The Misty Forest was even deeper than he had imagined.
Ancient trees reached toward the sky, their canopies blocking out the sun, letting only scattered rays of light filter through the gaps.
The air was filled with the scent of damp earth and the fragrance of unknown plants, with hidden dangers lurking within.
But Luo Ling was unafraid.
The fragment of the “Brave’s Heart” not only granted him strength but also heightened his sense of danger.
Low-level monsters sensed the aura from the “Brave’s Heart” on him from afar, a presence that instinctively terrified them, and they fled before he could draw near.
His steps were steady and swift, his mind focused on a single thought—reach the Dawn Training Camp as quickly as possible and begin learning.
With every second of delay, the hatred in his heart grew heavier, burning his reason a little more.
Three days later, as he emerged from the edge of the Misty Forest, a fortress hidden in a valley appeared before him.
That was the Dawn Training Camp.
Rather than a training camp, it resembled a small military fortress.
Tall stone walls, vigilant sentries atop watchtowers, and the shouts from the training grounds all revealed the militarized management and strict atmosphere of the place.
The guards at the gate stopped him.
When Luo Ling presented another Token given to him by Samuel—a badge similar to the altar’s rune—the guards’ attitude instantly became respectful.
“Honored Brave, please follow me.”
Luo Ling was led into a simple stone house.
The interior was sparsely furnished: a stone table, several stone chairs, and a longsword and a Gem-Embedded Staff Model hanging on the wall.
A burly, weathered middle-aged man sat by the stone table, polishing a longsword.
He wore simple leather armor, his exposed arms covered in fierce scars, his sharp eyes like an eagle’s—commanding respect even in silence.
“You’re the newcomer recommended by Lord Samuel?”
The man didn’t look up, his voice booming like a bell.
“Yes,” Luo Ling replied.
The man set down the sword and looked up, his gaze like fire, as if to see through Luo Ling’s very soul.
For a long moment, he studied Luo Ling, then nodded.
“Good eyes. Cold. Hard. The Apostle said you came for revenge?”
“Yes.”
Luo Ling admitted openly.
“Revenge isn’t a bad thing,”
The man stood up.
He was nearly two meters tall, towering over Luo Ling like a mountain.
“At the very least, it lets you endure this harsh path a little longer. My name is Baton. I’m your swordsmanship Instructor. As for magic, another Instructor will be responsible.”
Baton walked to the wall, took down the ancient longsword, and tossed it to Luo Ling.
“Take it. From today onward, it’s your closest companion. Try it. Swing the sword.”
Luo Ling took the longsword.
It was heavier than he expected.
He took a deep breath, recalling the scattered swordsmanship basics passed to him by the “Brave’s Heart” fragment, then slowly raised the sword.
“Wrong!”
Baton roared.
“Your arms are too stiff! No power from the waist! Feel the sword with your heart, not your arms! Again!”
The days that followed were hellish for Luo Ling.
Every morning before dawn, Baton dragged him out of bed for basic physical training—weighted running, push-ups, frog jumps…
Each brutal drill pushed his body to its limits.
Countless times, he collapsed on the ground, unable to move even a finger.
But whenever he thought of Eve’s death, of those cold gazes, he gritted his teeth and climbed up to continue.
The days were filled with monotonous and strict sword practice.
Slash, chop, thrust, sweep…
Every basic movement, Baton made him repeat thousands of times, until it became muscle memory, until it was flawless.
“Strength! Speed! Precision!”
Baton’s thunderous voice echoed across the training grounds.
Thick calluses formed on Luo Ling’s hands, old wounds layering atop new ones, but he never uttered a sound.
Sweat soaked his clothes, dripping onto the stone floor and leaving dark stains that dried quickly in the sun.
In the evenings, it was time for magic lessons.
The one responsible for teaching him magic was a mage named Sarina.
She looked young, with an elegant demeanor, yet wisdom beyond her years in her eyes.
Learning magic was just as difficult.
It required strong mental power, precise control, and sensitivity to elements.
At first, Luo Ling couldn’t grasp even the basics, unable to stably cast even the most elementary Illumination Spell.
“Focus. Feel the flow of Aether in the air. Imagine it gathering at your fingertips. Guide it with the incantation and gestures I taught you…”
Sarina’s voice was gentle, but her patience brooked no refusal.
Luo Ling tried again and again, failing every time.
The mental strain gave him splitting headaches and made his vision go dark, but he never gave up.
At night, after everyone had fallen asleep, he often snuck alone to the training grounds, practicing sword swings by moonlight or sitting cross-legged on the open ground to meditate and sense the elements.
He was like a dried sponge, desperately absorbing knowledge and skills.
His progress was so rapid that even Baton and Sarina were astonished.
They could feel the tremendous and determined will that drove Luo Ling forward.
Time slipped by in a haze of sweat, blood, and magical light.
One year later.
On the swordsmanship field of the Dawn Training Camp, two figures clashed at high speed.
The metallic clashing of swords rang out continuously, sparks flying.
One of them was Luo Ling.
After a year of arduous training, he had transformed.
His once thin frame was now tall and well-proportioned, his muscles taut and powerful.
The childishness had vanished from his face, replaced by a composure and coldness beyond his years.
His eyes remained icy, but now shone with a sharper, more piercing light.
The longsword in his hand was no longer the ancient practice blade, but a refined steel longsword specially forged for him by the training camp.
At this moment, his movements were as swift as the wind, his swordplay fierce and relentless, each strike aimed straight at his opponent’s vital points, carrying an unstoppable momentum.
His opponent was a senior trainee at the camp, one of the top-ranked among the students.