Chapter 71: Knight Training

The carriage bore Wang Yu and his companions through the city streets. Stevenson Academy and Maple Street were not far apart; the journey took less than ten minutes. In truth, the carriage was unnecessary, a luxury that could only be attributed to the newfound wealth of Charles and Edward.

"Squeak..." The carriage rounded a corner, the wheels groaning in protest. Charles leaned in conspiratorially toward Wang Yu, gesturing toward the window.

Wang Yu followed his gaze and saw what Charles intended: a flower shop on the street corner. Inside, a single clerk stood—a woman with the distinct features of a cat.

Her hair was a peculiar white, kissed with a subtle golden hue, and fuzzy ears poked through the strands, twitching playfully with every step she took.

Her youthful face was radiant and lovely, graced by a faint, gentle smile. Over her white shirt, she wore the apron characteristic of a gardener.

At that moment, the cat-girl was watering the plants outside. The greenery and petals were adorned with glistening beads of water, and the fine mist hanging in the morning air caught the sunlight, forming miniature rainbows.

She moved amidst this haze and light, her long, furry tail swaying behind her—a sight Wang Yu found quite endearing.

He glanced at Edward and saw the man staring intently. Well, as annoying as Charles could be, he hadn't been lying about what he’d said on the wall earlier.

"Ah, it’s perfectly normal. Edward just loves cats. Don’t let that knightly armor and his paladin-like demeanor fool you; he actually keeps dried fish hidden inside that suit. Really, don't look at me like that, you have to believe me..."

Charles prattled on about Edward, his voice loud enough that Wang Yu was certain Edward could hear every word. Indeed, Edward stopped watching the shop and began to stride over, prompting Wang Yu to quickly look away.

"Ah, ah, ah! Edward, let go! My head, it hurts!"

Ignoring Charles, who was being squeezed by Edward’s knuckles from behind, Wang Yu began to stretch his own limbs.

His wounds had mostly clotted and healed through the application of potions, and his fractured wrist had been mended by both physical setting and medicine. Though some lingering stiffness remained, it was, on the whole, manageable.

...

"Snap!" With a sharp crack of the whip, the horses slowed, and the carriage came to a halt at the gates of Stevenson Magic Academy.

It was still early. Aside from the students who lived on campus, those lodging outside the city were arriving in a steady stream.

Most clutched their breakfasts, eating as they walked, while others arrived in elegant carriages, escorted by servants into the academy. The sense of superiority and pride radiating from these noble students was difficult to mask.

Wang Yu glanced at his two companions. Their status likely eclipsed ninety-nine percent of the students present, yet they lacked that typical aristocratic arrogance. He wondered what kind of upbringing had shaped them into such men.

"So, where are we supposed to go?" Edward asked, scratching his head in frustration.

"The professor said the main training grounds of the Stevenson Knight Division. Our instructor is there—an old veteran of the Night’s Edge. He should recognize us, but I have no idea how to find the place."

Charles surveyed the vast expanse of Stevenson Academy, looking somewhat lost amidst the bustling crowds and sprawling architecture.

"This way. The school is primarily a magic academy; the knights are just a branch," Avia interjected, pointing in a specific direction.

"Having an insider is a blessing! Lead the way, Miss Avia!" Charles exclaimed with a sweeping gesture.

Avia led them through the grounds, circling around until they reached a division that looked noticeably smaller than the main academy. It seemed she had already made arrangements; Charles spoke a few words to the guard at the gate, and they were promptly admitted.

As they entered, the sounds of shouting and exertion filled the air. The buildings here were smaller than the grand structures of the magic academy, with almost no traditional classrooms—for a knight, the training ground was the only classroom that mattered.

Most students were engaged in drills under the watchful eyes of their instructors, practicing with longswords, spears, short axes, and bows. Though the division lacked the scale of the main campus, the energy was no less intense.

Sparring and dueling, sweat-drenched bodies collided regardless of gender. Instructors barked orders, correcting errors, and occasionally singled out a model student for lavish praise.

