The raven black night had settled peacefully, stretching over the night sky.
It was dimply illuminated by the crescent moon, shining like the sole beacon of light, other than the flickering flame lamps inside the training grounds of the [Beginner Class]
Jin could have long since graduated from here if he agreed to take the final test, however, there was someone he needed to keep an eye on.
"Bellop Schmitz. Can I have a word?" Jin asked. The timid boy looked through his long bangs, taken aback.
It was curfew time. No one was allowed to leave their quarters. Other than that, cadets almost never had anyone meet them. Not in the day, much less middle of the night like this. And the one who was meeting him was someone who no one could have guessed.
A Purebred Runcandel.
A purebred coming to visit someone who was at the bottom in a Beginner Class.
"Y-Yes, Young Master... Is everything okay?" He asked, wearing his shirt.
"Hmm. I wonder about that. Follow me." Jin replied, an eerie aura around him that instilled an evil premonition inside Bellop.
With a loud gulp, Bellop swallowed a dry lump of saliva and started walking behind him. For a few minutes, silence lingered between them. They walked through the empty hallways, through the corridors, hearing to the meek melody of cicadas.
Bellop's lips parted to say something, but after a few flutters, he shut them back, too afraid to talk. Jin normally held quite nonchalant conversations with the timid boy, however, today he seemed so detached that Bellop feared that Jin might kill him if he even breathed the wrong way.
After a long, suffocating silence, they arrived in the training grounds.
"Young Master...?"
"I have a question to ask, Bellop Schmitz." Jin paused, letting his words sink in. "Your answer may determine the course of actions I would take from here."
Bellop's face paled as his body started trembling. Jin's growth was something that was never seen before. Even amidst his more talented siblings. If Jin were to kill him right now, even without a reason, there was nothing anyone would do.
For Runcandels, talent and strength took precedence.
"Hm? You are silent. Was what I said offensive?" Jin asked, cocking his head to the side.
Bellop almost screamed. The palpable pressure oozing out of Jin felt like an icy claw against his throat, constantly choking him.
"N-Not at all, Y-Young Master..."
"Hmm. If you say so. Then I will ask my question. I can, right?"
"O-Of course."
"Why do you pretend to put up a weak act?" Jin asked, genuinely curious.
"Pardon?"
Jin walked back and took two wooden swords out. Tossing one with enough strength to break someone's hand, he threw it in Bellop's direction. His hair stood on edge as he caught it with one hand.
"There was something I learned from Sister Luntia." Jin spoke in a casual manner as he tossed his blazer away. "Sword is a good translator. Those who don't understand human words, convey the matter with your sword." Jin spoke in a lighthearted manner.
Then he took a step forward.
Bellop blinked.
The next moment, Jin's sword was pointing at his nose bridge. He slightly pressed the pointed end in the space between his two eyes. "Next one won't stop here."
Bellop's arms trembled as hebrought the sword up. There was a painfully obvious difference in physical strength, aura and battle iq. Even a friendly spar with multiple limitations can bring Bellop to death's door, let alone a fight where Jin was actually serious about hurting him.
"Y-Young Master. I apologise if I did something to enrage you. I-I... I can't fight y---"
Before he could finish his sentence, Jin plunged his knee into his abdomen.
"You don't want to fight, huh? Well then..." Aura started enveloping Jin's fist. "...I will make you fight then." Dispelling his aura at last moment, Jin punched him square in the jaw, making him flip backward and land on his face.
Bellop's eyes brimmed with tears as he heard Jin call his name and looked up at him with a frustrated look.
"Your ears seem to be working now. So, I will ask again. Why do you put up a weak front?"
Bellop stayed silent as he stood up on his feet.
"This is what you want, right, Young Master?"
"So, you'd rather fight me than talk about it?" Jin acted surprised.
Bellop's eyes shimmered to life with a green glint.
Jin's eyes lit up as he saw it.
'I knew it. He could use aura already. There was no way the Runcandels recruited someone as useless as Bellop was portraying himself to be.'
With a shout, Bellop charged at Jin. Using a little aura, he coated his own sword enough to not let it break. As their sword met, Jin felt the impact.
'Impressive raw strength as well. And his footwork while dashing... above average.'
"You are not afraid of getting hurt. You won't be afraid of that since you are one of the strongest ones in the Beginner Class. Then why?"
