"Well, no, we don't have anything planned," Arin replied after thinking about Karl's question for a moment. "The group that went searching for the mana stone vein planned to spend the next few months catching up on our cultivation since we effectively lost an entire year." As the expedition leader, he spoke on behalf of every Sonnenberg who had accompanied him into the Black Forest. His physique had made him indispensable during the expedition, but spending so much time away from the family's cultivation grounds had inevitably slowed everyone's progress.
"I think you should ask the people who stayed behind last year instead," Arin continued respectfully. "They are much more likely to have unavoidable plans over the coming months than those of us who have only just returned." He briefly glanced around the table before turning his attention back toward Karl. "If you'll excuse me, I promised Grandma Lilly that I would help demonstrate to the recruits why they still have plenty left to learn."
Karl looked at his grandson for a brief moment before giving a small nod of approval. He understood perfectly well what Lilly had planned and had no intention of interfering with her lessons. If anything, he was curious to hear how the recruits would react once they experienced the gap between themselves and the younger generation of the Sonnenberg family. Sometimes, reality taught lessons far more effectively than words ever could.
Arin stood from his chair, gave the family a polite nod, and quietly left the dining room. Behind him, the family meeting continued as Karl questioned the remaining members about their upcoming schedules. Those discussions no longer required Arin's presence, and he had another responsibility waiting for him outside. Knowing his grandmother, she had probably already gathered everyone together.
The walk through the estate was peaceful despite the growing activity around the manor. Servants and family members moved through the various buildings, preparing equipment or carrying supplies needed for the coming weeks. Arin greeted a few familiar faces as he passed, but he did not slow his pace. Experience had taught him that arriving late to one of Lilly's demonstrations was almost as dangerous as becoming the subject of one.
His destination was the former archery range that had served the Sonnenbergs for generations. Unfortunately, the family had long since outgrown it after the System appeared and thousands of recruits began training under their guidance. The old range had therefore been converted into a large gathering area capable of accommodating thousands of people at once. It was now used for assemblies, lectures, and large-scale training exercises like the one scheduled for today.
The new archery range had been built outside the Crimson Forest instead. Stretching nearly three kilometers wide and one kilometer deep, it was large enough to accommodate hundreds of archers simultaneously without anyone interfering with another's practice. There was still plenty of room left for future expansion as well, something the family fully expected would become necessary. After all, more and more people sought out the Sonnenbergs each year to learn the ways of the ranger.
Long before Arin reached the gathering grounds, he could already hear Lilly's voice echoing across the field. She spoke without raising her voice unnecessarily, yet somehow every recruit present heard each word with perfect clarity. Years of commanding large groups had taught her exactly how to project authority. Even before anyone saw her, they instinctively stood a little straighter.
Nearly ten thousand recruits stood assembled before her in perfectly ordered ranks. Five hundred men stood shoulder to shoulder in every row, with twenty long rows stretching across the enormous training ground. From a distance, the formation resembled a disciplined army rather than a collection of students. Even so, Arin knew appearances could be deceiving.
Many of those recruits had recently completed what the Sonnenbergs considered the first stage of their ranger education. They had passed countless practical examinations and survived months of brutal training that pushed both body and mind beyond their limits. Most of them believed they had finally reached the point where they deserved a lighter training schedule. Unfortunately for them, Lilly had noticed that growing confidence.
"It has come to my attention," Lilly began calmly, "that quite a few of you believe your training has become unnecessarily difficult." Her sharp eyes slowly swept across the assembled formation. "Apparently, many of you no longer see the point of practicing this hard because your improvements are becoming smaller." A dangerous smile slowly appeared on her face. "Isn't that right?"
No one answered, but the uncomfortable expressions on countless faces spoke loudly enough. Many recruits exchanged guilty glances, wondering how she had discovered the conversations that had taken place over the past few weeks. Others simply stared straight ahead, hoping not to attract her attention. Unfortunately, nobody in the Sonnenberg family had ever underestimated Lilly's ability to notice things.
At that exact moment, Arin and nine other young members of the Sonnenberg family quietly entered the training grounds. Without exchanging a single word, they casually walked through the enormous formation of recruits. None of them bumped into anyone or hesitated before taking a step. Their movements flowed naturally, as though they were simply taking a peaceful walk through the forest.
