18 Chapter 16: Physical training

Waking up the next morning, Theo felt how his mana reserve a bit increased while his mana heart became sturdier.

Theo smiled when he finished checking the changes in his body. He knew that if he wanted to advance further in rank, he just needs to finish stabilizing his mana heart and continue training and gathering mana. The more efforts he would make, exhausting his mana heart, the faster it would change and develop until it reaches a threshold when it would reach its growth limit and when there would gather enough mana in his mana heart to make a breakthrough.

Finishing with his usual routine, Theo didn't hurry anywhere, he didn't have lessons in the academy, so he enjoyed reading the alchemy books.

However, several hours later, Theo put away his books and moved in the guardian knights training grounds direction.

Now when he has just made a breakthrough in his magic, and needed some time to stabilize his foundation, Theo decided to work on his battle energy. His goal was to become a 2nd rank squire that can control his battle energy and use it for his 1st basic energy techniques. Besides, now when Theo had free time and needn't spend all his time commanding the armies and fighting on the battlefields, he wanted to try to improve his own Greatsword style to make it stronger.

A quite rare "Mana sword" manual was a good 1st step to begin from for improving his sword style. He missed it back in his previous life when it was stolen from the treasury. So, now Theo had the big resolution to get that manual. Anyway, it was a bit early for Theo to think about how to improve his Greatsword style when he still can't show even 5% of its battle capabilities.

Several moments later, he was already standing in front of the Silo and other guardian knights that were looking after the training recruits into the projection that was divided into many scenes with different recruits.

It didn't take long for Silo to notice his young master, so he quickly told several words to his colleagues before approaching Theo.

"Young Master, you came here to ask me for help for training again in the pressure caves?' asked Silo, furrowing his brows, "If you want to repeat that again, then I have to inform you that Madame and Lord have prohibited to go there up till you don't become a 3rd rank squire when it won't be that dangerous for you to go there with me and your arsenal of potions. Now, nobody would let you in to train there. Lord has asked me to tell you that you shouldn't rely solely on pressure caves, ordinary training can be much more effective in the long term than those caves."

Theo listened to his words before looking at the big projection behind Silo's back.

There were around a hundred young boys and girls that were training on different terrains. Some were running, some were passing the obstacles and barriers while they ran, some were moving with the additional weight, some were climbing the cliff. In general, all of them were busy and didn't spend their time without benefits. Though it might seem dangerous, there were many projections of the knights inside the trial that were watching after the students.

Theo spent some time watching into the projection of the time and rankings of every recruit or person that passed through the trial. There were thousands of names, but Theo quickly noticed Stella's name and result in the 1st 50 places, while Lucia's name appeared only after 200th place.

"Don't worry, I won't go to the pressure caves today," said Theo, watching how Silo released a relieved sigh, "However, I came here to train, and want to see how far would I get in the rankings," said Theo, pointing at the thousands of names.

Silo smiled when he heard his words, and the way he looked at Theo changed for a moment.

"This is trial is one of the oldest training trials that every Freinos used in the past when he began training his battle energy. It's an ideal place not only to train but also to learn your own abilities. Besides, I want to show what I have learned, and ranking projection is an ideal place." said Theo with a smile on his lips.

Darwin pondered for a bit before sighing and returning back to his people.

"Young master, if you want to train, using this trial, don't forget to swallow energy cultivation pill,"

Theo nodded, taking a pill from his space ring and swallowing it a moment later.

A short time later, Theo felt how his body began heating up, muscles and other body parts strained, and relaxed, while the energy source increased the gathering rate.

Standing in front of the running line, Theo looked at the physical training trial that consisted of several trial patterns.

In general, this trial created field conditions from the field conditions in different locations in Freinos family domain and its nearby regions.

The 200 meters flat surface was a part of the 1st trial's pattern. This area was created to help recruits speed up as much as possible.

After that recruits would enter into the next pattern where they would meet obstacles and barriers like fallen tree trunks, rocks, unstable surfaces, and other things that can be met on fields.

A moment later, Theo heard a signal from the horn before taking a big breath and beginning to run.

Thanks to the pill that stimulated Theo's body, Theo didn't even notice how he passed through the 100 meters, approaching the 2nd part of the trial.

Several moments later, Theo stepped into the new surface that was not that flat as the previous surface. Decreasing a bit of his speed, Theo continued to run.

There were many different obstacles, beginning from small, and finishing with big-like tree trunks that were blocking his way. If something appeared, blocking or restricting his way, Theo detoured it or jumped over if it was impossible.

Theo continued to run for another half an hour in the field pattern, passing many trunks, rocks, and other obstacles before arriving at the threshold where another knight was waiting, sitting in the chair.

Seeing the appearance of Theo's figure, he quickly stood up, taking several small bags with weight.

