"Anyways, if you keep training and really put your mind into it, you’ll get stronger too."

Saying that, Kevin looked at the others. "Who’s next?!"

He brandished his wooden sword that felt too natural in his hands and issued a challenge. But then the group of future young knights immediately looked away.

Some gave random excuses, others found a different opponent and pretended not to hear him. After that show, no squires wanted to fight him.

It went all the more for the new recruits. They simply did not want to get beaten up.

"Come on, guys, this is just sparring," Kevin said, scratching his head when no one stepped forward.

Everyone had seen his strength just now. At this point, only experienced knights or high-ranking knights could properly spar with him.

"Fine, I’ll just go ask someone else." He sighed dramatically when someone chuckled and took him up on the challenge.

"Heh, how about I spar with you?"

Kevin turned around quickly. "Huh?"

Standing at the entrance of the training grounds, covered head to toe in dirt and grime, was none other than Vangeance. He looked like he had just returned from the battlefield.

"Senior Vangeance, you returned from your journey?" Kevin asked, grinning.

"Yeah." Vangeance nodded, putting down the bag from his shoulders.

Indeed, he had just come back from his long trials beyond the borders.

His sudden appearance instantly caused a stir among the knights watching the training.

Vangeance walked toward the ring slowly, his old battered cloak flapping behind him.

"Brat. It looks like you’ve become pretty confident while I was away." He smirked, cracked his knuckles, and beckoned to Kevin. "Let me see for myself how strong you’ve become."

Vangeance’s return set the crowd ablaze. Not only did one of Temple of Light’s infamous knight come back, but he had also accepted Kevin’s challenge.

The watchers couldn’t wait to see what unfolded next.

Kevin swallowed nervously. Moments ago, he had been eager for a sparring partner. Now, he was facing someone he knew was terrifyingly strong. But instead of backing down, his eyes gleamed.

"Alright, Senior Vangeance, be prepared to get surprised."

Vangeance was strong. That much everyone knew. Of course, that was ’before’. Now, Kevin had the confidence to stand on equal ground.

The many past spars rushed through his mind. Today, Kevin wanted to settle the old scores.

Not far from the ring, Silvia watched the scene with a tired expression.

"Idiots," she muttered, shaking her head and turning away.

She had no interest in the two battle-hungry boys showing off. Instead, she walked straight toward where Reinhardt was.

At the center of the field stood Reinhardt, surrounded by a group of high-ranking knights. They were following his instructions intently, occasionally charging at him in formation.

"Again."

They charged.

Reinhardt’s eyes swept over them, and he spotted every opening.

Within seconds, the entire formation was thrown off balance, and the knights found themselves sprawled on the ground, panting fiercely.

He hadn’t drawn a weapon. He had simply used precise pressure, footwork, and redirection to dismantle them.

He was too strong!

Everyone had the same thought. Yet at the same time, they were also enlightened. The more they fought him, the more their swordsmanship and battle instincts sharpened.

Reinhardt looked at them and nodded.

"Better."

Just then, someone approached from the edge of the field. Turning around, he saw that it was Silvia.

"Take a break, everyone."

The surrounding knights sighed in relief and quickly stepped away to recover. With them gone, he turned toward Silvia.

"Well done," he said, patting her shoulder.

"Thank you, Commander. We have just returned from our journey." Silvia bowed slightly and began her report.

Reinhardt listened calmly as she explained everything that had happened: the long travels, the battles they encountered, the trials Vangeance had faced.

Most of the time, he wore a quiet and serious expression.

But occasionally, he was forced to raise his eyebrows. Especially when Silvia reported one particular battle.

"We encountered an Earth Tycoon."

An Earth Tycoon. The very name was enough to make the air feel heavier.

It was a ferocious earth-element beast notorious for its ability to tunnel through the earth freely. It could attack from below, vanish into the depths, and control the ground around it like a living earthquake.

Even a team of high-ranking knights would struggle to corner such a creature.

"How did you defeat it?"

Silvia’s answer shocked him.

"We followed it."

"What?" he blinked.

Silvia explained. After they encountered the Earth Tycoon, they fought it fiercely. In the end, they managed to weaken the beast, but the creature drilled a massive tunnel and tried to escape.

