As they stopped, Garrick turned to face him. “I saw you were holding back yesterday,” he said, rolling his shoulders. “You’re already beyond the first year students. Running laps won’t do much for you. So it will be better for you to train with me.”

Arthur nodded. “Sounds good to me.”

Garrick gave him an appraising look before stepping back and forming a long sword in his hands. It wasn’t a real weapon, but a mana-infused construct designed to mimic the weight and feel of an actual blade. With a flick of his wrist, the sword hummed to life, glowing faintly with blue energy.

Arthur, in turn, conjured Shadowfang, his dark steel sword gleaming under the morning sun. He took a stance, keeping his body loose but ready.

Garrick arched his brow seeing Arthur’s form feeling he must have learned about combat from somewhere, but there were many gaps in his defence.

Without another word, he moved.

Arthur barely had time to react before Garrick was upon him. The instructor’s sword cut through the air in a clean, diagonal arc, aimed straight at Arthur’s shoulder. He twisted, parrying the strike, but the sheer force behind it nearly threw him off balance.

Garrick didn’t stop. The moment Arthur blocked, he shifted, his stance flowing seamlessly into the next attack, a sweeping kick aimed at Arthur’s ribs.

Arthur leaped back, avoiding the strike, but Garrick was already pressing forward. His movements were fluid, relentless, each strike a precise blend of power and speed. Arthur barely had time to catch his breath before another slash came at him from the right.

‘He’s fast!’

Arthur’s mind raced. He could almost match Garrick in raw strength, but the instructor’s technique was leagues ahead. Each strike forced him to move exactly where Garrick wanted, limiting his options.

‘He’s not just attacking blindly, he’s controlling the momentum of the fight.’

Arthur ducked under a horizontal swing, shifting his weight as he countered with a quick thrust. Garrick tilted his head slightly, letting the blade pass just inches from his face before pivoting on his heel and striking downward.

Arthur barely managed to block, but the impact sent a sharp jolt through his arms.

“Not bad,” Garrick commented, his tone casual. “Your instincts are good. But you’re relying too much on your speed.”

Arthur smirked, stepping back to reassess. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Garrick chuckled. “But you’ll need more than just instincts against a real opponent.”

Arthur exhaled, adjusting his grip on Shadowfang. He couldn’t just react, he had to take control of the fight but the skill gap was vast between them.

Garrick came at him again, but this time, Arthur didn’t just block, he tried to redirect the blow. Instead of meeting Garrick’s attack head-on, he shifted his blade at an angle, guiding the incoming strike away from his body. The redirection created an opening, and Arthur lunged forward, aiming a quick slash toward Garrick’s side.

Garrick grinned, his movements seamless as he twisted just enough to evade. “Better.”

Then, without warning, his free hand shot forward. Arthur barely had time to react before a pulse of mana exploded against his chest, sending him skidding backward.

Arthur clenched his jaw. ‘He’s using mana-infused attacks now?’ He exhaled and reminded himself that an enemy won’t show mercy and use everything they have to take him down so he didn’t complain.

Garrick cracked his neck. “Looks like you can handle it.”

Arthur let out a breath, rolling his shoulders as he adjusted his stance. Fine. If that was how they were playing it.

Their swords clashed again, the sound of metal ringing through the air. Arthur moved faster now, pushing Garrick back with a flurry of precise strikes. For the first time, the instructor took a step back.

Arthur pressed on, feinting a downward slash before twisting into a spinning kick aimed at Garrick’s side.

It connected.

Garrick slid back a few feet, exhaling as he steadied himself. “Well now,” he said, rubbing his ribs. “Didn’t expect you to adapt so quickly.”

Then, his expression shifted.

“Let’s kick things up a notch.”

Arthur barely had time to process the words before Garrick’s entire body ignited with mana. The ground beneath him cracked as his aura surged, a brilliant blue glow surrounding him.

Arthur’s breath hitched. He had seen strong fighters before, but Garrick’s sheer presence in this moment was something else.

“Come at me again,” Garrick said, his voice carrying a new weight. “And don’t hold back.”

Arthur tightened his grip on his sword.

‘Alright then… Let’s do this.’

…

As expected, Arthur lost.

Even when Garrick wasn’t using mana, Arthur barely kept up. The instructor’s mastery of technique, fluidity of movement, and sheer battle experience far outweighed Arthur’s raw power and instincts. And the moment Garrick activated his mana, the match was over in a single move.

Arthur had barely blinked before a surge of blue energy propelled Garrick forward with impossible speed. A sharp impact slammed into Arthur’s stomach, sending him flying across the training ground. He crashed onto the ground, rolling several times before coming to a stop. His vision blurred for a second, his breath stolen from his lungs.

