Alaric sprawled on the cold, dirt-packed ground. His limbs hung like dead weights, and his breathing came in ragged, shallow gasps. Every muscle burned with fatigue. However, it was the sharp, stabbing pain in his ribs that gave him pause.

Should I give up now? I thought I had improved so much…but maybe, I overestimated myself.

He spat to get rid of the dirt on his lips. Is this the limit of this body? Something deep inside him stirred — a raging defiance. Memories of countless life-or-death battles from his previous life flooded his mind. Moments where he stood on the brink of death, facing enemies far more powerful than Rowan.

No, I have endured worse than this. I never gave up before. I’m not starting now.

His fingers twitched, but he lacked the power to form a fist. He closed his eyes and dove inward, focusing on his internal world. In his mind’s eye, he visualized the root chakra — a bundle of small crimson energy nestled at the base of his spine. With an effort of will, he commanded it to spin faster and faster.

Spin faster. Damn it.

Rowan didn’t wait idly. Alaric sensed Rowan closing in, and instinctively deflected a strike. A flash of surprise surged through his head, mirroring the stunned expression on Rowan’s face. How did I deflect the blow?

His hand found the wooden sword, but his focus snapped back to the spinning vortex of energy at his spine.

Alaric sensed Rowan surge forward again, faster this time. He barely managed to avoid another blow, stumbling to the side. At this rate, he’ll land a solid hit. Rowan’s face twisted into a scowl as he prepared another attack.

Alaric’s thoughts snapped back to the chakra he visualized. “Faster. Spin. More spin, more power. SPIN!”

Suddenly, the energy shifted. It didn’t just spin — it erupted into a whirling cyclone. A wave of warmth radiated up Alaric’s spine, washing over his chest, arms, and legs, dissolving the ache and fatigue. It felt as though roots extended from his spine, anchoring him to the earth, stabilizing him, and feeding him with power.

My root chakra has been completely purified. And it has partially awakened.

Alaric felt the mental fog lift from his mind. His thoughts became razor-sharp, and his focus became crystal clear. His muscles tightened and felt solid and firm. Gone was the sluggishness. It was as if he had awakened from the deepest, most restorative sleep of his life. Alaric climbed to his feet.

Rowan unleashed a furious strike, but Alaric met it with a flawless parry, flicking Rowan’s sword off balance with an effortless motion. Rowan stumbled back, shock etched across his face.

Alaric went on the offensive for the first time. He pressed Rowan back with a combination of thrusts, slashes, and feints, forcing him onto the defensive. But then, Alaric noticed the warmth on his limbs dissipate, replaced by the creeping chill of exhaustion. His muscles lost their power, his breath turned more ragged, and his strikes lost their edge.

No, I’m slowing down.

The surge of power wasn’t permanent. His root chakra was now fully purified and partially awakened. Unfortunately, it still required fuel to function and currently, Alaric was running on fumes.

Rowan realized the shift in his explosiveness. His strikes grew sharper, faster, and more aggressive. With a decisive upward swing, Rowan disarmed Alaric, sending the wooden sword spinning from his hand. Alaric hit the ground hard, his arms sprawled, his cheek pressed into the dirt.

However, he was neither disappointed nor angry. He was satisfied. Alaric could still taste the lingering power of activating his root chakra, smoldering within him. This is enough for today.

He closed his eyes as darkness took hold of him.

***

Rowan POV

Alaric was not at all how he imagined a bastard would be. In fact, he didn’t resemble a noble scion or any other kid for that matter. Alaric didn’t parade around like an entitled kid, but he was not dumb either.

No, he was very clever and always focused on his training. Over the past year, Rowan had forged a deep bond with Alaric.

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He really enjoyed training with him. However, in the past few weeks, Rowan caught himself growing a little jealous of his friend. What took him years to master, Alaric grasped in only a few weeks. At this rate, Alaric would surpass him in skill in a few more months.

Oftentimes, he saw his father observing Alaric with a look of admiration. Somehow, that made him a little sad. However, he didn’t harbor any malice toward Alaric. All he yearned for was the same respect and admiration from his own father.

So, when his father decided to pit him against Aalric, Rowan seized the chance. Frankly, Rowan wasn’t surprised at how well Alaric performed in the other tests. His duel with Alaric should be considered the real test. And that meant Rowan would give it his all.

The look in his father’s eyes at the start of the duel was clear. Don’t go easy on him. Rowan decided to take the initiative from the start, just like his father had drilled into him. And, he was keeping Alaric on the defensive.

