The morning sun rose over the villa and surrounding buildings on the hills, casting a golden glow over the city. The fortified walls were lined with guards, their crossbows at the ready. The entire city was on high alert following a recent incident where a dark rift walker had infiltrated the city, bypassing the walls and security.
As one guard's night shift came to an end, he fished a stone out of his pocket. With a soft glow emanating from the center, he turned to his fellow guard and said
"I'm done for the day. Time to retire."
His colleague replied,
"It's strange to see so many patrols. Did you hear about the dark rift walker that was spotted in General Ivan's estate? That's probably why."
Rumors had been spreading throughout the city that General Ivan Tepsih Darcule's estate had been attacked, and one of his sons had been injured.
The tired guard let out a yawn and said,
"I don't think that's the reason. It's concerning if these monsters can just walk into one of the most secure cities in the kingdom. I'm just too exhausted to care. Night shifts are the worst. They couldn't find anyone else to volunteer?"
His brother, who was standing beside him, was taken aback by his sibling's lackadaisical attitude. Normally, he was very uptight, but he had never done a night shift before.
"Alright, tell Mom I'll be back before dinner," the guard said, turning to leave.
Standing at the highest point on the walls, the guard looked out towards the distant lands beyond the city. He felt the wind gently stroking his golden hair as he contemplated the gravity of their duty as the protectors of the city.
"I hope you're right, brother. We must remain vigilant in the face of the looming threat. Only four kingdoms remain, and the darkness threatens to engulf us all," he thought to himself.
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Rayhein woke up early, eager to explore his new surroundings. He excused himself from the guard and took a stroll around the estate, admiring the beautiful garden and the grandeur of the buildings. As he walked towards the training barracks, he scanned the area, trying to familiarize himself with this new world. He felt a lack of information and wanted to learn as much as possible about his surroundings, from the geography to the wildlife.
Aiden's memories were a mix of fragmented pieces of his and Rayhein's life.
"Most of my memories are hazy," he explained. "I only remember the three years of the cloning program. It seems that only the strongest memories have survived, the ones that had an impact on the individual."
Rayhein's childhood memories were particularly vivid in Aiden's mind. He remembered how Rayhein was born without any magical talents, which made him a target for abuse from his family and the people living in the estate. Despite his hardships, Rayhein tried his best to cope with the situation and even attempted to enroll in Remutie, one of the prestigious schools of the kingdom. However, he failed due to his lack of magical aptitude, which was highly valued in the school. The pressure eventually forced him to abandon his dreams of becoming a knight and enrolling in the champions program.
As he walked along the pathway in the garden, he saw strange birds staring at him with their beady eyes. They were massive creatures with long beaks and a huge build, almost resembling crows. Looking around, he noticed the huge walls surrounding the estate and the city beyond.
Rayhein pondered the significance of the walls, recalling the hostile entities that existed in this world. The wildlife was enormous and could easily kill humans, with subspecies existing as well. While science and technology existed, advancements in technology were limited, and most civilizations relied on magic or similar substitutes in nature to replace the need for gadgets. It was a world unlike any he had ever known before.
Rayhein tried to recall some information from the books he had read before. He knew that some of them had left a deep impression on him and could be useful in his current situation.
"Perhaps reading those books again in my room would be a form of escapism. But it could also prove to be very helpful," he thought to himself.
As he walked around, Rayhein kept a keen eye out for anything that might catch his attention. He noticed some exotic birds flying around that had feathers that looked like they were on fire.
"I can't help but wonder how the humans here managed to survive for so long. It's honestly surprising," he murmured to himself.
As he continued to explore, the sounds of people waking up and going about their daily routines started to fill the air. Guards and other personnel could be seen going about their shifts. Rayhein paid no attention to any of this and kept strolling along, lost in his own thoughts.
Suddenly, he stumbled upon the champion knights' quarter where they were already training early in the morning. Rayhein couldn't help but watch them with admiration.
As he continued on his walk, Rayhein began to sense that someone was following him. He became a little cautious, but he was also confident in his status as an important figure. Apart from his family, he thought that no one would bother him much.
"Master Rayhein? Is there an inspection?" the person following him asked.
