Why did I say that? he thought, replaying the moment in his head. He had only meant to sound confident, maybe a little competitive, but the words had come out all wrong, leaving both of them flustered. The way Hatsune had reacted — her cheeks flushing, her composure breaking for a split second — only made the awkwardness hit harder.


    Congratulations! You learned a New Skill:Greatsword Mastery - Novice


    You have taken the first step toward mastering the greatsword. With this skill, the user has mastered the basic ability to wield a greatsword with a sense of balance and control. This skill provides a fundamental understanding of a greatsword’s weight distribution, basic stances, and simple swings.


    Effects


    +5% damage with greatswords


    +5% attack speed with greatswords


    +10% accuracy with greatswords


    Reduces stamina drain from wielding greatswords by 2%


    Klarion grinned, the notification a welcome one. Given the time he had trained with a greatsword alongside Rolfun, he wasn’t sure why he was just officially learning the skill now. Perhaps it had something to do with his slow leveling speed. He’d have to look into it more later. Among the dozen other things he had no time to do.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    “This accelerated learning is a benefit of training here,” Professor Thrain continued. “But it only works if you put in the effort. Half-hearted practice will yield half-hearted results. Dedicate yourselves fully, and you’ll find your skills advancing faster than you ever thought possible.” He stepped back, then turned to leave the gymnasium, calling over his shoulder, “That concludes today’s session. Review your skill notifications, reflect on what you’ve learned, and come prepared to work even harder next time. Dismissed.”


    With class officially over, Klarion’s fellow scions began to slowly filter out of the Martial Hall. Despite their appreciation for his sparring with Hatsune earlier, it was like the end of the class reset their views of him back to what they had been prior to their arrival for Combat Studies. While frustrating, there wasn’t anything he could do about it. At least he had Hatsune with him.


    “I think that went well,” he said, though he could feel the weight of exhaustion in his limbs. Despite the intense sparring and how sore he was, a sense of accomplishment settled over him. He’d gained a skill, after all.


    Hatsune, still holding the wooden longsword she had wielded, moved to return it to its spot in the weapon racks. “It was a good session,” she agreed. She might not have said it aloud, but Klarion could see that she had enjoyed herself as well.


    “Thank you for putting your all into sparring earlier, it really pushed me,” he said after a moment, breaking the silence.


    “I don’t think I could have not done so,” she admitted. “My family always placed a strong emphasis on combat training. It’s… tradition.”


    “Family tradition?” Klarion asked, sensing her hesitance. “Like, all of you train in swords, or was it just your choice?”


    She hesitated, looking up at Klarion’s face. A slight blush came to her cheeks again, but while she looked away, she did answer. “It’s not exactly about choice. In my family, everyone learns to fight. My father was… insistent about it. My brothers and I trained together from a young age.”


    Her voice softened as she mentioned her brothers, and for a fleeting moment, Klarion thought he caught a glimpse of fondness in her eyes. But just as quickly, her expression closed off.


    “And did your brothers train in the same style that you did?”


    A small smile returned to her face. “More or less. Though, they always tried to show off, especially when sparring with me. They didn’t like it when I beat them. As rare as that was.”


    Klarion chuckled. “I have a hard time imagining that if you fought half as hard against them as you did against me just now. You had some good teachers.”


    Hatsune’s expression grew guarded again, and she shrugged. “I had teachers, yes. But training with family is… complicated. Sometimes it was less about learning and more about proving myself.”


    Her words hung in the air, and Klarion decided not to push further. He could sense there was more to her story, but it was clear she wasn’t ready to share it. Instead, he offered a grin as he started leading Hatsune to the exit. “Well, whatever they taught you, it’s working. I’m glad you’re the one guarding my back.”


    She smirked, falling into step alongside him, her mood lightening. “You should be. Perhaps I’ll even tell you why you should praise the Fates that pushed you to select me… someday.”


    As they went in the direction of the exit, Hector strode over from the other side of the group that remained, his bodyguard close behind. His fellow scion’s hands were empty, apparently having already returned his practice weapon. While the dark-haired young man had a warm smile on his face, Klarion couldn’t help but glance over his shoulder at the snakekin who followed him. He nearly started in place when he saw that those slitted eyes were focused on him. Something was off about that bodyguard, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was.


