Chapter 37: Sharpening The Blade

    Arkanos'' voice was as sharp as a blade. "You fought well, but some of you faltered. Mistakes were made... mistakes that could have cost lives. And I do not tolerate failure."

    His piercing gaze locked onto one of the knights, who had stumbled earlier. "You hesitated. Why?"

    The knight swallowed hard, his voice shaking. "I... I was tired, my lord."

    "Tiredness is no excuse for weakness," Arkanos replied icily. "In war, hesitation is death."

    The knights straightened despite their exhaustion, their faces were pale but resolute.

    Arkanos'' gaze hardened as he surveyed the line of exhausted knights. His voice cut through the lingering silence like a blade.

    "You all fought bravely," he began, pacing slowly in front of the assembled warriors, "but bravery alone is not enough. Mistakes were made, and mistakes in war mean death... for you, and for those who depend on you. I do not suffer incompetence lightly."

    He stopped abruptly, his eyes locking onto the knight who had admitted his hesitation earlier. "Step forward."

    The knight hesitated, but under Arkanos'' glare, he stumbled forward a few steps, his shoulders tense.

    "Name?" Arkanos demanded.

    "Lionel, my lord," the knight answered, his voice trembling.

    Arkanos'' voice was cold, but measured. "Lionel, when you hesitated against the golem''s strike, you endangered not only yourself but your entire flank. Had that blow connected, it would have killed you and left a gap in the line. Why did you falter?"

    Lionel''s eyes darted to the ground. "I... I misjudged its reach, my lord. My body felt heavy from earlier training, and I—"

    "Enough." Arkanos'' voice was like ice. "Misjudgment stems from a lack of focus. Fatigue is no excuse. You must train your body and mind to endure beyond exhaustion. Return to your position."

    Lionel nodded stiffly and retreated, his face pale.

    Arkanos'' eyes swept across the line again. "Esten, step forward."

    Esten strode forward, his movements steady despite his exhaustion.

    "You led your flankers effectively, but I saw a moment of hesitation in your command. Why did you pause before calling for the strike on the rune?"

    Esten frowned, his brow furrowed in thought. "I wanted to confirm the rune''s weakness before committing, my lord. I didn''t want to risk leading my team into a trap."

    "Yes your majesty!" The knights echoed.

    Arkanos then turned around and left, Seraphine followed behind him.

    As he walked away, he head a system notification in his thoughts as a green system window appeared.

    ? Knight Training Progress Report ?

    ? - Stamina Increase: Average stamina has improved by 15%. ?

    ? - Adaptability: Tactical coordination and adaptability under duress have increased significantly. ?

    ? - Combat Efficiency: Strike accuracy and response times improved by 12%. ?

    ? - Endurance: Knights sustained combat readiness for 35% longer than previous sessions. ?

    ? - Notable Standouts: ?

    ? - Laris: Improved leadership under pressure. ?

    ? - Esten: Exceptional flank strategies noted. ?

    ? Recommendation: ?

    ? Further focus on shield durability and rotation speed. Tactical improvements required for larger adversaries. ?

    ? End Notification ?

    Arkanos smirked faintly as the system window faded. ''Not bad... but there''s still much to be done.''

    Seraphine walked beside Arkanos, a genuine smile on her face. "I must admit, I''m truly impressed by how well you''ve been training the knights. The improvements are already noticeable. You''ve pushed them to new heights."

    Arkanos smiled faintly, a gleam of pride in his eyes. "This is just the beginning," he replied. "Things will get more extreme. We haven''t even scratched the surface yet."

    Seraphine chuckled softly. "Of course. I know you only have the best for the empire in mind."

    She paused, her gaze lingering on the knights still recovering from their training. "But I can''t help but feel left out. All this training, and yet, I haven''t had the chance to prove myself."