"Pressure?"
Raon frowned.
'I thought he would test my stamina and willpower.'
Considering the training that Rimmer had been instructing them on so far, he should've tested his stamina and willpower, and yet he chose pressure.
"Pressure?"
"Is he really testing pressure on the children…?"
"He really is going too far."
The parents spoke up, as they didn't expect the content of the test either.
"I'm the instructor, so please be silent."
Rimmer snorted and waved his hand.
"Pressure is an integral aspect of a warrior. I'm evaluating such an important ability, so why are you complaining so much?"
He wasn't wrong. Pressure was the harmony between the spirit and expertise of a warrior. A powerful pressure could often make the enemies lose their will to fight, without actually fighting.
"It hasn't been long since the children learned aura. Testing pressure is unreasonable."
"And some children didn't even learn aura."
"The test is completely unfair!"
"I knew you weren't aware of it. Pressure isn't just a manifestation of aura."
Rimmer swung his long finger left and right.
"True pressure is the combination of a warrior's achievements. It's a warrior's testimony, which can be manifested without an aura."
A chill and rusty wind surrounded the training ground alongside his firm voice.
'This is…'
Raon narrowed his eyes. Rimmer had just expanded his pressure without using aura, as if he were proving what he was saying.
"If you still want to complain, then ask the head of house."
Rimmer turned around. Smirking, as if he had never been serious, he bowed to Glenn.
"My esteemed lord, is a warrior's pressure created from aura?"
'Hah.'
Raon huffed. Rimmer was really an unexpected man, or elf, for him to suddenly involve the head of house.
"He's not wrong. Even those who never learned aura end up developing pressure, depending on how they've been living."
"Wow! As expected of my lord!"
Rimmer turned around and clapped his hands.
"Hmm…"
"Damn."
"If my lord says so…"
Since Glenn himself had said it, nobody could question it any longer—direct line and collateral alike.
That pointy-eared bastard just said something to my liking for the first time ever. Pressures created from something like mana, demonic energy or aura are all fake. A pressure stemming from the achievements of the soul is the only real one.
Wrath nodded in agreement.
It reminds me of back in the days in devildom. When insignificant demons started to run rampant, the King of Essence used a mighty pressure to make those fakes surrender… ugh!
Since it looked like he was going to keep talking, Raon tapped his bracelet.
"For the past six months, thanks to my detailed training, the children kept surpassing their limits…"
"Stop lying.'
Karoon Zieghart, the second son of Glenn—and Burren's father—stood up while glaring at him.
"There are many witnesses of your lying down napping during the regular training sessions. Did you even train them properly?"
"I've heard about it as well, that he'd only show up without giving them any attention."
"I heard he'd always sleep and let the children train on their own!"
"Oh, you are well aware."
Rimmer didn't panic. He nodded instead, complimenting their intelligence capabilities.
"That's also part of my training."
"How was that training?"
"Which one do you think will result in more achievement? Doing their best on their own accord? Or doing their best following someone else's instruction?"
"It's obviously the former."
"That's correct. What I wanted from the children was that willpower. Stamina and skills can be taught, but improving willpower is difficult. I wanted to select the children with the best willpower and train them."
Rimmer's voice was the same as always, but his words were filled with wisdom.
"The children who surpassed their limits on their own managed to develop their own expertise, which will help them tremendously in the future."
The others couldn't protest his confident voice anymore.
Their eyes shone with the expectation of their children's growth as they followed such training.
"Since everyone understands, let's start the test…"
"I'm going to ask one last question."
Karoon didn't withdraw. His eyes were still filled with distrust.
"Despite having received the same training, the expertise of the children are on different levels. How are you planning to evaluate that?"
"I'm going to check how much they have grown compared to their temperament at the beginning of the training. And the temporary trainee that has grown the most will be first place."
"Does 'beginning' mean six months ago? Are you implying that you remember the temperaments of all one hundred sixty children?"
"I'd have to quit being an instructor if I couldn't even remember that."
Rimmer grinned, and Karoon's expression stiffened even more.
"Well, now that every troublemaker—I mean, every parent is convinced, let's begin. Runaan, stand in front of me. The rest of you stay back."
Runaan nodded lightly and stood in front of Rimmer, while other children stepped away.
"Runaan Sullion. The pressure I'll be emitting is on the level that you can withstand if you've been doing your best."
Smiling lightly, Rimmer continued.
"You pass if you touch me through my pressure."
"Understood."
Runaan quietly responded and nodded.
"Then, I'm starting."
Rimmer closed his eyes, then opened them. As a green light sparked from his eyes, a powerful pressure emerged.
Rumble!
The oppressive pressure that suddenly emerged crushed Runaan's composure.
"Ugh!"
Biting her lip, she curled up like a shrimp.
"You fail if you use aura. Use the willpower that you've been using to withstand your training until now."
"Huff!"
Getting rid of the aura she was about to use, she stepped forward. Cold sweat rained down her forehead, but she took step after a step, while enduring it until the end.
Tap.
Slowly but precisely, Runaan extended her hand and grabbed Rimmer's sleeve.
