CHAPTER 272: PRACTICE WITH AUDREY

Hearing Lilith’s sudden outburst, everyone turned toward her.

Realizing she had just drawn unwanted attention, she lowered her head in embarrassment and quickly focused on her plate, pretending to eat.

For a few seconds, an awkward silence hung in the air. Then Emily suddenly broke it with a polite smile. "Mrs. Smith, please try this dish," she said, lifting a platter and offering it to Alice.

Alice, though a little surprised, accepted it with a soft smile and didn’t dwell on the moment any further. After that, the conversation flowed in lighter tones, talk of this and that, small compliments for the food, casual discussion about Logan’s next plans, the kingdom’s future, and a few words of praise for Logan here and there. The dinner passed peacefully.

When everyone had finished eating and left the dining hall, Noah walked alongside Logan, accompanying him to his room. "Logan," he said sincerely, "you’re only fifteen, yet your contribution to the kingdom and its people is immeasurable. But the path ahead will be even harder. If you ever need our help, don’t hesitate to ask."

"You’re giving me too much credit, Mr. Starwind," Logan replied politely. "If someone else had been in my place, they would have done the same."

Noah chuckled lightly. "Sometimes when I talk to you, I find it hard to believe you’re only fifteen. You speak like a grown man and it’s not just the way you talk. Your composure, your maturity, the way you handle situations, it all feels like I’m talking to someone my own age, if not older."

"Is that so?" Logan said with an awkward smile.

He didn’t say it aloud, but Noah wasn’t wrong. His mental age was indeed far beyond his years.

Soon they reached Logan’s room, and after a brief exchange of goodnights, Noah took his leave.

Logan entered his room and, without wasting any time, lay down on the bed. Exhaustion quickly took over, and he drifted into sleep. The others, too, retired to their rooms and soon fell asleep, everyone except one.

Lilith had gone to her room as well, but sleep refused to come. She lay on her bed with her head buried in the pillow, as if trying to hide her face from an invisible audience.

"What was I even thinking, acting so stupid back there..." she scolded herself inwardly, her cheeks still warm with embarrassment.

Then, her thoughts shifted. "But to think they’re going to train with him too... are they really that close to him?" she wondered, biting her lip.

A moment later, another thought crept in. "But I want to grow stronger too. I want to learn cultivation as well."

Lost in those thoughts, Lilith eventually fell asleep.

The night passed quietly.

The next morning, after breakfast, Logan and his parents stood outside, ready to board their carriage. The Starwind family was there to see them off.

"Thank you very much, Logan, and Mr. and Mrs. Smith for taking the trouble to be our guests. I hope we’ll meet again soon," Noah said warmly.

"Yes, Mr. Starwind. Thank you for your hospitality," Rudeous replied with a smile. "And of course, we’ll meet again soon."

Just as he was about to signal the coachman to move, a sudden voice startled everyone.

"Can I also learn and train in cultivation with you?!" Lilith asked looking at Logan.

Her parents blinked in surprise. "What’s gotten into her?" Noah and Emily both wondered. "She’s never been this polite when asking for anything and now she even wants to learn from someone else? Has her pride finally softened?"

"Well, that’s..." Logan began, slightly caught off guard.

But before he could finish, Alice smiled and said, "Of course, Lilith. Why not? Whenever you feel like it, you’re welcome to come to our villa and train with him."

Logan glanced at his mother in quiet confusion. He wasn’t sure why she agreed so readily, but he decided not to question it. Out of respect for Noah and Emily, he chose to remain silent.

Turning to Lilith, he simply said, "As Mother said, you can come anytime."

"T–Thank you," Lilith replied softly, her cheeks faintly flushed.

And then under Rudeous’s signal, the coachman flicked the reins, and the carriage began to move forward. The Starwind family stood watching as it slowly rolled away down the road.

"From the very first time I saw him in the Arcadia Young Elite class, I knew he was special," Emily thought to herself. "But who could’ve imagined he’d rise to the pinnacle of power so soon?"

