Heretic Trainer: The Gym Is My Cultivation Method-Chapter 411: This Was Always the Plan

Raviel looked around the plain again, counting quietly in his head.

"...Only around one hundred and four?"

He wasn’t disappointed. Just surprised.

Vargan shrugged loosely, rolling his shoulders as if they had just finished a warm-up match instead of changing the fate of two clans.

"What can I say?" he replied. "The stubborn ones walked away."

Aveline gave a small, composed smile.

"Don’t worry about that for now," she said calmly. "Let’s board the ship."

The massive flying ship hovered low, wind pushing dust across the ground. The ramp lowered with a steady hum.

The young Vulkran and Shivera members began walking up without hesitation.

Vargan stepped onto the ramp first.

Sarona followed behind him, posture straight and steady.

Raviel and Aveline walked up last.

Inside the ship, once the doors closed and the engines began to rise, something unexpected happened.

Vargan suddenly burst out laughing.

"Hahaha!"

Sarona, who had been calm and silent the entire time, let out a low, amused laugh as well.

Not loud like Vargan.

But unmistakable.

The two remaining Vulkran elders froze.

The two Shivera elders blinked in confusion.

One of them whispered, "Have they... lost their minds?"

Another muttered, "Why are they laughing? We just lost."

Vargan wiped a tear from his eye.

"Lost?" he repeated, still chuckling.

Sarona folded her arms, faint smile still on her lips.

"You truly think this was loss?"

The elders stared at them.

"Patriarch... Matriarch... what are you saying?"

Vargan leaned against the wall casually.

"Don’t look at us like we’ve gone crazy."

Sarona nodded once.

"This was always the plan."

The elders blinked.

"...Plan?"

Vargan grinned.

"You think we didn’t know we’d lose?"

The Vulkran elder frowned deeply.

"You knew?"

Sarona’s eyes sharpened slightly.

"God Gym is that strong."

Silence fell inside the ship.

The Shivera elder’s voice lowered.

"...You expected this?"

Vargan crossed his arms.

"We went there. We saw it."

Sarona added calmly,

"This tournament was not to test God Gym."

She glanced toward the ramp window as the land below grew smaller.

"It was to test our own clans."

The elders exchanged looks.

Vargan pointed casually toward the lower deck where the young members were gathered.

"The loud ones stepped forward first."

Sarona continued,

"The stubborn ones walked away."

Vargan shrugged again.

"The ones still here?"

He grinned.

"They’re the ones willing to grow."

The elders slowly processed that.

"So... you were riling everyone up?"

Sarona nodded once.

"Yes."

Vargan laughed again.

"If we just said, ’Let’s join them,’ half the clan would’ve revolted."

The Shivera elder exhaled slowly.

"So you made them fight."

Sarona corrected him calmly.

"We let them reveal themselves."

Vargan’s grin widened.

"And now we know exactly who we can trust."

The elders fell silent.

Raviel and Aveline stood a short distance away, listening.

Raviel chuckled lightly.

"So you were filtering from the start."

Vargan pointed at him.

"Don’t act surprised. You knew."

Raviel smirked.

"I suspected."

Sarona looked at Aveline.

"We are not reckless."

Aveline inclined her head slightly.

"We never assumed you were."

One of the elders suddenly asked quietly,

"But... you said we lost."

Vargan snorted.

"We did."

Sarona finished the thought calmly.

"And that is why we move forward."

The elder hesitated.

"You both knew... God Gym is stronger?"

Vargan looked at him directly.

"Didn’t you notice?"

Sarona added,

"God Gym is no ordinary force."

She paused.

"It stands above common clans."

The elders’ eyes widened slightly as realization settled in.

"No wonder..." one muttered.

Raviel waved his hand lightly.

"Don’t think too much about that."

Aveline stepped forward beside him.

"We pursue quality, not quantity."

She looked toward the lower deck again.

"One hundred and four is more than enough."

Raviel nodded.

"From today onward, Vulkran God Clan and Shivera God Clan begin again."

Vargan’s laughter had faded now, replaced by a serious look.

"Old names can stay behind."

Sarona’s voice was calm and steady.

"But the real Vulkran and Shivera..."

She looked toward the young members below.

"...are on this ship."

The flying vessel rose higher into the sky, the wind shaking lightly against its sides as the land below became smaller and smaller.

Vargan crossed his arms and stared out at the clouds for a moment. Then he turned back.

"So," he said bluntly, "what are we doing next?"

Sarona glanced at him, then at Raviel. "Yes. The decision has been made. What follows?"

Raviel smiled faintly, calm as ever.

"First," he said, "we change your cultivation path."

Vargan blinked. "Change it?"

Sarona’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Completely?"

Raviel nodded. "Yes. From the foundation."

Vargan scratched his beard. "You’re telling me all these years of flame training... we just throw it away?"

Aveline stepped in smoothly. "Not throw away. Refine."

She looked at Vargan steadily. "Your power is strong. But it is scattered."

Sarona folded her arms. "And you believe your path will stabilize it?"

Raviel chuckled lightly. "Believe?"

He shook his head. "It will."

Vargan’s eyes sharpened. "You’re that confident."

Raviel looked at him directly. "You saw your front line fall. That wasn’t special talent."

He gestured lightly with his hand. "That was the system."

Sarona was silent for a second. "God Gym’s path."

Raviel nodded. "The real path."

Vargan leaned forward slightly. "So what changes?"

"You’ll rebuild from inside," Raviel replied. "No more reckless flame surges. No more freezing everything at the cost of stamina."

Aveline added calmly, "You will temper your bodies first. Then integrate your elements."

Sarona’s gaze shifted. "Body before element."

"Yes," Raviel said. "Control before output."

Vargan let out a low whistle. "Sounds painful."

Raviel shrugged casually. "It is."

Vargan grinned slowly. "Good."

Sarona’s lips curved just slightly. "Growth rarely comes gently."

Vargan cracked his knuckles. "So when do we start?"

"When we land," Raviel replied without hesitation.

Aveline looked at both of them. "Your young members will begin with basic training first."

Sarona nodded. "And the elders?"

Raviel smirked. "They’ll train harder."

Vargan laughed loudly. "I like that."

There was a brief pause before Vargan’s expression shifted slightly.

"What about Garion?"

Sarona’s gaze followed.

"Yes," she said quietly. "Where is he?"

Raviel’s smile didn’t fade.

"Garion is handling his own matters."

Vargan frowned. "We join, and the boss isn’t even here?"

Aveline spoke calmly. "Garion does not stand still. He’s preparing something bigger."

Vargan tilted his head. "Bigger than today?"

Raviel’s smile deepened slightly.

"Much bigger."

Aveline added in her steady tone, "This was only alignment."

Sarona exhaled slowly. "Then the real expansion begins."

Vargan’s grin returned, wider this time. "Good."

He looked between Raviel and Aveline.

"So later on..."

Raviel finished his thought calmly.

"...we will show the world how strong we are."

Sarona’s eyes sharpened.

Vargan laughed once more, louder than before.

"Then let’s not waste time."

The ship continued rising toward God Gym.