Ragnariel then slammed his fist into the floor with immense force. A resounding crack echoed through the room as the ground beneath him splintered and caved, forming a crater-like indentation.
Everyone stared in stunned silence at the destruction.
"Incredible," Lucien finally breathed.
"This is a blessing for our family," Eldrin, the head steward, declared in awe.
Valerius, still processing the sight, asked, "Amazing, son. But how did you become this strong?"
Ragnariel straightened up, his tone steady but serious. "Alright, I'll explain. Exactly five years ago, when I was watching a duel between knights, I had a vision of someone incredibly powerful. I don't know who he was, his face was hidden in darkness, but he recited something to me that made me feel incredibly drowsy. I ended up falling asleep. Mother and Sir Garran were there at the time."
Valerius turned to Lysandra, his wife. "Is that true, Lysandra?"
Lysandra nodded. "Yes, dear. That day, I was watching a duel, and Ragnariel started mumbling something before suddenly becoming sleepy and falling asleep."
Ragnariel continued, "In that vision, the man told me, 'Climb to the peak and bring the world to your knees.' From that moment on, I've thought about those words constantly, and they've become my goal."
Valerius folded his arms, his expression thoughtful. "I see. And what do you plan to do now?"
Ragnariel's gaze grew resolute. "I'll teach one of his techniques to our family. I can't bear the thought of losing a member of our family as we rise to the top. I've spent years wondering how I could pass it on to you all, and I've decided to start with Sir Dheo. Once he's learned, I'll have him teach Brother Lucien and Brother Kaelen."
Valerius raised an eyebrow. "So, you've already started train Captain Dheo?"
Ragnariel nodded confidently. "That's right, Father. I've just begun teaching him this past week."
Valerius turned to the head steward and said, "Send someone to summon Captain Dheo here."
The steward nodded, left the room, and soon returned with Dheo.
"Greetings, my lord. I am Captain Dheo, answering your summons," Dheo said with a respectful bow.
Valerius gestured toward the cracked floor. "Dheo, do you see those cracks on the floor?"
"Yes, my lord, I see them," Dheo replied, glancing at the damage.
"Based on what you've learned from Ragna, could you replicate that?" Valerius asked.
Dheo hesitated briefly before answering, "I could, my lord, but not as impressively as the young master Ragnariel."
Valerius raised an eyebrow. "So you've also learned to wield aura?"
"Yes, my lord," Dheo affirmed with a firm nod.
"Show me," Valerius commanded.
"Understood, my lord," Dheo replied.
He began channeling his Qi, letting it flow through his arm until a sphere of bright blue light formed in his hand. Dheo begin to slammed his fist like Ragnariel did, the floor is cracking but not as big as Ragnariel did. The room filled with astonished gasps as everyone watched, their eyes alight with newfound determination and admiration.
Seeing the shift in the room's atmosphere, Ragnariel smirked and asked, "So, who wants to be my second student?"
Valerius chuckled heartily. "Haha, who do you think it should be, son?"
Ragnariel paused, deep in thought. A memory surfaced, one from a year ago when he had seen Lucien's body bruised and battered. "I'm certain he's been facing trouble at the academy," Ragnariel thought.
Finally, he spoke. "I want to teach Brother Lucien. I believe he'll become one of our strongest champions in the future."
Lucien, startled, looked at Valerius for confirmation. "Are you sure about this, Ragna?"
Ragnariel nodded confidently. "Of course, Brother. What's the point of being strong if I'm the only one that becoming strong? I want us to stand at the pinnacle of the world together. Brother Kaelen will learn as well."
Serenya, who had been listening, interjected with a pout. "What about me?"
Ragnariel turned to her with a teasing grin. "Didn't you want to be an elegant and pure lady?"
Serenya scowled before ripping the sleeve of her dress dramatically. "Who said that? I'll become the strongest female knight!"
Ragnariel laughed. "Haha, your dreams change so quickly, Sister. But before that, you'll need to explain to Mother why you tore your dress."
Serenya froze, a look of panic flashing across her face as she glanced nervously at Lysandra. "I... I can explain, Mother!"
Lysandra wasted no time, grabbing Serenya by the ear. "Oh, I'll give you plenty of time to explain!"
Serenya winced in protest, her earlier bravado quickly fading.
Ragnariel's expression grew serious as he turned to Valerius. "But Father…"
Valerius noticed the shift in his son's demeanor, and everyone else in the room turned their attention to Ragnariel's somber face. "What is it, son?" Valerius asked.