As Wang Yu and his group walked along the path, a large squad of students, drenched in sweat, sprinted past them.

Wang Yu was impressed. It felt like a true school, where everyone was striving to grow stronger. Compared to other vocations, the path of the knight, which relied solely on the body, was far purer. There were no shortcuts; if you didn't train, you would never improve.

As they passed a vacant training field, a booming voice rang out: "Hey, you brats from the Special Operations Unit, over here!"

Wang Yu turned to see a tall, imposing old man standing in the center of the wide field.

Though his lion-like mane of silver-gray hair marked his age, the man, who possessed only one good eye—the other obscured by a jagged scar—still radiated immense power. He was encased in heavy armor that looked even weightier than the iron plating worn by Oka.

The old man waved them over, but Wang Yu’s attention was drawn to someone else beside him.

The signature serrated greatsword on her back, the red ponytail, and the bright white teeth always visible in a warm smile—it was Wendy, the granddaughter of Avia’s teacher, Weber Lanchi.

"Hi, Avia! What brings you to the Knight Division? I thought the Magic Academy looked down on us?" Wendy spotted Avia before Wang Yu could, greeting her loudly.

The old man glanced at Wendy, scoffing with disdain at the mention of the Magic Academy’s prejudice. "Those old fossils at the main school will pay for their contempt of knights one day."

"Oh, don't be angry, Teacher! This is Avia, my grandfather's student, and that’s Brother Wang Yu. I don't know the others! Anyway, this is my teacher, Barrit. I'm here to spar with him today!"

Wendy introduced them with practiced ease, though the introduction was essentially meaningless.

"I'm Charles! And he's Edward."

"Don't keep introducing me like that. Hello, Mr. Barrit. We are the members of the Special Operations Unit here for training."

Charles was as exuberant as ever, while Edward remained composed and polite.

"Enough chatter. Aside from the mage, Zig has already told me about you. Don't expect me to coach you today; you have to get past Wendy first. Otherwise, my guidance is a waste of time."

Barrit stroked his mustache, speaking bluntly. Wendy chimed in by flexing her arm, revealing muscle definition that would put many male knights to shame—though the massive sword on her back was proof enough of her strength.

"Come here and let me see you. Yes, the mage, Avia, come over too, since you're already here."

Barrit beckoned them forward. As they stood before him, his armored hands patted each of their shoulders.

He nodded with satisfaction as he passed Wang Yu and Edward, blinked in surprise when he reached Avia, and completely ignored Charles.

"Hey, why the snub!" As Wang Yu expected, Charles protested indignantly.

Barrit shot him a sidelong glance and jerked his chin. "Go arm-wrestle that mage, Avia. You'll see."

"That's easy! You're looking down on me, aren't you?" Charles grumbled, clearly displeased.

"Shall we try?" He immediately turned to Avia.

Wang Yu shook his head, while Edward looked away, embarrassed.

Avia glanced at Wang Yu, and seeing no objection, she nodded hesitantly.

"Alright! Let's do it." Charles rolled up his sleeves, baring his arms, eager to prove himself.

They didn't bother finding a proper table; they simply locked hands in the air.

"Ah! So much strength!" The result was instantaneous. With a sharp cry from Charles, his wrist was effortlessly pinned by Avia.

Charles stared in disbelief at his defeated hand, while Avia stood by with an innocent expression.

Wang Yu curled his lip. Underestimating Avia was a mistake. The girl had followed his advice to train diligently; in terms of both stamina and strength, she was in a league of her own among mages.

Any ordinary mage who tried to close the distance to suppress her would likely find themselves on the receiving end of a staff to the head.

Clearly, Charles hadn't known this. Edward looked on in surprise, and Wendy cheered, "Sister is amazing!" As for Wang Yu and Barrit, they had expected nothing less.

