The capital was a gigantic place. Karu has read the description of the capital from Hero Karu multiple times, but it was in vain, as the real one was much more beautiful than he can ever imagine.
Walls that reach the sky, houses that only nobles can reside, the roads as smooth as marble. Many markets are just on the side of the road, and many stores that seemingly use glass as its main structure. Many soldiers wander the streets. And of course mages did too. The two rode the carriage to the palace and talked.
"Master... Where is the biggest library in the capital...". Karu said with a widened expression. It was very obvious he was from the countryside. His eyes were staring so deeply at anything he saw. This was a very rare moment for Arlan to see Karu acting like a real child.
The question for the library wasn't a question a normal child would ask though. "The palace has the biggest library. But people of no royal blood cannot even dream of going in there. So the only place you can access is the mages tower. But you don't have magic so I don't think they will allow you there."
In their travels, Arlan learned that Karu had no magic. For a normal swordsman this shouldn't matter, but for a knight, even the slightest should be needed. But Arlan, didn't care after learning about it for a few minutes. Karu had enough talent to flip the world. If magic was included in his arsenal too, Karu will truly be a monster among monsters.
Arlan did learn, that he always speaks too soon. "I do know how to use magic, master. Just a little unstable tho." Karu said. Arlan just couldn't be surprised anymore. 'I just thought he had no magic, now he does. If I learn that his magic is the last tier, i'll truly have nothing to be ever surprised in this world anymore.'. The word unstable did stay in Arlan's mind.
"Let's stop idling here, let's go to the palace, afterwards we can go to the mages tower that accepts you."
"Yes master! I can't wait to see the palace."
The capital was huge, and it of course consisted of many different areas. But unlike what some people may expect. The capital of the empire "Melios" was the richest city in the known world. The capital was not dived by class, it was a place where every actual person was of noble blood or a rich merchant. With the markets formed by the roads, and houses scattered with no actual order of rankings. Leaving the palace in the middle, and the center beacon of the palace.
Though unlike what you would expect from high ranking individuals, as every other living person in the capital was not someone they could easily deal with, equality was weirdly formed. And so were the people who entered the capital. As entry from the capital will always go through the palace, and only the palace. The capital was the city of the rich. Truly an area of the elite.
***
The Emperor is a rank only the direct heir was allowed to dream of. The Empire is a very stable country, with an ironclad system. In the history of the empire, no one but the chosen heir by the current Emperor could be the Emperor. Even a succesion war that is followed by other families, didn't exist in the royal line. The Emperor was to be followed. The Emperor's word is absolute. That is the rule of this world.
"Welcome esteemed guests of the emperor! The emperor is quite busy with important matters, so I Herlon of royal lineage should attend you.".
'So he was the one who used the name of the emperor to call us. It seems even time could make the Emperor System, fall.'. Thought by Arlan.
"You're of royal blood!". Arlan thought of trying to stop Karu. If he leaves a bad taste on the royalty, it's not only him who would be punished, but Arlan too.
Arlan grabbed the wandering Karu, and made him kneel once again. "Don't act rashly, you are in the palace, facing royalty." Arlan whispered.
Of course Karu already knows of what Arlan was saying. To his only surprise the area they were called on was a place depicted by Hero Karu as the place the emperor uses to meet his visitors. It could only mean two things, the palace has many grand rooms, or the Emperor was weakening. Well from Hero Karu, he knows it was the latter.
The room was grand, with pillars on its sides. With knight armors between the pillars. The armors looked like real humans, but by looking closely, eyes could not be seen through the eye holes of the helmet.
The area that Herlon is standing on was elevated at the end of the room. He was very open, Karu thought, if he needed to he could kill him instantly. But sadly, even if the armors beside the pillars were fake. The two at the end were real.
"Arlan! One of the greatest knights of the empire! It is ok, he is still a child.". Herlon acted like a maniac. To Karu, the royal acted like he was possessed or maybe he had a disease.
"It is an honor to be recognized by a royal.". Replied by Arlan. "No need to be formal. Now could I see the talent of this so called first in history.", replied by Herlon
"I have a knight here that could act as his sparring partner.". A knight, aside from the two beside the pillar appeared. He came out from the right pillar. As soon as the knight came out, Karu could feel the cold breeze of that area.
"I can't wait to see the swordsmanship of the great Arlan.". Said by Herlon. It was truly a great save that Karu could learn anything in an instant, or else his own facade could have been found.
Karu had no actual battle experience other than fighting his own mother. Arlan didn't spar with Karu, as Karu always rejected the idea.
The knight was an experienced swordsman. Just the title of a knight makes it obvious. But there was something Karu didn't take into account. As this part of his life was never experienced by Hero Karu, Karu missed a crucial concept of the world.
The knight came closer to him and stood still in the middle. The knight had no weapons nor armor. He was actually dressed more like a barbarian. And seeing that outfit made Karu and Arlan realize, Karu was not going to be fighting a swordsman. But an actual knight of the palace. A combat mage.
Combat mages are the most common type of knights in this world. As swordsman, despite its titular name, it is in truth just expandable and is highly looked down on by the upper world. The combat mages have the simple requirement of orange tier magic. Combat mages use magic with the combination of a fighting style called martial arts.
Contrary to aura, the world has already used magic to fight close combat, but they have still yet to discover the ability to form magic around one's own weapon. As for this, combat mages use fists not swords or any other weapons.
"Can you handle a combat mage?". Worriyingly asked by Arlan. "Of course, master.". And to none of his surprise, Karu said yes.
Karu had no time to waste, the more time he wasted in this palace, the less time he could look at the library of the mages tower.