Ragnariel continued, his voice steady but grave. "Here's the thing, Father. We need to keep this to ourselves, at least until we can stand as equals to the Dukes. Otherwise, I can't predict the dangers that might come for our family. I don't yet know the full cruelty of this world, but I'm certain you understand what I mean."
Valerius stroked his chin thoughtfully before nodding. "You're right."
He then turned to the room, his voice firm and commanding. "Everyone here, listen well! Ensure that not a single word of what you've seen, heard, or witnessed today leaves this room. This is an order from me, as head of this family."
The people in the room immediately lowered their heads, responding in unison, "As you command, my lord."
"Is that sufficient, son?" Valerius asked, glancing back at Ragnariel.
"If Father believes it's enough, I have no further comments," Ragnariel replied.
Valerius let out a hearty laugh. "Good. Then carry on with your training, son."
He turned to the others and added, "Resume your postponed duties. And don't forget what I've said—engrave it into your hearts."
"Yes, my lord," they replied in unison before dispersing.
As they began to leave, Ragnariel addressed his siblings and Dheo. "Brother Lucien, Brother Kaelen, Sister Serenya, and Sir Dheo, you're to stay here."
Valerius, walking toward the door, glanced back and said with a warm smile, "Stay motivated, my children." With that, he left the room.
Now, only the five of them remained in training room.
Ragnariel turned to Dheo and said, "Sir Dheo, please teach the basic training we've been doing this past week to Brother Kaelen and Sister Serenya."
"Understood, young master," Dheo replied enthusiastically.
Then Ragnariel addressed his siblings. "Brother Kaelen, Sister Serenya, the training you're about to undergo will be tough, but trust me, it will make you much stronger. The foundation of a building determines how sturdy it will stand, and for the techniques you'll learn, I'll personally teach them to you."
"Alright, dear brother," Serenya replied with a smile.
"Got it, Ragna," Kaelen added with a nod.
Turning to Lucien, Ragnariel continued, "As for you, Brother Lucien, I'd like to have a word with you. Please follow me."
Lucien nodded and silently followed his younger brother.
Once they reached a secluded area, Ragnariel began, "Brother, I want to apologize in advance if my question offends you."
Lucien waved it off. "Relax, Ragna. Just say what's on your mind."
Ragnariel nodded before continuing, "A year ago, I accidentally saw you changing after returning from the academy. Your body was covered in bruises."
Lucien's expression shifted to surprise, and he looked away, unable to meet Ragnariel's gaze.
"Please tell me," Ragnariel pressed, "Who dared to do that to you?"
Lucien hesitated, reluctant to answer. Sensing his brother's apprehension, Ragnariel softened his tone. "Don't worry, Brother. I'm not here to mock or humiliate you. I just want you to remember the faces of those who did this to you. Because once you begin training, trash like them won't stand a chance against you. You just need to believe in the strength we're building together here."
Lucien's eyes began to brighten at his brother's words.
Ragnariel continued, "For the next six months, you'll have special training with me. By the end of it, you'll be able to face them with confidence. Alright, Brother? Are you ready for this?"
Fire lit up in Lucien's eyes as he responded, "Alright, my brother. Train me to become unbeatable."
Ragnariel smiled warmly. "That's the brother I know. Alright, let's start with the basics, just like Brother Kaelen and Sister Serenya."
Lucien nodded, his newfound determination shining through.
Ragnariel and Lucien began their training by running laps around the practice field, followed by sets of push-ups, pull-ups, and strengthening their stances with foundational horse-stance exercises. Afterward, they had a brief lunch break before resuming with vertical sword swings until late afternoon. The day ended with a repeat of the morning regimen and a martial arts session led by Ragnariel.
"Alright," Ragnariel said, "I'll start with Sir Dheo first. You three can take a short break."
Lucien, Kaelen, and Serenya collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily. With weak voices, they replied in unison, "Understood."
Turning to Dheo, Ragnariel asked, "Sir Dheo, how much Qi have you accumulated so far?"
Dheo closed his eyes in concentration before answering, "Currently, it's about the size of a water droplet."
"Good," Ragnariel replied. "Keep training diligently. When your Qi grows to the size of a thumb, let me know. Don't slack off on your meditation. The more consistent you are, the faster you'll progress to the next level."
Dheo bowed slightly. "Thank you, young master. I'll start meditating here right away."