A group of guys who were present at the champion knights' quarter were surprised to see Rayhein there at such an early hour, especially since he was alone and unaccompanied.
"Don't be alarmed, I'm just here to watch how the knights train. I won't bother anyone," Rayhein assured them.
One of the guys was not pleased with Rayhein's presence and told him to leave, saying,
"You're not welcome here, Rayhein."
Rayhein ignored the guy and focused on a small boy who was on the practice grounds. The area was divided into two separate sections and had various training equipment, including a firing range and dummies. There were even cages containing animals that looked like bears.
The little boy in battle clothes made of leather and metal parts caught Rayhein's attention. It was none other than Avan Tepish Dracule, his obnoxious little brother. Rayhein observed that Avan was practicing his magical abilities early in the morning and had burn marks on his armor. He mentioned something about the "fire manipulation series" or whatever it was.
he decided to tease Avan a little to gauge his reaction and possibly gain a better understanding of how to approach him in the future. He couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy as he watched Avan manipulate flames with ease, leaving burn marks on his armor. The little twerp had always belittled him, even though Rayhein knew he had made mistakes in the past. But he decided to tease Avan a little and see how he reacted.
"I'm just watching, don't mind me. I just wanted to see my little brother in action, that's all," Rayhein said with a smirk.
As he looked around at the other people in the area, Rayhein noticed that they all seemed to dislike him and had a look of disgust on their faces. He realized that the hatred for Rayhein was not just limited to his family and that he must have made some mistakes in the past. However, his memories were still incomplete, and he didn't know the full story yet.
The little brother was furious at his remarks
"You? A talentless nobody? Why bother coming here? to watch training? You're just wasting time. Get lost or--" Avan's voice trailed off as his open palm started to glow with particles that coalesced in his palm.
Before Rayhein could do something rash, the butler appeared out of nowhere, separating the brothers.
"It's time for your studies, Master Rayhein," the butler said, his voice calm and controlled.
Hans glanced back at Avan and muttered, "Sorry, Master Avan. Ray has his classes to attend." His words were laced with a tinge of bitterness.
The butler quickly diffused the situation, and Avan's remark echoed in Rayhein's ears.
"This little twerp," he seethed inwardly. "I need to teach him a lesson. Just wait for a few months. I'm sure I can beat him in combat."
Rayhein had stormed off, leaving Avan behind with a disappointed expression on his face. He had hoped to provoke Rayhein into a fight, to give him a reality check by beating him to a pulp.
"I'll kill you someday for abandoning me and mother,"
Avan thought bitterly. Returning to the firing range, Avan focused his concentration on his right palm, and particles began to converge around it. His hand vibrated with power as he held it steady with his left hand. A glowing plasma ball formed in his hand, and he aimed it at the dummy 100 feet away.
With fierce determination, Avan fired the ball, and it shot forward with incredible speed, hitting the target with such force that it burst into flames and left a gaping hole in its wake. Avan spoke softly, but his voice was firm.
"Just give up, brother. You never stood up after Mom's death. I'll take your place. You're useless."
The soldiers and trainees who had been watching the spectacle of magic in action were stunned. Even the person in charge of the training area was impressed.
"That's terrifying, to be honest," he said. "He could definitely be someone great if he went to Rumira."
As Rayhein walked towards his room in the villa, he turned to Hans and asked,
"Why did you interrupt us?"
Hans was taken aback by the question. Rayhein had backed off from provocation by his little brother Avan multiple times in the past. It was odd to see him acting so strangely after his near-death experience.
"Are you okay, Master Ray?" Hans asked. "Do you really want to get beat up that badly?"
Rayhein shook his head. "No, but I'm thinking of going to train now. With enough time, I'm sure I can beat him. Magic isn't the end-all, be-all. I'll find a way to improve my situation somehow."
Hans was at a loss for words. He couldn't imagine what kind of training Rayhein had in mind. He knew that Rayhein was a null, and suggesting that he fight Avan was dangerous. It was a touchy subject, and Hans didn't dare ask what Rayhein meant by it.
Leading Rayhein to his quarters, Hans arranged for him to receive education in state affairs, management, and finance from an instructor who had been hired by his father. After completing the class, Rayhein returned to his room and lay down on his bed.
