Fenris was starting to feel that his lessons with Rifa were losing their spark. He enjoyed having Sara as his disciple, but it was becoming clear that he had already learned all there was to be taught. As he reflected on his previous battles, such as his encounter with the cultist, and the recent events involving the Orcs, Fenris realized the need to expand his skills. What would happen if he faced an opponent who could disable his magic. How would he defend himself then? After careful consideration, Fenris concluded that he needed to learn the art of swordsmanship, as it's the primary form of combat in this world.

He had some experience wielding a sword from occasional practice sessions with his grandfather during his days of learning Brazilian jiu-jitsu in his past life. Now, it was time for him to master this skill.

One day, Fenris visited his father, Marcos, in the secondary office at the Tonelico mansion. When he walked into the room, Marcos swiveled his chair away from the colorful backyard gardens.

"What brings you here, Fenris?" Marcos asked with an intrigued look while sipping tea.

"I want to learn sword-fighting, just like my brothers," Fenris said with longing in his voice.

His son's request surprised Marcos, causing him to furrow his brow curiously. He tried to approach the matter pragmatically. "What sparked this sudden interest?"

Fenris stared at the ground, contemplating how to express his thoughts to his father. "I want to be strong, just like you," he finally spoke up.

"Hm?" Marcos cocked his head, puzzled by Fenris's words.

"Even in private, you always manage to do incredible things for those you serve. And though you may not be a perfect father, you never stop trying. I aspire to one day emulate that."

Marcos's eyes widened in realization as Fenris's words sank in. A warm smile spread across his face as he nodded in agreement of his son's logic. "Do you wish to join the Royal Army one day, my son?"

"Actually, no," Fenris replied, shaking his head vigorously. "I actually find adventuring much more appealing. My first time experience was exhilarating!"

"I understand... but even if you don't end up joining the Army, it would be beneficial for you to learn from knights. Your brothers, for instance, are learning from esteemed royal knights."

"Hmm..." Fenris stroked his chin as he contemplated his father's suggestion. "Alright. I'm willing to learn if that's what it takes."

Huh, this feels familiar...

-----

The "Red Lion" is a well-known warrior whom Marcos had heard of, famous for his adventures in the western kingdoms. After examining his achievements, Marcos decided to contact him. He wanted to arrange for Fenris to train under him.

Once Fenris learned of this, he felt troubled about how to break the news to Sara and Rifa. With a heavy heart, he decided to cut it to them straight, as he saw no reason in sugarcoating it whatsoever.

Fenris went outside and found Sara and Rifa practicing magic together, without him. Sara was trying to produce lightning, but she only had sparks at this point. Rifa saw Fenris right away and calmly asked, "You're really late. Where were you?"

"I'm sorry...my father kept me occupied, that's all," Fenris said matter-of-factly. He wasted no time cutting to the chase about his intentions. "I'm going to be leaving for the royal capital later today. My father has arranged for me to train under a 'distinguished knight' and learn swordsmanship."

Sara's concentration was broken by Fenris and Rifa's conversation. She and Rifa were taken aback by Fenris's sudden news. "W-Why...?" Sara asked shakily.

"Because I wish to grow stronger. Rounding out my skills is the best way for me to do that right now," Fenris replied. Seeing Sara's sad expression, he felt his heart ache a little.

It was then that Rifa placed a hand on his shoulder, interrupting Fenris's moment of sentimentality. She had that warm smile on her face that Fenris always cherished since the day they met. "I understand. I just hope that during your training, you'll come by to visit."

"I'll do my best, Miss Rifa," Fenris nodded as a small grin formed on his face. "I'll write you and Sara letters whenever I can to make sure that all is well."

Rifa let go of Fenris's shoulder as he took a few steps back. Sara was barely holding back tears at this point. "No, Fenris, don't go!" She ran to him and grasped his hand, holding it with both of hers.  "We'll be so far apart, a-and how will I know that you won't be hurt out in the big city?"

Fenris understood Sara's reasons for being upset. However, he couldn't help but smile out of delight at her concern for him. It showed him, if nothing else, that she cared about him deeply.

"Don't worry, Sara. I'll be fine. You know that I can take care of myself." He winked at her reassuringly. Sara came to her senses after Fenris reminded her that he's very strong. With a heavy weight lifted off her chest, she gave him a soft smile in return.

