Back from Dracula's Castle, Xenos headed back to his room. As he was walking down the halls.
"New Mission Host!" Sia told him.
"Alright Sia, 'Show Mission'. "
Train with Orion in swordsmanship with fatal weapons.
Reward: Telekinesis Unlocked, 50 EXP
"That's it?" Xenos said, slightly depressed.
"Well, as the EXP is set to 1000 for every level, EXP given for missions decrease as you get stronger."
"No, I get that and I knew this would happen, but it just sucks that it's so low."
As he was thinking about this, he suddenly had arms closing in front of him, with a soft feeling on his back, a surprise hug, he felt the warmth from the person with intimacy.
"Hey, mom."
"Why do you look so tired?" she said.
"I started training with dad, he taught me swordsmanship and hand to hand combat."
"Oh, that's nice, well if you want to learn about skills and abilities involving magic then ask me."
"Yes mom thank you," he said to her happily.
Thinking about the training, he suddenly grew curious if there were any schools that he could go to for training with peers his age.
"Uhhh... Are there academies for this? Like for combat and training?" Xenos asked.
"There are lots of schools but they are practically useless at this age as your body is still growing. Unless people are training their bodies and use combat without the use of magic then yes people do that at your age. But before a children's body is mature enough to train in mana they wouldn't go to schools. Besides you will go when you are 10, Akane is going when she's 10, while Elena will accompany you once you go."
"What? Where is this school?"
"With the current peace pact in the Bula Continent, all the empires decided to create an academy for all races. Which of course would be in the Sundry Empire, being the only Empire with laws for all races without being too biased.
Besides having a nobility like-system, it is mostly focused on who is stronger, as power does not wait for the weak. The academy is where someone's abilities are exhibited at a young age with tournaments, rankings, etc.
To enter you need to be at least at the age of 10 and if you do not reach middle tier strength by 20, you would be kicked out. You already have a letter of recommendation to head there when you are of age to join. Sadly, they have a rule that if you do not have a bone age of at least ten years, you cannot join no matter the strength you have. This was after your father joined hundreds of years ago. He went in at the age of 8 and wounded nearly everyone at his tier level before being exiled away for brutality, then needing to find a new identity. Which would lead us to who we are today."
"Woah, well that's cool to know. And you said something about tiers?" asked Xenos.
"Yes there are tiers to strength throughout the continent, did we not tell you this before?"
"Uhhhh... nope," Xenos says thinking about a memory where he slept with his eyes slightly open, appearing to be awake.
Eden continues, "Well then, the tiers are assessed by how powerful the being is. They go from:
S = Top tier
A = High tier
B= Upper tier
C= Middle tier
D= Lower tier
E= Low Tier
F= Bottom tier
With each of the tiers being divided into three sections, each tier has a +, normal and - (A+, A, and A-).
Though with that being said you need to try to be a little more discreet as I already know you've grown quite powerful and by the time you're 10 who know how strong you'd become."
"Then what's the point in me going?" He asked.
"We go due to the peace pact, from being Counts and the only Counts in the entire Human empire, because of some reasons that you'd have to ask your father, so we must partake in this."
"Alright." He said.
Xenos continued talking to his mom about training in practicing magic with her. He soon heads to bed afterward.
In his bed, he suddenly asks Sia,
"Sia do you have information on how strong these tiers would be in terms of my strength?"
"Sadly I do not host, you must battle others and ask of their tiers so I can assess the power needed for each tier in order to conform with your stats."
"Yes, I'll need to do that at some point."
**Time Skip 6 Months**
Xenos continued his training with his father. However, they have not used any dangerous weapons yet, nor did his stats increase, as he hasn't gotten another mission after the last. Instead, he's become a much better swordsman and martial artist, nearly able to keep up with his father's speed, as well as getting experience from the training. He also thinks it's time that he gets his weapon and his bloodline ability unlocked, telekinesis. He heads over to his father.
Knocking on the door of his father's study, he hears a dignified voice.
"Come In, Xenos."
Walking in, he closes the door behind him, eyeing his father sitting in his chair behind the desk.
"Father, I wish to train in using deadly weapons instead of blunt ones."
As he had before Orion spoke without looking up, occupied in his work.
"Any object designed, made, or adapted for the purposes of inflicting death or serious physical injury can be considered a deadly weapon. I understand you mean the blades, but do you think you are really ready? Even pens could be considered deadly weapons."
"Yes father, I wish to grow powerful, to protect people."
"All right, all right, let us not get sentimental, we've talked about this before, let's head over to Dracula's castle now to see if you really are capable of this. I'll finish my work later."
They both teleported away, as by now Xenos had the mental strength to teleport to Dracula's castle without it affecting him much.
In front of the immense Gothic castle, there stood a duo underneath the glow of a red full moon.
"Are you prepared?" said Orion.
"Yes father"
"Orion flicking his finger brought a dark crimson blade from within the castle, diving into the ground in front of Xenos. As he reached out for it he felt the continuously cold aura it emitted. Clutching the handle he pulled it out, once holding it he shivered, trying to connect with it.
"Still having trouble, huh?"
"No, I believe I can wield it."
"If you think you can then let us begin."
Orion says as he slowly drew a long sword from his belt. The blade made a hissing whisper as it was removed from the sheath.
They both get into their respective stances, and gaze at each other, although Xenos slightly struggles in handling his weapon.
As the red glow from above disappears due to a dusky cloud, they begin.
Xenos rushing to his father slashes his blade downward with Orion easily weaving away backward. Seeing this Xenos continues forward beginning an onslaught of attacks but they were all either evaded or parried away with a shriek that sent sparks flying into the air.
Xenos starting to tire continued hacking away, with Orion sidestepped to the right just enough and the blade passed a hairs breath from his face. Following up with a swift punch into Xenos' solar plexus, knocking the wind out of Xenos, and stunning him for a brief moment.
Xenos, feeling the pain subsiding, quickly jumped back dozens of meters to assess the situation more carefully.
Orion seeing this smiled then continued by saying,
"This is enough with the playtime no more going easy on you, time for the real fight to begin."
He then suddenly pushed off the ground leaving a small crater, zooming towards Xenos.
"Shit" Xenos said as he tried to block his father's attack.
"Schwing" Orion's sword glides over Xenos' Katana, then "Boom".
With Xenos unable to block Orion he gets hit and is sent flying into the castle, with smoke flying and the walls crumbling.
Orion looks towards where the point of impact occurred as the dust dissipates. With Xenos stuck in the wall.
From the crater in the wall a young Xenos is seen barely conscious, with his head looking downwards he shifts it up only to sees his father staring at him, then suddenly all he sees is darkness.