Chapter 65: Serious Sparring

Two days passed in the blink of an eye.

The Kastian manor seemed to have returned to its usual tranquility. Cedric’s departure had lifted that suffocating sense of oppression, and even the air felt much lighter.

However, in the open-air training ground at the back, the atmosphere was unprecedentedly tense.

A seriously intense duel was unfolding under the scorching sun.

“Young Master, you’d better be careful!”

Uncle Garick’s gruff voice boomed like a thunderclap.

Today, he wasn’t wearing his usual light leather armor. Instead, he was fully armed in a rare sight—a heavy set of fine steel half-plate armor, and in his hand, he held a blunt, heavy broadsword.

As a veteran warrior at the peak of the first order, the moment he got serious, the iron-blooded aura honed from countless life-and-death battles pressed down on the surrounding air like a tangible force.

And across from him.

Leo had dropped his usual joking and slacking.

He wore a well-tailored novice mage robe. At his waist, he carried not only the carefully polished short wand but also several bulging tactical pouches on his belt, stuffed with various low-level magic scrolls and powder tools.

His eyes were focused and sharp, his amber pupils locked onto every movement of Garick. His breathing was steady, his magic flowing smoothly through his body.

This was the first time he was giving a hundred percent to a fight.

He swung the short wand forward sharply. No underestimation of the opponent, no escape—only the desire for victory.

“Bring it on, Uncle Garick!”

Leo barked out, tapping his short wand repeatedly. Five water bullets, each the size of a fist and packed with high-pressure force, shot out in a triangular formation, heading straight for Garick’s face and chest.

“Too slow!”

Garick sneered. Instead of retreating, he advanced. He didn’t even bother using the broadsword. He simply turned his body slightly and precisely took the three water bullets on his steel-covered shoulder.

Water splashed everywhere. Only a few shallow wet marks were left on the fine steel armor. Garick’s charge speed didn’t slow in the slightest.

“Heavy Chop!”

Garick gripped the sword with both hands and, using the momentum of his charge, brought the heavy broadsword down from above like an avalanche, cleaving through the air with a sharp whistle!

That single strike sealed off all of Leo’s escape routes.

But faced with such a powerful blow, Leo didn’t close his eyes in panic like before.

“Mist Barrier! Wind Shield!”

Leo calmly and instantly released two defensive spells.

A thick wall of water rose from the ground. Right after, a layer of green whirlwind took shape just inside the water wall.

Boom!

The broadsword slammed heavily into the mist barrier. The immense force tore the water wall apart in an instant.

But immediately, the inner whirlwind shield cleverly deflected most of the sword’s power, sending it off course.

The broadsword grazed Leo’s shoulder and struck the bluestone floor, leaving a large crater with debris flying.

“Now!”

The broadsword hit nothing but air; its original force had been spent, and new power had yet to be generated.

This was the moment of weakest defense. A sharp glint flashed in Leo’s eyes. Instead of retreating to create distance, he used the lightness of wind magic to slide in close to Garick’s chest.

“What?!”

Garick was startled.

Leo opened his mouth wide. The purple magic formation on his tongue lit up in an instant.

“Ptoo!”

A thick cloud of shadow smoke shot directly into the gap in Garick’s faceplate.

“Cough! That trick again!”

Garick was prepared. He immediately closed his eyes and held his breath while swinging his left fist forward by instinct.

Thud!

Even though Leo tried desperately to dodge, the fist still clipped his shoulder. He grunted and staggered back a few steps.

But his counterattack didn’t stop.

While retreating, Leo quickly yanked a scroll from his pouch and tore it apart without even looking.

“Swamp Spell!”

Just as Garick dispelled the smoke in front of him, he felt his feet sink. The originally hard bluestone floor had turned into a muddy swamp. His legs were immediately trapped, severely hindering his movement.

Leo steadied himself, then wildly waved his short wand.

“Water Blade Chain Slash!”

Seven or eight sharp, high-pressure water blades flew like a dense net of blades, precisely targeting the gaps and joints in Garick’s armor from all directions.

Garick was stuck in the mud, and it was too late to block with his sword.

He could only curl up as much as possible and use his hardest shoulder armor and vambraces to take the hits.

Clang, clang, clang, clang!

The dense water blades slammed into the armor, making harsh metallic screeches. Although they didn’t cut through the fine steel, the enormous impact forced Garick to grunt repeatedly, his body leaning back again and again.

When the last water blade dissipated—

A cold short wand was already pressed firmly against Garick’s throat, the only spot not covered by armor.

And at the tip of the short wand, a highly destructive wind blade was gathering at high speed, emitting a spine-chilling hum.

Leo was panting heavily. His robe was stained with mud and dust, and sweat dripped down his cheeks.

But the hand holding the wand was extremely steady, without a single tremor.

“Uncle Garick, you lose.”

Leo looked at the captain of the guard, his voice a little hoarse but filled with unprecedented confidence and sharpness.

The training ground fell silent for a moment.