See, Father. I’m not destined to simply become a house guard. I can become an adventurer like you.

Rowan yearned to show his father just how much he had sharpened his skills over the years. He was no less capable than any noble scion. And, he almost succeeded in defeating Alaric. He noticed Alaric growing more and more tired.

His strikes grew heavier, his movements slower. A part of him was feeling a tinge of guilt witnessing his friends in such a miserable state. However, he squashed that thought. This is an exam, not training. Alaric wouldn’t hold back, so I won’t either.

The moment of victory was near. Alaric was on the ground. Rowan prepared to end the fight. Really, it was a shame. Only a few more minutes and Alaric would have passed the test. However, Rowan’s eyes widened when Alaric deflected his strike and subsequently dodged another blow by a narrow margin.

Alaric slowly got up, his posture straight, his breathing calm and steady.

Rowan instinctively realized something had changed in Alaric. What is happening? Before he could react, Alaric burst into motion and put him on the defensive for the first time. His movements turned unpredictably fluid. His footwork became more precise and his attacks struck with a newfound weight.

Alaric was chaining all the moves he had learned in the previous year with unnatural grace. He’s using all the moves we practiced, but so much better.

Rowan was forced to settle for blocking and parrying Alaric’s strikes, each impact numbing his hands. If he hadn’t trained rigorously with his father, Rowan was certain Alaric would have disarmed him by now.

Where is he getting all this strength? He never struck this hard before! For the first time, Rowan felt a flicker of fear.

No. I won’t lose. Rowan clenched his teeth and tightened his grip on his sword. Not to Alaric. He refused to back down and tried to match Alaric blow for blow. Suddenly, he noticed Alaric slowing down again.

Whatever mysterious energy was fueling him was fading. This is my chance. Rowan didn’t miss the opening. He slipped inside Alaric’s defenses and, with a sharp flick of his sword, sent Alaric’s weapon spinning into the air.

Alaric crumpled to the ground.

His heart was pounding, and a sense of relief washed over him, mixed with guilt and admiration for his friend. He glanced at his father, who nodded at him. He had managed to defeat Alaric. I won, but somehow, it doesn’t feel like I won.

Rowan knelt beside his friend and gripped his shoulder. “You did good, Alaric. You survived for ten minutes,” Rowan whispered in his ear. “You passed the test.”

Rowan took a moment to gather his thoughts. Alaric was truly no ordinary kid. He might have won against Alaric today, but the outcome could be different in a few months — he had no doubt about that. I have to train harder.

***

Alaric was currently digging into thick cuts of venison seared to perfection. The rich gamey aroma mixed with the sharp scent of garlic and wild herbs elevated his eating experience to a whole nother level. It was his birthday lunch. Usually, Alaric consumed his meals alone in his room, and today was no exception.

He had passed by the dining hall where the count and his family dined together, but there was no desire in him to join them.

Instead, relishing his food from the comfort of his bedroom felt much more appealing to him. The cooks had truly outdone themselves this time. His usual spread of bread, soup, fruit, and cheese was present. However, the cooks had prepared venison steaks and honeyed sweet rolls specifically for his birthday. The soft, golden rolls were brushed with honey.

Each bite tasted heavenly since it melted in his mouth with little resistance.

A little later, Elara entered his room with a covered tray. She wore a playful grin. “Don’t fill up too soon, young master. I’ve made something special for your birthday.” She set down the tray and lifted the cover to reveal a special birthday cake. It was a honeyed fruit cake.

The stress from the duel with Rowan that morning immediately melted away when he saw how much effort Elara spent preparing the cake for him.

The round cake was topped with a layer of golden honey. It was decorated with deep red strawberries, bright golden apricots, and dark purple figs. When Alaric tasted a slice of the cake, he felt a single tear escape his eyes. It was simply otherworldly. “I never knew something could taste this good.”

Elara beamed at the compliment and released a sweet smile. She ruffled his hair and encouraged him to eat some more. But Alaric was already full and content. They spent some time discussing his sword test earlier.

Apparently, the news of his excellent performance and the amazing duel with Rowan had quickly spread throughout the maid circle and everybody on the estate. There were plenty of guards who had witnessed the duel. In fact, Elara revealed that even the

Knights were talking about it and wishing they could have seen the spectacle. Alaric was amused. Yes, he was happy. He had given it his all and even managed to finally purify his root chakra.

I’m 8 now, Alaric reflected. When did time fly by so quickly? After Elara left the bedroom, Alaric decided to inspect the condition of his subtle body.