Sanctuary: Safe Haven

Canna's eyes narrowed as he cast a spell, a gust of wind enveloping him. He launched himself into the air, avoiding another powerful strike from Vorgrim. Hovering above, he extended his arms, unleashing a barrage of water arrows. Vorgrim moved with the grace of a seasoned warrior, deflecting each arrow with his sword, his focus unyielding.

"Impressive," Vorgrim grunted, a hint of respect in his voice. "But you'll need more than that my liege."

With a swift motion, he discarded the greatsword, pulling a pair of twin axes from the ground. He spun them expertly, creating a deadly dance of steel. Canna responded by summoning a whirlwind around him, the wind howling as it grew in intensity. He directed the tempest towards Vorgrim, the fierce gusts attempting to throw him off balance.

Vorgrim stood his ground, his axes carving through the air with precision, countering the wind's fury. He closed the distance between them, his movements a blur. Canna barely had time to react as Vorgrim brought an axe down towards him. He conjured a shield of water just in time, the force of the blow sending shockwaves through his body.

Not giving him a moment to recover, Vorgrim followed up with a series of relentless attacks. Canna weaved through his onslaught, using his wind spells to enhance his agility. He retaliated with a torrent of water, the powerful stream pushing Vorgrim back momentarily.

"You're really strong," Canna acknowledged, his eyes gleaming with the thrill of battle.

Vorgrim switched tactics, tossing one of the axes aside and drawing a spear from the ground near him. With a flick of his wrist, the spear extended, aiming straight for Canna's heart. Canna countered with a cyclone of wind, redirecting the spear's trajectory. Seizing the opportunity, he launched a concentrated blast of water at Vorgrim, hitting him square in the chest.

Vorgrim staggered but quickly regained his footing, a smirk playing on his lips. "But let's see how you handle this."

He swung the spear in a wide arc, generating a shockwave that tore through the ground. Canna barely dodged, the sheer force of the attack leaving him breathless. Summoning the last of his energy, he combined his water and wind spells, creating a massive vortex. The swirling mass of elemental power roared towards Vorgrim, its destructive force undeniable.

Vorgrim braced himself, planting his feet firmly. With a mighty roar, he thrust the spear into the heart of the vortex. The collision of their powers created a blinding explosion of light and energy, sending both combatants flying.

As the dust settled, Canna slowly rose to his feet, his body bruised and exhausted. This sparring session had pushed him to his limits, but it was clear that he had much to learn.

"Again," Vorgrim said, this time picking up a mace.

Canna replied, "Let me rest at least," before collapsing to the ground, gasping for breath. Although the exchange had lasted no more than three minutes, it was the most intense fight Canna had ever experienced. He was certain that if Vorgrim had been a true enemy rather than a subordinate, he would have been dead five times over.

"My liege, your spellcasting and precision are remarkable, marking you as an exceptional mage. However, this strength becomes a weakness when facing an opponent who can close the distance and deflect your spells. There were several moments when you could have drawn your daggers to engage in close combat, yet you hesitated, choosing instead to create distance and cast more spells."

As Canna rested, Vorgrim shared his thoughts. Despite understanding the logic, Canna couldn't help but feel conflicted; he had been training as a mage for months, after all. Sensing his thoughts, Vorgrim continued, "In battle, a mage is expected to maintain distance; that is the norm. However, my liege, you are not bound by such conventions.

I will provide you with different weapons, and we shall begin mastering them. Are you ready, my liege?"

After resting for a while longer, Canna stood up. After being a "B-Ranker," his regeneration was significantly faster than before. He faced Vorgrim, who held a sword in his hands.

"The conventional method to acquire the 'Sword: Mastery' skill involves swinging the sword a thousand times in the correct stance," Vorgrim began, his eyes fixed on Canna. "However, what I'll teach you is different, my liege. There's an easier, albeit bloodier, way to gain the skill. All you need to do is decapitate your enemies.

If you perform the task cleanly enough, after a few rolling heads, the skill should manifest."

Canna's stomach churned at the thought. Decapitating his enemies felt abhorrent, but he knew the pursuit of strength demanded sacrifices. He steeled himself, accepting the sword from Vorgrim and mimicking his stance just as he had before the sparring began.

Vorgrim nodded. "Now, prepare my liege."

With a swift gesture, Mortem summoned a couple of undead skeletons. The skeletal warriors charged at Canna with hollow, menacing glares. Canna tightened his grip on the sword, his pulse quickening. He focused on the task ahead, readying himself to decapitate the skeletons, each swing bringing him closer to mastering the sword.

As the first skeleton came into view, Canna boosted himself with mana, feeling the surge of strength course through his body. He tightened his grip on the sword, his muscles coiled with anticipation. When the skeleton was within range, he swung the sword sideways with all his might, but instead of a clean decapitation, he only managed to crush the skeleton's head.

Bone fragments scattered, and the skeletal body crumbled to the ground.

Two more skeletons approached, their hollow eyes fixed on him. Canna steadied his breathing and swung again, but like before, he ended up crushing their heads instead of severing them. Frustration built up inside him, but he pushed it down, determined to complete his goal

Another skeleton advanced, and Canna adjusted his stance, attempting a different angle. He swung with precision, but the blade struck the ribs, shattering them with a sickening crunch. The skeleton fell apart to the ground.

Hours passed, and Canna's muscles screamed in protest. He swung the sword over and over, bone fragments scattering with each attempt. Despite his efforts, he still couldn't make a perfect decapitation. The few times he succeeded, it felt like sheer luck rather than skill. He knew he had to do it consistently, or the skill would never manifest.

Sweat dripped down his face, and his arms felt like lead. Each failed attempt gnawed at his resolve, but he refused to give up. He glanced at Vorgrim, who watched intently, and took a deep breath. He knew this was just the beginning, and he was resolved to keep trying until he got it right. With renewed determination, he tightened his grip on the sword and prepared to face the next wave of undead.

After a few more hours, just as exhaustion threatened to overwhelm him, a smile plastered on his face as he saw the prompt he had been waiting for:

"You have learned skill 'Sword: Mastery Lvl: 1"