Clank! Clank! Swish! Swish!
Lia breathed heavily, sweat dripping down her forehead, as she stood in front of what was supposed to be a statue of a bird—but instead looked like a deformed cat. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, every breath ragged, as the thin strands of sword energy flickered weakly around her fingertips.
"Is that supposed to be a bird?" Grey walked to her side with his hands behind his back, his tone calm but laced with mockery. "That is clearly a deformed cat."
He then turned to Albert, who was now inside the room. "Bring another sculpture rock."
Albert nodded and made a quick call on his phone, his voice steady as if he was already used to the strange requests Grey gave.
"I'm trying my best!" Lia snapped, glaring at Grey in frustration. Her eyes narrowed, cheeks puffed slightly red, as though she was on the verge of stomping her foot.
It had been exactly three hours since their training began. Grey had suggested that since Lia had absolutely no control over her sword energy, she should start by gaining control through carving sculptures.
After all, making sculptures with sword energy was the fastest way to train. Normally, craftsmen would need special tools and painstakingly chip away at stone, but with sword energy, the process relied entirely on imagination. If you imagined a bird, sword energy should, in theory, allow you to sculpt a bird out of stone.
This way, she would synchronize her mind with her sword energy and stabilize it. It was a training method that attacked the problem from its roots, forcing her to confront every flaw in her control rather than relying purely on talent.
Grey hadn't wanted to suggest it at first—sculpture stones were expensive, and one would never be enough—but Lia had confidently declared it would be fine. She had even puffed out her chest and promised she'd master it quickly.
Now…
"Nooo!" Lia screamed. "I don't want to carve a bird anymore!!!"
"You'll never comprehend sword control with that attitude." Grey gave her a bored look, almost as if he were suppressing a yawn.
In truth, that was a lie. She had already made huge progress. At first, the moment she tried, the sculptures would break apart instantly because of her unstable sword energy. Counting this one, Albert had already brought in over 104 sculpture rocks. The pile of shattered stones in the corner of the room was enough to make a small hill, silently mocking her failures.
But gradually, she gained enough control to at least shape something. Even if it ended up being a deformed cat instead of a bird, it was still improvement.
"There aren't even many birds in Nova City because of the city barrier and all the mutations! How do you expect me to memorize how a bird looks?" Lia grumbled. "It's not my fault!" She crossed her arms, looking away like a sulking child.
"Excuses." Grey snorted. "You won't be able to say the same thing in a life-or-death situation."
Lia stuck out her tongue at him, her childish defiance only making Grey shake his head.
"Either way, you're not leaving until you finish carving a bird." Grey grinned wickedly, his teeth glinting faintly under the training room lights.
"You!" Lia looked at him in horror. "I have to go home! My dad will worry about me!"
Only leave after carving a bird?
How was she supposed to do that when all her sculptures looked like deformed cats? The thought of her father's stern expression flashed in her mind, and she really wanted to cry.
Just then, Albert chimed in from the side. "Don't worry, Miss Lia. I've already informed your father that you're hard at training. He said you don't need to return home until you've completed your training."
"…" Lia's expression darkened immediately. It was the kind of look that promised murder, but Albert remained composed, pretending not to notice.
Of course, Grey had his own reasons for dragging things out. While training with her, he was constantly gaining insights into her "Endless Potential Physique." His mind rang with endless notifications, to the point of irritation, every ding echoing in his head like a hammer.
There was no way to mute his ability.
At the same time, he realized something shocking—Lia's physique hadn't even fully awakened yet. The mere thought sent a shiver down his spine.
She was already the top genius of Nova City without awakening. Once her physique truly awakened, wouldn't she surpass everyone else entirely? The gap between her and her peers might become something they could never hope to cross.
At that moment, a man in a black suit entered the training room carrying another sculpture rock, his professional smile firmly in place. The way he moved—silent, efficient, without hesitation—was enough to show he had done this dozens of times already today.
Outside, in the open training area, the other evolvers had long noticed the same suited men delivering endless sculpture stones into Grey and Lia's room. Naturally, curiosity was high, whispers spreading among the trainees like wildfire.
"Is she trying to become a professional sculptor?" one evolver muttered in confusion, unable to wrap his head around it.
"Who knows? Rich and talented people like Miss Lia think differently from us middle-class folks. Come on, let's get back to training. I believe my qi-blood can be refined further—I might finally reach the 3rd level of Rank One," another replied with determination, unwilling to waste time gossiping.
Meanwhile, Manager Victor and Secretary Selene were at the entrance, welcoming an esteemed guest—the head branch manager of the Evolvers Association in Nova City.
"Welcome, Head Branch Manager Desmond," Victor greeted the tall, stout old man with a long beard and white hair. His tone was respectful, bordering on reverence.
"Manager Victor, how are things in Sector 6?" Desmond asked bluntly, skipping all pleasantries. "The championship is coming up, and we need representatives from Nova City. This is the match between the geniuses of Nova City, Blue Spirit City, and Crimson City. It happens once a year, and the winners will receive extraordinary resources from the three city lords. They'll also qualify for the Champion League."
"I naturally know that, Manager Desmond," Victor replied with an awkward smile. "I've been doing my best to recruit talents." He shifted slightly, a bead of sweat rolling down his temple.
"Hmm." Desmond nodded, but from the corner of his eye, he noticed a man in a black suit carrying a sculpture stone into one of the training rooms.
For a moment, he was surprised. His sharp gaze lingered, interest flashing within.
"Someone from the City Lord's Manor?" Desmond raised an eyebrow.
"Could it be that one of the City Lord's children is tempering themselves here in Sector 6?"
"It is Little Miss Lia, Manager Desmond," Manager Victor explained, lowering his voice slightly.
"Heh, to think the City Lord would allow his precious daughter to train here… The world truly never ceases to surprise this old man." Desmond's lips curved into an amused smile, his beard trembling slightly as he chuckled.
Back in the training room…
"If you manage to make a bird with this sculpture, you can go home."
"Hmph! Just you wait!" Lia grumbled. "I'll definitely get it right this time! Who do you think I am? I'm the proud genius of Nova City!"