While Hela had already placed a contract on Kevin's life with The Silent Order, the young warrior remained completely unaware, immersed in his relentless training.
Three months had passed.
Kevin's chamber was no longer just a room—it had transformed into an icy domain, resembling a frozen mountain. At its center, Kevin sat within a sphere of pure ice, continuing his rigorous practice. As he meditated, an unusual phenomenon occurred—a flower began circling around him.
This was no ordinary flower.
It was a spiritual bloom brought by Prince Vaughn for Hinata. The moment its sacred energy seeped into Kevin's body, an uncontrollable surge of ice erupted, spreading across the room like a relentless winter storm.
Days turned into weeks. Another month passed.
By now, Kevin's chamber had been swallowed by frost, and no sign of its original structure remained. Yet, in the very center of this frozen abyss, Kevin sat still, lost in deep concentration.
Finally, after five months, his eyes snapped open.
A brilliant glow flashed within them—a testament to his newfound strength. A slow smile formed on his lips.
"I've mastered the Ice Grip Technique," Kevin whispered to himself, his voice filled with satisfaction. "And thanks to that flower, I've stepped into the Ninth Stage of power."
To test his abilities, he turned his gaze toward the frozen surroundings. The moment he willed it, the ice vanished into thin air.
A flicker of excitement flashed in his eyes.
Raising his hand, Kevin focused his thoughts on a sword. Within seconds, ice coalesced, shaping itself into a finely crafted blade of frost.
His grin widened.
He didn't stop there. Spears, bows, arrows, and even firearms from Earth—short guns, machine guns, high-tech weapons—one after another, he envisioned them, and they manifested in his grasp.
Kevin was ecstatic. His power had reached a whole new level.
And now, he craved battle.
With renewed determination, he left his chamber and wandered the palace grounds. Yet, to his disappointment, the place was eerily quiet.
Frustrated, he grabbed a passing guard.
"Where are the princesses?" he demanded.
The guard hesitated before answering, "Princess Natasha is in the royal gardens… enjoying wine with her friend."
Kevin wasted no time. Within minutes, he arrived at the gardens.
There, Natasha sat under the golden sunlight, sharing laughter with another young woman. Kevin watched for a moment, a smile forming on his face before he approached.
The moment Natasha's eyes landed on him, they lit up with surprise and joy. She immediately rose to her feet.
"Kevin!" she exclaimed. "You're finally done with your training!"
But then, her gaze shifted—her expression changed to shock.
"You… You've reached the Ninth Stage?!" she gasped. "That's unbelievable!"
Kevin chuckled. "It's nothing too impressive. But now, I need to test my abilities. Think you can help me?" His eyes gleamed with anticipation.
Natasha lifted her hands, revealing the intricate henna designs covering them. "I'd love to… but as you can see, I'm not exactly in a state to fight right now."
She paused, then suddenly turned thoughtful. "Wait a second… don't tell me you've actually mastered that technique?"
Kevin smirked. "What do you think?"
Natasha's eyes widened further—her face now a mix of shock and delight.
Before she could say more, the young woman beside her finally spoke up.
"Well, Natasha, aren't you going to introduce me to your… friend?" she asked, her voice smooth yet teasing.
Natasha chuckled. "Of course. Kevin, this is Elizabeth—the princess of Valmeria and my dearest friend."
Kevin turned his gaze toward Elizabeth.
She was undeniably beautiful, perhaps even more so than Natasha.
As their eyes met, Elizabeth's lips curved into a small smirk. But then, her expression shifted.
"Oh… so this is the tailor you've been talking about?" she said, her tone dripping with mild disappointment. "I thought he was a royal warrior or some foreign prince. But he's just… a tailor? Looks like I overestimated the situation."
Kevin remained silent, his expression unreadable. He didn't care what titles people attached to him.
However, Natasha's smile faded.
"Kevin is more than just a tailor," she said firmly. "He is my friend. And unlike some, I don't judge people by their status—I value them for who they are."
Elizabeth hadn't expected Natasha to respond so sharply.
Still, she wasn't looking for an argument. Raising her hands in surrender, she laughed.
