chapter 9:First step to revenge

Jonathan, his brows furrowed in frustration, said, "I've been calling you for ages. Why didn't you respond?"

Luther blinked, momentarily puzzled, before understanding dawned. He'd been so deep in his thoughts, planning for future events, that he hadn't noticed his training companions calling out to him.

"Sorry, I was lost in my sword training and didn't hear you," Luther replied with an unexpected politeness. Why the sudden change in demeanor? Because Luther remembered these two from his past life. Jonathan and George had been grandmasters who stood by his family's side until the very end. Although their paths hadn't crossed much in his previous life, Luther was determined to forge a better relationship with them this time around.

Jonathan and George exchanged startled glances. It was hard to reconcile the courteous young man before them with the rude and arrogant young master they had heard so many rumors about. Curiosity had driven them to approach him, especially after witnessing his swift mastery of the sword arts—techniques that typically took a knight years to perfect. Yet here was Luther, surpassing them all in just one week, while those who had started training before him were still struggling with the basics.

Jonathan, still a bit uneasy, finally asked, "Ah... mm... how did you get so good at sword arts?"

Luther had anticipated this question. With a calm demeanor, he cleared his throat and replied in a measured tone, "The key to mastering sword arts lies in relentless practice and in understanding its very essence."

Jonathan and George exchanged puzzled glances. They had expected something more insightful, something that would shed light on his astonishing progress. If Luther were to repeat this vague advice to the other trainees, it would likely be dismissed as arrogance, perhaps even provoking their resentment. They sighed, their expressions a blend of confusion and irritation. Despite the young master's notorious reputation, Luther had outstripped them all, and that realization was a bitter pill to swallow.

Luther noticed their skeptical expressions and understood their frustration. Anyone in their position would feel the same. It was true that his family's sword arts demanded dedication and practice, but the real reason for his rapid mastery was that he had already learned every move and understood the essence of the technique in his previous life. He had spent countless hours practicing this very sword art before moving on to the Divine Dragon Technique.

George, disheartened by Luther's explanation, said, "Sorry to have disturbed you, young master. Please, continue with your training." With that, he tugged the still-irritated Jonathan away.

As they walked off, Luther's mind churned with thoughts. *Did I overplay my hand?* he wondered. But there was no turning back now. He could have given them a truthful explanation or even offered to help them reach their full potential. But if he suddenly started acting out of character, it would surely raise suspicions. He was already taking a significant risk by displaying his sword skills so openly. While the other trainees might not fully grasp his mastery, Alex was different. Luther was well aware that there were eyes on him—many eyes, watching his every move.

One pair of those eyes belonged to an elder in his family, the very man who had betrayed his father and orchestrated the downfall of his family. Luther's gaze drifted to the balcony, where he spotted his first true enemy—the one he needed to eliminate.

Elder Peter Derik, a man from the side branch of the family, had secretly allied himself with the Crowheart family, a powerful and feared magical clan in the kingdom. During the Dimensional War against the Warlocks, Peter had poisoned Luther's father, leading to his untimely death in battle. Peter's treachery remained hidden, his true nature a secret that Luther had only uncovered in the final moments of his previous life, just before his confrontation with Ryder.

Now, Luther had identified his first mission: to strengthen his family, purge the traitors from their ranks, and introduce new training methods for the family knights. He needed to create his own knight squad. If he could achieve this, no one would dare threaten his family before the war with the Warlocks.

With a calm smile, Luther greeted Peter, "Good morning, Elder," keeping his emotions tightly controlled.

Peter returned the smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "Ha, ha, ha. Good, it's about time you realized your mistakes and started changing for the better. Work hard and become a pillar of strength for the family during these dark times," he said, patting Luther's head in a mock gesture of encouragement.

Luther clenched his teeth, his body taut with the effort of controlling his emotions. Normally, he was a master at masking his feelings, but the injury to his soul made it increasingly difficult to suppress the intense emotions that simmered beneath the surface.

He forced a laugh, responding awkwardly, "Of course, Elder. This time, I'll make sure no mistakes are made." Luther's words carried a double meaning—while he was referring to his past life, Peter took it as a reference to his current actions. With a few more words of hollow encouragement, Peter left the training arena, completely unaware of the fire he had reignited in Luther's heart.