"That was interesting," he thought to himself, "but I still have so many questions."
Rayhein was fascinated by the world he had been thrown into and yearned to learn everything about it. His insatiable curiosity drove him to seek knowledge about magic, the different races, cultures, and professions that existed here. He understood that gaining this knowledge was crucial to prevent any future wars. As he pondered the implications of his new world, he realized that there was so much to consider and decided to make it his mission to learn everything he could.
It had been two days since he had arrived in this world, and he had noticed a pattern in his daily routine. He spent his time studying and practicing drills that were relatively easy, but he couldn't help but feel that he was being shielded from any danger. Despite this, he continued to focus on his studies and training, determined to learn as much as he could.
"Perhaps my father is protecting me,
" Rayhein thought to himself. "If that's the case, I should enjoy my time here But if the future brings war, I cant stay put. I'll need to get into that school as a knight to be close to Aiden. How do I start training to become a knight, though?"
As he pondered this question, he decided to observe the knights in the training area again.
"It's time to put the brutal battle training I received in the perfect soldier program to use and get my body in shape. I don't need magic to excel in this world; I just need a better understanding of it. There must be tools to negate it. Everything has flaws. I'll work on myself for now."
Rayhein visited the training area again in the evening, an odd time for training. To his surprise, he found only one person there, a young man practicing sword strikes. He watched in awe as the young man's hand movements and breathing were calm and controlled, his concentration intense. The young man's perfect battle stance was a testament to his skill and dedication, and Rayhein couldn't help but be impressed
Rayhein was awestruck by the boy's speed and agility. The way he moved was like a blur, and it seemed like he had teleported from one position to another in the blink of an eye. Ray had never seen anything like it before, not even with his old clone body and drugs. The sound of his movements was deafening, like a thunderclap echoing through the training area.
"Thud."
"BOOM."
Ray couldn't believe what he had just witnessed. The boy had struck the dummy so fast and so hard that it seemed to have vanished into thin air. Ray was about to approach him when the boy suddenly changed his posture again, this time with such lightning speed that Ray couldn't even see him move.
"Did he vanish? So fast. I could not even see him changing positions," Rayhein exclaimed in disbelief.
"Hey, are you a knight?" Ray asked, trying to get his attention.
The boy didn't seem to notice him at first, still in the midst of his training. But eventually, he turned to face Ray and replied,
"Huh. No, a trainee."
Rayhein was eager to learn and wanted to see if the boy would be willing to teach him. The boy was about the same height as him, and though he looked a few years older, he still appeared young. Rayhein could tell that he had an advanced-level sword art technique that he could learn.
"Yeah, hello, I'm Rayhein. Sorry to bother you. Can you tell me what that combat style was and how you moved so fast?"
The boy, who was roughly the same height as Ray, and a few years older, looked at him for a moment before answering.
"Champion Spark Battle Style. It's kind of complicated to explain, and even if I did, it wouldn't be of much use to you, Sir Rayhein."
"You know my name? Oh interesting. How much time does it take to learn this battle art? Can I learn it? I can't use magic though," Rayhein asked, his interest piqued.
"It doesn't use magic, but something different. It's more about using inner and outer force. To learn the basics, it would take you two years. This technique is an advanced-level sword art. My dad drilled me in these things since I was a child," the boy replied.
Despite the daunting amount of time, it would take to learn, Ray was excited at the prospect of mastering this technique. He knew that champions knights would have a significant role to play in future battles, and if he could learn this battle art and add that kind of speed to his already impressive hybrid martial arts, the application would be fascinating for close combat.
As he touched his chest, he felt two separate heartbeats,
"Thum, Thum."
Ray was thrilled at the prospect of making use of this one and only gift both brothers had inherited as a trait of being a rare subspecies. He had better physical stats than most when it came to physical capabilities, and that was the only thing he had to make use of currently.
"Who needs magic when I can squash anything with might? Hahaha," Ray said, chuckling to himself.
The boy looked at him with confusion.
"Is he okay? What did I put myself into? And why can't he call me by my name? Did he forget about me?" he wondered.
Unbeknownst to them, a person leaning on the wall diagonally hidden from eyesight had heard everything. Hans was smiling as he walked away.