"I'm sorry...you're right. I'm still going to miss you a lot, though," Sara said with an emotional undertone. She wiped away her tears, trying to remain as strong as she can.

"I understand. I'll miss you too," Fenris replied. After a brief awkward silence between the two, he left. Sara and Rifa were left alone with their thoughts.

-----

About a day and a half has passed since Fenris began traveling via carriage to Asurand. The earth dragons pulled the carriage at a steady 120 km/h. Fenris took a look at his surroundings through the small window as he rapidly approached the capital city. "Wow...so this is the capital city, huh?" he said in awe as he saw the sheer amount of buildings in the distance.

Asurand, the royal capital of the Asura Kingdom, is a large circular city surrounded by high outer walls. The Royal Capital is divided into six layers. The topmost layer is the city's core, containing the Royal Palace, knight garrisons, Fatum Tower, and the Royal Cemetery. Under the castle layer is the Nobles' District where much of the country's nobility resides. Below it is the Commercial District, home to a large marketplace, including a variety of shops. There were also many trading companies inhabiting the district, some of which banded together to form merchant guilds. These merchant guilds dominated several industries, including medicine, textiles, glassware, jewelry, and spices. Below the Commercial District is the Adventurers' District, which is mainly populated by adventurers. It is also one of the places where the most lawlessness happens outside of the slums on the outer rims of the city, because of how rowdy the adventurers can be at times. The final two layers were the Commoners' District and the slums, which were abundant with various demi-human races, making the Royal Capital a melting pot.

"It looks even bigger in person," Fenris remarked, as the carriage began stepping into the outer walls of the city. After passing through border checks, Fenris made his way through the bustling city to the knights' garrison with a letter from his father in hand.

After entering the barracks, Fenris let out a heavy sigh as a wave of nervousness washed over him. He didn't know what this "Red Lion" warrior looked like, or how he'd act towards him. All that he knew was that he was said to be fierce and well-experienced.

I wonder if he's the 'harsh mentor' type...

Sounds of steel clashing in the distance filled the air along with subtle grunts and screams. The knights clad in white noticed Fenris's presence and quickly stopped their mock match. Weary, they pointed their swords at him in suspicion that he was an intruder. "Halt! State your business, or else!" they said almost in unison.

Fenris took a step back before revealing the white letter in his hand. "I'm here under my father, Lord Marcos's orders."

The knights' expressions loosened once Fenris mentioned Marcos's name. However, they quickly saw that Fenris's delicate features hardly resembled his father. Noticing their doubtful expressions, Fenris approached them and opened the letter.

After carefully reading the letter and confirming that it was indeed signed by Marcos himself, they let Fenris off the hook. Suddenly, a tall figure emerged from the shadows, causing the knights to freeze in shock.

"Well, well...what do we have here? Is this the scrawny kid Lord Marcos mentioned?" The figure spoke with a hint of sarcasm.

"And you are?" Fenris responded irritably, until he realized that the man before him was dressed in red armor resembling that of a samurai.

Woah!! This must be the Red Lion that Father was talking about..! But why does he look like a total goofball wearing that armor? Maybe it's because of his face? Fenris expressed surprise and confusion upon realizing the man's true identity.

"Lionel. Lionel von Morales. And there is no need for introductions, your father has already told me all about you, Fenris," Lionel introduced himself with a hand on his hip and a confident smile. It seemed he had dropped his earlier sarcastic demeanor.

"I see...well, I'm here to train under you. I hope you'll be a good teacher," Fenris bowed before Lionel in a respectful manner, recognizing that he was a seasoned warrior just by the armor he wore alone.

"There's no need for the pleasantries, Fenris," Lionel chuckled, amused by Fenris's politeness. He approached Fenris and carefully analyzed his body structure. "But before we begin your swordsmanship training, we'll have to work on getting you into shape."

"I understand," Fenris nodded in agreement. "I'm willing to do what it takes."

"That's what I like to hear!"

Fenris immediately regretted those words.

Despite his impressive physical strength from his half-demon heritage, Fenris lacked endurance and stamina like that of a child. To fix this, Lionel put him through a grueling training program specifically designed for him. For starters, Fenris had to wear magical weights on his wrists and ankles, adding 25% of his total body weight for each one.

In addition, he was made to swim against strong currents and climb steep mountains. Fenris also had to do push-ups while carrying heavy weights on his back, which strained his muscles to their limit.

