The spell "Lightning Bolt" was not limited to being fired from the palm. By condensing the mana within his body, Leylo could even discharge lightning through his mouth, eyes, or other organs.
Leylo tested it, gathering mana in his oral cavity. To his surprise, he actually spat out a streak of lightning. However, his aim was far less accurate than with his hands; the bolt from his mouth blasted into the wall, scorching a blackened crater into the masonry.
This method of discharging energy felt very much like being a "Humanoid Dragon."
Suppressing his excitement, he began to attempt his second magic skill: "Lightning Enchantment."
With a thought, a purer stream of lightning energy surged from within, flowing down his arm to cover his right hand. Pale blue electricity flickered around his palm, emitting a soft "sizzling" sound and sending a numbing sensation of power through his hand.
He could clearly feel that his right hand had been imbued with the lightning attribute; every swing now carried a momentum that seemed to tear through the air.
"Interesting." The corner of Leylo's mouth curled.
This "Lightning Enchantment" didn't just enhance his physical strikes. If applied to a weapon, wouldn't it make his blade sharper and give his attacks a piercing, paralyzing effect? This was magic perfectly tailored for a knight!
Finally, he tested "Lightning Speed."
Leylo took a deep breath and concentrated on his legs. The lightning energy rushed downward, condensing at his feet.
Whoosh!
His legs felt light as a feather. Pushed by an invisible force, he blurred from one end of the room to the other in an instant. He moved so fast that he nearly left a faint afterimage behind. Even the sunlight outside the window seemed to warp for a fraction of a second due to his extreme velocity.
"Whew..." Leylo steadied himself, his chest heaving slightly. The rush of adrenaline from such extreme speed made his blood boil. In battle, whether for pursuit or evasion, this skill would be decisive.
"Aowu!" Moonlight trotted over with elegant, cat-like steps and rubbed her large, furry head against Leylo's calf, purring contentedly.
Leylo chuckled and leaned down to rub her head. "Little fellow, I owe you big time for this." The gifts from the Silver Dragon were far more bountiful than he had imagined.
Moonlight narrowed her eyes in bliss, her tail swaying lazily. Then, as if remembering something, she nudged Leylo with her head and extended a claw toward the door.
Leylo paused, then realized. The little one was hungry. Between his breakthrough and the time spent comprehending magic, a whole morning had passed, and she was starving.
"Alright, alright. I'll go prepare a feast for you right now," Leylo replied with a smile.
Ascending to Great Knight had vastly improved his combat qi, and the unexpected awakening of lightning magic gave him three practical skills. This seclusion had yielded gains far beyond his expectations. He could feel the bond between himself and Moonlight tightening because of this magical awakening.
"Let's go, Moonlight. Extra rations for you today—double!"
A Corner of the Knight Training Camp
Leylo found a secluded spot under the shade of a tree and sat down side-by-side with Moonlight. Two fat geese, roasted to a golden brown and dripping with oil, sat before them, emitting a savory, hot aroma. He had specifically ordered the kitchen to rush these as a reward for both Moonlight and himself.
"Aowu!" Moonlight leaned in, her pale gold dragon eyes sparkling. She sniffed with feigned restraint, then licked the crispy skin with her pink tongue, immediately purring. She then gave up on pleasantries, opened her mouth, and tore a large chunk of meat from the leg, chewing happily.
Leylo laughed at the sight and took a large bite of his own goose. The skin was fragrant and crispy, the meat inside tender and juicy, with the spices perfectly infused into every fiber. The hunger following his breakthrough, combined with the satisfaction of his new power, made this simple meal taste extraordinary.
He could feel that after reaching Great Knight, his body's demand for energy had significantly increased. Occasionally, a tiny silver-blue spark would jump from his fingertips unconsciously—the newborn lightning power dancing within him. This power had already become part of his instinct.
The Training Ground
The training field was currently a scene of intense activity.
"Hah!" A dull, explosive shout rang out, sounding like a roaring bear.
In the center of the field, an exceptionally burly youth was engaged in high-intensity combat training with a massive magic beast. The youth was about seventeen or eighteen, his bronze skin shimmering with a healthy glow in the sun, his bulging muscles as solid as boulders. This was Thor.
Thor stood with his legs braced, rooted to the sandy ground like an ancient tree. His veins throbbed in his arms as he desperately held a specialized steel heavy shield. The shield was covered in scratches and dents of varying depths, evidence of countless violent impacts.
Opposite him was an Iron-Armored Rhino the size of a wild bull. Covered in thick, blue-black armor plates that glinted with a cold metallic sheen, it looked like a mobile steel fortress. Its thick, menacing horn was currently glowing with a pale yellow aura—an activated innate ability—as it slammed relentlessly into Thor's shield.
"Moo!" The rhino let out a deafening roar, its hooves pawing the ground and kicking up clouds of dust. With every surge of its massive body, the ground trembled. Terrifying kinetic force traveled through the shield into Thor's body.
Thor's teeth were clenched, and sweat rolled down his forehead, but his eyes were resolute and his stance remained unshaken. The Earth Bear bloodline granted him unparalleled strength and endurance, allowing him to hold his own in a pure contest of power against a rhino known for its charge.
"Hold it, Thor! Feel its strength! Guide it, don't just resist!" the instructor, Barrett, shouted from the sidelines.
Hearing this, Thor took a deep breath. His tense body seemed to relax for a split second, but immediately after, a more concentrated force surged up from his feet, through his waist, and into his arms. He stopped relying solely on brute force and began trying to deflect part of the impact, using the shield's recoil to find a weakness in the rhino's posture.
"Good lad, you've made progress!" Barrett's eyes flashed with approval.
The Iron-Armored Rhino seemed to sense the change in its opponent, and its assault became more frenzied. It backed up two steps and then charged again. Its glowing horn struck the shield like a siege hammer.
Boom!
A massive sound, like the tolling of a great bronze bell, echoed out, causing the surrounding knight apprentices to instinctively cover their ears. Amidst the rising dust, Thor was pushed back several meters by the impact, his feet plowing two deep furrows into the sand.
Thor did not fall. Though his shield vibrated violently, he kept it firmly braced in front of him.