Chapter 29

The next morning, the courtyard was alive with noise again. Harold leaned against his axe, Aleia sat on the fence twirling an arrow, and Selene stretched her arms after another round of drills. Cor stood apart, as usual, absorbed in a book.

Arslan, however, couldn’t stop grinning.

“I wish more people could have seen it!” he said, his voice booming with pride. “My boy here—Ludger—went and learned

Overdrive

all on his own. No guidance, no tips, nothing! Just grit and talent. A true genius!”

Harold chuckled, raising an eyebrow. “Genius, huh?”

Aleia smirked, her eyes flicking to Ludger. “And without being told about it? That’s… actually impressive. It seems that you were favoring your girl over your boy.”

Selene folded her arms, her sharp gaze narrowing. “Impressive, yes. Reckless, even more so. The seed is strong.”

Arslan waved her off, puffing his chest out like a rooster. “Reckless? That’s the sign of a prodigy! Who else at his age could pull off something like that?”

Ludger rubbed the back of his neck, staring at the ground as his father’s voice echoed in his ears. The word stuck with him—

Overdrive

. He’d been so caught up in the breakthrough, in the fire and weightlessness of it all, that he had never stopped to ask what the technique was even called.

So that’s its name…

he thought, frowning faintly.

I’ve been practicing it without even knowing what it was. Just another thing he taught Viola before me.

The praise washed over him, ignored. Instead, a quiet determination flickered in his chest.

Genius or not, it doesn’t matter. Now that I know its name, I’ll make it mine. And I’ll perfect it until no one can match me.

Arslan kept bragging, his grin wide. “Mark my words—this boy’s going to surpass us all one day!”

Selene sighed. “If he doesn’t burn himself out first.”

Ludger smirked faintly at that.

Not if I keep pushing smart.

Later that evening, when the courtyard had emptied and the others had gone inside, Cor remained behind. He leaned on his staff, eyes glinting faintly behind his glasses as he watched Ludger practicing small [Mana Bolts] with his usual intensity.

“Ludger,” Cor said at last, his calm voice cutting through the night air.

The boy glanced up, tilting his head. “What is it?”

Cor approached, his steps measured. “Overdrive,” he said flatly. “Do you understand what you’ve done?”

Ludger frowned, shaking his head. “I only pushed mana through my body. Made myself faster, stronger. It felt… lighter.”

Cor’s gaze sharpened. “And it nearly broke you in half.”

Ludger blinked, remembering the exhaustion, the nose shattered under Selene’s fist, the way his body had collapsed once the burning ended. He didn’t argue.

Cor tapped his staff against the ground once. “Overdrive is one of the oldest techniques for those who fight on the frontlines. It burns mana directly into your muscles, overriding fatigue and forcing your body beyond its natural limits. That is why you felt so light. That is why your strikes carried such weight.”

He paused, his voice hardening. “But it is also why you collapsed. Mana forced into flesh will devour stamina like fire devours wood. Burn too long, and your body will break. Bones will snap. Organs will fail. Even the strongest warriors can only endure it in bursts.”

Ludger lowered his gaze, his smirk gone. “So it’s dangerous.”

Cor nodded once. “Dangerous. But powerful. With discipline, with control, it can be a weapon like no other. That you discovered it on your own is… remarkable. But don’t let your father’s foolish boasting blind you to the risk.”

He leaned forward slightly, his eyes sharp. “If you insist on using Overdrive, you will train it properly. In short bursts. With rest between. And above all—never let it consume you. Promise me that.”

Ludger clenched his fists, the memory of that fleeting lightness still burning in his chest. After a long moment, he nodded. “Fine. I promise.”

Cor studied him a moment longer, then allowed himself the faintest smile. “Good. Then perhaps you really will make it your own.”

A few days later, the courtyard buzzed with anticipation. The sun was high, the air hot and heavy, and the sound of clashing wood echoed faintly as Arslan dragged out training weapons.

“This’ll be good for both of you,” he said, grinning as always. “You’ve both awakened Overdrive—time to see what happens when you put it to the test against each other.”

Viola stood with her wooden sword resting on her shoulder, her scowl sharper than usual. Her eyes never left Ludger, filled with both pride and challenge. “Don’t think I’ll hold back just because you figured it out too.”

Ludger tightened the straps on his shin and forearm guards, rolling his shoulders as he watched her.

Figures. If she hears I’ve got something, she wants to prove she can beat it.

Arslan clapped him on the back before stepping away. “Keep those guards on, Ludger. Overdrive’s not just about speed—it hits harder than you realize. You’ll want the extra protection. But you don’t need to use the wooden sword if you don’t want to.”

Harold leaned on his axe from the sidelines, smirking. “Finally, something fun to watch.”

Selene folded her arms. “Or a disaster.”

Aleia kicked her legs lazily from her perch on the fence. “My money’s on the kid with fists. But maybe the noble girl surprises me.”

