The training ground did not stay quiet for long.
After the first round of testing, the students were given only a short time to recover before Instructor Kaelen stepped forward again.
His gaze moved across the group, steady and sharp.
"Pair up."
No explanation.
No delay.
The meaning was clear.
Aren stretched his shoulders lightly. "…Now it starts."
Around them, students began to move, forming pairs one after another. Some chose quickly. Others hesitated, their eyes scanning for weaker opponents.
Kael remained where he was.
Watching.
Measuring.
Across the field, a tall boy stepped forward, gripping his wooden sword with both hands. His stance was firm, though slightly stiff, his dark eyes focused ahead with clear determination.
His opponent moved first.
A fast step.
A downward strike.
The tall boy reacted half a second too late.
The instructor's voice cut in.
"Too slow."
The wooden sword stopped just before impact.
The fight ended before it truly began.
Kael's eyes narrowed slightly.
Timing.
Everything here came down to timing.
---
Another pair stepped forward.
This time, the difference was smaller.
One of them moved with better balance, his feet shifting lightly as he circled instead of rushing in. His blade came in from the side, not straight on.
The other blocked.
Barely.
The sound of wood striking wood echoed across the field.
The instructor watched.
Silent.
Then—
"Better."
That was all.
---
Kael stepped forward when it was his turn.
His opponent was already waiting.
A lean boy with short blond hair and sharp gray eyes. His grip on the sword was relaxed, but his stance was stable.
"…Don't hold back," the boy said.
Kael said nothing.
They moved at the same time.
The boy struck first.
A direct thrust.
Fast.
Kael shifted his body slightly to the side, letting the blade pass just beside him. His own sword followed immediately, cutting toward the opening left behind.
The boy reacted quickly.
Their swords met.
A dull sound.
They separated.
The boy adjusted his stance, eyes narrowing now.
He adapts fast.
Kael stepped forward again.
This time—
He didn't aim for the body.
He aimed for the hands.
The boy pulled back just in time, but the rhythm broke.
That was enough.
Kael's next strike stopped just short of the boy's shoulder.
Silence.
Then—
"Enough."
The instructor had already seen enough.
Kael lowered his sword.
The boy let out a breath and gave a short nod. "…You're good."
Kael didn't respond.
---
Across the field—
The magic side had grown louder.
Flames.
Wind.
Water.
Spells began to fill the air.
Kael's gaze shifted.
He saw her again.
The silver-haired girl.
She stepped forward calmly, as if the attention around her did not exist. Mana gathered around her, not in bursts, but in a smooth, steady flow that bent naturally to her will.
A pattern formed.
Larger than before.
More stable.
The flame appeared—
Then expanded.
Not wildly.
Not violently.
It grew with purpose.
A concentrated sphere of fire, dense enough to distort the air around it.
Then—
It moved.
The moment it struck the target, the explosion spread outward in a wide arc, heat washing over the nearby area.
Even from this distance, Kael felt it.
Not just power.
Precision.
A voice came from somewhere in the crowd.
"…That's her."
Another voice, lower.
"The Empire's…"
A brief pause.
"…Princess."
The word spread quietly.
But quickly.
Eyes turned.
Attention shifted.
Kael looked at her again.
So that was it.
Not just talent.
Status.
Power.
Both.
---
"Focus."
The instructor's voice cut through the moment.
Kael's attention returned.
---
The next round began.
This time—
The pace increased.
Faster movements.
Stronger strikes.
Less hesitation.
Kael moved again, his body responding faster now, adjusting to the rhythm of the field. Each exchange became clearer. Each mistake stood out more sharply.
But his thoughts—
Were elsewhere.
That spell.
The structure.
The flow.
---
Later—
When the round paused—
Kael stepped back.
He raised his hand slightly.
Closed his eyes.
And tried again.
Mana gathered.
Slow.
Unstable.
He remembered the shape.
The compression.
The release—
A small spark appeared.
Then—
A flicker of flame.
Weak.
Barely formed.
But—
It didn't disappear immediately.
Kael's eyes opened.
The flame trembled.
Then collapsed.
Gone.
But not completely.
Not like before.
---
Silence.
Then—
"…Magic?"
Someone nearby muttered.
Another voice followed.
"He's from the sword group…"
Draven's gaze shifted.
Aren blinked. "…Wait."
Even the instructor looked.
Only for a moment.
But it was enough.
---
The instructor spoke.
"Rare."
That single word carried weight.
Kael said nothing.
The instructor continued, his voice calm.
"Some individuals can use both aura and magic."
A brief pause.
"But not equally."
His gaze moved across the students.
"If one grows strong, the other remains limited."
No one interrupted.
"History records only a few exceptions."
He didn't say more.
He didn't need to.
---
Kael lowered his hand slowly.
The faint warmth had already faded.
But he remembered it.
Clearly.
---
Across the field—
The princess looked in his direction.
Only for a moment.
Her expression did not change.
Then she turned away.
---
The instructor stepped forward once more.
"Again."
The students tightened their grip on their weapons.
"This time—don't hesitate."
The air shifted.
Tension returned.
Kael stepped forward.
His eyes steady.
This was only the beginning.
And now—
He had more than one path to follow.