"Fine, fine. No need to get worked up. Now, let's have another glass of wine," she said, shifting the mood. "I'm dying of thirst."
Natasha hesitated, then nodded. "Alright."
As Natasha listened to Elizabeth, she chose not to prolong the conversation. Instead, she turned toward Kevin, who stood there, seemingly unaffected by what people thought or said about him. Yet, at that moment, his eyes shone like the brightest stars in the sky.
Looking at him, Natasha said, "Kevin, why don't you sit with us? We were just discussing the upcoming tournament."
Kevin, without hesitation, took a seat next to Elizabeth. The moment Elizabeth saw him sitting beside her, she felt a wave of irritation. She was the princess of Valmeria, and Kevin was nothing more than a mere tailor. In her eyes, he had no right to sit next to her. However, she didn't express her thoughts openly, as she didn't want to argue with Natasha over someone so insignificant.
Kevin, completely unaware of Elizabeth's disdain, was lost in his own thoughts. He needed a way to test his newfound powers, and Elizabeth seemed like the perfect candidate. Moreover, she clearly disliked him, which made it all the more fun.
With a playful smirk, he turned to her and asked, "Are you participating in the tournament as well?"
Elizabeth's expression darkened. His question annoyed her to no end. She glared at him and snapped, "Why? Do you have a problem with that? Or do you think women are weak? Do you think I'm not strong enough?"
Seeing her reaction, Kevin couldn't help but smile. His plan was working. He wanted to provoke her further, but before he could, Natasha interrupted, "Enough, you two! We were supposed to discuss the tournament, and now you're just arguing!"
Hearing her words, Kevin decided to stay quiet. Elizabeth also turned her head away, fuming in silence.
Once things calmed down, Natasha took a deep breath and looked at Kevin seriously. "Kevin, I don't feel good saying this, but… it would be better if you didn't participate in the upcoming tournament."
Kevin frowned. "I don't understand. What do you mean, Natasha?"
He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Natasha knew how important this tournament was for him. Winning would not only grant him access to the Five Elements of the Dragon technique but also allow him to enter Nalanda Academy, where he could gather information about Karishma.
Just as he was trying to process this, Natasha spoke in a grave tone, "The truth is… Hela has placed a bounty on you through The Silent Order. A high-ranking assassin named Mizuki has been sent to eliminate you. She's a ruthless killer, and her power level is at Maharathi, eighth stage. While she can't harm you inside the royal palace, the tournament will be a different story. The palace won't be able to intervene. We're worried about you, Kevin. That's why I'm asking you—please, don't participate in the tournament!"
Kevin wasn't surprised. He had expected something like this. That's why he had spent months training. Now, with his newfound strength, he was confident he could handle whatever came his way. However, before facing any threats, he needed to test his abilities first.
Smirking, he leaned back in his chair and said, "It doesn't matter which 'order' she belongs to. If she dares to come after me, I'll beat her so badly that her face will look just like Elizabeth's."
Elizabeth had just taken a sip of wine when she heard his words. She choked, coughing violently as wine spilled from her mouth. Her face turned red—not from embarrassment, but from pure rage.
Meanwhile, Natasha's expression turned awkward. She couldn't understand why Kevin was acting this way. He was usually so composed and intelligent. Had he lost his mind?
While Natasha was still processing his words, Kevin casually picked up his wine glass and took a sip, completely unfazed.
Elizabeth, on the other hand, couldn't take it anymore. She shot up from her chair, her eyes blazing with fury. With a single kick, she shattered the wooden chair next to her into splinters. But that wasn't enough to cool her rage. Glaring at Kevin, she shouted, "You… TAILOR! What did you just say?! Say it again if you dare!"
Seeing her reaction, Kevin's smirk widened. He could sense her power level—Maharathi, third stage. She was slightly weaker than Hinata.
His eyes gleamed with excitement.
He leaned forward, his voice dripping with amusement. "Alright then. If that assassin Mizuki shows up, I'll make sure to beat her so badly that she'll look just as ugly as you. In fact, you two might even start looking like sisters!"
_