Alex stood at the center of the training room, his breath steady, his muscles loose yet primed for what was to come. Across from him, his master—the Sword Empress—watched with her usual piercing gaze, arms crossed over her chest.
Today was different. There was a weight in the air, an unspoken significance to this session.
She wasn't just going to train him. She was going to pass down her swordsmanship.
"Up until now, I've only taught you the basics." Alicia said, her icy blue eyes locking onto his. "Fundamental techniques that form the foundation of any swordsman. While I refined them, they were still techniques you could find elsewhere."
They were necessary building blocks—for what came next.
"But what I'm about to teach you now," she continued, raising her blade, "is mine alone."
This wasn't something one could find in a manual or learn in a knight academy. It wasn't a set of practiced forms passed down through generations.
It was her own. A sword art that embodied her very essence.
For the first time, she was going to teach it to someone else.
Her style was simple at its core—yet merciless in execution. Brutal. Overwhelming. A relentless force that crushed all in its path.
And now, it would be his to learn.
Before Alicia could begin teaching Alex her personal sword style, a thought crossed her mind. She paused, furrowing her brows slightly before letting out a small sigh.
"Actually, before we get to that, there's something else you need to learn first." she said, lowering her sword.
Alex blinked. "Something else?"
Alicia nodded, crossing her arms. "Back in the dungeon, I noticed you struggling to cut through the boss monster. That shouldn't have happened. Your slashes should have easily sliced through the Hobgoblin."
Alex recalled the battle. It was true—he had relied more on magic and brute force than clean swordplay.
The D-rank sword the system gave him had shattered the moment he tried to attack an A-rank monster. Now, he wielded an ordinary blade—no enchantments, no reinforcement, nothing to enhance its sharpness or durability.
"Mana Infusion," Alicia said. "It's the most basic method of enhancing a weapon—channeling mana directly into it to improve its strength and durability. Magic artifacts have built-in enhancements, but you should still be able to reinforce a normal weapon with your own mana."
She stepped forward, drawing her sword. A faint, almost imperceptible glow spread along the blade as she channeled mana into it. "Like this. Focus your mana and let it flow into the weapon, reinforcing it."
Alex focused, feeling the mana within his core, then carefully guided it to his hand, channeling it into the blade. Slowly, a faint sheen covered the weapon, and as he pushed more mana into it, a bright glow surrounded the sword.
"Good," Alicia said, then her tone shifted. "But—"
A loud crack interrupted her.
Before she could finish her sentence, Alex's sword vibrated violently—then shattered into countless metal fragments, scattering across the floor.
Silence followed.
Alex stared blankly at the broken hilt in his hand, expecting an immediate scolding. He had been so focused on channeling mana into the weapon that he hadn't controlled the output properly.
But instead of berating him, Alicia stepped closer, scanning him for injuries. "Are you hurt?" There was a hint of concern in her voice.
Alex shook his head. "I'm fine… just surprised."
Alicia exhaled, relieved, before clicking her tongue in irritation. "I was about to warn you to control the mana output. You dumped too much in at once. A normal sword isn't built to handle that level of reinforcement. It's like forcing a weak container to hold an ocean—it'll break under the pressure."
Without hesitation, she reached into her storage ring and pulled out another sword, tossing it to him.
"Try again," Alicia instructed. "And this time, control the amount of mana you're using."
This time, Alex carefully channeled his mana into the sword.
A faint glow appeared once again, but unlike before, the blade remained steady—no violent vibrations, no cracks forming. He could feel it—the mana reinforcing the sword, making it sharper, stronger. With an experimental swing, the air whistled as the blade cut through it far more smoothly than before.
His eyes widened slightly. "Wow… this is really cool."
"But remember, the effect isn't permanent. Once the mana runs out, you'll have to infuse it again."
[A new technique has been registered]
==============================
Technique: Mana Infusion
Description: After the user channels their mana directly into a weapon or object, it reinforces its structure and enhances its properties temporarily. The more mana infused, the sharper, stronger, and more durable the object becomes.
==============================
A thought suddenly crossed his mind, and he turned to her. "Would this be considered magic?"
Alicia shook her head almost immediately. "My disciple," she said, her tone laced with amusement. "Anyone can use this technique. The reason people mistake it for magic is simply because most lack the mana to do it." She tapped the hilt of her sword.
"Think of it like breathing. Just because most people can't hold their breath underwater for long doesn't mean it's a special ability—it's just a limitation of their capacity. The same applies here. Ordinary people don't have enough mana to sustain Mana Infusion, so they assume it's magic."
Alex nodded as he absorbed the explanation.
Alicia shifted the conversation. "Mana Infusion is only the beginning," she continued. "Some people go beyond this, combining their lifeforce with mana. They call it battle aura or fighting spirit. It enhances their bodies and weapons even further."
Alex raised an eyebrow. "Is that stronger than Mana Infusion?"
Alicia shrugged. "It's more advanced, but it has its drawbacks. For now, don't concern yourself with that. Your focus should be on what I'm about to teach you next."
Her gaze sharpened, and with a single motion, she raised her sword. The air around her shifted—tense yet electric.
The real lesson was about to begin.
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆
In the courtyard, Alex was on the defensive, beads of sweat forming on his forehead as he narrowly dodged yet another barrage of Light Spears. They came from all directions—some arcing unpredictably, others shooting toward him like arrows, unrelenting in their pursuit.
Priscilla lounged lazily in her chair, her chin resting on her palm, legs crossed as she conjured more projectiles with an absentminded flick of her fingers. Despite her relaxed posture, her focus was razor-sharp. She watched him closely, ensuring he had no chance to breathe.
While Alicia was busy with some work, Alex found himself in the courtyard, practicing his magic with Priscilla.
"Tsk, you're still too slow." she mused, lazily sending another three spears his way.
Alex twisted his body, narrowly evading the first spear, but the second grazed his shoulder, sending a sharp sting of pain through him. He clenched his jaw. Even though these attacks were non-lethal, the burning sensation they left behind was no joke.
'Damn it, this is getting ridiculous,' he thought, gritting his teeth. 'She's definitely speeding them up, but she's pretending she isn't.'
Another spear shot toward him, and this time, he reacted on instinct. Instead of dodging, he extended his hand and cast
A jagged wall of blackened ice erupted before him, thick and dense. The Light Spear slammed into it, its impact sending cracks through the frozen structure before it shattered into dark shards.
For a brief moment, Priscilla's usual amusement flickered into something else. That ice…
She had seen his spells before. His Dark Ice was impressive, sure, but this—this was different. The ice had formed instantly, solid and durable enough to completely negate her attack. It wasn't a gradual improvement. It was a leap in strength.
She initially assumed his magic power or spell mastery had improved—both logical possibilities. But achieving such rapid growth in such a short time? That should have been impossible.
Yet, this wasn't just a simple improvement.
The ice felt different—denser, more refined, and more potent than before. It wasn't just a matter of his Dark Ice spell becoming stronger; there was something fundamentally changed about it.
Her golden eyes narrowed slightly. 'How did his Dark Ice suddenly become this strong?'
Without breaking her casual facade, she lazily asked, "Your Dark Ice… it's stronger than before. What happened?"
Still catching his breath, Alex glanced at her before replying, his tone deceptively nonchalant.
"I awakened Ice magic."
Priscilla's hand froze mid-air, her usual lazy demeanor momentarily fading.
For the first time, her smirk faltered.
"…You what?"