Chapter 19

Thud.

Raon took a step forward. The more he approached Rimer, the more intense the aura emanating from him became.

Even Lunan and Burren, who were usually hard to faze, found it difficult to penetrate this aura, yet Raon smiled.

'So, you’re setting the stage for me.'

After deciding to live as Raon Ziegis, there was no need to hide his abilities anymore.

Now that the stage was set to showcase his talents, all he had to do was step in and play.

"How about it? If it’s too hard, just say so…."

"It’s fine."

Raon smiled faintly and took another step.

'Just with this level, it’s impossible.'

The 'level' referred to the capacity of the soul, not the physical body. Raon had not only the level he had built as Raon Ziegis but also the level he had accumulated as the top assassin, Raon.

Roar!

The level of the assassin Raon, who had never failed, descended upon the small but solid aura of Raon Ziegis.

Thud.

The sound of his footsteps on the sand of the training ground changed. The level he carried on his shoulders exuded a solemn will.

Sizzle!

The sharp aura sliced through the green wind Rimer had unleashed, splitting it in two.

"What…."

Rimer’s eyes widened. The calmness in his eyes was replaced with confusion.

Whirl!

Raon advanced without a word, parting the rough wind and taking five steps to stand before Rimer.

Thud.

He lightly reached out and tapped Rimer’s shoulder.

"Is the test over?"

"Huh? Uh…."

Rimer nodded, taken aback by the confident yet solemn voice.

"Thank you."

Raon lowered his hand, dispersing the assassin’s level he had summoned. He felt a bit dazed, perhaps from overexertion.

"…."

Rimer’s mouth hung open, still unable to hide his shock.

-You! What are you really?

Even Las’s voice was filled with surprise. It was rare to see the always angry man react this way.

"Hmm."

Raon looked around the silent training ground, waiting for Rimer’s reaction.

The children from the collateral and main branches who had been jeering, and those who had cheered for him, along with their parents, all fell silent.

A heavy silence settled over the entire training ground.

"What, what? He broke through that? That kid?"

"But, how is this possible…."

"How could a patient who hasn’t even mastered aura do this!"

The parents of the trainees exhaled in disbelief.

"Raon? Your body!"

"Master, aren’t you pushing it?"

Sylvia and Helen’s eyes welled with tears. Though they were moved, their words were still filled with concern for his body.

Only Glen Ziegis’s expression remained unchanged, as cold as ever.

'This is the real deal.'

Raon shook his head, looking at Glen.

* * *

"What are you really?"

Rimer sighed, looking at the calm Raon.

"You’ve been watching for six months. I’m Raon."

"I’m talking about surpassing that. I released an aura that goes beyond your abilities, just to see what you could do. I didn’t think you could break through it."

Rimer had released a strong aura to see the hidden abilities Raon possessed.

No matter how much power Raon had hidden, Rimer was certain he wouldn’t be able to break through it. Yet, Raon easily split his aura. Honestly, he still couldn’t believe it.

"Hmm…."

Rimer looked at the main and collateral branches behind Raon.

'Still, I like this.'

Their mouths, which had been noisy, were now tightly shut. The entire training ground was at a loss over the astonishing display Raon had shown.

"Cough, as the head instructor, I admit I was distracted for a moment."

Rimer let his body be carried by the fading green wind and climbed back onto the platform.

"The test to select the official trainees, with Raon Ziegis as the last, is now over. However, there is one more important event."

At the mention of an important event, everyone’s eyes were fixed on Rimer’s mouth.

"We need to select a representative and the top trainee from among the trainees."

The top trainee was likely to become a key figure in the family in the future, so the children and their parents’ eyes were filled with intense desire.

'This is as planned, but the situation has changed.'

In fact, the top trainee was always meant to be Raon Ziegis. He had shown the most progress during the probationary period, fitting the purpose of the test. Of course, no one expected him to pass so overwhelmingly.

'Thanks to this, the surprise event I prepared might not be necessary.'

Rimer’s gaze, which had been scanning the trainees, stopped at Raon after passing over Lunan and Burren. Then,

"Raon Ziegis. Starting today, you are the top trainee of the Fifth Training Ground. I look forward to working with you."

"Ooh! Master Raon!"

"…."

Dorian clapped, and Lunan clapped three times with a strange expression.

"R, Raon is the top trainee!"

"Wow…."

"Miss Sylvia!"

Helen grabbed Sylvia’s head as she collapsed.

"Huh?"

"R, really?"

"Is that kid really the top trainee? I can’t believe it…."

"But it was Raon who overcame the strongest aura."

"But he’s Sylvia’s son! The runaway Sylvia!"

"That doesn’t matter to his abilities."

"Isn’t this a scam with Rimer? He’s capable of that!"

Others argued, saying it was impossible.

"Lie!"

Burren stood up, his lips trembling.

"This is not right!"

"What’s a lie, and what’s not?"

Rimer turned to Burren with a blank face.

"Raon is weaker than me in stamina, strength, and talent. How can he be the top trainee! I can’t accept it!"

"You saw it yourself. Raon easily broke through the aura you barely passed. He deserves the title of top trainee."

"There was definitely trickery involved!"

"Burren Ziegis. Are you doubting my judgment now?"

Rimer’s smile remained, but the atmosphere changed abruptly. The gentle wind felt sharp.

"N, no, that’s not it! That kid cheated! Raon, who couldn’t keep up with me during training yesterday, breaking through such a strong aura is unbelievable!"

"Right!"

"You don’t believe it either, Instructor!"

The children from the collateral branch who accompanied Burren stood up and joined him.

"Hmm…."

Rimer scratched his chin. He understood their complaints, as he hadn’t expected Raon to break through his aura so easily.

"You have a point."

"How is this possible while suffering from the curse of the cold?"

