that mattered now was focusing on myself, the sword, and every move I made.
Suddenly, the sharp sound of metal clashing pierced the air:
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
I looked up quickly, and there he was: a young man with thick black hair and eyes as white as snow… Zion.
He was standing in the middle of the arena, his sword moving with precision and calm, every strike executed with remarkable skill, every step commanding absolute control.
At the sight of me, he immediately stopped his training, lifted his head, and looked directly at me with eyes radiating strength and confidence, as if every movement reflected years of experience and rigorous training. He spoke in a calm but sharp voice, carrying a clear challenge that could not be ignored:
"Do you want to face me?"