He didn't recognize Theo because of his red face and the fact that he didn't look at him closely, so he just thought that it was a straggler recruit.

"Come one, what have you been doing there all that time, your group mates must have already started the next trials, now come here, I will put this weight on you," said Spartacus, quickly putting several small bags with pure Black iron dust around Theo's legs and arms.

A moment later when Spartacus added 20 kg to Theo's body, he patted him on the shoulder.

"Now, go, catch up with your group."

Theo nodded, deciding not to tell the knight that he wasn't the straggler recruit, so he adjusted his clothes before entering into the next trial.

The next trial was a harder version of the previous one. It was 300 meters long, had 4 areas with different field conditions and patterns in which recruits had to use not only their physics and the brain in the same proportion because there were some situations in which a bit of thinking could help more than just a muscle work.

The hilly terrain was the 1st pattern that Theo would meet. So, it wasn't a shock when the surface began inclining upwards, making him make more efforts. Besides, there was an additional weight that decreased his speed.

After spending 3 minutes to finish climbing the hill, Theo saw the next one that was much taller next to it.

Releasing a sigh, Theo quickly ran down trying to increase his speed as much as possible.

A short time later, he finished climbing the 2nd hill and continued running further towards the 2nd terrain pattern on the same upwards inclined surface.

Soon, the first rocks began appearing on his route. Theo bypassed them and continued running, but the further he moved the more and more rocks began appearing on his way. Theo continued moving to the threshold when his path disappeared because of the rocks that were blocking his way. If he wanted to continue moving, he had only one way left - to jump his way out of this pattern.

Looking around, Theo analyzed his surroundings and soon noticed a relatively small rock not far from him. Besides, it was located near the other rocks that differed in size.

Climbing the rock Theo quickly began jumping from one rock to another, slowly moving in the direction of the next terrain pattern. So, it didn't take long for Theo to jump his way out from the rock pattern and step on the inclined surface again.

A short time later, Theo stopped in front of the 50 meters cliff that was blocking his way. There were also several guardian knights, standing near the cliff to ensure no recruits would harm themselves here.

One of the guardian knights nodded to Theo, giving a short hatchet, hack, and rope to Theo. Theo tied them to his body so that he could quickly take them at any moment he wanted. Checking his equipment for the last time, Theo moved his glance at the cliff.

He spent several moments, analyzing the cliff before starting the climb up.

It wasn't his 1st experience when he climbed the cliffs, in fact, he even climbed the taller and more dangerous cliffs back in the army when they were fighting deep in the mountains. Though his body was weaker now, he didn't lose experience and knowledge. He also was a 1st rank squire and had enough strength to climb on this simple cliff.

At first, Theo didn't use his tools, and relied solely on his hands, climbing up till the middle of the cliff when a rock that he wanted to put his leg on detached and fell down. So, he quickly took his hatchet and hack and began climbing up, using them as his main tools when holes and rocks couldn't.

Spending another 15 minutes for this part of the trial, Theo finally reached the top of the cliff. Theo spent some time choosing where to tie his rope to the rope. He chose a place near the edge and started his descend. Of course, he knew that the rope might tear, so he prepared a hatchet in one of his hands for that case.

The knight below also paid close attention to his every action.

Fortunately, a short time later, Theo successfully stepped on the surface with a smile on his lips. This short cliff reminded him of many good memories he got while climbing different mountains in search of hidden and rare treasuries back in his previous life.

"Don't stand waiting for marvel, quick catch with others." cried a knight that was standing nearby.

Theo quickly returned to his senses and began running down, increasing his speed.

Quickly passing through the rest of the trial where he just needed to run as fast as possible before he reached the end of the trial where Silo standing near two horses was already waiting for him.

Approaching Silo, Theo noticed a smile on his knight's lips.

"Not bad, young master," said Silo with a sincere smile on his lips, "You have shown quite a good result for the newbie that passed this trial for the 1st time. You have got into the top 200 places, earning 191st place for yourself. Not bad for the 1st time."

Theo didn't pay attention to his words, concentrating all his attention on the water from the canteen he took from the horse.

Finishing drinking, Theo felt how the cold water passed through his throat, entering and cooling his heated body in the process.

In fact, Theo long ago noticed that his body and battle energy source were showing traits of a breakthrough. He just needed to make several more small steps to start making the breakthrough, so he has long ago started restricting himself from the breakthrough.

Anyway, it couldn't last long, and Theo was approaching his limit.

Feeling that the time he had disappeared with each passing moment, Theo quickly climbed on a horse, throwing a glance at his knight.

"Silo, I need to make a breakthrough, I am returning to my manor to the place where I would get more benefits from it, I will find you later when I become a 2nd rank squire to practice and spar with you," said Theo, pulling the reins and beginning to gallop in his manor's direction.