Since the duel that day ended, Cedric had formally included Gavi in the special training plan.
However, her role was not simply that of a student, but a proper sparring partner—a tireless opponent specifically tailored for Helos and Julius.
“Are you ready?”
Cedric’s voice was as steady as ever. He stood at the edge of the training ground, his gaze as sharp as an eagle’s.
Helos took a deep breath, clutching the thin sword in her hand a little tighter. She looked at Gavi, who stood motionless before her, and felt a complex mix of nerves and excitement welling up inside her.
“Gavi, be serious this time,” she muttered under her breath, as if to encourage herself.
Julius, standing beside her, appeared much calmer. He had already drawn his training longsword, his expression focused. His Black Eyes reflected the figure of his opponent.
“Starting with you, Helos,” Cedric’s voice called out. “Julius, watch closely from the side. Think about how you would respond if you were in her place.”
“Yes, Master!” the two responded in unison.
Helos took a step forward, settling into a standard starting stance. After more than one month of bitter practice, her posture was no longer as stiff as it had been at the start.
Though her frame was still slender, she now carried the presence a swordsman should have.
“Gavi, your opponent is Helos. Know when to stop,” Cedric commanded.
The longsword in Gavi’s hand moved slightly, and the points of light in her eye sockets flickered once in response.
“Here I come!”
Helos gave a sharp cry and pushed off with her feet, launching the first attack. Her speed was not fast, but every step was incredibly steady. Her thin sword traced a silver arc, stabbing directly toward Gavi’s chest.
This was a technique she had practiced 1,000 times over the past few days. Both the angle and the strength were handled perfectly.
However, faced with this strike, Gavi’s reaction was almost insultingly simple. She merely shifted half a step to the left, easily letting the blade slide past her arm.
Then, with a flick of her wrist, she swung her longsword upward at a tricky angle. With a sharp *clang*, she accurately parried Helos’s thin sword.
As the two blades met, sparks flew in every direction.
Helos felt a massive force travel down the blade, shaking her arm until it went numb. The thin sword nearly flew from her hand. She stumbled back two steps, her face filled with shock.
‘So strong — no, I should say she’s so precise!’ she marveled inwardly.
The strength Gavi had just used was not much greater than her own, likely to avoid hurting her. However, Gavi’s timing and her grasp of angles were perfect. It felt as if every one of Helos’s movements was within her opponent’s expectations.
Before she could steady herself, Gavi was already closing in. Her steps were small, yet each one landed exactly where it made Helos most uncomfortable.
Sword light flashed in a continuous barrage, though it lacked even a hint of killing intent.
Every one of Gavi’s strikes felt like a textbook demonstration.
When Helos’s defense showed a flaw, the tip of Gavi’s sword would instantly press against her throat, only to be withdrawn a moment later to give her time to react.
When Helos’s footwork became messy, Gavi’s blade would lightly tap her ankle, forcing her to readjust her center of gravity.
*Clang! Clang! Clang!*
The sound of metal clashing echoed across the training ground.
Helos soon recovered from her initial shock. She grit her teeth and poured all her energy into this “lesson.”
She stopped trying to defeat Gavi and instead began to learn, to imitate.
She observed Gavi’s every movement, from the movement of her feet to the rotation of her wrist, trying to understand the combat wisdom that seemed to be part of Gavi’s very instincts.
Sweat rolled down from her temples, soaking her silver hair, but her eyes grew brighter and brighter.
Julius stood by the sidelines, watching with fascination. He realized that Gavi was not just a sparring partner, but a silent mentor.
She could not speak, yet she used the most direct method possible to display the essence of combat before them.
He put himself in Helos’s position, performing one Simulation after another in his mind. He found that no matter what response he came up with, Gavi always seemed to have a more brilliant counter waiting.
“Alright, switch,” Cedric’s voice rang out after an unknown amount of time.
Helos let out a sigh of relief and nearly collapsed to the ground. She leaned on her thin sword, gasping for air, her entire body already drenched in sweat.
“It’s your turn, Julius.”
Julius took a deep breath and stepped forward.
“Gavi, change of opponent. Give it your all,” Cedric issued a new command.
The light in Gavi’s eye sockets suddenly flared, and the aura surrounding her changed instantly. If she had been a patient mentor just a moment ago, she was now a sharp, unsheathed blade.
“Please guide me,” Julius said in a low voice, and a faint Holy Light began to gather on his longsword.
***
The battle was triggered in an instant.
Julius’s offensive was far more violent than Helos’s. He combined Swordsmanship with divine magic, weaving sword strikes and Holy Light Bullets together in an attempt to suppress Gavi from the front.
However, Gavi’s response was even more direct. Faced with the whistling Holy Light Bullets, she didn’t even dodge, instead swinging her sword to cut through them.
*Boom!*
The light exploded, and the powerful impact caused the surrounding air to vibrate. Yet Gavi’s figure only swayed slightly before stabilizing once more. Not a single mark was left on her blade.
Then, she pushed off the ground, her speed several times faster than before. She closed the distance to Julius in an instant. Her sword light fell like a waterfall, her offensive fierce to the extreme.
*Clang!*
Julius parried with all his might but was forced into a steady retreat. The Swordsmanship he thought he had made progress in appeared full of holes before Gavi’s nearly instinctive combat skills.
With every block, he felt as if his arm were about to be shattered. Every one of Gavi’s strikes contained a spiraling force that made it difficult for him to deflect.
“**[HOLY PROTECTION]**!” he roared. A golden light shield expanded in front of him, an attempt to buy time to breathe.
However, Gavi’s movements did not pause for a second. The tip of her sword tapped lightly against the shield, like a dragonfly touching the water.
*Crack—*
With a crisp sound, a tiny crack actually appeared on the sturdy shield of light. Julius’s pupils suddenly contracted.
‘How is that possible?!’
Gavi’s sword momentum gave him no time to think. Her longsword seemed to come alive, striking the same spot on the crack over and over again with precision.
*Crack… crack…*
The fracture expanded rapidly, spreading out like a spiderweb. Finally, with a sharp shattering sound, the **[HOLY PROTECTION]** completely collapsed, turning into a shower of light.
Julius’s heart sank. In the moment he lost his focus, a cold blade had already silently pressed against his neck.
The match was decided.
“Huff… huff…”
Julius panted heavily, sweat sliding down his cheek. He looked at the expressionless face before him, feeling an indescribable sense of frustration in his heart.
“How does it feel?” Cedric’s voice came over.
Julius silently sheathed his sword and managed a bitter smile. “I admit my defeat completely.”
“Do you both understand now?” Cedric’s sharp gaze swept over the two of them.
“What Gavi possesses is a combat instinct honed through a thousand trials. She does not hesitate in battle. Every one of her movements is the optimal choice for the current situation. She is your best sparring partner and your best teacher.”
He looked at Helos and Julius, his voice steady and powerful. “Learn from her. That is what you will be doing from now on.”
Helos and Julius glanced at each other, both seeing a burning fighting spirit in the other’s eyes. They supported their nearly exhausted bodies and stood straight once more.
“Yes, Master!”
The voices of the two echoed across the training ground, firm and powerful.
From that day on, a unique sight appeared on the training ground. Helos and Julius took turns going up, challenging Gavi time and time again.
They were defeated over and over, only to pick themselves back up every single time. Gavi was like a mirror, clearly reflecting all of their flaws and pushing them to constantly improve.