*Medici Training Camp (2)

"Now then, let's start the theoretical class and today's subject is about Skills, how to activate them and how to improve them, if anyone of you can put it to practical use, I will leak out some intel you would only learn during your first few years when you manage to enrol into Hero Academy" Raimond baited the trainees to become focused and greedy, a smirk appearing on his face.

"As you all know, it's quite simple to activate a skill in your status by reciting the skill name in your mind. This will allow your body in an autonomous manner according to the skills process to activate it, this includes the manipulation of your mana as well as your body movement.

"However, this comes with several demerits which include the fact that its an autonomous move, it will remove the flexibility to change the trajectory of skills when using a weapon or perhaps the direction of spells. Making it quite easy for your enemy to dodge it.

"The second demerit is the mana cost and damage output is constant, if you don't personally control your mana, you can't increase your firepower by sacrificing more mana or vice versa. Making the number of strategies you can come up with, limited.

"The last demerit and is the most essential one, even if you use the skill a hundred times by calling its name you won't increase your proficiency rate at all. Nor can you refine the skill by improving it in other ways, as you know the sky is the limit when it comes to refining your skills and making them completely unique from the generic skills despite being the same skill at the core." Raimond started his lecture while the attention was concentrated on him.

"In order to train yourself to execute skills without needing to call out the names, it is essential to train your mana control by playing God's Race. By controlling the mechanical car with your mana while traversing through the racing tracks, you can control your mana by increasing or decreasing the speed by controlling your input and the manoeuvre of the car by manipulating your mana within the structure to control every part of it.

"You should know already by now that being unable to control the entire structure perfectly will cause several accidents to occur, only by perfecting it can you proceed with the second phase of the training by moving your mana according to the diagram in your "Basic's of Mana" Textbook, page 72 at the top." Raimond turned around while writing some of the highlights of his topic on the blackboard.

"Another recent discovery mention that by training martial arts from the East, or any combat techniques such as pro wrestling and others can also be combined with your skills. It all depends on your comprehension and creativity, however, since you all are high-class awakeners I am certain you all can pull it off compared to the plebians"

"Teacher, I have a question" One of the trainees raised their hands, Raimond nodded while looking at the trainee who stood up to ask his question.

"Teacher, Is it possible to combine the spell 'Fireball' with physical skills?" The trainee asked,

"It's possible, as long as you can fully control your mana, you can control your spell to the point it won't injure you even if you shove your hand into the fireball" Raimond answered, "However, as I said. You must have complete control and that is not something you can get with one or two days worth of training, there are many people who can do it. This includes Caterina Medici, the S Rank Magician"

"Thank you" The trainee took his seat once more, and thus Raimond started his lecture. Although the rest of the content was related to skills, it was not that much helpful considering the fact that Raimond appears to keep denouncing weaklings and promoting the ideal of strength is the be-all, end-all way to go.

Ring~ Ring~

"Since the school bell went off I guess that will be the end of our Skill Theory class, pack up your stuff and head for the training grounds and get yourself equipped with the trainee equipment from the equipment room!" Raimond shouted while everyone excluding Leonardo cheered along with him and moved with vigour.

Following the crowd towards the training ground, as expected some of the buildings at the borders of the training ground were changing rooms for girls and boys separate. Upon entering there are tall lockers placed side by side, each marked with a trainee name that contained trainee equipment which consists of a leather chest guard, leather bracers, leather shin guards and a leather cap.

Leonardo head over to the only nameless locker without any lock. Twisting the handle, he pulled the door open to find his equipment within the locker, however, as expected the equipment was withered and old in a similar shape as everything else within this encampment. It was then Leonardo understood the treatment within this camp.

'Survival of the fittest, if I want to get better treatment then we have to improve our rankings' he thought while putting on the chest guard over his black sleeveless shirt, tightening the strings after the bracers were equipped followed by the shin guard. Just from the lack of defence, Leonardo knew the only way to improve is to prove your worth, as a team.

Finally done getting dressed, Leonardo followed the crowd out of the locker room heading for the training ground that was separated into various training fields, forest, swamp and open plain field which was the three basic fields low tier official awakened heroes will be exposed to when they join raids or parties during dungeon exploration as other fields would only be available for higher-ranked heroes.

