Four days until the entrance exams.
Zephyr stood in the Valdris family's private training hall, trying not to let his nervousness show. The room was enormous, with reinforced stone walls covered in protective enchantments that hummed with barely contained power. Weapon racks lined the perimeter, filled with practice swords, spears, and magical focuses that gleamed under the crystal lighting.
Master Korven stood across from him, a mountain of a man with graying hair and scars that told stories of countless battles. His eyes held the cold assessment of someone who had broken more students than he had trained.
"So," Korven said, his voice like grinding stone, "you're the Ashcroft boy. I've heard... interesting things about your capabilities."
Seraphina sat in an elevated viewing box, her crimson eyes fixed on every movement below. She had changed from her usual elegant dress into something more practical, though no less beautiful. The predatory smile on her lips suggested she was very much looking forward to this.
"I'm not very skilled," Zephyr said, keeping his voice appropriately meek. "I appreciate your willingness to help me prepare for the academy exams."
Korven snorted. "Modesty won't save you from a mana bolt to the face, boy. Lady Seraphina wants me to evaluate your combat readiness. That means I need to see what you can actually do."
[Quest Active: Survive Master Korven]
[Current Objective: Complete sparring session without revealing true capabilities]
Zephyr nodded and moved to the center of the training circle. His enhanced senses picked up the subtle magical formations embedded in the floor, designed to contain and absorb excess magical energy. Good thing, considering what he was actually capable of now.
"We'll start with basic mana projection," Korven announced, taking a relaxed stance. "Show me your best offensive spell."
This was the moment. Zephyr raised his hand, channeling mana according to the techniques he'd learned from the Advanced Combat Magic tome. The knowledge felt natural now, like he'd been studying it for years rather than hours.
[Mana Bolt - Basic Level]
The sphere of compressed energy that formed in his palm was deliberately weakened, maybe half the power he could actually manage. It flew across the training hall in a wobbly arc, striking the target dummy with a satisfying thump but barely scorching the reinforced material.
Korven's expression didn't change. "Again. This time, focus on your mana flow. You're leaking energy."
For the next twenty minutes, they worked through basic techniques. Zephyr deliberately fumbled spell formations, allowed his mana control to appear sloppy, and generally performed exactly as the original Zephyr would have. It was harder than he'd expected, requiring him to actively suppress his newfound abilities.
[Acting Skill Unlocked]
[Acting - Novice Level 1]
Well, that was useful.
"Pathetic," Korven finally declared, though his tone held more assessment than cruelty. "Your mana capacity is higher than I expected, but your control is terrible. You waste half your energy on every cast."
From her viewing box, Seraphina leaned forward with interest. "What about his aura techniques, Master Korven?"
"Aura work then," Korven said, drawing a practice sword from the nearby rack. "Let's see how you handle close combat."
This was more dangerous. Zephyr's aura control had improved dramatically over the past few days, and physical techniques were harder to fake convincingly. He drew his own practice blade, noting how much lighter it felt in his enhanced grip.
Korven attacked without warning, his blade whistling through the air in a precise strike aimed at Zephyr's shoulder. In the original timeline, this blow would have sent the weak Zephyr sprawling.
But Zephyr's enhanced reflexes kicked in automatically. He twisted aside, bringing his sword up to deflect the strike with a perfectly executed parry.
The clash of metal on metal rang through the training hall.
Korven's eyes widened slightly. That parry had been too smooth, too practiced for someone of Zephyr's supposed skill level.
"Interesting," the master swordsman murmured, resetting his stance. "Again."
The next exchange was faster. Korven pressed harder, his blade work flowing like water as he tested Zephyr's defenses. Each strike was measured, controlled, but increasingly serious.
Zephyr found himself caught between two impossible demands. He needed to appear weak enough to maintain his facade, but skilled enough to avoid serious injury. His enhanced abilities kept trying to take over, muscle memory from the Player System guiding his movements into techniques far beyond his supposed level.
A thrust aimed at his chest forced him to sidestep and counter, his blade sliding along Korven's guard in a textbook riposte that drew first blood, a thin line across the master's knuckles.
The training hall fell silent.
Korven looked down at the cut, then up at Zephyr with newfound respect. "That was well executed. Where did you learn that technique?"
"I... I've been practicing," Zephyr said, his heart racing. He'd moved too well, revealed too much.
From the viewing box, Seraphina's voice rang out, sweet and deadly. "My dear Zephyr seems to have been hiding his light under a bushel. How delightfully modest of him."
There was something in her tone that made Zephyr's blood run cold. Suspicion mixed with pleasure, like a cat that had just cornered a particularly interesting mouse.
"One more exchange," Korven said, raising his blade. "This time, I won't hold back quite so much."
The master swordsman's next attack was brutal. His blade became a blur of steel, forcing Zephyr into a desperate defense. Each strike came faster than the last, testing not just his technique but his enhanced reflexes and aura control.
Zephyr fought to appear overwhelmed while actually managing the assault, deliberately allowing hits through his guard that his enhanced durability could absorb. A cut across his forearm, a bruising strike to his ribs, a pommel thrust that sent him stumbling backward.
But even while taking damage, his counterattacks were too precise, his footwork too clean. The Player System's combat integration was working against his attempts to appear weak.
Finally, Korven stepped back, breathing hard. "Enough."
The master swordsman studied Zephyr with calculating eyes. "Your technique is inconsistent. Flashes of genuine skill mixed with amateur mistakes. It's almost like you're fighting against your own training."
"I'm just nervous," Zephyr said, wiping blood from his split lip. "This is my first real combat practice."
"Perhaps," Korven said, though his tone suggested he wasn't entirely convinced. "But you have potential, boy. Raw, unpolished potential."
Seraphina descended from her viewing box, her heels clicking against the stone floor. "What's your assessment, Master Korven?"
"He's stronger than his reputation suggests," the swordsman replied carefully. "His mana capacity is actually quite impressive, and his swordwork shows signs of natural talent. With proper training, he might surprise people at the academy."
"How wonderful," Seraphina said, moving to stand beside Zephyr. Her hand settled on his shoulder, fingers trailing across the cut on his arm with disturbing tenderness. "My betrothed continues to exceed expectations."
[Quest Complete: Survive Master Korven]
[Reward: Combat Awareness skill increased to Apprentice level]
[New Skill Unlocked: Tactical Deception]
[Warning: Suspicion level with Seraphina Valdris has increased]
As they left the training hall, Seraphina's arm linked through his, Zephyr couldn't shake the feeling that he'd just passed one test while failing another entirely.
Four days until the academy exams, and his biggest challenge might not be the tests themselves, but the increasingly dangerous woman walking beside him.