MTLNOVEL Chapter 5: The Test of Strength
Chapter 4: The Test of Strength
Renji stood at the edge of the royal training grounds, feeling the weight of every gaze locked onto him. The open field was massive, surrounded by high stone walls and rows of wooden dummies lined up along the sides. Beyond them, actual knights and soldiers trained—some sparring, others refining their swordsmanship. The air was thick with the scent of sweat, metal, and dirt.
And yet, despite all the commotion, most of the attention was on him.
A group of knights stood nearby, whispering among themselves.
"So that's the new Summoned One?"
"He doesn't look like much."
"Another outsider being thrown into the war… I bet he won't last a week."
Renji clenched his jaw but kept his expression neutral. He had no idea what they expected from him, but it was clear they didn't think much of him.
Baldric, standing beside him with arms crossed, gave a grunt. "Ignore them. Most of these men have never seen a Summoned One before, and the last one didn't last long enough to impress anyone."
Renji turned his head slightly. "Last one?"
Baldric's expression darkened. "He died in his first battle. Didn't even make it through training."
The words settled heavily in Renji's mind. So I'm not the first person they've brought here. How many have there been?
Before he could ask, Edric stepped forward, motioning toward the center of the field. "Alright, let's get this over with. The king wants to know what you're capable of. You're going to spar against one of our knights."
Renji raised an eyebrow. "Spar? You mean fight?"
Edric gave him a tired look. "Yes. That's usually how sparring works."
Baldric sighed. "We don't have time to coddle you. If you're going to be in this war, you need to prove you're not a waste of resources." He nodded toward the knights. "Pick an opponent. Let's see what you can do."
Renji hesitated. He wasn't a trained fighter, but he wasn't completely helpless. After all, he had absorbed the Predator's Instinct from the Shadow Fang. Even though he hadn't tested it yet, he could already feel subtle differences in his body—his movements were lighter, his reaction time sharper.
He scanned the knights. Some of them were built like warriors, broad-shouldered with years of experience. Others had lighter frames, likely speed-based fighters. If this was a real fight, he'd try to avoid direct combat against someone stronger than him.
His gaze landed on a young knight with sandy blonde hair, standing slightly apart from the others. He wasn't as large as some of the more experienced warriors, but his stance was balanced, his movements precise.
Renji pointed at him. "I'll fight him."
The knight blinked, surprised, before stepping forward. "Me? You sure about that?"
"Would you rather I pick someone else?" Renji asked.
A grin tugged at the knight's lips. "No complaints here." He reached for a training sword and gave it a few test swings before stepping into the center of the field. "Name's Galen, by the way. Try not to embarrass yourself too badly, Summoned One."
Renji smirked, grabbing one of the wooden training swords from the nearby rack. "I'll try to keep up."
The knights around them backed up, forming a loose circle. Some looked amused, others intrigued.
Baldric raised a hand. "Begin!"
Galen moved fast.
The moment the match started, he closed the distance, his sword cutting through the air in a swift arc. Renji barely had time to react before instinct took over—his body twisted out of the way, narrowly dodging the strike.
A rush of exhilaration flooded his senses. I felt that coming.
But Galen wasn't done. He pivoted on his heel, bringing his sword around for another strike. This time, Renji met it head-on, raising his own weapon to block. The impact rattled his arms, but he held his ground.
The knights watching let out murmurs of approval.
"Not bad. At least he didn't drop his sword."
Renji gritted his teeth. Alright. My turn.
He lashed out, swinging toward Galen's side. The blonde knight reacted quickly, raising his sword to block—but this time, Renji saw it coming.
The moment Galen moved to defend, Renji adjusted his attack mid-swing, shifting his angle at the last second. His sword slipped past the block, striking Galen's ribs.
The knight staggered back, surprised.
The crowd murmured.
"Did he just—?"
"He feinted mid-swing. That was… unexpected."
Galen straightened, rubbing his ribs with a grin. "Not bad. You're not just swinging wildly, are you?"
Renji shrugged. "I try not to make things easy."
Galen chuckled. "Alright. No more holding back."
He charged again, faster this time. Renji met him head-on, their wooden swords clashing repeatedly. Each strike sent vibrations up his arms, but he adjusted quickly, dodging and countering wherever he could.
He was faster than he had any right to be. His movements were sharper, more fluid than they should have been for someone who had never fought before. He wasn't just reacting—he was anticipating Galen's strikes before they happened.
And he was keeping up.
But Galen was good. Experience trumped instinct, and before long, he managed to slip past Renji's defenses.
A sudden kick to the stomach sent Renji stumbling back. He barely had time to recover before a sharp strike to his wrist knocked the sword from his grip.
The wooden weapon clattered to the ground.
Baldric raised a hand. "Match over."
Renji exhaled, rolling his shoulders. Damn.
Galen smirked, lowering his sword. "You've got some moves. That was fun."
Renji picked up his weapon, flexing his fingers. Even though he had lost, he didn't feel defeated. He had held his own against a trained knight on his first day. And more importantly—he had felt himself learning as the fight progressed.
The knights in the crowd nodded among themselves.
"Better than I expected."
"Still rough, but he's got potential."
"At least he didn't run away."
Edric looked over at Baldric. "What do you think?"
The older knight studied Renji for a long moment before grunting. "He's got the instincts. But instincts alone won't keep him alive. He needs proper training."
Renji wiped sweat from his brow. "Great. Can't wait."
Baldric smirked. "You'll start tomorrow."
Renji sighed. So much for taking it easy.
As they left the training grounds, he couldn't help but feel something strange stirring inside him. He had spent his whole life being insignificant, just another faceless nobody drifting through life.
But here—he was something else.
For the first time, he had a chance to be more than just another background character.
And he wasn't planning on wasting it.