Ludger drew a long, steady breath, letting his eyes stay closed as he extended one hand toward the packed dirt in front of him. Doesn’t have to be a wall. Just a dent. A shift. Anything.

He let his mana seep outward, not pushing but feeling for the pulse of the ground the way Gaius had described. The soil under his palm felt cool, heavy, full of its own sluggish energy.

Anchor first. Feel the weight. Then bend.

He tried channeling his mana straight into it, like he did with [Create Water]. Nothing. The dirt stayed inert. He tried again, imagining a ripple running under the surface, telling the soil to loosen, to swell. Still nothing. The ground might as well have been a slab of iron.

Ludger clicked his tongue, opened his eyes, and stared at the unmarked patch of earth. Come on. Gaius made it look like breathing.

He shifted his stance and tried pushing mana through his palm in a spiral pattern. He tried focusing on a single pebble, then on the whole yard, then on the mana he thought he could “feel” under the ground. Each time, the mana drained away uselessly, dissipating like mist in the wind.

A thin line of sweat crept down his temple. Fire, water, wind—they move because the air’s mana is loose. Earth is already thick with it. I’m shoving against a door that’s bolted shut from the other side.

He exhaled, lowering his hand at last. The dirt sat there, still and stubborn, as if mocking him.

“Fine,” he muttered under his breath, lips quirking in a humorless smirk. “You win this round. But I’ll figure out how to twist you sooner or later.”

The faint pulse of his Spiritual Core steadied again as he pulled his mana back inside, settling into a slower rhythm of meditation.

Ludger sat back on his heels, wiping the sweat from his brow. The patch of dirt in front of him looked exactly as it had half an hour ago—flat, stubborn, and unimpressed.

A low, gravelly voice cut across the yard. “You’re going to dig a hole in your own head before you ever move that ground, kid.”

Ludger’s eyes flicked up.

Gaius stood in the doorway of the guildhall, one hand braced on the frame, the other cradling a familiar bottle. His beard was still ragged and his eyes still bloodshot, but they held a faint glimmer of amusement.

The drunk took a slow swig and stepped out onto the stoop, boots crunching on the dirt. “I felt you trying to wrestle the earth from my bunk.” He tilted the bottle at the unmoved ground. “Guess who won.”

Ludger stayed seated, his expression flat. “I wasn’t trying to build a wall. Just bend it a little.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Gaius said. “You’ve got the mana for water and air tricks, sure. But down here?” He stomped his heel; a faint tremor rippled out and vanished. “Down here, the mana’s older and meaner than you. You don’t coax it. You out-stare it until it blinks.”

He took another drink and smirked. “Watching you flail was cute, though.”

Ludger’s eye twitched. “So, any actual pointers? Or just heckling?”

Gaius gave a lazy shrug. “Already told you what you need: anchor, feel, seize. Until you figure that out, the ground’s not going to listen. Don’t like it? Tough. That’s earth for you.”

He turned back toward the hall, still chuckling to himself.

Ludger exhaled slowly through his nose. He’s enjoying this. Old bastard.

Ludger closed his arms over his chest, eyes slipping shut again. Gaius’ footsteps faded back into the guildhall, leaving only the faint hum of the city waking up and the stubborn weight of the earth under his knees.

Anchor. Feel. Seize. Right.

He exhaled, then opened one palm toward the dirt. A thin sphere of mana spun into being. [Mana Bolt].

He fired it point-blank at the ground. The crack echoed in the empty yard, sending up a small spray of dust and leaving a shallow, smoking hole.

Without pausing, he extended his other hand. [Create Water].

A cool rush spilled from his palm, filling the pit until it became a muddy puddle. Steam curled faintly in the morning air. Ludger stared at it, lips tightening.

If earth won’t listen, maybe mud will. It’s half water anyway…

He pressed his hand toward the mixture, letting mana seep out, trying to “grab” the slurry the same way he shaped water. Nothing. The mud just sat there, thick and heavy, ignoring him completely.

He pushed harder, feeding more mana into it, trying to “infuse” it, to bind it to his will like threads in a loom. Still nothing. The mana bled off uselessly into the dirt, swallowed whole.

He clicked his tongue, straightening slowly. “Tch. So much for the red-headed ninja trick.”

The puddle rippled once from the breeze and then went still, perfectly ordinary. Ludger stared at it for another heartbeat, then drew his mana back in, his Spiritual Core pulsing faintly.

No shortcuts. No cheats. If I want earth, I’ll have to learn it the hard way. Ba-dum, tss.

He exhaled through his nose, a thin smirk curling at the corner of his mouth. “Fine. We’ll play your game a little longer, old man.”

