Sword of Fate

Chapter 14: THE FIFTH FORM

The Fifth Form was called Silent Night. Kael had learned this from the System. When the Fourth Form’s internalization rate crossed a certain threshold, a new notification had opened, and the form’s name appeared for the first time.

Silent Night. Turning defense into attack, maximum effect from minimum movement, converting an opponent’s own force into your power.

Kayvan had explained this once—years ago, when Kael was still stuck on the Second Form.

"The most dangerous attack is the one that looks like defense."

He’d understood it then.

But he hadn’t been able to internalize it.

Now he understood.

And now it was time to make it his. But that would take real pressure.

— ◆ —

Torven came to the courtyard that afternoon.

"I have a proposal," he said. His posture was straighter than usual—less rough around the edges.

"Go on."

"We train together. Trade off attack and defense. More efficient than working alone."

Kael studied him.

The offer could mean several things: pragmatism, a chance to study his rival up close, or genuine interest in cooperating. Which one it was, he couldn’t tell yet. But none of them were a problem. Kael had no secrets worth hiding when it came to swordwork.

"One condition," Kael said.

"Name it."

"This stays between us."

Torven raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Training together gives an edge. If everyone’s watching, that edge disappears."

Torven thought it over for a moment. "Fair enough."

He offered his hand.

Kael shook it.

— ◆ —

The first session started that same afternoon. Kael noticed something within the first few minutes. Torven’s strength created real pressure.

This wasn’t an ordinary sparring partner.

Training dummies and standard academy matches were nothing like this.

Torven brought every strike down like he genuinely meant to break something. You had to defend. Backing away wasn’t enough.

And that was exactly what Kael needed.

Silent Night was built entirely on the shift from defense to attack.But that shift required a real defense first. A defense forged under real pressure. Torven was supplying that pressure.

For the whole first hour, Kael barely attacked at all. He only defended. Watched. He carved Torven’s movement patterns into his memory—the start of every strike, the finish, the rhythm in between, cataloged one by one.

"Why aren’t you attacking?" Torven asked. He was sweating, but his breath stayed even.

"I’m reading you."

"Reading what?"

"Your patterns."

Kael lifted his sword slightly. "Right before your power strike from the right, your left knee bends—just slightly. You probably don’t even notice it yourself."

Torven glanced down at his knee without meaning to. "...I didn’t."

"You do now."

Torven went quiet for a few seconds. "Why tell me my own weakness?"

Kael didn’t look away. "Because a beaten opponent doesn’t come back."

A short pause, then he went on.

"A taught one does."

He reset his guard.

"And when he comes back, the training’s worth more."

Torven turned the words over in silence. Then he settled back into stance.

"Keep going."

— ◆ —

By the end of two weeks, the Fifth Form’s internalization rate had climbed to 62%. Higher than expected. But Kael wanted more.

One morning, mid-session, Lira walked over.

"You’ve been training with Torven."

Not a question. "Yes."

"I want in."

Kael looked at her. "Torven attacks, I defend. What would you do?"

"Apply technical pressure." Lira’s voice stayed level. "Torven’s strength is broad and direct. I bring narrower angles, faster tempo, less predictable openings. I can push you in a way he can’t."

Kael considered it.

Torven’s power. Lira’s precision. And my Silent Night. The three of them would work.

"Deal," he said. "But Torven has to agree too."

"He will."

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because Torven has a goal, not an ego."

The answer came without hesitation. "He wants to get stronger. More opponents—different kinds of opponents—means more growth for him."

The corner of Kael’s mouth twitched.

She reads people well. Too well.

— ◆ —

The three-way sessions worked even better than expected. Torven brought heavy, direct pressure. Lira pressed the defense with tight angles, shifting tempo, technical feints. Kael had to read them both at once. And as his reading speed climbed, Silent Night sank deeper into him.

One afternoon, Torven cut his attack short.

"Question for you."

"Ask."

"You’re heir to Ardenvast. Even without being first in line, the inheritance still comes to you eventually. Why train this hard?"

Kael studied him for a moment.

Not the question he’d expected.

"Because being first in line is a tool."

A brief pause. "Not the goal."

Torven’s eyebrow rose. "Then what is?"

"Preparing for something bigger."

"Like?"

"Can’t say yet."

Kael turned the question back on him. "Why do you train this hard? Kast Barony’s small, but safe."

Torven was quiet for a while. Then he answered honestly. "Because I don’t want it to stay small."

"The barony?"

"Me."

Not the answer he’d expected.

Kael said nothing for a few seconds. "Honest answer."

Torven shrugged. "Yours wasn’t."

Kael tilted his head slightly. "I know."

After a short silence, he raised his guard again. "Let’s continue."

Torven looked at him for a beat—something in his expression loosened, the corner of his mouth curling before he could stop it. Then he let out a short laugh.

"You’re a strange one, Ardenvast."

"I know."

— ◆ —

By the end of the fifth week, the System sent a notification.

───────────────────────────

[FORM ASSESSMENT: Fifth Form — Silent Night]

Internalization: 83%

Note: Threshold exceeded.

Passive Unlocked: Defense → Attack Conversion Speed +25%

Recommendation: Testing in a real combat scenario is advised.

───────────────────────────

Kael studied the notification for a few seconds. Then closed the window.

Real combat...

The Silver Gate Aldris had mentioned.

It was coming.

That night, a short note arrived from Aldris.

"Tomorrow morning. Early. Important."

The next morning, before dawn, Kael was on the fifth floor. The room was cold. The only light came from a candle on the desk, its flame trembling along the edges of the map.

Aldris stood at the center of the study, in front of the large map. The moment the door shut, he started talking.

"An encrypted report came in from the Empire last night."

He pointed to the east on the map.

"Aldeberon Forest."

Kael stepped closer. East of Ardenvast territory—a vast stretch blanketed in dense woodland.

"A research team went missing."

"How many?"

"Eight."

"Any who made it back?"

"None."

Aldris slid his finger a little further down the map. "This point..."

"...sits close to the estimated location of the unregistered Dungeon."

Kael studied the map in silence.The distance lines up. So does the timing.

"It’s growing," he said.

"Yes." Aldris nodded. "And the spread rate has outpaced our earlier projections."

The room fell silent for a few seconds—only the faint crackle of the candle filling the quiet.

Then Aldris spoke again. "I’m moving up the Silver Gate training."

Kael’s eyes lifted. "By how much?"

"About six weeks."

"Target level?"

"At least Mid-Silver."

Kael ran the numbers in his head. He was Low-Silver now.

Six weeks...

With intense enough training, it was possible.

"I’ll make it."

Aldris’s eyebrow rose slightly. "That’s ambitious."

"Maybe."

Kael turned toward the door.

"But not impossible."

Aldris didn’t answer.

He only watched him go.

— ◆ —

— End of Chapter 14 —

AzulNote///

Dear readers! ♡

I wanted to share two small updates.

First, I changed the nursemaid’s name from Mira to Livia. I realized it was a little too similar to Mira Solheit, and I didn’t want readers getting confused later in the story.

Second, I have a question for all of you.

I recently received a Premium invitation for Sword of Fate. However, I feel it might still be a little too early.

What do you think? Should I wait until the novel has more Chapters, or do you think now is the right time to make the transition?

I’d really appreciate hearing your thoughts in the comments. Your feedback means a lot to me.

Thank you for being part of this journey! ⚔️