Silvia and Vangeance leapt directly into the tunnel and chased it all the way back to its underground lair.

For the first time, Reinhardt looked genuinely surprised.

"You chased it into its own territory?"

Silvia nodded. "It was the best chance to finish it."

"That was extremely dangerous. If your luck had been bad, you might have walked into a colony of young Earth Tycoons."

Although his voice was grave, the corner of his mouth lifted. Reinhardt shook his head in amusement and patted Silvia on the shoulder.

"It looks like your gamble paid off. Congratulations on your level-up."

That’s right, Silvia had reached Level 8.

Originally, the journey had been meant for Vangeance’s trials. But during the adventure, Silvia’s achievements had also been recognized by the sacred altar. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

She was given her own trial. After completing it, she had become Level 8 and gained a rare class.

Reinhardt nodded approvingly.

"Well done. Since you have just returned from such a long journey, I’ll allow both of you a couple of days of rest."

Silvia bowed and shook her head.

"Thank you, Commander. But that won’t be necessary. I’m not tired." She pointed toward another section of the training field. "And besides... Vangeance has already started sparring."

Reinhardt followed her gaze and saw a large crowd gathering in the distance. They formed a circle, and in the middle of it were Kevin and Vangeance, clashing wooden swords in an energetic exchange.

"I see. In that case, focus on getting used to your new abilities first."

He paused, then asked another question.

"Also... have you been neglecting the [Divine Beast Summoning] skill that I taught you?"

Silvia hesitated slightly before shaking her head.

"No. I haven’t been neglecting it. But lately... I’ve been having trouble."

Reinhardt raised an eyebrow.

Silvia was one of his most talented disciples, if not the most gifted. He had expected her to master the skill before anyone else. If she got stuck, it meant the problem was serious.

Silvia explained. It appeared that during the battle with the Earth Tycoon, she had successfully managed to summon her Divine Beast.

But the beast was so strong that, after defeating the Earth Tycoon, it had turned on them. Silvia had been forced to cancel the summons.

Since that day, she had failed to call the Divine Beast again.

Reinhardt listened carefully and then nodded calmly. He understood the problem now.

"Don’t worry. I will help you solve it."

Saying that, he turned to look at the knights in the training field. Since everyone was here, perhaps it was time to begin teaching the [Divine Beast Summoning] skill again.

"By the way, Commander." Silvia suddenly placed the heavy bag she was carrying on the ground.

THUD.

The bag hit the ground with a metallic clink. Reinhardt glanced at it.

"What is this?"

Silvia did not answer. Instead, she opened the bag, and the morning sunlight fell on the contents inside.

Gold. Piles of gold coins. And mixed in with them were chunks of raw ore.

Reinhardt’s eyes immediately went wide. Amidst the gleaming mythril, there was one ore that gave off a faint, distinct orangish hue.

"Orichalcum..."

There was no mistake. Amidst the many mythril ores, there was even Orichalcum, a metal so rare that in some regions it was called "god’s metal." It was an extremely sturdy ore used for making legendary armor and weapons.

Reinhardt’s previous armor, his holy swords, many of his elite gear—were made from Orichalcum.

Silvia nodded.

"There was a mountain of treasure in the Earth Tycoon’s lair, and a lot of Orichalcum. The lair was filled with mineral deposits and valuable materials: mythril, adamantine, and even the rare Orichalcum."

She glanced at the bag again.

"I could only carry this much back. There’s still a lot left in that place. If we send a convoy now, we could transport the rest."

Reinhardt looked thoughtfully at the minerals. The timing could not have been better. With the looming war against the demons, materials like Orichalcum were invaluable.

With these resources, he could equip many knights with stronger armor and weapons.

"The reason the Earth Tycoon is called so is simple," Reinhardt said slowly. "It tunnels through the earth, devours ores, and digests them inside its stomach. Then it produces refined minerals through its... droppings."

Silvia stared at him.

She looked from the bag to the glowing Orichalcum, then back at Reinhardt.

If what the Commander said was true... then this entire treasure was... the Earth Tycoon’s poop?