Preparing for the Impending Crisis

“You possess unique martial talent.”

Facing Lei in the training grounds, Doyun addressed him.

“Unique?”

“First, I should explain what constitutes martial arts.”

“…But I already know martial arts.”

Lei pursed his lips with a displeased look.

‘Teaching me martial arts?’

Was he really making such an offer to him?

Lei felt drawn to Doyun’s profound aura. Yet this situation vexed him.

Half-dragon. The youngest Paladin in history. The genius of the Lei lineage bearing the densest draconic bloodline. Such were the accolades attributed to Lei.

Yet he, a genius prodigy, was to receive instruction not from his master or senior, but an ordinary Paladin?

‘Though Master told me to learn, still…’

Doyun’s peerless strength was well-known. But emotions did not bend to reason so readily.

Moreover, Lei was still young and somewhat childish, fueling his petulance.

However, his feelings did not linger.

“Attack me.”

“…Pardon?”

“Use everything you’ve got. All your martial skills – attack me with full force.”

“Seriously?”

Lei furrowed his brows. This guy was really riling him up now.

Although stronger, if Lei went all-out, wouldn’t the senior sustain severe injuries too? He did have draconic blood after all.

“…You told me to attack.”

“Yes. Come at me with all you’ve got.”

Lei lashed out instantly, scales and claws bursting forth mid-motion.

No fixed stances involving hips, legs or even shoulders – a pure reflexive strike. Yet remarkably sharp and swift, evoking admiration even from Doyun towards his inborn draconic physique and reflexes.

And Lei’s claws pierced Doyun’s cranium.

“Huh?”

Startled, Lei flinched before realizing no impact or blood.

Refocusing, he saw Doyun’s head right beside his palm – having simply tilted aside at the last instant to evade the strike.

No afterimages, yet seemingly deceived by one – a remarkably subtle movement.

“Tch…!”

Lei grit his teeth as fangs protruded and his eyes slit like a reptile’s. A tail and wings sprouted from his back.

A barrage of strikes like driving rain pelted Doyun.

Five-pronged claws rent at his figure as his tail whipped like a scourge.

Feral bestial movements, vicious and powerful – the claws and tail not of mere beasts, but a veritable half-dragon.

Yet not a single blow landed.

Shrasshh!

Fwoosh!

Swishh-

“Tch!”

The air tore and burst in varying tones.

No matter how frantically Lei flailed, not one strike connected with Doyun.

For most attacks, Doyun had already evaded before Lei’s limbs even moved. When blows did seem to land, they were merely illusions like before – subtle feints.

In other words, Doyun was never present at Lei’s striking points.

‘Damn it!’

Just like sparring his master and senior.

No. Unlike his senior evading everything with overwhelming Agility 8 speed, this was akin to facing his master.

His fists fell short of the expected range, the rhythms constantly out of sync – clearly faster, yet unable to land a blow.

Shrasshh-

Shraak!

“Gyaaah–!”

As Doyun ducked, Lei’s stabbing claws plunged into the earth.

Bang!

The training grounds’ floor shattered violently.

“Enough.”

Doyun spoke with Lei’s wrist underfoot.

“Phew…”

Lei caught his breath. Despite Vitality 7, that brief skirmish had left him oddly winded.

Once Lei retracted his hand and stood upright, Doyun continued.

“Now evade.”

In an instant, Doyun drew the Jupiter sword at his waist, slashing at Lei’s neck.

An overwhelming speed strike enhanced through localized acceleration control. Yet Lei’s eyes had already tracked the blade’s path.

Arching his neck back nimbly, he evaded the sudden attack with ease – a half-dragon’s razor reflexes indeed.

“And this.”

The Jupiter emerged again before even sheathing fully. Yet Lei sensed something amiss.

‘Slower?’

Far slower than before, the blade swung solely through physical might without mana reinforcement.

When should he evade this one? Perhaps like the senior, dodge at the last moment? Watching the blade’s path leisurely, Lei pondered. But.

‘Huh?’

The sword vanished. No, it extended…

Thwack-

“Ugh!”

