Tokito sat at the grand breakfast table, a beautifully prepared spread laid out before him by the palace servants. Opposite him sat Rodius, calmly eating with precision, his every motion knightly and dignified. Kortus sat to Tokito's right, gently feeding him with his hand whenever he struggled to hold utensils himself.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
Tokito: "Let them in."
At his command, the guards opened the doors, and a soldier in full armor stepped inside, holding a sealed letter. He approached Nanagi and offered the message.
Soldier: "A letter from the border, my lady."
Nanagi merely gestured toward Tokito with her hand.
Nanagi: "I am not the ruler of this land. That honor belongs to the Demon King."
Soldier: "Forgive the misunderstanding, my lord. This came from the frontier."
Tokito: "Bring it here. You're dismissed."
The soldier handed over the letter and quickly exited the room. Tokito broke the seal and unfolded the message.
"To the Lord of Veldoria:
I am the viscount stationed at the border.
Our battle with the demi-humans has resulted in massive losses.
We humbly request military aid from your region.
Without your support, we will surely fall."
Tokito: "Nanagi, who is this viscount?"
Nanagi: "I don't recognize the name, my lord. He must be newly appointed. Normally, frontier conflicts aren't mandatory for interior regions. However, if you wish, we may assist them."
Not a bad idea... but I need to grow stronger first. If I head to the front like this, I'll only be a burden. I can't command an army like this... but still, I can't just leave them to die!
Tokito rolled the letter back up, pressed his finger to it, and sealed it anew—this time with his own blood. He handed the scroll to Nanagi and turned to face Rodius.
He had made up his mind.
Tokito: "Rodius. If I reach A-rank, would I be useful on the battlefield?"
Rodius: "Once your training is complete, you must set off for Loropis, my lord."
Tokito: "That can wait. Nanagi, Kortus—I want you to send envoys to the other viscounts. Let them know the Demon King will arrive late."
Nanagi: "Are you planning to join the battle, my lord?"
Tokito: "I can't rule a kingdom from a chair. I need to stand on the battlefield and strike fear into our enemies."
Nanagi: "Then I must go with you. To leave my lord alone would be treason against my duty."
Tokito: "You'll stay here, Nanagi. I'm taking Rodius with me."
Rodius: "Are you certain, my lord? I'm a retired commander..."
Tokito: "You'll serve us until your death, Rodius. Did you think I'd let you die in peace like my father?"
Rodius: "Then I will offer you all I have left. My life is yours, my king."
Tokito: "If that's settled, let's begin. Where will the training take place?"
Rodius: "Not here. I'll take you there using water magic."
Tokito's eyes lit up with excitement. He couldn't wait to see what kind of spell Rodius had in store.
After finishing breakfast, the two of them headed to the palace courtyard. Rodius walked into the open space, placed his hand on the ground, and began chanting.
Rodius: "Hexa-Water Spell: Water Dragon!"
Water surged upward, forming a large circle, then took the shape of a mighty dragon. With an elegant roar, the dragon curled its wings around Tokito and Rodius, lifting them into the sky. As it rose, the ground beneath them was drenched in water.
From the sky, Tokito looked down to see the round city of Veldoria below them. The dragon soared forward at high speed, gliding above misty mountain ranges. As they approached the fog-covered peaks, the dragon slowly descended and landed at the base of a large mountain.
There, it dissolved into normal water and seeped into the soil.
As Tokito looked around, his eyes caught sight of a massive volcano. Despite the intense heat, he didn't sweat—his body resistant to high temperatures—but his mana was steadily draining just from being here.
Tokito: "Your dragon is... incredibly useful, Rodius."
Rodius: "It's my strongest spell, my lord. But I can only cast it twice a day."
Tokito: "So, where are we exactly? And what does this volcano have to do with anything?"
Rodius: "This is where your first lesson will begin: Mana Endurance Training. You will stay here—right at the base of this volcano—for four hours. When your mana depletes, I will encase you in a water prison to cool and help you recover."
Tokito: "So… I'm just supposed to sit here? For four hours?"
Rodius: "Your cells will burn. And then… they will heal. Over and over again."
H-H-He's insane! Making a child do this?! Has he no mercy?! Four hours next to a volcano? That's literally impossible!
Tokito looked at the scorching earth beneath his feet. The very air shimmered from the heat. His instincts screamed at him to flee—but he clenched his fists.
If I want to protect Nanagi, Kortus… and this kingdom… I have to survive this. I must become strong.
Even if it burns me to ash.
Tokito: "Alright… I accept it. A volcano won't stop me!"
Rodius: "Very well. I'll release the volcano's power. Water magic, dispel!"
With a swift motion, Rodius canceled the spell, and the protective layer of water shielding the volcano vanished. The stifling heat immediately intensified, wrapping around Tokito like chains of flame. When he turned right to look, Rodius was gone.
Volcano started to burn his skin and turning into ash. Tokito gritted his teeth and activated his healing magic. As each layer of burned skin peeled away, his body regenerated it again and again. But soon, the volcano seemed to adapt to his pace.
The regeneration had to quicken… and Tokito pushed himself harder.
By the thirtieth minute, his mana was running dry. His healing began to flicker, like a candle in the wind. When he forced it again, the strain triggered internal bleeding.
He poured the last of his mana into one final cast… and then nothing remained.
