As Tess stepped into the Briar estate, her delicate hand was engulfed by Arthur's calloused grip. The contrast was stark - her brother's hands bore the marks of relentless training, each scar and callus a testament to countless hours spent honing his martial prowess at the Imperial Academy.
Arthur glanced back, his keen eyes catching the troubled expression on Zen's face. A smirk played at the corners of his mouth as he quipped, "By the gods, is the world ending? What could possibly be weighing so heavily on our esteemed second son's mind?"
The lightness in Arthur's tone cut through the air, but it did little to dispel the haunting premonition that still clung to Tess like a shadow. Her eyes darted nervously between her brothers, the weight of her vision pressing down upon her.
A subtle nod from Carac caught Arthur's attention, and his expression shifted instantaneously. "Well, well," he drawled, his voice taking on a dangerous edge, "it seems our dear second has grown soft in my absence at the Academy."
Without warning, Arthur's fist shot out like a bolt of lightning, aimed squarely at Zen's face. The air crackled with the sheer force behind the blow.
"W-whoa!" Zen yelped, twisting away at the last possible second. The small bush behind him wasn't so lucky - the shockwave from Arthur's fist reduced it to splinters, leaves scattering in the wind like confetti.
Arthur stood some distance away, his bare chest glistening with a fine sheen of sweat. Every muscle was perfectly defined, a living sculpture of raw power. A mischievous grin spread across his face as he locked eyes with Zen. "Change of plans, little brother. I want to see just how much you've improved since I left for the Academy. To the training grounds - Elvis!"
At Arthur's command, a young man no older than Carac came rushing out. Despite being a member of the Briar household staff, Elvis lacked the chiseled physique typical of those trained under Lloyd's regimen.
"Fetch us two practice swords," Arthur ordered, his eyes never leaving Zen. "You know the Briar specialty."
Elvis nodded frantically and scurried off to fulfill the request. The group made their way to the training grounds, with Zen grumbling his protests the entire way.
"Why am I being dragged into this without so much as a 'by your leave'?" Zen muttered, but his complaints fell on deaf ears. Arthur was far too excited at the prospect of testing his brother's newfound abilities to pay him any mind.
They arrived at an expansive clearing, bordered by imposing stone walls that seemed to touch the sky. The ground was carpeted in lush green grass, dotted with training dummies placed at strategic intervals. Zen's eyes widened as he counted no less than fifty of the sturdy wooden figures.
Moments later, Elvis staggered into view, struggling under the weight of two massive greatswords. The sheer effort of carrying the blades left him red-faced and panting.
Arthur's booming laughter echoed across the grounds. "Bwahaha!" he roared, eyeing Elvis's slight frame with amusement. "Come now, man! Put some back into it!"
Elvis shuffled forward, arms trembling as he presented the swords to Arthur. With a casual flick of his wrist, Arthur relieved the servant of his burden, hefting both blades in one hand as if they weighed no more than feathers.
"Phew," Elvis wheezed, collapsing to his knees in relief.
Arthur turned to face Zen, that devilish grin still plastered across his face. In one fluid motion, he sent one of the greatswords hurtling through the air. It struck the ground at Zen's feet, embedding itself deep in the earth.
"Shall we begin?" Arthur's voice dripped with anticipation, like a child on the verge of unwrapping a long-awaited gift.
Zen's eyes fell upon the sword, a smile tugging at his lips as he recognized the Briar family crest - a proud, snarling tiger - etched into the blade. In all of Darkus, only the Darkus family could claim to surpass the Briars in strength and influence. It was the Briar family that kept the Darkus family in check, ensuring they never abused their considerable power.
With a deep breath, Zen wrapped both hands around the hilt of the greatsword and lifted it from the ground. The blade felt heavy, but not impossibly so.
"Good!" Arthur exclaimed, his excitement palpable. "I knew my brother wouldn't disappoint. Elvis, do you see? This is the difference between Briar men and others. Our physique is a gift from the heavens themselves. Mark my words - it won't be long before Zen rivals even the mightiest giants in strength!"
Zen met Arthur's gaze, his eyes burning with a predatory intensity. While Arthur effortlessly wielded his greatsword one-handed - a feat that seemed to border on the impossible - Zen couldn't help but feel a twinge of inadequacy. Yet, as the memory of his recent vision flashed through his mind, a single thought crystallized with perfect clarity: "I can't die yet!"
With a primal roar, Zen charged forward, his blade whistling through the air as he brought it crashing down upon Arthur. His older brother parried the blow with infuriating ease, as if he were merely swatting away an annoying insect.
Undeterred, Zen pulled back and swung again, this time channeling every ounce of strength he could muster into the strike. The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the air, forcing Arthur to take a more defensive stance.
"Oh-ho!" Arthur's eyes lit up with genuine surprise. "Getting serious already, are we? Very well then - let's not hold back!"
Arthur's counterstrike was devastating, his blade cleaving through the air with the force of a rampaging beast. Zen barely managed to leap clear, his heart pounding in his chest as he felt the wind from the attack tousle his hair.
But Arthur wasn't finished. He pressed his advantage, closing the distance between them in the blink of an eye. His sword arced downward, aimed squarely at Zen's head.
As the brothers faced off, Zen's mind raced. He knew he had to keep up the pretense of having awakened with Aura Manipulation, but he had no idea how to actually use it. His heart pounded as Arthur's blade came crashing down towards him.
In that moment of mortal peril, something within Zen stirred.
[ Notice ]
External lethal force is being directed at the host. Deploying the Aura skill.
Suddenly, Zen felt a rush of energy coursing through his body. It wasn't a visible manifestation, but rather an internal surge that heightened his senses and reflexes. With newfound speed and strength, he raised his blade to meet Arthur's strike.
The clash of steel rang out across the training grounds as the two blades met. To Arthur's utter astonishment, Zen held firm, matching his elder brother's immense strength with apparent ease.
Shocked by this unexpected turn of events, Arthur disengaged and leapt backward, putting some distance between them. A wide grin split his face as he regarded Zen with newfound respect.
"Well, well! It seems you really have done it, little brother. Congratulations!" Arthur's voice rang with genuine pride and a hint of excitement. "I had no idea skills could grant such strength. Now then, let's see just how far this new ability of yours can take you!"
Zen, still trying to understand what had just happened, maintained his stance. The energy flowing through him felt foreign yet familiar, as if it had always been a part of him, waiting to be awakened. He realized that his "Gluttony" skill must have absorbed some aspect of Aura Manipulation, allowing him to mimic its effects without actually possessing the skill itself.
Arthur, his muscles rippling with raw power honed through years of intense physical training at the Imperial Academy, readied himself for another assault. Though he lacked a skill of his own, his sheer physical prowess and martial expertise made him a formidable opponent.
"Don't think this little trick of yours will be enough to best me, Zen," Arthur called out, his voice a mixture of challenge and pride. "I may not have a fancy skill, but I've spent years honing my body and blade at the Academy. Let's see how your Aura Manipulation fares against good old-fashioned strength and skill!"
With those words, Arthur charged forward, his movements a blur of speed and precision. It was clear that the real test was only just beginning, and Zen would need every ounce of his newfound ability to keep up with his Academy-trained brother.
Zen braced himself, the surge of energy from his "Aura Manipulation" still coursing through him. He knew he was walking a dangerous line - not only did he have to fend off Arthur's attacks, but he also had to maintain the illusion of a skill he didn't actually possess. As Arthur's blade whistled through the air towards him once more, Zen steeled himself for the fight of his life.