Alpha Instinct

Beside the doubt and anxiety, a comforting warmth filled Leo's heart. Although he had seen him only once, long ago, he knew he would never forget his savior's face now that his memories had returned.

Roland, the knight with the stern countenance and gray hair that reached his ears, personified discipline and austerity. His eyes, cold and sharp like the blade he wielded, seldom revealed any emotion other than the unwavering determination of a seasoned warrior.

Around sixty years old, he maintained a firm posture and the strength of a man in his prime, commanding respect with every step. Behind the impenetrable armor and stoic facade, he concealed a solitary heart, open only to those, like Leo, who earned his trust through perseverance and simplicity.

"Ro-Roland…?" Leo asked, startled.

"Oh! You remember! Hahaha!" Roland gave another hearty laugh.

"My memories… have just… returned," Leo said.

"That's wonderful, lad! I never approached you after you lost your memory. I was afraid you'd remember that hellish day." Roland confessed.

"And so as I did, I couldn't run away from it anymore. It was difficult to keep living." Leo lowered his gaze. "But thank you for everything, Roland. You saved my life. I am eternally grateful," Leo said, extending his hand for a handshake.

Roland just ignored the handshake and side-hugged Leo, saying, "We've still got a lot to talk about, but let's just train for now!" and he laughed again. "I'm so glad you took the Neumond path."

Roland was super cheerful and happy with Leo right then, totally different from how he remembered him that awful day many years ago. "What could've changed?" Leo wondered.

"Three days ago, I was training my guys when I saw you show up. You looked like a ballerina with that dummy, lad! Hahaha!" Roland was cracking up.

"Meh..." Leo's face scrunched up in a funny way, a contortion of embarrassment and self-deprecation.

"Look, lad, go home and get some rest. I'm gonna train you myself tomorrow!"

"Why are you doing this for me, Mr. Roland?"

"Everything has its time. Just take it when a senior's offering you a hand," he said, turning around.

"Yeah…" Leo said, but he still hadn't really processed it. It all felt too good to be true.

Roland waved goodbye to Leo over his shoulder as he walked off. Leo was alone again, lost in thought about the whole thing, when he heard some whispering that snapped him back to attention. Two guards were wrapping up their training and gossiping about what just happened.

"Have you ever seen Bear Roland this happy before?"

"Never. I even thought he was the devil's right-hand man!"

"Keep it down—you wanna die?"

Leo thought, "So he's not really like that... that's weird. I better be careful."

Leo then grabbed his stuff and headed back home.

Daybreak arrived, and Leo was eager to hit the training grounds. He jumped out of bed, scarfed down a piece of hard bread, and washed it down with a big gulp of water. He grabbed his stuff and took off, feeling pretty pumped.

When he arrived, everyone stared at Leo, whispering and laughing.

"Oh! The dummy's fairy is here."

"Indeed, the little Wendy doesn't give up." Lots of laughter in the background could be heard.

Leo ignored them, his gaze fixed on his destination. He hung his head and kept walking to his dummy when a voice—like a huge thunderclap—boomed across the whole training grounds.

"SILENCE!"

Roland bellowed, activating his battle aura. A palpable, murderous intent emanated from him, and all who were not Neumonds kneeled before his might: the alpha wolf asserting dominance over his pack.

"Return to training! Not another sound!" Roland commanded.

In unison, all the guards present responded to their duty.

"YES, SIR!"

Given his position as captain, it stands to reason that Roland was a Neumond. It was a significant demonstration of strength for someone whose ELEV possessed the trait of physical enhancement.

Roland approached Leo and was about to greet him with a handshake, but things did not proceed as he had intended.

The training grounds were used not only by the guard but also by other Neumonds from the Guild House. There was a distinct tension between the army Neumonds and the Equalizers. They were not on good terms.

The Equalizers considered the army Neumonds weak, given that they made up for their lack of power in a battalion, further demonstrating their incapability as individual warriors.

Several of them disliked Roland's display and were unimpressed by his battle aura, sharing unpleasant comments.

"Who does that old gorilla think he is?" one of them said.

"Don't these army superiors have any respect for the Equalizers?" another added.

"The weak never know their place," another muttered.

Roland, also known as the Devil's Arm, felt his blood boiling. The truth was that Roland was far from weak. His past was shrouded in mystery, and he certainly did not choose to be the army captain: He was placed there in order to be controlled.

Roland changed the direction of his hand, reached over his shoulder, and drew his sword from his back.

A sudden aura enveloped him. With a swift, upward motion, his sword produced a blade of energy. That energy cut across the ground for over 50 meters, carving a deep but narrow trench in its wake.

He had not struck anyone physically, but he had psychologically shattered the confidence of the Equalizers present. It was a clear display of power that no one there could equal or even question.

"Anything else?" Roland said calmly, his voice dangerously quiet.

A chilling silence descended upon the training ground.

"Good, very good, back to work!" he concluded.

He turned to Leonard again.

"Are you good, lad?" Roland asked.

Leo stood as still as a statue, watching everything unfold in silence. He had never witnessed a Neumond display such combat skill before, and his world lit up in that moment.

Somehow, Leo knew that Roland wasn't trying to show himself: He was just protecting him from the ceaseless bullying.

He could only nod, speechless, his heart still pounding from the display of power.

A question lingered in his mind, causing a cold sweat to break out.

"Is Roland really going to be my trainer?"