Episode 19
“Finally, I’ve got him hooked.”
All the effort to keep Duke on edge was paying off.
What he wanted wasn’t just a simple lesson; it was Duke’s ultimate technique, the Gale Art.
Even Andrei, who had become a renowned knight under Duke’s tutelage in a past life, never learned the Gale Art.
Andrei had developed his own technique, the Crimson Eye Art.
Knowing this, Zeke had deliberately challenged Duke to a wager, hoping to extract everything Duke had to offer.
He planned to provoke Duke into another bet to learn the Gale Art, but Duke had already revealed his true identity.
Zeke looked intently at Duke and said, “A Black Knight of the Draker family… You shouldn’t throw around such words lightly.”
“Hah. This is maddening. I’ve never met such a cheeky brat in my life.”
“A Black Knight is one of the family’s deepest secrets, yet you speak of it so casually. It’s hard to trust you.”
“Every word you say reminds me of Arthur when he was young. It’s infuriating.”
Zeke was genuinely surprised by that.
“Are you talking about my father, no, the head of the family?”
Duke nodded. “Yes, the great and mighty head of the Draker family, Arthur Draker.”
Zeke hadn’t realized Duke had known the family head since childhood, though it made sense given Duke’s status as a Black Knight.
“Most high-ranking Drakers go from the cradle to the academy and then to the main house. If they were of similar age, they would have been cadets together.”
Duke looked at Zeke and said, “I may have retired from knighthood and holed up in the academy, but there aren’t many above me in the hierarchy, you brat.”
Though he spoke playfully, Duke Draker’s influence within the family was significant.
Even without considering his status as a Black Knight, he was one of the few trusted by Arthur Draker.
Zeke slowly stood and bowed to Duke.
“I deeply apologize for my rudeness to a great elder of the family and an honorable Black Knight.”
Duke snorted at Zeke’s formal apology. “What’s this? Suddenly acting all proper.”
“You could use your influence to pressure the headmaster into expelling me.”
“Even if I were reckless, what would I gain from such a tiresome act?”
Though Duke said he wouldn’t, Zeke heard it as a possibility if there was something to gain.
Duke sat back on the sofa, picking at his ear, and said, “So, are you finally interested in learning something from me, you arrogant brat?”
“Does that mean you’ll accept me as your formal disciple?”
“You cheeky brat, jumping right in. That depends on how you do.”
“That’s fine. I’m busy with my own training anyway.”
“Hah, you really are a piece of work. Fine, since I’ve revealed my identity, I’ll take you on as a disciple.”
Zeke was honestly shocked. He hadn’t expected to become Duke Draker’s disciple so easily.
Before Duke could change his mind, Zeke quickly knelt on one knee before him.
“I, Zeke Draker, pledge my loyalty and dedication to Duke Draker, the most honorable of knights. I vow to diligently learn and uphold the honor of my master.”
Duke’s mouth fell open at Zeke’s pledge. “Huh? You know the ancient oaths well.”
“Isn’t culture a knight’s virtue?”
“You talk a good game, you sly fox.”
“Master, may I ask you something?”
“Boldly calling me ‘Master’ already, huh? Go ahead.”
“Why did you choose me as your disciple?”
He was genuinely curious. Even Andrei, a prodigy, never became Duke’s formal disciple. Why had Duke chosen him?
Duke chuckled as he looked at Zeke. “Why do you think?”
“I asked because I don’t know.”
“I liked your tenacity.”
Zeke thought he misheard. “I thought you chose me because I’m a rare talent.”
“You brat, if that were the case, I’d have taken a girl from the Turnga family as my disciple.”
“Che.”
Duke laughed heartily at Zeke’s reaction. “Don’t be disappointed. When I was at the academy, I wasn’t even in the special class; I was at the bottom of the regular class.”
“What? But you reached the level of a Black Knight.”
Zeke was genuinely surprised by this revelation.
Duke continued, “Not every prodigy becomes a Red or Black Knight. Those with too much talent often can’t overcome the wall and are consumed by despair.”
Zeke nodded, understanding Duke’s point.
Even among the continent’s most promising talents, few reached the level of a Blue Knight. Even fewer became Red Knights.
Many were hailed as future top knights but remained Blue Knights their entire lives.
Duke grinned. “The Gale Art I created isn’t something you can learn just because you’re talented. It requires grit, perseverance, effort, and a fierce determination.”
Zeke realized why Andrei never learned the Gale Art.
“It wasn’t suitable for Andrei, who lacked stamina.”
Duke suddenly stood up. “Alright! Let’s go.”
“Where to?”
“Where else? To train.”
“Right now?”
Duke grabbed Zeke and dragged him out of the Platinum Floor towards the greenhouse.
“Why are we going here when there’s a perfectly good training room?”
“Just follow me, you talkative disciple.”
He led Zeke down a staircase in the greenhouse.
They passed through a magically secured door and entered an unexpected space.
“A training ground?”
Beneath the greenhouse was a massive training and practice area.
The personal training room in the Platinum Floor was nice, but it couldn’t compare to this.
“Arthur set this up to keep me from getting rusty. I haven’t used it much, though.”
