The Great Rebellion : Transformation And Swordsmanship

The next morning, Leo woke in the king's bed. 

He rubbed his eyes and opened the door to chaos in the dining room. 

"HEY! THAT'S MY BREAD!" 

"Alice, huh?" Leo sighed. 

"No, little one , it's my bread!" Arthur pushed Alice back gently. 

"Oh, Leo! Good morning! perfect timing!" The king pointed at Alice. 

"Can you...?!"

Leo sighed again, eyes heavy with exhaustion. 

Last night's thoughts raced through my head... Too excited to sleep well.

Alice brandished a loaf like a sword, pointing at Arthur. 

"Give me that white bread!!!! or ... " 

"... DUEL ME!" 

"She's disrespecting His Highness!" The guards trembled.. not at Alice, but awaiting the king's reaction. 

Arthur just chuckled, raising his own loaf. 

"OOOF" The guards exhaled in relief.

"You're on then! little lady! "

"WOAH! YOU DARE CHALLENGE ME?!" Alice gasped, Feigning surprise

Emma sat at the far end, cradling a boiled egg as she nibbled happily. 

"HEY! YOU HAMSTER—STOP EATING MY EGG!" Alice whirled toward her. 

"I-I—does this whole table belong to you?!" Emma flushed, jabbing a finger at Alice. "l-look i'm munching it now!!

"NOOO!!" Alice scrambled toward her on all fours.

One guard whispered to another: "At least no plates shattered... this time." 

Leo turned toward them

.... and a genuine laugh escaped him. 

Alice froze mid-crawl. Seeing Leo laugh, a sunrise-bright smile spread across her face

Arthur swung the bread like a sword, turning to Leo. 

"Mastering swordsmanship will be your first step to understanding." 

"Are you a swordsman? You're not just swinging that bread..." Leo asked

Arthur took a bite. 

"Yes, my boy, but I'm retired."

At my age, things aren't what they once were." He sighed in frustration

"I was the head of the elite swordsmen." 

"Elite swordsmen..." he murmured, the phrase clearly impressing him.

"Looking for a teacher?" Arthur asked. 

"I want to learn properly.

"Can you teach me the basics?! Please" 

"Certainly. I'll have my finest guard instruct you in fundamentals and you know him very well." 

"Stay as long as you need. You're my dearest friend's son." 

"Thank you so much, Arthur!! " he murmured, genuine gratitude in his tone

Leo stared at his blade, voice trembling with resolve. 

"Just wait for me, Horseman... I'll become strong."

Arthur clapped. 

The guards instantly snapped to attention, laughter vanishing. "Yes, Your Highness!" 

"Call for Galen. I need him to train this young man." 

"Yes, Your Highness!" They bowed and hurried out.

As the doors swung open, Lin approached, rubbing sleep from her eyes. She stared at Leo and smiled. 

"Good morning, Lin." Leo waved, returning her smile. 

"It isn't a dream..." She clutched her hands, eyes shut tight as if testing reality. 

"Good morning, Leo." She smiled again 

"Oh Good morning, Lin! Get some good rest?" Arthur said 

"Good morning, Your Highness. I'll eat breakfast first, then get dressed properly." 

"No, you don't have to." Arthur raised a finger.

"Eh..?" Lin blinked, bewildered. 

Arthur grinned at Leo then pointed at him 

"We're about to watch his first training session."

When the three stepped outdoors, Arthur turned. 

"I think I've got to go for now.. daily responsibilities. I'll catch up with you both later." 

Arthur turned back to Leo, touching his shoulder. 

"What?!" Leo said. 

"Watch your back," Arthur whispered before striding toward the castle center.

Leo and Lin waited sitting on the grass. A small breeze brushed past them. 

"It feels good, doesn't it?" Lin said, swinging her legs. 

"Leo...?" She turned to him, eyes filled with concern. 

"Ah, I'm okay... I'm just..." Leo frowned, worry caught him. 

A moment of silence passed, birds sang while Lin hummed along. 

But Leo sweated through the stillness, tightening his grip on the sword. 

Lin patted Leo's back. "You okay?" 

"I'm okay, I'm jus—" 

Leo's ears pricked at an unfamiliar noise. 

"Leo, are you o—?" 

"LIN! MOVE!" 

In an instant, Leo shoved Lin aside and clashed with the figure.

"Eh?" Lin tumbled into the grass, rolling like a log. 

"Hm... What my king said was true... No, I believed it's true," the figure murmured. 

CRACK!

"This sword is dangerous!" The figure backed away, throwing his shattered blade. 

Only the pommel remained. 

Leo panted, stepping back. 

"Why did you do that?!" Leo shouted in shock. 

"You could've hurt my sister!" 

"Oh, my apologies.. I didn't introduce myself." 

"I'm Galen..." 

"Nice to meet you."

"You're that person!!" Leo said, voice trembling. 

"You're the one who tried to cut my head off!" 

Lin rose from the grass, watching the two figures. 

"Cut his head?!" 

Galen adjusted his spectacles. 

"Correct," Galen said steadily. 

"Only because you were about to do something terrible." 

"Something terrible?" Leo shifted into a defensive stance. 

Galen sighed. 

"You weren't aware..." 

He paused. 

"...but you were going to throw that girl, the one clinging to you. " 

Galen halted mid-sentence. 

"... with brutal force." 

"Was I...?" Leo stared at the ground.

Something approached Leo; then he cut it in half. 

"See? Even now." Galen played with a wooden sword, tossing it up and catching it as it returned to his hand. 

"You shouldn't let your emotions play with you..." 

... 

"You should learn how to maintain your composure.

"Every action has a reason," Galen replied. 

"And killing you would be an act of mercy." His eyes locked on Leo's, expression unreadable.

"Leo..." Lin stood clutching her hands to her chest, eyes brimming with tears. 

"Throw the Silver Prince away," Galen ordered. 

"W-What?" 

"Wasn't I clear?" 

"Throw. That. Damn. Sword." 

THUD

Leo hurled the sword to the ground, the impact cracked the earth. 

"This kid is strong... Physically strong." 

"One misstep could cost me a limb." Galen sighed

"Here... take it." Galen threw a wooden sword to Leo. 

Leo caught it with ease. 

A faint crackle sounded as he gripped the wooden blade. 

"It's too heavy for a wooden sword." 

"Good boy, now you're starting to understand." 

"Shall we start?" 

Leo stared at Galen, eyes sharp. 

"Before that..." 

Leo turned to Lin. "Lin... enter the castle and stay with Alice and Emma ," he said, still locked on the master's eyes. 

"But Leo, you will " 

"I'll be back soon." Leo turned back, smiling. 

Lin blinked; a tear dropped. 

"I will... but please don't get hurt, Leo." 

She walked slowly past him, then rushed toward the castle.

"So, when do we start?" Leo kept staring at Galen, stance ready. 

Galen stayed silent—then rushed at full speed with a Woosh

"He's too fast for a grown man!" 

CLANG!

Galen clashed with Leo. 

Their swords ground together, dark friction marks scorching the wood. 

Leo screamed, struggling to widen the gap. 

But Galen was pushed back. 

He flipped through the air, his silhouette blocking the sun from Leo's view

then landed smoothly. 

"He's strong..." Galen studied Leo, finger resting on his chin. 

"And more importantly.. " He adjusted his slipping glasses

"he's not a normal human."