Anthony and Spectreâs eyes were flooded with reality as they took in the space they had appeared in. Five men with katanas in their hands could be seen slashing and perfecting their forms.
The walls and floors were made of stone, as light illuminated from the ceiling, brightening the entire space. The area spanned three kilometers in length, it was vast, yet small to people like them, who could cross such a distance in the blink of an eye.
Anthony could immediately tell that none of the individuals present used mana. Their combat was purely physical, and none held a weapon that wasnât a katana.
Anthony tilted his head slightly as he noticed Warlord Raelith walking toward them with calm, measured steps. His eyes were steady, and his expression wore a composed smile.
His signature blue eyes shone, his black hair swayed slightly with each step, and his red cape flapped majestically behind him as he moved.
"Anthony, I didnât expect I would be seeing you anytime soon, and certainly not here," Warlord Raelith said as he approached them.
"Well, this place isnât exactly hidden. Itâs within a mountain, pretty easy to find," Anthony replied with a calm smile and composed demeanor.
Warlord Raelithâs gaze shifted briefly to Romulus, who was seated comfortably on Anthonyâs head. He ignored the strange being completely, as if it didnât even exist. Then his eyes turned to Spectre, who hadnât said a word and just stood there, watching silently.
He smiled slightly as he noticed the katana hanging from the boyâs waist. He could more or less guess why Anthony had brought him here.
"It wasnât built to be hidden. Thereâs nothing to hide. It was only created for peace, away from noise and disturbance," Warlord Raelith said as his voice echoed slightly in the spacious hall.
"Are these the students you told me about?" Anthony asked as his eyes shifted to the men wearing only trousers while they swung their katanas in perfect form.
"Indeed. Since youâre here, Iâm guessing itâs related to the katana too?" Warlord Raelith said with a light smile on his face.
"It is," Anthony replied, and Spectre immediately stepped forward, standing tall and ready.
"This is Spectre, my subordinate. He is the same age as I am. His katana talent is second only to mine. I want you to teach him a few things," Anthony said with a confident smile.
"Nice to meet you, Warlord Raelith. Iâve heard about your tales and legends ever since I arrived at the base," Spectre said respectfully as he bowed.
Spectre wasnât lying. He had read up on the military top brass when he first got to the base. And when he discovered that a human Warlord had risen to the peak with nothing but his katana, Spectre, as a fellow katana-obsessed man, instantly admired him.
Warlord Raelith already knew who Spectre was. He had processed the files for Anthonyâs new team, so he had read Spectreâs dossier. However, there was no mention in the file that Spectre was Anthonyâs subordinate.
Still, what surprised him even more was Anthonyâs bold statement, that Spectreâs katana talent was second to none, except Anthonyâs.
"I guess youâre using your favor for this," Warlord Raelith remarked casually.
"I am indeed cashing out on my favor," Anthony admitted without hesitation. Warlord Raelith was never the kind of man to teach someone simply because Anthony asked, even if Anthony was the son of a Supreme Monarch.
"But I will determine if heâs a good fit to be taught by me. Although itâs a favor, I canât go against my beliefs by teaching just anyone," Warlord Raelith stated flatly.
Anthony didnât respond immediately, but he wasnât surprised. Warlord Raelith wasnât the only one who held such standards. Many masters of various crafts and arts didnât teach just anyone, they required potential, discipline, and alignment with their philosophy.
But Anthony wasnât bothered in the slightest. He had absolute confidence in Spectre.
"No problem then," Anthony said calmly, his voice unbothered.
"Letâs get started then," Warlord Raelith said with a smile, walking toward the five men who were immersed in their training.
They all immediately stopped when they saw Warlord Raelith approach. "We greet the Master," they all said in unison, bowing with discipline and respect.
Warlord Raelith nodded slightly and gestured toward Anthony before speaking, "This is Major Anthony, the only son of the Supreme Monarch, whom I lost to in the Katanamanship spar a few days ago."
Anthony felt their eyes instantly fall on him. He was somewhat surprised that Warlord Raelith had told his students he had actually lost. Many people would have kept such information hidden. But it seemed Warlord Raelith didnât care about such things.
"And beside him is his subordinate, whom Major Anthony says is second only to him in terms of katana talent," Warlord Raelith continued, his tone composed.
Their eyes shifted from Anthony to Spectre, who stood calmly, not even blinking under their scrutiny.
"You will spar with him one after the other. I want to see how good he really is," Warlord Raelith concluded.
Then, he brought out a metallic bracelet and placed it on Spectreâs wrist. It restricted him to the same level of physical strength and agility as the other students, leveling the field.
But before anyone could make a move, Spectre calmly responded, "I will spar with all of them at the same time."
At those words, Spectre stepped forward, his katana already hissing as he drew it smoothly from its scabbard.
Anthony and Warlord Raelith instantly stepped back, giving the fighters space. They didnât stop Spectre, there was no need.
Without wasting time or words, the five students immediately lunged, their blades flashing toward Spectreâs head in unison.
But Spectre remained unfazed. His own katana flashed forward, and within mere minutes, he suppressed every single one of Warlord Raelithâs students with ridiculous ease and grace.
Watching his students being so thoroughly suppressed, Warlord Raelithâs lips twitched slightly as he wondered what kind of monster Anthony had brought into his training hall.
Seeing this, Anthony didnât waste his time standing around. He looked at Warlord Raelith and said with a calm smile, "Until next time, Warlord Raelith."
With that, Anthony vanished, leaving Spectre behind with Raelith and his stunned students.