"He doesn’t even have aura."

Looking around, not just the children but the adults were starting to murmur, doubting the test despite witnessing it.

"Indeed, it’s understandable to think it’s strange. I was also surprised."

"Right!"

Burren’s eyes, filled with a small hope, widened.

"We are the Ziegis family of martial artists. I think we should have a proper match instead of this kind of test!"

"Are you saying you want to challenge Raon for the top trainee position?"

"Not me, but someone else…."

"There’s no need to lie; your eyes are full of greed."

Rimer chuckled and waved his hand. Burren’s face turned red, but he didn’t deny it.

"However, the test is already over. Head of the family, what do you think we should do?"

"Burren Ziegis."

Glen, who had been alternating his gaze between Raon and Burren, slowly spoke.

"Yes!"

"To change a decision already made, there must be a price. Are you willing to pay that price?"

"Of course!"

Burren answered immediately, confident he could beat Raon in any match.

"Raon Ziegis."

This time, Glen called out Raon’s name.

"Yes."

Raon bowed, standing at attention.

"The results are not being accepted. Do you want to challenge Burren?"

"No."

Raon shook his head firmly.

"Wha—!"

"What?"

"Wha—?"

"Is that kid crazy!"

People were stunned by his immediate refusal.

"The test is over, and the results are in. There’s no reason to fight without a price."

"Hmm?"

"Talking about the main branch and honor, but not accepting the results, I didn’t expect that."

"Ugh!"

Raon’s taunt made Burren’s face even redder.

"Then, let’s do this."

Everyone turned to Glen, whose voice was as heavy as iron.

"Fight for the top trainee position. If you win, I’ll give you a bronze badge."

'A bronze badge!'

The Ziegis family awards gold, silver, and bronze badges based on the achievements of martial artists. Even a bronze badge, given directly by the head of the family, would be a good reward.

'This is a stroke of luck.'

Becoming the top trainee and winning the bet with Las, now with a bronze badge, the rewards doubled.

Glen seemed to want the main branch’s Burren to be the top trainee, but unfortunately, he wouldn’t meet that expectation.

"Understood."

"R, Raon!"

"It’s fine."

Sylvia approached as soon as he nodded, and he smiled at her worried face.

"Thank you for believing in me! Head of the family, I won’t disappoint you!"

Burren, with a moved expression, bowed to Glen.

"Alright, let’s start."

"Yes!"

Burren stood up and approached Raon.

"To face me directly, your luck ends here."

He grinned and continued.

"I never liked you from the first time I saw you. I’ll show the difference between the main branch and a rejected outcast right here."

"Can’t accept defeat, yet you talk so much."

Raon snorted and rotated his wrist.

"You brat…."

"Fight in the match."

Rimer stepped between them and shook his head.

"The match is a single round. Using weapons or aura is a disqualification. Use only your physical body."

"Understood!"

"Yes."

"Good. Then…."

Rimer raised his hand, which had been blocking Raon and Burren’s view, and stepped back.

"Start!"

"Roar!"

Before the word 'start' even registered, Burren lunged forward, throwing a fierce punch at Raon’s chest.

Thud!

Raon deflected Burren’s punch with the back of his hand. The rotational force in the punch made his wrist throb.

"Just that won’t stop my punch!"

Burren laughed coldly and threw a second punch at Raon’s abdomen.

Thud!

He blocked the punch with his palm, but the pain traveled up his arm.

"This is the Gongho Quan, taught to me by my father. Since there was no rule against using martial arts, it’s not a foul."

"Gongho Quan…."

Gongho Quan was a Ziegis family martial art that used rotational force to break through defenses.

'What to do…'

It was powerful but clumsy. It was easy to subdue.

'Too bad to end it so quickly.'

It was a pity to end such a well-set stage so easily. He wanted to win while proving his abilities to everyone.

"Where are you looking!"

Burren threw a punch. Raon leaned back to avoid it and took a step back.

"I’ll show you the difference in talent!"

Burren, using footwork, swung his fists. His punches and steps were clumsy, but his physical abilities were excellent, making him somewhat threatening.

'Talent, huh.'

Raon stepped aside, his eyes gleaming. He had an idea to hit the heads of the Ziegis family’s fools, who valued innate talent.

Martial arts.

They, as members of a martial family, valued talent in martial arts the most. He decided to show them that talent.

'I have something very good.'

Raon activated the rings of fire at full power. As the three rings rotated fiercely, Burren’s movements slowed, and the flow of his martial art became visible.

"Are you giving up now!"

Burren threw a punch at Raon’s chest. A fierce wind brushed past his ear.

"No way."

Raon’s hand drew a half-circle. Burren’s punch, which met the rotation, was deflected to the opposite side.

It was the same rotation as the Gongho Quan Burren had used, but in the opposite direction.

"Ugh!"

Burren’s eyes wavered as he was pushed back. He gritted his teeth and charged again.

Thud!

Raon deflected the punch and pushed him with his shoulder. With a loud thud, Burren stumbled backward.

Thud!

Raon leaped forward, pushing off the ground, and charged at the stunned Burren.

"You brat!"

Burren, still in shock, aimed a left hook at Raon’s jaw. But Raon had already analyzed his moves.

Crack.

He deflected Burren’s punch with a reverse rotation and struck his abdomen.

"Ugh!"

Burren fell to his knees, foaming at the mouth.

"H, how did you use Gongho Quan…."

His jaw dropped in disbelief, drooling.

"W, what just happened?"

"How did that kid use Gongho Quan…."

"Sylvia or Rimer couldn’t have taught him!"

"What’s going on…."

The spectators were also shocked, their eyes wide.

"You showed me."

Raon looked down at Burren with cold eyes, shaking his hand.

"I just followed your martial art."