With no mana in his body, his skin began to blacken and flake. His hair caught fire. His eyes blurred. Somewhere deep inside, a voice whispered that Rodius had abandoned him.
And just when death approached…
A sphere of water surrounded him, soothing his charred flesh, drowning the fire.
Inside the water cage, the heat faded. Tokito's mana channels slowly opened again, and his body began to recover.
Rodius gently carried the sphere to the edge of a calm, tree-lined lake and shattered it. Tokito lay there, his chest slowly rising, the first part of his body to fully regenerate. His clothes had already been burned off.
After one hour, he was fully healed and his mana restored.
Rodius, lounging on a tree branch above, was eating an apple. When he noticed Tokito stir, he gracefully dropped down to the ground.
Rodius: "You're finally awake, my lord. To endure thirty minutes in that state, in this body… most impressive."
Tokito: "How long… was I out?"
Rodius: "One hour, my lord."
Tokito: "I thought… you'd abandoned me."
Rodius: "Don't worry. I can hear every heartbeat around me, even in silence."
Tokito: "So… you only saved me when my heart stopped?"
Rodius: "No, my lord. The body of a Demon King is different. Even when the heart stops, the brain still lives. I saved you… when your brain began to burn."
What kind of savage teacher is this…? If I were human, I'd be dead. Did I make a mistake choosing him? No… There's no turning back. I must grow stronger.
Tokito: "How long can you withstand the volcano?"
Rodius: "When I completed my training… I slept inside the volcano for fourteen hours, suspended in water."
He slept inside it?! That's insane… That heat would vaporize anything. Just how much mana does this man have…?
Rodius: "You look surprised, my lord. But I was once like you. It took me three years to reach this level."
Tokito: "Tch. Then I'll surpass your record… in just one month!"
Rodius: "There's no need to rush. Four hours will be enough for A-rank adaptation."
Tokito returned to the volcano's edge. The heat immediately attacked his skin again. He sat down beside it, closed his eyes, and focused.
A message flashed before him.
"Warning: Extreme heat detected. Auto-regeneration system activated."
I can do this… I will become the strongest! I think… I'm starting to adapt. The heat… it feels slightly weaker. Yes, I can do this!
At the ten-minute mark, he felt fine, but his mana quality had already dropped due to overuse. The regeneration was slower—yet his mana capacity had grown.
At twenty minutes, Rodius decided to observe him from afar, perching atop the volcano. With his sharp eyes, he watched Tokito from two kilometers away.
Rodius (thinking):
He reminds me of his father… though the boy may surpass him. When the old Demon King trained here, he hadn't come close to dying after thirty minutes… but he gave up. This one didn't. He has what it takes.
While watching, Rodius casually took another bite of his apple.
Tokito closed his eyes, focusing only on enduring the next four hours. At twenty-five minutes, he still had mana, but it was thin. His healing slowed. His skin turned black, and—unbeknownst to him—his heart stopped.
By the time the heat began to seep into his skull and roast his brain, Rodius moved swiftly, pulling him away and placing him once more by the lakeside.
When Tokito awoke again, Rodius was calmly floating on the lake—doing yoga on water, with no visible support.
Tokito: "Rodius… what are you doing?"
Rodius: "Mana rest, my lord. After using the Water Dragon spell, this is my recovery ritual."
Tokito: "Can I learn it?"
Rodius: "It will be part of your training, yes. But first, you must complete your current lesson without it."
I didn't think he'd be this strict… It's like he's preparing me for war—or worse.
Rodius stepped off the water and approached his master. After inspecting Tokito's body, he suddenly lifted him into his arms. Surprised, Tokito placed a hand on Rodius' shoulder.
Tokito: "Why are you carrying me? Where are we going?"
Rodius: "That's enough for today, my lord. We'll head to a cave for shelter."
If I weren't here, I would leave him to endure more… but his presence is attracting magical beasts. We'll continue tomorrow. Forgive me, my lord.
Tokito: "But I can keep going. I didn't even reach my goal…"
Rodius: "Your mana quality dropped too low. It would do more harm than good. Tomorrow, we continue."
With great leaps, Rodius carried Tokito across the mountain. When he sensed a hollow space beneath one of the mountain ridges, he sought the entrance and found it hidden within the forest.
Sliding down using water magic, they entered the cave. Rodius sealed the entrance behind them and moved deeper in. Using his magic, he softened the walls with water and dug with bare hands, retrieving coal.
With a few stones and a minor fire spell, he lit a small campfire.
The warmth filled the cave, and Tokito, exhausted, finally fell asleep. Rodius then stepped outside.
That night, he hunted silently, slaying beasts and skinning them, returning with meat preserved in a water prison.
Though he rested while his master trained, Rodius kept one eye open.
By dawn, Tokito had awakened. He found Rodius at the cave entrance, silently staring out.
He approached.
When Rodius turned and saw his master's face, his worries melted.
Rodius: "Good morning, my lord. You're up early."
Tokito: "Sleep was just to recharge my energy."
Rodius: "Then eat some meat. We'll begin soon."
Tokito: "Alright… but you need the eat too, Rodius."
My lord's life is my only priority now. While he trains, I must be ready for anything that may threaten him. I've already scattered my mana across the forest… But still, not enough for him. Maybe I'm just getting old.
They finished their meal and returned once again to the volcano.
Tokito's hellish training was far from over.