About two hours had passed since Ethan and I entered the training ground. After spending the morning sparring with Ethan, I massaged my aching arms, taking a short break.

Just to clarify, sparring with Ethan was entirely my choice. He wasn’t forcing me into it.

During the weekday mornings, the academy’s training ground was usually empty. If you weren’t a student on “exploration leave” like Ethan and me, most would be in class. Even those with free time rarely bothered to walk all the way to the training ground for just an hour or two.

Occasionally, students like us, seeking …