From Disposable Prince to Level 9999: Forbidden Evolution

9. A training session by Henry!

AT THE SAME TIME

HUAN

The guild's training hall smelled faintly of oil, sweat, and slightly burned wood, and I could hear the occasional 'clang” of steel from other corners where newer adventurers practiced. I had barely stepped inside when the old man, who everyone whispered about but no one spoke to lightly, lifted an eyebrow at me.

"You." He said. 

Not a greeting, not a question. Just you, like I had intruded into history itself.

"Yes?" I said, my voice steadier than I felt.

"Sword." He replied. Just one word.

I drew my blade, steel sang softly as it left the sheath. The old man’s eyes twitched ever so slightly just enough for me to catch that glimmer of respect.

"Come closer." He said, motioning me toward the center of the hall. "Let's see what you have got."

"Kid's about to be embarrassed."Garrick leaned against a pillar, arms crossed, and muttered.

 "Don't underestimate him."Charlie tilted his head, unimpressed.

I ignored both, focused. The system pulsed gently in my mind.

"SWORD ART: LEVEL 2. RECOMMENDATION: ENGAGE TRAINER. POTENTIAL LEVEL-UP DETECTED."The system suggested.

I stepped forward. The old man's stance was casual, almost lazy. But something in the way he held his sword screamed precision.

"Start." He said.

I lunged, low and quick, aiming a simple diagonal strike. He didn't move, he shifted, just a subtle pivot, and my sword tapped against his blade with a soft 'clink'.

"Hmm." He murmured. "Not bad, but you move like a man afraid of stepping on a dog's tail."

 "A dog's tail?"I blinked.

"Yes. Step without hesitation. If you can't, you will never reach level three."He grunted. 

Charlie snorted, Garrick barked a laugh, and even the old man's lips twitched.

"Don't laugh, I know how your power up system works." He said. "It will end badly for you. Maybe not you." He added, giving me a pointed look. "But for the other fools watching."

"HIGH-LEVEL TRAINER DETECTED. LEARNING EFFICIENCY: HIGH. SWORD ART PROGRESSION: ACTIVE."I took a breath, tail twitching faintly behind me. The system's calm voice reminded me.

Round after round we moved, my strikes probing, his counters a fraction of a second faster than I expected. I tried to anticipate, tried to guess his intent. Every time I thought I had a chance, he nudged, shifted, or sidestepped. Not blocking, not parrying, just moving with me.

"Why does it feel like you are dancing backwards?" I muttered during one exchange.

"You called it a dog’s tail. Maybe I am just keeping it entertained." He smirked faintly. "Focus."

I gritted my teeth, lunging again. My sword arced in a feint, low, high, twist, and for the first time, his blade barely touched mine before I managed a clean slash along his sleeve. Not a hit, not a serious strike, but a crack of contact that drew a subtle nod from him.

"Better." He said. "I can feel your potential. But you are sloppy. Don't fight to hit. Fight to flow."

"Flow?" I asked, panting.

"Yes. Think of your sword as an extension of your mind, your hands, your feet your tail if you want to get fancy." He smirked again. "You are lucky the guild doesn't allow pets in here."

 "Why am I even watching this?"Garrick groaned audibly.

"It's oddly entertaining."Charlie chuckled softly, shaking his head. 

We continued, I began to notice patterns his subtle foot shifts, the way he weighted his blade, the tiny openings he left intentionally.

"SWORD ART EXPERIENCE GAINED: 120XP. PROXIMATE LEVEL-UP: 3." The system pulsed, more insistent now.

I tried the technique it suggested: Flash Edge. Not full power, just the basic draw and strike I had practiced alone, letting the sword slide almost invisibly through the air. I flicked my wrist, and the edge whistled past him. He didn’t move. It tapped his shoulder, a spark of steel on steel, and he actually grunted in acknowledgment.

"Finally." He said. "You are starting to see it."

"See what?" I gasped.

"The gaps, the rhythm and the timing. You feel it."He said.

"ALERT: SWORD ART LEVEL-UP PROXIMITY REACHED. NEXT STRIKE: SUCCESSFUL ENGAGEMENT REQUIRED."The system said.

I focused not on winning. Not on impressing Garrick or Charlie. Not on survival on rhythm. High feint, low thrust, sidestep, twist, pivot. He followed, mirrored, and countered until I spotted a micro-gap in his stance, one I could only see if my entire perception slowed down and sharpened simultaneously. I struck, blade touched target. 

"Ha." I breathed. He raised his eyebrows, and a faint smile creased his ancient face.

"Level three." The system whispered. "Congratulations, Host. SWORD ART LEVEL 3 ACQUIRED. NEXT SKILL AVAILABLE: FLASH SLICE."

