Silence fell over the training ground as Nero lay motionless on the ground, his body twitching.
Then, an uproar arose.
"Wow! Did you see that? Lord Barak used a weapon clad in lightning."
"Yes, I saw it. To think he is already capable of cladding his weapon with lightning."
"He did it less than two years after receiving his blessings. He is so talented; his future is limitless."
"He is a genius, a genius, I tell you."
While people marveled at what he had done, the person in question was not happy. In contrast, he wore a troubled expression on his face. Something was not right; he was sure that he had clad his wooden sword with lightning because he was angry at Nero's dirty trick. He hadn't planned to use this technique, as he had only recently become able to do it. It was not yet perfect, and he was saving it for the school entrance tests next month. Still, even if it was imperfect, it could vanish like a candle flickering in a storm. Something had happened—something he didn't understand. Definitely, before reaching Nero, the lightning had vanished.
Although he remembered Nero's weapon passing his own before it happened, he discarded the absurd thought that he was responsible, as there was no way that could be the case. He was utterly inutile; without any trace of primordial energy inside him, he couldn't have done it. Shaking his head, Barak thought maybe it was just Nero's luck, as the technique was unstable.
"Bring him back, and don't forget to throw a low-level potion at him," he ordered his subordinates to drag Nero away.
°°°°
Two hours later, in the annex building.
I woke up, the bed creaking as I set my foot down. My body hurt all over, and I had trouble breathing; I guessed a few of my ribs must be broken. Pain coursed through me as I stood on my feet, wobbling and almost falling face down, but I managed to regain my balance. Glancing sideways, I saw a small bottle with light red liquid inside—a low-level healing potion.
I took it with difficulty as I headed toward the bathroom. Although it was a low-level potion, I was grateful for it, as I used them to strengthen myself. Bathing in water infused with a healing potion helped strengthen my muscles and toughen my bones, which was why I could endure their beatings.
Arriving in the bathroom, I filled the tub with water, added a few normal herbs for recovery, and then emptied the contents of the bottle into it. The water bubbled for a moment. Discarding my clothes, I admired my body, which was riddled with countless scars from bullying since a young age. There were black spots here and there around my stomach where I had received the two blows, the tattoo running through my upper body until my neck was still there, I didn't know its meaning. Shaking my head I moved.
"Siii~"
I grimaced as my body slowly submerged into the bathtub filled with medicinal herbs and healing potion. Various ingredients mixed together and seeped into my body, repairing the damaged muscles and making them stronger. My body's natural healing ability was also exceptional, preventing me from wasting this medicinal bath.
As I enjoyed the bath, my mind naturally returned to the beating. The moment before I lost consciousness, I was sure I had seen the lines again, and guided by impulse, I shattered the focal point between them—the one connecting all the others. Something snapped as I struck with my sword, and then I felt empty, utterly drained of my strength. That was why I lost consciousness, not because of the blow. If I remembered correctly, the lightning around Barak's weapon had vanished.
"What was that?" I mumbled as I tried to understand what had happened back then. I calmly analyzed the entire fight, reviewing every single detail until I arrived at a certain conclusion—a conjecture, if you will.
"My eyes enabled me to temporarily cut the connection between the weapon and the Law of Lightning."
As I reached this conclusion, I shuddered and rose from the bathtub, splashing water everywhere.
"No way! Did my eyes really have that ability? The ability to cancel a Law?"
I looked into the mirror and saw the reflection of my eyes—ominous red with something swirling in them. For the first time, I came to love these eyes wholeheartedly. A strong desire arose within me, stronger than before. I must uncover my uniqueness; only by fully understanding myself can I live freely and happily, just as my mother wished.
For a long time, I had tried to learn about my situation, but the amount of information I could access was limited. Nobody would let a cursed child into the great family library. I sneaked into various small libraries on the collateral side and even ventured into town, but found nothing related to my situation. When my mother was alive, she also sought answers from the grand library, but I believed she found nothing.
After all those failures, I decided to head to the academy, the largest institution where all races could attend. I believed they would have information about someone with a situation similar to mine, or at least documents that could provide me with insights into who I really was.
"It is decided: I must do everything to be accepted into Glory Academy next month. There, I can find the answers—whether through books or the pressure from other students. I'm certain that I can understand more about myself if I go there." I sank back into the bathtub, lost in thought.
For now, I would keep my discovery a secret; otherwise, endless trouble awaited me. This ability was not certain yet, and even if it were confirmed to be true, I must not recklessly display it—not until I could truly protect myself.
"Well, that guy is a genius indeed. To think he would reach the state of manifestation just a few months after creating his core. I must work hard; I must strengthen my physique for the coming month." That was my final conclusion. I closed my eyes as I enjoyed the bath in silence, listening to my own heartbeat.