A Will Sovereign Chapter 33: Chapter 33— Half-step body forging.

Read chapter 33 of A Will Sovereign by Sloche on NovelPedia.

--------- Morning arrived before sunrise. Soldret was already awake. By the time the first rays of sunlight touched Martial Peak, he had finished stretching and stood in the training field. The mountain was quiet. Only the sound of his footsteps echoed. Step. Turn. Shift. Again. And again. And again. Every movement was small, controlled, and precise. Nothing flashy. Nothing powerful. Only efficient. He wasn't practicing techniques — he didn't know any. Instead, he drilled Zephyr's lesson: tiny adjustments. Minimal effort. Imagining attacks and shifting just enough. He practiced long before anyone else arrived. --- Far above, someone was already watching. Zephyr sat atop the courtyard roof, one leg hanging over the edge. His golden-white hair swayed in the morning wind as his golden eyes remained fixed on the field below. The more Soldret improved, the more curious he became. --- Eventually Bam arrived. Noticing the focused atmosphere, he skipped his usual teasing. Without a word, he placed tray after tray of food in front of Soldret, adding more each time. Soldret ate everything. Every last bite. The food vanished at a terrifying speed. This time he ate with complete focus — no jokes, no complaints, no distractions. His body needed fuel, and he intended to use every bit of it. When breakfast ended, something unusual happened. Radahn didn't immediately drag him away. The old man simply sat there, drinking tea and reading, giving him time to digest. A small gesture, yet strangely meaningful. Eventually Soldret stood and walked toward the training field himself. This time, Radahn followed. --- Unknown to Soldret, Zephyr watched from above, the small white beast perched on his shoulder. --- The moment Radahn stepped onto the field, the atmosphere shifted. No words. No signal. The attack came instantly. **BOOM!** A fist smashed into Soldret's chest. He flew backward, but this time he wasn't confused. He saw it clearly. His body twisted midair, feet touching the ground as one hand slammed down to stabilize himself. Radahn pressed forward relentlessly. A kick, a palm strike, a punch, a knee, a shoulder slam. Soldret twisted, redirected, and partially avoided several attacks. He wasn't being thrown around like a ragdoll anymore. **BOOM!** A fist struck his chest. Soldret slid backward but stayed on his feet. **BOOM!** A kick landed against his thigh. Pain flared, but he adjusted his footing, steadied his breathing, and prepared for the next. Above, Zephyr's eyes brightened. Soldret wasn't just reacting — he was beginning to understand. The fight continued. Minutes turned into more. Impacts, dust, and shockwaves filled the field. Radahn landed fewer clean hits. Many missed completely. Others were redirected or softened. Every exchange taught Soldret something new. Then it happened. Radahn threw another punch. Soldret saw not just the punch, but everything before it — the movement, the trajectory, the intention. The image formed in his mind before the attack completed. He moved before it landed. Radahn's punch cut through empty air. Complete silence. Even Bam, Medici, and Radahn noticed. Above, Zephyr smiled — small, but genuine. --- The fight grew harder. Radahn increased the pressure, his attacks sharper and more unpredictable. He was no longer testing endurance — he was testing understanding. And Soldret felt it. Every exchange became more difficult. Yet he kept improving. Not dramatically, but enough to prove yesterday's success wasn't luck. Enough to show he had taken another real step forward. By the end of the session, Soldret's clothes were torn and blood covered his arms. Bruises remained, but far less severe than before. His breathing was ragged and his muscles trembled, but he was still standing. Barely. Radahn appeared before him one final time. He looked at Soldret — really looked — then attacked. Soldret saw it, moved, and redirected. Almost succeeded. Almost. **BOOM!** The final strike landed. His exhausted body gave out.