Captain and K were engaged in a duel at the training ground. The Captain maneuvered around the field, attempting to catch K off guard from behind. However, K was quick to react, swinging his sword with the intent to strike the Captain's neck. The Captain, realizing K's plan, swiftly dodged the attack. K then cleverly used the sun's reflection to blind the Captain momentarily. The Captain, unfazed by the trick, didn't even blink, demonstrating his mastery of swordsmanship. He commented, 'You're keeping up with me quite well, K.'

K responded, 'Thank you for your kind words, but I have no intention of losing to you, Captain.' The Captain replied, 'Very well, then let me show you the art I've mastered.' The atmosphere around the training ground shifted as the Captain initiated his East Blade Style: A Thousand Lights Strike. He closed the gap between K and himself in an instant, his strikes so swift that he managed to attack K thousands of times in a second. K, however, blocked every single strike and even managed to counter the Captain's attacks.

Impressed, the Captain said, 'You're well trained, and the way you countered my strikes was beautiful. I should stop holding back then. You're now facing the Captain of the Royal Knights of the Regel family, who has mastered every form of swordsmanship.'

K replied, 'Then I should also go all out, as you're taking me seriously.' The ground became electrified, and thunderbolts struck both the Captain and K. K announced, 'Thunder God Strike: Maximum Output. This will enhance my abilities to be a thousand times better than my opponent's. The god will slow down my opponent's movements, and the electrified ground will allow me to teleport wherever I want.'

The Captain asked, 'You're a third stage master?' K confirmed, 'Yes, that's correct. Aren't you?' The Captain admitted, 'I'm still a second stage master. I was always physically weaker than yours, but my mastery of magic was superior. Now, you're physically a hundred thousand times stronger than me, and I don't know about your mastery of magic. But you will still lose to me.'

K was taken aback, 'What? That doesn't make sense. But you teach Sect, who is a third stage master and one of the Pillars.' The Captain confidently stated, 'I am stronger than him. I am stronger than the Pillars.'

The Captain initiated the Infinite Swordsmanship Dance of the Gods, launching the first strike as millions of lights passed by. In an instant, the Captain struck K millions of times. Despite his best efforts, K could only dodge and block a fraction of the attacks, unable to match the overwhelming power. K was sent flying, but his superior physical abilities allowed him to withstand the force.

However, the Captain didn't cease his assault. He unleashed the second strike, God's Call. A bell resonated in K's mind, an overwhelming holy light enveloping him. Unable to dodge, K was struck by the attack that seemed to originate from within his own head.

The Captain declared the third and final strike, the Destruction of Heaven and Hell. K's sword shattered, leaving only the handle. As K fell to the ground, the Captain remarked, 'You were fortunate. That strike could have killed you if I hadn't held back.' Suddenly, K began to reappear from thin air. His body fell to the ground and started to vanish.

'Your attacks are useless if they don't hit me,' K retorted. The Captain, puzzled, asked, 'But I felt the impacts. How can you still move after those attacks?' K explained, 'I teleport the strikes that hit me to electrify the ground more strongly. That means I take zero damage.'

The Captain conceded, 'Well done. I guess I can't win with just my sword techniques. You know, the moment I became a sword master, the sword and I became one. No matter how many times I use my techniques, my stamina doesn't decrease, and my body doesn't ache.'

K questioned, 'What does that have to do with anything? I get stronger the more you use your techniques. I can't believe how much stronger I feel.'

The Captain responded, 'Very well.' He touched his sword and declared, 'Zero Sword Technique: The Soul Reaper.' Dark energy infused his blade. Sensing danger, K restored his sword and teleported behind the Captain, causing him to dodge K's strike. The Captain's technique failed.

'You used teleportation to get behind me?' the Captain asked. K didn't respond. He was infused with the power of the Thunder God from the training ground. He teleported again to get near the Captain and strike him. The Captain managed to block the strikes, but K teleported too quickly, making it hard for the Captain to block the slashes.

'It amazes me how much you can block those slashes, but this is the end, Captain,' K declared. His blades started to glow, and he launched Thor's thunder strikes. The Captain took the attack head-on and declared, 'Zero Sword Techniques: Soul Reaper Strikes.' The entire area darkened as if night had fallen. The darkness surrounded them, and a power that protected them restored all the damage in the surrounding areas also known as God's power.

