The Superior Rebirth: A Hero's Awakening

The World Where I Don't Belong

The very next day, Xavier found himself back in the training grounds, this time under the watchful eyes of Alcmena and Anastasia. The morning air buzzed with tension as he and Anastasia sparred fiercely, their wooden swords clashing in a relentless exchange of blows.

Alcmena observed from the sidelines, his sharp gaze analyzing every movement Xavier made, searching for weaknesses, improvements—anything to refine his technique. Combat, whether real or simulated, was the fastest way to grow, and Xavier knew it.

As their spar continued, Xavier deflected each of Anastasia's swift strikes with precision before countering with a sudden slash. She barely managed to duck, narrowly avoiding the attack before sweeping her leg low in retaliation.

Xavier's balance wavered as Anastasia's kick struck his shin, but he reacted instantly, flipping onto his hands and launching a backflip kick. She raised her wooden sword just in time, blocking the strike, though the force of impact sent her sliding back.

Seizing the moment, Xavier took a deep breath, centering himself. He tapped into the latent energy of his Dragon Seed, feeling the shift within. The air around him thickened as golden aura flared to life, his shimmering blue eyes radiating an intense glow.

RealmHeart—activated.

A calculated plan formed in his mind as he gathered vectors, preparing to test a theory he'd been developing. He focused his energy, channeling it through his entire body, then executed Vector Teleportation. Just before his body fully shifted, he amplified his momentum using Vector Acceleration, pushing himself to the absolute limit.

A crushing force weighed on him as his body rocketed forward at blinding speed, nearly disorienting even himself.

Anastasia barely had time to react. Her instincts screamed at her, and she twisted her body just enough to avoid a direct hit, but Xavier's attack still clipped her right shoulder. The impact stung, but she gritted her teeth, refusing to let it slow her down.

Without hesitation, she released her grip on her sword, pivoting sharply to drive her elbow into Xavier's wrist, forcing him to lose hold of his own weapon.

Before he could recover, she struck vital points with calculated speed, knocking the wind out of him. She grabbed his collar, swept his leg out from under him, and with a practiced motion, swung him through the air before slamming him down with a forceful kick.

A small crater formed beneath him as dust kicked up around them.

"Y-you w-win..." Xavier gasped, struggling to catch his breath.

Anastasia brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear and straightened up, before extending a hand to help him. "You did well today, Young Master. I can't believe how much your speed has improved in such a short time."

Xavier chuckled, scratching the back of his head, his cheeks slightly flushed at the praise. "I still haven't fully developed this new skill I'm working on. Progress is slow... but I'm seeing results!"

Alcmena finally spoke, his voice calm yet firm. "Keep refining it, Xavier. It would be a waste to abandon such a promising technique."

Xavier nodded, determination in his eyes. "Yeah... but there are still issues. There's a slight lag, though it's less noticeable now. It's not instant, but it's still faster than my usual Vector Acceleration or Teleportation. To others, it might even look like teleportation."

Anastasia tilted her head. "Is that the only drawback?"

"No," Xavier admitted. "I can't use it unless I'm in my RealmHeart form. Without it, the strain is unbearable. Plus, it burns through twice the ethereal energy and takes more calculations. No matter what, I can't optimize the speed—it stays constant."