Mercenary System: I can increase innate potential !

Chapter 96 Personal training

A mercenary from nowhere could take down all the students of the strongest academy in the south of the Kingdom.

It was unheard of.

Even the sixth-graders weren't that strong; if anything, the strongest of them had reached the peak stage, but he was still at the very beginning of that stage.

"Why do this for me?"

Maxime was wary, for him nothing in the world was free, the people who helped you always gained something in one way or another.

It could be for their own morals, their image, or some other strange motive.

For example, to satisfy a feeling of superiority, or to be able to tell people around them and take pride in it.

"Hmm...At my age, I'll never be able to reach the level of a great knight."

"But if I can be the teacher, even if only one day, of a future great knight, then that would be the pride of my life."

Alaric was the honest, straightforward type, so he explained his intentions and motivations directly.

"And who knows, maybe one day it'll be me who needs your help."

Maxime understood better, and accepted the situation.

His mastery of the sword still lagged behind his physique.

Getting advice from an expert swordsman and teacher at a famous academy was an opportunity not to be missed.

"In that case, it would be my honor, Professor Alaric."

The knight was pleased to be called so by Maxime.

"Let's go train further away so as not to disturb the students and mercenaries here."

"Of course, I'll follow you professor."

After saying this, Maxime left to train in a corner of the academy, while the rest of the mercenaries and apprentice knights stood dumbfounded for a moment.

Shortly afterwards, they resumed their training.

Maxime and Chevalier Alaric approached a small training yard, an area reserved for advanced exercises, at the rear of the academy.

"Stay here a moment, I'll take off my armor or I'll end up sweating," Alaric said with a laugh.

"No worries."

Meanwhile, Maxime looked around.

This area, surrounded by stone walls adorned with ivy and punctuated by statues of legendary warriors, was usually reserved for teachers' personal training sessions.

Maxime noticed that these statues were very similar to the paintings he had seen in the corridors leading to the principal's office.

He noticed that there were precious wooden dummies marked with hundreds of sword strokes, various training weapons neatly arranged on racks, and a dirt floor impregnated with the imprints of past battles.

Maxime waited patiently, warming up and practicing as usual.

Alaric soon returned, dressed in very simple clothes.

Seeing him like this, if you omitted the sword in his hand, you could almost mistake him for a simple farmer.

"Take this sword." said Alaric, pointing to a blunt steel training blade in the weapons rack.

His own sword glinted softly in the torchlight. The man, despite his dappled gray hair, stood straight, sharp-eyed and alert.

"With my physique, I could seriously injure you without meaning to."

Maxime reached for the sword, feeling its weight in his hand.

The balance was perfect, a sign of the superior quality of the academy's weapons.

"We'll start with some basic movements," Alaric explained.

"I want to see how you defend yourself and how you react to unexpected attacks."

Silence fell again, broken only by the rustle of leaves and wind.

With a fluid movement, Alaric attacked, his blade emitting a whistling sound as it split the air.

Maxime blocked the attack with a quick reflex, the impact vibrating in his arm. The knight followed up with a series of swift, precise blows, each calculated to test his opponent's reflexes and defense.

Maxime defended himself with total concentration, using movements he had learned as best he could through combat and self-reflection.

He also applied Kilian's advice on how to defend himself.

Yet Alaric gave him no respite, constantly changing rhythm and angle of attack.

After several intense minutes, the knight stopped, his face animated by a sincere smile.

"Impressive. You have sharp reflexes and unconventional technique. You seem to have been trained in ways I'm not familiar with."

Maxime nodded, out of breath.

Those short minutes had left him deeply exhausted.

He had the feeling that if he lost concentration for even a moment, he'd end up in two pieces.

Yet he knew that their swords were blunt.

But this thought was more than real.

He really felt that Alaric had the power to cut him cleanly in two. Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire

But he was happy.

The recognition of a master like Alaric was priceless.

"Your skills are incredible, Professor. I can already see where I need to improve."

Alaric gave a short, frank laugh.

"You don't think it's over, do you?"

"Now we'll work on the counterattack. Get ready."

Training resumed, even more intensely. Maxime had to learn not just to endure, but to seize every opening Alaric deliberately left. As the minutes passed, the bond between the two men grew stronger, a mutual respect forged in the exchange of blades and the sweat beading on their foreheads.

As the training drew to a close, Maxime knelt briefly, exhausted.

Alaric laid a hand on his shoulder.

"You've got potential, Maxime. Keep up this thirst for learning and you'll go far."

"Thank you, Professor.

The day passed quickly.

Twilight gradually enveloped the Purple Knight Academy, bathing the ancient stones and slender towers of the complex in amber hues.

Built on a hill, the academy dominated the surrounding area, offering a breathtaking view of the forests and rolling plains.

Its buildings, though simple in architecture, bore the hallmarks of subtle wealth: arches adorned with engravings recounting legendary battles, stained-glass windows reflecting the soft glow of candlelight, and thick carpets in crimson and gold covering the floors of the great halls.

Most of the Saber-toothed Tiger mercenaries, who had become accustomed to self-built wooden huts or simple tents, were impressed by the atmosphere of this fortress.

Only a few seemed indifferent to such wealth.