Lucian completed his preparations and headed to the training ground, his heart pounding with a mix of excitement and anxiety. He had never used a sword before and didn’t know what to expect from his new instructor. One thing was certain, though—he didn’t want to give up boxing. As he arrived at the wide, open square that served as the training ground, he noticed that it was empty, save for one figure standing in the middle. Various stands lined the area, displaying swords and armor, while the ground bore the scars of many past battles. Lucian immediately understood that this person had to be the special instructor his father, Marquis Arthur, had summoned for him.

"If the Marquis reserved the entire area just for us, this guy must be important." The tall stone pillars surrounding the training ground stood like silent sentinels, casting long shadows across the field.

Lucian approached the figure, who stood with his back turned. The man had a thin, short silhouette, and he wore a pale gray robe that draped loosely over his shoulders. His long, wavy hair and almost fragile-looking frame made him seem unthreatening at first glance.

"He doesn’t look very strong. In fact, he seems quite frail." But as Lucian got closer, he noticed intricate patterns glowing on the man’s robe, emitting a faint magical aura. It was clear this was no ordinary person.

“Hello, I was sent by Marquis Arthur to receive training, and I am eager to learn from you,” Lucian said respectfully, waiting for the man to turn around.

When the man slowly turned to face him, Lucian was struck by his large, sharp eyes. Despite the man’s youthful appearance, his eyes exuded depth and wisdom, as though they belonged to an ancient sage.

“Ahhh, you’ve finally arrived! Do you know how long I’ve been standing here with my back turned, trying to make a dramatic entrance? But now my patience has run out. Didn’t anyone teach you to arrive on time? Do those short legs of yours make it hard to walk? Did you think I care how old you are, huh?” The man’s voice was unexpectedly energetic and mocking, a far cry from the calm demeanor Lucian had anticipated.

“But I believe I arrived exactly at the time I was told, sir.”

“I-Is that so?” Sagar’s confident demeanor faltered. “So I came two hours early? Am I that excited to have my first student? Me, the great Sagar?” he muttered to himself, but Lucian could hear every word.

"Is this really my instructor? He looks like a child…" The man’s small stature and slim frame made him look more like a young boy than a master.

Sagar shot Lucian an annoyed look. “Hey, I know what you’re thinking. I’m not a child, okay? I just used magic to change my appearance.” As he said this, his robe fluttered slightly, and the air around him shimmered momentarily.

"Magic, huh? So my instructor is a wizard?"

“Let me guess, you’re thinking ‘my instructor is a wizard,’ right?” he said, mimicking Lucian’s exact thoughts.

"Wait… can he read my mind?" A slight shiver ran down his spine, and he took a cautious step back.

“You’re probably wondering if I can read your mind, right? Well, no, I can’t. There’s no spell for that. But your face is so easy to read, it’s like you’re shouting your thoughts.” Sagar grinned mischievously, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

Lucian sighed in relief. The training ground felt vast and empty, with only his own breathing filling the silence.

“Still, that was impressive, sir. May I ask how you did it?” He couldn’t help but admire the magical prowess that Sagar displayed. The stone pillars around them, with their imposing presence, seemed like they might spring to life at any moment under Sagar’s command.

“My name is Sagar. From now on, address me by my name, and I’ll do the same for you, Lucian.”

"H-How does he know my name!?" With a confused expression on his face.

“Oh, stop being so surprised. It’s not that hard to figure out. I’ve heard all about you, and your expressions give away everything.” Sagar was clearly enjoying himself, carefully observing every detail of Lucian’s reactions.

Determined not to give Sagar any more satisfaction, Lucian decided to put on his best poker face. Staring at Sagar with an unreadable expression, he said, “Hey, can you guess what I’m thinking right now?” and began chanting in his head, "Alien elephants, alien elephants, alien elephants…"

Sagar, visibly annoyed, snapped, “How the hell should I know!? Damn it, let’s just start the lesson already…”

“Yes, Sensei!” Lucian said with a cheeky grin.

“CALL ME SAGAR, DAMN IT!” he barked, smacking Lucian on the head. The slight tremor in his hand suggested the blow had been magically enhanced.

Rubbing his head, Lucian couldn’t help but laugh. Sagar and Lucian finally stood facing each other, ready to begin the lesson.

“Arthur told me you’ve already reached the first star at the age of three, and that you can read and write.”

"He calls him Arthur… they must be pretty close." Despite his playful demeanor, Lucian wanted to impress Sagar.

“Yes, Sensei!”

“So no matter what I say, you’re going to keep calling me Sensei, huh…” he sighed, clearly tired of Lucian’s antics, but took a deep breath and continued.

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Lucian nodded eagerly, a wide smile on his face.

“Well, it’s good that you’re excited. You might be wondering why a wizard is here to train you. Consider yourself lucky because I don’t normally give lessons to anyone. But when Arthur told me you reached the first star at such a young age, I decided I wanted to do this myself.”

Lucian’s face reflected his confusion. "How could a wizard help me with sword training?"

“You know that aura is basically condensed mana, right? You gather mana, concentrate it, and eventually form an aura star through even more intense processes. So, in essence, what you’re using is mana. Since you’ve reached the first star, you should already know the basics, so I won’t bore you with details. But from here on, we’ll be experimenting a bit!” he said with a grin.

Lucian, still uncertain about how magic could help him, listened closely.

“Now, sit and focus on your aura. Let’s see just how strong your aura star really is!” he commanded, his voice brimming with excitement.

Lucian obediently sat down, closed his eyes, and began to focus inward, ready to explore the depths of his aura.

Lucian sat in a meditative position, focusing intensely on his aura. Sagar placed a hand on Lucian’s head, his expression shifting as he concentrated on Lucian’s inner self—or more specifically, his aura star. For several moments, they remained in the same position, the silence of the training ground amplifying the tension.