"Ngh...!" Fenris grunted as he struggled to lift a massive dark block sitting atop his back. "H-How much does this w-weigh anyway!?" he asked Lionel, who stood by with crossed arms and a smirk on his face.

"About 2,000 kilos," Lionel replied. "You're doing very well so far. You may be struggling now, but by the end of this, you'll be much stronger."

Fenris was familiar with the concept of muscle growth through damage and repair. As he felt the intense burn in his muscles, he came up with an idea to make the process easier. Whenever he was pushed to his limits, he would use healing magic on himself to skip the repair stage and instantly see results.

Thanks to Fenris' use of healing magic, his muscles were recovering at a rapid pace which allowed him to adapt quickly to the intense training. Being a half-demon gave him an advantage over regular humans due to his inherent physical strength.

-----

After about two months, Lionel noticed Fenris' progress and decided to ramp up the training by doubling the weight of objects he had to lift and making him run ten kilometers every day in and out of the capital. Fenris later recalled receiving strange looks from passerby.

Lionel also adjusted the magical weights in his ankles, making them at around 40% of his body weight for each one. Even with Fenris using healing magic, the training was one would describe as hell. But that's what made it fun.

This boy is really pushing himself hard... Lionel observed as he found Fenris's determination to be almost frightening, if not demonically insane.

At the four-month mark, Fenris showed exceptional progress in his physical training despite still being pre-pubescent. His muscles had developed significantly, but they were lean instead of bulky, allowing him to maintain nimble movement without exerting too much effort.

Lionel was surprised by how quickly Fenris had developed over the span of a few months. He welcomed it warmly with a confident smirk. "Look at you! Now you look perfectly fit to be a swordsman. I think it's time we put those new muscles of yours to good use."

Fenris's face lit up with excitement. Hell yeah! This is what I've been waiting for!

Lionel drew his sword, which resembled a katana, and gestured towards the inside of the barracks. "Go grab a sword from there. We'll start once you're ready."

"Got it," Fenris nodded eagerly as he quickly retrieved a longsword. But as he stepped outside to face Lionel, an odd feeling came over him.

"Wait, we're using real swords? Shouldn't we start with wooden ones?" Fenris asked with a hint of concern.

"Your opponent won't always go easy on you," Lionel replied cryptically as he assumed a defensive stance. His words left Fenris puzzled, but seeing him preparing for battle, Fenris pushed his doubts aside for the moment.

"Now, get into your own fighting stance. Whatever feels most comfortable."

"Okay," Fenris complied, planting his feet apart in a longpoint stance, where he held his sword with a strong grasp in both hands. He squinted, trying to anticipate his opponent's next move.

Suddenly, Lionel leapt into the air and brought his sword down towards Fenris's blade. The two swords clashed as Fenris successfully defended against the attack, holding his ground firmly.

"Good! You're able to block single attacks, but what about multiple ones?" Lionel asked as he landed back on the ground and lunged at Fenris repeatedly. Each time, Fenris managed to block the attacks, although it took some effort. It was clear that Fenris's muscle memory still needed some work.

"Impressive! You have great reflexes," Lionel praised, but he wasn't fully satisfied yet. Suddenly, Lionel vanished from Fenris's line of sight. Panicking, Fenris felt a sharp stabbing sensation in his head. He sensed Lionel's presence behind him and quickly turned to defend himself.

This boy has great potential... Lionel was taken aback by Fenris's ability to anticipate an attack from behind. However, in that brief moment of surprise, Fenris was able to parry Lionel's blade and take control of the fight. The two tumbled across the sandy battlefield until Fenris was able to pin Lionel down with a submission hold, shifting his weight to prevent any escape attempts.

Fenris had Lionel pinned to the ground, his blade dangerously close to his neck. Lionel strained against Fenris' weight, but eventually, Fenris stood up and offered him a hand. "Y-You beat me..." Lionel said through gritted teeth.

"But only because I let myself get distracted!" Lionel retorted with a hint of frustration at his defeat. Fenris couldn't help but chuckle at Lionel's childish behavior, feeling smug in his victory.

"I didn't realize the mighty 'Red Lion' was such a sore loser," Fenris teased.

Lionel pouted, knowing that Fenris was right but refusing to admit it out loud. "Next time, I won't go so easy on you!" he declared, pointing a finger at Fenris with a strained smile. Damn kid...