[7]

'You cowardly bastard.'

Karon ground his teeth as he watched Ethan, who appeared relaxed.

'This time, I won't let you get away with it.'

Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that Ethan would launch a sneak attack just when he was about to throw his glove.

For someone from a knightly family to do something even a lowly mercenary wouldn't do was unthinkable. Any trace of sympathy he had left vanished completely.

'You should be grateful to Father for sparing your life.'

If it hadn't been for Vincent's firm declaration that this was a spar, Karon wouldn't have let it go. He wouldn't kill him, but he was determined to at least cripple him. He wasn't afraid of the consequences. After all, Ethan was infamous as the disgrace of the family. Eliminating such trash would be a service.

'At least I'll break one of your limbs.'

Even if he couldn't cripple him due to the spar, he planned to break one of his limbs. He wouldn't be satisfied otherwise.

"The spar will start right now…"

"In two weeks."

Ethan cut him off and made a firm decision. Karon, who initially didn't understand, soon twisted his face in anger.

"Who decided that?"

"Who else? I did. You were the one whining for a spar, and I even agreed to that demand. Do you still have complaints?"

"Whining!?"

"Yeah. You're still throwing a tantrum like a kid."

"Ethan, are you scared or something?"

Morun interrupted.

"Think what you want. But as the eldest son, aren't you meddling in every little thing?"

Ethan turned to look at Vincent. Vincent met Ethan's gaze without a word.

'Your eyes have changed.'

Previously, Ethan's eyes had been murky, reflecting all sorts of vile desires and unorganized thoughts. But now, his eyes were serious and calm.

"Fine. The spar will be in two weeks."

With Vincent's words, Morun and Karon fell silent as if they had swallowed their tongues. Ethan chuckled at their reactions and bowed slightly to Vincent.

"Then, I'll come to collect my reward in two weeks."

"Oh, you talk as if you're certain to win."

"Because I will."

"No matter how much older you are, isn't that a bit arrogant? From what I know, you haven't even awakened your mana."

Ethan laughed and glanced at Karon in response to Vincent's words.

"I've already put him in his place once. This time, I plan to teach him proper manners thoroughly."

"You bastard!"

Karon, provoked by Ethan, almost exploded but held his tongue at Vincent's gaze.

"You sure know how to talk. But this time, you need to show results."

"Don't worry. I'll take my leave now."

Ethan bowed and left the mansion.

'He really has changed.'

Everything about him, from his speech to his behavior, was as if he had become a different person.

"This spar will prove it."

Vincent looked at Karon. Although Karon was still emotionally immature and unable to hide his feelings, his talent with the sword was real. However, it wasn't enough to live up to the name of Blante. Such talent could be found commonly across the continent.

"Prove it."

Survival of the fittest. The victor takes all. That was the creed of Blante.

***

"Haah, haah."

Ethan, having returned to the annex, resumed his repetitive routine. The first priority was running to lose weight. Even while running, he thought about Karon.

"He's just an extra."

At least for now, Ethan stood no chance against Karon in a direct confrontation. Even if Karon looked like a rookie, he was a mana user. The gap between a mana user and a regular person like Ethan was insurmountable.

"Though I don't know exactly what the difference is with a mana user."

He had only guessed based on descriptions from books since he hadn't witnessed it firsthand. Accurate understanding would come only from direct experience.

"Well, that's a concern for when I have my own knight."

Ethan was paying the price for his past actions and words.

"There's no one."

No one followed Ethan except for Naid. Even the servants and maids in the annex were just the minimum necessary to maintain the place.

"Well, I'll just have to make do with what I have."

He didn't feel anxious about the spar. Ethan planned to use his circumstances to the fullest.

"But I still need a sparring partner."

Ethan looked over at Naid. Naid, smiling, was watching Ethan sweat profusely.

"I can't ask that old man."

Naid was one of the few masters on the continent and a close aide of Vincent. Ethan shook his head and refocused on his running. He needed to complete the exercise he had started.

***

After finishing his run, Ethan began to cool down. He needed to let his heated body settle. Starting with light stretching, Ethan moved on to bodyweight exercises.

"So damn heavy."

Even a simple push-up felt difficult due to his weak muscles and heavy body. However, Ethan was accustomed to enduring pain. He continued his push-ups calmly without complaining.

"Better to do one right."

Given his current condition, explosive exercises were impossible. It was more important to do things slowly and correctly. The quality of his movements mattered more than the quantity.

