The First Circle and the Path of the Sword
The morning air was crisp, the training ground coated in a thin layer of frost.
Averis sat cross-legged, sweat beading on his forehead as he focused his mana inward. The world around him faded, his breath steady as he reached toward something just out of grasp.
It had been weeks—weeks of relentless training, of pushing his body and mind beyond their limits, of failing over and over again.
Today, that failure would end.
His mana surged, wild yet controlled. It had taken everything—his spirit's guidance, his father's relentless training, and his own sheer stubbornness—but the moment had finally arrived.
A final push. A final shift.
The chaotic storm within him stilled. Mana compressed, folding in on itself, condensing until—
Click.
Averis's eyes snapped open as a sensation unlike any before washed over him. A perfect circle of mana pulsed around his heart, stable, complete, unbreakable.
> [Mana Circle Formation – 100% Complete]
[New Passive Effect: Core Stability – MOS Side Effects Neutralized]
For the first time in his life, his mana felt… whole.
> Frozen Raven (calmly): "Finally. You took long enough."
Averis (exhaling, smiling faintly): "Shut up."
He stood, feeling the difference immediately. No more instability. No more backlash. Just power, steady and waiting.
It was time to face his father.
---
Aldric's Judgment – "Now, We Begin."
Aldric stood in the training hall, arms crossed, watching as Averis approached. His sharp black eyes swept over his son, reading every detail.
> Aldric (calmly): "It's done?"
Averis (nodding): "Yes."
Aldric's gaze lingered on him for a long moment. Then, a single nod.
> Aldric: "With this, you will no longer be affected by MOS. But your real training begins now."
Averis barely had time to register his words before his father drew his sword.
> Averis (blinking): "Wait, already?"
Aldric: "You wasted enough time forming your circle. Now, we forge it into strength."
Averis sighed. Of course.
---
The Path of the Sword – A New Level of Training
If he thought training was hard before, he was a fool.
Aldric was merciless.
Sword drills until his arms felt like lead.
Gravity training—his movements slowed, his steps heavy.
Sparring against multiple opponents, forcing him to adapt.
Training with weights strapped to his limbs—even during noble etiquette, history, and dance lessons.
And the worst part? His father never slowed down.
> Averis (panting, collapsing to the ground): "You… really don't believe in rest, do you?"
Aldric (raising an eyebrow): "Rest? You want rest? Then win."
His father's philosophy was simple: Break, recover, repeat—until strength was inevitable.
The Frozen Raven, perched nearby, occasionally offered commentary.
> Frozen Raven: "You swing too rigidly. Flow with the strike, do not force it."
Averis (gritted teeth, blocking a strike): "Easier said than done."
Frozen Raven: "Not my problem."
Even his spirits were getting involved—guiding his movements, enhancing his strikes, and testing his endurance.
And then came the true horror—Ravenshade sword techniques.
---
The True Power of House Ravenshade
Averis had always known his father was one of the strongest swordsmen in the North. But now, he was starting to understand why.
The Ravenshade sword style was brutal yet elegant.
Every movement precise, every attack designed to overwhelm.
It was not just about strength—it was about control. About adaptability.
And Aldric expected him to master it.
> Aldric (watching as Averis barely dodges a strike): "You rely too much on instinct. Learn to read the flow."
Averis (gritting his teeth): "I'm trying."
Aldric (calmly): "Try harder."
He had no choice but to adapt.
With his mana finally stable, his body strengthening, his spirit guiding him—Averis was no longer just surviving his father's training.
He was learning. Growing. Becoming something more.
And then—it happened.
A single strike.
Fast. Clean. His sword grazing his father's arm.
A pause. Silence.
Then, Aldric smirked.
> Aldric: "Good. But don't get arrogant."
Averis (panting, smirking back): "Wouldn't dream of it."
And just like that—his true journey began.
END OF CHAPTER