He turned to Zeke. “First, run.”
“What?”
“Don’t you understand ‘run’?”
Hearing Duke’s abrupt command, Zeke started running around the training ground.
Duke shouted, “Faster!”
Zeke picked up the pace, and Duke watched him closely as he ran laps.
When Zeke had run about 50 laps, Duke called out, “Stop!”
Zeke stopped running and approached Duke.
“Is that enough?”
Duke squinted at Zeke. “I’ve noticed something strange about you.”
In an instant, Duke vanished and reappeared behind Zeke, attempting to grab his wrist.
Zeke narrowly dodged Duke’s sudden move.
Duke looked at his empty hand in disbelief. “Did you just dodge that?”
“What was that about, Master?”
Duke was losing his authority as a master.
“Ugh. Anyway, Zeke, what are you hiding from me?”
Zeke flinched but played dumb. “Hiding? I’m not hiding anything.”
“I thought something was off when I first saw you. You took an internal injury from that leech Andrei and still moved fine. You kept getting up during the test when you shouldn’t have been able to.”
Zeke feigned ignorance. “I just have a strong constitution.”
“Do you think I’m a fool? It’s not just about being tough.”
Zeke was inwardly panicking. “Damn, if he finds out I haven’t awakened my aura, it’s all over.”
He planned to keep it a secret, learn the Gale Art, and then convert mana to aura once the Sun Sword Gram was complete.
Duke spoke up. “Are you an Irregular?”
Irregulars were those with unique, unidentifiable abilities.
However, Irregulars weren’t well-regarded in the central continent.
They were often shunned or exiled as cursed beings.
In a past life, one Irregular had destroyed an entire kingdom, becoming a public enemy of the continent.
Zeke knew about Irregulars but pretended not to. “What’s an Irregular, Master?”
Duke stroked his beard, pondering. “Well, you just left the cradle, so you might not know.”
He explained, “Irregulars are those with unique abilities like yours. The problem is…”
Duke swallowed his words. “Never mind. It’s nothing to worry about. But don’t reveal you’re an Irregular elsewhere.”
“Master, does that mean I can’t learn the Gale Art?”
Duke shook his head. “The Gale Art is different from other Draker techniques. It’s not about aura power; it’s about maximizing physical strength.”
Zeke realized his judgment had been correct.
“Before my regression, I had already pushed my physical limits using healing. Now, with my healing factor and infinite stamina skills, I thought it might be possible to master the Gale Step without aura. Looks like I was right.”
Duke glanced at Zeke and said, “Watch closely.”
He moved erratically, changing directions and leaving a trail of footprints. His path seemed to trace a circle, veer off, and then return to the original circle.
After completing the peculiar sequence, Duke returned to his starting point. “Did you catch the footwork I just demonstrated?”
“Yes.”
“Are you sure you saw everything?”
“Yes, I saw it all.”
“Good. Now, try walking along the path I made.”
Duke stepped aside with a sly grin.
Zeke studied the footprints for a moment before turning to Duke. “Master.”
“What is it? You’re not backing out now, are you?”
“No, it’s just… our strides are different. Would it be alright if I adjusted it to match my own pace?”
“What?”
Before Duke could respond, Zeke began replicating the footwork beside him. He traced the circle, shifted direction, and returned to the circle, executing the movements flawlessly.
Starting with the basic directions, then moving to eight, and finally sixty-four, Zeke perfectly embodied the essence of the Gale Step’s core technique.
Returning to his original spot, Zeke frowned slightly. “Ah, I made a mistake. I should’ve gone right instead of left.”
Duke was speechless, watching Zeke execute the footwork perfectly on his first try. “How… how did you…?”
Zeke’s body had transformed, allowing him to learn martial arts at an unprecedented speed. His innate talent enabled him to replicate any technique he saw.
Duke, still reeling from the shock of Zeke mastering the basic Gale Step in one go, finally regained his composure. “W-wait a moment.”
Duke moved swiftly, his feet a blur as he left a complex pattern of footprints across the training ground. The range and variation were far greater than before.
Soon, the entire training ground was covered in Duke’s footprints. Zeke looked at him and asked, “Am I supposed to follow this too?”
He asked, half-dreading the answer.
“Yes, give it a try.”
Zeke pondered for a moment, then nodded. He began to carefully follow Duke’s intricate Gale Step sequence.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Zeke’s movements flickered as he executed the steps. Even though he was only performing the basic form, the essence of the Gale Step began to resonate within him.
“This is insane… I’ve never seen talent like this.”
Having honed his body to its limits in his past life, Zeke could fully grasp the profound meaning behind Duke’s footwork. He adapted to the ever-changing steps, instinctively learning how to move against an imaginary opponent.
Whoosh!
Zeke’s movements became noticeably faster than when he started. As he completed a full circuit of the training ground and returned to his starting point, a message appeared before his eyes.
[Special Skill Category Activated.]
[You have learned the Special Skill: Gale Step (Grade A).]
[Some active skills have been absorbed into the special skill category.]
[You have received 50 points as a reward for unlocking the special category.]