The Assassin's Presence
Raon took a step forward. The closer he drew to Rimer, the more violently the presence pouring off the man swelled.
It was a pressure even Runaan and Burren would have struggled to pierce, let alone the other children. And yet a smile tugged at Raon's mouth.
He's gone and laid the stage for me all on his own.
Ever since he had decided to live as Raon Zieghart, there had been no need to hide what he could do. A stage had opened for him to display his talent, his ability. All he had to do was step onto it and play.
"How is it? If it's too much to bear, just say the—"
"I'm fine."
Raon offered a faint smile and stamped his foot.
This presence alone won't be enough.
Presence was not something housed in the body. It filled the vessel of the soul. And he carried more than the dignity he had built as Raon Zieghart—he carried the presence of Raon, the greatest assassin who had ever lived.
A low rumble rolled through the air. Over the small but unyielding presence of Raon Zieghart settled the dignity of another Raon—the assassin who had never once failed.
The sound of his footsteps on the training ground sand changed. The presence riding his shoulders radiated a grave, unshakable will.
A presence honed sharp as a blade split the green-wind pressure Rimer had unfurled cleanly in two.
"You—what in the..."
Rimer's eyes flew wide. The composure that had filled them was gone, replaced by two stark words: shock.
Raon gave no answer. He simply walked on, carving through the raging wind, and in five strides he stood before Rimer.
He reached out lightly and tapped Rimer on the shoulder.
"Is the test over?"
"Huh? Uh..."
At that voice—confident, yet grave—Rimer could only nod.
"Thank you."
Raon lowered his hand and let the assassin's presence scatter. He'd pushed himself; his mind felt dull and distant.
Rimer still hadn't recovered. His mouth hung open, the shock written plain across his face.
You! Just what in the world are you?!
Astonishment colored even Wrath's voice. For a being who lived in perpetual rage, such a reaction was rare.
"Hmph."
Raon waited for Rimer's response, sweeping his gaze across the silent training ground.
The collateral-line children and vassal-house kids who'd been jeering, the ones who'd been cheering him on out of camaraderie from training together, even their parents—every last mouth had snapped shut. A silence had settled over the entire training ground, a space that had been almost grand in its noise only moments before.
"W-what? He broke through that? That kid?"
"No, how is this even..."
"A sickly boy who hasn't even learned aura—how?!"
The trainees' parents let out dazed, empty breaths, their faces gone slack.
"Raon? Your body—!"
"Young master. You didn't overdo it, did you?"
Sylvia and Helen's eyes welled with tears. Their faces were full of emotion, but their mouths, as always, were worrying over his health.
Glenn Zieghart's expression, however, did not change. The ice-sheet coolness remained exactly as it had been.
That man is the real thing.
Raon looked at Glenn and shook his head.
"Just what the hell are you?"
Rimer clicked his tongue, staring at the composed Raon.
"You've been watching me for six months. I'm Raon."
"I'm saying this because you surpassed that. I put out a presence beyond what your abilities should be able to handle. I was messing with you on purpose—I never even imagined you'd break through it."
He'd poured out a presence strong enough that Raon shouldn't have been able to endure it, all to see what the boy was hiding. He'd been certain that no matter how much power Raon had concealed, he wouldn't be able to pierce it. And yet Raon had split his presence apart as if it were nothing. Honestly, he still couldn't believe it.
"Hmm..."
Rimer looked past Raon at the direct-line and collateral-line children behind him.
Still, I like that.
Those mouths that had been so loud were now clamped shut, just like his own. The entire training ground was at a loss before the spectacle Raon had just put on.
"Ahem. As head instructor, I let my attention wander for a moment."
Rimer let the fading green wind carry him back up onto the platform.
"With Raon Zieghart, the examination to select official trainees is now concluded. However, one important ceremony remains."
At the words "important ceremony," every gaze in the grounds locked onto Rimer's mouth.
"We need to name a representative among the trainees—the top trainee."
The top trainee was likely to become a central figure of the house in the future, and a fierce hunger burned in the eyes of both children and parents.
It was decided from the start, but the situation has changed quite a bit.