Noah gently placed a hand on Lilith’s shoulder. "It’s good to see you like this, honey. I hope you’ll learn well under Logan’s guidance," he said kindly.

"Yes," Lilith replied, her voice barely above a whisper, her face still burning red as she wondered what her parents must be thinking.

It didn’t take long for Logan and his parents to reach Aerundale. Within two hours, they had arrived.

The moment they stepped through the gates, the entire family greeted them with cheers and excitement. By now, everyone had already heard about Logan’s feats at the tournament. His accomplishments had elevated the Smith family’s name and reputation to new heights.

After spending some time chatting and catching up with everyone, Logan excused himself and returned to his room.

He lay down on his bed, resting one hand over his forehead and exhaling softly. "Now, only one goal remains... the dungeon boss in Solmyr," he whispered.

Just then, Audrey appeared, floating gracefully in the air before him.

"How was your tournament?" she asked curiously. She hadn’t gone with him. Logan hadn’t carried her along, as he hadn’t used any sword since his rebirth.

"Well," Logan said, "I managed to convince the kings to hold off on raiding any dungeons until I can uncover the truth behind it all."

"Good," Audrey nodded. "Now you should devote yourself entirely to training. By the way... when I last saw you before you died, you were using a sword. Why haven’t you picked one up in this life as well? Have you stopped liking swords?"

Logan chuckled lightly. "How can anyone stop liking swords after learning to wield once? I just haven’t had the time. First, I was focused on mastering magic, but then my mana core was sealed. After that, I turned to cultivation to grow stronger faster. Then came the Third Eye Sect... then the Hunter path... everything happened so quickly that I barely had time to breathe."

Audrey tilted her head. "And what about now? If you used a sword, your chances of defeating that dungeon boss would increase significantly. Don’t you think?"

"Yeah," Logan admitted. "I hadn’t thought much about it, but now that you mention it, you’re right. Starting tomorrow, I’ll train both.... cultivation to raise my realm as quickly as possible, and swordsmanship to regain and refine my old skills."

"Tomorrow?" Audrey teased. "Why tomorrow? Why not start now?"

"Now?" Logan blinked. "Well... I suppose I could, but I was thinking of taking at least half a day off to rest."

Audrey floated closer, her tone soft. "Alright. Do whatever makes you comfortable."

For a brief moment, silence filled the room. Then Logan suddenly sat upright, determination flashing in his eyes.

"No," he said firmly. "Let’s start right now. I’m not that tired and I don’t have the luxury to waste time."

With that, Logan sprang up from the bed and grabbed Audrey before heading outside. The moment he stepped into the open air, he made his way toward the familiar forest where he had always trained.

It was still a few hours before lunchtime, and he intended to spend that time pushing his body to the limit.

Once he arrived, he loosened his arms for a moment, then tightened his grip around Audrey’s hilt. Taking a steady breath, he began to swing. At first, his movements were slow and uneven, the stance of someone who hadn’t practiced in a long time. But soon, the rhythm began to return. His strikes grew faster, stronger, and more precise with each swing.

As the minutes passed, his body remembered what his mind had nearly forgotten. The awkward motions faded, replaced by the fluidity and power of a seasoned swordsman.

After an hour, faint arcs of air began to ripple through the clearing with every slash, each one sharper and cleaner than the last.

Sweat trickled down his face, but a faint smile began to spread across his lips.

"It’s good to feel this again," he murmured.

After nearly two hours of relentless practice, he finally stopped, panting lightly. His chest rose and fell with each deep breath.

Though he had reached the realm of an Ultimate Grandmaster, his strength and stamina now far surpassing normal limits, swordsmanship was something entirely different. It wasn’t just power; it was rhythm, control, and precision.

Feeling a faint tremor in his hand, Logan released his grip. Audrey floated upward, hovering gracefully in front of him.

"That was impressive," she said. "We have swordsmen on our planet too, and each one is highly skilled but your technique is completely different. At times, it was even... awe-inspiring."

"Is that so?" Logan said with a small grin. "Well, I haven’t even started yet. Just wait until I reach my peak."