After several consecutive defeats, Nina and Jino were on the brink of collapse.
Rygar's training was anything but gentle. He struck where it hurt most, both physically and mentally.
When he realized that his opponent could evade a blow, he did not hesitate to attack with the intent to kill, forcing his opponents to push beyond their limits.
And when they thought everything was about to end because of extreme exhaustion and wounds, Rygar would simply use Healing Magic and restore them completely.
The torture would begin again.
During the day, other fighters entered the arena—some to watch, others to train—while Rygar continued to assess Jino Britz and Nina Farion.
Eris, after observing for a while, also returned to her own training, leaving the rest in Rygar's hands.
For Jino, reality finally knocked at his door. He began to understand why many warriors laughed when he said he would one day defeat Rygar.
The current strength of the Beast God was at an unattainable level.
Two years had passed since Rygar had defeated the Sword God, and his power was completely different today.
Jino did not know how much Rygar had improved with his magic, but he knew that with his mastery of swordsmanship, physical strength, and his Demon Eyes, he was already at the top of the world.
If not for legends like the Demon God Laplace, Jino doubted that there was any other being capable of confronting him.
Thinking of this, Jino felt a pang of pity for his former master, Gall Farion.
He was certainly still training somewhere in the world, trying to redeem himself for the defeat he had suffered.
But, to Jino, it was clear that Gall no longer stood a chance against Rygar.
In fact, not even Jino, with all his talent in swordsmanship, knew if he would ever reach that mountain called Rygar Adoldia.
He was beginning to think that his goal might be somewhat pointless.
At the end of the exhausting day of "training," which for Jino and Nina felt more like a pedagogical beating session, the group set off along one of the side paths of the Combat Temple.
The stone trail led through small groves and secondary training fields.
Along the way, they ran into Skoll, who eagerly joined the group.
Nina was ahead, chatting enthusiastically with Aisha and Eris, while the wolf Skoll stayed by their side.
Jino, on the other hand, walked silently behind the group, lost in his thoughts.
It was then that Rygar slowed his pace and began walking beside him.
His voice cut through the young swordsman's thoughts:
"You really cannot catch up to me. Not in this life, Jino."
The boy was surprised by the sudden intrusion into his thoughts. He forced a bitter smile and replied:
"Now you can read thoughts too...?"
Rygar chuckled softly and, after a brief moment of silence, Jino asked:
"By the way, what should I call you now?"
Rygar had already been a King in Gaia, so technically he was royalty. He was also Jino's new swordsmanship master. Before that, he had been the Supreme Commander of the Iron Legion. Jino really didn't know how to address him.
"I don't read thoughts literally," Rygar replied calmly, "but I'm very good at reading people and their intentions. I'd say I'm one of the best in the world at that, not to brag."
He chuckled lightly and continued:
"You can keep calling me 'senior,' as you did in the Sword Sanctuary."
Jino furrowed his brow.
"Wouldn't that be disrespectful? There are people here who already don't like me very much…"
Rygar shook his head, unconcerned:
"It's because you're new here. You haven't fought alongside them yet. Be friendly, do your best, and eventually they'll like you."
He looked ahead, at the three girls laughing together, and sighed:
"Believe it or not, what I miss most these days is being treated like a normal person… not like a hero or an invincible god. From their point of view, what I did in the war was… well, 'impressive.'"
Jino observed Rygar for a moment, understanding his perspective.
"All right then… senior," Jino replied, "do you really think I will never catch up to you?"
Rygar answered calmly; he knew his own strength well:
"That's right. Your only chance is if I die in the near future. As long as I'm alive, I will always be out of your reach."
Jino seemed somewhat disheartened to hear that.
He knew that Rygar's knowledge was far beyond what he could comprehend.
And if Rygar was saying that, then he was probably right—he could not surpass him unless he died.
But Rygar was his best friend in his entire life. Why would he wish such a thing?
Before Jino could think further, Rygar continued:
"But that's only by my standards. Actually, the fact that I even have to tell you this already proves that you're an outlier. Even the most talented and skillful in the Kingdom of Gaia don't even consider catching up to me. The fact that you have any chance—no matter how small—already means you're above many of them."
He paused, letting Jino reflect. The boy remained silent, listening intently.
"Look," Rygar continued, "I'm not underestimating any of them. Who knows? One of them might end up creating some invincible magic, or obtaining some magical item that makes them extraordinarily stronger. But the chances of that are slim. And look: actually, I lead the research for this kind of thing myself. After all, they're my subordinates and I want all of them to become stronger."
Another pause. Rygar took a deep breath, speaking naturally.
"The fact is that you have rare talent, even by the standards of great geniuses. You might even surpass me in pure swordsmanship terms one day. You could become the strongest swordsman in the world…"
Of course, Rygar didn't truly believe that.
He knew he would never relax in his own training. His natural physical strength, combined with his knowledge and technique with Touki, placed him at an almost unreachable level.
Even if Jino became incredibly strong, Rygar still didn't see a reality where he would be surpassed—unless he himself abandoned his training.
But, even so, he didn't want to crush Jino's ambition. A man without ambition never reaches his true potential.
