As the sun sank towards the horizon, Ari returned from training, tired and covered in dust.
Moments later, Tracey and Dawn emerged from the underground arena, sweaty and grinning despite their exhaustion.
Gray was already in the courtyard, sharpening his weapons.
Tracey glanced around and asked,
"Aunt Lyra, where's Imperial?"
Lyra smiled faintly.
"He left this morning for training. He left a letter for all of you — it might tell you where he went."
Tracey snatched the letter from the table and read aloud:
"I'm going to train. I don't know when I'll be back, so make sure you all train as hard as you can. When I return, we'll continue our journey together. – Imperial"
Tracey sank down with a sigh.
"What? He left? We have no idea when he's coming back… If he returns in a week, then what? We can't possibly get strong enough in such a short time! Even these last two days of training weren't enough for Dawn and I to land a single attack on Uncle Cyrus. So how can he expect us to be ready?"
Ari clenched her hand and spoke firmly.
"It's simple. We have to treat every day of training as if it's the last one we have. He didn't tell us when he'll be back because he doesn't want us to rely on a deadline. He wants us to be ready, no matter when he returns."
Gray nodded quietly.
"She's right."
Tracey and Dawn exchanged determined looks. They understood now. Whatever the timeline, they had to give their all every moment.
________________________________________
The next morning, Ari stood in the training courtyard with Master Kaien.
He watched her assessingly.
"Alright, Ari. Time to understand your strengths and weaknesses. You have Tier-One magic — we don't need to focus on increasing it. It's already roughly twice, if not three times, stronger than average. You have the stamina and precision for long fights. But that's also your biggest disadvantage."
He tapped the hilt of her blade.
"Against tough opponents in short bursts, you lack a truly impactful attack, except for the 'Eternal Blade.' You're like Imperial in that sense. The only difference is you have far better control over your magic, making it much easier to train you. So, we'll focus on making your magic waves evolve… to the 'Hosh' level."
Ari tilted her head.
"'Hosh'?"
Master Kaien smiled faintly.
"As magic waves are the physical embodiments of your magic — allowing you to sense energy — Hosh is an advanced version. It gives you complete, instinctual control, even in the midst of a fight."
He waved a hand, and luminous bubbles floated in the air.
"We'll start with a test. Cut down every bubble as it falls. There are 30."
Ari tightened her grip, breathing deeply.
"Alright."
Master Kaien dropped the bubbles one by one. The first test was simple for her. Eyes closed, senses sharp, she cut down all 30 precisely.
Master Kaien gave an approving nod.
"Perfect. Not too impressive for your level — you should be able to do this easily."
He smirked.
"Imperial only managed three or four when he first tried this."
Ari's eyes widened.
"Wait… Imperial started that low?"
Master Kaien waved, calling forth another set of 30 bubbles.
"Then let's make it harder."
This time, as the bubbles fell, they swerved wildly. Ari felt their movement shift at the last second and adjusted quickly. In the end, she cut down 20.
Master Kaien smiled approvingly.
"Excellent. The first time Imperial tried this, he only managed 20 after a year of training. Compared to that, you're already a step ahead."
She shook her head, brushing hair from her eyes.
"And in a year, he came far enough to match my current level?"
Ari tightened her grip on the blade, determination burning brighter. Whatever the path ahead, she was going to walk it until she could stand beside Imperial, no matter the cost.
________________________________________
Meanwhile, deep within the Alden Mansion's underground arena, Tracey and Dawn faced off against Cyrus.
With a growl, Ashenfang launched an attack, and Dawn surged forward, using her Drive Mode to amplify her speed. Yet Cyrus, calm and composed, stopped their combined attack with only the tip of his blade's sheathe. The clash rang out, shaking the air.
Their training was brutal, relentless… but necessary. Slowly, one step at a time, they were becoming stronger — strong enough to protect those they cherished, and strong enough to stand by Imperial when he returned.
A New Day of Training
The sun rose over the royal training grounds. In the crisp morning air, Cyrus stood tall with his blade resting loosely at his side. Opposite him, Dawn and Tracey exchanged determined glances.
