The next morning, Alex could be seen training in the garden of the palace.

The conversation Sarah had with Amanda was quite emotional for the two. The teenager cried so much that when Sarah walked out of the room, Amanda was found soundly asleep.

After exchanging a few words with Alex, Sarah decided to stay with her sister for the night.

Alex told Sarah to clear up the bullshit regarding Celestria's marriage, and in exchange for a *cough* reward *cough* she agreed to his demand.

As he thought, Sarah made it all up to separate Celestria from Alex. However, when Alex told her that he would rather marry Celestria than let her get tied with someone else, she readily agreed.

"Fuuuu..." Exhaling an audible breath, Alex prepared himself for another arc of Moon Dance.

Until now, he can only go in a single arc, which was enough to slaughter the elven commander back then.

Six arcs make up the whole move—drawn in a perfect infinity. The day Alex accomplishes performing the art in a perfect loop, he will gain command over the Moon Dance.

Releasing the hold from his mind, Alex allowed his muscles to relax; his breathing turned faint and his heart slowed down.

In the silent world, there was nothing that worked as a cue as Alex left his spot, without making even a decibel of noise and moved effortlessly toward his first target.

His movements were so fluid and silent that it seemed he was floating above the ground. However, his feet were touching the ground with each step as he advanced towards the first mark and slashed his blade.

*SCHLINCH*

The training doll was sliced in half easily before Alex sprinted in a different direction. Previously he was moving to his left diagonal, and after cleaving the doll, he moved to his right diagonal to make a '3'.

However, when he tried shifting his weight and the blade in his non-dominant arm, he felt his thigh muscle and right shoulder muscles twitching.

*Thap*

Slamming his foot on the ground he paused. There was clear frustration on his face as the wooden sword cracked under his clenched fist.

"That's some peculiar way to train." A voice suddenly arrived from behind, urging Alex to turn his head towards the source of the voice—only to feel someone resting their hand on his shoulder from the front.

All the strands on his body stood erect, as Alex jumped back and raised his sword against the person.

"...Lord Steelhound?" The striking similarities between Eric and the man were quite glaring, but looking closer one could tell that the man is older than Eric.

"Alex, you must be. Tell me, Alex, will you help me finish my morning exercise through a few minutes of sparring?"

Alex was surprised, "You want to spar with me?" Lord Steelhound was one of the strongest vampires in the world. If not for Rebecca awakening something that eclipses all the abilities known to vampire kind then Lord Steelhound would have joined the Ascension Trials.

The man plainly stated, "From what I heard, you might be the strongest students of the Soulforge. So I am a little curious."

Alex wanted to say something but then he decided to remain silent.

There could be no better partner than the Lord Steelhound to sharpen his skills a bit.

Ready when you are," the vampire lord said, his voice carrying no arrogance, only a simple, matter-of-fact tone.

Alex wasted no time. He surged forward, his first strike a powerful diagonal slash aimed at Steelhound's torso. The blade cuts through the air with deadly intent—only for Victor to step slightly to the side, avoiding it entirely.

Alex adjusted instantly, spinning into a horizontal strike aimed at Victor's ribs. This time, Steelhound didn't move away; instead, his hand shot up, fingers catching the wooden blade mid-swing.

The impact made a sharp thwack, but the Vampire Lord stood firm, holding the sword in place. His grip was unyielding.

"Not bad," Steelhound remarked, releasing the blade and stepping back. "But predictable."

Alex didn't let the comment faze him. He lunged again, this time feinting left before swinging upward at Steelhound's chin. The vampire lord tilted his head back, dodging the strike with effortless grace, and leaned forward just as Alex recovered for a downward slash.

Before Alex could complete the move, Steelhound's hand shot out again, catching his wrist this time.

"Too slow," Steelhound said, his voice calm but firm.

Alex snarled, twisting free and stepping back.

In a heartbeat, he launched his Second Step, his form blurring as he lunged at his enemy with his blade pointed as a spear and aimed at his chest.

However, Alex's eyes widened when he realized that the man was following his movements with his eyes easily—almost like everything was happening in slow motion for him.

With practiced ease, Victor tilted his body and grabbed Alex.

Alex felt the iron grip tightening around his wrist and collar as Steelhound prepared to toss him. But Alex wasn't about to let himself be thrown so easily.

Using the momentum of Victor's pull, Alex twisted his body sharply, turning his wrist inward to break free of the vampire's hold. At the same time, he brought his knees up, using the motion to push off Steelhound's chest with a powerful kick.

Steelhound raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed. "Quick thinking. You're more adaptable than I thought."

Alex exhaled, shaking out his wrist. "You didn't think I'd go down that easily, did you?"

Saying so Alex broke the already cracked sword into two before he held the small chunk of wood in his left arm and prepared to send a final note.

Alex bent low, his muscles coiling like a spring as the air around him seemed to grow heavy. His senses sharpened to the extreme, his breathing steady and deliberate. Every detail of the battlefield came alive—Steelhound's minute shifts in posture, the faint rustle of leaves, even the sound of his own heartbeat pounding in rhythm with his intent.

The raven-haired clenched his fist before his SE sharpened his senses to the maximum.

The air turned colder as the ground shook under the pressure of their presence suddenly, Alex jumped into the air and twirled his body in a perfect 360°, and while utilizing the momentum, he threw the wood in the Lord's direction.

**SWISH**

The Tempest Dart tore through the air, a blur of destructive energy. The projectile wasn't just fast—it was calculated, its trajectory homing in on Steelhound with pinpoint accuracy. The wood whistled, slicing the very atmosphere as it closed the distance in less than a heartbeat.

**CLINQ**

Victor's eyes widened. For the first time, there was a flicker of genuine surprise on his face. With a quick motion, his hand shot up, and an invisible force erupted in front of him—a shimmering barrier of energy, hastily constructed.

The impact was deafening. The Tempest Dart slammed into the forcefield with violent intensity, causing ripples to spread across the barrier like waves on a stormy sea. The ground beneath Steelhound cracked under the pressure, his boots sinking slightly into the earth as he braced himself.

The wooden fragment seemed unrelenting, its destructive force amplifying as if fueled by Alex's will.

But Steelhound wasn't one of the strongest vampires for nothing. With a sharp exhale, he clenched his free hand, channeling a surge of his own energy into the barrier.

CRACK!

The Tempest Dart shattered against the reinforced defense, splintering into harmless fragments. The remaining force dissipated in an instant, leaving behind a charged silence.

Just as the older one breathed a sigh, he felt something sharp pressing at the back of his neck, urging him to ask,

"How did you trespass my barrier without me noticing?"

Alex answered as he pulled the broken piece of sword away, "Just training…"

Victor smiled, "No normal training can allow you to move like that. But don't worry, I won't force you to tell me about it."

Victor assured him as he turned to look at the teenager.

Alex was curious about something so he didn't hold back from asking, "How much were you holding back just now?"

The older one raised his brows, "Why do you think that I held back?"

"For someone who has fought Sir Eric, I knew you were awfully restraining your strength."

Victor was impressed by his observation skill. Although he did his best to not show how much he was pulling his punches, it seems the boy was too perceptive for him.

Victor began to walk away as he told the younger one, "Become strong enough to force me to show my all. There is no other way."

Alex remained standing at his spot for a long time, pondering at how far he was from reaching the pinnacle.

'Haah~gotta grind more…' As such he continued his training for another hour.

—------**---------

A/N:- So yeah, possibly the first R-18 of this story might be coming soon. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and could track his progress compared to initial chapters.

Drop a comment.