---
"Knight Tower's perfect evaluation badge?"
Julian stared at the golden badge in Luciel's hand, his expression full of astonishment and excitement. "Only the most exceptional students receive evaluation badges after passing the ninth floor of the Knight Tower on their first attempt.
In the past, some students earned bronze evaluation badges and used them to exchange for intermediate combat skills. Others received silver badges and were directly accepted as personal disciples of the vice president.
But this—this is the first time I've ever seen a golden badge. It represents a perfect evaluation."
Julian's voice lowered, filled with weight and meaning. "Do you understand what this means, Luciel?"
Luciel looked at him, eyes wide with anticipation.
"It means," Julian continued, "you now have the right to choose a high-level combat skill inheritance—or even the chance to be personally mentored by the vice president himself. And let me remind you, the vice president is no ordinary figure; he's an Earth Knight, one of the strongest warriors in the entire Kingdom."
Luciel felt his heart tremble violently.
High-level combat skills!
In the academy, even intermediate combat skills required at least a thousand gold coins to obtain. High-level combat skills were not available through normal means at all. They were considered priceless treasures, held by powerful families or occasionally appearing in prestigious auctions where they could fetch prices upward of hundreds of thousands of gold coins.
Owning a high-level combat skill was no different from possessing a family heirloom—something that could allow a lineage to thrive for generations. It was wealth, prestige, and power all in one.
Julian looked at Luciel with undisguised envy in his eyes. "Give me the badge. I'll submit it to the academy. Your reward should be announced soon... and I'm sure it will astonish you."
Luciel took a deep breath and nodded, handing over the golden badge. Then he quietly left the room.
Despite all the recognition he had received lately, Luciel remained diligent and disciplined. Though he now bore the name Orland, he had not allowed success to dull his focus. After wasting sixteen years in mediocrity, he knew better than to become complacent. Every moment counted as he raced to catch up.
Returning to his dormitory, Luciel suddenly remembered that he had forgotten to ask Julian to demonstrate how to cultivate fighting spirit. With the chip's help, he could have recorded the process and analyzed it for a more efficient path to knighthood.
"No matter. I'll try it myself first," he muttered.
He issued a command to the chip embedded in his body. "Begin full-body analysis. I want detailed data on all my current conditions."
"Analyzing…"
Target: Luciel Lanster
Strength: 5.0
Speed: 4.8
Physique: 5.2
Will: 3.0
Injuries Detected:
Right shoulder, right arm, and wrist show signs of abrasion and strain.
Recommended intake: First-tier devil bear bone meal, wildebeest hind leg meat.
Accumulated harmful impurities in organs.
Suggested action: Perform the optimized version of the Knight's Breathing Technique 53 times to eliminate up to 84% of toxins.
Leg muscle strain; expected natural recovery in 33 hours.
Luciel's eyes widened. He hadn't realized how severely his body had been affected. The intense training had left behind numerous hidden injuries.
The path of the knight was brutal, demanding repeated stress on the body to unlock hidden potential. Over time, the wear and tear built up silently. In recent months, Luciel had pushed himself to the brink—practicing swordsmanship for more than two-thirds of each day.
"No, I need to ease up and let my body recover. The knight's path must be balanced. Without a stable foundation, there is no progress."
He also decided to pause the intake of supplementary materials. The chip had detected the residual effects of overuse, which dulled the body's response to further stimulation.
These materials worked by artificially pushing the body to grow, but excessive use could leave it "numb" and reduce their effectiveness. In alchemy and magical medicine, this was known as developing resistance. As a result, even the best potions eventually lost their potency.
"I'll rely solely on the breathing technique until the exchange competition begins," Luciel resolved.
Then he asked the chip, "Analyze how to trigger the awakening of fighting spirit."
"Analyzing…"
Result: Mental stimulation required.
Luciel blinked in surprise. The chip's answer aligned perfectly with what Julian had told him earlier.
So mental stimulation was the key.
He examined his stats. His willpower was three times stronger than the average person's, nearly equal to Julian's. That should, in theory, be sufficient.
"I see," he murmured. "What I need now… is to learn how to actively mobilize my mental strength."
---
A short time later…
"Meditation techniques?" Helen looked at Luciel in astonishment. "Why would you want to learn mage meditation?"
Then, half-joking, she added, "Don't tell me the famous Sword Dawn of the Knight Academy wants to switch to magic?"
Luciel chuckled and shook his head. "No, it's related to fighting spirit. I'm preparing for my breakthrough into true knighthood."
"What?!" Helen gasped. Her lake-blue eyes sparkled with disbelief. "You're already planning to become a real knight?"
Luciel only smiled in response.
Helen stared at him for a moment, then nodded solemnly. "Alright, but I have one condition."
"What's that?"
"Come with me to meet my teacher. He's been wanting to see you."
"Your teacher? Who is it?"
Helen answered clearly, "Vice Dean Giles."
Luciel froze.
So that was it. He had long suspected Helen had a deeper reason for approaching him, especially after she had shared rare notes on magical herbs and alchemy. But he hadn't expected this—Helen was Giles' student, and their entire relationship had likely been orchestrated under his direction.
Luciel thought back to the time he had pretended to be Giles' disciple to bluff others. Now, the real disciple had come knocking.
He couldn't help but smile wryly.
Still, if Giles meant him harm, he wouldn't need to send someone to spy on him. He could have crushed him with a flick of a finger. So this invitation was more likely to be an opportunity, not a threat.
Luciel nodded. "Alright. When does he want to meet?"
Helen's lips curled into a delighted smile. "As soon as possible. In fact… let's go right now."
As they walked side by side toward the Vice Dean's private chamber, Luciel couldn't shake the mixture of anxiety and anticipation that filled his chest. He was stepping into a new chapter—not just in strength, but in connections, influence, and responsibilities. In a world where strength dictated status, forging ties with someone as powerful as Giles could shape his entire destiny. Yet Luciel reminded himself: no matter what awaited him behind that door, he would remain true to the path he had chosen—the path of the sword, the path of perseverance, and above all, the path of honor.