The mud sat there, unmoved, as the first rays of morning crept across the yard.

Viola stirred on one of the old cots, blinking blearily at the cracked beams above her head. Her arms and legs still ached faintly but the warmth of Ludger’s [Healing Touch] had dulled the worst of it. She stretched, yawned—and then heard his voice.

“Up.”

She rolled onto her side. Ludger stood by the doorway, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. “Outside. Another session.”

Viola sat up, rubbing her eyes. “Another session? You never call me first. What are you plotting?”

Ludger’s mouth curled into the faintest smirk. “Nothing. Just making sure you’re ready.”

“For what?”

He turned, already walking toward the yard. “We’re going to the labyrinth tomorrow. I want to investigate something before we go in blind. So, you need more experience in deflecting attacks.”

For a moment, Viola froze. Then her eyes lit up, a grin splitting her face. “Wait—seriously? We’re finally going?!”

She bounced to her feet, all aches forgotten, nearly tripping over her own boots in her rush to follow him. “About time!”

Luna appeared from the hall’s shadow, arms folded, her face calm but her eyes cool. “You’re sure about that?” she asked quietly. “The labyrinth here isn’t like the ones near Torvares. It’s unstable. And you don’t have proper backup.”

Ludger didn’t slow. “I know. That’s why we’re going. I want to see it myself.”

Luna’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Understood.” But the stiffness in her shoulders made it clear she didn’t like the idea at all.

Viola was practically bouncing at Ludger’s heels. “Tomorrow, the labyrinth… finally!”

Ludger’s eyes flicked back to her, sharp and dry. “You’re still training today. If you can’t keep your head cool now, you’re not stepping one foot inside tomorrow.”

Her grin wavered, but she straightened, saluting with mock seriousness. “Yes, sir.”

Luna just watched the two of them, expression unreadable. They’re both going to get me killed, she thought, but said nothing.

Outside in the yard, the morning light slanted across the cracked flagstones. Viola came striding out after him, still rubbing the sleep from her eyes but grinning like a cat. This time she wasn’t carrying a splintered training stick.

She drew her real sword with a flourish—a gleaming steel blade with a pale, polished guard. The weapon caught the sun, sending a streak of light across the yard. Her grin stretched from ear to ear.

“Ready!” she chirped, holding it up like a trophy. “If we’re going into the labyrinth tomorrow, then I’m using the real thing today!”

Ludger raised an eyebrow, taking in her eager stance and the dangerous gleam of her blade. “That’s your favorite toy, huh?”

Viola’s eyes sparkled. “Of course! She’s perfect!”

He smirked faintly, shaking his head. “You know, most kids smile like that when they’re showing off a doll or a new dress. You’re smiling like that over cold steel.”

Viola puffed up proudly. “So?”

“So…” he drawled, still smirking, “keep that up and I’m starting to see what your future looks like. The kind of woman who grins while flashing a blade isn’t going to have an easy time playing the perfect noble lady.”

Viola’s grin only widened. “Good. Sounds boring anyway.”

Ludger chuckled once under his breath, then gestured for her to take her stance. “Alright then. Show me what you’ve got. Remember—real sword, real consequences. Don’t let it get knocked out of your hands.”

Viola’s eyes narrowed, her grip tightening on the hilt. “I won’t.”

Luna stood off to the side, arms folded, watching silently as the two squared off again under the pale morning sun.

Ludger raised his hand and gathered mana. This time, the bolt that formed was bigger, heavier—a dense sphere of light that hissed as it spun. He flicked his wrist. The [Mana Bolt] snapped forward, cracking against Viola’s sword with a sound like a hammer on an anvil.

The blade held.

Viola grinned, bracing under the impact. “Too easy!”

Ludger’s smirk sharpened. Another bolt formed, larger still. “Then let’s make it interesting.”

The next impact rattled her arms. She hissed, feeling the vibration run up to her shoulders. Without hesitation she flared [Weapon Enhancing], her blade taking on a faint glow. The following bolt struck and the tremor dulled instantly. Her grip steadied, her grin returning. “There we go…”

But Ludger wasn’t done. He flicked his wrist again—faster now, the bolts coming in a steady rhythm. Then he increased their size and speed together. The air hissed with streaks of energy, each one heavy enough to smash a barrel.

Viola dug in, feet planted, shoulders squared. She refused to dodge. Every strike she met head-on, swinging up or sideways, her sword flashing as she cut the bolts apart. Her arms ached, her wrists burned, but she held her ground, the glow of her Weapon Enhancing pulsing with each impact.

Another volley slammed into her blade, then another. Her teeth clenched, sweat pouring down her face. She wouldn’t step back, wouldn’t give ground. I’ll block them all. I’ll show him I can stand here.

