Crafting the Sorcerer (V)
Garling Residence, Basement Training Ground
"I know that look. Seen it before. But before we dive into the art of dueling, I want to ask a few things."
In the center of the training ground, Edward and Maverick stood facing each other, a few feet apart. Maverick's excitement was obvious—this was his first time getting actual hands-on practice in magic, and with a master teacher no less. He nodded, signaling he was all ears.
"So, tell me," Edward began, "what do you think you're lacking the most right now?"
"Experience?" Maverick replied, a little unsure.
"Exactly. From last week's test, I noticed that while your grasp of spells is impressive, your execution's still clumsy. Amateurish, even."
Maverick took the critique with a nod, appreciating Edward's honesty. "Yes. I know I need to work on it."
"Good. So before we jump into combat training, let's start with the basics: movement."
"Movement?" Maverick asked, a little confused.
"Yes. When you're in a duel, you're not just standing around waving a wand. You're moving—dodging, positioning yourself, looking for openings. That's what we call movement. And for that, you need agility, strength."
"Your mana," he said, putting extra weight on the word, "it doesn't just help with spells. It affects your body directly, which is why wizards are a lot stronger than regular humans."
Edward paused, studying Maverick's expression and continued.
"Watch."
Without a step, Edward simply raised his right foot and brought it down. "BOOM!" His foot hit the ground, creating a small crater and making the floor tremble. Maverick was so startled that he nearly lost his balance.
Judging by Edward's casual stance, Maverick was sure he hadn't used his full power.
Edward smirked at Maverick's astonished look. "Don't be so surprised. I am a King. Hmm...Arch-Magus, for you. There are only seven of us at this level alive today. Our physical strength alone is beyond that famous Muggle war hero from World War II."
"You mean…" Maverick stammered, already knowing the answer. He thought back to both his past life and this one.
"Exactly. Now, that's the benefit of having powerful mana. Marquis-level wizards are also incredibly strong, though not quite to the same degree. Even beginner mages like you have an edge over regular people..." He hesitated, then added, "We are superior… or at least have the potential to be far superior."
He took a step back, arms crossed, his eyes intense. "That's why you need to learn how to use that strength, and these movement exercises I'm about to show you will teach you exactly that."
Maverick nodded, focused, absorbing every word.
"I've got your training schedule done. A different focus each day, and we'll just keep cycling through.
"One day for spellcasting. Mostly working on technique to cast more efficiently. We'll get into chantless and wandless casting too, and I'll throw in the spells I created myself.
"Then physical work. Basically, every other day will be heavy on the physical side, and I mean intense. This way, for the first two months, we focus hard on building your movements and strength. On the in-between days, we'll take it lighter, focusing on other skills and letting you recover a bit."
Edward watched Maverick's face, then nodded approvingly when he saw nothing but determination.
"Each night, you'll take our family's rejuvenation potion. Helps with the fatigue, muscle repair, all that. Now, it's not some miracle brew, but it'll keep you going those first few months. Eventually, your body will adapt, and the effects won't be as strong, but we'll make the most of it while it lasts."
"We'll also dedicate a day to mana control…" Edward gave him a look that practically screamed 'freak of nature.' "You've got a ridiculously high level of mastery when it comes to mana perception and control. Honestly, you're still just a beginner Magus, and it blows my mind every time I think about it."
Maverick chuckled nervously, scratching his head.
Edward let out a sigh and continued, "Alright anyway, I'll be teaching you how to use mana since you have it under control, both directly and strategically.
So to round it up, we'll do about four hours a day practical training, and then an hour at night in my study for history, politics, etiquette—all the boring stuff."
Maverick nodded, taking a moment soaking it all in.
"If it feels like too much, you can say it," Edward said, seeing Maverick's silence.
"No, teacher. I just wanted to know... how long do you think our training period will be?" Maverick asked after considering his thoughts.
Edward rubbed his chin, deep in thought. "Hmm… with your talent, I'd say about six months, maybe even less. After that, you should be able to keep going without my direct supervision."
Maverick nodded, taking a moment to think. His plan was to travel the world after his NEWTs, but he wouldn't mind postponing it if his teacher wanted him to continue training—even if it took another year.
He wasn't selfish; he truly appreciated Edward's commitment to helping him. Anyways, Knowing he could finally wrap this up by the end of the year made him feel a whole lot better.
His eyes then sharpened and with a solemn tone, he said, "Thank you, teacher. You have my word. If you, Aunt Silvy, or Bella ever need anything from me, I'll be there! No questions asked!"
Edward blinked, taken aback by Maverick's sudden seriousness. Then, without warning, he burst into laughter. "Hahaha! Who do you think I am, kid? I'm Edward Garling! You're a hundred years too early to be taking care of me."
But despite the joke, Edward truly appreciated Maverick's sincerity.
After all, it wasn't just his friendship with Maverick's father that led the Arch-Magus to take him on as an apprentice. It wasn't just charity that drove him to teach orphans magic, either. Sure, he had a kind heart, but he was also no fool. He knew when to lend a hand and when to expect a little something back in return.
Maverick didn't bother to challenge his teacher's pride. He didn't bother to retort. Instead, he just flashed a big grin. It was a silent understanding between them—both knew exactly what they meant.
"Right enough with the talking " Edward spoke fisting his hands. "Lets get started!"
And that day, for the first time in both of his lives, Maverick truly found out what it meant to be pushed to his limits. The Arch-Magus showed no pity, grinding the entire training protocol he had crafted onto Maverick with absolutely no mercy.
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