Cor simply adjusted his glasses, expression unreadable.

Ludger and Viola faced each other across the courtyard, both already tense, both waiting for the signal. The air between them thrummed with the faint pulse of mana, like a storm waiting to break.

Arslan grinned, raising his hand. “All right then—show me what you’ve got. Begin!”

The moment Arslan’s hand dropped, Ludger’s body lit up in a faint blue aura. Mana surged through his limbs, the burn steady and sharp, filling him with that same lightness he had tasted days ago. His fists tightened, forearm guards gleaming faintly as he shifted into a pugilist’s stance—no sword, no weapon. Just arms and legs, backed by steel and mana.

Viola’s eyes narrowed, and a crimson shimmer flared around her as she let her own mana burn through her body. She gripped her wooden sword with both hands, her aura licking across the blade like fire.

They launched forward at the same instant.

The first clash was a blur—Ludger’s forearm slammed against her downward strike, the guard ringing with the impact. The shock ran up his arm, but his stance held firm. He twisted, his other fist shooting toward her ribs. Viola spun her sword, deflecting the punch with the flat of the blade, but the speed behind it made her scowl deepen.

Then came the flurry.

Ludger’s fists and legs blurred, each strike carrying weight well beyond his small frame. Punch, kick, elbow, knee—the blue aura streaked through the air as he pressed forward. Viola blocked, parried, and sidestepped, her sword slamming against his guards again and again, sparks of mana scattering like embers.

“Pretty fast,” Harold muttered under his breath, leaning forward.

Selene’s eyes sharpened. “Not fast. Focused. Look at how he’s moving—he’s forcing her to play defense.”

Viola’s teeth clenched as another of Ludger’s kicks drove her back a step, the aura of her Overdrive flickering with the strain. Her pride burned hotter than her mana. “Don’t think you’ll win just because you can attack fast!”

She roared and surged forward, her blade humming as it cut through the air. Ludger raised his arms, his forearm guards catching the strike, the force jarring his bones. But this time, he didn’t retreat—he twisted with the impact, letting it slide past as he countered with a sharp punch that barely missed her cheek.

Both auras blazed brighter, the clash of siblings shaking the courtyard.

Arslan grinned like a fool, arms crossed. “Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful!”

Viola’s wooden sword slammed against Ludger’s forearm guard again, the

crack

echoing across the courtyard. She tried to push forward, but Ludger’s fist was already darting toward her shoulder. She twisted her blade just in time to deflect it, only for a kick to whip toward her side immediately after.

Her brows furrowed, teeth clenched. She wasn’t used to this. Sword training had taught her to parry blades, to measure reach and timing. But fists and feet? The rhythm was unpredictable, the angles relentless. Every time she adjusted to one strike, another came from a direction she hadn’t prepared for.

Ludger, drenched in sweat and burning with mana, pressed harder. His movements were simple, but precise—jabs to force her back, kicks to break her balance, quick feints to pull her guard out of place. The aura of Overdrive shimmered around him, amplifying the speed behind each blow.

Viola staggered as his shin guard slammed against her blade, the force rattling up her arms. She hissed, her stance faltering for just a moment. Ludger’s follow-up punch clipped her shoulder, making her stumble further.

Arslan’s grin faltered. “She’s losing ground.”

Selene crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing. “Of course she is. She’s never fought someone who doesn’t play by a swordsman’s rules. She’s out of her depth.”

Harold chuckled, shaking his head. “The boy fights like a storm. The girl’s pride won’t handle this well.”

Aleia leaned forward with a sly smile. “And yet, I don’t think she’ll quit. Not Viola.”

Sure enough, Viola’s face twisted into a frustrated snarl. “You think you can beat me with just your fists?! I’ll show you—!”

She tightened her grip on her sword, her crimson aura flaring hotter, her swings heavier. But Ludger smirked faintly through the strain.

She’s getting reckless. That’s exactly what I wanted.

Viola’s frustration twisted into something sharper. Instead of swinging wildly, she suddenly backed away, her boots digging into the dirt as she slid her sword to the side. Her crimson aura flared, growing denser around her blade, almost as if it were being sharpened by the flow of her mana.

Ludger’s eyes narrowed.

That’s new…

He flicked a glance at Arslan, who had his arms crossed and a smug little grin pulling at his lips. The moment their eyes met, Ludger caught the look of someone who

knew

exactly what was coming. Arslan quickly looked away, whistling innocently.

Ludger scowled.

Figures. He taught her something else and didn’t tell me.

For a moment, the urge to rush in burned in his chest, but his instincts held him back. Instead, he steadied his stance, waiting to see what she was preparing.

Once Viola’s stance locked in, her aura surged like a storm breaking free. She roared and dashed forward, the ground cracking under her first step, her speed suddenly spiking. To Ludger’s eyes, she moved like the wind itself.

