After Adrian's departure, Lucius dedicated himself fully to training under Commander Darius. However, to his frustration, Darius only taught him basic swordsmanship—fundamental stances, standard strikes, and basic footwork.
Lucius quickly realized that Darius saw him as weak, giving him less intense training compared to the other knights.
Meanwhile, at night, he focused on strengthening his body to prepare for forming his 3rd Circle as soon as possible.
His brothers and father paid no attention to his progress, as if his efforts were meaningless.
Despite this, Lucius refused to complain. He practiced tirelessly, determined to prove himself.
After two months of relentless training, Lucius felt stuck. He had built his foundation, but he still wasn't learning how to fight.
One day, after training, he approached Commander Darius and said with a firm voice,"I want to learn how to fight."
Darius raised an eyebrow, then smirked."You can barely swing a sword properly. What makes you think you're ready for combat?"
Lucius didn't flinch. He knew he was still weak, but that wasn't going to stop him. He needed to improve.
Seeing his determination, Darius sighed and finally said,"Fine. I will give you one month. If you can land even a single hit on me during a spar, I will personally train you in real combat."
The knights around them chuckled. It was ridiculous. Darius was a veteran knight, and his level of swordsmanship—Advanced Elite—was far beyond what Lucius could handle.
But Lucius accepted the challenge without hesitation.
Lucius now had a goal. If he wanted to win, he had to push himself beyond his limits.
His new routine was brutal:
Mornings: He continued regular training under Commander Darius.
Afternoons: He sparred with lower-ranked knights, trying to gain experience.
Nights: He pushed his body beyond exhaustion, strengthening himself for the 3rd Circle.
Lucius quickly realized something—swordsmanship alone wouldn't be enough.
If he wanted to land a hit on Darius, he needed to be faster, sharper, and unpredictable.
Instead of just swinging his sword mindlessly, Lucius studied Darius's movements during training. He observed how the commander shifted his weight, how he adjusted his stance, and most importantly—he looked for weaknesses.
By the end of the month, the knights started noticing the change in Lucius.
He was still weaker than them, but his movements were sharper, his stamina had improved, and most importantly—his eyes were different.
Even Commander Darius had begun to notice. He hadn't said anything, but Lucius could tell. The way the commander looked at him had changed. It wasn't disappointment anymore—it was curiosity.
The day of the sparring match was now only a few days away.
Lucius stood in his room that night, feeling the pulse of his 2nd Circle. He was close to forming the 3rd Circle, but he wasn't quite there yet.
"Just a little more..."
He clenched his fists. He wasn't going to lose.
The challenge was set. In a few days, he would face Darius.
Would he succeed?
Or would he fail like everyone expected?
Lucius didn't know.
But he was ready to give it everything he had.