"Old Guy told me Levi, who used to be a frail kid, fought with the advantage against the intruder."
King Maverick pointed at the Senior Captain.
"I applaud the training you did. In fact I'm proud. I'll grant you a wish, Captain. Think wisely."
King Maverick sat back on the throne.
"To be honest, My Lord, I just taught the basics. He saw it once and copied it already."
The Captain bowed his head.
"Then I realized that kid is a genius. Too genius, physically and mentally. I have done nothing worthy of a wish. This is all I can say, My Lord. I'll take my leave then."
The Captain left the throne room.
"Did you hear that, Senior Captain? My son who was but a lazy person back then cannot be compared to the person he is now."
King Maverick laughed loudly.
"You'd think he's not my kid after seeing him."
King Maverick shook his head with a grin.
"What if he's just a late bloomer, My Lord?"
The Senior Captain offered a measured suggestion.
"You've exactly got it on point. Maybe he's just lazy at first but had talent befitting a late bloomer."
King Maverick leaned forward.
"As you know, since you trained Altharion he's a genius himself, a fast learner as you said in the past."
King Maverick tapped the arm of the throne.
"Something tells me that Levi is a greater genius than him. Once in a century or once in a millennia type of genius."
The Senior Captain cleared his throat.
"My Lord, there is still time before we can judge how genius he is."
King Maverick waved a hand.
"We'll see then. We'll see."
Levi sneezed in his room.
'Is someone talking about me,' he thought as he yawned.
'I'm getting sleepy but I want to train and take a bath though...'
Levi picked his nose while lying in bed.
'I will not waste this second life that's given to me,' he thought.
'It's too early to sleep yet.'
Levi stood up and headed to the training grounds.
"Oh hello there Valeria, was it, or is it Valorant?"
Levi grinned as he approached the yard.
"IT'S VALERIE, NUMBNUTS."
Valerie snapped.
"Okay, I forgot. I'm not good with names."
Levi scratched the back of his head.
"You here to train or not?"
Valerie crossed her arms.
"Of course. It's the training grounds after all. It's already in the name."
Levi smirked.
"You good in the brain or something?"
Levi jabbed at her with a teasing tone.
"YOU MOTHERFUCKER!"
Valerie charged at him, furious.
"Okay then."
Levi assumed a fighting stance.
'Good, I was trying to get more battling experience,' he thought.
'Maybe making people mad is a benefit as well.'
now
Chapter 22 - Training arc
"Old Guy told me Levi, who used to be a frail kid, fought with the advantage against the intruder."
King Maverick pointed at the Senior Captain.
"I applaud the training you did. In fact I'm proud. I'll grant you a wish, Captain. Think wisely."
King Maverick sat back on the throne.
"To be honest, My Lord, I just taught the basics. He saw it once and copied it already."
The Captain bowed his head.
"Then I realized that kid is a genius. Too genius, physically and mentally. I have done nothing worthy of a wish. This is all I can say, My Lord. I'll take my leave then."
The Captain left the throne room.
"Did you hear that, Senior Captain? My son who was but a lazy person back then cannot be compared to the person he is now."
King Maverick laughed loudly.
"You'd think he's not my kid after seeing him."
King Maverick shook his head with a grin.
"What if he's just a late bloomer, My Lord?"
The Senior Captain offered a measured suggestion.
"You've exactly got it on point. Maybe he's just lazy at first but had talent befitting a late bloomer."
King Maverick leaned forward.
"As you know, since you trained Altharion he's a genius himself, a fast learner as you said in the past."
King Maverick tapped the arm of the throne.
"Something tells me that Levi is a greater genius than him. Once in a century or once in a millennia type of genius."
The Senior Captain cleared his throat.
"My Lord, there is still time before we can judge how genius he is."
King Maverick waved a hand.
"We'll see then. We'll see."
Levi sneezed in his room.
'Is someone talking about me,' he thought as he yawned.
'I'm getting sleepy but I want to train and take a bath though...'
Levi picked his nose while lying in bed.
'I will not waste this second life that's given to me,' he thought.
'It's too early to sleep yet.'
Levi stood up and headed to the training grounds.
"Oh hello there Valeria, was it, or is it Valorant?"
Levi grinned as he approached the yard.
"IT'S VALERIE, NUMBNUTS."
Valerie snapped.
"Okay, I forgot. I'm not good with names."
Levi scratched the back of his head.
"You here to train or not?"
Valerie crossed her arms.
"Of course. It's the training grounds after all. It's already in the name."
Levi smirked.
"You good in the brain or something?"
Levi jabbed at her with a teasing tone.
"YOU MOTHERFUCKER!"
Valerie charged at him, furious.
"Okay then."
Levi assumed a fighting stance.
'Good, I was trying to get more battling experience,' he thought.
'Maybe making people mad is a benefit as well.'
(lengthen it and enhance the writing, make it better)
Chapter 22 - Training arc
"Old Guy told me Levi, who used to be a frail kid, fought with the advantage against the intruder."
King Maverick tapped the arm of the throne toward the Senior Captain.
"I applaud the training you did. In fact, I'm proud. I'll grant you a wish, Captain. Think wisely."
King Maverick leaned back, smiling.
"To be honest, My Lord, I just taught the basics. He saw it once and copied it already."
The Captain bowed his head.
"Then I realized that kid is a genius. Too genius, physically and mentally. I have done nothing worthy of a wish. This is all I can say, My Lord. I'll take my leave then."
The Captain left the throne room.
"Did you hear that, Senior Captain? My son who was but a lazy person back then cannot be compared to the person he is now."
King Maverick laughed.
"You'd think he's not my kid after seeing him."
King Maverick shook his head, grinning.
"What if he's just a late bloomer, My Lord?"
