Rico yawned as he slowly woke, stretching and swinging his legs over the edge of the bed.
Blinking, he noticed Lycus hunched over the table,
deeply engrossed in his studies, his eyes slightly bloodshot with clear signs of having stayed up all night.
Huh… he's still at it? Rico thought, somewhat impressed.
"Morning, Lycus," he greeted him with a small smile.
"Tiyaga, you're awake," Lycus replied, putting his manual aside.
His eyes looked weary, yet he spoke with a calm focus.
Despite his exhaustion, there was no wavering in his gaze.
"Looks like it's time for training," Rico said gently, noticing the fatigue in Lycus's eyes.
"Let's go," Lycus replied, standing and slipping into his jacket.
Rico raised an eyebrow, taken aback. "Huh?"
But then, Lycus's eyes flashed as he briefly released a wave of divine energy, rejuvenating himself in a flash.
Instantly, the signs of fatigue vanished from his face, as if he had just woken from a full night's rest.
"Huh?" Rico muttered, stunned by the transformation.
[Lycus just used a Recovery ability,]
Luna's voice echoed in his mind, explaining the sudden change.
Impressive, Rico thought, fascinated by the ability.
"That was one of my divine abilities, Renewal's Embrace, but I can only use it once a day," Lycus explained, catching Rico's reaction.
"It consumes a fair amount of divine energy, so it's best saved for emergencies."
"Ohh… Still, that's pretty cool," Rico replied.
"If you're interested, I could teach you," Lycus offered as they began making their way toward the training field.
Rico trailed behind, scratching his head in thought.
"I wouldn't mind that," he said, a slight grin on his face.
---
As they reached the training field, Rico noticed it had undergone a complete transformation.
High walls now separated ten different zones, each wall engraved with a number and the name of a commander.
Trainees were murmuring to one another, clearly surprised by the change.
A commanding voice broke through the noise.
"This is the new arranged layout. Every group will enter their assigned zone,"
announced a tall, slightly chubby man with an authoritative presence.
Rico recognized him as one of the senior officials from the dining hall, someone who had accompanied Demetrius.
"I am Commander Sinos, and I shall be responsible for your close combat training."
"Any questions regarding the manual will be addressed by me."
"As the overseer said, your commanders will be responsible for your instruction," he continued, his tone final and brooking no argument.
"Now go to your designated zone and begin your training."
Rico glanced at his group.
Their assigned zone was Number 4.
As they approached the entrance, a shimmering light enveloped the entranceway.
The moment they stepped through, they found themselves in a vast open plane.
The ground was marked with lines for sparring, and dummies stood scattered around for practice, but there wasn't a single weapon in sight.
"Whoa…" some of his subordinates murmured as they took in the massive training ground.
"Is it just us here?" asked one of them, glancing around.
"How did they make it this big inside a single zone?" wondered another, his voice tinged with awe.
Luna's voice rang in Rico's mind.
[This is definitely Thalor's space-manipulation divine ability. I can sense his divine energy throughout the area.]
Interesting. So they're keeping the groups separate to focus on unique skills. Smart, Rico thought with a grin, feeling his excitement build.
He turned to his subordinates and called out their names one by one:
"Theron, Callista, Damaris, Eudoxia, Leonidas, Lysandra, Phaedrus, Nikias, Thalia, and Evander."
They immediately lined up and responded in unison,
"Greetings, Commander Tiyaga!" Their voices echoed with respect and readiness.
"I shall be responsible for your lives in and out of battle, as the overseer said,"
Rico began, his voice carrying authority.
"I'll train you, teach you, and engrave my lessons deep into your souls."
His eyes swept over them, fierce and unwavering.
"We are one. We fight as one. I inherit your enemies, and you inherit mine."
!!!
Some in the group exchanged uncertain looks, but Rico didn't falter.
"And as for Lysander's little issue with me… it's nothing big. Just a small fry. Let's focus on us and grow stronger together."
He let the words sink in before continuing.
"I'll start by teaching you the Shield of Fortitude. But first, for the next two days, we'll focus on your instincts and battle awareness."
His tone sharpened.
"You'll be sparring against me as if your lives depend on it."
!!!
The subordinates murmured among themselves at this bold command.
"Is he serious?" muttered one trainee.
"He wants us to fight him?"
"But he's a commander…"
"Isn't that… a little extreme?"
Rico ignored the murmurs, taking off his jacket and letting it fall to the ground.
Divine energy began to pulse around him, his grin growing wider as he felt the strength flowing through him.
