Luca's training intensified in the weeks following his encounter with the wild boar. He thought long and hard about that day, about how he had tapped into Luminis to enhance his strength. But the boar was just an animal, it had no idea how to harness Luminis the way mystical creatures could. If he had faced something that actively used Luminis, he wasn't sure he would have stood a chance. The thought of a creature that could both enhance its own strength and fight intelligently using Luminis sent a chill down his spine.
It was then that Luca realized just how crucial perception was in combat. It wasn't enough to rely purely on strength or speed. If he wanted to survive in dangerous situations, he had to develop his awareness, his ability to anticipate threats, and his quick decision-making.
So, he began to take on small, simple missions, gathering herbs, collecting ingredients, scouting nearby forests, and foraging in familiar areas that allowed him to focus on his training. Every time he completed one of these smaller tasks, he would find a quiet spot to train. Alone and free from distraction, Luca would close his eyes, draw in deep breaths, and focus on the subtle energies of Luminis. His goal wasn't just to passively channel the power, but to actively call it to his body, feeling it course through his muscles and bones during his training.
At first, it was harder than he had anticipated. The flow of Luminis felt natural when he meditated and trained with it for some time. But when he actively drew on Luminis for a long time, his body screamed in protest. His muscles felt like they were burning from the inside out, the strain growing with each attempt. The sensation was overwhelming, almost as if his body were on the verge of collapse. After an hour of training, his strength would give out, and he'd be forced to rest. His limbs trembled, and his joints ached from the exertion.
At first, the recovery time between sessions was long, and even walking after a training session felt like a battle. But Luca was determined. After completing his herb gathering, he would return to his tent, apply the healing medicine he had bought with his mission rewards, and get a full night's rest. The next morning, he would wake up sore but ready to go again.
As the days passed, Luca found himself growing stronger, not just in his physical body, but in his ability to draw upon Luminis without nearly as much strain. Still, the effort required to actively channel Luminis during training was immense. He could barely manage an hour of focused effort before his body demanded rest, and each session left him feeling drained.
But despite the pain, Luca noticed a shift. His muscles, once tight, were becoming more defined and responsive. His strikes were sharper, his movements more fluid. The energy he drew upon in battle felt more instinctive, and his ability to recover from fatigue during missions improved.
On the rare occasions when he could spare time for training his perception, Luca would sit in quiet observation of his surroundings, practicing to heighten his awareness of every rustle in the leaves, every shift in the air, and every heartbeat of the creatures nearby.
He would focus on the smallest details, like the way a tree branch creaked as the wind passed through it or the sound of distant footsteps. Yet, despite his focus, he felt little improvement. His mind could see patterns, but they were always too late or too vague to help him in combat.
His frustration grew. It wasn't that he didn't understand the importance of perception, it was simply that it wasn't coming as naturally to him as Luminis was. He had hoped that as his physical strength increased, so would his awareness, but it didn't seem to be working that way. Still, he wasn't discouraged. Luca knew that the key to mastery was patience. Strength and perception would come, but only if he kept pushing himself forward. He couldn't allow himself to become complacent.
******
The day of the competition with the other group finally arrived, and Luca walked onto the training grounds, feeling a little more tired than usual. His training had intensified in the past few weeks, and though it had become routine, his body still ached from the constant strain.
Finn, who had been standing by the sidelines, noticed Luca's fatigue. "Hey, Luca," he called out, jogging over. "You look tired. What's going on?"
Luca smiled slightly, trying to mask the exhaustion. "It's just the training. I've been pushing myself harder lately."
Finn raised an eyebrow, concerned. "You've been pushing yourself too hard, haven't you? You need to take it easy sometimes."
Luca waved off his friend's concern. "It's fine. I'm used to it now. It's just... part of the process." He shrugged, already starting to feel a bit better just by talking.
Finn didn't look convinced, but he let it go. "Well, just don't overdo it. You're already one of the best, don't burn yourself out."
"Thanks, Finn," Luca said with a smile, grateful for his friend's care.
The rest of the group gathered around, all buzzing with excitement. It was the first time they'd be competing against another group, and everyone was eager to see how they stacked up.
Instructor Aaron stood at the front. "Alright, everyone," he called out. "This is it. We're going up against Ryan's group today. Give it your all."
Luca noticed the other group had gathered as well. Their instructor, Ryan, was tall with a stern face, looking over his students as if sizing them up. Aaron and Ryan exchanged brief nods, then shook hands to officially start the competition.
