Zane had dinner with his seniors and headed to his room to relax until the next morning where he wakes up and do his morning training and went to the Tower Leader’s office.
"Knock, knock!"
"Please come in," Joy said, looking outside through the window.
"Good morning, Tower Leader!" Zane said as he entered the office.
"Morning, Zane! Looks like you finished your morning training early today," Joy said, turning and looking at Zane.
"Yeah, I finished early today," Zane said while scratching his head. "I want to ask about this technique I’ve been learning. Can you help me if you don’t mind?" Zane said as he placed the book on the desk.
"I knew you were going to ask about this," Joy said as she sat down, smiling.
"Why?" Zane asked.
"Because I put the technique in the library myself," Joy explained.
"But why?"
"I knew you’d want to learn something more powerful, and you look like someone who likes to earn power by working hard."
"That’s true. So how do I control my mana? When I use this technique, I feel like I’m losing control over my mana when casting that technique," Zane said as he looked at his hands.
"You overthink it. You are not losing control, just keep trying to control the mana you’re releasing," Joy said.
"Okay... Can I ask something?" Zane asked as he looked down.
"Sure, I don’t mind. After all, it’s my duty to answer my student’s questions," Joy said, paying more attention.
"Can I spar with you once or twice a week?"
"Huh?! Why me? You could’ve asked your seniors," Joy asked calmly, a shocked expression on her face.
"They wouldn’t be able to help me understand where I need help. Fighting them would be too close. I want to fight someone who can point out my flaws, tell me how to improve, and give me ideas on how to improve my skills," Zane said as he sat on the couch.
"He really is like his mother," Joy thought and sighed.
"Okay. But be prepared to get beaten up," she said with a smile.
"I have already prepared for that anyway," he said with a smile.
"Well, I’ve got nothing better to do, so let’s start today!" she said as she took off her jacket to reveal her light armor. She then led the way to the training ground.
"Alright, let’s do this! Don’t hold back!" she said as she stretched her arms.
"I wouldn’t," Zane said.
FWOOOSH!
Zane dashed forward with his dark sword in his hand.
BOOM!
"You’re just swinging your sword. Try to concentrate more," Joy said as she grabbed Zane’s sword with her bare hands.
Zane quickly jumped back.
"DARK CIRCLE: DARK SPEAR!"
FWOOOSH!
Arrows of darkness started to shoot out from the dark circle.
"That’s the attack from the finals. It’s good, but if you fight someone with light magic, they’ll easily destroy it. And if you fight someone stronger..." Joy said as she lifted her foot into the air and stamped down.
BOOM!
She stamped once and the whole dark circle broke, was nullified, and the ground cracked.
"What?! How?!" Zane said with a surprised look on his face.
"It’s because nowadays you guys always try to expand your mana core or boost your aura, but never think about your physical strength. And I’m sure you have noticed this during the finals, and also as you always train your physique," Joy explained.
"So basically, if I’m stronger than my opponent physically, I can beat them?" Zane said as he got into the attack position.
"Not quite. If they’re on the same level with you or just a little stronger than you, then yes, you can use your physical strength to overpower them," Joy said while taking a few steps forward.
FWOOOSH!
"ICE EDGE!"
FWOOOSH!
Everything froze, including Joy. Zane immediately dashed forward with his dark sword.
"Interesting. He has a good battle IQ, but it won’t help him this time."
CRACK... CRACK... BOOM!
Joy blasted out of the ice and easily avoided Zane’s attack. They fought for 30 minutes and Joy mainly just watched Zane’s fighting style and found his weaknesses.
"Maybe you should try using that attack. The Burning Sun," Joy said as she easily dodged Zane’s spells and sword attacks.
"If you say so," Zane replied.
"THE BURNING SUN: JUDGMENT OF THE SUN!"
FWOOOSH!
A huge ball like the sun appeared in the air and was extremely hot.
"Tower Leader! I can’t control my mana output!" Zane shouted as he gritted his teeth and tried to control his mana.
"Just try to let go and see what happens," Joy said calmly as she looked up at the huge fireball.