Jino seemed to regain a bit of sparkle in his eyes upon hearing that. He thought to himself:
'All right… Rygar is a monster because of his magic and swordsmanship. But I just need to devote myself to swordsmanship! If it's only physical combat… I can still beat him one day!'
He knew it would be extremely difficult, especially after what he saw in the previous training. But it was far more realistic than imagining defeating Rygar with full strength.
Rygar spoke, now in a firmer tone: "You have the potential to become very strong, Jino. Don't relax until you get what you want."
Jino nodded, more determined, but then said a little embarrassed:
"I'm really sorry for the commotion I caused when I arrived…"
Rygar smiled with a treacherous air:
"Yeah, it was pretty stupid… but don't worry. I understand the feeling. I can be very protective of Eris, Ghislaine, and Verdia too…"
He then spoke naturally:
"If you had defeated Eris and left her wounded… that earlier training would have been just the beginning of the payment."
A chill ran down Jino's spine as he remembered the brutal session he had been subjected to earlier.
What could be worse than that? When he looked at Rygar, he saw a kind smile—but for some reason, it seemed infinitely more threatening than before.
Finally, Rygar began to step away to catch up with the girls farther ahead, and said:
"What sets us apart… is that no one dares question me for protecting them. Because I am strong."
And with that, he left Jino standing there, somewhat dazed.
Within moments, the young man ran a bit to catch up with the rest of the group as well.
They were gradually approaching their goal. Ahead of them stood a stone sanctuary.
The walls of the ancient structure were covered in thick roots and moss clinging to the cracks of the columns.
A subtle serpentine scent wafted from the sanctuary's interior, laden with mana.
A guard of the beast race sat under a broad stone at the entrance.
He carried a long sword strapped across his back, had silver hair, dark skin, and eyes as sharp as those of a beast.
Even appearing to be at rest, his senses were on high alert.
The moment the group approached, his red eyes narrowed instinctively.
However, upon recognizing who was approaching, he relaxed.
This warrior was Gyes, son of the current King of Gaia, Gustav, and brother of Ghislaine. That made him Rygar's brother-in-law.
Gyes, though strong and respected, had been a controversial figure in the past.
When Rygar was still a child, Gyes was the one who most opposed his ideas.
His antipathy toward Ghislaine was also notorious due to his childhood marked by violent clashes between the two siblings.
In truth, it was more like Ghislaine being the aggressor and Gyes just taking the beating.
For a long time, he was regarded as inflexible and conservative.
However, Rygar never cared about that opposition.
Ghislaine, for her part, knew she had been wrong in that situation. In fact, she had planned to apologize to him after learning she would be living in the Great Forest.
She had been brutal, irrational, and even cruel to her brother when they were children.
Eventually, she apologized to Gyes in person—something that surprised many warriors.
One could say they made peace, even though they didn't become particularly close afterward.
Despite that, there were those who kept their distance from Gyes simply because he had been against Rygar and Ghislaine in the past.
But over time, as Rygar made it clear he bore no grudges, and with Ghislaine treating her brother naturally, that social isolation diminished.
Another factor that greatly helped reconstructing Gyes's image was his strength as a warrior.
He became a North Saint, a title he earned through his own training and effort.
Furthermore, he was the father of Linia Dedoldia, who was gaining more and more prestige in the new generation.
In the Kingdom of Gaia, strength was always respected.
Currently, Gyes served as a sentinel of a place of great importance.
The mere fact that he was entrusted with such a responsibility spoke volumes about his current position.
When Rygar met his gaze, he greeted him with a nod. Gyes returned it with equal naturalness.
Aisha smiled familiarly:
"Hello, Gyes! How's Minitona?"
Gyes let slip a rare slight smile on his normally stoic face.
"She's fine. She told me to tell you to visit her as soon as you have time."
Minitona Dedoldia, Gyes's daughter, and Terusena Doldia, a descendant of the Doldia lineage, were two of the first students of the Star Rise Academy, a project conceived by Aisha.
Both had grown very close to Aisha during the past year of study.
"I will as soon as I can!" Aisha promised.
"I'll let her know then," Gyes replied, turning his attention to the sanctuary's exit.
Then, the group entered the sanctuary.
Inside, the environment was silent. The floor was made of polished slabs, and several magical torches spread light along the ancient walls.
Nina, curious, looked at Rygar and asked:
"Who was that?"
"My brother-in-law. Ghislaine's brother," he replied without turning his head.
Nina nodded her head, paying no further attention. A few seconds later, she scratched her head and asked:
"So… huh… what are we doing here again?"
Jino also seemed attentive now, clearly interested in the answer. Rygar replied with an almost mischievous smile on his lips:
"Don't you remember one of the main reasons you joined the Legion?"
Before they could respond, a low, muffled roar echoed through the sanctuary's walls.
Amid the stones, behind one of the large columns, a creature moved.
Its scaly body slid across the rocks with familiarity.
A baby Red Dragon, just over two meters tall, emerged, its gleaming skin reflecting the torchlight with a ruby shimmer.
Its yellow, curious eyes watched the group.
Nina took a step forward, completely enchanted.
"A… dragon… it's a baby dragon!" she murmured, her eyes wide and bright, growing more excited as she realized what Rygar meant.
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