Raum was the heir to the Cerauno family. Ever since he was born, he felt a deep sense of responsibility to his clan and humanity as a whole. From a young age, he learned from his father that only strength mattered. Humanity, besieged on all sides, needed power to return the world to its former utopia of peace and stability. Raum decided he would become that strength.
His desire for power became so strong that, on the morning of his third birthday, he went to his father's study. His tiny footsteps echoed in the hallway, a determined glint in his eyes. "Dad, can you train me?" he asked, his voice full of conviction.
His father, Baraq, looked up from his work, raising an eyebrow skeptically. "What is this about, Raum?"
Raum stood tall, or as tall as a three-year-old could, and replied, "Dad, you've told me stories about the world 2000 years ago, when humans were the thriving race and the world was peaceful. Now, we constantly fight beasts and battle dungeons that appear like spores on a diseased man's skin. Only the one with the biggest fist gets the final say. Dad, I don't want my fellow humans to die in a war we never started. We are fighting things we still don't understand, trying to survive. That shouldn't be the case. I want to be the one to remove the veil, to take the clan and humanity to a point where we don't sit passively and defend. We become the predators, and for that, I need strength."
Baraq's eyes glowed with lightning as his son spoke. How could a child this young think like that? Soon after, a heartfelt smile appeared on his lips—gratification and overwhelming pride. Raum had not even taken a step into the true ranks of power, yet he had a vision to save humanity. The day Raum was born, it practically rained thunder, with lightning of various colors filling the skies. A qilin wreathed in lightning appeared over the estate, causing even Baraq, one of the strongest humans, to feel threatened.
"Son, this is not the time for you to worry about these problems. You are still young and have yet to take your first step on the path toward true power. Enjoy your childhood for now. When the time is right, I will train you personally."
"But Father, I feel I can begin training as I am. Physical exercises shouldn't hurt, right? You can take me through the clan's basic movements and techniques."
"Raum, while I admire your enthusiasm, the answer is still no. Even if I wanted to agree, your mother never would. She would pick a fight with me, and I don't want that."
"If that's the case, then when can I start, and what can I do now?"
"When you turn five, we can start your physical training, but only light drills and basic training. Then we will advance from there. For now, I have a meditation technique from an old friend. It builds mental capacity. Though it won't have much effect without a mana core, it will help build a steady foundation for your mind and provide insights for the path ahead."
"Thank you, Father."
Thus, Raum started meditating every day, spending no less than eight hours a day meditating and doing small exercises to free his stiff muscles.
Two years passed, and Raum, though only five, had grown to 4 feet 6 inches tall, quite tall for his age. His bloodline gave him a well-built body even without physical drills. Baraq, keeping his word, discussed with his wife and gained her permission to begin training the boy. He created a training area in a secluded spot within their estate.
Every day, they trained early in the morning for three hours nonstop. Baraq first made Raum do physical drills like running, arm drills, and leg drills. He didn't allow him to practice any techniques until he was six years old. Then, he started teaching him the basic techniques, from the perfect stance to throwing a punch to maintaining balance and manipulating opponents in a fight.
The Cerauno Clan showed their pride in the way they fought. They didn't fight to win—they fought to dominate, whether against man, beast, or alien. Baraq taught Raum not only the basic techniques but also their fighting philosophy. He taught him the meaning behind all the basic stances. When Raum mastered the fundamentals, Baraq stopped appearing on the training field, asking him to practice until perfection and promising deeper teachings after awakening his mana core.
Raum trained diligently, almost to the point of self-harm. When exhausted, he meditated using the technique his father had given him. His mother, extremely worried, often asked him to dumb down the training, but his resoluteness shocked even her. Realizing she couldn't convince him to stop, she made sure he didn't go too far. Baraq, meanwhile, suffered his wife's blame and slept on the couch for quite some time.
Raum continued his training routine for six months, his body acclimatizing to the stress. One day, Baraq appeared unannounced, speaking about a new prodigy born in their rival clan. Raum was elated. Everyone had always told him how talented he was, but he thought they were just flattering him. After training with his father, he realized how easy it was to keep up with the training, understand instructions, and imitate techniques. The sparring sessions made it even more apparent. He worried there would be no one in his generation to push him beyond his limits. Now, a prodigy on his level had been born, and in a rival family no less, giving him something to look forward to in the future.