Jin hurled questions at him while Bellop swinged the wooden sword, coated in bright sheen of Aura.
Tilting his body to the side, Jin let his sword swoosh by his ear before grabbing Bellop by the back of his head, clutching at his hair.
"Or is it because you are too afraid to hurt others? Is your concern for other enough for you to cast aside yourself and bear every kind of hellish suffering?"
It wasn't absurd for Jin to think about. He knew well about rare cases of overwhelming morals and care from one person for another. However, for him, it was something extremely illogical.
Bellop stayed silent, however, blood dripped from his mouth from biting down at his lip from Jin's words. Since he was right.
"For momentary satisfaction, you are ready to endanger people's lives?"
The question made Bellop's ears perk.
"What areyou talking about?"
Gone was the respectful method of talking, replaced by a rage while being blinded by tears that refused to stop. Tears of disbelief from this kind of treatment from someone who he thought was his only friend. He thought of Jin as the sole beacon of light in the bullish class and right now, the same person was attempting at lobing his head off his shoulders.
"Let's say you act like this and let others beat you in the incoming exam. What do you think will happen next?"
"..."
"Someone with a lesser ability than you would be assigned in your stead. When someone who is unworthy of a particular spot is given a mission of that magnitude, it is virtually certain that they would die. And you would be the cause of it."
"No..."
'There are flaws in what I said. But for an emotionally hurt person who is so soft at heart... it is enough to drive them over the edge.' Jin thought to himself. 'I need this boy by my side. He is the most promising of everyone in here.'
In a fit of denial, he swung his sword with all his might, augmenting it with every bit of aura he had left. Jin left himself unguarded as the aura augmented strike landed in his ribs, followed by a huge explosion.
Terror filled Bellop as he went inside the rising smoke, to check up on Jin's condition. However, inside the rising structureof smoke and debris, he saw Jin standing like an immoveable mountain, looking at Bellop with a content look.
"See? Hurting others isn't that hard." He commented, motioning towards the slight cut on his cheek. Bellop looked at Jin with wide eyes. "In three days, when the final selection takes place. Pass with flying colours. If you do not, I will kill you with my own hands. Am I clear?"
The sword in Bellop's hand felldown. "But why... why me, Young Master...? Why someone like me of all people?"
Jin paused and looked at his face. "Because you are superior than them, in every aspect. Let me make good use of you, Bellop Schmitz." He said while extending his hand. "You are better than this."
The compliment stirred something inside Bellop. Something that would change his entire personality. With a tear laden face, Bellop extended his own hand and caught Jin's as he helped him off the ground.
Wiping his tears, he looked at Jin. "I understand. I will never disappoint you, Young Master."
'This should be enough.'
(***)
7 AM.
The guardian cadets were gathering at the training ground. They would be sparring today, so there was a bizarre mood between everyone.
The results of the spars were quite important to their overall scores and assessments.
And having higher scores would grant them greater salaries and the possibility of becoming a guardian knight with special treatment. It was to no surprise the cadets were all on edge.
Jin turned his attention to the corner, where Bellop was crouching down, clutching at his sword with a rather firm grip.
From the surface, as one would expect, the "cowardly" boy was looking at his surroundings with nervous eyes. He reminded Jin of a small prey having barely escaped its predator and hiding in a small hole.
Garon arrived at the training ground, and the cadets immediately stood in line. After a simple warm-up and physical exercise, Garon announced the order of the spars and the schedule.
"There will be three rounds of spars! You will be changing opponents each time. And the fifteen most notable winners will be able to challenge Young Master Jin one at a time."
"Yes, Instructor!"
Jin, who was drinking water spit it out, almost choking on it.
'Fifteen?'
There was not a single cadet in Garon's class who could defeat Jin. Therefore, whenever there was a sparring session, Jin would be fighting several duels more than the others.
"Garon, why would I be fighting fifteen? Is that some kind of perquisite for advancing?"
Starting from the [Intermediate Class], the instructor was a veteran knight of the clan instead of a guest instructor like Garon. Moreover, during the lessons, the students were allowed to use aura and real swords, which was still prohibited in the beginner class.
However, Jin still wanted to stay in beginner class.
Why?
Because the Tona Twins were in the Intermediate Class.
He just wanted to avoid them.
However, Jin had already been delaying his promotion for the last two years. After just two years of practice, he was qualified enough to move on. Some could see this as Jin bullying the others, but he couldn't care less.