"Cyclone Vortex!" Dawn called out, swirling water rising from the earth and spiraling towards their teacher.
"Ashenfang! Flame Spiral!" Tracey yelled, and Ashenfang responded with a twisting flame attack. Together, the attacks combined, a cyclone of water and flame rushing toward the veteran swordsman.
Cyrus tightened his grip and swung. "Vush!" The air shook as a sharp wave of wind sliced across the space between them. In an instant, their combined assault was ripped apart and dissipated, leaving only mist and faint embers hanging in the air.
Cyrus sheathed his blade and smiled approvingly. "Good effort. Now I understand both of you better. Dawn — your water magic has a strong foundation. You can manipulate it well, making it both soothing and protective. You also have a lot of energy for a Tier-3 user, which is impressive. But your attacks lack the sheer force needed to overwhelm a strong opponent."
He turned to Tracey. "Tracey, Ashenfang's defenses are solid — its skin can block most attacks, but don't forget that it has limits. You also lack a finishing blow, an attack strong enough to end a long battle. And you struggle with stamina when maintaining Ashenfang for too long."
Cyrus drew a deep breath and smiled faintly. "Starting today, we focus on defense. Tracey, you'll also be doing extra drills to extend the duration you can maintain Ashenfang. Stay sharp — I'm coming at you both. Try to block as best as you can."
With a flash, Cyrus surged forward. To the left, a wave of lightning magic crashed towards Dawn. She gritted her teeth and blocked with her iron rod, coating it with magic. To the right, a wind-imbued X-shaped slash slammed into Ashenfang, forcing Tracey to bear down and brace with all his strength. The force was overwhelming. Slowly, both students were pushed back until the attacks hurled them across the arena floor.
"Are you alright?" Cyrus asked, a hint of guilt in his voice.
Dawn pushed herself up, brushing dust from her knees. "We're fine, Master. This shows us how far we have to go."
Cyrus smiled approvingly. "Excellent mindset. Let's continue."
Days passed like this — long hours of grueling training, followed by duels between Tracey and Dawn at the end of each day. Meanwhile, across the grounds, Ari was training under Master Kaien.
With a wooden blade wrapped in magical energy, Kaien set a challenge for Ari: Break the blade. The rule was simple — she couldn't use her Eternal Blade attack. All day she tried, pouring herself into every swing, every technique. Yet she failed. By nightfall, Kaien gave a knowing nod. "Try now — with the Eternal Blade." In one clean stroke, Ari cut the wooden blade in half.
Ari stood still, breathing hard. "So this is how weak I am when I can't rely on my best attack?" she wondered aloud. But deep down, a flame of resolve ignited. In the days that followed, she experimented with new moves, finding ways to make every swing count, every step precise.
Meanwhile, across the courtyard, Gray was deep in a three-on-one duel. Twin guns and mirror magic shimmered in the air as he fended off the attacks of three opponents. At the end, a girl watched from the sidelines, grinning.
Erika, "Gray Welhawk… with mirror magic and those dual guns, you're impressive," she called. "But you've still got a long way to go if you want to challenge someone like me."
Days became weeks. Tracey and Dawn returned to the training grounds each morning, and soon enough, with Ashenfang and water magic combined, they could block even Cyrus' attacks. Not only block — counterattack as well. They learned to coordinate, making their combined moves more fluid and sharp.
Cyrus was pleased. "You're making progress. Now, it's time to focus on precision. Let's work on making those attacks count — not just in strength, but in placement and technique."
He focused Dawn's training on shaping her water into weapons and shields, using its versatility to create new ways to attack and defend. Tracey was instructed to utilize Ashenfang as both a shield and a weapon, using its sheer durability to create openings for quick strikes.
Meanwhile, Ari pushed herself harder every day under Kaien's tutelage. New moves emerged, techniques born from countless defeats and the sting of limitations. Slowly, she molded herself into a more rounded fighter — one no longer reliant on a single overpowering attack.