Garrick stood where he had been, completely relaxed, not even out of breath. 

“Lesson one,” he said, his voice carrying across the field. “There’s always someone stronger than you. Don’t get complacent.”

Arthur groaned as he pushed himself up, dusting off his uniform. He wasn’t arrogant enough to think he was invincible, but feeling the sheer gap in skill was humbling. He nodded. “Understood.”

Garrick smirked. “Good. Then we’ll do this again tomorrow.”

Arthur exhaled. He’d expected nothing less.

…

Finn and Leon had been jogging their laps when they caught sight of Arthur sparring with Instructor Garrick. Finn slowed to a stop, his eyes wide. “Is that… Arthur?”

Leon wiped sweat off his brow, staring. “Yeah. And he’s sparring with the Instructor.”

Around them, other students also began to slow down, drawn to the spectacle. A few whispers started spreading.

“Isn’t he that guy with a blank affinity?” one of the students muttered. “He’s actually keeping up with the instructor.”

“No way. I heard Instructor Garrick is a 7th Circle Mage and is insanely strong.”

“Did you see that? He’s matching the instructor’s strikes!”

Leon whistled. “Damn. I knew he was strong, but this is ridiculous.”

Finn chuckled. “I feel bad for whoever has to spar with him next.”

Some of the first-years, especially those from noble families, watched with a mix of admiration and disbelief. They had spent years training under expert tutors, yet Arthur, an unknown, was going toe-to-toe with their instructor.

Among the crowd, Eva also took notice. Her ever-stoic expression finally cracked, her eyes widened slightly as she watched Arthur move.

She had always been told she was a genius. Coming from a prestigious lineage, she had received rigorous training from childhood, the best instructors, the best resources. When she took the entrance exam, she was already at the Apprentice Mage stage, on the verge of reaching the First Circle. Few her age could compare.

But now…

She clenched her fists.

First, there was another student with White talent like her. Then there was Arthur, who was even stronger than her, despite likely having no noble background, no vast resources handed to him.

Her pace quickened as she returned her focus to her running.

She had spent her life believing she was ahead of everyone else, but now she realized, if she didn’t push harder, she would be the one left behind.

She wasn’t going to let that happen.

There was another person who had a change in expression but not from competitiveness but from admiration. It was Natalya, she also belongs to a noble lineage, she was very shy from when she was a child. If Eva received everything from her childhood, her situation was just the opposite. Because she was born to a commoner mother. 

All she had received was scorn from her family being the daughter of a maid, even though her father was a noble. So, when she saw Arthur sparring and keeping up with the instructor, even though she hadn’t heard of any noble family with the surname Sully. So, he must have a commoner background and she began admiring him and his strength.

…

As Arthur and Garrick’s spar ended, Garrick turned his gaze toward the students who had stopped to watch. His sharp voice rang out across the training ground.

“What are you all staring at?! Keep running!”

The students flinched, their gazes snapping away from Arthur. A few scrambled to resume their laps, muttering under their breaths.

Leon and Finn exchanged looks before continuing their jog.

Arthur exhaled and stretched his shoulders, his muscles aching from the intense sparring session which quickly recovered. As he turned, he caught Eva watching him for a brief moment before she focused back on her run.

He arched a brow.

‘Well that’s new… she can show emotions after all.’

…

For the following three weeks, Arthur and Instructor Garrick maintained the same routine.

Each morning, Arthur and the other first-year students arrived at the training grounds. While the rest followed Garrick’s instructions, running laps, strength training, and general exercises, Arthur spent the first half of the session sparring with Garrick.

The other students began to grow used to seeing Arthur battle the instructor. The initial shock faded, but admiration remained. Even though Arthur lost every match, he improved each time, adapting, adjusting, and sharpening his skills.

And after the session with Instructor Garrick each day, he paid attention to what was being taught in the class about mana and its usages, how to manipulate it and so on.

By the second week, Garrick introduced weighted training for all students. Metal bands infused with mana were distributed, restricting movement slightly while increasing endurance.

Eva took to the training with silent determination.

Finn, groaning, muttered, “This is torture.”

Leon grinned. “Nah, this is how we get stronger.”

Finn shot him a look without saying anything.

The daily routine was brutal.

After the laps, the students engaged in various exercises, push-ups, sit-ups, combat drills, endurance training. Sometimes, they sparred with one another.

Arthur continued improving, growing more refined in his technique. He still couldn’t match Garrick, but he lasted longer with each session.

And as the days passed, something changed in Eva as well.

She no longer saw Arthur as just a strong opponent. She saw him as a goal. A benchmark she had to surpass.

***

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