A dull impact struck Lei’s head heavily.

His head snapped sideways as he instantly realized the disorienting blow’s source – the Jupiter’s flat edge swung upright to slap his temple.

Doyun’s specialty of rapidly channeling mana to enhance only localized portions of his body – localized acceleration control. Applying its principles differently, this strike accelerated only midway through the sword’s trajectory.

Leaving a trail of golden after-rings reminiscent of an afterimage, this sublime yet beautiful sword path drew admiration. The so-called ‘Gilded Phosphorescence Sword’ technique.

“Did you see?”

“Huh? N-, No I didn’t…”

Precisely – he missed it, thus getting hit.

“…Not that. Did you see it’s not just about speed?”

Lei looked puzzled.

“This is martial arts. Spatial dominance through range control. Breath control through timing adjustments. All of this comprises martial arts.”

Lei surpassed Doyun in strength, speed and even magic power.

Yet he could not land a single blow, while Doyun could claim his head within 10 moves.

Just as Lei likened it to facing his master – an overwhelming skill gap.

“Others consciously learn and apply all these elements. But you, Lei, are unique.”

He fought feral and instinctive like a beast.

Rather than employing learned martial formulas, he acted on draconic instincts ingrained into his body – limbs moving of their own accord.

Far more effective than rote training.

“Hence, Heclaeus’s style will suit you well.”

Heclaeus’s style could scarcely be called a proper martial art. It merely named the innate motions that genius naturally embodied.

The one who christened it was none other than Enoch himself, not its practitioner Heclaeus.

“We will imbue Heclaeus’s formulas into your instincts and habits. That is the goal of your upcoming training.”

Listening nearby, Duke Noir nodded approvingly. As expected of Sir Enoch, accurately pinpointing Lei’s strengths.

Having recognized Lei’s special talent, Duke Noir had trained him thus far.

Analyzing and refining such innate gifts required the elite caliber of instructors like Duke Noir and Doyun – the culmination being the youngest Paladin, Lei, produced through their efforts.

Yet Duke Noir had reached his limit, as had Lei alongside other experts in their plateau. Then Doyun, the paramount mentor, arrived.

Oblivious for now, Lei would gradually realize the profound opportunity he had chanced upon.

Just as the geniuses Enoch had nurtured a century ago. Just as the students at his previous haven had marveled at his tutelage.

Initially dismissive, Lei now felt this was indeed professional-level instruction.

‘Yet he’s not much older than me…?’

Still, Doyun exuded a seasoned aura rivaling his own master’s.

Naturally – even the formidable Duke Noir was not yet a centenarian.

In contrast, Doyun had witnessed geniuses’ growths, peaks, deaths and even rebirths innumerable times over his 200+ years. None across the continent could nurture talents better.

Despite initial reluctance, Lei soon immersed himself in Doyun’s lessons.

“Shall we begin right away then? Are you available?”

“Huh? Ah, yes!”

Duke Noir beamed with immense pride.

His disciple would learn one of the continent’s three paramount martial arts – his aged heart raced with elation.

Martial arts were their vision. Though united against the Dark Lord forces, imparting that ideal proved arduous.

Truly befitting Sir Enoch who had personally nurtured countless geniuses.

However, Doyun harbored an ulterior motive for instructing Lei beyond what he revealed to them.

‘We need every possible edge, as swiftly as feasible.’

An ominous premonition lingered.

His insistence to Duke Noir and Winny on intensifying his growth before the Apopis battle stemmed from this constantly gnawing sense of foreboding.

Doyun possessed an acute nose for war – less an intuition than a form of big data amassed over 200 years of experience.

His instincts warned of a truly monumental crisis looming.

‘The next war… will be immensely arduous.’

Lei possessed talent – being the youngest Paladin proved it.

Yet compared to his innate abilities and martial gifts, his potential remained untapped.

Hence Doyun’s decision to mentor Lei. He had also urgently accelerated Brunhilde’s training of late.

Doyun was already preparing for the next war. A colossal one.

As Doyun organized his thoughts, Lei tentatively asked:

“But how do you know Heclaeus’s style, Senior?”