Ethan sweated profusely as he continued his push-ups. He took short breaks whenever his arms and chest started to tremble but never stopped.

"Even now, my body is usable."

It had only been a few days since he started exercising, but Ethan's body was changing rapidly. He knew how absurd these changes were.

"Even with drugs, this would be tough."

Ethan understood the vast difference between athletes who used performance-enhancing drugs and those who didn't.

"So this is what talent in this world means."

Being of the Blante bloodline, a famous family of swordsmen, meant possessing such talent.

"To think he was wasting this potential."

Even without proper training, he could feel the difference. As he began shedding body fat, muscles started forming at an incredible pace. Ethan enjoyed his own growth.

As a martial artist, Ryu was already complete. He had refined himself little by little from an already perfect state, making it hard to find joy in growth. But Ethan's body was like an unpolished gem. At first, the excessive fat seemed hopeless, but as he began to move, he could sense the immense potential of this body.

"Naid."

After finishing his push-ups, Ethan called out.

"You called, young master."

"Prepare a wooden sword."

"A wooden sword, sir?"

"Yes. It's time to prepare."

"For the spar?"

"Yes."

The spar was a week away. Though it was a tight schedule, Ethan was confident. If he followed his plan, he could win it.

Naid brought a wooden sword, an ordinary one without any special features.

Ethan grasped the wooden sword and swung it through the air. Naid's eyes widened slightly as Ethan swung the sword normally.

'He's not afraid of the sword.'

Ethan had feared swords since being severely injured in his first spar. Injuries in spar were common. Bearing the name of Blante meant being fated to become familiar with swords. It was unimaginable for someone from the Blante family to fear the weapon they would spend their life with.

After his injury, Ethan had started to go astray and refused to hold a sword. But now, Ethan held the sword without fear. His stance was poor, but he showed no signs of being afraid.

"Naid."

"Yes, sir?"

"Pick up the sword."

"…I am merely a butler."

"Stop the nonsense and pick it up."

Ethan's voice was serious. Naid sighed lightly at Ethan's determined attitude and picked up the sword.

"Just so you know, I won't go easy on you."

"That's what I want."

Ethan's lips curled into a smile. He enjoyed fighting strong opponents. Although his body and all other conditions were not ideal, Ethan didn't complain. No training method was better than actual combat.

"Interesting."

Naid steadied himself, observing Ethan's determined eyes. Those were not the eyes of a novice; they belonged to a seasoned warrior. It might just be his imagination, but his senses told him otherwise. Naid smiled slightly, realizing he had misjudged Ethan as just a spoiled brat.

"I'll give you one chance to strike."

Ethan smirked and shook his head.

"It hurts my pride, but I won't refuse."

Ethan was realistic. No matter what he did now, he couldn't defeat Naid. This wasn't about giving up or resignation. Ethan's fighting spirit was burning, but he didn't deny reality. This world was filled with mana and magical power, a world dominated by cold steel. Accepting and acknowledging that sometimes was the fastest way forward.

"I will climb up eventually."

He was confident. He knew the future that others didn't. He knew the individuals who would change the era.

"I don't intend to die as an extra."

Even if Ethan was just a minor villain, with Ryu's spirit in his body, he intended to climb to the top.

"This is my first real fight."

Ethan gripped the wooden sword tightly. The awkwardness was palpable, and he felt a slight tremor.

"Is this the body's memory?"

A vague fear of the sword. Ethan chuckled and brushed away such trivial emotions. Fear didn't suit him.

He bent his body, taking a stance similar to a sprinter. He looked ready to spring at any moment. His thighs tensed up. Though his body was still unpolished and might not move as he wished, even following half of his thoughts would be a success.

Meanwhile, Naid silently watched his movements.

"What kind of performance will you show me?"

Naid felt intrigued. The way Ethan moved was vastly different from an ordinary knight.

Suddenly, Ethan's body shot forward. It was a nimble movement. Given how overweight he had been just a short while ago, it was an unbelievable transformation.

"But if this is all, it's disappointing."

At that moment, Ethan's wooden sword flew at him. Naid's eyes widened. He deflected the incoming wooden sword effortlessly, causing no damage. For a moment, Naid was baffled. Did he plan this? If so, it was a poor move. A swordsman losing his sword meant a predetermined end. But as if mocking Naid's thoughts, Ethan lunged forward.

From the beginning, he never intended to engage in a sword fight.