In truth, the top spot had been Raon Zieghart's from the beginning. He had shown the greatest growth during the provisional trainee period, which aligned perfectly with the purpose of the exam. Of course, Rimer hadn't expected him to pass this overwhelmingly.
Thanks to that, the surprise event I had prepared might just disappear.
Rimer smirked as he scanned the trainees. His gaze passed over Runaan and Burren, then stopped on Raon. And then—
"Raon Zieghart. From this day forward, you are the top trainee of the Fifth Training Ground. I look forward to working with you."
"Ohhh! Lord Raon!"
Dorian burst into applause. Runaan, with an inscrutable expression, clapped exactly three times.
"Y-Young Master Raon is the top trainee!"
"Oh no..."
"Lady Sylvia!"
Helen clutched her head, then caught Sylvia as she collapsed.
"Huh?"
"F-for real?"
"That child is really the top trainee? I can't believe..."
"Raon was the one who broke through the strongest presence."
"But he's Sylvia's child! The runaway Sylvia!"
"That has nothing to do with the child's ability."
"Isn't he in cahoots with Rimer, pulling some kind of scam? He's the type who'd do it!"
The others argued among themselves, insisting such a thing couldn't be possible.
"Th-that's a lie!"
Burren rose to his feet, his lips trembling.
"This isn't right!"
"What's a lie, and what isn't right?"
Rimer turned to Burren with a blank look.
"Raon is inferior to me in stamina, in strength, and in talent. And that guy is the top trainee? I cannot accept this!"
"You saw it yourself. Raon easily broke through a presence far stronger than the one you barely passed. He's more than worthy of the title."
"He must have used some trick!"
"Burren Zieghart. Are you questioning my judgment?"
The smile on Rimer's lips didn't change, but the atmosphere shifted in an instant. The once-cool breeze now felt as if it had edges.
"Th-that's not it—I'm saying that guy cheated! Raon couldn't even keep up with me in yesterday's training. It doesn't make any sense that he broke through a presence that powerful!"
"He's right!"
"Even you don't fully believe it, Instructor!"
The collateral-line children who ran with Burren stood up and gathered at his side.
"Hrm..."
Rimer scratched his chin. He hadn't expected Raon to pierce his presence that easily either, so he could understand their tantrum, at least a little.
"He's got a point."
"How is that even possible when he's suffering from the Curse of Frost?"
"He doesn't even have aura."
Looking around, it wasn't just the children. The adults had begun to murmur as well. Even having seen it with their own eyes, they were starting to doubt the exam.
"I suppose it could seem strange. I was pretty shocked myself."
"Exactly!"
A flicker of hope widened Burren's eyes into round circles.
"We are House Zieghart, a house of martial artists. I believe we should settle this with a proper fight rather than a test like this!"
"So you want to spar with Raon and take the top trainee position for yourself?"
"N-not me, even if it's someone else..."
"Your eyes are full of greed. No need to lie."
Rimer smirked and waved a hand. Burren's face went red, but he didn't deny it.
"That said, the exam is already over. My lord. What do you think we should do about this?"
"Burren Zieghart."
Glenn looked from Raon to Burren, then slowly opened his mouth.
"Yes!"
"To change a matter that has already been decided, a corresponding price must be paid. Are you prepared to pay that price?"
"Of course!"
Burren answered without a second's thought. Whatever the contest, he was certain he would beat Raon.
"Raon Zieghart."
This time, Glenn called Raon's name.
"Yes."
Raon bowed his head, standing at attention.
"Those around you refuse to accept the result. Are you willing to compete against Burren?"
"I am not."
Raon shook his head, firm and unhesitating.
"Hah!"
"Huh?"
"Wha..."
"H-has that bastard lost his mind?!"
People's mouths fell open. No one had expected him to refuse outright.
"The exam is over, and the result is in. There's no reason to compete without something in return."
"Hmm?"
"All that talk about the direct line this, honor that—and you can't even accept the result."
"Nngh!"
At Raon's mockery, Burren's face flushed an even deeper red.
"Then we'll do it this way."
Glenn's voice, heavy as a slab of iron, turned every head toward him.
A Bronze Token!
House Zieghart awarded Gold, Silver, and Bronze Tokens according to a martial artist's accomplishments. Even a Bronze Token, if granted personally by the family head, was a considerable reward.
