The Overlooked Hero Breaks the System

The deep chimes of the palace bells echoed through the stone corridors, signaling the arrival of dawn. A faint golden glow seeped through the window, casting long shadows across the floor.

Rei opened his eyes. His body felt normal again—the overwhelming surge of Limit Breaker from last night was gone, and his mana had returned to its usual state. His stats were the same, yet the memory of the temporary boost lingered.

The dorm room stirred with movement. Dante was already awake, stretching his arms with a satisfied groan. "Finally, some real training. I was getting tired of all this waiting."

Ethan grumbled, still lying under his blanket. "You mean you enjoy being tortured? Crazy."

Kai sat up, rubbing his eyes. "I heard the training grounds are massive. Some of the instructors are supposed to be former war veterans."

Dante smirked. "Good. We'll see who's actually got talent and who's just got a fancy class title." He glanced toward Rei. "You ready, quiet guy?"

Rei gave a simple nod, already pulling on his boots.

It didn't matter what training was ahead. He would adapt.

----

The students were led out of the dormitories and through the palace grounds. The sky was a crisp blue, and the air carried the faint scent of morning dew and steel.

As they approached the training field, their surroundings shifted—stone paths gave way to compact dirt, and weapon racks lined the edges of the grounds. Several reinforced sparring rings were scattered across the open space, and in the distance, raised stone platforms hinted at aerial or magical combat zones.

At the center stood General Aldren, flanked by instructors. The assembled students instinctively fell silent.

Aldren's gaze was sharp as he addressed them. "Your trials were just the beginning. Today, your real training begins."

A knight stepped forward, holding a large scroll. "Students will be assigned to squads based on their performance in the trials."

Dante muttered, "Here we go."

Ethan sighed. "Hope we don't get stuck with a bunch of weaklings."

The knight began reading the assignments.

Squad Assignments

Squad One – Elite Unit

Leon Crest – Holy Hero (SSS)

Elena Vaughn – Arcane Valkyrie (SS)

Alan Vale – Warblade (S)

Aisha Lunette – Lunar Priestess (S)

A predictable lineup. The strongest were grouped together.

Dante scoffed. "They're practically royalty at this point."

Squad Two – Advanced Combat Unit

Felix Ardane – Spirit Mage (S)

Caleb Voss – Shadowblade (A)

Lillian Rose – Stormcaster (A)

Marcus Drayden – Juggernaut (A)

Felix, the S-Class Spirit Mage, had secured a place among the upper ranks.

Then, the lower squads were called.

Squad Nine – General Training Unit

Rei Kain – Enhancement Specialist (B)

Dante Hale – Warrior (C)

Ethan Morris – Archer (B)

Kai Renn – Mage (C)

Ethan groaned. "Figures."

Dante stretched. "Could be worse."

Kai adjusted his sleeves. "Are squads permanent?"

Dante shrugged. "Probably not. If you improve, they'll move you up."

Rei didn't comment. Squad placement meant little to him. Training was inevitable, regardless of what rank they assigned him.

First Training Session

Each squad was led to their designated area. Squad Nine's instructor, Garrick, was a tall, battle-scarred man with a rough demeanor. He scanned them with an unimpressed expression.

"I'll be blunt," he said. "You're not the worst, but you're not the best either. That means I have work to do."

His eyes moved over them, assessing. "Training starts with fundamentals. Combat positioning, stamina conditioning, and skill refinement. If you think you know how to fight, you don't."

Dante scoffed under his breath. Garrick's gaze snapped to him.

"You. Step forward."

Dante hesitated before moving.

Garrick tossed him a wooden practice sword. "Attack me."

Dante frowned. "Just like that?"

"Unless you'd rather run laps."

Dante shrugged, gripping the sword. He lunged forward, aiming a downward strike. His form was aggressive but lacked refinement.

Garrick sidestepped effortlessly, redirecting the strike with his own sword hilt.

Dante stumbled.

"Again."

Dante gritted his teeth and attacked faster. Garrick dodged, countering with a swift tap to Dante's ribs, knocking him back again.

The squad watched in silence.

Garrick sighed. "Strength means nothing if you can't land a hit." He turned to the group. "This is why refinement matters. We start with footwork drills. Drop your weapons."

Groans followed, but no one argued.

The training was relentless.

They started with footwork exercises, moving in patterns while avoiding wooden poles swung by instructors. The goal was simple—react fast, dodge, and maintain balance.

Most of the squad struggled.

Ethan barely avoided a hit. "Are we training or getting beaten up?"

Dante grunted as he misstepped and got smacked in the shoulder. "Both, apparently."

Kai adjusted quickly, using smaller movements to avoid unnecessary waste of energy.

Rei moved efficiently, following the rhythm of the swings without overcommitting his dodges. He wasn't the fastest, but his movements were getting sharper with each attempt.

Something clicked.

[New Skill Acquired: Adaptive Footwork]

Effect: Improves reaction speed and balance when dodging attacks. Slightly increases movement efficiency.

Rei's breathing slowed for a moment as he processed the notification.

A skill. Earned naturally, not granted by the system or his class.

He kept moving, making sure not to react too strongly.

The Adaptive Footwork skill was subtle—his steps felt lighter, his dodges more instinctive. It wasn't an overwhelming advantage, but it was something.

And it confirmed that training could yield results beyond just levels.

Lunch and Observations

By midday, their bodies were sore, and Garrick finally called for a break.

The students gathered in the banquet hall, food piled high on the tables. Conversations buzzed around the room.

Leon's squad sat together, discussing strategies. Felix and Squad Two exchanged theories on spellcasting efficiency.

Rei sat with his squad, eating quietly.

Ethan groaned. "I don't think I can move."

Dante smirked. "Day one and you're already struggling?"

Kai sipped water. "Instructor Garrick isn't just training us—he's watching how we adapt."

Ethan rolled his shoulders. "Then we better start showing some improvement."

Rei glanced around, observing the room.

Some students looked eager. Others, like Kai, were focused on how they were improving, rather than how fast.

It was the smarter approach.

Training wasn't just about strength. It was about learning how to apply it.

The second session was just as intense.

Weighted laps. More footwork drills. A combat exercise that required them to dodge and counter attacks with precision.

Rei continued adjusting his movements, letting Adaptive Footwork guide his positioning.

By the end of the session, most of the squad was barely standing.

Garrick finally dismissed them. "Rest up. Tomorrow, we push harder."