Sir Hero, It’s Time to Train!

Mana, by its very nature, did not have form.

Like air, it was shapeless, colorless, and even lacked any scent. However, this was true only in its unrefined, natural state.

When mana was artificially processed, it could be redefined to suit its user, and in some cases, its very properties could undergo a transformation. Thus, clans or organizations that have persisted for a long time have seen their unique traits reflected in their mana. The same applied to the Count Worden’s family.

“Just by drawing out mana, a gust forms, right?”

The mana harnessed by Roberto’s sword seemed irregular and chaotic at first glance, but that was precisely the “Worden” family’s signature—the wind.

“It reminds me of my master.”

Recalling the time when his master had wandered in their past life, it was clear that they hadn’t even awakened their wave power, let alone achieved body activation.

There was no way to learn the family’s secret arts or seek advice from Roberto during that time.

Even so, the mana Roberto now displayed had the same properties as his master’s.

That was the power inherent to prestigious families—the essence of humans who have built up centuries of history.

Sharing the same roots meant they bore the same fruits. In his past life, Christian had been part of the root that belonged to the great tree known as Worden.

Perhaps, he was the last heir to the name Worden. It was only that while crafting the Ether Weapon using a dragon’s Spirit Stone, the nature of his mana had shifted a bit.

“… The wind, isn’t it amazing?”

At a small murmur beside him, Christian brushed his fluttering hair aside and glanced at Aira.

There, with a heart too excited to contain, Aira was gazing intensely at Roberto, or more precisely, at the swirling wind encircling Roberto’s sword.

Her eyes shone with such intensity that it was almost frightening.

“You seem to be enjoying yourself, aren’t you scared?”

To Christian’s question, Aira, still fixated on Roberto’s sword, spoke up.

“Shouldn’t I enjoy it? Oh, well, you probably sparred with Father with his mana unleashed like that, didn’t you? But this is my first time today! Can’t I be a little happy?”

“Uh, uh? Oh, um… Sorry?”

Whether or not such sparring had actually taken place, for Aira’s previous level, sparring with such fiercely endowed mana would have been way too advanced.

Swinging a sword imbued with such violent mana at a young daughter who hadn’t achieved body activation?

It was something unthinkable. Just…

“I learned it like that, though.”

Christian, even before sensing mana, had been taught while being relentlessly beaten with a club imbued with his master’s mana and affection.

Whether that was because it was effective, or because he was simply a genius, he couldn’t tell anymore. But watching Aira, he could somewhat understand his master’s intentions.

‘Perhaps master was violent because of unresolved inferiority from childhood… or maybe she just hit because I resembled Christian?’

The more he got to know Aira, the more the words from the master seemed significant.

Naming him Christian before hitting, or overworking him beyond necessity, had poignant implications.

As thoughts of his master’s past actions crossed his mind, seeing a delighted Aira beside him somehow made Christian feel mischievous.

“If you’re not ready yet, should we do it again after dinner?”

This was not a battle intended to take lives, but a spar.

Roberto had no intention of attacking or making the first move, as he was merely curious about his children’s achievements.

To ease the tension between the siblings, he threw a light-hearted joke and observed their reactions. He anticipated how the children would judge and act this time.

Especially the intense eyes of Aira watching him.

Her fiery determination even in a disadvantageous situation brought an involuntary smile to Roberto’s face.

“Could that child read the wind?”

However, Christian seemed slightly different.

Unlike Aira, who didn’t show emotions on her face, Christian’s eyes harbored an enigmatic emotion.

It wasn’t pure competitive spirit, nor was it fear. His gaze was one of curiosity, as though he was assessing himself.

“Swing freely like before. I’ll watch your back.”

“Feels like I’m at a disadvantage, though?!”

“Then do you want to decide with rock-paper-scissors?”

“Oh, really!”

Boom—!

With a huge rumble, Aira darted forward, prompting a slight tremor in Roberto’s body.

“You’re still fast.”

Even with merely naturally occurring, shapeless mana, such power was astounding.

Roberto marveled as Aira charged faster than he’d anticipated.

Swoosh—!

Even though Aira swung her sword first, Roberto’s blade reached her first. At the same time, the mana imbued in his sword expanded into a wide, swirling wind.

A giant and concentrated mana gust engulfed Aira. She hesitated for a moment when faced with the wind that wrapped and pressed down on her, attempting to retract her sword.

However…

“Don’t stop, just go through and slash.”

Seemingly arriving by her side without notice, Christian maintained composure amid the storm.

Aira, erasing her brief hesitation at his voice, instead activated her entire body’s mana against the wind, focusing it into her sword.

The faint wave that had lingered on the sword’s blade now erupted to envelope its entire form. Watching this, Christian couldn’t help but admire inwardly.

‘Already nearing the art of a sword aura.’

A sword hardened by filling it with waves— sword aura.

Close to effortlessly passing the first step that one goes through before using the wave-Transformation, the sight of Aira brought a smile to Christian’s face.

‘Praises can come later, for now…’

Christian, too, infused his sword with a wave and swung it down alongside Aira in support.

Wave Application – Willow Stream

“…?!”

Shhh—!

