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This was a place reserved exclusively for the Bergers’ descendants, a facility that ordinary knights couldn’t access. As such, it was well-maintained and tranquil.

“This place seems more ordinary than I expected, Sir.”

Mael, who had stealthily approached, spoke up.

“Ordinary? The training ground?”

“Yes.”

Ian chuckled softly.

“What, did you think there would be mana stones embedded everywhere?”

“Well! Of course, that too, but I expected a more secretive training area. Not such an open space. Perhaps… underground.”

“…”

“Don’t look at me like that. It’s quite plausible. After all, Lampus is a fortress built on top of a mountain range that was blown away, so having a secret training ground is not beyond imagination.”

“Right, there could be a secret place only the head of the family or someone destined to become the head can use.”

Indeed, as Mael mentioned, this place was a fortress—a fortress built with all the empire’s might during its most perilous times. It wasn’t surprising to think that there might be secret passages or spaces hidden within the underground storage created to preserve food for long periods and various precious treasures.

“Well, in that case, I suppose you’ll remain clueless about this question for now.”

“Are you trying to pick a fight?”

“Of course not. I’m just trying to ease your tension.”

Though Mael spoke casually, his eyes held a hint of disappointment for not solving his curiosity. A sideways glance from Ian made him retreat slightly.

Ian smiled faintly.

“Enough small talk. Come and sit.”

The three of them sat down side by side on the cold stone floor.

“…Hmm.”

This sight was quite unexpected for Dior. It was well-known among the Bergers that Ian felt inferior to Mael and Mari. Despite this, Dior had tasked Mael and Mari with bringing Ian along because such negative feelings were not helpful for navigating the world. He hoped that by spending time together, they could get along better, given their similar age.

It was a relief that Ian didn’t show any signs of discomfort despite sitting right next to Mael and Mari. It seemed that things were smoothing out to some extent.

However, Dior was concerned about whether the disparity in talent would rekindle Ian’s insecurities during the training. Despite these worries, he wasn’t going to delay the process. He hoped Ian would overcome these challenges. With that thought in mind, Dior began to speak.

“Alright, first of all, congratulations.”

“Congratulations?”

Mari murmured in confusion, prompting Dior to smile broadly.

“Of course! It’s only right to congratulate you! From now on, you’ll be learning the form of the Bane of Evil! It’s a technique that many people admire and your enemies fear—extremely powerful, to put it bluntly! Look!”

As Dior spoke, a brilliant red aura emanated from his entire body.

The blazing appearance was like being engulfed in flames. In reality, it was similar. The Bane of Evil’s mana manipulation technique doesn’t just manifest mana as a flame-like shape but imbues it with the properties of fire, radiating intense heat.

Yet, Dior maintained a serene expression, smiling calmly. His clothes remained intact, and his belongings showed no signs of the intense heat. This was due to the resistance to fire and precise mana control he had developed while mastering the Bane of Evil.

“Isn’t it impressive?”

Dior’s prideful display left Mael and Mari awestruck as they replied, “Yes.”

“Of course, I don’t expect you to be able to perform like me right away. Creating a mana flame and enveloping your whole body like this is only possible from the 4th Ring onward.”

The achievement in mastering Bane of Evil is distinguished by the number of rings that encircle the lower dantian. These rings are formed as you accumulate a certain level of mana, one by one, starting from the central dantian. The principle is similar to a mage’s circles, but unlike mages, each new ring must be larger than the last, with each ring moving independently to draw out greater power.

While rings from the 1st to 3rd levels only produce a flicker of heat, reaching the 4th Ring allows you to create not just a shimmer but an actual flame, as Dior demonstrated.

“The 4th Ring, to put it simply, is your first major goal and an essential step. Achieving this level is what signifies that you have mastered Bane of Evil, though it’s still a relatively low achievement. And…”

Dior’s fiery aura then concentrated into one of his hands, forming a sphere.

Without stopping there, the sphere elongated into a spear-like weapon.

The spear, made entirely of flickering flames, had an aesthetically striking appearance.

Dior spun the flaming spear with a flick of his fingers and hurled it toward a distant target. The spear flew with the speed of an arrow, and upon hitting the target, it erupted in a burst of flames, engulfing the area around it.

As they stared in awe, applause echoed through the training ground.

Clap, clap.

Snapping back to reality, Ian turned his head to see Dior grinning broadly.

“This is what you’ll be learning today—‘Bane of Evil, Form 1: Meteor Spear.’ The reason why the Red Spear Knights are called so is precisely because they start their battles by launching this Meteor Spear. Therefore, mastering this basic technique is crucial. I’ll keep the explanation brief. Now that you’ve seen it… time to give it a try yourself!”

At that moment, Mari raised her hand.

“Sir Dior.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“Is there a theoretical guide or manual? While we know from the senior knights that we don’t recite incantations, there must be formulas for mana tuning, arrangement, and manifestation. It’s not just a technique like swordsmanship that we learn purely by practice, is it?”

“Oh, Mari. Good question! Of course, there is a theoretical guide. It’s actually quite difficult to figure it out by guesswork alone.”

