Despite the city’s desperate straits that Kai had to manage and butt himself in— now and then, he hadn’t neglected his training.
The pale dawn mist clung to the training grounds, slowly disappearing under the first rays of the rising sun. The air was crisp but warming up gradually.
Usually, he would have been sparring with Killian or running laps around the ground, but there was a change in the routine today.
His spear was on the ground and his palm crackled with a tiny, swirling flame.
"Ready, Killian?" Kai’s voice echoed across the training field. There was a hint of a challenging tone in his voice as he directly looked at Killian, who stood opposite him.
The knight’s eyebrows were knit together in deep focus. His lips formed a thin line as he awaited Kai’s attack.
It had been quite some time since Killian had awakened as an Enforcer and compared to others, he had done the best, slowly getting a hang of cultivating and learning how to enforce his body with mana.
His movements have gotten controlled and more precise than before and he even looked younger. A part of it had to do with the fact that the man rarely took breaks.
Whenever Kai would look for him, he would either be training, teaching, making rounds of the city or cultivating. Most of the time, it would be the last thing since according to him, it was an addiction that was improving his body.
Kai had let him be since it was one of the effects cultivation had on Enforcers. Unlike Mages, they could directly feel their bodies becoming stronger and faster day by day, gaining a sense of pleasure out of it.
He had never seen the man as a cultivation junkie, but he now looked every bit of it.
Today when they walked into the training ground, Killian had requested to do some movement training and Kai complied with it, wanting to know how fast he had gotten.
"Yes, Lord Arzan," came Killian’s response.
Kai waited patiently, letting the heat in his palms and the anticipation build. All the while he shifted the flames back and forth between his two hands.
Killian’s eyes didn’t leave the fireball for even a second, not knowing when it would come his way.
Finally, after seconds had built into minutes, he caught Killian’s momentarily distracted gaze.
With a subtle motion of his wrist, Kai launched the fireball at him.
It arced through the air in a flaming trajectory, leaving a trail of scorched grass in its wake. Killian didn’t flinch. Years of practised reflexes as a knight, honed further by training as an Enforcer, came into play. He took a single, measured step to the side, the fiery projectile passing harmlessly inches from his shoulder.
A gust of wind roared past him just as quickly. Kai, wasting no time, had followed up the fireball with a well-timed [Gust] spell. But Killian, anticipating this move, pivoted on his heel, the wind whipping past him like a disappointed breeze.
"Perhaps a bit more heat, Lord Arzan," Killian shrugged his shoulder with his hand. "And a touch more speed on those spells. We won’t be facing campfire embers when the beast wave arrives."
Kai smirked.
The familiar routine eased the tension that had been building within him.
He channelled more mana, the fireball in his hand intensifying until it crackled with a fierce orange glow. This time, when he launched it, it was accompanied by a swirling vortex of wind, creating a miniature firestorm that hurtled towards Killian.
A flurry of activity replaced the single attacks.
Kai, his mind playing over and over Killian’s challenge, wove a tapestry of fire and wind.
Bolts of fire rained down like meteors, each accompanied by a howling gust that threatened to knock Killian off his feet.
The knight dodged with a grace that belied his massive build. Spins, ducks, and last-second leaps became a blur as he navigated the onslaught.
"Impressive," Kai said with a grunt. Killian had certainly improved. "Your agility has improved by leaps. A few months back, I doubt you would have managed that."
Killian, panting slightly, grinned. It was at these rare moments in the practice grounds, high with adrenaline that Killian broke into a grin, sometimes full-blown laughter when he was challenged enough. His usual stoic mask disappeared at such times— the training ground seemed to be when he was mostly carefree and yet, serious in what he did.
As the training continued, Kai thought more and more about how Killian really suited being a battle junkie.
Kai let him take a breath and removed the spell structure from his palm. "How was that?"
"I see," Kai said. "The ankle vault focuses on agility and reflexes. Once you fully cultivate it, your [Lightning Step] will become like second nature, allowing you to react and manoeuvre with incredible speed."
Each vault corresponded to a different part of the body and developed in such a way that gave Enforcers a lot of freedom on how they wanted to cultivate them.
There was no set order— Enforcers were able to cultivate them according to their fighting style and desired build. It was all about optimization, maximizing the enforcer’s potential.