    “Ah, there you are,” Hector said smoothly as he reached them. His gaze shifted between Klarion and Hatsune, lingering on each with equal appreciation. “A fine showing in class today. Truly impressive. I had no idea you had such skill, Klarion.”


    Klarion inclined his head, acknowledging the compliment. “It was grueling training under my first teacher, but worth it I think,” he replied evenly, his tone lacking the usual edge he had unconsciously taken with the majority of other noble scions he had interacted with so far. It was nice to talk to someone who was raised within the ranks of the nobility who he didn’t need to immediately have his guard up against.


    Hatsune, who had stepped up beside Klarion, offered a polite nod. “Thank you,” she said, her tone cautious but not unfriendly.


    Hector’s smile widened, and he seemed genuinely pleased by their responses. “I can see you’re both dedicated, which is why I wanted to extend an invitation.” He gestured toward the door. “I’m planning a quick trip to the nearby Dungeon that the professor mentioned — the one where our end-of-year exam will take place. Just a reconnaissance trip, nothing too dangerous. Are you interested in coming along? It would be a great chance to familiarize ourselves with the terrain before the exam. See what we have to study, as it were.”


    Klarion raised an eyebrow, intrigued. Hector’s proposal made sense. Any information about the Dungeon would be invaluable, and the chance to explore its entrance beforehand could offer a significant advantage in terms of knowing what preparations he and Hatsune would need to make before the end of the year. He glanced at the Leporine, who appeared hesitant, her brow furrowed in thought.


    Hector continued, his tone persuasive but not pushy. “I promise it won’t take long. We’ll be back before dinner. Besides, opportunities should be seized when they come along. It’s always better to go in prepared than to face the unknown blindly.”


    Klarion gave Hatsune a reassuring glance before turning back to Hector. “You’re right. It’s smart to get a head start on understanding the Dungeon and any potential challenges it might pose. I think we’ll take you up on your offer.”


    Hector’s face lit up with satisfaction. “Excellent! I knew you two were sharp. Follow me outside — we’ll head out immediately.”


    As they followed Hector and his bodyguard out of the hall, Klarion felt a sense of cautious optimism. Redrek and Valdre were fast becoming good friends of his, and the more time he spent with Hector, the more he felt that he might become a friend as well. From everything he had experienced so far, he well knew that there was a target on his back for being a scion of House Blacksword, so building up strong bonds of friendship would be important, not only for his survival but also just to avoid going mad from all the intrigue that he expected was just getting started among the first-years.


    The air outside was cool, the afternoon sunlight filtering through the trees that lined the nearby street, casting shadows along the ground. Nearby, other scions chatted and laughed, though a few that he recognized from Combat Studies continued to grumble over the fact they would have to return to basics for the foreseeable future. Their voices blended into the background as Klarion focused on where Hector was leading them.


    It took them a surprisingly short amount of time for them to arrive at their destination. Just a few streets over, in fact. It was not at all what Klarion expected. A single structure stood in the center of a small empty square, no one else around despite it being the middle of the day. The building housing the Dungeon was an imposing structure, a stark contrast to the ornate architecture of the main Academy buildings. It was squat and rectangular, constructed entirely of rough-hewn stone, devoid of any adornment apart from a sign that proclaimed that only first-year scions were allowed to use the Dungeon. No windows pierced the thick walls, only a single, heavy iron door set deep within a shadowy alcove at the front. The air around it hummed with an unsettling energy, but when Hector stepped up to the door only to have it open with a click, Klarion guessed that it was some sort of enchantment that detected whether an individual met the criteria to access the Dungeon or not.


    Honestly, he was somewhat let down.


    He had expected something grander, something more in line with the other buildings of the Imperial Academy. Perhaps even an opulent entrance to a vast, labyrinthine complex, one which was filled with intricate traps and deadly puzzles. Instead, all he found was a seemingly unremarkable building. Still, for all that he was disappointed, he focused on taking in as much detail as he could. You never knew what might prove useful down the line.


    Coming up behind Hector at the now open door, the other scion turned to motion Klarion and Hatsune forward while his own snakekin bodyguard brought up the rear. “Remember, this is just reconnaissance.”


    Klarion exchanged a glance with Hatsune, who gave him a small nod. Despite her earlier reservations, she seemed more at ease now, her trust in him evident. This was their chance to gain an edge, and he intended to make the most of it.


    They went inside, the door closing behind them with a thud.