Her sword came in a wide horizontal arc, glowing faintly as the mana infused through the wood. The swing whistled through the air, faster and heavier than anything she’d shown before.

Ludger crossed his arms in front of him, his forearm guards slamming against the strike with a deafening

crack

.

The impact was brutal. His teeth clenched as the force drove through his arms, shaking his bones. Dirt and dust exploded under his feet as he was shoved backward, his boots carving lines into the ground.

He skidded several meters before finally grinding to a halt, arms still crossed in front of him, the wood of the guards vibrating from the blow. His frown deepened as he glanced at Viola’s weapon.

The wooden sword hadn’t broken. Not even a crack.

That… was no normal swing.

Viola stood tall, chest heaving, her smirk triumphant. “What’s wrong, little brother? Didn’t expect that from me?”

Ludger rolled his shoulders, shaking the sting from his arms. His eyes narrowed, sharp with focus.

No. I expected it from him.

He shot another glare at Arslan, who just grinned wider, clearly pleased with himself.

Ludger lowered his arms, the ache in his forearms still buzzing, but his stance shifted immediately. He slid his right foot forward, fists raised, aura burning brighter as he leaned into his Overdrive again. His eyes locked onto Viola with a sharp glint.

“Fine,” he muttered. “Let’s see how you handle this.”

In the next heartbeat, he was already moving.

His body blurred forward, faster than before, his fists whipping toward her from every angle—jabs, hooks, sharp kicks meant to break her rhythm. Viola’s wooden sword flashed, blocking what she could, but her footwork faltered under the relentless pace. Every strike forced her further on the defensive.

Then Ludger changed tactics.

Instead of pulling back after a punch, his hand darted low, clamping against the wooden blade as his other fist swung at her shoulder. Viola’s eyes widened, panic flashing across her face.

“Let go,” Ludger demanded flatly, twisting his grip.

“No!” Viola snarled, wrenching her sword violently, trying to tear it free from his hand. The fear of losing her weapon burned hotter than her aura. She yanked, pulled, twisted, her movements desperate and wild.

But Ludger didn’t relent. Every time she tried to pull away, he pressed forward again, striking with his shin guards and free arm, forcing her to defend while clutching the blade like her life depended on it.

Her breathing grew ragged. Sweat poured down her forehead, her crimson aura sputtering with each movement. The fear of being disarmed gnawed at her composure, driving her to fight harder—but also to burn herself out faster.

From the sidelines, Selene’s eyes narrowed. “He’s exploiting her pride.”

Harold chuckled. “Smart boy. She’s fighting the weapon, not the fighter. That’ll drain her faster than any punch.”

Viola snarled again, trying to shove Ludger back with all her might, but her movements were slowing. Her swings grew sloppy, the weight of her Overdrive eating away at her stamina.

Ludger’s frown deepened as he pressed closer, the wooden sword still clutched in his hand.

If she keeps burning herself out like this… she’ll collapse before I do.

Viola’s breaths came ragged now, her shoulders heaving, but the fire in her eyes hadn’t dimmed. If anything, the desperation only sharpened it. With a guttural cry, she wrenched her sword free of Ludger’s grip and poured the last of her mana into one wild, sideways swing.

The crimson aura flared violently, her body trembling under the strain.

Ludger didn’t flinch.

His stance tightened, his forearms snapping up in perfect timing. “[Iron Guard],” his aura locking around his limbs like steel.

The wooden blade slammed into his guard with a thunderous

crack

. The impact rattled his bones, but his stance held firm, his arms a wall she couldn’t push through.

For an instant, the courtyard went silent but for the groan of straining wood. Viola’s eyes widened as the aura flickered around her blade. Then, with a sharp

snap

, the tip of the wooden sword shattered against Ludger’s guard, splinters scattering across the ground.

Her mana guttered out at the same time, the red shimmer breaking apart like embers in the wind. She staggered backward, chest heaving, her remaining blade trembling in her grip.

Ludger lowered his arms slowly, his own Overdrive aura flickering before dimming as well. He exhaled, sweat running down his face, but his gaze stayed fixed on the broken weapon in her hands.

So that’s how far she can go.

Viola’s lips trembled, pride warring with exhaustion. For the first time, she looked less like a noble heiress and more like what she truly was—a girl who had burned through everything just to keep from losing.

Arslan whistled, clapping his hands together. “What a clash! Both of you, incredible! Like father, like—”

“Shut it,” Selene snapped, her eyes still locked on the two children, her tone sharper than steel. “They pushed too far.”

Cor’s frown deepened, his voice low but carrying. “One nearly broke their body, the other their weapon. They’re learning… but dangerously.”

Ludger just wiped the blood from his lip, staring at Viola’s trembling form.

She’s strong. Stubborn, reckless… but strong. The system won’t make me the strongest without hard work…