A week passed, and Luca finally finished copying all the strengthening exercises from the old book into a new one.
That morning, he made his way to Finn's house. After greeting Finn's mother, who told him Finn was in the backyard, Luca headed over and found Finn practicing with his sword.
The moment Finn spotted him, he grinned and called out, "Luca! Perfect timing. Spar with me!"
Luca shrugged. "Alright."
They started their match, with Finn attacking and Luca defending. No matter how Finn swung, Luca blocked effortlessly, not even striking back. Finn pushed harder, determined to land a hit, but Luca barely looked like he was trying.
After a while, Finn was panting, sweat dripping down his face. He pointed at Luca accusingly. "You're a monster. You've gotten way stronger!"
Luca just grinned. "Got something for you." He pulled out the book and handed it over.
Finn raised an eyebrow but took it, flipping through the pages. As he skimmed through, his eyes widened. "Wait… these exercises… do they actually work?"
Luca nodded. "I've been doing them myself. Trust me, they're real."
Finn stared at the book in amazement, then suddenly looked around and lowered his voice. "We should keep this a secret, right? If the wrong people find out..."
Luca nodded. "Exactly."
Finn's expression turned serious, but then he smirked. "I can't believe you'd share something this valuable with me. Come here, you big softie!" He spread his arms for a hug.
Luca stepped aside instantly. "No thanks."
Finn gasped dramatically. "Luca, you're too cold."
Luca just rolled his eyes.
They headed back inside, Finn flipping through the book, muttering to himself. Then, he stopped, squinting at the writing. "You know… the author could have written this a bit neater. Look at these letters, don't they look like chicken scribbles?"
Luca inhaled sharply.
Smack!
"Ow!" Finn rubbed his head. "What was that for?"
Luca crossed his arms. "There was a mosquito."
"Oh." Finn went back to reading, completely buying it.
Finn suddenly remembered something and closed the book. "Oh, right! Luca, I'm going to be staying at my grandfather's house from now on. Once vacation ends, I'll be coming to the military camp from there."
Luca nodded. "Alright. Guess I'll see you at camp then."
They spent a little more time together before Luca decided to head home.
Meanwhile, Luca finally achieved something he had been working on for a while, he managed to defeat Taro's tail. It had taken a lot of effort, but when he finally succeeded, he jumped in victory, cheering.
Taro, however, just sat there, looking at him with an unimpressed expression. If Taro could talk, it would probably say, Bro, you only defeated my tail, the one of the weakest parts of my body.
Before Luca could celebrate too much, Taro simply placed a paw on his chest and pushed him down with ease, pinning him like an adult handling a toddler. Luca groaned, defeated, and muttered, "Okay, okay, you win, Taro."
From that moment on, he set a new goal: defeat Taro's paw.
***
Days passed, and soon, it was time for Luca to leave for the military camp.
He had already said his goodbyes to Taro, who was clearly unhappy about the separation. When Luca told him it might take months before they saw each other again, Taro had clung to him, whining softly. It had taken some effort to get away without feeling guilty.
On the morning of his departure, his mother fussed over him one last time. "Make sure you eat properly, get enough rest, and don't push yourself too hard, alright?"
Luca smiled and hugged her. "I will."
With that, he picked up his bag and stepped out the door.
Luca arrived at Silverdeep just as dark clouds gathered overhead. By the time he reached the carriage stop to find a ride to the military camp, heavy rain had already started pouring. Within moments, the streets turned into rivers of mud, and carriages stopped running for the day.
With no other choice, Luca found an inn to stay for the night. He watched the rain from his window, tapping his fingers against the wooden sill and thought, "Just my luck."
The rain continued late into the night, and by morning, a light drizzle still lingered.
After grabbing a quick meal, Luca made his way back to the carriage stop, hoping the drivers would be ready to go. But after asking around, he got the same answer every time, which was no carriages today.
Sighing, Luca resigned himself. He started walking away. Since he couldn't find a carriage in the city of Silverdeep, Luca thought he would try his luck in another city nearby.
As he made his way through the damp path, a middle-aged man suddenly stepped in front of him, blocking his path.
"Kid, need a ride?" the man asked gruffly.
Luca paused, eyeing him warily. The man was dressed in a thick coat, a wide-brimmed hat shielding his face from the drizzle.
"I do," Luca admitted and told him his destination.
The man raised an eyebrow and nodded. "I can take you there, but it'll cost you. Triple the usual fare."
Luca frowned. "Triple?" He was about to refuse when the man sighed dramatically.
"Alright, alright, double then. Final offer."
Luca hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded. "Fine."
The driver grinned in satisfaction. "My carriage is parked near the city gate. Oh, and two more passengers will be riding with us. That okay?"
Luca had no problem with that. "Yeah, that's fine."
With the deal made, Luca followed the man toward the city gate.