The scorching heat briefly engulfed the training grounds.

It lasted only a few seconds, yet almost everyone present was drenched in sweat. Among them was the old soldier—Feid—who, like the others, stared in stunned silence, his face glistening with perspiration.

A young boy had just collapsed, overwhelmed by the heat and light radiating from a powerful source. Even from the distance Feid and the others had kept, the force had caused them to stagger slightly. It was unimaginable what it must have been like for the boy at the center of it all. And yet, as one of the Seven Peerless Swords, he had avoided a direct hit and remained physically unharmed despite losing consciousness.

If it had been a direct hit, he would’ve been reduced to ashes...

Such a possibility would have been no laughing matter. But this was the overwhelming skill of the kingdom’s finest knight at play.

“Brother!!”

As everyone remained frozen in awe, a single girl rushed forward. The residual heat in the air was unbearable, especially for someone her age. Yet she paid it no mind as she darted toward the boy lying face-down on the ground.

“Are you okay?!”

The girl used her small arms to lift the boy’s body, holding him close. As siblings, their resemblance was striking, making for a poignant and heart-wrenching scene. His breathing was steady—he would awaken after a bit of rest.

“That was insane, wasn’t it?!”

“Get a stretcher—quickly!!”

“Someone call for a doctor, now!!”

Though the knights had been slower to react than the girl, they soon gathered around to assist, concerned for the boy’s wellbeing. Meanwhile, the crimson knight who had faced him appeared deeply shaken. Watching this, the old soldier couldn’t help but smirk.

“Well? What do you think of my apprentice?”

“...At such a young age, to possess such skill... I am truly astounded. To think he managed to land even a single strike against me...”

Unfazed by the old soldier’s smug demeanor, the kingdom’s strongest knight glanced down at his chest plate, which bore a faint scratch.

“Hahaha! He’s my apprentice, after all! I’d expect nothing less!”

“You never cease to amaze me...”

Even so, the knight knew well the gravity of the situation. The magic he had unleashed was a genuine attack from the nation’s strongest knight—a feat worthy of recognition.

“How far do you plan to guide him?”

The crimson knight asked out of curiosity, observing the old soldier’s satisfied expression. Feid, however, gave a noncommittal response.

“That’s up to Clay. All I can do is pass down everything I know.”

“That alone is no small feat. I feel sorry for young Master Bradley.”

At this, the strongest knight’s expression turned sour, as though recalling a painful memory.

“You didn’t plan for this from the start, did you? Why the sudden change?”

“Well... if I had to say, it’s because he transformed over the past few days, as if he’d been reborn into someone entirely different.”

“Hard to believe, but after seeing him today, I suppose I have no choice. The arrogant son of Bradley, reformed... what a sight to behold.”

“Hahaha! That brat will surpass me in no time, Gilflare! Better watch that chair of yours—you might lose it to him!”

“I’ll keep that in mind, oh former Seven Peerless Swords First Seat, the Crimson Blood Demon Emperor, Feid Bradley.”

“Stop calling me that. And I’m not Bradley anymore.”

“Ah, that’s right.”

Their conversation ended there.

When I opened my eyes, I wasn’t in the training grounds, with its faint scent of iron and oil. Instead, I was back in my room.

“...Huh?”

Confused, I felt the softness of the bed beneath me. Struggling to make sense of the situation, I recalled the last scene I had witnessed and broke out into a cold sweat.

“Can’t believe I survived...”

I had been reckless and knew it. First, I unleashed everything I had, despite being warned not to. Then, I faced the magic of one of the Seven Peerless Swords head-on. My body felt utterly drained, a lingering effect of overusing my blood magic.

Well, one of those times I technically did die...

No point dwelling on the details. I tried to sit up, but my body wouldn’t move.

“What the...?”

No matter how much I willed it, I couldn’t even twitch. Panic began to set in.

“This... this is bad, isn’t it?”

Just as I was growing desperate, someone entered the room. My head wouldn’t turn, but the voice that followed was unmistakable.

“Brother!!”

It was Alice, my younger sister. Once she realized I was awake, she threw herself at me.

“Nggh!!”

“Oh no! I’m so sorry, Brother!”

Her enthusiastic hug crushed my body, sending waves of pain through me. Seeing me writhe, the other visitor chuckled.

“Haha! You’re awake, and you look lively, Clay!”

Of course, it was the old man. The sight of his irritating face made me glare at him as I demanded an explanation.

“What happened to me?”

“What happened? You fainted after Gilflare scared the wits out of you!”

“I see...”

Even as the old man taunted me, I didn’t bother arguing. Seeing me so subdued, he raised an eyebrow.

“What’s this? Feeling down?”

“I’m just tired from overdoing it. I never thought I could beat someone like Gilflare in the first place. I already knew that much.”

I’d managed to force him to use some of his magic, which was already more than I expected. I’d done well—more than enough.

“You don’t look satisfied, though.”

“...Shut up.”

Even as I tried to convince myself, a sense of frustration lingered. Seeing my furrowed brow, the old man spoke up.

“Don’t worry. In a few years, you’ll surpass Gilflare.”

“What?!”

His statement caught me off guard. This wasn’t a joke—he didn’t say anything he couldn’t back up.

“Of course, you’ll need to train harder than ever. So, Clay, are you ready for that?”

“No.”

His serious tone demanded an equally serious response, but I rejected the idea outright.

“I don’t care about becoming that strong. I just want to live a quiet, simple life. I don’t need the strength to defeat someone like Gilflare.”

“...I see.”

For the first time, I shared my true feelings with him. A disciple rejecting their master’s expectations—it was pathetic. Yet the old man seemed oddly calm, as if he’d already known.

“You’ll become strong regardless, Clay. You won’t have a choice. Your blood demands it.”

“What does that even mean?”

“You’ll understand someday. For now, rest. Training resumes tomorrow.”

With that, the old man left. Left alone, I sighed deeply. Alice, still in the room, tilted her head in curiosity.

“Will you really become stronger, Brother?”

“Enough to satisfy myself. But I don’t plan on surpassing Gilflare.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t need to. I only want enough strength to protect the peaceful life I dream of. Nothing more.”

“???”

My explanation only puzzled Alice.

“It’s too early for you to understand.”

I chuckled and lay back, finally able to enjoy a well-deserved rest.