The massive windstorm that had threatened to swallow the siblings split into two under Christian’s sword.

Unlike Aira who had seen it once before, Roberto stood stunned at the startling scene before him, momentarily forgetting the spar and gaped in awe.

“Haa!”

Then, like a pre-agreed series of coordinated attacks, Aira swung her sword. Watching the blade approach dangerously close, Roberto snapped to his senses and evaded swiftly.

Aira also seemed to know he would dodge and swung her sword even more vigorously, sticking closely to her father.

“A powerful and resolute attack…”

Aira’s offense was a deadly blow, drawing mana to its extreme.

Roberto could have similarly drawn upon his own mana for a power contest, but concerned for his still young daughter’s wellbeing, he focused solely on evasion.

“That kid’s adding wings.”

More than anything, Aira could focus solely on the attack, leaving out defense and evasion, thanks to Christian’s interjections whenever Roberto attempted to clamp down on her.

Christian concentrated on intercepting attacks threatening Aira, breaking the flow in the process.

Attack and defense—the siblings moved as one, seamlessly. Roberto, finding this highly intriguing, watched the children with a bright gaze.

“You’ve trained diligently.”

It wasn’t just the atmosphere that changed. The mana became denser, and the sword’s tips sharper and keener.

Even though handling mana needed keen focus at their age, it appeared they had compensated for any lacking areas by focusing on physical training.

“They focused on bodily training at a time when they should’ve been focusing wholly on mana.”

Observing the well-trained bodies, Roberto could tell such forms couldn’t have been achieved overnight.

Though it was unclear why they focused so much on physical training during a crucial period of mana induction and concentration, Roberto had no intention of reprimanding the children.

Evidence of pondering how to overcome their shortcomings was clear, and maintaining a minimum of physical conditioning as knights wasn’t a negative trait.

“I respect your choices.”

Moreover, watching children carve their own paths at such a young age was heartening.

Thus, Roberto, with respect and encouragement in his heart, increased his output a little more.

To let them physically experience what vistas appear when mana is honed to its utmost limits, widening their options further.

“Come on, you two should be able to handle this, I reckon!”

Woosh—!

“Woah?!”

With a casual flick, a gust of wind issued forth from Roberto’s sword point.

As Christian attempted to offset it with the Willow Stream, he sensed the inherent power and hastily pulled back his sword, quickly rolling to the side with Aira in tow.

“Christian! Move over!”

“Damn it!”

However, this gust was relentless. Before Christian could even regain his stance, it attacked again, forcing Aira to jump out and block the wind with her sword face.

Clang—!

Boom—! Bang—!

The waves burst sequentially from the wind Aira had blocked, impacting her whole body.

Fortunately, they weren’t powerful attacks—more like warnings.

“What was that just now? Father didn’t even do anything.”

“What you saw just now exhibits the trait of spatial domination. In simple terms, it means Father can instigate waves anywhere within this training arena at will.”

“Then how can we win?! It’s nearly invincible!”

In an era where the capacity of mana defined a knight’s strength, wielding such a spatial-dominating skill would surely place Roberto among the continent’s top experts.

Except…

“Against a dragon with even greater mana, such a skill is futile.”

Although having copious mana by human standards, it pales in comparison to dragons, beings of mana.

The technique that dominates surrounding mana becomes ineffective when faced with entities possessing even greater mana.

However, achieving such perfect spatial domination is no easy feat.

Thus, Christian’s smile deepened. There was a slight thrill realized from Roberto’s skills exceeding his expectations.

‘It’s a pity Father doesn’t have an Ether Weapon.’

Christian closed his eyes and felt the mana’s flow. Sensing the impending waves upon them, he shouted urgently.

“Aira! Don’t hold on, let it flow! The wind isn’t something you confront!”

“Even saying that!”

No matter how much mana barriers she deployed or rooted herself to the ground with Adhesion, controlling her body was still challenging amidst the maniacal winds and waves Roberto unleashed.

Unlike Christian, who flowed the irregular mana waves adeptly, Aira found merely standing her ground to be her best effort.

“No choice then. Aira’s ability isn’t enough yet.”

Determined, Christian readjusted his sword and quickly dashed into the raging windstorm.

“Hey, you!”

Aira shouted in a startled reaction to Christian’s audacious move, but in that fleeting moment, his sword severed through the wind.

Not an offset via Willow Stream, Christian’s attack cut through the wind’s grain, causing Aira to watch with wide eyes.

“Hup!”

The mana-powered wind split into two by Christian’s blade, returned to attack him again.

Seemingly unfazed by the ongoing spar, Roberto maintained composure and continued the offensive as much as possible, a similar poise mirrored in Christian.

Shhh—!

Christian shredded the gusts in pieces, which swelled in number and targeted him afresh.

As the growing count of winds accumulated, Aira swallowed dryly.

“I’ll put this to good use!”

“…?”

Boom—!

With Christian’s incomprehensible outburst, a wave erupted from beneath his feet.

Roberto, startled by this sudden proximity, stared at the waves coalescing into Christian’s blade with a bewildered expression, muttering incredulously.

“… Now you’re even stealing my waves?”