That effortless display was precisely what Lilly wanted everyone to notice. The ten family members were not consciously calculating every movement they made. Their subconscious minds already knew exactly where each foot should land, how their weight should shift, and how to use the slightest breeze or shadow to conceal their presence. Years of relentless practice had transformed those movements into instinct.
The recruits, on the other hand, still had to think about every action. They consciously adjusted their breathing, carefully watched where they placed each foot, and deliberately reminded themselves to remain aware of their surroundings. Individually, none of those actions were difficult. Together, however, they consumed valuable attention that could no longer be used to observe enemies or adapt to unexpected situations.
"The difference between you and them," Lilly continued while pointing toward the ten Sonnenbergs, "is not talent." Her voice remained calm, but every word carried tremendous weight. "The difference is repetition." She slowly folded her arms before adding, "They have repeated these movements so many times that their bodies perform them automatically, leaving their minds free to think about everything else."
"That," Lilly said firmly, "is why your training is not finished." She allowed a brief silence to settle over the crowd before revealing today's lesson. "Rather than explaining it any further, I believe it is time to demonstrate exactly how large that gap still is."
"We are going to play a simple game," she announced loudly enough for everyone present to hear. "One hundred of your highest-ranking recruits will face only ten members of my family." A mischievous smile crossed her face as murmurs immediately spread through the assembled crowd. "If your side wins, then I will personally reduce the intensity of your future training."
For a heartbeat, complete silence filled the training grounds before an explosive cheer erupted from the recruits. Thousands of voices roared with excitement as hope suddenly appeared before them. Years of exhausting physical drills, endless stealth exercises, and constant repetition had pushed everyone close to their limits. The possibility of earning a lighter schedule felt almost too good to be true.
Arin merely smiled as he listened to the celebration around him. The other nine Sonnenbergs looked equally unconcerned by the overwhelming enthusiasm displayed by the recruits. None of them viewed today's exercise as a competition. Instead, they saw it as another lesson—one that words alone could never properly teach.
Lilly patiently waited for the cheering to die down before speaking again. "Now," she said with another small smile, "to make sure every single person here understands exactly why you lose..." She deliberately paused, allowing anticipation to build throughout the crowd. "Every one of the one hundred recruits will wear a miniature camera connected to the large screen behind me so everyone can witness the exercise from your own perspective."
We are so going to lose, said Mya to Henning as she adjusted the miniature camera attached to her hood so that everyone watching the large screen would be able to see exactly what she saw. Henning finished fastening his own camera before giving it a quick test, knowing that every movement they made would soon be broadcast to thousands of spectators. Both of them ranked among the hundred highest-scoring recruits, consistently earning top marks in every knowledge test the Sonnenbergs devised. That achievement normally filled them with pride, but today it only made them feel as though they had been selected as sacrifices for a lesson the rest of the recruits desperately needed.
"No doubt about it," Henning replied with a resigned sigh. "Even Lukas admitted as much, but most of the recruits are fed up with the training schedule that still continues after graduation." To many of them, becoming certified meant they had already reached the finish line, so they could not understand why the Sonnenbergs insisted on drilling the same techniques every single day. Unfortunately for them, Head Instructor Lilly had noticed that attitude long before they realized she was paying attention.
"Oh, so they actually went to Lukas to complain?" Mya asked nervously as she tightened the straps around her cloak. "And since he somehow became the spokesperson for the group, he started provoking Head Instructor Lilly again?" Even saying those words aloud made her uneasy because everyone knew that challenging Lilly never ended well. If there was one person in the Crimson Forest who could make a grown man regret being born, it was undoubtedly the elderly instructor.
"Exactly," Henning answered while rubbing the back of his neck. "So here we are, about to suffer because someone couldn't keep his mouth shut." He let out another sigh before continuing, "Lilly wanted an opportunity to remind everyone just how wide the gap still is, and Lukas practically handed her one." There was no escaping it now, and every recruit present would become part of the demonstration whether they wanted to or not.
Henning himself had changed enormously during the last few years. Ever since his sister had fully recovered, he had gradually become more outgoing and no longer kept everyone at arm's length. Nowadays he spoke openly with the other recruits and even joked around during breaks, something the old Henning never would have done. Seeing his sister healthy again had removed the burden that had weighed on his shoulders for so many years.
She had flourished under the care of the Bingen family as well. Rather than merely recovering, she had wholeheartedly pursued her dream of becoming a doctor who ensured that no one else would ever have to endure the suffering she once experienced. That dedication had quickly earned her the respect of the Bingen elders, who saw genuine compassion in her rather than simple ambition. To them, that mindset mattered far more than talent alone.
