I leaned against the edge of the courtyard wall, eyes sweeping over the twenty-eight men of our squad as they trained in the fading light. Their movements were precise, disciplined, but I could still see the edges of hesitation, the remnants of fear that clung to them despite the blood and fire of our previous battles.
Even after months of training, after facing advanced-tier beasts and surviving the lion pride, they had not yet tapped into their full potential. Not because they lacked skill — far from it — but because raw strength alone was a fragile weapon in the hands of untested men. Discipline, coordination, timing, and the understanding of their own limits mattered more. I had watched the way some hesitated before striking, how others overextended their mana bursts, or how a single misstep could lead to death if the enemy adapted.
Alex was beside me, quietly observing the men. His spatial awareness let him see weaknesses I could not: misaligned stances, subtle openings in their formations, the tension in a soldier's shoulders before a strike.
I folded my arms, running through the mental ledger of our squad's current strengths:
Peak Purple Blood Realm: 15 men, disciplined and capable, strong mana control.
Peak Void Realm: 5 men, can handle sustained combat with minor spellcasting and elemental abilities.
Early True Spirit Realm: 3 men, strong physical abilities and resilience, but limited combat experience.
Early Mystic Realm: 2 men, already showing promising mana potential but still untested in high-stakes battles.
Mid True Spirit Realm: 1 man, exceptionally strong in both strategy and raw combat ability.
Mid Mystic Realm: 1 man, with rapidly growing mana reserves and a natural aptitude for controlling energy flow.
Even with this distribution, the men had not used their full power during the last forest battle.
Fear of injury: Eight heavily wounded, ten mildly injured. Even seasoned warriors instinctively pull back when pain is real. The body remembers.
Unfamiliarity with advanced-tier combat: True strength emerges when a man is comfortable fighting beyond his own limits. Against the lion pride, they were tested, but not pushed to absolute extremes — the traps, the terrain, and our oversight had prevented full engagement.
Dependence on leadership: My presence and Alex's spatial mana were a safety net. Some attacks were subconsciously restrained because they expected guidance or intervention. That restraint would vanish once they were forced to act independently.
I watched Liang Hao practice a sweeping strike against a training dummy. He was strong, precise, yet not yet bold. I imagined him facing a beast ten times stronger than the training apparatus. Could he act with instinct alone? Could he trust his mana and reflexes to survive? These questions haunted me because the forest was merciless, and the enemy would never wait for hesitation.
"Alaric," Alex murmured, breaking my thoughts, "they're improving faster than we've allowed ourselves to notice. But yes, you're right. They haven't fought without fear yet. They haven't had to."
I nodded, eyes narrowing. "Exactly. That is why the next mission will be crucial. We need to push them — carefully, yes — but fully. No more half-measures. No more traps saving them at the last second. They need to feel the edge of death and learn how to fight beyond it."
I turned to scan the courtyard again. Each soldier's stance, each practiced swing, each mana glow told a story. Some were naturally resilient, able to withstand fear and pain; others required guidance, patience, and discipline. The squad was strong, yes, but raw. Their hidden potential was massive, and I could see it flickering beneath the surface like embers waiting to ignite.
My own thoughts drifted to Alex. He had grown immeasurably, his spatial magic refined and deadly. Yet even he had limitations — the sudden burst of mana from the Phantom Emperor's legacy had stretched him to his breaking point. If he could manage that power fully, the entire squad would be unstoppable. And that was my task: not to overshadow the men, but to teach them to become more than themselves, to awaken their latent potential in the field.
I clenched my fists, feeling the mana pulse along my veins. I had to be meticulous. Each lesson, each battle, each survival scenario would be calculated to expose weaknesses while reinforcing strengths. The men had to become soldiers capable of facing the unknown — not just beast or enemy, but fear itself.
The courtyard grew quiet as the sun dipped below the horizon. Lanterns flickered, casting long shadows over the men as they rested, practicing minor spells, adjusting gear, or simply sitting with their thoughts.
I let out a long breath. "Tomorrow," I whispered to myself, "we see who is ready to step into their true strength. We test not just skill, but courage, instinct, and resilience. They will survive, or they will learn too late. There is no other way."
Alex rested a hand on my shoulder, and I allowed myself a brief moment of calm. We had come far, yes, but this was the true beginning of shaping our squad into a force that could rival even the wildest beasts of the Grade 3 forests.
I looked over the men one last time before night fully fell, the wind brushing against our new armor. Each heartbeat, each breath, was a promise: we were not yet finished. The real tests were coming, and I would see them fully unleashed for the first time.