"Madame Rosa stated that if Young Master Jin wins against ten opponents today, you will be allowed to join the intermediate class at the start of next year."
"You just said ten. Why should I fight fifteen then?"
"Young Lady Luntia personally requested it. To test your worthiness."
'She is not the one to interfere in matters...Anyways.'
While the story so far had belittled them, they were still guardian cadets of the Runcandel Clan.
They were the top fifteen cadets who won their other spars to boot. Facing all of them consecutively wouldn't be so easy for Jin. Runcandel cadets were on a whole other level compared to the cadets of other nations' swordsmanship academies and mercenary trainees.
"Edington, Mark! You're up first. Get ready!"
Two boys with resolute expressions faced each other in the center of the training ground. Once Garon's signal arrived, the spar began. Jin observed their movements without much concern.
'Everyone's doing pretty well.'
Their movements were flexible and agile, yet powerful. Despite looking nervous, they were calmly calculating their actions and scanning their opponents. They weren't Runcandel cadets for nothing.
Although they were wielding wooden swords, each swing was slicing the wind. Even with the lack of sharp edges, a clean blow would completely smash an ordinary human's head.
The Runcandel's medical team—which was waiting on one side of the training ground—laid the injured boy on a stretcher.
"Winner, Edington. Take a break over there and stay on standby. Next up are Phils and Sierra..."
And so, multiple matches followed. The tenth was between Bellop and a girl called Mesa Milkano. Jin paid close attention to Bellop's spar.
Mesa was ruthlessly attacking him. As one of the top cadets of the beginner training class, her strength was evident. But Jin was used to this sight. It wasn't his first time watching one of Bellop's spars.
"Fight me, Bellop Schmitz! Stop running and fight me like a man!"
Bellop stumbled down on the ground. Taking up the opportunity, Mesa boxed in, ready to plunge her knee into Bellop's chest. From his parted bangs, Bellop caught sight of Jin who was looking down at him. A razor-sharp gaze.
'I will kill you with my own hands.'
The words echoed in his mind like a lost whisper. Just before the moment of impact, Bellop jumped back and barely dodged the kick. Giving the girl no time, he grabbed her leg, which was still in the air and kicked the other one, throwing her off-balance.
As soon as her head hit the ground, his wooden sword pressed against her neck.
"Please, stay down, I don't want to hurt you more than this..."
A frown formed on her face. Bellop was being considerate, however, this seemed more like an insult to her. An enemy taking pity by not wanting to hurt someone was one of the greatest insults a warrior could receive.
"Damn you!"
"Stop. Winner, Bellop. Wait over there."
Bellop who had crouched down, recoiling in fear, and Mesa who was going to rip him into pieces both stopped moving altogther at the instructor's command.
"Yes, Instructor."
As Bellop moved to the side, in the line of victors, everyone was dumbfounded. Even Garon, who was their instructor had no idea about Bellop being able to turn the tide of the battle in the blink of an eye.
As Bellop walked past Jin, he patted him on his shoulder, discretely.
These spars continued for another two hours, and it was finally Jin's turn. Amongst the 30 winners, Garon selected the top 15.
"Please get ready, Young Master."
"Hm."
As Jin stood at the center of the training ground, the eyes of the cadets shone. He was the youngest child of the Runcandels they would have to serve, and an extremely skilled monster. According to the cadets, being able to witness Jin's skills was the highlight of the sparring sessions.
"Edington, Sierra, David, Bellop, Mesa... You will be facing Young Master Jin in that order."
Jin grabbed his wooden sword and faced his first opponent.
'How troublesome. I just wanted to sleep and eat some pancakes...maybe some ice-cream too.'
His highest score so far was eight. By increasing that number by seven, he would be allowed to attend the intermediate classes his siblings were taking by next year. If this were a real battle to the death instead of a spar, he could easily take down twenty of them without question... But during a spar, he couldn't use spiritual power and magic.
He could only use pure swordsmanship in order to win. Moreover, he couldn't kill his opponents.
It goes without saying that the twins entered the intermediate class faster than Jin not because they were more skilled than him.
While they couldn't even overpower Jin when he first arrived at the Garden of Swords, their younger brother could easily turn them into rags during spars now, one year later. However, they went out with their other siblings on 'commissions' and made achievements, which allowed them to advance to the intermediate class.
