Michael fell silent, deep in thought.
"No, I was merely the heir of a baron until recently. My family's knowledge is limited, and even the great noble houses wouldn't hide something . It seems this knowledge has been lost entirely."
Alexander's expression turned somber. "The legacy of true strength has vanished. To ascend to higher realms, one must cultivate the power of life itself. But the Radiance always opposed human advancement."
"The power of life?" Michael asked, intrigued. "Is that another term for aura? I've already awakened mine."
"Show me," Alexander requested.
Michael concentrated, channeling his aura into his blade. A faint red glow began at the tip of the sword, gradually spreading along its length.
"That's aura, yes, but it's far too weak. Have you not learned a proper sword path?" Alexander inquired.
"No, my training has only covered inherited execution techniques. I've never studied a sword path," Michael admitted.
"Perfect. Without a proper sword path, advancing is nearly impossible. Would you like to learn from me?"
Michael hesitated. "But weren't you a holy knight of the Radiance? If I use their techniques, I'll end up being hunted."
Alexander laughed. "I was also a prince of the East Kingdom. Naturally, I learned the royal sword path. By the way, is the East Kingdom still standing?"
"No, I've never heard of it. I'm sorry," Michael replied.
"Good riddance. There was no love lost for the royal family—it was more corrupt than even the Radiance," Alexander said dismissively.
Caught off guard by his bluntness, Michael was unsure how to respond.
"So, will you inherit my legacy? It would be an honor to pass it on properly," Alexander said, his fiery gaze locking onto Michael as he firmly clasped his hand.
Why does this feel... ominous? Michael thought.
Michael hesitated at Alexander's sudden proposal.
"Well, I'd be happy to learn, but I don't exactly have much time right now," he admitted.
Alexander's eyes gleamed with enthusiasm as he grasped Michael's hand.
"Time is not an issue here, my lord. This training ground was designed during the Final War to produce as many holy knights as possible. Here, ten days pass as only an hour in the outside world. The only drawback is that each person can only use this space once every three years."
"Is that so?" Michael murmured, his hesitation fading. This could be a golden opportunity. After a brief moment of thought, he nodded firmly.
"Then I'll be in your care. But you mentioned the 'power of life' earlier—does that refer to aura?"
Alexander's expression grew serious as he explained.
"Upon examining your aura flow, I noticed something unusual. During my time, knights etched mana holes across their entire bodies to channel power. But you seem to concentrate everything around your heart."
Michael frowned thoughtfully. "That's odd. I'm sure I'm not doing anything different from others."
"That suggests the original method has been lost," Alexander concluded grimly. "The Radiance must have deliberately tampered with the process."
After a pause, he sighed deeply. "Channeling aura solely through the heart is a simplified approach. It's not ideal for anyone pursuing the path of a true knight."
Michael's voice carried a mixture of curiosity and anger as he asked, "What exactly is the Radiance? Why did it suppress power so aggressively?"
Alexander lowered his gaze. "Even as the first commander of the Radiance's Holy Knights, I didn't know all their secrets. I only knew their goal was to eradicate all forms of mystery and power from the world."
The room fell silent. Michael's expression darkened.
"No magic, no rituals, no knightly arts… Is that the kind of world they wanted?"
Alexander nodded solemnly. "First, they sought to eliminate the gods. Then came the other races, followed by mages and shamans. Their ultimate goal was a world devoid of all mystery. Tragically, many followed the Radiance without realizing its true intentions."
Michael froze as he processed this revelation. His mind flickered to his ability to absorb powers—was this related somehow? Shaking off the thought, he refocused on the matter at hand.
"Are you saying the Radiance left behind only degraded methods of aura training?"
"Precisely," Alexander confirmed.
A spark ignited in Michael's eyes. "That means…"
A surge of realization coursed through him. If Alexander's words were true, he might be the only person alive with access to proper aura techniques.
"Teach me immediately," Michael demanded, his determination unwavering.
Recognizing Michael's resolve, Alexander nodded. "First, we need to erase the flawed pathways etched into your body. It will be painful. Let me know when you're ready."
Michael didn't hesitate. "I'm ready."
Alexander guided Michael to sit cross-legged, ensuring his posture was straight. Michael braced himself for the pain to come.
The process was excruciating. Beads of sweat formed on Michael's brow as his breathing grew labored, but he endured the ordeal without so much as a groan. His unwavering focus and sheer willpower saw him through.
When the procedure was finally complete, Michael's face was pale, his body drenched in sweat.
"I must say, I'm impressed, my lord. That was no easy feat," Alexander remarked, genuine admiration evident in his voice.
"Is it done? What's next?" Michael asked, his voice steady despite his exhaustion.
"You'll need to learn a new sword path. For most, it takes about a year to master using mana holes throughout the body," Alexander explained.
"A year? So only about two days in the outside world… I'd better inform my companions. They're waiting for me," Michael noted.
Alexander nodded. "I'll relay the message through Lucrecia. She's not particularly fond of me contacting her, but these are special circumstances."
Michael raised an eyebrow, a playful grin tugging at his lips. "Why doesn't she like it? Did you get rejected or something?"
Alexander's expression turned sullen, confirming Michael's guess.
Ah… He was rejected, Michael thought, awkwardly patting Alexander on the shoulder.
"Well… that's all in the past now," Alexander muttered with a forced smile before regaining his composure. "Your message has been sent. Shall we begin?"