Early morning.
A slightly chilly spring breeze blew gently, causing the various flowers in the courtyard to sway. Crystal-like dew dripped from the stamens, and the golden full moon descended from the sky, replaced by the dazzling sun gradually rising from the eastern horizon.
The pillar-shaped magic stone lamps scattered around the stronghold were manually turned off by patrolling familia members. The warmth of the sun was driving away the chill of the night.
Eiji opened the window of his bedroom, and a cold wind immediately hit him, making him shiver.
"Whoa, it feels like March weather at least."
He couldn't help but rub his shoulders.
This was his room.
After officially joining the Loki Familia yesterday, Finn had assigned him a bedroom located at the western end of the seven circular towers, on the fourth floor. It had taken half an afternoon of cleaning yesterday to make it livable.
The bedroom wasn't particularly spacious, only about thirty to forty square meters, but it was a single room. It came fully furnished with a wardrobe, mirror, bed, and other essentials, making it move-in ready.
There was also a portable magic stone lamp, which he had spent several minutes figuring out how to use last night.
After pulling open all the curtains, neatly folding the white bedding, and changing into a tracksuit, Eiji left the room. He descended the spiral staircase inside the tower wall to the first floor and headed toward the main entrance.
"Yo, Tiona, guarding the door, huh?"
Eiji looked at the Amazoness girl standing guard and greeted her with a warm smile.
"Ah, Eiji, it's you!"
Tiona, holding an enormous double-edged sword, was leaning against the iron gate, her head nodding slightly as she struggled to stay awake.
Seeing Eiji approach, she perked up instantly, her face lighting up with a bright smile as she greeted him.
Yesterday, after learning that Tiona had taken it upon herself to spar with Eiji on the arena, Finn had given her a "three nights of door duty" punishment, all while wearing a very bright smile.
That's right, Finn had never actually asked Tiona to test Eiji's strength.
Tiona had stepped onto the arena to fight Eiji purely out of personal interest—her goal was to defeat him and then make him fall in love with her.
"The sky's already bright. The shift change should be coming soon. Go get some rest."
After exchanging a few polite words with Tiona, Eiji walked out of the familia's main gate.
He cares about me!
He has me in his heart!
Tiona was overjoyed. The fatigue from staying up all night instantly vanished, and she felt like she could guard the gate for another whole day!
She waved her hand, bidding farewell to Eiji, who had already disappeared from view.
After leaving the main gate.
Eiji spent a couple of minutes warming up, then began running along the streets surrounding the familia.
His routine alternated between sprints and jogging, which placed a heavy load on his cardiovascular system, helping to strengthen his heart and lungs.
As his body gradually warmed up, heat began to rise from him, warding off the morning chill. Only the cold air he inhaled with each breath continued to stimulate his lungs.
Thirty minutes of running, eight laps around the blocks surrounding the familia.
By the time he finished his last lap and returned to the familia's entrance, Tiona was no longer there. The guards had changed shifts, and she had likely gone back to rest.
The new guards clearly recognized Eiji—in fact, forgetting him would have been difficult.
Both were somewhat surprised by his diligence in morning training and didn't give him any trouble, letting him back into the familia with friendly nods.
The atmosphere within the Loki Familia was quite good.
Eiji realized this yesterday when so many people helped him clean his room.
Although he wasn't familiar with other familias, this one indeed had a harmonious, family-like atmosphere, making him quietly praise himself for choosing the right place.
After all, in the original story, this familia seemed to have an important plotline, and there might even be a dedicated side story about it. It had been too long, so he couldn't remember clearly, but joining this familia was definitely the right choice.
After returning to the courtyard, Eiji stopped by the fountain to rest for a bit. Then, taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, he summoned his device, the Bling Blade.
After physical training came swordsmanship training.
Swordsmanship was like rowing against the current—if you didn't move forward, you would fall behind. It required daily, relentless practice to ensure that one's skills didn't deteriorate and that one's hands and feet didn't become clumsy.
Whoosh—!
The blade cut through the air, creating a whistling sound.
First came the basic sword techniques—nine forms of horizontal and vertical strikes to loosen up his limbs. After that, Eiji began practicing his sword skills.
Techniques like "Flickering Light and Passing Shadows," which he had adapted from the "Trackless Step," still had plenty of room for improvement. If he could reduce the unnecessary movements of his wrist, this move could become even more refined and unpredictable.
Similarly, techniques like "Demonic Light Blade" and the self-taught "Tai Chi Sword" were far from reaching a high level of mastery.
On top of that, he had several sword techniques in the conceptual stage that required continuous practice to bring to life.
The only pity was the lack of a sufficiently skilled sparring partner.
If he had an excellent opponent to spar with, the sparks of inspiration from their clashes would undoubtedly accelerate his creation of new sword techniques.
"Hmm?"
While practicing, Eiji suddenly felt a gaze.
The gaze was fixed on him, unwavering, as if the person behind it was deeply interested in him.
Eiji stopped his movements and followed the direction of the gaze.
It came from the easternmost of the seven circular towers, also on the fourth floor.
From the window, Eiji saw a girl.
A white nightgown wrapped around her slender body. Even from a distance, her delicate face exuded a gentle beauty, her appearance so exquisite that it could rival a goddess's. Her soft, golden hair, like fine sand, swayed gently in the morning breeze.
The girl, whose presence was enough to captivate anyone's attention, now turned her golden, translucent eyes toward Eiji, who stood in the courtyard with a presence that could make even gods feel inferior.
Her gaze wasn't one of casual observation but carried a sense of intent, as if she was deeply interested.
Their eyes met.
No one spoke.
Who are you?
Eiji's eyes conveyed this question.
The girl seemed a bit reserved. Her pink lips twitched twice, but she didn't speak.
Then, silently, she stepped away from the window. Her golden hair, untamed yet incredibly smooth, traced a wave-like arc in the air before disappearing from Eiji's sight.
"Interested in my sword practice?"
Eiji rubbed his chin, thoughtfully speculating.
The girl's gaze didn't seem to be drawn by his appearance. Her eyes weren't infatuated but rather focused, as if she was simply observing his sword practice.
Perhaps she was a girl who, in some way, was very similar to him.
***
Hey readers!
Want to read ahead? 📖 Join my Patreon for early access to 30+ advance chapters! Your support helps me write more and bring the story to you faster.
🔹patreon.com/aarvan🔹
Thanks for being awesome! ❤️