Having seen through Bellop's movements today, Jin realized that he had made the correct decision to stay behind a little longer, just for his sake. His time was not wasted.
"If you shall allow me, Young Master Jin."
Jin didn't reply and instead loosened his posture. It was a bit disrespectful, indicating he didn't need to get into position to face him. However, the arrogance seemed justified. Jin could face talented cadets from Intermediate Class, which were leagues above those in Beginner Class.
Not lingering on the matter, Edington darted towards Jin and wielded his wooden sword. A surprise attack. He had calculated that if he didn't seize control of the duel from the start, he would never win against Jin.
However, that was a bad move.
As he watched the wooden sword fly towards his chest, Jin pushed himself forward instead of dodging. But at the last moment, he sidestepped, trampled on Edington's foot, and swung his sword towards his opponent's neck.
Be that as it may, Edington hadn't become a Runcandel guardian cadet through pure luck. He twisted his body out of reflex. He would have managed to dodge the strike until now, however, Jin who had calculated he would do this out of instinct had already planned a contingency.
Due to reflexive dodge, he was not in control of his body's trajectory. Jin raised his feet and pummeled the tip of his boot in his temple, making his head smash on the solid ground in the blink of an eye.
Everyone's eyes were wide open. Disbelieve and praise shining in their eyes.
Edington's eyes had rolled back, and the first duel was over five seconds after the initial attack.
"Next up, Sierra! Begin the spar immediately."
With Garon's shout, the second duel was initiated.
"I'll be in your care, Young Master Jin."
Once again, Jin didn't reply. He just got into a loose stance, letting his sword hang freely.
Despite the fighters' sequence being ranked from weakest to strongest, the second fight ended quickly. Much earlier than the first one.
"Next, David McChi."
'Reminds me of Mcdonalds from earth.'
Jin was lost in thoughts as the sword narrowly swooshed past him. Jin stroked David's elbow, making him drop the sword. The next instant, he landed a clean chop to the back of his head.
Jin flinched when he saw David lose consciousness and fall over, all the while keeping a smile on his face and a thumbs up.
Just how many more of these muscle-brained lunatics are there in this crazy clan??
He wondered. Even if Jin was David's superior, no sane person would smile and show gratitude to the man who just destroyed them, all the while disrespecting him.
Jin paused and looked up at his next opponent.
'Decent.'
It was the one who had fought Bellop and lost. Mesa. She won the incoming matches and was ranked by the instructor to fight Jin regardless.
"I am Mesa Milkano, Young Master." The pink haired girl spoke, respectfully.
"I am aware of your name. You're the second daughter of the Milkano family."
"It's an honor to have you remember me. I won't be as easy to deal with as the other cadets you faced before me. Today, I will definitely defeat you, Young Master."
"Hm? Well, good luck."
She was taken aback. Up until this point, no one else managed to make him speak. However, he was suddenly talking and wishing her luck as well. It was all the more surprising since Jin was viewed as a cocky Runcandel who considered talking to people beneath him unworthy of his stature.
While the reality was that he was just bad at making new friends. Or initiating conversations with people who did not show much promise.
Mesa positioned herself and prepared for battle. She then calmly began circling Jin without showing any openings. No wonder she was the strongest of Garon's beginner class cadets. She wasn't behaving the same way as when she was mercilessly attacking Bellop.
Attacking like a wild animal had already landed her a loss against the so-called weakest of the class.
Mesa was looking down on Bellop and attacking without considering the consequences. However, Jin was a completely different opponent compared to Bellop, so she completely changed her attitude and approach to the duel.
'She can be levelheaded when she has to. And her non-augmented physical traits are just as strong as me.'
She was the perfect example of an elite. Even though she hadn't seen through Bellop's true strength still and lost only because she was taken by surprise by Bellop's sudden shift in demeanor, Mesa was still an extremely gifted fighter.
Jin had sparred against Mesa a total of seven times until now. He had yet to lose. The first time was when it was his first time attending the Beginner Class and Jin barely won. However, after that, each time, the difference in their skills and strength was getting wider and wider.
'There are a few more cadets that I have to face. I can't dilly dally about here for long.'
Jin crouched suddenly, letting Mesa's sword swing above him while swinging his own sword at her legs. She jumped up, dodging the strike.
