One Strike Ends It All
'Damn it...'
Tonya couldn't help but scowl at Adel's words.
'Picking a fight right off the bat? Who the hell does this outsider think he is...? Hien took him in, and now he's acting like he owns the place...'
The trainees in the nest trained inside except on designated holidays. Naturally, this was the first time Tonya had laid eyes on Adel.
He'd heard the rumors: breaking Hien's ritual record, snatching Kargon away from Merka and Syrin. The stories about Adel were rampant, but Tonya didn't buy them without seeing proof.
'Rumors are always exaggerated anyway. No offense to Hien, but that ritual record? Plenty of challengers hold back on purpose.'
Tonya recalled what Syrin had said when he first came to their family as a kid.
'Syrin could've shattered the record too, but he held back for Merka's sake.'
That thought only fueled his resentment toward Adel, who was strutting around without appreciating the favor of being taken in.
'Kargon was probably the same. Those two already have their own gods, so they handed it off to their little brother.'
Tonya glared at Adel.
'All these rumors, but he's barely been here from the central lands a few days. Whatever he did there, I've been training in this nest for two years.'
Just moments ago, he'd felt intimidated by Adel's status as Hien's eighth son, but now he figured it wasn't impossible.
'If I beat this punk here, Syrin would be thrilled, right?'
In the end, Tonya entertained the thought he shouldn't have.
"Hey, didn't you hear me? Let's spar."
"...Huh?"
"Pick up your weapon."
"...Uh."
But his vain hopes didn't last long.
The moment he looked at Adel, he knew.
"...!"
Those beast-like eyes seemed ready to devour him on the spot, and Tonya's body froze solid.
"I-I accept."
He grudgingly scooped up the sword from the floor, choking back tears. He wanted to bolt, but fleeing would tarnish his family's honor—he couldn't do it.
Adel had anticipated even that much, waiting patiently for Tonya to ready himself.
Everyone held their breath, watching the two.
"Hoo...!"
Tonya slowly assumed his stance. Even with the captain's influence, he'd kept up with nest training, so he wasn't utterly talentless.
'The guy's what, thirteen at most? Two years younger than me. And I've trained even longer than that age gap. No way I lose...'
His thoughts ended there.
His vision suddenly went black.
"Gahk...!"
Adel's sword tip had mercilessly plunged into Tonya's throat.
Paak—!!
Tonya's body reeled backward. In that instant, Adel's blade cracked against the back of his head.
Krunch...!!
The wooden sword shattered into pieces.
Tonya crumpled forward, unconscious.
"Hm."
Adel looked down at him with a blank expression.
"It's over."
He tossed his sword carelessly to the ground with a bored tone.
What Tonya didn't know—what he could never know—was that while he'd trained for two years, Adel had survived over ten times that in life-or-death battles.
"T-Tonya!!!"
Sian, who'd been bickering with him moments ago, rushed over screaming as he collapsed.
"Ugh... Even if Tonya's the weaker one, he's still a senior trainee. Knocking him out in one hit? You're gonna be famous around the nest now."
The boy behind Kasla shook his head at the sprawled Tonya.
"You could do it too, Harun."
Harun chuckled at her words.
"Fame means more enemies. I wanna live quiet and long."
"Then you shouldn't have come to the nest in the first place."
"What can I do? It was the tribe's condition for taking me in. I just wanna graduate safely."
Kasla frowned at Harun's reply but said no more.
"Aaaack?!"
Their conversation cut short at Sian's scream—everyone turned to him.
"See? Fame brings headaches. Though this guy's gonna be famous for a different reason now."
Harun shook his head again.
Drip... drip...
Tonya's pants, soaked dark, began puddling on the floor as he lay passed out.
"Ugh...!"
Sian scanned the area in dismay, unsure what to do with the piss-soaked Tonya, but the trainees started drifting away with awkward expressions.
"Go easy next time. He's still a captain's son, y'know."
"That was going easy. Ended it in one hit. Otherwise, it'd be shit, not piss."
"...You sure you're from the central lands? Tougher than us desert folk."
Kasla pouted, pressing Adel on his answer.
"Central folk can be vicious too. No mercy there. Killing allies, betraying friends—it's all fair game."
"What're you on about?"
"Nothing."
Adel beckoned to Heila, who stood rigid-faced.
"Let's go."
"Ah, yes...!"
Heila hurried after him.
"...Stop right there!!!"
Then Sian bellowed from behind, face flushed purple, glaring daggers.
"Even if you're Hien's eighth, that duel wasn't fair! We're captains' sons. Tonya couldn't swing freely!"
"So?"
"...What?"
"You wanna avenge him? Sounds like you think you can go all out against me."
"I-I...!"
Sian had yelled boldly, but Adel's gaze made him avert his eyes.