Garick stared at the wand pressed against his throat, then let out a long sigh.

After that, he set down the heavy broadsword and burst into an extremely hearty, earth-shaking laugh.

“Hahaha! Good! Well done!”

Garick wasn’t the least bit bothered that he’d lost to a young brat. Instead, he patted Leo on the shoulder with great relief—the force almost knocked Leo flat.

“Smooth magic transitions, cunning tactics… ahem, flexible! Most importantly, that fierce, unyielding spirit you showed just now—you already look like a real warrior. Young Master, you’ve really opened my eyes today!”

Leo put away the short wand and wiped the sweat off his face. He was a little embarrassed by the praise, but his heart was dancing with joy.

He sat down on a nearby bench, took a big gulp of water, and looked at Garick with curiosity and anticipation.

“Uncle, don’t just praise me. You have plenty of real combat experience. Be honest—what level do you think my strength is at right now?”

He paused, his eyes sparkling with longing.

“If I go outside, can I protect myself? Can I… go out and do adventures like those adventurers?”

Garick walked over and sat beside him. He took off his helmet, revealing his weathered face.

He thought seriously for a moment, not brushing off the question.

“Young Master, since you were able to defeat me—a peak first-order warrior in heavy armor—head-on using tactics and magic, it means your overall combat ability has already stepped into the first-order threshold, and you might even be stronger in some areas.”

Garick looked at Leo, his tone becoming measured and serious.

“As long as you don’t go out of your way to provoke those desperate thugs who would do anything for money, or run into enemies above the top of the second order, you already have enough self-defense ability in normal wilderness environments and standard missions.”

“So that means I really can become an adventurer?!”

Leo nearly jumped up in excitement.

“Don’t get too happy too soon, Young Master.”

Garick quickly poured cold water on him.

“The outside world isn’t as orderly as the training ground. The scheming among adventurers, the cunning and cruelty of magical beasts—it’s far more complicated than you imagine. Your real combat experience still has a long way to go.”

Leo pouted but wasn’t discouraged. Instead, he grew even more curious.

“Uncle, tell me about the outside world. How strong are the highest-level people? What are they like?”

Garick watched the thirst for knowledge burning in the boy’s eyes and couldn’t help but smile.

“Young Master, here in the remote southern border, the highest-ranked person in Fengyue City on the surface is that Bishop Augustus who came to the banquet a few days ago. He’s a rare peak third-order light mage.”

“Peak third order?” Leo nodded thoughtfully.

“But that’s just in a small city.”

Garick’s voice took on a hint of awe.

“If you look across the entire kingdom, the real big shots have strength ordinary people can’t imagine.”

“For example, the Captain of the Royal Knights in the royal capital—that’s a monster said to have stepped into the top of the sixth order. And the chairman of the Adventurers’ Guild, the several Grand Archmages of Arcadia… they’re the true pinnacle of the pyramid.”

Hearing these legendary beings, Leo couldn’t help swallowing hard.

Sixth order… Just how terrifying a power was that? He had just barely touched the threshold of the first order.

“But, Young Master.”

Garick patted his shoulder and advised with a serious tone.

“Those big shots are too far away from us. For you, the most reliable path is to keep your feet on the ground and improve step by step.”

“Tch, but I’m a genius. One day I’ll be that strong too!”

Leo mumbled defiantly.

Still, Garick’s words were like a pebble thrown into the calm lake of his heart, stirring up ripple after ripple.

Staying in the manor all the time, facing only the same training dummies, Uncle Garick, and a head maid who always had a cold face and an unknown depth…

He needed real combat. He needed to see the outside world.

“Uncle Garick!”

Leo suddenly stood up, his eyes more determined than ever.

“I’ve decided! I’m going out on an adventure! I want to accept real commission quests!”

“Huh?!”

Garick was startled.

“Young Master, don’t be impulsive! Madame will never agree to this!”

“I’m going even if she doesn’t agree!”

Leo clenched his fists.

“If I keep hiding under Mother’s wings, I’ll never grow up. I’m going to talk to her right now! If she’s worried, I can ask you to come along as my guard!”

With that, Leo didn’t even bother changing his clothes. He dashed toward the main building in a whirlwind.

Leaving Garick alone in the training ground, watching his master’s retreating back with a helpless, wry smile.

***

Meanwhile, at the corner of the second floor of the main building.

‘That kid… when did he suddenly become enlightened?’

Ailiya was carrying a basin of freshly arranged flowers. She happened to overhear Leo’s spirited declaration.

Going out on an adventure?

A strange glimmer flashed in Ailiya’s ice-blue eyes.

She had been worrying about not having a reasonable excuse to take Graves into the city and make contact with that suspected traitor from the Night Owls.

If Leo could really persuade Lady Elsa to let him go out on a simple adventurer quest…

Then this would be the perfect, legitimate cover.

‘Looks like this rookie can actually play an unexpected role sometimes.’

Ailiya made that assessment in her mind. Carrying the flowerpot, she turned and quietly walked away.