Zero to Hero (Prequel/prototype)

Chapter 70. Tactics

"Wake up Ken!" Rose said as she smacked the young man.

"Rose! You need to stop doing that! I said you could smack me awake if I was trying something, not that you should do it whenever you see me!" Ken complained as the pair got up and ready for the training to start.

As soon as the pair left the room, they were greeted by a servant who led the pair to the dining room where a massive breakfast was already prepared and Siveril was already enjoying his meal.

"Morning Siveril! What sort of training are we doing today?" Ken asked excitedly, ready to get started.

"We will be spending the day at my personal library today." Siveril replied.

"We are not going to train today?" Ken asked in confusion.

"We will be training our mind! I am not someone who's the fastest, strongest or has the most powerful magic. You have seen plenty of my fights now, what do you think my fighting style is?" Siveril asked as the pair followed him to the library after finishing their breakfast.

"From what I have seen. You defend with your heavy armor and shield while trying to corner your opponent with your giant axe that's enchanted with some sort of ice magic that sends out shards on impact." Ken replied as the group reached the giant library filled to the ceiling with shelves of books.

"Correct! My fighting style is extremely simple. My heavy armor and shield for defense and my ice shard enchanted axe for offense. However, in order to make that work and for me to win against people who are more talented and have access to the same top tier items. My strategies, tactics, stamina and knowledge are what allows me to come out on top time and time again even against people who have achieved higher levels of mastries." Siveril advised as he showed Ken books and notes and all the studying the giant lizardman had done over the years to stay on top against the likes of Fernard who has already achieved higher levels of raw power.

"I can't believe how much Siveril studies on techniques and does research! With his physique and his fighting style, I totally thought he got where he is today by brute force. But it makes sense since in pure power, he could never match up for not reaching holy level." Ken said.

"That's why you shouldn't judge a book by its cover." Rose replied as the pair laid in bed chatting after a day spent in the library studying and getting tips and hints from Siveril on how to improve from learning attack patterns, defense patterns, elemental advantages and disadvantages and how to use information to one's advantage.

"It's good to learn from the top tier for sure. The concepts he talked about I have obviously heard plenty of times at Dragonspire, but with his first hand experience fighting against the best of the best, he's able to provide so much more context on how it's useful!" Ken said happily as he was impressed by what Siveril was able to teach him on their very first day and looked forward to the month long training with the hero so he could get as strong as possible.

"Time to get ready Ken." Rose whispered as she kissed the sleeping young man.

"Not getting smacked today?" Ken replied sleepily with a smirk.

"I will let you off the hook since it's our last day here." Rose replied, with a hint of sadness that the pair will be separated soon.

"Don't sound so sad Rose, I will see you again soon when you and your father come to Dragonspire for the tournament." Ken answered as the pair got ready and headed to the dining room for breakfast and to chat with Siveril one final time.

"Morning Siveril! Thank you for everything you did for me this month!" Ken said happily as the pair joined the lizardman at the dining table.

Similar to Nolan, Siveril spends more time focused on his own training rather than spending time at the academy training the next generation like Yvette or Sylvester. Over the month Ken trained with Siveril, they went and held classes at the Illithor Academy once a week where Siveril fulfilled his duty to the kingdom as its hero while Ken got an equally large number of admires to Rose's dismay.