Vesper's words made Kael's eyes gleam with interest. "Oh? What's your method?"
Vesper chuckled darkly, stroking his chin. "You know Finn, right? That kid's talent and potential were mediocre at best, but under my guidance, he broke through repeatedly—now he's almost Rank Eight. With your far superior innate gifts, my special trainingcould push you even further..."
Kael's interest deepened. It was true—Finn's rapid growth was undeniably linked to Vesper's tutelage, which was precisely why Kael had sought him out.
This old rogue might actually have some real skills.
But then he recalled the mix of dread and resentment in Finn's voice whenever the training was mentioned. Whatever Vesper's "guidance" entailed, it clearly wasn't for the faint of heart.
"So, what exactly is your method?" Kael asked coolly.
"Simple. Let's step outside." Vesper grinned.
With obvious reluctance, Vesper disentangled himself from the woman in his arms and followed Kael out, leaving Toms behind to continue his revelry in the tavern.
Vesper led Kael to an open area at the base of the Tower of Hope, then smirked. "The training's nothing complicated—just fighting while carrying a rock."
As he spoke, he retrieved a pitch-black stone from his spatial ring. It stood less than a meter tall but seemed to strain Vesper' as he heaved it onto the ground. The impact sent a tremor through the earth, leaving a shallow crater in its wake.
Kael's eyes widened. What kind of rock is this? Despite its modest size—barely a cubic meter—its weight was terrifying. Even with his knowledge from The Book of Immortality, he couldn't identify it. This was no ordinary magical material.
"I stumbled upon this thing by chance. Used it to train Finn—you'll carry it during combat. Hmm... Ella should make a good sparring partner. She's Rank Nine like you, right?" Vesper's grin turned predatory.
Fighting while carrying this monstrosity?!
No wonder Finn harbored such grievances. This "training" was downright sadistic.
Kael frowned, then gripped the obsidian-like boulder and lifted. His muscles instantly protested—the weight was far beyond what he'd anticipated. Even with his full strength, he could barely hoist it.
Damn it!
Now Kael's physique is close to that of a seventh-level warrior! No wonder Finn used to cry and complain whenever training was mentioned—it's this agonizing!
Vesper noticed Kael's condition and chuckled darkly, "This not only trains your physical abilities, but this giant rock also has a unique property—it can temper a mage's mental strength at the same time! If you carry this rock while fighting a mage, it'll definitely have quite an effect."
Kael found this intriguing. This massive rock actually had such a function?
However, the rock was far too heavy. Without using magic to move it, Kael had to expend all his strength just to carry it, making combat in this state nearly impossible.
But now that things had come to this, there was no backing out.
Gritting his teeth, Kael hoisted the enormous rock onto his back. His body sank slightly, his feet already pressing deep into the ground.
"Ella!" Kael shouted through a magical voice transmission. Ella was inside the magic tower, so Kael could call her directly.
Ella had already successfully advanced to the ninth level. Of course, her strength was still far weaker compared to Kael's ninth-level prowess, but even so, she could still pose some threat to him in his current state.
Ella quickly descended from the tower and froze at the sight of Kael's bizarre appearance. "My lord, what's wrong?" Kael looked utterly strange right now.
Kael clenched his jaw, feeling the weight of the rock on his back growing heavier by the second. This peculiar black boulder—what in the world was it?
"Ella, fight me!" Kael said calmly.
Ella hesitated briefly, but seeing the determination in Kael's eyes, she nodded in agreement.
Carrying the massive black rock while fighting Ella was an enormous burden. What's more, the rock seemed to suppress Kael's mental energy, preventing him from unleashing his full strength.
Of course, even under these conditions, a single Thunderfire Gaze from Kael could still obliterate Ella—but that was entirely unnecessary.
The battle between Ella and Kael began immediately.
After advancing to the ninth level, Ella had gained a deeper understanding of magic, making her attacks sharper than ever. Every incantation was recited with precision, her formidable power earning Kael's respect.
The once-wandering sorceress had truly grown into a formidable fighter.
Kael's eyes lit up—Ella had truly grown into someone capable of standing her ground, becoming a guardian of the Lafei Territory.
Ella chanted her incantations, unleashing a ninth-level wind spell. A cyclone surged forth, howling gusts whirling like countless blades as they slashed toward Kael. Burdened by the black rock, Kael couldn't move swiftly to evade, and with his mental energy suppressed, even casting a defensive spell was an immense struggle.
"Lightning Shield!"
Under such overwhelming interference, Kael could barely take a step back, let alone cast magic smoothly. Yet it was precisely in this critical moment that his potential erupted—his chanting sped up ever so slightly, allowing him to barely manifest the defensive spell.
The Lightning Shield blocked the attack, and Kael exhaled softly. He was beginning to understand Vesper's intent. Clearly, forcing Kael to fight while carrying this boulder was meant to push his limits. And under such extreme pressure, Kael was improving.
Feeling even the slightest progress, Kael doubled down, launching his own spells.
Vesper watched from the sidelines, astonished. This kid's insane—a madman among madmen. Back then, Finn would wail like he was dying after just half an hour of training, yet this one acts like it's nothing. It wasn't that Kael felt no pain—his willpower was simply unshakable.
"What a little monster. Ridiculous talent aside, he even trains like a man possessed. Freak of a kid," Vesper muttered, equal parts impressed and exasperated.
Training was inherently repetitive and grueling. At first, Ella assumed the black rock would cripple Kael's combat ability, but to her shock, he adapted with terrifying speed. Not only was he not immobilized—he began counterattacking!
Even under such brutal conditions, Kael gradually seized control of the battle, overwhelming Ella completely.
From launching the initial assault, Ella was soon forced purely on the defensive. Her mind reeled—Kael is just too strong. She if he competed in the Continental Rankings, he'd easily secure a spot in the top three of the Human Tier!
What Ella didn't know was that Kael hadn't even used his trump card—the Thunderfire Gaze. With his current strength, he claim the top spot on the Continental Rankings, standing virtually invincible below the tenth level.
That said, if faced with a tenth-level mage—whose power was nothing short of terrifying—Kael could, at best, ensure his own survival. Challenging such an opponent was beyond him for now.
Kael was wholly immersed in theied battle, his entire body drenched in sweat as he trudged forward under the crushing weight of the black boulder…
Then, abruptly—
His mental energy, stretched taut to its limits, suddenly adapted to the rock's suppression. His body surged into perfect sync, as if the boulder's weight had vanished. Magic roared back through his veins like a unleashed tide.
Another breakthrough!
Ella froze. Before her eyes, Kael's aura exploded, his power skyrocketing to the peak of the ninth level. The surrounding magic elements condensed violently, swirling around him in a visible vortex.
Peak ninth-level!
Kael had broken through yet again—so swiftly that even Ella, momentarily stunned, struggled to process it.
At last, she understood why his growth defied all reason. The unshakable resolve in his eyes left her awestruck. Here was a man who, despite his monstrous talent, trained like his life depended on it. No wonder he left so-called "geniuses" in the dust.
Yes—peak ninth-level. A single step away from the tenth.