Chapter 27: Forging a Weapon

The bruises faded, but the lessons remained.

Kael continued pushing her past her limits, breaking the weakness out of her. She was no longer just surviving—she was adapting, improving.

1. Stealth & Silent Movement

Her first lesson was silence.

"An assassin is a shadow. If you are seen, you have already failed."

Kael had her walk blindfolded through an obstacle course—sharp stones, broken wood, and traps scattered across the ground. If she made a sound, she had to start over. At first, she tripped, her body betraying her. But she learned.

By the end of the week, she could move without a single sound, her footsteps lighter than air.

[Skill Acquired: Silent Step]

Your footsteps make no sound, even on unstable surfaces.

2. Dagger Mastery & Precision Strikes

Kael handed her a dagger and pointed to a row of hanging fruit.

"Cut them in half before they fall."

She missed the first few, her strikes too slow. But repetition burned the motion into her body. She no longer hesitated. The dagger felt like an extension of herself.

Soon, she could slice through multiple targets in a single motion.

[Skill Acquired: Precise Slash]

Increased accuracy and lethality when using daggers.

3. Shadow Endurance

"Your body is still too weak."

Kael increased her physical training—running with weights, holding a plank until her arms gave out, sparring with him until she could barely breathe.

At first, she collapsed every time. But each day, she endured a little longer.

Her muscles hardened. Her speed increased.

Kael watched in silence, knowing she was no longer just a fragile girl—she was becoming a weapon.

[Skill Acquired: Shadow's Endurance]

Increased stamina and pain resistance.

—

One night, Kael observed her as she practiced alone, repeating her strikes long after he had dismissed her.

She was no longer the broken girl he had bought at the auction.

She was something more.

A blade waiting to be unsheathed.