Karu stepped up and went to the middle. Arlan stood up and went to the sides. As Karu reached 3 meters away from the knight, he stopped. "Hello! My name is Karu, and I love the sword!".
The knight was silent as stone. 'I didn't expect a combat mage, but at least them being puppets is true to its name.'.
"I am getting bored..." Uttered by Herlon. From these words by Herlon, just for a moment the knight lost focus and was scared of its bones.
Karu rushed in, with no hesitation to take advantage of that one slight moment. As a tribute to his master, Karu was dedicated to as much of Moon Ascension as he can 'I don't want to though, but I can't help it, I am weaker than Arlan.'.
[Moonlight Ascension: Fourth Form - Dance of Moonlight]
Dance of Moonlight is the footwork of Moonlight Ascension. Karu closed his distance to the night in an instant. The knight immidieately jabbed his right arm at Karu's head. Karu was small so he was a hard target, but his small body makes the movements the enemy needs to take to a minimal amount.
[Moonlight Ascension: Second Form - Reflection of the Lake]
Karu heed his sword above his head and pushed the knight's elbow and insantainously twisted his body to his right and swung his sword straight to the knight's neck.
The knight blocked raised his left arm ready to take the sword. Karu, before hitting the knights arm then backed off. 'This is why I didn't want to use a sword art. The biggest flaw of the second form is the it only goes to the right.'.
The knight didn't wait for karu to land back on the ground as he backed off. The knight lunched himself towards Karu. Karu had no way to block, other than his sword. But as the reason why he didn't commit his strike from earlier, the arms of a combat mages, they explode.
Orange tier magic are support type mages, but they should not be misjudged as buffing mages. The support mages just uses offensive magic with the least magic intake.
Karu blocked the night his sword. The impact of the two exploded and Karu was sent flying back.
[Moonlight Ascension: Fifth Form - Setting Dragon]
Karu didn't expect to use that for landing, but it was needed for exposure. From the smoke, just as soon as he landed, the knight was already coming straight to him.
Karu stood still and waited for the knight. 'I've shown enough of the sword art in its full form, I'll use it now the way I want.'.
The knight was one arm length away from Karu.
[Moonlight Ascension: Second Form - Reflection of the Lake]
Karu tapped the left arm of the knight as farm away as he can. On impact it exploded once again 'Shit I missed the upper arm.'.
Karu was exploded once again. This was the second time, and the body of five year can't hold on for much longer. He had no choice but put his all into the next encounter. Karu was flown to his right and almost hit the pillar.
Karu scooped the helmet of one of the armor stands with his sword and threw it to the knight that just seems to never fall ojt of balance.
[Moonlight Ascension: Fourth Form - Dance of Moonlight]
He closed the distance faster than the helmet can reach the knight. But this time the knight was used to his tricks. As soon as he appeared the knights left leg was ready to hit him. But Karu had no worries as the knights in this kingdom was so stupid, they can only exert magic on their arms.
[Moonlight Ascension: Third Form - Strike Of The Full Moon]
Karu put all his physical strength to stab the nights left leg. The sword pierced the knight and as this happened the knight's arms we're ready to grab Karu's head. 'That's why I throwed the helmet, you idiot.'.
The helmet luckily hit the arm of the knight as it was closing. And as the mahic of the knight that was seemingly automatic with no actual control, the explosion of his arms were activated.
"Perfect.".
Karu left the sword in the man's left leg and went straight behind him.
[Moonlight Ascension: Second Form - Reflection of the Lake]
Passing through his right, and arriving behind his back neck, Karu used something, this world will bare it's first witness too.
Karu formed his right arm in a blade form. Karu used aura to the full capabilities he can. Blue transparent color radiated from his hand like a sharp blade. The blade that formed was so long, it was longer than the knight's hieght.
The knight felt the cold breeze on his neck. The preassure that exuded from this unknown energy he can't even see shook his entire body. It was obvious that his body has instinctively realized, he could die. The knight tried to block this unknown attack, by raising his left arm and covering his back neck with his right arm.
All of this was invain as the only reason he could use his arms to block a sword was because a sword is just a sword. In the first place this matchup was impossible to accomplish if Karu was just a swordsman.
It was an unfair match set up by Herlon to "entertainingly" killing off this talent through an unfair spar. A swordsman fighting a mage has always been impossible. As the only thing that can pierce magic was magic itself.
Karu sliced off the knight's arm and neck and even cut the knight's right arm in half horrizontally.
Karu was out of energy and his body was lunched to the left. His body landed and he couldn't move anymore. He exerted all thw magic he can control. 'That was the weakest of the combat mages... I still have such a long way to go.'.
Karu closed his eyes and rested. Herlon was completely flabbergasted about the situation. 'How did a combat mage lose to a five year old!'. At that moment Herlon wanted to order his men to kill Arlan and Karu, but there we're two elite knigts beside him, sent by the emperor if any unexpected situation arises.
Herlon was frustrated. He wanted to kill this 'talent' but not only did it survive, but it killed one of it's knights. "That was amazing. I commend your disciple, knight Arlan!". Herlon forcefully smiled and clapped his hands. 'Be grateful I had gaurds gaurding, if not, I would have killed you. Till next time, kid'. Herlon peacefully left the room and left Arlan and Karu inside.
Arlan was infront of Karu and was taking care of his body. Karu has suprised Arlan alot in the times they have been together. But whatever that energy that came from Karu's hand was something else. Not only that, he killed a combat mage "A kid that did not hesitate to kill a person, oh Karu, who are you.". Arlan cannot do anything but stare at this child, who didn't even get any external injuries aside from bruises. Arlan carried Karu and led him to the nearest care center.