Every single person had heard of Dragon Hearts and their power. However, only a few nations have dungeons where they could obtain those. Leon considered the idea of causing a few dungeon breaks to get them, but considering that he had thousands of them inside his magic box, that was a plan for the future. In any case, every soldier dreamed of someday eating them since they granted status bonuses, but they were expensive, and most countries who had, didn't sell them. Amanda was also one of those who thought that it would be awesome if she could eat a few... but she changed her mind when she saw the real thing.
"What an unsightly thing…" Amanda frowned.
"It is the core of a monster… it isn't supposed to be a masterpiece of a cook; it is supposed to keep them alive and working." Leon explained. "Anyway, it's relatively big, and it's ugly. However, it can be cooked, and it's delicious. So try not to be so pesky."
It was the size of the human head, and since it was pure meat, it could easily be a regular meal of someone who has a big appetite. Most people would have a hard time eating something so big, but it was necessary to gain status bonuses.
"Leon, why the sudden interest in training?" Hector frowned.
"… What would happen if the dragons return to attack us again?" Leon asked.
"Many people would die…" Hector answered.
"How would you feel if you see hundreds of people dying in front of you in such a situation?" Leon asked again.
"… Powerless, I guess." Hector answered.
"That is the kind of scenario I want to avoid," Leon explained. "We are more or less practicing everyday magic and our fighting styles against monsters, but I can't remember the last time I really struggled in a fight after I left the island. I learned a few tricks since then, but I don't think I grew all that much. Besides, skills and spells level up faster if you use them in real targets."
Well, I know that…" Hector scratched the back of his head. "But we are not even on the same level as Betty and Lennart are. I think you can find better sparring partners."
"… I don't need sparring partners; I need to train with those I can trust." Leon sighed. "If something like this happens again, but this time several cities get attacked at the same time. What do you think will happen?"
"I guess you won't be able to protect all of them unless you use your zombies," Hector answered.
"That's right. However, I won't use that skill unless it's absolutely necessary." Leon explained. "The world can't rely on a single person. Besides, if I make the zombies do all the work, you guys or I won't be able to grow. If we rely too much on that skill, eventually, we will face an unbeatable enemy because our growth stopped. When that time comes, not even zombies will save us."
"I guess the battle in Fortaleza left quite the mark in you," Hector said.
"Yes, it did." Leon closed his eyes. "And I don't want to feel like that ever again. So, just prepare yourselves because I need you guys to reach my power level."
"Well, if that is your goal, then bring it on!" Hector smirked. "I want to obtain the power to kick your ass and make you stop talking crap to me every goddamn day. Ouch!"
Amanda kicked Hector's leg because he was getting carried away. Regardless, everyone accepted the idea. Leon wasn't the one who think they were relying on himself too much. However, they couldn't do anything about it since they had responsibilities, and fight difficult enemies became almost impossible with so many soldiers in Las Vegas. But now they could themselves growing using dragon hearts and training with someone who did only that literally for years.
After that, everyone went to do their own things. While Lennart was looking after Gisela, Amanda and Hector used their free time to stay with Maya. As for Betty and Sasha, they went to their rooms to rest since they couldn't sleep well on Leon's earth platform. Leon spent the rest of the day teaching the soldiers of that city and informing them that he would change the time of the lessons. To make things more efficient, he would teach the four groups from 08:00 AM to 04:00 PM. During that time, the soldiers who would protect the city would be Hector's subordinates and any of the soldiers who might skip their turn of watching the boundaries of the city. Would get kicked out immediately from the lessons.
After dinner, Leon started to work on his new project, the underground training arena. Fortunately, there was no sewer under Amanda's house, so Leon had an easy time creating the arena. He just had to dig, move the earth to outside the city, and reinforce the wall with steel plates to avoid the collapse of the place.
Leon worked hard, and since he received those items that increased his recovery from the survivors of Fortaleza as a gift, he finished the job in a single night. With all his mana, Leon could move sixty tons of earth every minute. If moving so much earth wasn't such a slow process, he probably would use it as a means of attack. Anyway, when it dawned, Leon had finished the two hundred meters long and wide arena. It was located fifty meters under Amanda's house, and even though it wasn't only ten meters tall, Leon had enough room to fly. The interior was lacking a little since it was too simplistic, but he was satisfied with, nonetheless.
"Now, I just need to make the time pass here three hundred and sixty-five times faster… just kidding."