"Is that al---"
Before her sentence finished, Jin plunged his feet inside her abdomen. Her body caved in as Jin pounced up and gripped the sword in his hands, making a downward arc with it. It landed square on her skull, making her suspended body crash down into the cold floor with a heavy thud.
"Next!"
"Next!"
"Next!"
One after another, bodies fell on the ground, some with quick endings by losing consciousness while some of them were played around, breaking a few bones in the process. However, nothing was serious enough that Runcandel medic team couldn't handle.
For the final fight, it was Bellop against Jin.
As Bellop walked in front of him, Jin's temperament visibly changed. Almost like a teacher's reaction to their favourite student.
"Garon?"
"Yes, Young Master?"
"I will allow the usage of Aura for this battle."
"But Yo---"
"That is the sole stipulation I demand. I will restrict my Aura to 1-Star. Don't worry about it."
"Well... if you insist, then sure."
The air crackled with energy as Jin and Bellop faced each other in a secluded clearing. The tension between them was palpable, an unspoken challenge hanging in the air. Jin, with his emotionless gaze, stood still as a statue, while Bellop shivered as he looked into his eyes.
It wasn't the usual benevolence Jin usually showed him. It was the murderous intent that he experienced a few nights ago.
Without a word, Bellop lunged forward, his sword rugged surface forming an arc in the dappled sunlight. Jin met his attack with a calm precision, deflecting each strike with calculated ease. The clash of wooden swords echoed through the clearing as the two warriors engaged in a dance of blades.
Bellop, in an act of desperation, pressed harder, his movements fluid yet erratic. He aimed for Jin's vulnerabilities, seeking any sign of weakness. But Jin remained stoic, his expression unchanged. It was as if he were a machine, processing the incoming attacks with cold efficiency.
Bellop's eyes narrowed. From his prior experience, he knew he had no chance and even now Jin's aura seemed restricted, as if he were holding back. Which he was.
Bellop decided to test the waters, pushing harder, trying to break through Jin's defenses.
Jin allowed Bellop to gain ground, his movements calculated and precise. He parried each strike with minimal effort, his eyes never betraying any emotion. Bellop, growing more confident, unleashed a series of rapid strikes, hoping to catch Jin off guard.
Yet, Jin remained unfazed. A spark of realization ignited in Bellop's eyes, but before he could react, Jin disarmed him with a swift motion.
Bellop stepped back, surprised by the sudden turn of events. Jin's sword gleamed in the sunlight as he twirled it expertly. A faint smile tugged at the corners of Jin's lips, the first sign of any emotion.
"Decent enough," Jin whispered, his voice barely audible over the rustle of leaves. In that moment, Bellop understood the magnitude of the challenge he had faced.
He thought that last time he was caught off guard by how evil Jin was and that he could give some challenge to him if it was a straightforward fight. However, just now he finally came to the realisation that Jin had been evaluating, gauging the maximum potential he could reach while still restricting his aura.
With a swift movement, Jin swung his sword in a diagonal arc. Bellop, caught off guard, attempted to block the strike, but the impact sent shockwaves through his arms. The sound of snapping wood filled the air as Jin's sword collided with Bellop's, breaking it with a resounding crack.
The fight was over, not with a bang but with the aftermath of the sword breaking. Bellop staggered backward, clutching his broken sword. A searing pain radiated from his ribs, the result of Jin's final strike.
Jin regarded Bellop with an almost clinical detachment. "You relied too much on the illusion of equality," Jin said, his voice devoid of any triumph.
Bellop, struggling to stand, looked at Jin with a mixture of awe and disbelief. It was then that he realized the true extent of Jin's abilities. Despite restricting his aura, Jin's blessed physique and superior swordplay had effortlessly dismantled Bellop's efforts.
He failed to take into account something. Something that even the girl, Mesa failed in as well.
Physical age did not matter. Mesa thought she was stronger than Jin because she was a bit older than him. However, both did not take into account the Runcandel's blessed physique.
As Bellop crumpled to the ground, defeated, Jin walked over to him. Bellop caved in, recoiling fear. However, Jin just placed his hand on his shoulder.
"You did well, Bellop."
"Excellent work, Young Master. With this, you shall be permitted to attend the intermediate training class starting next year. Congratulations." Garon congratulated Jin as he looked at him and then suddenly remembered something.
'I am dead... I was supposed to meet sister today...'