Episode 20

Upon acquiring the Gale Technique, a new category for special skills appeared.

“Special skills? Does that mean secret techniques?”

As Duke approached, Zeke closed the message window.

“I can hardly believe my eyes.”

Duke was genuinely astonished.

It had been over a decade since he retired from the Black Knights and secluded himself at the academy. Officially, he was there to find a successor, but in truth, he had all but given up on that goal.

The Gale Technique he developed was too restrictive to pass on to future generations. Duke, who had only average talent in aura, had pushed his body to the extreme to overcome his limits and create this secret technique. However, the academy’s talents focused more on honing their aura than their physical strength. He had tested a few promising students, but they quickly gave up.

He had nearly abandoned the search for a successor when he stumbled upon Zeke, who showed potential for inheriting the Gale Technique. Zeke possessed incredible resilience, stamina, and an unyielding will—exactly what Duke had been searching for.

“A prodigy, no less? Ha, it seems I’ve struck gold in my twilight years.”

Zeke, noticing Duke’s gaze, spoke up.

“What is it, Master?”

”…”

Zeke was a promising student, though his personality left something to be desired. Still, Duke was satisfied with the prospect of passing on the Gale Technique.

He grinned widely.

“Heh heh. My dear student, let’s do our best together from now on.”

Zeke shivered at the sudden display of affection.

And so, the grueling training began in earnest.

Overjoyed at finding a true successor, Duke spared no effort in imparting his knowledge. The training was so intense that any other student would have quit within a day.

“For the duration of the training, you are forbidden from using aura.”

For Zeke, who had yet to awaken his aura, this was actually a blessing. The foundation of the Gale Technique was to enhance pure physical strength, and Zeke, with his healing factor and boundless stamina, kept up with Duke’s regimen.

In truth, Zeke had once been a swordsmanship instructor in the North before his regression. Compared to that experience, Duke’s teaching methods were completely haphazard.

“This is overkill. I can handle it, but anyone else would be wrecked by this training.”

Duke, who had become a Black Knight through sheer effort, had a tendency to push hard, believing that anything was possible with enough determination. Zeke adjusted Duke’s flawed training methods to fill in the gaps.

Thus, Zeke spent his days in personal training with Duke, except for the common classes in the special program. After about a month of intense training, rumors began to circulate at the academy.

The word was that Zeke was receiving personal training from a high-ranking knight of his family. Zeke, who had no interest in making friends at the academy, was unaware of these rumors. He was too busy enduring Duke’s brutal training to pay attention to such things.

Since starting the Gale Technique training, Zeke’s appetite had increased significantly. He was in the cadet dining hall, devouring a meal three times the size of others, when someone sat across from him.

Zeke, focused on eating, didn’t care who it was.

“Zeke Draker.”

Hearing his name, Zeke finally looked up.

“Andrei?”

A young man with a delicate appearance more suited to a mage than a knight. Andrei Draker spoke in a low voice.

“Could I have a moment of your time?”

Since being exempted from the basic dragon-slaying class, Zeke hadn’t had much interaction with Andrei. But he could sense the anxiety hidden behind Andrei’s stern expression.

“So, he knows I’ve become Duke’s student.”

Zeke stood up with his tray.

“Shall we have some tea?”

Zeke led Andrei to the Platinum Floor Lounge. They settled in the sky lounge with a view of the entire academy, and soon, the staff brought them tea.

Zeke, who had enjoyed tea in his past life, savored the aroma of the finest tea, not easily found outside. In contrast, Andrei didn’t touch his cup.

“How did you convince him?”

Zeke took a sip of tea and replied.

“What do you mean?”

Andrei’s eyebrows twitched.

“Are you going to pretend you don’t know?”

For Andrei, a knight of the main family, to seek out Zeke, a junior, showed his desperation.

Zeke shook his head.

“I never persuaded my master.”

At the word “master,” Andrei bit his lip.

“You’re saying you didn’t convince Duke to take you as a student?”

“Yes. If anything, I was the one persuaded.”

It wasn’t entirely untrue. Though it was part of Zeke’s plan, Duke had come to believe on his own that Zeke was the right candidate to inherit the Gale Technique.

Andrei was at a loss for words at the unexpected answer. Despite his exceptional talent, Andrei had realized his limits at the Four Seasons Castle. Among his peers, he was unmatched, but the continent was vast, and the castle was teeming with unbelievable monsters.

That’s why Andrei had volunteered for the unpopular academy instructor role instead of missions that would raise his rank. It was a well-kept secret that Duke Draker, a legendary figure who had become a Black Knight as a commoner and regular awakener, was residing at the academy.

Andrei believed that learning Duke Draker’s ultimate technique was the only way to surpass the barrier of pure-blood awakening. He had persistently followed Duke, asking to be taken as a student, but was never accepted.

Then, out of nowhere, he heard that Duke had taken a new cadet as his student. He looked at Zeke with a mix of frustration, jealousy, and curiosity.

Of all people, it was the pure-blood awakener who had irked him from the first day of the basic dragon-slaying class.

He clenched his teeth.