In the middle of the field stood Raimond wearing the same clothes he wore during the theoretical class time with a smirk on his face.

"You all have three seconds to get here, if not. You will be the first to step up during the sparring exercise" Raimond said with a booming voice, this made most of the trainees flinch and started to run anxiously being afraid that they might have to spar against one of the five top demons of the class. The rest who were nonchalant towards the threat instead moved even faster not wanting to lose to anyone else in the group.

Amidst all of these, Leonardo was leisurely walking down the stairs towards the field. Although he too wanted to run, he knew he was no match for trainees who already levelled up to 5. He knew he could easily defeat them using the attribute buff he gained from the Heroic necklace, he did not want to expose its existence nor be too reliant on it. So he could only act according to his level.

"Hoh? It appears we have a volunteer and its the new trainee to boot" Raimond spoke with a mocking smile prompting the surrounding trainees to laugh, Leonardo who was used to people looking down on his simply ignored the taunt and continued to walk towards them.

Seeing his taunt did not provoke Leonardo, Raimond glanced to Edward for a moment before moving his chin indicating for Edward to step up and teach the boy a lesson. Just as Leonardo was close, he was blocked by Edward who appeared before him with a mocking smile. "Hmph, I wondered who you were before but after thinking for a moment I remembered... You are a famous waste of Medici!"

Hearing the words all the trainees flinched in surprise before laughing hysterically, it was now they held no restraint laughing at Leonardo in his face. Even Raimond who heard what one of his favourite lackey trainee's said could not help but raise his lips in an unclear smile, "So?"

Edward could not help furrow his brows when he saw how nonchalant Leonardo was, however, after considering that he might have become numb from being mocked for all these years any more would not bother him at all. "Tsk, I always looked up to Piero and Caterina Medici. They are both S Ranks Adamantine Tier Awakened heroes and yet you, Leonardo, their so-called first born son is but a Bronze Tier. I wonder if Caterina became bored with Piero in bed and went to whore herself out"

The surrounding stadium became eerily silent, even Raimond furrowed his brows feeling displeased by what Edward said as such words could provoke endless troubles for them if it were to be exposed. 'I best find a manner how I can silence these trainees, this can't be leaked outside'

"What did you say" An emotionless voice could be heard from everyone causing them to look at Leonardo in surprise, they could clearly feel the anger that was welling up within Leonardo so clearly from his voice making them take a step back not wanting to be bitten by a wild dog, even if it was a weak dog.

"I said, I wonder if Caterina became bored -" Before Edward could complete his sentence, Leonardo unlocked the attribute buff from the necklace and ran at a breakneck speed comparable to an E Ranked awakened hero. Being inexperience in fighting, Leonardo simply gripped Edward's face like an eagle before forcibly pushing it back towards the ground slamming it hard.

The ground cracked under the force of the attack, whether Edward was dead or alive, Leonardo's eyes were devoid of emotions hissed "What did you say?"

"Urk!~ You..." Before Edward could threaten Leonardo, the latter simply raised the former's head and slammed it on the ground again.

Bang!~ Bang!~ Bang!~

'How tenacious, so this is what happens when you level up? He is still not dead yet' Leonardo thought calmly while slamming the head of Edward several times, however, he was indeed really furious.

"You can talk as much as you want about me, however, I will not allow you to talk about my parents! I will kill you" Leonardo muttered before letting go of Edward who collapsed on the ground unconscious.

Raimond who sensed the subtle killing intent from Leonardo's voice could not help move swiftly, pulling Leonardo away only to see bloodstains behind Carol's head on the ground. "Did you intend to kill him!?"

"So what, you as an instructor allowed him to discredit my parents while knowing full well of their status. I wonder if you can keep your job if these words came to my mother's ears?" Leonardo spoke without an ounce of respect reflecting his cold eyes to Raimond.

"You---- Shit!" Raimond bit his lips picking up Carol, "You all continue with your sparring lesson, I will take Carol to the hospital"

"As for you, wait for the Chief to see you soon," Raimond said before running ahead.