Mari nodded. The Red Spear Knights she had seen all created Meteor Spears of the same length and shape, suggesting that there was a defined template.

“So…”

“But it’s too early to look at the manual. You need to get a feel for it first before studying.”

Ian glanced at Dior with a skeptical expression.

“Is it just about creating the form?”

“Yep, it sounds simple, but it won’t be easy. Creating the shape is one thing, but transforming and solidifying it will be challenging. Let’s stop the small talk and get started. Mael, you’re first.”

“Got it!”

Mael, full of enthusiasm, stood up and stepped back, conjuring flames in his palm.

The flames swirled and gathered into a sphere without much trouble, but from there, things became problematic.

He struggled to shape the sphere and maintain its form.

“Yeah, that’s it. You’re doing well. As expected, you’re living up to the expectations, Mael.”

“Th….”

“Don’t answer. Just listen. The most crucial part of all Bane of Evil techniques is your imagination and belief. Think about what you want to create. What should it be? A Meteor Spear. A long spear with a sharp tip! It needs to be solid! You build the framework with mana and let the flames cover it like skin.”

Dior swallowed briefly.

“But be careful not to hold unrealistic beliefs like an ‘unbreakable spear’ or a ‘spear that can pierce anything.’ The spear can break. It can be blocked. Weapons are consumables. If the attack fails, your belief will waver, and naturally, the firmness of the technique will weaken.”

Dior, observing Mael’s concentration, shifted his gaze to Mari.

Without being specifically called, Mari instinctively took her turn and quickly began.

She ignited flames, gathered them into a sphere, and started shaping it.

“Don’t be anxious. It’s only natural to be clumsy at first.”

But true talent shone through. Mael, who had just started, was already stretching his flame sphere into a spear-like shape, while Mari was also quickly grasping the technique.

“Wow.”

Dior couldn’t hide his admiration.

‘I expected it, but not this fast. If they continue like this, they’ll definitely surpass me quickly. As for my brother… maybe not as fast?’

The eldest son of the Berger family, Verdan, was renowned as a prodigy. Judging by the records he set, it was clear that this sibling pair was exceptionally gifted.

Dior felt a mix of joy and unease at the presence of such outstanding talents in the Red Spear Knights. His concern was for his brother, Ian.

‘Did I make a mistake agreeing to teach them?’

He worried that Ian, who had only recently gotten his act together after living like a recluse, might lose motivation the moment he started learning Bane of Evil.

Dior glanced over at Ian to check on his state. Thankfully, he was not in the worried condition Dior had feared.

Instead of showing signs of jealousy, Ian had a confident expression.

Dior wanted to tell him not to be discouraged or disheartened by any failures, but he refrained, fearing it might hurt his pride.

“Ian!”

Startled by Dior’s sudden shout, Mael and Mari both broke their concentration, causing the flames they were working with to scatter. Dior turned his attention back to Ian.

“Ian, it’s your turn.”

Ian nodded and prepared himself. He stood up, dusted off the sand from his bottom, and readied his stance, channeling his mana.

The mana he had accumulated in his meridians was surprisingly pure for someone at the 2nd Level.

Heat seemed to rise from his entire body, making it look as though flames might ignite at any moment.

Flicker!

Flames danced between his fingers.

‘Gather.’

He concentrated on drawing the flames into his palm to form a sphere.

‘Shape it….’

It was manageable. He had practiced so much before his regression that creating a basic shape was familiar.

However, doing it with this body for the first time felt a bit disorienting.

He regretted not practicing more of this kind of technique at the villa, focusing only on building mana and physical strength.

Despite his late regrets, Ian didn’t let it deter him.

‘But it’s not something I can’t do.’

Although he had lost much in his regression, what he retained was his memory and experience.

These had become the foundation for his rapid growth and were guiding him in situations like this.

He moved his mana, and the flame sphere wavered, responding to his will.

Slowly.

No need to rush. It was something he had done countless times before; it was just a matter of practice.

The sphere, once trembling, finally stretched out. At that moment, a sensation of electric thrill surged through his spine, as though he had rediscovered a forgotten sensation.

In the blink of an eye, a spear was formed. While it didn’t yet exhibit the full characteristics of a Meteor Spear, its appearance was nearly perfect.

Dior, taken aback, blinked in disbelief at Ian’s swift mastery, while Mael and Mari were full of admiration.

Ian, holding the blazing spear, exhaled calmly.

He wasn’t elated by this; it was less about raw talent and more about his experiences from his previous life. In a sense, he had used a sort of cheat.

“What’s next to learn?” Ian asked, breaking the silence.

“Today, you’ll just practice this,” Dior replied. “I’ll hand out the theoretical materials tomorrow, so study them. I’ll review your progress personally at this time every day. Mael and Mari are already bound by oath, but you—”

“Yeah?” Ian interjected.

“You’re not. So, a word of caution: if you leak any information about Bane of Evil, including the theoretical materials, even though you’re the third son of the Berger family, you won’t be in a good position. Be mindful.”

Ian chuckled.

“Don’t worry about it.”

Dior’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he chose to trust Ian’s assurance.

———