"Come at me with everything you've got. No holding back,"
he commanded, his voice calm yet brimming with intensity.
[Blessing of Ares in effect,]
a ding echoed in Rico's mind as his abilities settled into place.
With his senses heightened by Battlefield Awareness, Rico watched as his subordinates hesitated before charging at him.
He shifted into his stance, focusing on his Dance of the Evasive Wind and moving with fluid precision,
sidestepping each strike with graceful, measured footwork.
His reflexes felt sharp as he ducked a blow from Leonidas, spinning to deflect a kick from Callista with his arm, his grin never wavering.
"Come on! Is that all?" he taunted.
Theron attempted a bold swing toward him, but Rico activated his Shield of Fortitude, absorbing the impact with ease.
The divine energy around him seemed to pulse as the shield dissipated the blow, leaving him unfazed.
"Not bad, but let's see how you handle this."
Rico's expression shifted to one of fierce determination as he activated Wrathful Strike Series,
channeling his divine energy into a powerful attack, deliberately slowing his strike to test their reactions.
His subordinates dodged and rolled away in time,
but the sheer force of the strike sent a ripple across the ground, marking it with cracks.
"Commander… you're insane!" one of them gasped, staring wide-eyed at the shattered ground.
Rico laughed, watching their faces light up with a mixture of shock and excitement.
"This is only the beginning! You'll need everything you've got—and then some—to face the real enemy."
Ignoring the exhaustion in their eyes, he called out again.
"Keep pushing! Use everything you've learned so far!"
One by one, they lunged again.
Rico continued to evade their attacks with the Dance of the Evasive Wind, using quick dodges and rapid pivots,
while parrying or blocking with Shield of Fortitude.
Occasionally, he'd activate his Aura of Intimidation, which unsettled his trainees, making them hesitate.
But he never used his full strength,
keeping his strikes just below lethal to push them to their limits without breaking them.
Rico's divine energy filled the training field, weaving together an impressive demonstration of skill, strength, and sheer tenacity.
He held back just enough, ensuring they could experience his power without feeling hopeless.
With every hit they dodged or blocked, he saw their confidence growing, and a sense of pride filled him as he observed their determination.
"Remember," he shouted above the fray,
"fight as if your lives depend on it. Because someday, they will."
His words sank deep, and, with renewed energy,
Rico's words fueled his subordinates, who charged at him with renewed intensity, sweat dripping down their determined faces as they attacked from all sides.
Luna's voice echoed in his mind.
she mocked with a playful tone.
Rico chuckled, a grin forming on his face.
"I watched plenty of movies and read mangas back on Earth, Luna," he replied cheekily.
[For someone who was bullied, you're sure enjoying 'bullying' the weak,]
she teased.
He smirked, ignoring her comment, his focus entirely on the battle.
In a swift motion, Rico's fist began to glow, a radiant, golden-white aura wrapping around his hand like liquid light.
The Holy Aura flared to life, spreading along his arm, intensifying with each second.
His strike was not only more powerful but also seemed to hum with a purity that cut through the air.
As he dodged a rapid strike from Damaris, he turned and swung his glowing fist towards Leonidas,
who blocked just in time but was visibly rattled by the impact of the aura-infused strike.
One of his subordinates tried to catch him off-guard with a kick from behind.
Without looking back, Rico raised his arm, and the Holy Aura shifted instantly to cover it.
The kick connected with the aura, but instead of impacting Rico,
it was deflected by the divine energy, the force bouncing off as if hitting a solid barrier of light.
Each time an attack came near him, the aura seemed to shift and mold itself defensively,
depleting the incoming strikes and keeping him protected.
He recalled the moment he received this power the Holy Aura, transformed from his former Holy Magic skill upon the complete integration of Ares' blessing.
The system notification had laid out its benefits clearly, its words etched into his mind:
Skill Gained: Holy Aura
A passive skill that draws on divine energy, gradually enhancing the user's strength, attack speed, evasive capabilities, and defensive resilience.
This aura can also be imbued into weapons, increasing their damage output and effectiveness against evil entities.
Note: Continuous usage slowly consumes divine energy.
The Holy Aura was more than just a shield or an enhancement—it felt like an extension of his will, empowering him with every strike.
With it, he was stronger, faster, and more aware of his opponents' movements.
The aura seemed to pulse in rhythm with his heart, flowing in waves over his body, ready to react to each new threat.
Feeling the surge of divine energy course through him, Rico let out a shout,
"Come on! Push yourselves harder!"