Chapter 14: Three Months of Silence
Lucian Valemont arrived without announcement.
There was no bell, no summons, no ceremony. The inner training grounds were already occupied when he entered—twelve figures scattered across the stone field, bodies aching from routine drills, breaths steady but heavy.
They noticed him anyway.
They always did.
Lucian walked to the center of the grounds and stopped. He did not raise his voice. He did not wait for them to line up.
"For the next three months," he said calmly, "you will do nothing except train."
The words settled slowly.
"You will not take missions. You will not leave the estate. You will not concern yourselves with anything outside your own growth."
His gaze swept across them, not lingering on any one person.
"If you fail to improve," he continued, "you will no longer be useful."
No anger.
No threat.
Just a statement of fact.
Lucian turned and left.
Behind him, the twelve remained standing in silence long after his footsteps faded.
Only then did they realize—
This was not a suggestion.
---
Three Months Later
The underground chamber beneath the Valemont estate was quiet.
Not empty—but controlled.
Lucian sat cross-legged at the center of the formation circle, shirt discarded, body marked with faint lines of mana residue that glowed and faded with each breath. The air itself trembled subtly, drawn inward by the rhythm of his cultivation.
Aria stood several steps away.
She did not interfere unless necessary.
Lucian's breathing was slow.
Measured.
The Star Breathing Technique unfolded naturally now, no longer something he had to consciously guide. Mana flowed into him from every direction, especially at night, condensing and circulating through his channels with alarming efficiency.
Three months ago, Lucian had been at the Awakening Stage, Peak Tier.
Now—
The mana within him surged, compressed, and expanded outward in a controlled wave.
Aria's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Stabilize," she said.
Lucian adjusted instantly.
The pressure receded, settling into a deeper, heavier presence within his body.
The breakthrough completed.
Channeling Stage – Mid Tier.
Lucian exhaled slowly and opened his eyes.
Unlike most cultivators, his expression showed no excitement. Only confirmation.
"That's enough for today," Aria said.
Lucian nodded.
This was not his only breakthrough over the last three months.
It was simply the most recent.
---
The Squad After Three Months
They assembled again in the same training grounds.
But the difference was unmistakable.
Ravel
Path: Knight
Cultivation: Channeling Stage – Low Tier
Ravel stood straighter now, presence more grounded. His movements were smoother, decision-making faster. He no longer hesitated when giving orders—even hypothetical ones.
He had learned to commit.
---
Joren
Path: Knight
Cultivation: Channeling Stage – Mid Tier
Joren's aura was heavier than before. Discipline had sharpened into authority. Where Ravel adapted, Joren enforced. Even standing still, he felt immovable.
---
Kael Vorn
Path: Heavy Knight
Cultivation: Channeling Stage – Peak Tier
The scarred man looked unchanged—until one watched him move.
His body had grown denser, mana reinforcing muscle and bone until blows that once staggered him now barely registered. His presence alone altered formations.
He was a wall.
---
Mirel
Path: Hybrid
Cultivation: Channeling Stage – Low Tier
Mirel's growth was subtle.
Too subtle.
Her mana signature was difficult to pin down, constantly shifting between physical enhancement and spell-based manipulation. She moved faster, quieter, and with far more control than before.
Dangerous in silence.
---
Sel
Path: Mage
Cultivation: Gathering Stage – Low Tier
Sel looked exhausted.
And sharper.
Mana condensed around him in refined patterns now, his control leagues beyond what his stage suggested. He no longer wasted energy. Every spell fragment, every circulation was deliberate.
Lucian noted this.
---
Daren Holt
Path: Knight
Cultivation: Channeling Stage – Low Tier
Daren had become sturdier, more reliable. Not brilliant—but dependable. His shield work improved significantly, instincts aligning with Kael's presence.
---
Marek Sile
Path: Knight
Cultivation: Awakening Stage – Peak Tier
Marek lagged slightly behind.
But his positioning had improved drastically.
Lucian did not mind this.
Not everyone needed to advance quickly.
---
Lysa Ferrel
Path: Scout
Cultivation: Awakening Stage – High Tier
Lysa's awareness had expanded noticeably. She read terrain instinctively now, her movements light, precise.
---
Lune Ferrel
Path: Scout
Cultivation: Awakening Stage – High Tier
Lune's mana control was tighter than his sister's. Less flexible—but far more precise. Together, they formed a complementary pair.
---
Iven Marro
Path: Support
Cultivation: Awakening Stage – Mid Tier
Iven focused less on power and more on sustainability. His mana reinforced tools, equipment, formations.
---
Serah Kline
Path: Medic
Cultivation: Awakening Stage – High Tier
Serah's control over life-aspected mana had improved significantly. Her movements were faster, more confident.
---
Lucian observed them all.
Satisfied.
---
The Announcement
"You're all coming with me," Lucian said.
The words landed heavily.
"We're heading to the Spirit Forest."
Silence followed.
Everyone knew that name.
One of the most dangerous regions on the continent. A place where mana density warped perception, where spirit beasts and corrupted entities roamed freely.
A training ground.
And a grave.
"You'll prepare," Lucian continued calmly. "Individually and as a unit."
He turned.
"You have seven days."
---
Preparation
The days that followed were relentless.
Equipment was reforged and reinforced.
Kael tested armor against live impact.
Sel prepared condensed mana crystals.
Serah stocked medical supplies and spirit salves.
The twins mapped forest routes from old records.
Mirel vanished for hours at a time—practicing movement in hostile terrain.
Lucian oversaw everything.
Not micromanaging.
Correcting.
When supplies were insufficient, he acquired more.
When formations were inefficient, he dismantled them.
By the seventh day, the squad looked ready.
Not confident.
Ready.
Lucian stood before them one final time.
"The Spirit Forest does not forgive mistakes," he said.
He turned.
"Follow."
And they did.