The competition was the same as always: strength, speed, and endurance tests. But today, things were different. The weight of the stones in the strength test had been increased, the sprint course was more difficult, and the endurance laps were longer.
When it was Luca's turn for the strength test, he easily lifted the heaviest stones, not breaking a sweat.
Next came the speed test. He sprinted through the course, crossing the finish line before his opponent.
For the endurance test, Luca paced himself, keeping a steady rhythm as he ran lap after lap. None of the test required his full effort.
As expected, Luca came in first place, with Jeff, the boy from Ryan's group, finishing second. Luca could tell that Jeff had pushed himself harder than most.
The tests were over, but Ryan wasn't satisfied. He stepped forward, crossing his arms. "Well," he said, his voice carrying over to both groups. "It seems your group came first, Aaron. But this was just a test of strength and speed. That doesn't necessarily mean your group is stronger overall. Why don't we settle this with a combat test?"
Aaron hesitated. He hadn't trained his group in hand-to-hand combat or weapons. His focus had always been on building their physical foundation, on strength and stamina. But combat… that was a different skill entirely.
The boys, however, were excited. They'd been training with Instructor Aldric in basic weapons techniques, and though they weren't experts, they were eager to see how they measured up in combat.
"Please, instructor!" Elias called out, raising his hand. "We want to do it!"
The others chimed in, nodding enthusiastically.
Aaron sighed, but the excitement in his group's eyes was undeniable. "Alright," he said, raising his hand to signal the match. "We'll do it, then. But remember, keep it controlled. We're here to learn, not to hurt each other."
Ryan grinned, clearly pleased with Aaron's decision. "Good. I'll make sure this is a fair match." He turned to his group. "Let's do this."
The matches were arranged from the lowest rank to the highest, and the tension in the air was thick as each boy stepped up to fight. Both groups performed well, but it was clear that Ryan's group had a slight edge when it came to combat. They moved more fluidly, and their strikes were sharper.
When it was Elias's turn, he faced off against a boy named Marcus from Ryan's group, who was ranked fourth. Elias fought hard, but Marcus was quicker, using his weapons with more finesse. It was a close match, and for a moment, it looked like Marcus might take the lead. However, Elias refused to back down. After a few intense exchanges, he managed to land a precise blow that sent Marcus stumbling back. Marcus tried to recover, but Elias seized the opportunity, pressing his advantage and ultimately winning the match.
Finally, it was Luca's turn. His opponent was Jeff, the boy who had come second in the strength test. Luca could see that Jeff was determined, his grip tight on his wooden sword.
Instructor Aaron signaled for the match to begin.
As soon as the match started, Luca was instantly aware of how slow Jeff's movements seemed. It wasn't that Jeff was weak, he was just... slower. To Luca, Jeff's strikes appeared sluggish.
Luca stepped to the side effortlessly as Jeff swung his sword. With a quick movement, Luca struck, using the momentum of Jeff's sword swing to knock it out of his hands. The wooden sword snapped under the force. In the blink of an eye, Luca was pointing his own sword right in front of Jeff's chest, signaling the end of the match.
The entire competition had lasted mere moments, but to the groups watching, it felt like the fastest fight they'd ever seen. They had expected a much more intense battle, but it was over before they could even blink.
Luca lowered his sword, giving Jeff a nod of respect. "Good fight," he said quietly.
After Luca's swift victory, the training grounds fell silent for a moment, everyone in awe of how quickly the match had ended. The boys watching had expected a long, intense battle, but instead, it had been over in the blink of an eye. Luca's calm composure and precise movements had made it look easy.
Instructor Aaron, watching the match with a small smile on his face, glanced over at Ryan. "Well," Aaron said, a hint of smugness in his voice, "I guess that settles it. Looks like my group takes the win today."
Ryan stood with his arms crossed, clearly annoyed by the outcome, but he didn't argue. He just nodded, though his expression said it all. "Yeah, I see that," he replied, keeping his voice even.
There was a brief pause before Aaron spoke again, clearly enjoying the moment. "I have to say, my students performed admirably. Looks like all that strength and stamina training paid off after all."
Ryan's lips twitched, but he didn't offer any comment in return. Instead, he just looked over at his students, his expression hard to read.
"I won't deny that your group did well," Ryan finally said, his tone stiff. "But don't get too comfortable. This was just one test. There's still a lot of room for improvement on both sides."
Aaron chuckled, clearly pleased with the outcome. "Of course, Ryan. But for today, we're the winners." He gave a small nod of satisfaction before turning back to his group. "Good work, everyone. You did great."