"Understand now? You're a mage, and I don't expect much from you. If you want to train, go run until you collapse. If you don't want to run, that's fine too. Regardless, Zig said the main focus is on the other two."

Barrit crossed his arms, looking down at the stunned Charles.

"Damn it! I'm a genius, I can't give up on this! I'm running!"

Charles remained his familiar self, utterly immune to the sting of failure. Without another word, he found a squad of knight trainees and began to run behind them.

"Hmph, not bad. He's fast. A guy like that is likely to survive on the battlefield." Barrit offered a faint smile, surprised that Charles’s speed had earned his approval.

"And you, Edward, right? Your battle aura is excellent, even exceeding your rank. Your task is to hone your combat technique and physique. I'll draft a personalized plan for you. Follow me."

Barrit turned to Edward, clearly impressed, and led him toward another training field filled with equipment.

Without looking back, Barrit added, "As for you, kid, you're fine. Keep training your way; you need live combat. Wendy, spar with him. Mind your strength—be careful with that sword."

"Got it!" Wendy shouted back.

"Heh, Brother Wang Yu, care to trade a few blows with me?"

"Where on earth did you pick up that 'Brother' business..."

"Sister Avia taught me!"

"Well, that works. Are there any weapon restrictions? I assume my short axe is fine."

"None at all, I'm using this!" Wendy shook her head, gripping the greatsword on her back with both hands and planting it firmly before her.

"Alright, get ready then."

"Keep it friendly, Wang Yu, Wendy!" Avia stood outside the training grounds, watching the pair prepare to spar, and offered a gentle reminder.

"Understood, Sister Avia!" Wendy chirped back loudly.

"Do you even know what that means?" Wang Yu asked, puzzled by Wendy's familiarity with such Earth-bound idioms.

"Not a clue!" Wendy shook her head with unwavering confidence.

"..." He figured that since a veteran like Barrit had chosen Wendy as his sparring partner, she must understand the etiquette of a duel, so there was no need to dwell on it.

"3, 2, 1!"

As Wendy counted down, Wang Yu drew his short axe, and the moment she hit one, they both lunged.

"Boom!" Their feet hammered into the earth, sending a cloud of dust swirling as they charged toward one another.

Both chose to meet force with force; it was a preliminary probe, and since they were not enemies, going for the kill was clearly out of the question.

In Wendy's hands, the greatsword felt anything but cumbersome. Her blade moved in perfect harmony with her body; she didn't let the weight dictate her motion. With a fluid pivot, the serrated steel swung in a wide arc, crashing toward Wang Yu.

Wang Yu's approach with the short axe was far simpler—no frills, just a charge, a coiled arm, and a brutal, downward strike.

"Clang!" The greatsword and short axe collided, showering the air with brilliant sparks. Wang Yu realized Wendy’s strength wasn't quite as overwhelming as he had imagined; when they first met, he had assumed that anyone capable of wielding such a massive blade with ease must possess the raw power of a formal knight.

Yet, in this clash, Wang Yu did not give an inch; in fact, it was Wendy who stumbled back. Her serrated blade wasn't as heavy as it looked—or at least, not terrifyingly so.

Wang Yu failed to consider that his own physical conditioning was in a league of its own, even among knights who relied heavily on battle aura. In terms of pure strength and physique, he was essentially fighting with an unfair advantage against his peers.

"Wow, Brother Wang Yu, you're strong! It's rare for me to lose a contest of strength like that. But watch out—I'm about to use the sword's true power."

Wendy sounded genuinely surprised, though her words served as a warning.

Their weapons remained locked, grinding against each other as they pushed for dominance, with Wang Yu clearly holding the upper hand.

But in the next heartbeat, Wendy shifted her stance, transitioning from a diagonal strike to a vertical cleave, pinning the greatsword down onto his axe. Suddenly, a violet light erupted from the blade.

The moment the purple glow flared, a tremendous force surged through the axe, slamming a crushing weight onto Wang Yu’s arms.

"Snap!" "What the—!"