Chapter 5: The Mark of Power

The training ground was silent, the air thick with anticipation. Valerius stood on an elevated platform, overlooking the warriors who had endured the brutal conditioning of the past weeks. Their bodies were stronger, their movements sharper, and their minds had been refined into instruments of war.

But it was not enough.

Not yet.

Leonidas, standing beside him, crossed his arms. "They've grown. Faster, stronger. But they're still bound by human limitations."

Valerius's golden eyes gleamed. "That changes today."

He raised a single hand, and Marcus stepped forward. The first of the hybrid warriors.

With a subtle motion, Valerius gestured for him to demonstrate.

Marcus moved.

In an instant, he was a blur of motion, closing the distance between himself and one of the knights. The man barely had time to react before Marcus's fist connected with his chest. A shockwave rippled through the training ground.

The knight was sent flying, rolling across the dirt before coming to a halt. A deep silence followed.

The warriors had seen strength before. They had witnessed skilled swordsmanship, seen Magi unleash elemental destruction.

But this?

This was something different.

Valerius stepped forward, his voice smooth and deliberate. "This is the fusion of the Knight and Magus Paths." His gaze swept across the crowd. "For centuries, warriors have accepted their limits. Magi have looked down on those without talent, and knights have resigned themselves to inferiority."

He paused, letting his words settle.

"No more."

Another recruit stepped forward. His name was Gareth, one of the more talented knights. His face was a mixture of awe and doubt. "Can anyone achieve this?"

Valerius nodded. "With my method, yes."

A murmur spread through the gathered warriors.

For the first time, true hope flickered in their eyes.

The Ritual of Augmentation

Inside the underground chamber beneath the Darius estate, Valerius prepared the next phase of his plan. The room was filled with alchemical ingredients, ancient scrolls, and glowing runes inscribed onto the walls.

At the center of the room stood Marcus, stripped to the waist, his body still pulsing with newfound energy.

Leonidas observed from the side. "Are you sure about this?"

Valerius smirked. "Doubt me already?"

Leonidas sighed. "Not doubt. Just caution."

Valerius moved toward the center, holding a vial filled with a dark, silvery liquid. "This is the key," he said, swirling the substance. "It will bind the runic augmentation to their very essence."

He uncorked the vial and dipped a brush into the mixture. Carefully, he traced the runes along Marcus's arms and back, each stroke glowing faintly before settling into his skin.

The final step was a controlled energy infusion. Valerius placed his palm against Marcus's chest, activating the runes. A surge of power rippled through the chamber as Marcus's body absorbed the enhancement.

Then, silence.

Marcus opened his eyes.

For a brief moment, they flickered with a deep, unnatural glow—silver and gold intertwining.

Then he exhaled, his breath steaming in the cool air.

"How do you feel?" Valerius asked.

Marcus clenched his fist, then released it. "Stronger." He looked at his hands. "More… complete."

Valerius's smirk deepened. It worked.

The First Test

By midday, Marcus stood in the center of the training grounds once more. This time, he faced off against three of the strongest warriors—Gregor, Gareth, and Ulric.

It was an unfair match.

Three-on-one.

And yet, Valerius knew how this would end.

"Begin."

Gregor struck first, his sword a blur of steel. Marcus dodged, his body twisting at an unnatural angle before countering with a precise strike to Gregor's ribs.

Gareth and Ulric charged together, one from each side. Marcus moved like liquid shadow, weaving between their attacks with impossible agility.

Then, he struck.

A palm strike to Ulric's chest sent him staggering backward, his breath knocked out. A sweep of his leg brought Gareth to his knees.

The entire fight lasted mere seconds.

When it was over, Marcus stood alone.

Not a single drop of sweat on his brow.

The gathered knights and warriors erupted into murmurs.

This was not mere strength.

This was evolution.

The Power of the Clan

Valerius turned to the gathered warriors. "You have seen what is possible. But this is only the beginning."

He looked at the entire Darius estate. The clan that had once been on the verge of collapse now had the foundation to rise.

They would no longer be weak.

They would no longer cower before the great noble houses.

Valerius clenched his fist.

This was only the first step in his grand design.

The world would soon learn the name Darius once more.

And this time, it would never be forgotten.