"You easily passed. I can see that you have been doing your best."
Rimmer grinned, and patted Runaan's head.
"Haah!"
Exhaling violently, Runaan stepped to the side.
* *
"Next is Dorian"
Ah, me? Already? Is it really my turn?"
Dorian, who was hiding behind Raon, trembled as he peeked out. He kept anxiously fiddling with his belly pocket.
"Wh-what's up with this order…"
"I made it. Come out already."
"Sniff!"
Dorian walked up with tears in his eyes. He looked like he was going to a slaughterhouse.
He started to retch again.
"You saw what Runaan did. Pierce through my wall of pressure using the willpower you've accumulated through training."
"Ca-can I do it? Everyone knows I have no willpower…"
"You fail if you can't."
Rimmer expanded his second pressure. It was clearly weaker than the one towards Runaan, confirming that he was going to adjust his pressure to the trainee.
"Uhee!"
Making a weird noise like a racoon, Dorian stepped back.
"You fail if you step back any further."
"Ugh…"
"I'm going to give you one last piece of advice. You are scared easily, but you've always been serious about your training. Trust yourself and walk forth."
"A-alright."
Dorian closed his mouth hearing Rimmer's calm voice. Then he slowly stepped forward.
He faltered like a baby walking for the first time, but he didn't fall. Slowly but surely, he moved forward and extended his hand.
Tap.
Dorian's hand reached Rimmer's waist.
"You pass. You lack confidence compared to your capability. From now on, be more…"
"Kueh!"
Sadly, Dorian was too busy vomiting, so he couldn't listen.
"Hmm, let's continue."
Rimmer immediately designated the next person.
***
By the time the sun started setting in the western sky, most of the children had finished their tests.
There were a decent number of children who managed to pass, but several times more of them failed and started to cry.
It was interesting that most of the children that were stimulated by Raon and trained next to him managed to pass.
However, more than half of those who trained their sword or fist while following Burren failed.
As the test continued, Burren's expression stiffened. His turn finally came with only Raon left after him.
"Burren Zieghart. Come forth."
"Yes."
Burren walked heavily up to Rimmer. His frown was obvious to anyone's eyes.
'But of course.'
Raon snickered. His pride must have been hurt because half of his training partners failed.
"Then let's begin."
With a smile, Rimmer expanded his pressure. The pressure, similar to what Runaan had withstood, became a green wind and crushed against Burren.
Wham!
Burren bit his lip until it bled, facing the tornado of pressure.
'D-did she really walk through this?'
Facing the pressure was completely different from watching from the sidelines.
Runaan was just a coward that gave up on competing with him. He couldn't believe she managed to pierce through the pressure.
"Kuh!"
His feet didn't move, no matter how much he steeled himself. It was too difficult.
'Maybe he is making it more difficult for me?'
As doubt surfaced, he looked back at his father. But he was just standing there with a stiff expression, which meant that there was nothing wrong with the test.
"Your talent is special. Among the one hundred sixty talented trainees, those who can catch up to you can be counted on one hand. However."
Rimmer smiled and continued.
"You wasted your time, along with those that followed you. You should've trained your stamina and willpower, instead of practicing swordsmanship that you don't fully understand the meaning of."
"Kuh!"
Burren grit his teeth and walked forward. He instinctively started pulling out the aura in his energy center.
"You've always used your aura whenever you faced difficulty. You will fail as soon as you use that aura."
"I… I won't use it."
Forcing down the emerging aura, he stepped forward. Each step felt as painful as walking on lava.
'Huff!'
He could feel a cold gaze from behind him. It was his father's.
'I will be abandoned if I don't hold out…'
He remembered his two older brother's faces when they were abandoned because they weren't to the father's liking. He couldn't become a loser like them.
"Arghhh!"
Burren stepped forward—no, he almost crawled forward with an ugly expression and voice, one that someone from the direct line shouldn't show. With all his desperation, he managed to grab Rimmer's clothes.
"You pass."
Rimmer snickered and erased his pressure.
"Huaa!"
Burren kept exhaling violently, lying down on the ground. It was an appearance he had never shown before.
"You are still twelve years old. Stop pretending to be an adult and train like the child you are. If you keep looking up while walking, stepping on a twig will make you trip."
Rimmer gave his advice to Burren, then turned his head. The smile on his face widened.
"And lastly, Raon Zieghart."
"Yes."
Raon stepped forward.
"Are you ready?"
"Of course."
"Then let's begin."
Rimmer's pressure exploded. A pressure more powerful than the one directed at Runaan and Burren became a storm crushing Raon.
"Raon!"
"Young master Raon!"
Sylvia and Helen's cries could be heard from behind.
"Are you sure this is my test?"
Raon frowned. When he had first entered the training ground, his expertise was way lower than the middle-lower tier children, let alone Runaan or Burren. Taking that into account, Rimmer's pressure was far too powerful.
"I wonder?"
Rimmer shrugged and continued.
"The talent I saw in you is better than Runaan or Burren. Try withstanding this."
"Is that so?"
Red flame ignited in Raon's eyes, engulfed by green wind.
"Then I shall meet your expectations."