Levi tried dodging Bram’s fist, but it arrived too fast for him to react. It landed square on his face. Or it would have if he hadn’t pulled his strike at the last moment. Levi stumbled back, his heart pumping, his face red from exertion.

2 hours had passed since the sparring session had begun. For the entire time, it felt like Levi was being led by a piece of string.

When he tried attacking, Bram would always be in the right place, at the right time, where a fist was waiting for him. If it wasn't a big, bony hand throttling towards him, it was his blade-like leg that sliced at him. Of course, he never truly struck Levi properly; for that he was eternally thankful. But even with him pulling back most, if not all of his strength, it still hurt like hell when a strike landed.

And when Levi focused on his defence, Bram had him on the ground in less time than it took him to blink. At least that’s what it felt like. Honestly, the difference in skill was as vast as the ocean. Yet although the situation seemed hopeless, Levi detected the teachings held within.

Every minute that passed, Levi began to understand why Bram’s feet were placed where they were, why he never blinked, why he was never off balance. Bram guided him, but his teaching method was built on the concept of Levi coming to the understanding on his own.

Levi had little experience when it came to fighting back on Earth. Hell, he had never even visited a gym before, let alone fighting one-on-one combat. He had been bullied, sure, but being mauled by four or more teens hardly counted as a ‘fight’, did it?

Levi took a kick to the stomach, sending his ass smashing against the grass underneath. It didn’t hurt. Even if it wasn’t grass and soil underneath, but brick, Levi doubted it would cause any pain, either.

The sparring session wasn’t only to improve Levi’s brawling; he suspected the main point of the exercise was for him to fully understand the changes that had occurred in his body. And the changes were great. He could jump three times as high as he could before, he could lift a boulder four times the size of his head as if it was a pebble.

However, there was a slight downside to his newly evolved body–his weight. It had increased considerably. It wasn’t as if he had just eaten an entire all-you-can-eat-buffet, either. No, his body had gained weight at its fundamental level. His blood was thicker, bones were denser. Every step he took thudded louder than before. Every step he took left a larger indentation in the ground. So, he had to become accustomed to all of that while facing a monster in human flesh.

And it worked. 2 hours later, Levi felt like he was fully in control of his body. It wasn’t perfect, but Levi could no longer tell the difference from now, from before. Apart from the weight, that was.

“How are you feeling, Levi?” Sera asked with concern. “We can stop if you’re feeling tired, or sore, or–”

Levi chuckled. “I’m fine, Sera. Thank you.” Levi got up, clapped the dirt off of his trousers, and got into his stance once more.

If this was Earth, he would have given up long ago. Just like he always did. He had tried to start various hobbies; football, cycling, puzzles, board games, you name it. But in the end, he always gave them up. It was like clockwork. He didn’t know why, either. He just lost the energy to try. Lost the motivation to keep things going.

Never again. I will never give up, Levi gazed at Bram with an intense motivation burning within.

Fueled by his intense desire for more, Levi found his fists covered in flames. The mana burning within his container had answered his cry. It didn’t stop there. From the bottom of his feet, up to his shins, intense flames burned. His trousers evaporated. He didn’t care. Only the opponent in front of him existed.

Levi stepped, the grass underfoot burning black. He felt a strength that wasn’t there before consuming his muscles. He flew forwards as the fire burned around him. Levi got into a basic boxing stance from Earth, and threw a straight right at Bram as hard as he possibly could.

Bram stepped backwards, his fist hitting nothing but air.

Not giving up, Levi bounded forward, throwing strike after strike. But Bram was too experienced. He countered Levi with a straight kick to the chest. Levi tumbled to the floor, but he rolled with it this time. His hand touched the ground, mana seeping within.

Bram chased. He sent a slow fist at Levi’s skull. Slow, maybe, but it was placed at the perfect timing. Levi barely dodged out of the way and snapped his knee to Bram’s groyne. Bram seemed a little surprised at the vicious attack, but he was ready for it nevertheless. Blocking it with his harms, fire not doing anything to his flesh, Bram kicked Levi back again.

Levi crashed up against a tree. The smell of burning wood, smoke, and sap filtered into his nostrils. Levi pressed his hand against the bark, mana disappearing deeper within.

It was then that Bram stepped on an invisible trap of mana. An explosion of fire erupted over Bram, consuming him in fire. Levi didn’t stop. Another blast of chaotic mana slammed into him from behind. Levi ignored the pain stinging his back as he flew forwards from the impact. Levi took one powerful step as he broke through the wall of smoke he had created, only to hit… nothing. Bram had vanished.

