A year had passed since Dame Ren began my training.

The training grounds had become my second home.

Unfortunately.

"Hey, isn't that kid handling the training surprisingly well?"

One of the knights watched from the sidelines.

"Yeah."

Another nodded.

"I thought the kid would run away after the first two weeks."

A female knight crossed her arms.

"If I had to endure Dame Ren's training, I would've collapsed months ago."

The group shuddered.

They had all witnessed Ren's methods.

None of them wanted to experience them personally.

Meanwhile—

"One hundred ninety-five..."

I lowered myself.

Then pushed back up.

"One hundred ninety-six..."

Sweat dripped onto the dirt beneath me.

"One hundred ninety-seven..."

Every muscle in my body burned.

"One hundred ninety-eight..."

The weights strapped to my body felt heavier than mountains.

"One hundred ninety-nine..."

Yet I continued.

"Two hundred."

Finally.

I lowered myself from the one-handed handstand position.

The moment my feet touched the ground, cheers erupted across the training field.

Before I could reac..

A silver blur rushed toward me.

"Az!"

I barely caught her before both of us toppled over.

"Luna!"

She wrapped her arms around my neck and smiled brightly.

"I missed you."

I stared at her.

"We had breakfast together this morning."

"That was hours ago."

"..."

I had no response to that.

Then I remembered something.

"Luna, stop jumping at me."

"Hm?"

"I'm covered in sweat."

I glanced at my training clothes.

"I probably smell terrible."

Luna tilted her head.

Then she smiled.

"I don't mind."

"..."

"It's Az."

The nearby knights froze.

The entire training ground froze.

From behind us, a familiar voice spoke.

"Princess."

Luna stiffened.

Ren stood there with her arms crossed.

A grin slowly spread across her face.

"You're drooling."

Luna immediately jumped away.

"I-I am not!"

"You are."

"I am not!"

"You definitely are."

The vice commander looked far too pleased with herself.

Luna's face became completely red.

"R-Ren!"

Ren burst out laughing.

Watching the two argue had become a common sight over the past year.

For some reason, Luna had decided to join the training.

Officially, it was because she wanted to become stronger.

Unofficially...

I had a feeling Ren deliberately adjusted her schedule to match mine.

Not that either of them would admit it.

"Alright."

Ren clapped her hands.

The playful atmosphere vanished instantly.

"Break time is over."

A collective groan rose from the training grounds.

Ren ignored it.

"Princess."

"Yes."

"Stance practice."

Luna immediately moved into position.

"Az."

I already knew what was coming.

"...Yes, Dame Ren."

Her grin widened.

"Five more laps."

The world went dark.

"Five more?"

"Five more."

"I just finished handstand push-ups."

"Good."

She nodded approvingly.

"That means your body is warmed up."

What kind of logic was that?

Before I could complain, Ren pointed toward the running track.

"Move."

I sighed.

There was no point arguing.

Not with her.

As I began running once more, Luna gave me an apologetic smile.

Meanwhile, Ren looked entirely too pleased with herself.

For a brief moment, I wondered if she enjoyed my suffering.

Then I remembered the past year.

There was no need to wonder.

She absolutely did.

After finishing the laps, I returned to the center of the training grounds.

My breathing had already steadied.

A year ago, I would have collapsed after half of today's training.

Now it was simply part of my routine.

Ren tossed a wooden sword toward me.

I caught it instinctively.

A bokken.

The same weapon I had trained with every day for the past year.

Ren picked up another one and walked toward the sparring field.

"Kid."

She rested the bokken on her shoulder.

"Your stance is solid."

A grin appeared on her face.

"You've handled the training better than I expected."

I tightened my grip.

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet."

Her grin widened.

"Now strike me."

The moment she finished speaking, I moved.

The distance between us vanished.

Clack!

Our wooden swords collided.

Ren casually blocked the strike.

Then immediately countered.

Her bokken shot toward my shoulder.

I twisted aside and narrowly avoided it.

Without stopping, I stepped forward and attacked again.

Clack!

Clack!

Clack!

Wood collided against wood repeatedly.

The surrounding knights watched with growing interest.

A year ago, I couldn't even hold a sword properly.

Now I could exchange dozens of blows with the Vice Commander.

Even if she was holding back.

Ren suddenly vanished from my sight.

My instincts screamed.

I jumped backward.

Whoosh.

A wooden blade swept through the space where my head had been moments earlier.

"Not bad."

Ren laughed.

"Your instincts are getting sharper."

She stepped forward again.

Then deliberately exposed an opening.

A feint.

I recognized it instantly.

Instead of attacking, I jumped forward and kicked.

Thunk!

Ren blocked the kick with her bokken.

For a brief moment, surprise flashed across her face.

Then she smiled.

"Good."

I immediately retreated.

Ren nodded approvingly.

"You've mastered the fundamentals."

"Pacing."

"Footwork."

"Timing."

"Reading feints."

Her expression gradually became serious.

"But fundamentals alone won't carry you forever."

She slowly raised her bokken.

"Let's see how you handle this."

The atmosphere changed instantly.

Even the knights stopped talking.

"Ryuken First Arc."

Ren stepped forward.

"Crescent Slash."

A powerful diagonal strike descended toward me.

The pressure behind it was completely different from her previous attacks.

I reacted instantly.

"Ryuken Third Arc."

I tightened my grip.

"Cresent moon."

Clack!

The two techniques collided.

A shockwave burst from the impact.

Despite successfully defending, my feet slid several meters across the ground.

I dug my heels into the dirt to stop myself.

Ren's grin widened.

"Nice."

She lowered her bokken.

"You've even learned how to control the Ryuken techniques."

I exhaled slowly.

My arms were numb.

Even after a year, the difference between us remained enormous.

Ren, however, looked satisfied.

"Not bad, kid."

That simple praise somehow felt more valuable than all the compliments I had received over the past year.

Then Ren suddenly tossed her bokken aside.

The playful grin disappeared.

For the first time that day, her expression became completely serious.

"Alright."

The training ground fell silent.

Even Luna stopped practicing and turned toward us.

Ren crossed her arms.

"You've built your body."

"You've learned the basics."

"You've learned the Ryuken Style."

Her emerald eyes locked onto mine.

"But that's not your greatest weapon."

I immediately understood.

Soul Art.

The power that had changed my life.

The power none of us fully understood.

Ren pointed directly at me.

"Kid."

For the first time that day, there was no humor in her voice.

"It's time."

A chill ran down my spine.

"We're finally going to learn how to control your Soul Art."

The training ground fell completely silent.

And for the first time in a year.

I found myself feeling nervous.

Because no matter how much stronger I had become...

The greatest mystery surrounding me still remained unsolved.