Then Zeke spoke.

“Why do you want to learn my master’s Gale Technique, Instructor?”

Andrei’s expression hardened further as he slowly replied.

“It’s only natural for a knight to want to become stronger. Is there something wrong with that?”

Zeke shook his head.

“No, you’re right, Instructor. But…”

Zeke looked at Andrei.

“I think you’re going about it the wrong way.”

Hearing what felt like a lecture from someone much younger, Andrei’s insides churned with anger.

“These pure-blood awakeners…”

He forced himself to remain calm and asked Zeke.

“What do you mean by the wrong way, cadet?”

“The Gale Technique doesn’t suit you, Instructor. If you want to become stronger, you’d be better off learning a different technique.”

Andrei stood up abruptly at Zeke’s words.

“I can’t tolerate any more insults.”

Zeke looked at him steadily and said.

“I haven’t insulted you. If you feel that way, it’s because of your own inferiority complex about pure-blood awakeners.”

Zeke’s blunt words hit Andrei like a sledgehammer, leaving his face flushed with anger. No one had ever so openly addressed his complex before.

“Are you done, cadet?”

“No, I’m not finished yet.”

“Go on, then. Let’s see how far your arrogance goes.”

“Tell my master that even being by his side is enough.”

Andrei’s expression twisted at the unexpected suggestion.

“Are you telling me to become an apprentice knight?”

“No. You’re overestimating yourself. I was thinking more along the lines of a squire.”

His insides boiled with rage.

Feeling there was no need to listen further, Andrei gritted his teeth and left.

As he walked away, Zeke called out to him.

“Does that damn pride of yours make you stronger? Stop clinging to something that doesn’t fit and think about what you really need!”

Andrei paused for a moment, then turned to look at Zeke. After a silent moment, he turned away and left the lounge.

Zeke watched Andrei leave and shook his head.

“Sigh, I’ve done what I can.”

In his past life, Andrei had eventually learned from Duke and earned the title of the Scarlet Knight. Zeke had offered advice out of a sense of responsibility for altering Andrei’s future, but it was useless if Andrei couldn’t accept it.

Zeke finished his tea and stood up.

The next day, when Zeke went to the greenhouse for training, he was stunned by the sight before him.

“Huff… huff…”

Andrei was running laps in the greenhouse training ground, drenched in sweat.

Zeke looked at Duke with a bewildered expression.

“What… what’s going on, Master?”

Duke, looking annoyed, scratched his ear and replied.

“That leech begged to stay by my side, even as a squire, so I told him I’d accept him if he could run three hundred laps without using aura.”

For the knights of the Draker family, not using aura was like holding their breath. Andrei, already lacking in stamina, was pale as he ran.

“How many laps has he done?”

“Two hundred ninety-eight. Ha, that guy’s a tough one.”

Andrei, his face turning blue, was desperately suppressing his aura, trying to complete the laps with sheer physical strength.

“Gasp… gasp…”

With just one lap left, Andrei’s energy was completely drained. He staggered, barely managing to crawl around the training ground.

Watching him, Zeke realized he had misjudged the man.

“I thought he was just a sheltered noble, but he’s got some grit.”

Andrei, practically a walking corpse, finished the last lap and crawled up to Duke.

Panting heavily, he managed to say, “I… I did it…”

Duke clicked his tongue at the sight of Andrei.

“A knight from the main house, and you’re out of breath from that? Back in my day, we’d wake up and run five hundred laps around the central training ground without using any aura!”

Andrei, looking like he was on the brink of death, spoke up.

“You… you have to keep your promise…”

Duke nodded reluctantly, a look of annoyance on his face.

“Ugh, you’re a persistent one. I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but do as you please.”

Only after hearing those words did Andrei finally collapse, unconscious.

Duke shook his head, clicking his tongue again.

“These young knights today… Back in my day…”

“Enough about that. What are we learning today? I’ve already mastered the advanced moves.”

“You cheeky brat. The Gale Technique has endless variations, so there’s no end to its applications. You’re just a beginner, don’t get cocky.”

Duke was deliberately hard on Zeke because of his rapid progress.

Zeke had mastered the basics of the Gale Technique in less than a week.

Flustered, Duke introduced advanced moves, but Zeke absorbed them like a sponge, learning everything as soon as it was taught.

Worried he’d run out of material in less than a month, Duke decided to slow down the lessons.

“So, what are we doing today?”

Duke clicked his tongue at Zeke’s eagerness.

“You impatient little rascal. Today, you’re reviewing what you’ve learned.”

“What? Why the sudden review?”

“Something’s come up, and I need to step out for a bit.”

“Since when do you have responsibilities here, Master?”

As Duke tried to give him a playful knock on the head, Zeke deftly dodged with his footwork.

“That kid, always with the tricks!”

Watching Zeke dance around like a monkey, Duke spoke with a hint of disapproval.

“An annoying guest is coming tomorrow. It’s going to be a hassle.”

“Who could possibly require your presence, Master?”

Duke scratched his ear roughly and replied, “Who else? It’s the head of the great Draker family, Arthur Draker himself.”