The garden was breathtaking. Sunlight danced through the leaves, casting golden patterns across the cobblestone paths. Flowers of every color swayed lightly in the breeze, and the distant sound of a fountain added a gentle rhythm to the scene. Ren's eyes widened as he stepped deeper into the garden, taking in the beauty, his small heart beating faster with excitement.
Beside him, Kian's grip tightened on his sword hilt, alert yet impressed, while Lira walked gracefully, her noble bearing making her look like she belonged in this lavish place. They moved carefully, following the butler who had appeared silently, as if he'd always been part of the scenery. The butler led them to a secluded corner of the garden, where a small clearing revealed four dummies, crafted from wood and iron, eerily lifelike.
"These will be your first task," the butler said, his voice calm but firm. "Two tasks. First, you must pierce the dummy. Any part, any method. Second, you will fight each other."
Ren stepped forward eagerly. "Alright! Let's start!"
He raised his hand and fired a simple icicle at the dummy in front of him. It struck with a crisp ting, but no dent appeared. He fired five more at the same spot. Nothing. Frustration prickled his mind as he summoned a spear of ice—even that barely left a mark.
Exhausted mentally, Ren clenched his fists, took a deep breath, and launched his newly created ice shuriken—three blades spinning through the air. The impact left a small, visible dent. His eyes widened. "Wow… I can upgrade my techniques with this!"
Kian's turn came next. Without hesitation, he executed his double-edged strike, a powerful sword attack with a subtle secondary swing hidden behind it. The dummy bore a scratch, larger than Ren's dent. Kian's lips curved into a small smile.
Lira stepped forward, slightly nervous but maintaining her noble posture. "I suppose it's my turn." Her hands moved gracefully as her plant magic came alive—a towering sunflower, a little taller than her, its mouth gaping wide, spat out an energy bulb the size of a small melon. Smoke rose, but the dummy remained unscathed.
Not deterred, she reshaped her magic, focusing it into a sharp energy beam. The dummy flinched, taking a scratch across its armored chest. Lira nodded in quiet satisfaction, her cheeks tinged with pride.
The butler, Bran, observed silently. His calm eyes scanned the trio before him. Finally, he muttered:
"…Weak."
Ren's face fell. Kian's jaw tensed. Lira's lips pressed together, a hint of irritation in her noble composure.
"These dummies are designed to withstand attacks from trained knights and mid-rank mages," Bran continued, resting both hands behind his back. "What you've shown so far is insufficient. Your techniques lack penetration. Your mana control is crude. Your coordination is nonexistent."
Ren opened his mouth, then shut it.
"But," Bran added, his tone softening slightly, "you are children. Children who survived X1. That shows promise… but promise is not power."
Without another word, Bran turned sharply and rushed back toward the mansion, boots pounding the garden stones.
Ren blinked in surprise. "…Did he just… run back?"
Kian raised an eyebrow. "Looks like it. We keep practicing."
Lira let out a soft, amused sigh. "He's reporting to her family, probably. They must care about this training."
Ren, unable to contain his excitement, bounced on the balls of his feet. "I can't wait until tomorrow! My shuriken… it actually left a dent! Kian, your strike… and Lira, your plant! Did you see how huge it was?"
The three of them returned to the dummies, each strike, block, and technique sharpening their skills. Ice shattered. Steel rang. Vines twisted and struck. Mistakes burned, scratches deepened, and lessons sank in.
As the sun dipped low, bathing the garden in orange light, Bran's earlier words echoed in their minds.
A bell rang from the mansion.
7:00 PM.
The first day of noble-style training had ended. Though still weak, Ren, Kian, and Lira were already different from the morning, their resolve sharpened and their determination blazing like fire.
This version joins all parts, keeps the garden setting, the butler's rush, the anime-style combat with the dummies, and their childlike excitement.