FWOOOSH!
The fireball continued to grow until Zane stabilized his mana output and released it.
Zane let go and aimed it at Joy.
"You really are as crazy as your parents," Joy said while taking her sword out from her storage bag.
SLASH! SLASH!
Joy slashed through the fireball into six different pieces.
BOOOM!
The whole training ground was destroyed and the shockwave spread across the Dark Tower field, causing cracks in the protective barrier around the Dark Tower.
"Where is this heat coming from?" Lilith said as she fanned herself with her book in the library.
"Huh? Who is fighting this early morning? Can’t they see that? Their fight is causing the whole field to be affected and even cracking the barrier," Vane thought as he looked at the crack in the barrier.
"Your attack is super strong. I don’t see any issues with your output, but when using magic, use your imagination. If you do that, you’ll become super strong and fast with your magic," Joy said as she sheathed her sword and wiped sweat from her face.
"Use my imagination. Use my imagination..." Zane thought while looking down at his hands, kneeling down on the ground, tired.
"If you want to learn more about magic, then head to the library on the 5th floor and look for a book called The Blessings and Humans. You might be able to find what you’re looking for. And tidy up your mess and go freshen up before going to the library," Joy said as she walked away from the training ground.
"Thanks for the lesson!" Zane shouted as he bowed.
"She’s super strong. I attacked her with everything I had, but she still avoided me and watched me fight. I’m still too weak," Zane thought as he clenched his fists and started cleaning the training ground.
"He’s stronger than I thought. His attacks are well refined. There’s nothing I can teach him. The only thing that can help him now is giving him techniques and sparring with him," Joy thought as she wrapped a piece of cloth on both of her hands and rested her chin on her hand, looking out the window.
Zane then cleaned the whole training ground and went to clean up, eat his meals, and rested a little bit outside.
"Hey Zane, what are you doing outside on your own?" Lilith asked while reaching where Zane was sitting, looking at the mountains.
"Nothing, I am just relaxing a little bit before I go to the library," Zane replied, looking at Lilith sitting next to him.
"Why do you always work this hard? Sometimes you need to rest, enjoy, or spend time with your family or fiancée," Lilith said.
"Yeah, that’s true, but I don’t want to live a life where I will be suppressed by those who are stronger than me for the rest of my life," Zane said while looking at the sky.
"You are really a weirdo, do you know that?" Lilith asked.
"What do you mean by that?" Zane asked while looking at Lilith.
"Sometimes the things you say can’t be said by a child who was abandoned when he was five," Lilith explained.
"Mmmm... Well, it’s because I learned it from my older sister Sofia," Zane said while scratching his cheek.
"If you say so," Lilith said while looking back to the mountains.
"By the way, where are the other guys? I haven’t seen them since yesterday," Zane asked.
"They went to the Academy to get some missions," Lilith replied.
"What about you?"
"I will go tomorrow. Today I am just tired," she said while resting on Zane’s shoulder.
"You guys are stronger than other towers, but you are the most disgraced people. Why do you let it be like that?" Zane asked.
"Well, it’s because we are the same as you. We don’t like being in the spotlight, and some of us have our own problems and backstories that we don’t want to be found out," Lilith explained.
"So you’re hiding. But if you are still in this kingdom, they will find out."
"I am not from this kingdom, and I am a princess too. Even your kingdom knows that, that’s why I was put under Tower Leader Joy for protection," Lilith said.
"Mmm... does that mean there is war in your kingdom?" Zane asked.
"Not as such. It’s just that they say I am a child of prophecy, just like you," Lilith explained.
"Child of prophecy? What’s that? I’ve never heard of it," Zane asked with a shocked expression on his face.
"Huh... You haven’t realized that you being sent to stay near Demon Mountain was a way to protect you? By now you must have realized that your family hasn’t abandoned you, right?" Lilith said while sitting properly.
"I have, but I feel like someone is after me, though," Zane said. "But how do you know all this?"
"Like I said, I am a princess too, and coming here I am looking for answers about those prophecies," Lilith said.
They then spent a few hours talking to each other. After that, Zane went to the library.