"Don't you think what you did was overboard?" Carol spoke righteously not daring to mention that it was him who ordered Edward to do that, he did not want to risk endangering himself by provoking this mad dog.

"Oh? So you want me to publicize his words on the internet and allow the people of the world to do it instead? Do you think the family can guarantee his safety from the millions of fans my mother have as well as her connections?" Leonardo asked with a flat tone,

"This~~~" Carol was taken aback, he really forgot about this for a moment since he simply wanted to make Leonardo turn out to be the bad guy and this make the situation complicated.

"I let him off too lightly with this, others won't hesitate to do crazy things for their idols. I sure hope I won't have to do this again" Leonardo muttered while giving his fellow trainees a glance, seeing them flinch and taking a few steps back he turned around heading towards a distance before taking his seat on the ground. After releasing his anger he no longer felt any motivation to do training today, so he began to think over his actions.

'This is troublesome, I will need to rethink our approach of getting rid of him. Even if he is only a bronze tier, his parents are not. So they can easily train him' Carol thought while remembering his father was a competitor of Piero for the Patriarch seat, and he too is worried that the information related to Leonardo was modified by Piero.

Because how can two adamantine Tier only birth a bronze tier, not even a silver or gold tier?

"I wonder how the Medici Family is going to respond" He muttered, he never considered his parents becoming angry with him if they were to learn of what happened. It was a different story when it came to the Medici Family.

"Father might be pressured and lose the Patriarch competition, haah." Leonardo sighed while resting his forehead against his interlocked hands while sitting on a chair, he was not certain how serious his father was in the fight for the patriarch seat so he wondered if his actions would become detrimental.

"After today there might be more trouble coming, I best stay home for a week and train hard," Leonardo said with his eyes looking down towards the trainees who formed groups chatting with one another, "Fixed-term exclusion is definitely going to happen since I almost killed a trainee and a fellow Medici Clansman at that, but I don't regret it"

"That will become a problem if you do not regret it, even if he was at fault, you did almost become a murderer. I am certain that is not what your parents would want of you" A soothing voice came from behind Leonardo prompting him to turn his gaze towards the direction.

Standing near the entrance of the stadium was a voluptuous young woman with curly blonde hair tied in a high ponytail, glasses over her aqua blue eyes and wearing a camouflage military uniform with a golden lion crest beneath her officer badge. Just from her appearance or aura, Leonardo could vaguely tell this woman was on par with his parents from his experience.

"It may sound something a villain would say, but I don't care if he lived or died. I simply will not tolerate anyone who says such vulgar words towards my parents, even as a joke" Leonardo said with a flat voice, after experiencing how he beatdown a random mob, his adrenaline temporary changed his behaviour, he felt confident and did not hesitate to say what he really felt.

"I will have to personally train you properly then" a familiar masculine voice was heard right behind the woman, upon seeing his father all the adrenaline rush he felt became cold, his confidence disappeared and his usual self returned. Although he did not regret his actions, he could not boldly say it especially before his father who had a serious look on his face.

"Thanks for your hard work Natasha," Piero said to the young lady who respectfully bowed and left silently, turning his sight towards his son he could not bring himself to be completely angry with him. He knew just how much Leonardo loved them and how tolerant he was when people mocked him, just like Leonardo was his and Caterina's reverse scale so was it in vice versa.

"You will be expelled for a fixed term, and afterwards you will join the Phalanx Group 1B as you should have from the start. I have already dealt with the person who altered your application so you should not have a problem later" Piero said while turning around, even without saying anything Leonardo followed after his father since he understood his father.

"I will not say what you have done was wrong Leo, however, you did go overboard" Piero spoke while gently patting Leonardo's head, "So I will train you how to control your power and teach you fighting techniques, but remember I don't want to see you harm anyone in such a manner again unless you have a better reason than this"

"Yes father" Leonardo nodded while hanging his head low, his face was a bit warm and his eyes felt like they were burning and his nose felt stuffy as he tried to keep himself from crying. He really wanted to apologize for causing trouble, but it did not change the fact he did not regret it.

Not even once.