Chapter 190: Training

The training grounds of Valhalla Academy were already crowded by the time Noah arrived.

The morning air carried the familiar sounds of combat.

Wooden swords collided.

Mana crackled.

Instructors shouted corrections from across the massive field.

It was almost comforting.

Almost.

Noah stood at the edge of the training grounds, looking over the students.

He had spent enough time recovering.

Now he needed to know what his body could still do.

"You’re seriously training already?"

Eric’s voice came from behind him.

Noah glanced over his shoulder.

Eric approached with his training sword resting across one shoulder.

"I’ve been resting for days."

"You’ve been unconscious for part of those days."

"Technicality."

Eric shook his head.

"You really haven’t changed."

"Neither have you."

"Good."

Eric tossed Noah a wooden sword.

Noah caught it.

The moment his fingers closed around the weapon, a faint pressure moved through his palm.

His expression changed.

The sensation disappeared almost immediately.

Eric noticed.

"You felt that?"

Noah looked down at his hand.

"Yeah."

"Dead Zone?"

"I don’t know."

For once, there was no response from the presence inside him.

No warning.

No sarcastic comment.

Nothing.

That silence bothered Noah more than an answer would have.

He tightened his grip on the wooden sword.

"Let’s just train."

Eric smiled.

"That’s what I wanted to hear."

They moved to an empty section of the field.

Eric raised his sword.

Noah did the same.

The first clash came quickly.

Wood struck wood.

Noah stepped backward, redirected Eric’s blade, and swung toward his shoulder.

Eric blocked.

Their weapons collided again.

Noah’s movements were slower than before.

Not dramatically.

But enough for him to notice.

His breathing became heavier.

His muscles felt strangely disconnected from his instincts.

Hildgard had changed him.

Hrafnvier had changed him even more.

Eric pushed forward.

Noah barely blocked the strike.

"You’re holding back."

"I’m recovering."

"That’s not what I mean."

Eric attacked again.

Noah parried.

Eric’s sword stopped inches from his chest.

"You hesitate."

Noah lowered his weapon.

Eric lowered his as well.

For a moment, neither spoke.

"You weren’t like this before Hildgard," Eric said.

Noah looked toward the distant academy towers.

"I know."

Eric didn’t press him.

That was one of the things Noah appreciated about him.

Instead, Eric stepped backward.

"Again."

Noah raised his sword.

This time, he moved first.

The exchange lasted longer.

Noah forced his body to keep pace with his instincts, gradually recovering the rhythm he’d lost.

He wasn’t stronger.

He wasn’t faster.

But he was learning where his limits were.

Across the training field, Laura watched from a shaded bench.

A book rested open on her lap.

She wasn’t reading.

Her eyes followed Noah’s movements.

Sophia sat beside her.

"He’s pushing himself."

Laura nodded.

"He always does."

Sophia looked toward Noah.

"After everything that happened, I don’t blame him."

Laura closed her book.

"Neither do I."

Luna and Damien were nearby, working through their own training exercises.

For the first time since returning, the group wasn’t together.

They weren’t being chased.

They weren’t fighting for survival.

They were simply training.

It felt strangely peaceful.

Noah eventually dropped his wooden sword into the grass.

His chest rose and fell heavily.

Eric sat down beside him.

"Better?"

Noah wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"A little."

"Good."

Noah looked across the field.

Students from different squads trained together, competed, argued, and laughed.

Valhalla had continued without them.

Classes had continued.

Training had continued.

Life had continued.

Noah realized something.

For the first time since inheriting Ragnarok, he wasn’t preparing for the next disaster.

He was preparing for the future.

And perhaps that was exactly what he needed.

He picked up his sword again.

Eric stared at him.

"You’re not done?"

"No."

Eric groaned.

"I knew it."

Noah smiled.

"Again."

The next morning arrived without alarms, monsters, or emergencies.

Noah considered that a victory.

He walked through Valhalla Academy with his hands in his pockets, following the stream of students toward the central hall.

The academy was busier than he remembered.

Students from different squads filled the corridors. Some discussed upcoming training sessions, while others complained about assignments.

It was ordinary.

Almost painfully ordinary.

Noah found himself enjoying it.

"You’re smiling."

Laura’s voice came from beside him.

Noah looked at her.

"I’m not."

"You are."

"I’m thinking."

"Apparently thinking makes you smile now."

Noah shrugged.

"Maybe I’ve improved."

Laura gave him a doubtful look.

They entered the main hall together.

Eric was already sitting at their usual table, eating breakfast like he’d been starving for a week.

Sophia sat opposite him, quietly reading.

Luna was trying to convince Damien to try something from her plate.

"No."

"You haven’t even tasted it."

"I don’t need to."

"You said that yesterday."

"And I was right yesterday."

Noah sat down.

"Good morning."

Eric looked up.

"You’re late."

"It’s breakfast."

"Exactly."

Noah stared at him.

Eric continued eating.

The conversation quickly became meaningless.

And Noah liked that.

For once, nobody mentioned Hildgard.

Nobody mentioned Hrafnvier.

Nobody mentioned the Watcher.

The morning passed without anything strange happening.

After breakfast, the students separated for their classes.

Noah’s first lesson was Advanced Mana Control.

The instructor led them into one of Valhalla’s smaller training chambers.

Unlike the main training grounds, this room was designed for precision rather than combat.

Circular mana formations were engraved into the floor.

"Today," the instructor said, "we’re measuring control."

Students stepped onto the formations one by one.

Small crystals appeared above their palms.

The objective was simple.

Maintain a stable flow of mana without damaging the crystal.

Noah stepped forward when his name was called.

He placed his hand above the formation.

The crystal lit up.

For several seconds, everything worked normally.

Then the crystal flickered.

Noah’s eyes narrowed.

A faint pressure moved through his body.

Not enough to hurt.

Just enough to remind him that something inside him was watching.

Careful.

Dead Zone’s voice was quiet.

Noah didn’t respond aloud.

The crystal stabilized.

The instructor nodded.

"Good control."

Noah lowered his hand.

Nobody noticed the brief fluctuation.

Nobody except Laura.

She was standing several places behind him.

Their eyes met.

She didn’t ask.

Noah silently shook his head.

Not here.

Laura understood.

When class ended, the students returned to the corridor.

Noah walked beside Eric.

"How long until the next training session?"

"You’re obsessed."

"That’s not an answer."

"Two hours."

Noah smiled.

"Perfect."

Eric sighed.

"You’re going to kill yourself."

"Eventually."

"That wasn’t funny."

"It wasn’t supposed to be."

They continued down the corridor.

At the far end, several students were gathered around a noticeboard.

A new announcement had been posted.

VALHALLA ACADEMY

FRESHMAN SQUAD TRAINING EVALUATIONS

ALL SQUADS ARE REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE.

Eric stopped.

Noah read the notice.

"Looks like we’re getting evaluated."

Eric grinned.

"Finally."

Noah looked toward the training grounds.

His smile returned.

After everything they had survived, a simple academy evaluation didn’t sound frightening.

It sounded fun.

And for the first time in a long while, Noah was looking forward to something that didn’t involve surviving.