Nyx left the training hall with slow steps.
The exhaustion was obvious—not the sharp kind that overwhelms the body all at once, but a deeper fatigue, the kind that stacks layer upon layer until it becomes a constant weight in the limbs. He had fought duel after duel, one after another, until he had lost count.
Five more duels.
Five full duels against Leander.
None of them had been easy.
And none of them had been meaningless.
He walked through the corridors, replaying the scenes without intending to. The spear movements. The rhythm. The rapid adaptation. Leander was no longer the boy he had faced during the entrance exam. The difference was undeniable.
He had grown stronger.
That, at least, wasn't surprising.
It was natural—inevitable, even.
Leander was destined to become the strongest human in this world. Even if Nyx was ahead for now, time did not stand still. It was only a matter of time before Leander caught up.
Or perhaps… surpassed him.
The thought was unsettling.
Not because Nyx feared defeat, but because staying ahead without a clear reason—without a guaranteed path—meant stagnation was a real danger. It meant that a single small mistake could be enough to leave him behind.
If I don't find a way to grow stronger…
I'll be left behind.
A calm voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Nyx."
He stopped.
The voice wasn't loud, but it was clear—close. He turned quietly and found Charlotte standing behind him. Her long white hair fell neatly over her shoulders, her blue eyes steady as always. No excess curiosity. No visible tension.
It seemed he had been so absorbed in his thoughts that he hadn't noticed her approach.
"Oh… Charlotte," he said evenly. "What is it?"
She hesitated for a moment.
Not out of fear, but as if carefully arranging her words. Then she spoke softly.
"Can we… talk for a bit?"
He looked at her for a few seconds.
He didn't try to read her intentions. Didn't ask why. He simply nodded lightly.
"Of course."
---
Training Hall — Leander's Perspective
Leander was sitting on the floor of the training arena.
His spear rested beside him, leaning against the wall, his back pressed to the cold stone. His chest rose and fell in a clear rhythm, his breathing heavy, his arms weighed down by the familiar fatigue that followed real exertion.
He had fought several duels.
And lost every single one.
Yet strangely… he didn't feel frustrated.
On the contrary, there was something closer to satisfaction. To pure excitement. For the first time in a long while, he had found someone his own age who could fight him seriously—without restraint, without courtesy, without even using skills or elements.
Nyx was strong.
Strong enough that even a full battle—both of them using everything they had—would not guarantee him victory.
That alone was enough.
"Status," he muttered.
In the next instant, the familiar golden status window appeared before him.
---
[Status Window]
Name: Leander Valis
Age: 16
Primary Element: Light ★
Secondary Elements: Fire – Water – Wind
Current Rank: Advanced Mana Core
Mana Capacity: 200
Base Attributes:
Strength: 60
Agility: 55
Endurance: 49
Perception: 41
Mana Control: 63
Unique Skills:
Royal Light Aura
An innate ability that amplifies elemental spells and increases resistance to spiritual corruption.
Transferred once per generation.
Exceptional Evolution
Physical and spiritual growth rate far exceeds the norm.
Each real battle or near-death experience accelerates:
Mana Core growth
Refinement of control
Breakthrough speed
Law comprehension
Blessing of the Chosen (Restricted)
When faced with inevitable death, the Will of Light intervenes once:
Stabilizes physical condition
Prevents Mana Core collapse
Grants a brief opportunity to retreat or turn the battle
---
Leander stared at the window in silence.
He had improved.
Clearly.
Compared to the entrance exam, he was stronger, faster, and more controlled. But it wasn't enough. Not even close to what he needed.
The road ahead was still long.
Far too long.
His mind drifted back—unconsciously—to that night.
The night everything changed.
Shortly after waking up, he had been returning to his room after mana training. His fatigue was light, his mind clear—until he felt something strange.
As if his awareness… had been pulled away.
He didn't fall. He didn't lose consciousness.
He was drawn in.
He found himself in a vast space, filled with light and warmth. No ground. No sky. Just an endless expanse of radiance.
And before him… stood the Goddess of Light.
Her presence was overwhelming, yet not suffocating. Warm—but not entirely reassuring. When she spoke, her voice was calm and balanced, as if crafted to be heard.
She told him the world was in danger.
That darkness was rising everywhere.
And that he… had been chosen.
He didn't understand why.
He asked.
But the goddess only smiled—a gentle smile—and said he would know in time. Then she granted him a gift: abilities, and the element of light.
She said this was what he needed—for now.
When he returned to his senses, everything was the same.
But something inside him had changed.
He told his family.
At first, they thought it was a dream. But when he showed them the light element and the abilities, doubt vanished. Shock followed. Then joy… and sorrow together.
Joy, because their son had been chosen by the gods—destined to save the world.
Sorrow, because he would have to walk that path alone.
They decided to keep it a secret.
But secrets never last.
Only one day later, the priests of the Goddess of Light received a prophecy. A new hero for this era had been chosen.
And his name was… Leander, Prince of the Great Kingdom of Valis.
From that night on, the entire continent knew him.
But fame didn't interest him.
He didn't see himself as a hero.
He hadn't done anything yet to deserve that title.
That was why… he hated being called the Chosen.
He didn't want a blessing.
He wanted real strength.
That was why he trained.
That was why he fought.
So that one day, he might become someone worthy of being called a hero.
And now he sat on the floor of the training arena, having lost to someone his own age—without feeling broken.
Instead, he felt something closer to challenge.
He rose to his feet, brushed the dust from his clothes, and picked up his spear.
"Well then…" he said quietly to himself.
"It looks like I'll need even more training."
He left the arena with steady steps.
---
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