"Hmm… I understand…"

"Does he understand? Does that mean I’m doing well?" he wondered, continuing to circulate his aura within his body.

"You can stop now," he said in a suddenly serious tone.

Lucian stood up, feeling unsure. Had he done something wrong?

"I never thought I would witness something like this in my lifetime. Though I theorized it was possible, to actually see it..." Sagar’s sharp eyes locked onto Lucian with intensity.

"Lucian, did you give up your life?"

"Give up my life? Did he figure out that I was reborn? He can’t have, right? Is he going to kill me? I’m just a child!" Panic began to surge through Lucian. "This world isn’t like the one I came from—it’s dangerous. Should I pretend I don’t understand?"

Noticing Lucian’s anxious demeanor, Sagar chuckled.

"Hey, calm down. I’m not here to punish you. What you did is extremely dangerous, yes, but as a wizard, I’m more curious than anything. Whether you have blood or mana flowing through your veins doesn’t concern me."

Lucian’s panic eased slightly. "Wait… is he talking about how I gave up using my heart to circulate mana? He’s not talking about my reincarnation." He let out a quiet breath of relief.

"Now that you’ve calmed down a bit, mind explaining how you did it?"

Lucian carefully explained the transformation process—how he had altered his body to function with mana instead of blood. Of course, he omitted critical details, lying where necessary to keep his secrets safe.

"Hmm… I think I understand most of it. Still, there’s one thing that baffles me. This method you’ve used—giving up your heart to pump mana—was originally theorized for someone to become both a wizard and a swordmaster. You, however, come from a family known for its swordsmanship, with no knowledge of magic. So why did you risk your life to do this? Don’t tell me it was just to test yourself. This time, you can’t play the ‘I’m just a small child’ card."

Lucian hesitated, then stood up, determination rising within him. "I think it would be easier if I showed you."

He assumed a fighting stance, stepping one foot back to anchor his weight, his posture poised and focused.

"What are you doing? Are you mad at me or something? You do realize you can’t beat me with a couple of punches, right? Remember, I am the great wizard—"

Before Sagar could finish his sentence, Lucian channeled aura through his body—his hips, legs, back, shoulders, and arms. His fist filled with concentrated aura, and with one explosive motion, he threw a powerful right straight punch.

A shockwave erupted from the impact, causing an explosion of air pressure. The ground beneath Lucian cracked and splintered, the earth collapsing where his feet had been planted. Sagar’s hat flew off, revealing his silver hair, while his wide, green eyes reflected a mix of awe and curiosity.

As the dust settled, Lucian stood in the center of the destruction, barely able to keep himself upright. "D-Damn… I overdid it…" His vision blurred, and before he could steady himself, he passed out.

----------------------------------------

Lucian awoke slowly, his head throbbing. As his eyes fluttered open, he realized he was no longer outside in the training ground. Instead, he was inside a massive, dimly lit library. Towering bookshelves stretched up toward the high ceiling, filled with countless ancient tomes. Magical lights, glowing softly, floated between the shelves, casting a faint glow across the room.

"W-Where am I?" he murmured, still groggy. The room was vast, with thick velvet carpets absorbing any sound. A large table stood at the center of the room, cluttered with open books, parchments, and various quills. A grand candelabrum, intricately engraved, cast dim light across the space.

Sitting in a corner, Sagar floated in a chair that hovered slightly off the ground. He sipped from a cup of coffee, lazily turning the pages of a magical, self-flipping book.

"You’re awake," Sagar said casually, his voice echoing softly in the vast library. "You passed out after exhausting your mana, so I brought you here. Welcome to my pocket dimension."

"P-Pocket dimension?" Lucian’s eyes widened as he took in the grandness of his surroundings. Magical orbs floated above them, emitting a soft blue light, giving the room an almost ethereal feel. Lucian (thinking): "So… this is another dimension entirely?"

"If you’re done gawking, perhaps we could continue our conversation?" Sagar’s voice brought Lucian back to the moment.

Lucian nodded slowly. With a flick of his wrist, Sagar lifted Lucian into the air with magic, effortlessly floating him over to another hovering chair.

"W-Whoa!" he yelped, unable to hide his amazement at the sensation of floating.

After gently placing Lucian in the chair, Sagar began to speak again. "I must say, that punch of yours was quite impressive. You transferred your aura through your muscles, creating a burst of powerful energy. For someone without deep knowledge of anatomy or martial arts, that kind of precision would be impossible. You distributed aura perfectly across your muscle fibers. If you were simply lucky, your arm would’ve shattered. Most aura users would channel their energy into just their fist or arm, which would end badly. But your technique was something entirely different."

Lucian sat quietly, listening to Sagar’s analysis. "He’s right. It’s amazing that he can deduce so much from a single punch. If I hadn’t had my knowledge of martial arts and anatomy from my previous life, I would never have been able to pull that off. The strength I have now is a combination of two lives’ worth of experience."

Sagar leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. "So… how did someone like you, living in a remote border region, practicing swordsmanship with no exposure to the outside world, come by such advanced knowledge? What are you hiding, Lucian? Or perhaps I should ask—who are you really?" Sagar’s voice was low and filled with curiosity, his gaze piercing.

Lucian felt his heart race, his mind swirling with panic. "What do I do now? Does he know I’m not really a child? How much can I tell him?" He felt cold sweat beading on his forehead as the magical lights flickered ominously around him.

Suddenly, Sagar’s form shimmered and shifted. His youthful appearance faded, replaced by the image of a man in his mid-twenties, with sharp features and a confident aura.

"How about we make a deal?" he asked, his voice smooth and commanding.

Lucian’s eyes narrowed as he considered the proposition. "A deal…? What could he want from me?"