"If you want a duel, fine. But don't throw words around lightly. Got it? Next time, it won't end this quick."
Adel sliced his thumb across his throat in warning.
Chill—
Sian fell silent, head bowed.
The trainees felt it: the fight was decided without a swing.
"If you're his friend, quit making a scene and drag him off quietly. Screaming over a little piss... pathetic."
"You, you...!"
Sian wanted to retort but could only seethe wordlessly.
"Sian. Enough of the spectacle."
"Huh?"
"Hoist Tonya and take him to recovery."
Myurn finally intervened.
"It was a fair duel. Tonya lost, Adel won. Nothing more, nothing less."
"But...!!!"
"Not convinced? Fight him yourself. The nest favors challengers. As Adel said, you can duel honorably, status be damned."
"That's...!"
Sian trailed off, lost for words.
"Dismissed, everyone. Training ends here today."
Myurn turned away after that.
'Tch, idiots. Stepping up was their mistake.'
'Sian just embarrassed Merka more with that nonsense.'
'Both shaming their captains.'
The trainees' thoughts aligned.
They'd never seen the pair as true nest material despite their lineage.
'Adel, huh...'
'Things'll get noisy from tomorrow.'
Like their verdict on the duo, Adel's image etched into their minds.
Seeing nothing left, they dispersed.
"Let's go."
"Huh? Where to?"
"Where else?"
Kasla grinned at Harun.
* * *
"Heila. Think I went too far?"
"Pardon?"
On the way back to the dorms after leaving the training grounds, Adel asked her.
"They're not wrong. I got lucky being adopted by Hien, but I've only been tribe for days."
"...!"
"A newbie like me gunning for chief? Absurd. No way they'd accept me yet."
Heila hesitated, unsure how to respond.
"This incident will properly imprint your image on the trainees."
After five steps down the hall, she answered cautiously.
"Yeah?"
Adel nodded, satisfied.
"Report that upstairs too."
Twitch—
Her shoulders jerked at his words.
Adel smirked at her reaction.
"...You knew?"
Pretending ignorance would've been foolish, she knew.
"Obviously. A 'maid' in the nest...? Even as Hien's son, that's overkill. So, one of two things."
Step—step—step—
Adel didn't break stride.
"Either Father assigned you out of real concern for me. But I've met him few times, and he's not the type."
Heila was relieved she could look away without meeting his eyes.
"So, option two."
She knew her face betrayed her.
"Someone watching me warily. But not Syrin—he's too proud for this."
Thud.
Adel halted.
"Obvious, then. Suck-ups trying to impress Syrin. Folks pushing him for chief."
"That's...!"
"Even with uptight Myurn around, the only ones with reach into the nest are the captains. Right?"
Heila faltered again.
"Captain spots aren't hereditary. They change anytime. Means you need real talent somewhere."
Adel eyed her.
"They're no fools—they wouldn't risk obvious moves themselves. Someone ordered it."
Seeing her distress, he patted her shoulder lightly.
"And there's one in the nest with sway the captains can't ignore, backing Syrin as next chief."
"...!"
"Yoran."
Heila bit her lip unwittingly.
"Obvious ploy, but not your fault. You're just that good. Gait, eyes—even trying to hide, too polished for a maid."
He looked at her.
"I only want the best. How about working under me instead?"
"...Pardon?"
She froze, then realized his gaze wasn't on her.
"Right, Kasla?"
Heila whipped around.
"Haha, talking to me? So confident. And sharp too. Makes sense—you humiliated Syrin in the plaza."
"Hm. You were there?"
"Lucky timing. Trainees get family visits every two months."
"I see. But that was just helping Syrin—tragic accident."
"Oh yeah? Tragic accident, huh."
"Yep."
Definitely minding Heila. Kasla grinned at his deadpan reply.
"Formal lessons start tomorrow, right? What's next?"
"Training. Once I'm officially in, expect real fights. Better loosen up now."
"Nice."
She beamed eagerly.
"Need a partner? Better than solo. Right?"
Kasla had been curious about Adel's skills since before he arrived—ever since hearing he'd passed the ritual with Nazan's bow, Yoyeon.
'Using Yoyeon means activating the imprint. You can use imprinted blessings without contracting the god... but it's no easy feat.'
"Sure. Could use the help."
His easy agreement surprised her, drawing a odd look.
"For real? Great. I'll specially—"
"Not you."
"...Huh?"
"Behind you."
She turned.
"Me?"
Harun pointed at himself, baffled.
"Yeah. You."
Adel smiled cryptically at him.
'Lucky. Meeting you this soon.'
Unlike Adel, who awakened his talent late, Harun knew his but hid it.
Harun Serpent.
The man who became Ulan tribe's final great hunter in his previous life.