I lowered my sword slowly. Charlie leaned forward, impressed.  

"Alright, kid maybe you do have a chance."Garrick rubbed his jaw.

"Don't get cocky."The old man sheathed his blade and warned. "Level three is just the start. A true swordsman doesn't fight to win, he fights to improve. Remember that."

"Yes, sir." I said and for a brief moment, I allowed a tiny smirk.

"I think I like you, Huan Black."Charlie grinned.

"You are going to make me work harder than I want to admit."A old man added.

I sheathed my sword completely, feeling it like an extension of my arm, a pulse of power running along my spine. The system hummed softly, approving, waiting, eager for the next lesson.

"CURRENT STATUS: LEVEL 8. SWORD ART LEVEL: 3. SKILLS AVAILABLE: FLASH EDGE, FLASH SLICE (LOCKED). NEXT OBJECTIVE: MASTER SWORD FLOW."The system said. "SWORD SKILL ACQUIRED: WHIRLWIND STRIKE. LEVEL-UP: SWORD ART 3 to 4. EXPERIENCE INCREASE: +120XP."

 "Not bad, Huan. That blade of yours just got scary."Charlie clapped me on the shoulder with a grin.

Garrick leaned back against the wall, stretching his arms exaggeratedly. 

"I swear, if you start spinning like a windmill with that thing, I am blaming you for any broken tables."He added.

I gave them a small smirk, tail flicking in amusement under my coat. 

"It's controlled. Efficiency, remember?"A man said. 

He wiped sweat from his brow and finally let out a low, amused chuckle, his stern gaze softening slightly.

"Controlled, yes, but damn, boy you have got potential. Enough to make an old man like me sit up straight for a change."He said.

"Old man really? You mean this guy?"Charlie glanced at me, eyebrows raised. 

"I am Henry, swordmaster of the eastern training grounds, and apparently the only one foolish enough to stick around long enough to see if you can survive my lessons."Henry shot him a look that could cut steel. 

"Foolish? I thought sticking around was smart unless you are trying to scare him off before he gets too confident."Garrick snorted. 

Henry's lips twitched into a faint grin. 

"Maybe a little of both. Discipline comes in many flavors, and I prefer mine with a side of humility and a full belly. Speaking of which, you lot look like you could eat a horse."He said.

"Then we should get to the tavern. My treat well, partly your treat too, Huan."Charlie's grin widened.

I shrugged lightly, following them out into the evening streets, the sunset spilling orange and gold across the cobblestones. The tavern was small but warm, the smell of roasting meat and freshly baked bread wrapping around us like a familiar blanket. We took a table near the fire, and Henry leaned back, letting his sword rest against the wall.

"Names are important." He said, finally offering a small smile in my direction. "I am Henry, as I said. Swordmaster. I have spent decades training swordsmen, half-demons, and stubborn fools alike. You, you caught my attention today, and I intend to see how far you can go."

I nodded, curious, though my expression betrayed little.

"Huan Black. Leader of this small party, for now."I said.

Henry's eyes flicked to Charlie and Garrick, then back at me. 

"Small, yes. But strong enough to leave a mark. Remember this: a blade is more than a weapon. It's an extension of your will, your mind, and your control. Lose focus, and it will betray you. Gain mastery, and it will protect everything you care about if you know what that means."He said.

"So, basically, don't mess up or you get cut?"Charlie leaned back in his chair, smirking. 

"Exactly. You lot have the humor of idiots, but the potential of well, you, Huan, is something different. Keep that in mind when we train."Henry let out a low, dry laugh. 

"This is going to be fun, and probably terrifying."Garrick shook his head, still grinning.

I picked up my mug, letting the heat warm my hands. 

"I will survive. And I will make sure my party does too."I said.

Henry raised an eyebrow at that, the faintest smirk tugging at his lips. 

"Good. Confidence with control is rare. Keep it balanced, and you might just make it past my scolding without permanent injury."He said.

"Permanent injury? Sounds like my kind of lunch entertainment."Charlie snorted. 

Henry rolled his eyes, muttering something about reckless idiots, but his expression softened as he gestured toward the steaming bowls of stew the waitress placed before us. 

"Eat. Grow stronger. And boy, Huan, we start refining that new skill tomorrow. Whirlwind Strike isn't meant for show it's meant to survive battles where your life depends on it."He said.

I nodded, tail curling slightly under the table, the firelight reflecting off my small horns. 

"Understood. Efficiency first, display later."I said.

"Then here's to efficiency and surviving Henry's temper."Charlie raised his mug. 

"I have got decades to practice it. Don't worry, you will make it interesting."Henry smirked faintly, shaking his head.

The smell of stew, the warmth of the tavern, and the quiet pulse of the system in my mind reminded me: this was just the beginning.