Chapter 5: Chapter 5. Training or torture
Ashael stood inside the training hall alone. He had told Kale that he would be training alone from now on.
Sure enough, he took it personally and came at me, talking about how my father, the Emperor, had ordered him to train me.
Ashael told him that he wouldn’t be needed anymore. Of course, he didn’t budge, so Ashael told him that if he wanted to remain the Imperial Knights Commander after I became Emperor, then he should leave.
Kale got the threat and left quietly, but I’m sure he went to the Emperor to complain about me.
I can literally imagine the nuisance I’m going to get from this.
Ashael also sent Isolde away so she could train. He couldn’t just let talent go to waste by having her stand around all day. He intended to use her in future battles too.
Now, Ashael was alone.
Ashael called out to the system.
"System, activate that swordsmanship instructor."
[Activating [Absolute Training System] function.]
[Preparing a swordsmanship instructor.]
[Generating the dual-wielding swordsmanship instructor.]
[Host Physique stat: 6]
[Generating the instructor with peak human Physique stat: 10]
A humanoid figure started forming in front of Ashael.
It was a white-bodied figure with two hands and two legs. It had no facial features.
While Ashael stood at 5 feet, the humanoid figure stood at 7 feet.
Well, this is what peak human physique gets you.
Ashael walked to one side of the training hall where different types of weapons rested on metal stands. He picked up two longswords.
They were Common-rank swords, but they were made from the best materials.
Ashael walked back to the center and stood a few meters away from the instructor.
[Ready?]
Ashael closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Then he opened them.
"Start it."
The moment Ashael said those words, the instructor charged toward him.
But so did Ashael.
Clang!
Their swords clashed against each other.
But Ashael got pushed back.
Before he could do anything, the second sword came at him. Ashael blocked it with his second sword, but the force behind the strike sent a shockwave through his arms.
The instructor attacked continuously.
Its attacks were fast, heavy, and precise.
Ashael was pushed completely onto the defensive.
Just then, the instructor performed a vertical slash. The sheer strength behind it split the air in half.
It would have cut Ashael in half if he hadn’t crossed his swords above his head to block it. Even then, the force pushed Ashael down to one knee.
Before Ashael could do anything else, the instructor delivered a roundhouse kick into the left side of his stomach.
The full power of a peak human physique sent him crashing across the hall.
Ashael’s body slammed against the floor and rolled several times. Pain spread through the entire left side of his body.
’Fuck, I think my ribs are broken. I-’
Before Ashael could finish his thought, he saw another attack coming toward him.
He quickly rolled across the ground to avoid it.
But then it came again.
A kick slammed into his stomach in the middle of his roll.
Boom!
This time, the force of the kick sent him flying to the other side of the hall, directly into the wall.
Cough.
Cough.
Cough.
Ashael coughed blood onto the ground.
His whole body was in pain.
Now he understood that during all the time Imperial Knights Commander Kale had been training him, he had been holding back because Ashael was the prince.
But this...
This...
This was not training.
He had asked the system to create a combat training system, and it had done exactly that.
But instead of training him gently, the instructor was giving him real battle experience, which was ten times better than simple training could ever be.
"System, stop the instructor."
The humanoid instructor stopped immediately.
[Okay.]
"Buy a recovery potion from the shop to heal all my wounds."
[Supremacy Path Shop]
[Basic Recovery Potion]
[Price: 20 System Points]
[Can heal most normal physical wounds such as broken bones and internal bleeding.]
"Buy it."
A glass bottle filled with green liquid appeared in front of Ashael.
Ashael grabbed the potion and drank it all.
All his injuries, including the broken bones and internal bleeding, healed completely.
Ashael sat on the ground for ten minutes to recover his stamina.
Then he stood up and walked toward the sword he had lost during the fight.
Though this time, he only picked up one sword because he understood his shortcomings.
He may have talent in dual wielding, but he had only learned how to fight with one sword.
So until he properly mastered dual wielding, he wouldn’t try using it again.
Well, this is what overconfidence gets you.
At least it happened here in the training hall and not on a battlefield or inside a Rift.
And this [Absolute Training System] was something else entirely.
He really had made the correct decision.
He could already think of several ways to train and grow stronger. With more than five years left to train, Ashael could already imagine the progress he would make.
Well, at least the combat part of convincing his father was handled.
But he still didn’t know how he was going to explain stopping his training with Kale.
’Whatever. I’ll just avoid him until I awaken and cover it up with my high-ranking traits.’
Ashael picked up his sword.
And stood in front of the humanoid instructor once again.
’Alright, let’s do this.’
’System, hit it.’
The moment Ashael gave the command, the humanoid instructor started moving again with that same intent to beat him down.
But this time, Ashael was ready too.
The instructor charged toward Ashael again, but this time Ashael moved at full speed toward him as well.
Clang!
Their swords collided.
The instructor slashed at Ashael again, but Ashael blocked it with a proper stance.
Since Ashael was using a single sword now, the system had also made the humanoid instructor use one.
Ashael was familiar with single-sword combat.
He knew what to do.
Ashael took some distance from the instructor and attacked him.
Then again.
And again.
The fight continued.
Hours passed.
And what happened during those hours was a completely one-sided beatdown of Ashael.
Ashael lay on the ground of the training hall.
His breathing was heavy.
He was completely exhausted.
Ashael hadn’t won against the humanoid instructor even once.
In fact, whenever he thought he was finally keeping up with it, Ashael would instantly get overwhelmed again.
It was like the instructor knew exactly what Ashael was thinking, and just to mock him, it let Ashael catch up before crushing him again.
But at least Ashael had improved.
Far more than he ever did with Kale in a single day.
Then the training hall doors were knocked on.
"Your Highness, it’s Isolde. May I come inside?"
Ashael heard Isolde’s voice from outside.
’Cancel instructor.’
He allowed her entry.
Isolde entered the hall and saw Ashael lying on the floor.
She was surprised by the state of Ashael and the training hall.
Not because it was the first time she had seen this. After all, Ashael had dismissed Kale and decided to train on his own.
But even during his training with Kale, Ashael had never been beaten this badly.
And the training hall itself looked like a complete mess.
’What exactly was His Highness doing?’
"Isolde, help me get up."
Isolde walked over to Ashael and helped him stand.
Ashael wrapped one arm around Isolde’s shoulder for support while she gently placed her soft arm around his waist.
"Excuse me, Your Highness," she said softly.
The two walked out of the training hall and headed toward his chambers.
Along the way, servants and guards looked at them but didn’t say anything.
In fact, they didn’t even look very surprised because to them, this was a daily occurrence.
Every day, Ashael entered training.
And every day, he came out injured.
And it’s not like they could say anything because, to them, Ashael was like a dragon.
Even wounded, a dragon was still a dragon.
And they...
They were ants.
Their job as ants was to bow and follow orders.
And bow they did as Ashael walked past them.
Even while injured and supported by Isolde, there wasn’t a single expression of pain on his beautiful face.