Ludger watched her, expression unreadable but his hand never slowing, each sphere heavier and faster than the last. She’s not even trying to evade now. Just planting herself and tanking everything… stubborn brat.

The yard rang with the crack of impact after impact, Viola’s blade a blur of steel and mana as she refused to move.

Another bolt slammed into Viola’s blade, sparks of mana scattering across the yard. Her arms trembled, the glow of [Weapon Enhancing] flickering like a dying torch. She gritted her teeth and swung again, but this time the impact drove her a half step back.

Ludger narrowed his eyes. “That’s enough.”

She tried to lift the sword for the next volley, but her hands wouldn’t obey. The blade dipped, her knees wobbled, and she dropped to one knee, panting hard. Sweat dripped from her chin, pooling on the cracked stones.

Ludger let the last bolt dissipate in his palm and walked toward her. “Why aren’t you dodging?” he asked, voice calm but sharp. “You know you could avoid at least half of those.”

Viola clenched her jaw, still staring at the ground. “Because…” she managed between breaths, “if I dodge—” she sucked in air, “—then whoever’s behind me takes the hit.”

She lifted her eyes, fierce even through exhaustion. “I want to be strong enough to block them all. To hold the line. Not just to save myself.”

For a heartbeat, Ludger said nothing. The yard was silent but for her ragged breathing.

He crouched, resting his elbows on his knees, studying her. That’s not a child’s answer. That’s a soldier’s.

“Then learn to survive first,” he said finally, voice low. “Because if you collapse like this in a real fight, you’re no wall at all.”

Viola forced a lopsided grin, still on one knee. “Then I’ll just have to get stronger until I don’t collapse.”

Ludger exhaled through his nose, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. “Stubborn idiot.”

He extended a hand. She took it, shaky but resolute, and he pulled her to her feet.

Ludger pressed his palm lightly against Viola’s arm. A faint green glow pulsed from his hand. [Healing Touch]. Warmth seeped into her muscles, easing the ache and steadying the tremor in her grip. Her breathing began to even out.

“Don’t get used to this,” he muttered, his tone dry but his mana steady. “If I keep patching you up after every stunt, you’ll never learn where the edge really is.”

Viola just gave a tired, defiant grin. “I can handle it…”

He didn’t answer right away. His hand stayed on her shoulder a moment longer, then he pulled it back and straightened, eyes narrowing slightly.

She’s not like me. She doesn’t have the System prodding her along. She’s training blind, learning the hard way. If she keeps up at this pace, she’ll get strong… but she’ll also waste years crawling through the basics.

He crossed his arms, watching her stretch out her fingers as the pain faded. If I showed her how to form a Spiritual Core… she’d skip a few steps. She’d have mana cycling like a sage before she ever touched the fundamentals.

But then his jaw tightened. I don’t even know what the System would do if she tried. She doesn’t have it. If she botches the core, it could tear her apart from the inside. And that’s on me.

Viola tilted her head at him, blinking. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Nothing,” Ludger said, his voice back to its flat drawl. “Just thinking about your next lesson.”

He turned away, hiding the faint crease in his brow. Better to improve my teaching skills first just in case. I’m not gambling with her life just to speed things up.

Viola picked up her real sword again, still smiling despite the exhaustion. “Then tell me what it is.”

Ludger glanced back over his shoulder, smirking faintly. “Patience. You’ll find out soon enough.”

Viola flexed her fingers around the hilt of her sword, the glow of [Weapon Enhancing] long since faded. “Hey, Ludger…” she said between breaths, still flushed from exertion. “What would your strongest mana bolt look like?”

Ludger glanced at her over his shoulder. “Stronger than the ones you’ve been blocking.”

“That’s not an answer.”

He shrugged, expression flat. “I don’t know. I could test it in the labyrinth. Out here? There’s no point in blasting the city just to measure a number.”

Viola blinked, picturing one of his bolts tearing a house in half, and gave a nervous laugh. “Right… guess that makes sense.”

Ludger lowered his hand, the last traces of mana dissipating. “You’re out of mana, and your form’s already falling apart. Training’s over for today.”

He nodded at her sword. “Use the time to go back to basics—breathing, footwork, mana control. That’s how you get strong enough to block a real hit without dropping.”

Viola opened her mouth like she wanted to protest, then thought better of it and slumped against the nearest post, panting. “Fine…”

Ludger’s smirk returned, faint but sharp. “Good. We leave for the labyrinth tomorrow. Rest while you can.”

She huffed, wiping sweat from her brow. “Don’t have to tell me twice…”

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