"This is your next trial," the First King said calmly. He gestured toward the massive stone in the center of the endless field.
"Break it."
Leo stared at the stone, then at the broken remains of his sword. A dry laugh escaped him.
"My sword is destroyed. So how am I supposed to break that?"
"You will not use a weapon," the First King replied.
"With my fists?" Leo asked.
"Yes," the King said, voice absolute.
Leo looked back at the massive rock, its surface scarred and ancient. "You want me to break that with my hands?"
The First King smiled faintly. "Yes. Now punch it."
Leo inhaled deeply and stepped forward. Aura surged around his body as he raised his fist. "Stop."
He froze mid-motion, fist steady in the air.
"Don't use your aura," the King said. "Use only your body."
"Why can't I use aura?" Leo asked calmly.
"You are at the Knight level," the King said evenly.
"But you don't understand mana control. Aura pressures enemies; it does not break objects."
"Your circulation is complete and stable, flowing through every part of you. But it is uncontrolled. You cannot guide it to a single point. Focus your mana, control it, then your aura will follow."
Leo nodded. He closed his eyes and guided mana into his fist. When he felt it gather, he opened his eyes and punched. The impact echoed. The stone didn't move.
He stepped back calmly, examining his hand. The First King laughed softly. "Did you understand what you're lacking?"
"I can circulate mana," Leo said evenly, "but I can't control it in one specific place."
"Correct. You have infinite time here. Figure it out."
Leo stared at the stone. "You can make anything in this domain, right?"
"Yes. I can make anything," the King replied.
"Then make something I can use to strengthen my body for exercise."
The King smiled. A smaller stone appeared—half Leo's height. "Lift this stone a thousand times. When you can do that, you can break the stone behind you."
Leo lifted it once and dropped it. He exhaled slowly. A cold, eerie smile appeared. The harsh training excited him. Push-ups, squats, stone lifting. He repeated it endlessly.
The First King floated down. "You're flying?" Leo asked.
"I can do anything here," the King said. "Didn't I tell you?"
After long training, Leo glanced around. "I don't even feel thirsty. And hunger here—"
"In this domain," the King said, "there is no hunger, no thirst. Your body adapts."
"Good," Leo said. And he trained.
At first, he lifted the stone only three or four times.
He didn't stop. Repeating the movements endlessly, ignoring everything else. Time passed. Muscles hardened. Frame broadened. Mana flowed smoothly, no longer resisting.
Soon, he lifted it a hundred times, then three hundred, then five hundred. He struck the massive stone.
Faint scratches appeared after days. With each attempt, they deepened.
He didn't stop.
The system boosted his energy as he worked. His body adapted perfectly.
After four months, he reached a thousand lifts.
Still, he continued. After five months, lifting a thousand times became effortless. Only then did he stop.
Leo stood before the massive stone. Eyes closed. Mana flowed—not outward, not wild—but perfectly compressed into his fist. He opened his eyes and punched.
Doom
The stone shattered into fragments.
The First King said, "Now we can have a proper fight. You know how to control mana fully."
A devilish smile appeared on Leo's face. "How much power can I use now?" he asked the system.
"After my body get perfect shape?"
"You can use your 100," the system replied.
"Then unlock all my power."
"How do I fight? My sword is broken," Leo said.
"My sword broke. Give me one," the First King said.
A sword materialized—simple, sharp, heavy. "Let's fight properly this time."
"Yes. Let's fight properly," Leo said.
The First King vanished.
Clang!
Their swords met. The impact cracked the air. Leo didn't move an inch.
"Good," the First King said. "I'll use fifty percent."
Sword aura flared violently. The King attacked relentlessly. Leo blocked every strike. His feet slid back, balance unbroken. The ground tore beneath them.
"Remember," the King said mid-battle, "how you controlled mana to a point. Do the same with your sword. Transfer your mana."
Leo closed his eyes. He drew mana inward, into the sword. Energy compressed along it. The sword grew heavier. Powerful aura wrapped it—strong, sharp, fully controlled.
Leo opened his eyes and struck.
Swords clashed repeatedly. The air tore. The ground shook.
Leo asked the system, "Can you expand or boost my power?"
"You can boost your power for five minutes," the system replied.
"Boost it," Leo said.
"Confirmed. Five minutes," the system answered.
Leo vanished. He reappeared above the King. "Try blocking this." He struck.
The First King slid back several steps, smiling greedily.
They clashed again. Leo read every sword movement, blocking with ease.
The King's eyes burned with excitement. A thrill ran through him after so long without a proper fight.
He unleashed a massive slash, pouring almost all his power into it.
In the excitement… I released too much power… the King thought. He then looked in Leo's direction.
Leo met the strike head-on. The shockwave tore his shirt apart, revealing a honed body. Pain shot through his arm, but his stance never wavered.
A greedy, excited smile spread across the King's face. "In the excitement… I used almost ninety percent of my power!" he said aloud.
"This was a full slash from a Sword Saint," he continued, calm but thrilled. "Those who have just reached Sword Master could die from this.
Even experienced Masters would struggle… but you blocked it head-on."
Leo stood calmly. He looked at his hand—scarred, solid.
"How much time passed?" he asked.
"Five months here," the King said, "but only one month outside."
"Then it's time to leave," Leo said.
The King handed him a bracelet. "Use this to return to this domain whenever you come back."
Leo put it on. "Do you know what you became now?" the King asked, summoning a mirror.
Leo looked into the mirror.
He wasn't the same as when he entered.
His body was fully built, strong, with eight-pack abs.
His frame had grown taller and broader.
His hair had grown to his shoulders, flowing and wild.
And his eyes… they had turned a deep, blood-red color.
Only steel and power remained.
Leo looked at the King with a cold, piercing gaze. "Let's meet again."
The King's lips curled slightly. "When you come back, become stronger. Otherwise… you will only get beaten up."
A small, faint smirk appeared on Leo's face.
Leo arrived in the hall.
The crown sat on the throne, gleaming silently.
He walked toward it, each step deliberate, controlled.
Reaching the throne, he carefully balanced the crown on the altar, making sure it stood perfectly.
A heavy stillness filled the hall.
The massive doors began to slowly open, groaning under their weight.
Leo's gaze remained cold, unflinching.
He stepped forward, crossing the threshold.
Light spilled across his silhouette as the doors opened fully.
Silence followed him as he walked out, leaving the hall and its power behind.