I watched from a distance as Leonardo practiced with the sword, right now he wasn't using Durandal, in his hands, an ordinary sword moved, each of his moves was quiet yet beautiful, some of the passing students would glance at him but they didn't move forward to disturb him, after the Seth hint he did get some minor popularity.
Plus he's been challenging the sword garden a lot, trying to take the throne for the number one seat, he defeated some and he lost some, well he lost most, it was quite natural as his strength hasn't started increasing, the future troubles he went through was what made him strong and those 'challenges' of his was related to the capture targets.