The Senior Captain inclined his chin.
"You've exactly got it on point. Maybe he was lazy at first but had talent befitting a late bloomer."
King Maverick's expression grew thoughtful.
"As you know, since you trained Altharion he's a genius himself, a fast learner as you said in the past."
King Maverick drummed his fingers on the throne arm.
"Something tells me that Levi is a greater genius than him. Once in a century or once in a millennia type of genius."
The Senior Captain cleared his throat.
"My Lord, there is still time before we can judge how genius he is."
King Maverick waved a hand dismissively.
"We'll see then. We'll see."
Levi sneezed in his room.
'Is someone talking about me,' he thought groggily as he yawned.
'I'm getting sleepy, but I want to train and take a bath...'
Levi rolled over and picked at his blankets, then, embarrassed at himself, picked his nose for a half beat and shoved a hand through his hair.
'I will not waste this second life that's been given to me,' he thought, forcing his eyes open.
'It's too early to sleep yet.'
Levi swung his legs over the bed and dressed quickly.
He left the room and made his way to the training grounds while the castle still rubbed sleep from its eyes.
"Oh hello there Valeria, was it, or is it Valorant?"
Levi called with a lazy grin as he entered the yard.
"IT'S VALERIE, NUMBNUTS."
Valerie snapped, folding her arms and glaring.
"Okay, I forgot. I'm not good with names."
Levi scratched the back of his head, sheepish.
"You here to train or not?"
Valerie shifted her stance, watching him with sharp, appraising eyes.
"Of course. It's the training grounds after all. It's already in the name."
Levi gave a half bow and a smirk.
"You good in the brain or something?"
Levi jabbed at her teasingly.
"YOU MOTHERFUCKER!"
Valerie lunged before she finished the curse.
Levi grinned and raised his guard.
"Okay then."
Levi assumed a fighting stance.
'Good,' he thought. 'I was trying to get more battling experience. Maybe making people mad is a benefit as well.'
Valerie closed the distance in a blur.
She moved precise and economical, each strike testing his rhythm and reaction.
Levi blocked, countered, ducked under a sweep.
The clang of steel rang across the yard.
Valerie pressed forward, smiling now, ruthless and focused.
Levi felt the sting of her blade tap bone and armor more than once.
He adapted, letting Azhir's distant echo hum at the edge of his awareness, calm and steady.
"You're quick,"
Valerie said between strikes.
Levi grunted, parrying a thrust.
"You too."
Valerie pivoted and feinted, then struck his shoulder with a light cut that left him winded.
"You should stop being careless,"
she said, genuine reprimand threaded with something like fondness.
Levi wiped a smear of sweat with the heel of his hand and laughed.
"I was being careless on purpose."
Valerie's mouth twitched.
"Why?"
"To make you angry,"
Levi admitted.
Valerie cocked an eyebrow.
"That's a poor strategy. You make better opponents when you take things seriously."
Levi steadied his breathing and fell into a measured rhythm.
He watched her shoulders.
her eyes.
the way she shifted weight before committing to a move.
He tested a new stepping pattern, saw an opening, and moved.
Valerie blocked the first strike, but Levi flowed into a second and grazed her hip with the flat of his blade.
"Not bad,"
Valerie said, breathless, surprised.
Levi straightened and bowed an exaggerated half-curtsey.
"I aim to please."
The Captain watched from the sidelines, arms crossed and a rare smile playing at his mouth.
He stepped forward once their exchange lulled and clapped his hands.
"Enough,"
he said.
"Impressing each other on a training ground does not win wars."
Valerie wiped her blade and sheathed it.
"You're holding back,"
she told Levi, eyes earnest now.
Levi blinked.
"Am I?"
"You are,"
Valerie said.
"Work on control. Power without control is dangerous."
Levi looked down at his hands, feeling residual heat, and nodded.
The Captain paced closer and placed a hand on Levi's back.
He pressed and let the air shift like a tide beneath his palm.
He stepped back, eyes wide.
"You talented bastard,"
the Captain muttered.
"You have the mana density of an archmage."
Levi's face went pale.
"An archmage?"
Valerie's hand hovered near her sheathed sword.
"That's... a lot to take in,"
she said, trying to sound casual.
The Captain lowered his voice so only they could hear.
"I saw fire and dark rolling together like an ocean. It moved with you."
Valerie's breath hitched.
"Captain, tell me I'm hearing this wrong,"
she whispered.
The Captain shook his head slowly.
"No. The boy is dangerous in a way I did not expect."
Levi swallowed, a cold thrill and a hot panic mingling in his gut.
'An archmage's mana,'
he thought.
'If that is true, I need to learn control more than ever.'
"Focus,"
Valerie said quietly, and for a moment she looked every inch the commander she would become.
Levi squared his shoulders.
"Alright,"
he said.
"Let's spar properly."
Valerie drew her blade again, this time without the flash or the show.
They resumed, but the tone had shifted.
Their strikes now tested endurance rather than provocation.
Levi felt the raw potential inside him like an engine Idling at redline.
He tested tempering it, letting power flow like a river restrained by banks.
Valerie adjusted to him, and together they found a pace that pushed and taught.
When the sun dipped lower, a knight hurried into the yard, breathless.
"Captain, the King summons you."
The Captain straightened and saluted.
"Understood. We'll continue later."
Valerie sheathed her sword and stared after him.
"I was going to say something," she murmured, voice thin with unsaid words.
Levi watched her for a beat.
"Maybe next time," he offered.
Valerie's shoulders eased a fraction.
"Maybe," she said.
They left the training ground in the hush before evening, both carrying something they had not when they arrived: a clearer sense of the work ahead, and the faint, dangerous knowledge that Levi's path had just grown more complicated.