Luca reached the inn, and after some time, Finn arrived carrying the goods he had bought for his family. They both went to their rooms and carefully stored their purchases. Finn, clearly excited, turned to Luca and said, "I heard there's an exhibition happening in the city where students from different martial arts schools are showing their skills. They're showcasing Luminis training, hand-to-hand combat, and weapons training. And guess what? It's free to watch!"
Luca nodded with interest. "That sounds great. Let's check it out."
They locked their room, handed the key to the innkeeper, and set off for the exhibition arena.
When they arrived, a large sign at the entrance read: 'Five-Day Martial Arts Exhibition – Day Four.' It explained that the event featured schools from Elmwick and nearby cities showcasing their best students.
Inside, the arena was bustling with activity. Rows of signboards marked the spaces for different schools. Some had small crowds while others drew larger gatherings. At least thirty schools from Elmwick were participating, along with over twenty from neighbouring towns and cities.
Luca and Finn followed the noise to the largest crowd, where a group of students from the Ironheart Academy were performing. A man with a booming voice stood before the audience, acting as the announcer.
"Ladies and gentlemen, before you are some of the finest young martial artists in Elmwick! These students, though only between sixteen and twenty years old, have already reached the Awakened Stage!"
The crowd murmured with admiration. Finn blinked, clearly stunned. He whispered to Luca, "Sixteen to twenty years old, and they've only just reached the Awakened Stage?"
Curious, Finn tapped a man standing nearby. "Excuse me, sir. Is this one of the weaker schools?"
The man gave Finn a sharp look, almost offended. "Weaker? What are you saying, boy? Ironheart Academy is one of the top schools in all of Elmwick! Show some respect! Their students are among the best we have."
The man crossed his arms and added with pride, "Their top genius reached the Essence Flow Stage at just nineteen years old! Do you even know how rare that is? You must be from some backwater place not to understand. Hmph, country bumpkins."
Finn's face turned red. He murmured under his breath, "Essence Flow at nineteen is considered genius? Then what am I? A super genius?"
Finn had reached the Essence Flow Stage before turning fifteen but always thought he was just average among his peers. After all, many of his training companions were just as talented.
What neither Luca nor Finn fully understood was that the Drakemore noble family, along with other noble families present in Silverdeep, played a key role in identifying and nurturing young talent. They carefully selected children from villages and small towns, choosing those who demonstrated the most potential based on how quickly they advanced in their training. These chosen children were given access to rare resources and superior training methods, enabling them to reach higher stages much faster than most.
This process wasn't unique to the Drakemore family. Other noble families across the kingdom also selected children to send to the military due to the ongoing war. Since they couldn't openly recruit soldiers, this method allowed them to find and train the most promising candidates without drawing attention.
True talent, however, wasn't easily recognized at a glance. It was measured by the speed at which one progressed in their training. While the support of the noble families made it easier to discover geniuses, even their training methods paled in comparison to the kingdom's military. The military had the best resources and most effective techniques, far surpassing what any school—no matter how prestigious could provide. Even institutions like Ironheart Academy were no match for a powerful noble family, much less the military.
Luca quietly reflected on this. He realized how much the Drakemore family and the military had done for them. Without those resources, they would have missed their best training years. Gratitude swelled in his chest.
He also began to see a larger picture. The noble families must be working with the kingdom itself, choosing children at a young age to train and discover true talents for the military. If the military alone had to bear all the costs, it would be overwhelming. By sharing the responsibility, noble families could both contribute to the kingdom's strength and gain the loyalty of the young talents they nurtured. Once the wars ended, these trained warriors would likely remain loyal to their benefactors. Of course, it was just his guess, but it made sense.
The performance continued. The Awakened Stage students demonstrated a series of martial techniques, blending hand-to-hand combat with sword and spear forms. The crowd cheered as they moved in perfect coordination, showing grace and power.
Finally, a special duel was announced. The top student of Ironheart Academy, a young man at the Essence Flow Stage, would face a much older Essence Flow practitioner. The crowd buzzed with excitement.
Finn's interest briefly returned, but as the duel went on, he could only shake his head. "He's good, but... I could beat him in a minute or two," he whispered.
Luca nodded in agreement. The movements were impressive for the crowd, but to them, the fighters seemed slow. They had sparred against far stronger opponents in their training.
The match concluded with the younger fighter barely edging out the win. The crowd clapped enthusiastically, clearly impressed, but Luca and Finn exchanged a knowing glance.
After watching a few more schools, Luca and Finn returned to the inn as the sun dipped lower in the sky. Finn walked with his chest puffed out, grinning ear to ear. "Luca, I really am a genius! Did you see them? I'm way better than those guys! I'm a genius!"
Luca rolled his eyes, smirking. "Sure, Finn. But remember the sixteen-year-old who reached the Harmonization Stage? What about him?"
Finn's smile dropped. "You're such a killjoy, Luca."
Luca just chuckled. After both of them finished their dinner Luca and Finn meditated for some time and went to sleep.
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A/N: Dear readers,
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