Kai had even heard of a few clans that would grow only a certain kind of build of Enforcers, letting them have an extremely strong band of warriors that would specialise in cultivating their vaults in a set order.
As he thought about Enforcer clans, a frown creased Killian’s brow. "But how’d I do it, Lord Arzan? You yourself said you haven’t given me any battle or defence techniques, only cultivation exercises."
Kai scratched his head as he thought back on the question. Since he had no idea about Enforcer techniques, he wasn’t able to write them down. He had seen techniques in action, but he didn’t know the principle behind them.
He only knew that Enforcers were able to use body techniques and synergize them with their elements. Most of these were passed down from every generation.
However, it wasn’t as if there were no exceptions.
"Hmm, that’s a good question. I believe it’s innate. Enforcers are different from Mages. Mages are methodical, and all about intricate spells and formulas. You, on the other hand, are more like... instinctual warriors. Your techniques can manifest based on raw power and a deep understanding of your element."
"So, the thought of dodging your attacks, wanting to move like lightning itself... that triggered the spark?"
"Exactly." Kai snapped his fingers. "You focused on the feeling, the desire for speed, and your body responded. Now, the trick is to refine that instinct into a proper technique."
Killian paused a moment, probably thinking of what he had felt during the training and how he could work with it. "I can do that, Lord Arzan. I’ll focus on that feeling, and develop a movement technique based on it. I would be able to get it with some practice hopefully."
Kai nodded, clapping Killian on the shoulder. "Practice you’ll have, Killian. Just do as you said, focus on the feeling and develop a movement technique. It won’t be easy but since we will be on the move soon, you’ll get enough time to think about it."
"On the move soon?" Killian immediately asked.
"We’re leaving for the capital soon."
Killian looked at him with surprise in his eyes. "The capital, Lord Arzan? I thought you had no intention of going with the Archine Tower Mages?"
Kai smiled. "You thought I would ignore the summon letter of a group of Mages that are one of the most powerful and political forces in the kingdom. I don’t think I would be able to stand against a Magus in my current stage. Those are entirely different beasts and could handle a dozen Actra on their own."
"Forgive me, Lord Arzan. You’ve rarely listened to our suggestions in the past months. So, even this time, I thought you would be ignoring the summons."
Kai winced internally. He wondered if he came across like that.
He quickly brushed the thought aside. "Actually," he said, his voice firm. "There’s two reasons I want to go. Firstly, I need to get the Archine Tower off my back. I doubt they would take no for an answer, so I would meet their investigation and make sure they know what happened with Actra. We didn’t send a report with any lies, so we should be good. Also, we need to inform the Kingdom of the Beast wave since we aren’t getting any help in the region. I could do it while dealing with the investigation."
"What’s the second reason?" Killian asked.
"We need to get more resources for the beast wave."
He raised an eyebrow. "Resources?"
"Indeed," Kai said, his voice taking on a more serious tone. "Malden will be getting a shipment of construction materials for the wall rebuilding. But manpower will be tight. Francis and I discussed hiring some skilled workers from the capital. Other than the construction work, I was going to look into a blacksmith and alchemist."
"Blacksmith?" Killian echoed. "But what about old man Jeb? He’s been the castle blacksmith for years."
Kai sighed. "Jeb’s a good man, Killian. But I’ve seen his work. He’s excellent at repairs and basic weaponry. What I need is very different. Let’s just say it requires a different skill set."
"And an alchemist?" Killian inquired, his brow furrowing further. "They are rare. I have only seen a few aside from you."
"Exactly, that’s why we need to establish an alchemical workshop to attract more of them. Also, I need them before the beast wave hits. It’ll give us a significant advantage in terms of potions and supplies."
Killian nodded in agreement, as his gaze drifted towards the distant horizon. "The Archine Tower is imposing, Lord Arzan. I don’t know how that would go since Mages are mostly aloof, but from the way those two Mages acted, I don’t think it would be a nice experience."
Kai sighed and nodded. Even if the report they sent was true, some questions were going to be brought up as to how Kai had awakened and gotten so strong.
He would have to deal with those and he doubted the Mage culture liked reasonable conversations over needless aggression going by how the two apprentices have acted.
"Don’t worry, Killian. We’re not walking into this blind. I have a plan, and we’ll deal with the Tower accordingly."