Time flew by; spring turned to autumn.
The rhythmic, intense clashing of metal rang out in the training ground. The primary combatants were Sandrone and Kael. To Roxy, watching from the sidelines, their movements had become a blurred series of shifting afterimages. From the perspective of pure speed, their duel had undoubtedly reached the level of a Saint-level Swordsman.
However, a true master would have been baffled. Kael's style wasn't a "pure" school. It contained the explosive lethality of the Sword God Style, the defensive footwork of the Water God Style, and the unpredictable agility of the North God Style, all woven together with movements that belonged to none of the three.
This wasn't innate "swordsmanship talent" in the traditional sense. It was the result of massive computational power. Using data collected from the Mechanical Gear Puppets, Sandrone calculated a "private custom" swordsmanship school perfectly tailored to Kael's anatomy.
In this world, swordsmanship is essentially a close-combat application of magic power—tempering muscles and bones through breathing and technique. Sandrone's algorithms shortened a lifetime of trial-and-error into a single morning. Through Mental Synchronization, she provided real-time corrections to Kael's form, making one session of his training equal to a hundred of anyone else's.
The King-Level Wall
Kael's physical attributes had reached eleven Nuo, effectively the raw power of a King-level Swordsman. However, the ranking system required the mastery of "high-level techniques," specifically Battle Aura.
Sandrone's analysis suggested Battle Aura was magic power combined with the swordsman's "will and vitality," but she lacked the data to replicate it. Roa City had very few Saint-level swordsmen to observe. Nevertheless, with his raw stats, Kael could likely spin most Saint-level experts like tops.
As for his magic, he was an Advanced Mage by standard rankings, but his total mana pool had long since surpassed the Saint-level threshold. He intentionally slowed his rank progression, focusing on Composite Spells. With chantless casting, he could layer low-level spells into apocalyptic combinations. According to Sandrone's calculations, he had to be careful—lest he accidentally "delete" half of Roa City during an experiment.
The Bathhouse Incident
"That's enough for today. I'm going to take a bath," Kael said, tossing his wooden sword onto the rack.
"Master, shall I give you a massage?" Sandrone followed, her maid initiative never wavering.
"Roxy, want to join me for a bubble bath?" Kael turned and teased his teacher.
"No, thank you!" Roxy replied, hiding her flushed face behind a book. Though she looked young, her Migurdian body and mind were mature. Watching Kael grow—nearly reaching her height now—was beginning to shift her feelings in ways that made her feel "warm" for reasons other than the sun.
Wait... she couldn't resist. Using her old adventurer stealth skills, Roxy crept to the bathroom door to peek through the crack. She watched as Kael replenished Sandrone's magic. While a connection could work at a distance, Sandrone insisted on "extensive physical contact" to "minimize mana waste."
Suddenly, the door swung open. Roxy tumbled inward, only to be swept into the bathtub by a localized stream of warm water.
"Why so shy, Teacher Roxy?" Kael grinned. "You're quite bold when you're sleeping at night."
Roxy ducked into the bubbles, her face burning. Did he know about her "nighttime stress-relief activities"?! Her teacher's dignity was currently in tatters.
Standardized Production
Following Kael's suggestion, Philip Boreas Greyrat had held a "press conference" to unveil the Self-Governing Automaton. After the machines dismantled three Advanced Swordsmen in succession, the nobles were hooked.
A machine that didn't need a salary, couldn't be bribed, and only required magic stones for fuel was a dream for any paranoid aristocrat. Philip was drowning in deposits. His only worry was production capacity.
Kael's Fully Automated Daemon Workshop was hidden deep within the Boreas mansion. Standardized assembly linesIntegrally cast gear modules, which were then enchanted through pre-set magic array channels. It was a leap in industrial technology that Philip couldn't fathom.
The Dowry and the Deja Vu
"Kael!" Philip called out, entering the workshop. He saw his daughter, Eris, bolt from a corner like a startled rabbit, her face a bright, screaming red.
Kael walked out, wiping his lips with a composed expression. "Good morning, Mr. Philip."
Philip felt a massive sense of déjà vu. He was starting to suspect Kael had Greyrat blood after all; no ordinary boy was this "capable."
"I don't care what you youngsters do," Philip sighed, "but we need those deliveries. This concerns Eris's future dowry."
Kael waved a hand, and ten improved automatons marched out in unison. Thanks to the high-quality raw materials Philip provided, their stats were higher than the prototypes. They weren't Saint-level yet, but the gap was closing.
Philip gave an ingratiating smile. "Should I call Eris back so you two can... continue?"