Zet looked at them and exclaimed, 'Wow, that was so cool! Who won, though?' Eleanor and Violet couldn't react due to the speed of the events. They finally saw what was happening. Eleanor hugged Zet from behind as the noise was too loud for her. Violet covered her ears and crouched down.

'Zet remarked, wow that noise was too loud but don't worry. The match is over, but the dust is obscuring everything. It's peculiar how the damage was instantly restored.' Violet rose to her feet and explained, 'You're not aware? We attribute it to divine power that shields us from harm. We even hold annual ceremonies in their honor.' Zet questioned, 'Is that even a thing? I've heard about this divine power that maintains equilibrium.'

As the dust began to settle, the Captain held his position. K had been defeated; the power was too overwhelming. K confessed, 'I lost to you, Captain, but I can't comprehend what just transpired. That power was supposed to teleport and electrify the ground, enhancing my strength.'

The Captain responded, 'Did you think I would repeat the same mistake? The Zero Sword technique is far more potent than you imagine. It's an attack that doesn't seem like one. Essentially, your power is reduced to zero when I strike, and the Soul Reaper absorbs any counterattack you attempt.'

K queried, 'So, you're saying the attack I just launched was nullified just like that?' The Captain confirmed, 'Yes, you are indeed formidable, K, but you had to confront me.'

K retorted, 'You claim to be stronger than Pillar, but I beg to differ, Captain. You're underestimating the Pillars since you've never battled them. I was eager to fight you, though, and it was a worthwhile experience. It's no surprise you became the Captain. Thank you, Master, you truly are powerful.''

The captain said, 'I won't know until I fight them. Are you accustomed to adventure? Have you considered becoming a Royal Knight?' K replied, 'I prefer not to discuss my past, I apologize. The princess is arriving soon, I should start repairing my carriages.' The captain offered, 'Do you need assistance? I can send a few knights to help with the repairs.' K declined, 'No need, but thank you. It's almost done and I don't want to impose.'

Suddenly, Zet entered the training ground, eager to see the captain. 'Captain, I really enjoyed your match. It was impressive,' Zet said. The captain responded modestly, 'It was nothing. Are you here to train more?' Zet eagerly requested, 'I want to learn the techniques you used. Teach me now.' The captain advised, 'Yeah I can teach you but You can't use those techniques yet. You need to master the basic martial arts I teach first.

Zet protested, 'I don't want to learn the basics, I want to learn those techniques.' The captain responded, You need to learn basic and if I gonna teach you, you can learn it in no time. Zet stubbornly insisted, 'I don't want to learn the basics. I wanna do something like that too.'

Meanwhile, K resumed his repairs, thinking to himself, 'I'd like to teach some techniques, but I'm not a better teacher than the captain. It's a shame. Perhaps I can teach him something useful for the future.'

'Zet asked, 'Teach me, teach me. I can do the basics perfectly. What else is there to learn?' The Captain replied, ' It's nothing special and there is a problem with it. It's a sword technique so I need to do some research but There are perhaps a thousand arts we can try to work it out and that will refine your technique. You need to learn additional styles like north and east for your upper body, and west and south for your lower body. After that, you need to learn how to control your strength to master the One Step Thousand Hands technique and additional refinement for the Million Hands technique. As for the Zero technique, it depends on how well you master all these arts, and as I said it might work or not because It's a sword technique. I estimate we'll need to wait 10 years to see if you can perform the Zero technique, and the chance of you achieving it is slim. I apologize, but I've never tried this with hands rather than a sword, so it took me 20 years to perfectly utilize these techniques.'

Zet responded, 'Are you joking? I don't understand a single thing. Where do I start and what are these techniques anyway?' The Captain explained, 'I am talking about techniques that can help you become as strong as me.' Zet retorted, 'I don't like the way you describe it. Teach me those techniques. You have no permission to refuse. Now, without further delay, teach me those techniques.'

The Captain warned, 'If you make a single mistake, your body will be torn apart into millions of pieces or maybe worse. And even if you manage to pull it off, there's a chance that without strengthening your body first, you might end up disabled forever.' Zet replied, 'Is that dangerous to learn in right now?''

In the King's office, the Principal remarked, 'It appears the match has concluded I can't help any noise. I would have loved to watch his matches.' The King responded, 'I'm not entirely sure if K was giving it his all.' The Principal questioned, 'How can you be so certain? We've been here the entire time, haven't we?' The King retorted, 'Remember, you're speaking to the King. I can see and hear everything happening on the field.'

