I Refuse the Tragic Ending

The training limiters changed the atmosphere throughout Astral Dominion Academy almost overnight. Students who had once moved with effortless confidence now found every action slightly more demanding.

Running became slower, sword swings felt heavier, and even climbing stairs required noticeably more effort.

Complaints echoed across the campus.

”This thing is ridiculous.”

”My arms feel like lead.”

”I can’t even finish my normal routine.”

Kael quietly walked through the academy without saying anything. Although his body also felt heavier, he wasn’t bothered.

In fact, he welcomed the sensation.

If someone else heard his thoughts, they would for sure tell him he’s lunatic. Not that he cared though.

The limiter suppressed the output of his Hero Core, but it couldn’t suppress his determination.

Before dawn the next day...

The eastern training grounds welcomed two familiar figures. Kael had already begun his warm-up routine when hurried footsteps echoed from behind.

”Haa...”

”Haa...”

Elias bent over while holding his knees.

”I...”

”...made it.”

Kael glanced toward the still-dark sky.

”You did.”

”I thought you’d give up.”

”I almost chose my bed instead.”

Elias admitted honestly.

”But...” He smiled. ”I promised.”

Kael nodded approvingly.

”Good.”

He tossed Elias a wooden practice bow.

”Today isn’t about accuracy. It’s about consistency.”

Elias caught it.

”What do you mean?”

Kael pointed toward a row of circular targets.

”One thousand shots.”

Elias blinked.

”...Excuse me?”

”Don’t worry about hitting the center. Focus on repeating the same movement, the same breathing, the same release, and the same posture again and again.”

Elias looked toward the distant targets.

”There has to be at least five hundred easier ways to improve. This one sounds boring.”

”Building your foundation isn’t exciting. They’re repetitive. They’re boring. And that’s exactly why most people skip them.”

Elias stared at him.

”...You sound like an old sword master.”

Kael laughed.

”Maybe because I read too many books.”

”Alright, I’ll do it.”

”That’s the spirit.”

The morning became filled with repetitive sounds.

Thunk.

Thunk.

Thunk.

Arrow after arrow struck the targets. Some landed close together. Others completely missed. Each time Elias instinctively wanted to adjust his stance, Kael would stop him.

”Not yet.”

”But my last shot missed.”

”I know.”

”Repeat.”

”...Without changing anything?”

”Without changing anything.”

Elias frowned but obeyed.

After nearly two hundred arrows, something unexpected happened. His grouping gradually tightened. Not because he consciously corrected himself, but because his body began correcting itself naturally.

”Huh...”

He looked at the target in surprise.

”They’re getting closer.”

Kael smiled.

”Exactly.”

”Your muscles are learning. If you constantly change your form, they never memorize the correct movement.”

Elias scratched his head.

”I’ve never thought about training like this.”

”Neither does most of the academy.”

...

Several hundred meters away, Professor Magnus quietly observed from another watchtower. Beside him stood Professor Helena.

The elderly woman adjusted her glasses.

”The archer is improving.”

Magnus nodded.

”He is.”

She looked toward Kael.

”The strange one again.”

”It seems he doesn’t simply train himself, he’s giving guidance to his companion too.”

Magnus remained silent. Most talented students trained alone. Few possessed either the patience or the desire to help classmates improve as well.

Kael however...

Continued surprising him.

...

By breakfast, both boys collapsed beneath a large oak tree.

Elias stared blankly at the sky.

”My arms don’t belong to me anymore.”

With a faint smile, Kael handed him a waterskin.

”You finished?”

”Just barely...”

”I think I fired nine hundred ninety-nine arrows.”

Kael raised an eyebrow.

”You counted?”

”I stopped counting after two hundred,” Elias admitted. ”I just wanted to sound impressive.”

Both of them laughed.

...

The following practical lesson focused on close combat. Every student wore their training limiter.

Professor Magnus stood before the class.

”Today...”

”You’ll fight exactly as you are.”

”No Hero Core techniques.”

”No special abilities.”

”No magic.”

”Only your bodies.”

The announcement immediately caused unrest. Many students relied heavily upon their awakened abilities and Hero and Villain Core enchantment. Removing those advantages placed everyone on more equal footing.

Victor Hale frowned as he twirled his wooden sword.

”So now everyone has to fight like Kael.”

Several nearby students laughed. Most students knew Kael’s circumstances. He had the lowest Hero Core and he had no awakened abilities.

Kael simply ignored the comment.

...

The practice matches soon began. One pair after another entered the arena. Without Hero Core enchantment, the battles became noticeably slower especially with the limiters.

