In a flash of white energy and distortion, the group blinked into the center of Castle Light. The warping echo of Alen Drakkengard's teleportation crackled out as he stepped back, his long coat fluttering from residual kinetic force.
"You three," Alen said, gazing at Subaru, Reinhart, and Emilia with a tired yet amused expression, "Take a break. One day. Then your true training begins."
Without another word, he vanished in a gust of wind, leaving behind a stunned Emilia, a recovering Subaru, and a perfectly balanced Reinhart standing firm with folded arms.
"A break…?" Subaru muttered. "We haven't had one of those since Julius tried to deep fry a Megurger using Flamecharm."
"Didn't he burn the whole east wing of Castle Light trying?" Reinhart said, smiling faintly. "He called it an 'experimental cuisine evolution.'"
The trio spent the rest of the day lounging around Castle Light. Emilia braided her hair in the courtyard while humming, occasionally glancing over at the two boys. Reinhart sat on a stone pillar, his legs crossed, whispering to his Ironsing bell in strange harmonics, deep in meditation. Subaru took a nap near the gates, balancing a crusty loaf of bread on his head to test his stability training. It fell. Multiple times.
By sunset, Julius arrived in a wobble, sleep-deprived and wrapped in five blankets. "I had a dream I became the Megurger…"
Nobody responded.
The Next Day – The True Flame of Growth
Alen returned at sunrise, emerging from a cloud of shimmering embers.
"Playtime's over," he said, cracking his knuckles. "Reinhart. Subaru. You two are wasting your talents."
He turned to Emilia. "You... just be Emilia."
She gave a thumbs up.
Julius was still snoring in the corner, snuggling an unopened Megurger like it was a sacred relic.
"Let's begin," Alen ordered, his voice sharp.
Reinhart's Training: The Weight of Will
Without hesitation, Reinhart approached the edge of the castle courtyard where several sharko corpses lay, still twitching slightly from a previous skirmish. He grabbed one in each hand, their massive weight making the castle floor crack slightly under his stance.
He lifted. Not once did his arms tremble.
"I need more," he muttered. "More pressure."
Soon, he began doing walking lunges around the entire castle with one sharko per hand. Later, when the Alpha Sharko was carted in from the training yard—freshly slain—Reinhart didn't blink. He squatted beneath it, gripped its spine, and lifted it above his shoulder with one arm. A faint, metallic ring hummed from his throat.
He turned toward Emilia, who was giggling while feeding breadcrumbs to a friendly Depths sharko with a pink bow on its head. "You too," he said casually.
He reached forward and lifted her with his pinky.
"P-put me down you iron brute!" she laughed, flailing while the friendly sharko made a heart shape with its fins.
Reinhart's eyes flashed silver.
His voice reverberated through the castle like a bell:"Graviton Pulse."
His breath synced with his heartbeat, and his muscles glowed faintly. His arms shimmered with a kinetic aura. Bones and sinew resonated in harmony with Ironsing frequency, as if his very body had become an instrument of force.
He slammed the Alpha Sharko into the ground—cratering the floor. Wind howled outward. The very stones beneath Castle Light trembled.
A pulse burst from his chest.Power 4 — achieved.
Subaru — Faster Than Ever
On the other side of Castle Light, Subaru stretched his legs while tightening a weighted pack. Emilia climbed on his back, followed by the same friendly sharko and a bucket filled with random bricks.
"Don't drop me!" she warned.
"I won't. This is nothing," Subaru smirked. "Alen told me to train. I'll show him."
And with that, he bolted.
1 kilometer.
2..
3...
His legs blurred. His breaths came sharp and rapid, but he refused to slow.
Then — something clicked.
Subaru inhaled.
And time… shattered.
The world paused.
In a burst of blinding wind, he disappeared. Air cracked. A sonic boom shattered a nearby window. Alen, standing near the castle gates, blinked as Subaru appeared behind him — panting, shaking, and standing straight.
"I... I ran 10 kilometers," Subaru gasped. "In… 1 second."
Even Alen's eyes widened.
"What...?"
Subaru's aura surged wildly.
Power: 3 – 99.9%
"One more investment," he whispered. "Just one…"
Alen narrowed his gaze. "You're becoming a monster."
Julius — Fat Turns to Power
Meanwhile, Julius was asleep on a broken bench surrounded by Megurger wrappers. A fly landed on his nose. He slapped himself awake.
"Wha—huh? Are we... are we still alive?"
He blinked and noticed Reinhart glowing and Subaru vibrating.
"Oh crap. I'm behind again."
He waddled to the training ground, cracked his back, and whispered to himself:"If I do ten pushups, maybe Alen will give me a special burger…"
He dropped.
1
2
3...
At 6, his whole body was glistening with sweat.At 10, the stone beneath him cracked.At 15, his breath turned steamy.
He pushed on.
Flames of effort ignited around him — literal flames, from friction and shame.
Reinhart turned. "Wait. Is he…"
"Burning calories?" Subaru added.
A glowing red aura engulfed Julius. Steam hissed off his skin. His body slimmed—just slightly.
Alen, watching from the balcony, frowned.
Then he saw it.
An expired Megurger hidden beneath Julius's cloak.
He teleported, snatched it instantly, and opened Julius's bag. At least 20 more.
Alen looked disgusted.
"You failed the nutrition check."
He vanished again — with every single Megurger.
"MY BURGERS!!" Julius shrieked. "THOSE WERE LIMITED EDITION!!"
Suddenly, a burst of red and white light erupted from him.
"SCALEBREAKER!!"
Julius's body began to grow. His hands doubled in size, his legs exploded in mass. Within seconds, he was towering above the walls.
As big as a King Thresher.
"I AM… THE FEAST."
Reinhart stared. "Why does he always get buff from crying?"
Subaru: "Some people grind. Some people cry. He does both."
Later — Castle Light Rooftop
The sun set on the stone towers. Wind whistled across the training field.
Reinhart stood shirtless, Alpha Sharko bones decorating his shoulders. His muscles hummed with silent melody.
Subaru stood beside him, chest rising and falling, hair swept back from running through the atmosphere.
Julius was half-asleep, now regular-sized, curled up next to a sack of potatoes. "I miss my burgers…"
Alen observed them all with arms crossed.
"You've grown stronger," he said. "But we're not done. Not even close."
Reinhart looked up. "Then what's next?"
Alen smirked.
"Next… you become legends."