The Principal conceded, 'Of course, how could I forget? But what leads you to believe K was holding back?' The King clarified, 'You're misunderstanding. Not just K, but the Captain was also not giving his all. As for K, I can't be certain, but he only used one attack throughout the matches. I suspect K doesn't realize it, but he's been holding back from the start.'

The Principal expressed surprise, 'I can't believe how much the Captain has changed in such a short time.' The King reminded her, 'It's been ten years since you last saw him up close.' The Principal complimented, 'Your observational skills are impressive.' The King acknowledged, 'Yes, and the reason I called you here was to discuss yesterday's incident.'

The Principal expressed confusion, 'Zet seems to be doing fine, so I'm not sure why you called me.' The King apologized, 'I wanted to apologize for yesterday. Is there anything you need assistance with? I'm here to provide the necessary help.'

'The Principal appeared perplexed, saying, 'I apologize for my reaction, but that was rather unexpected.' King responded, 'I intend to compensate you for the damage. I've already asked the Captain to prepare the necessary funds. As for the magical crystal, I will create one for you soon.' The Principal questioned, 'Can you actually create one? I'm merely curious.' King confirmed, 'Yes, but it will require some time. Additionally, I have a request.' The Principal assured, 'I will do my utmost to assist you.'

King continued, 'You're aware of the emerging talent?' The Principal asked for clarification, 'By talent, do you mean individuals like those?' King affirmed, 'Yes, and if my prediction is correct, Zet will be the next person to surpass all of them.' The Principal responded, 'That's a bold claim. The last talented individual was Blastflare, one of the pillars. He's an adventurer who managed to conquer all challenges and become an S-Rank adventurer in less than three years. He's the most talented individual and even has the right to challenge you for the King's position, but he hasn't done so.'

King agreed, 'Yes, I believe Zet will surpass him once he starts adventuring.' The Principal promised, 'If that's the case, I will keep a close eye on him.' King revealed, 'I have already devised a plan. If he passes the test, then grant him the right to choose his opponent. And grant him to adventuring soon skipping four-year training.' Principal said So, he is that talented huh, well you are way ahead of me so I can't see right now but I will follow your instructions.''

'The principal asked King, 'Can I inquire about something?' King responded, 'What is it?' The principal expressed her confusion, 'I find it surprising that you chose Captain Aurelius. I can't discern any reason for your choice. It is not because he is strong or talented? You have other powerful individuals under you, such as Blastflare and Sect. The Captain doesn't seem to compare to them.'

King corrected her, 'You're mistaken in one aspect. Yes, Captain might not be as talented as Blastflare or Sect, but he possesses something more. His will and desire are under extreme control. He trains harder than anyone else, and he hasn't reached his full potential yet but he can take on any Second Stage master.'

The principal seemed surprised, 'Really? I didn't notice anything special about him though his master over swordmanship is something else.'

King continued, 'He used to train all day and even at night. When he became a Royal Guard, he trained 12 hours a day. His focus was sometimes terrifying, reminding me of a friend who was just like the Captain.'

The principal asked, 'You mean Lord Alden, who adventured right beside you, he is the same as you in terms of power that what we know?'

King confirmed, 'Yes, that's him but he was never a talented individual like me.'

The principal seemed curious, 'Do you know where he is? We haven't seen him for ages. We even don't know If he is alive or not.'

King replied, 'I don't know his whereabouts. He must be far away, enjoying his life.'

The principal added, 'He was a legend, just like you. Many believe he will return when the planet is in danger.'

King agreed, 'I suppose so.'

The principal expressed her concern, 'I'm glad you think so highly of the Captain. As a teacher, I can't help but worry. He was such a nice and hardworking kid.'

King agreed, 'That's true he is my left hand after all, And when I saw him I tested him with his willpower.'

The principal then asked, 'But where is Blastflare?'

King answered, 'He's in Silent Hill, probably enjoying life there, He got a request from the adventure guild even though he should be under me but I don't care.'

The principal chuckled, 'I can imagine that he can't be controlled. Oh, I almost forgot to give you this, King. It's wine "The Dragon's Wake".'

King seemed surprised, 'Where did you find it?'

The principal explained, 'I got it from K. He said it's from Titanova, from his travels.'

King thanked him, 'I appreciate it. I really enjoy this wine.''