Many talented students struggled more than expected. Their flashy techniques suddenly disappeared. Only fundamentals remained.

Those with weak foundations quickly became obvious. Professor Magnus criticized them relentlessly.

”Too much force.”

”Wasted movement.”

”Sloppy footwork.”

”No balance.”

Eventually...

”Kael Grayford and Leon Valcrest.”

The arena became completely silent. Several students looked at Professor Magnus in confusion.

”The strongest freshman against Kael?”

Victor smirked.

”This’ll be over immediately.”

Leon stepped into the arena.

Unlike Victor, his expression carried matured calmness. He offered Kael a nonchalant glance. For him, defeating Kael wasn’t a task but a boring and waste of energy chore. What would he even get in defeating someone like Kael, who he had already beaten a few times in the past?

The answer is obviously nothing. No achievements. Nothing at all.

Leon looked at Professor Magnus and said without much enthusiasm,

”I’ll do my best.”

The professor gave him an approving nod. Kael said the same to Professor Magnus and received the same response.

The two stood at the center of the arena, waiting for the signal to begin.

To Leon’s surprise, Kael met his gaze with the same calm expression. There was no trace of the timidness he had shown before, nor any sign that he was intimidated.

But to Leon, it made little difference. No matter what Kael did, there was no way he could bridge the gap between their Hero Cores. Although Hero Core enchantments were prohibited, the difference in their Hero Core ranks alone was enough to reveal how vast the gap between their basic attributes was.

”Kael, do your best!”

Elias suddenly cheered. He wanted to say you can do it, however, he knew it was impossible to win against Leon, whose Hero Core is rank A. And Kael was known to have F rank only. The disparity was simply too great.

Inwardly, he honestly wished Kael would last at least five seconds.

On the other hand, Seraphina watched the two in silence. Who knows what she was thinking? No one knows. Lilith however, looked excited. She wondered what Kael would do against Leon. She didn’t have high expectations, though.

Magnus finally raised one hand.

”Begin.”

Leon moved first. He wanted to end the fight quickly. His sword cut forward with remarkable precision. Even without Hero Core enchantment, to boost his body’s capacity, his technique remained extraordinary.

However...

Clack.

Kael deflected his attack in a single motion.

The impact traveled through both wooden swords. Leon was slightly surprised. He did not expect Kael could do that. But he quickly regained his composure. He smoothly followed with another strike and another.

Every attack connected seamlessly.

Kael retreated one step at a time.

Never rushing and panicking. His breathing remained steady. In that instance, a familiar warmth spread across his body.

Four.

Two.

Six.

The rhythm naturally guided his movements.

Leon suddenly frowned. He noticed something in Kael’s movement. It had become smooth. Every motion was enough to dodge his attack at an inch margin.

The exchange continued. Neither combatant landed a clean hit. The surrounding students gradually fell silent. This wasn’t the overwhelming victory they expected.

Leon maintained the advantage.

Yet...

Kael refused to crumble.

Every minute that passed became another surprise.

Finally...

Magnus lowered his hand.

”That’s enough.”

The duel ended.

Leon unwillingly lowered his weapon as he shot a glare at Kael.

The spectators stared in disbelief.

Kael hadn’t won. Not even close.

Yet...

He had survived five full minutes against the academy’s number one freshman using nothing but basic swordsmanship.

Even Leon looked dejected, clearly not expecting such a result.

Seraphina looked satisfied, while Lilith looked genuinely excited. She hadn’t expected much from the match, but it had turned out to be the most interesting one of the day.

Kael hadn’t disappointed her.

She began to think the academy would have been terribly boring without him.

As both students left the arena, Professor Magnus addressed the class.

”Remember what you witnessed.”

He looked around slowly.

”Talent determines where you begin.”

His gaze shifted toward Leon.

”Discipline determines how far you go.”

Finally, his eyes rested briefly on Kael.

”No matter how gifted someone may be...”

”If they stop improving...”

”Someone willing to work harder will eventually catch them.”

Silence filled the training grounds.

For the first time, many students looked at Kael differently. Not with admiration or respect but with something they had never shown him before.

Doubt.

They were beginning to question whether Kael truly was the weakest student in the academy.

Victor clenched his teeth. He clenched them so hard that his gums were about to bleed.

He was ready to mock Kael if Leon had finished him on the spot, but the result was not he expected.

”Tsk!”

Victor looked away.

Regardless, it was a match with restrictions so Kael was still not worthy of respect.

”Kael, what magic. That was amazing!”

Elias almost hugged Kael but seeing Kael threw his palm into the air, he caught it with his.

CLAP!

The sound echoed across the training grounds.