Bram reappeared from the side, his massive hand rested on Levi’s head.

Levi sighed deeply, his smile wry. “I tried everything I could,” he admitted as the fire dissipated completely. The same couldn’t be said for the surrounding area. Thankfully Sera was there to extinguish it all with the power of wind.

“That was incredible, Levi!” Sera bounded from the side, clutching his hot hands.

“I really hoped to land a hit, at least,” Levi said.

“You should have taken one,” Sera admonished the gentle giant.

“Sorry,” Bram said, scratching the back of his head. “But Sera is right, Levi. That was truly amazing.”

“Right,” Gregory added. “Quick thinking, and the use of your abilities to enhance your speed and power was right out of a warriors playbook.”

Sera nodded along. “If you told me you only awakened a week ago, I wouldn’t believe you. But you mustn’t grow overconfident. Not like the other noble children. I won’t forgive you if you turn arrogant, alright, Levi?”

Levi chuckled. “I won’t, don’t worry, Sera.”

“Good,” Sera said with a nod of approval.

“I take it you’ve had bad experiences with them, then?” Levi asked, wanting to pry more information on what the people of nobility were like. If he was going to join them, he needed to understand them.

“Oh, yeah,” Sera said, scowling. “That’s an understatement of a century. I used to be bullied by one nasty woman. She thought she was the crown jewels. Her father had given her an Epic rated Ingredient as her first. For her Tier 2, she had 1 Rare, and another Epic. Not to mention her Tier 3 powers. It’s fair to say that all the family's hopes were placed on her shoulders, and she turned… sour to deal with, as a result. I’ll save you from knowing their name, lest you meet them.” Sera sighed. “I can’t blame her, honestly. That amount of pressure can turn rocks into diamonds, or it can shatter them completely. She just happened to fall into the latter.”

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“That’s a shame,” said.

Sera said, shaking her head. “It is. But that’s all in the past now. The point is, the noble children of today haven’t experienced enough in life to mature early. They've been given everything. Not all are like that, of course. Some families have their heads screwed on nice and proper.”

“Like yours?”

“Ha,” Sera shrugged. “Maybe? Don’t get me wrong, my family is better than most. But no family, or organisation, is perfect. I’ve had my troubles in the past.”

“I do hear that some of the nobles treat their children rough,” Gregory added from the side. He had pulled out a cigarette at one point, and was busy puffing it. “There’s a family named Amhar that has ties with the Warring Church. They send their children into pits to fight to the death with various monsters from a young age. Each one climbs out a man or woman.”

Levi shivered. “That’s horrible.”

“That’s life,” Gregory said, as if children fighting to the death with monsters had little effect on him.

“What was your childhood like, Gregory?” Levi asked.

“My boring old life?” Gregory puffed on his cigarette as Levi nodded. “Not much to tell, really. Born into a poor family, I was forced to start working early. You know, peddling newspapers, fixing street lights, doing a bit of chimney sweepin’ here and there. In the Alley Grim, there ain’t much life for a child. So when the military came a knockin’, well, I jumped at the chance. Then I met Bram, then joined the Corps. The rest is history.”

Levi turned quiet for a moment. Gregory was obviously not telling the whole truth. Levi could tell from the glimmer in his eyes that the captain's childhood was a lot more difficult than he was letting on.

He then turned his attention to Bram. The giant was also born to a poor family. Because of his natural born strength and size, they struggled to feed him. But they tried their best. They each worked 3 jobs so that Bram could go to school, as rare as that was. With his parents growing old, and sick, he turned to the military to earn a good living. Apparently, his parents were doing a lot better now.

It was important for Levi to understand the company he was in.

When the conversation ended, Levi suddenly stood up. He gazed down the street, to where his home was–Kale’s home. Levi had to destroy the evidence of his passing.

Noticing the changing air, Sera said, “Everything alright, Levi?”

“Yeah,” he responded quietly. “I’m going to say goodbye to the house. I want to forget everything that has happened. I want to move on.”

“Do you want us to come with you?” Bram offered.

Levi shook his head. “I’ll do this one on my own. Thanks, though.” Levi gave a small smile as he walked into the distance. It didn’t take long to reach his old home. His footsteps slowed as he approached it.

The kragling had demolished the wooden door. Scraps of wood littered the inside, and he could even see the evidence of the beast's fierce attack–claw marks marring what was left of the door.