Fortune just rolled right into my lap.
He'd become the top trainee and won his wager with Wrath—and now a Bronze Token was being offered on top of that. The rewards had just doubled.
Glenn seemed to want Burren, a direct descendant, to take the top spot. Unfortunately for him, Burren would not be meeting that expectation.
"Understood."
"R-Raon!"
"It's all right."
The moment he nodded, Sylvia rushed over. He smiled at her worried face.
"Thank you for trusting me! My lord. I will not disappoint you!"
Burren bowed to Glenn, his face overflowing with gratitude.
"That's enough. Begin."
"Yes!"
Burren sprang to his feet and strode up to Raon.
"To think you'd end up facing me directly. Your luck runs out right here."
He grinned, continuing.
"I haven't liked you since the moment I first saw you. Right here, I'll show you the difference in level between a direct descendant and a discarded maggot."
"For someone who can't even take a loss, you've got an awfully long tongue."
Raon snorted and rolled his wrist.
"You little..."
"Save the fighting for the spar."
Rimer stepped between them and shook his head.
"The spar is a single round. Using a weapon or aura is an automatic disqualification. Use only your own body."
"Understood!"
"Yes."
"Good. Then..."
Rimer lifted the hands that had been blocking Raon and Burren's view of each other and stepped back.
"Begin!"
"Hyaaah!"
Before the word "Begin" had even reached his ears, Burren lunged in. A vicious punch drove toward Raon's solar plexus.
Raon turned the back of his hand and knocked Burren's fist aside. The rotational force in the punch made his wrist throb.
"That much isn't enough to stop my fist!"
Burren smiled coldly and drove a second punch into Raon's abdomen.
He caught the fist in his palm, but the pain still traveled all the way up his forearm.
"This is the Gongho Fist, taught to me personally by my father. Nobody said we couldn't use martial arts, so this isn't against the rules."
"Gongho Fist..."
The Gongho Fist was a Zieghart fist art that put rotation into the punch to punch through an opponent's defense.
What should I do...
It had power, but it was clumsy. He could suppress it without much difficulty.
It'd be a waste to just win.
Ending it easily would be a shame, given the stage that had been set. He wanted to win while proving his ability to everyone.
"What are you looking at?!"
Burren threw a punch. Raon leaned his upper body back to slip it, then took a step back.
"I'll show you the difference in talent!"
The boy even used footwork as he swung his fists. Both the punches and the steps were clumsy, but his physical ability was outstanding, which made him reasonably threatening.
Talent, huh.
Raon stepped sideways, his eyes gleaming. A way to smack the heads of these Zieghart idiots who only measured innate talent had just occurred to him.
Martial comprehension.
As members of a martial house, they prized talent in martial comprehension above all else. He decided he would show them that talent.
I've got something perfect for this.
Raon ran the Ring of Fire at full power. The instant the three rings spun with furious speed, Burren's movements slowed, and the flow of the fist art unfolding before him came into perfect, crystalline view.
"Have you given up already?!"
Burren drove a punch straight at him. A vicious wind grazed Raon's ear.
"As if."
Raon's hand traced a half-moon. The moment it met Burren's fist, the punch ricocheted off in the opposite direction.
It was the same rotation as the Gongho Fist Burren had used—only in the opposite direction.
"Nngh!"
Burren's eyes wavered as he was driven back. He clenched his teeth and charged in again.
Raon knocked the fist aside and drove his shoulder into him. With a heavy thud, Burren staggered backward.
Raon kicked off the ground and plunged into the startled Burren's chest.
"You bastard!"
Even in his panic, Burren threw a left at Raon's jaw. But every one of his punches had already been read.
With a reverse rotation, Raon shoved Burren's fist aside, then slammed a blow into the boy's gut.
"Guhk!"
Burren made a choking, foaming sound and dropped to his knees.
"H-how are you using the Gongho Fist..."
He drooled from a slack, disbelieving jaw.
"W-what just happened?"
"How did that child use the Gongho Fist..."
"There's no way Sylvia or Rimer taught him that!"
"What just happened..."
The people watching the spar stared with eyes wide in shock.
"You showed me."
Raon looked down at Burren with cold eyes and dusted off his hands.