The Rise Of Third Rate Villain-Chapter 9 - Training With Leon [III]

Ugh... my head. My body. My everything.

I groaned, slowly blinking myself awake. My entire body felt like it had been trampled by a herd of stampeding warhorses.

Wait. Where am I?

I looked around. White ceiling. Soft bed. Fancy-ass room.

Oh. Right. I was back in my bed.

But wasn't I in the training ground?

Memory clicked into place.

Oh yeah. My stamina hit zero, and I collapsed like a ragdoll.

I let out a deep sigh, rubbing my temples. Even though I had started adapting to Leon's attacks, my speed and stamina were still trash-tier.

And that wasn't gonna cut it.

If I wanted to rise to the top, I needed to push myself even harder. That meant fighting Leon every day, running like I was being chased by a horde of angry demons, and—eventually—ruling this world.

I smirked, lifting my chin. Time to act like a true villain.

I took a deep breath, narrowed my eyes, and—

"Heh... Hahaha... Mwahaha—"

This chapt𝒆r is updated by frёewebηovel.cѳm.

*Cough* *Cough* *Cough*

I hacked up a lung mid-laugh, nearly choking on my own breath.

...Okay. That didn't go as planned.

I shook my head, waving it off. "Ahem. I need to work on that."

---

The next month was pure hell.

I woke up at the crack of dawn. Every. Single. Day.

I ran until my legs felt like jelly. I sparred with Leon until my bones screamed in agony. I learned noble etiquette, history, and politics until my brain threatened to shut down.

And then I woke up the next day and did it all over again.

It was brutal.

But it worked.

I stood across from Leon, gripping my sword. Sweat dripped down my face, but unlike before, my breath was steady. My legs weren't trembling. My grip wasn't faltering.

I had changed.

Could I beat Leon? Absolutely not. The man was still a walking monster. But I could finally stand my ground against him, and that was something.

And the changes weren't just in my fighting skills.

I had grown taller—no longer a twig. My muscles had developed, giving me a lean, athletic build. Not bulky, but sharp.

I had that sleek, Korean webtoon protagonist physique—toned, defined, but not overly muscular. The kind of look that screamed *dangerous noble with a hidden power* rather than *gym bro who drinks protein shakes all day.*

And it wasn't just my body.

My entire presence had shifted.

The servants who used to ignore me now greeted me with genuine respect. The knights who once looked at me like dead weight now gave me approving nods. Even the maids whispered about how 'the young master has changed.'

...Though, honestly, I was pretty sure half of them were just impressed I hadn't died in training.

But despite all this progress, one thing still bugged me.

I didn't have Valerian's past memories.

I had adapted to this life, sure. But I still wasn't *him.* There were gaps—things I didn't know, things that felt off. It was like playing a game with half the tutorial missing.

So, I asked the system about it.

> [System Notice]

> You are not ready to sync with Valerian Thorne's memories. His soul was too weak at the time of merging. Full synchronization will be available in 1-2 months.

...Huh. That explained a lot.

It also explained why I hadn't left the estate yet. Without those memories, I'd just embarrass myself in public. And that was the last thing I needed.

Because outside these walls, my reputation was still *garbage.*

People called me [The Frail Thorne] behind my back. A noble heir so weak and useless that even commoners whispered about the Thorne family's downfall.

Of course, no one had the guts to say it to my face. But everyone knew the truth—if I didn't shape up, the family was doomed.

And the kingdom wasn't happy about it.

Even the king himself had pressured my father to remarry, hoping for a more 'worthy' heir.

But my father, Duke Aldric Thorne, refused.

He had promised my mother—on her deathbed—that he would never take another wife. And he had remained loyal to that promise, no matter what.

That didn't mean he had faith in me, though.

Once upon a time, he had even considered *banishing* me and making Leon his successor. That was how little faith he had in me.

And honestly? I didn't blame him.

The old Valerian had been *that* pathetic. A third-rate villain, a weakling with no ambition, someone who had wasted every ounce of talent he had.

But now?

Now, after a month of witnessing my growth, something had changed.

For the first time in years, there was a sliver of hope in my father's eyes.

---

Aldric Thorne sat in his office, staring at the reports in front of him.

He had always known that his son was weak. That much had been obvious from the very beginning.

But for the first time, he was seeing something different.

Determination.

Discipline.

A fire in Valerian's eyes that had never been there before.

The servants spoke of his hard work. The knights reported his progress. Even Leon, the man Aldric trusted most, had admitted to being impressed.

Aldric leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly.

Was it possible?

Could Valerian truly become the heir he had once given up on?

He glanced at the portrait of his late wife.

"...Looks like our son isn't as hopeless as I thought," he murmured.

For the first time in years, Aldric felt something he had long abandoned.

Hope.

---

I exhaled, wiping the sweat off my forehead.

The month had been rough, but I wasn't stopping now.

I had started weak. I had started as a joke.

But not anymore.

I cracked my neck, stretching my arms.

I wasn't just surviving.

I was rising.

---

(A/N: So are you liking the story so far? And how it's progressing, I really need your opinions as it will help me to grow this novel)