Clicking his tongue, Levi crept inside. The entire house was almost wrecked beyond belief. Any evidence of the occult ritual on the floor, the stone pillar that held his first Birthright, or the writing on the wall was gone.

The monster did most of my work for me, Levi thought. The beast really had gone on a rampage. That was a useful piece of information. It had anger. A burning one at that.

Fire emerged from Levi’s palm. The flickering flame reflected against his iris. He stared into it, losing himself for a moment. So much had happened in the span of a single week. He had gone from a loser with no friends, to someone capable of summoning fire from mana. He was now living a fairytale, only, this was real life.

He had endured pain, had suffered exhaustion, and had almost died.

He had new friends–if they could be called that–yet he found himself feeling lonely; like a void was left within him/ Was it because he was in a strange new world? Was it because of the events with his parents? Levi didn’t know. With a sigh, he threw the concentrated ball of fire into the middle of the room.

The fire caught hold of the wood in a second. Levi watched as the blaze consumed the room in its entirety. Just standing there and watching, Levi clenched his fists. He smiled.

Despite all of that; the loneliness, the pain, the exhaustion–he felt more alive than ever.

A piece of the ceiling came crashing down, sending smoke and fire and sparks everywhere.

Levi turned and left the house, where the detective trio were waiting.

“Let’s get dinner, eh Levi?”

Levi nodded, smiling. “Only if Bram’s cooking.”

***

It was later on in the day. Dinner consisted of whatever was left in the butchers fridges; sausages and steak. It was to be basic, but even with the most basic recipe, Bram cooked it to perfection.

Levi was beginning to think Bram wasn’t even a warrior, but a bonafide Chef of the Class kind, instead.

In the middle of the deserted cobbled street, they huddled around a fire burning in a barrel that Levi had started. Gregory recounted tales from his military days, ranging from harmless pranks to those that went too far. Sera’s laughter, like the tinkling of chime bells, put Levi's mind at ease.

Bram pulled out a harmonica. He tested it a little, as if readying himself, then started playing a peaceful tune. Levi and Sera found themselves swaying at the song. However, the moment Gregory started beating on an overturned bowl, Bram picked up the pace. The tune turned upbeat. Levi and Sera clapped along, and then, Sera grabbed hold of his hands, and stood up.

Levi’s heart dropped. He knew what was coming.

“Levi, let’s dance!” She said enthusiastically.

“No, I can’t–”

“Of course you can,” Sera interrupted. “Look, I was the same. But you know what helped me when I was younger? Dancing is like fighting. Look where your steps go, and soon, you find yourself moving by instinct. Come on, let’s try it. Besides, you need to practise if you’re joining my family,” she said in a teasing manner.

And so they danced. Levi was awkward at first. He had never danced in his life before, and especially not with a lady as pretty as Sera. She was a bonafide princess. And it didn’t help his beating heart that she was from a proper noble household. Her every movement was graceful like the wind, even the air around her was something… superior. An air only nobility had.

But Sera was right. Levi soon found his feet moving on their own accord. Sera led him by the hand. They twirled and stepped to the backdrop of bright music, and the background of fire.

ALthough clumsy, Levi had to admit, it was fun. He laughed and jumped and clapped as they danced around the cobblestone. The silence brought by the abandoned town was battered away by the music and cheers.

If this was what the ball was going to be like… maybe he could enjoy it.

“Alright lad, let’s show you how it’s done,” Gregory said, stopping the beating of his makeshift drum. He stood up, tucked in his shirt, tidied his hair, then stepped towards Sera, offering his hand. “If I may, would this lovely lady wish to dance?”

Gregory was no longer the captain of the supernatural detective corps. He was now just a handsome man asking for a hand to dance. Sera blushed a little, curtsied, then took his hand with a gentle smile.

Levi sat down, and shook his head with a wry smile. He likes her.

It was obvious. The way he looked at her… it was difficult to describe. Levi just knew. It was a look of a tender heart. They danced and twirled, Gregory’s hold so gentle that it was if Sera was just a porcelain doll. She wasn’t gentle of course, Levi had witnessed her cleave monsters in half effortlessly.

However, it didn’t last long. Sera broke apart, curtsied, then walked into the house with the excuse she had to go to the toilet.

Gregory tightened his fists. The smile he had on his face from sheer elation, was now one of a sour nature.

Forbidden love? Levi thought.

Levi was bereft with the details of a good love story, but his nerves came rushing when he received a System Notification.

You will be summoned to the Round Table tonight.

And that was just round the corner…