The days blurred together.
Leo lived the same two-point-one-line routine—eat, sleep, train at the Red Keep—repeating it like a machine.
The results were impossible to miss.
Anyone watching could see the transformation: the complete novice had become a real warrior, fast, strong, and dangerous.
Of course the system helped. Leo figured his game-avatar body also gave him freakish talent for picking up martial skills.
During those weeks Jaime Lannister found excuses to spar with him several times.
The first match came right after Leo beat the Hound. Jaime got curious and challenged him.
Leo held back every system skill. He wanted to test his pure swordwork against one of the best in Westeros.
As expected, after just a few exchanges Jaime flicked the training sword from his hand and set the blunted edge against his throat. Jaime looked disappointed—he had hoped to see that sudden burst of speed again.
Leo wasn't discouraged. He asked Jaime, completely sincere, exactly where he had gone wrong and what openings he had left.
That surprised Jaime.
Most of the Seven Kingdoms hated him for the "Kingslayer" label. They saw him as an oathbreaker with no honor.
But Leo's eyes held zero disgust—only honest respect and a real desire to improve.
Anyone who had watched the full story knew the early impression of Jaime was wrong. He wasn't just some arrogant villain. As the tale unfolded, his real character came through: a proud knight carrying a terrible stain, trapped between honor and family, forced to make ugly choices to protect the people he loved.
Leo found it hard to hate a man like that. In many ways he considered Jaime one of the truest knights in Westeros.
Especially after seeing (in the show) Jaime charge a dragon on horseback even after everything.
That kind of courage wasn't common.
Leo's genuine attitude warmed Jaime to him. He started giving real, detailed feedback.
After that it became routine. Jaime showed up every few days to spar.
Jaime was widely considered one of the top two or three fighters alive—before he lost his sword hand, of course.
With a partner like that plus Barristan's legendary teaching, Leo's swordsmanship improved in huge leaps.
Even Jaime had to admit it: the foreigner was a natural-born warrior.
Time flew, and the day before the tourney finally arrived.
Barristan decided it was time for a full-power test to measure two months of training.
In the yard Leo wore his full Seventh Legion plate again. To avoid irritating Jaime he had transmogged the lion-head pauldrons into plain soldier style—no visible lions.
Barristan was also in full armor, the complete Lord Commander of the Kingsguard set.
The two men faced each other.
"Ready, Neo?"
"Always. Teacher, don't hold back. I'll give everything I've got."
"Good!" Robert shouted, waving his arm. "Begin!"
Word had spread that Barristan was testing his student, so Robert showed up with Queen Cersei and all three children in tow. Jaime and the Hound were there. Even Varys and Littlefinger had come to watch.
The second Robert gave the signal, Leo attacked first. He triggered [Charge] at full power—he wanted Barristan's honest approval.
He became a blur, closing the distance in an instant. He thrust the big "Seventh Legion Soldier's Barrier" shield forward, feinted, then slashed with the Grand Marshal's greatsword in his right hand.
That single opening move drew gasps from the entire crowd. Jaime and the Hound stared hardest.
Jaime thought: So he was holding back against me.
The Hound's scarred face tightened. He remembered exactly how that Charge had caught him off guard. He watched with burning focus, silently promising himself he would settle the score someday.
Barristan, true to his legend, didn't flinch. Having already seen the move before, the old knight sidestepped cleanly at the last instant, blocked the sword with his shield, and countered with a lightning thrust toward Leo's left ribs.
Leo reacted instantly, triggering [Precise Block] with his shield while reversing his sword into a counter.
For the next several breaths the two warriors traded blows in a furious, ringing exchange. Neither gained a clear edge.
Cheers erupted from the sidelines. Robert was the loudest, roaring encouragement and looking like he wanted to jump in himself.
Even Queen Cersei, who usually found these things boring, watched Leo with new respect. It was rare to see any young man hold his own against Barristan Selmy.
She leaned toward Jaime and asked quietly, "I heard you've been sparring with this Neo quite often. Is it true he barely knew any swordwork before?"
Jaime nodded. "I don't know what he knew before, but his progress is obvious. At first I could disarm him without effort. Now… I'd probably need seventy or eighty percent of my strength to beat him."
"And Ser Barristan isn't going all out. After all, the boy is his student. He won't crush his confidence too quickly."
Cersei narrowed her eyes, studying the young foreigner fighting in the yard. She murmured, "This outsider is more capable than I thought. Since the two of you get along, keep cultivating that friendship. He might prove useful one day."
Jaime gave his twin sister a slightly surprised glance, then turned his attention back to the fight without a word.