Under Kael’s tutelage, Leon’s days were filled with grueling training. The old master was relentless, pushing him far beyond his limits. From dawn until dusk, they practiced the art of the blade—footwork, balance, precision strikes. Kael taught him not just how to wield a sword, but how to make it an extension of his own body.

“Strength alone won’t win you battles,” Kael would say, his sharp eyes watching Leon’s every move. “It’s control. It’s the mind that wields the blade, not just the hand.”

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Leon’s muscles ached, his hands blistered, but he didn’t stop. Every day, he pushed himself harder, driven by the memory of his fallen comrades and the knowledge that more battles lay ahead.

In the evenings, after a long day of training, Leon would return to the village, his body exhausted but his mind sharp. He could feel the change within him—the growth, the strength. He was no longer just a man carrying the weight of loss; he was becoming a warrior.

Elena noticed the shift in him, too. “You’re different,” she said one night as they sat by the river. “Stronger. More focused.”

Leon nodded, gazing at the water. “I have to be. If I’m going to protect you, to protect all of us... I have to keep pushing forward.”

Elena smiled softly. “Just don’t forget who you are, Leon. Don’t let this war consume you.”