Chapter 16 – A New Challenge

The tournament had ended, but for Leonhardt, this was only the beginning. His defeat in the semifinals had left a bitter taste in his mouth, but it also came with a great lesson: he still wasn't strong enough. He wasn't someone who settled for little, and if he wanted to move forward, he had to train harder than ever.

With that thought, the following days became an intense routine. His mornings were dedicated to physical and sword training with Evelyn, while his afternoons were spent improving his mana control and studying magical theory.

Since the incident with the musclehead at the tournament, his relationship with Evelyn had become closer. Though she treated him with the same strictness as always, there were moments when her attitude seemed more relaxed.

Training with Evelyn

"You're not using your footwork properly," Evelyn commented, easily dodging Leonhardt's attack."I'm just adjusting to your pace," he replied with a defiant smile.

She sighed, and in the blink of an eye, she appeared in front of him. With a swift movement of her wooden sword, she struck his side, forcing him to step back.

"Still can't keep up with my speed?" she asked, raising an eyebrow."Not yet, but I will soon."

Leonhardt launched himself again, this time concentrating mana in his legs to increase his speed. His attacks were more precise, faster, and for the first time, Evelyn had to put in effort to block them.

"That's... better," she said, with a slight smile on her lips.

It was the first time Leonhardt had seen that expression on her, and for a moment, he felt different. But he couldn't afford to get distracted—he still had much to improve.

The Secret of the Magic Instructor

Besides swordsmanship, Leonhardt was also improving in magic. During one of his practice sessions, the advanced magic instructor, Seraphina, called him aside.

"Leonhardt, I want to speak with you."

He looked at her with curiosity. Seraphina was one of the most powerful mages in the academy, and she rarely spoke to students personally.

"Is something wrong, professor?"

She observed him with a piercing gaze before responding.

"Your ability to see statistics… it's not normal."

Leonhardt tensed. Only his family and closest friends knew about that ability.

"How do you know?""Because I've seen something similar before. This is not just a simple skill; it's part of something much greater."

Leonhardt swallowed hard. The way she said it sent chills down his spine.

"What does that mean?""I'm not certain yet, but be careful who you trust."

Leonhardt felt there was much she wasn't telling him, but Seraphina left without saying more.

A Message from the Past

That same night, while reviewing the magic book his father had given him, he found a hidden fragment on one of the pages. It was a strange symbol that glowed with a faint blue light. When he touched it, a voice echoed in his head.

"If you are reading this, it means you have awakened your gift. Do not trust anyone blindly. The fate of this world may depend on you."

Leonhardt felt a chill. Who had left that message, and what did it mean?

A flood of unknown images appeared in his mind. A figure shrouded in shadows, a battlefield engulfed in flames, and in the midst of it all—himself, holding a sword wrapped in a golden aura.

"What… was that?"

His heart pounded. That vision made no sense, but something inside him told him it wasn't just a dream.

A Discovery in His Statistics

Feeling the need to understand more about his situation, he used his ability to check his own statistics.

Name: Leonhardt von EisenbergRace: HumanAge: 12 yearsClass: Apprentice Warrior / Apprentice MageLevel: 18Strength: 35Dexterity: 30Intelligence: 28Vitality: 40Mana: 320

Skills:

[Steel Forging] (Passive) – Greater affinity with weapons and armor.

[Sword Mastery – Intermediate] – Improves sword handling.

[Mana Control – Intermediate] – Allows better use of mana.

Stat Vision] – Allows him to see others' statistics.

[Lightning Charge] – A fast dash that improves mobility in combat.

Leonhardt opened his eyes in surprise.

"I leveled up this much since the tournament?"

Not only that, but his sword mastery and mana control had advanced to the intermediate level. That meant his effort was paying off.

But the most unsettling part was that his Stat Vision ability now showed a small "???" next to its description.

"Was that always there…?"

He had too many questions and too few answers. But if he had learned anything so far, it was that nothing would be solved by staying still.

If he truly wanted to understand his destiny… he had to become even stronger.

"Tomorrow, I'll train twice as hard," he murmured, closing the book with determination.