Many of the Bingen apprentices had entered the family primarily because medicine promised a comfortable living and a respected position in society. There was nothing inherently wrong with wanting financial security, yet the elders believed that such thinking had contributed to the decline of Europe's old healthcare system. Too many physicians had focused on profit instead of patients, allowing bureaucracy and greed to overtake genuine medical care. Because of that painful history, the elders personally invested their time only in students they believed truly embodied the spirit of healing.
Fortunately, Henning no longer had to worry about his sister's future. Knowing she was surrounded by capable mentors allowed him to devote every ounce of his attention to mastering the teachings of the Sonnenbergs. Originally, he had joined their training only because it offered him a way to earn the Bingen family's favor and secure help for his sister. Somewhere along the journey, however, that practical motivation had transformed into genuine passion.
He had discovered that he genuinely loved life as a ranger. Spending his days inside the forests, studying nature, tracking wildlife, and learning to move unseen suited him far better than he had ever expected. The silence beneath the trees calmed him, while every lesson revealed another layer of complexity hidden within the wilderness. Even the exhausting training sessions had become something he looked forward to rather than dreaded.
"That may be true," Mya admitted thoughtfully, "but the Sonnenbergs wouldn't organize something this elaborate just because of Lukas." She glanced around at the enormous gathering of recruits and instructors surrounding the arena. "There must be a lot of people who honestly believe they've learned everything they need." The sheer scale of today's event suggested that this lesson was aimed at far more than one outspoken recruit.
Henning nodded immediately. "Exactly, and that's the real problem," he replied. "We spend far more time around the Sonnenbergs because we're considered model students." That extra exposure meant they regularly witnessed skills that the average recruit never even realized existed. As a result, they understood better than anyone how enormous the remaining gap truly was.
"I still struggle with something as basic as walking while carrying on a conversation and remaining completely hidden," Henning admitted without embarrassment. "Every now and then I forget my breathing pattern or step on a branch that shouldn't have broken." Those tiny mistakes were almost impossible for ordinary people to notice, yet the Sonnenbergs detected them instantly. More importantly, experienced predators inside the forest would notice them as well.
"The Sonnenbergs don't even seem to think about those things anymore," he continued. "Their feet automatically find the safest place to land, their breathing adjusts naturally to their surroundings, and they continue speaking as though nothing unusual is happening." Watching them move through the forest felt less like observing humans and more like watching the forest itself come alive. That effortless mastery was something the average recruit simply could not comprehend.
"The people in the middle of the class never really see any of that," Henning explained. "Outside of formal lessons, they rarely interact with the Sonnenbergs." Because of that, they mistakenly believed everyone eventually reached the same level after graduation. Without seeing the family's everyday abilities firsthand, they had no frame of reference for just how much remained to be learned.
"So, in other words," Mya muttered while pouting, "we're about to get slaughtered in front of everyone because the rest of the class can't accept that we're still not good enough." She folded her arms and stared toward the massive gathering area where the competition would soon begin. It hardly seemed fair that the strongest recruits had been chosen simply because they represented the best chance the others had. Unfortunately, she doubted even that would matter.
Henning couldn't help laughing quietly. "Yes, that's exactly what's going to happen," he admitted with complete honesty. "So stop sulking and focus." Complaining now would accomplish nothing except distract her before the exercise even began. If they were destined to lose, they could at least lose while giving it everything they had.
The cheerful expression disappeared from Henning's face as he pulled his hood over his head. His breathing slowed until it settled into the rhythm the Sonnenbergs had drilled into them over countless training sessions. Every unnecessary movement vanished as his body instinctively prepared itself for the forest ahead. Although he knew victory was practically impossible, habit demanded that he approach every mission with complete seriousness.
His gaze naturally settled on Arin, who stood only a short distance away while calmly waiting for Lilly to begin the exercise. Following Arin was undoubtedly the riskiest decision he could make because everyone had already watched the recordings showing how effortlessly Arin escaped even experienced members of his own family. If there was one person guaranteed to disappear the moment the game started, it was him. Even so, Henning decided that chasing the most difficult target would teach him far more than hunting someone easier.
"Let's see how long I can keep him in sight," Henning whispered to himself as Lilly raised her hand to signal the beginning of the exercise. Deep down, he already knew the answer. The only real question was whether he would lose sight of Arin after ten seconds... or five.