Zev was well aware that an attack targeting spiritual energy could be dangerous—his body wasn't fully developed yet, making him vulnerable.
He slipped past Leron's punch. The swing was so wide that Leron couldn't recover his stance immediately.
Thud!
Zev used that opportunity to grab Leron's head and smash it to the ground.
The ground trembled slightly from the impact, and the sharp, echoing thud was loud enough for everyone in the training ground to hear. It startled them, a stark reminder of Zev's strength.
"There's no turning back. You're the one who chose this," Zev said, his voice cold and resolute, leaving no doubt that he was ready to kill Leron.
Argh!
Leron groaned in pain, a flush of embarrassment rising as he realized how many eyes were on him. Even with his vision blurred and his thoughts muddled, he forced himself to stand and launch another attack.
His fist swung through empty air, and he staggered, still reeling from the earlier blow.
"Y-You'll regret laying your filthy hands on me… there will be consequences," he spat, his voice shaky but defiant.
All of a sudden, Leron unsheathed his sword, channeling spiritual energy through his entire body. He wasn't thinking, revenge for his humiliation was the only thing driving him now.
Zev immediately noticed the shift in his speed. You're still far from your former strength, he thought.
At just the right moment, Zev caught Leron's wrist, discreetly infusing his own spiritual energy to match the surge of power. Then, with a swift kick to Leron's legs, he shattered his balance.
Once again, Leron crashed to the ground.
"What's going on?"
"Is this real? How can Sir Leron be so helpless against Sir Zev?"
"This can't be happening…"
Murmurs spread among the members of Black Sigil as they watched the battle unfold. It was now obvious who held the upper hand—and just as clear how vast the gap between the two brothers had become.
And yet, Zev wasn't finished. He stepped in front of Leron, his stance showing that the fight was far from over.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The sound of punches echoed through the air as Zev continued throwing his fists left and right.
"I already told you, I won't be merciful," he snarled.
Leron did everything he could to resist, but the punches quickly drained his strength. At first, he endured the pain, but with each successive blow, his resolve shattered, and soon, he began to beg.
"Stop right now, Zev. Or else, I will kill you..." Leron warned him with a tremble voice unsure with the words he spoken.
Zev paused for a moment, his gaze fixed on Leron, but after a brief hesitation, he resumed his relentless assault. His fists were soaked in blood, and Leron, barely clinging to consciousness, felt himself slipping into darkness.
Suddenly, Harin stepped forward, gripping Zev's shoulder and locking eyes with him. "That's enough, Sir Zev. If you continue, the guild leader will punish you."
Zev met Harin's gaze but shook his head. "No, Harin. I'm teaching Leron a valuable lesson today: don't start a fight if you can't handle the consequences."
With a sudden, aggressive motion, Zev grabbed Leron by the hair and dragged him toward the small pond in the training ground. "I don't care if you die today," he snarled.
Leron trembled, a wave of fear washing over him as he looked at his younger brother. In that moment, he realized the magnitude of his mistake.
Please, Zev...
Stop...
It seemed as though Zev couldn't hear anything as he pushed Leron's head down into the pond. He wasn't planning on killing him, though, after 45 seconds, he roughly pulled Leron out of the water. His intent wasn't to end Leron's life, but to leave him with a nightmare that he would never forget.
"I think that's enough," came a voice—calm and steady—belonging to a man of average build, wearing glasses and a butler's outfit.
Zev glanced up, then casually tossed Leron to the ground. He knew who the man was: Felix, Leron's butler. Though Zev had limited information about Felix, he couldn't quite gauge what the man was thinking.
"Let's go, Harin. I'm done here," Zev said, turning and heading back to his room.
Meanwhile, Felix adjusted his glasses as he lifted the unconscious Leron. "It seems Sir Zev went too far. Lady Katina won't be happy if she finds out about this."
Katina, of course, was Leron's mother.
Harin nodded slightly, agreeing with Felix's statement. "I tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen. Besides, you were here too—why didn't you step in?"
Harin knew Felix had been present in the training ground from the start. The real reason he hadn't intervened was because he, too, had been shocked by how Zev had driven Leron's head into the ground. In truth, Felix wanted to confirm something.
"They're just children, after all," Felix laughed, his voice light. Before leaving, he added, "It seems Sir Zev has already figured out how to control his spiritual energy, hasn't he?"
Harin didn't respond, aware that Zev had indeed used his spiritual energy earlier. Instead, he simply turned and followed Zev, his thoughts lingering on the fight.
"See you later, Felix."
-
Soon, Zev returned to his room with Harin and began consuming a spiritual potion to replenish his energy. However, the thought of advancing to Spiritual Power II never crossed his mind. Why? Because he was still too young. Simply put, reaching Spiritual Power II required two things: increasing his spiritual energy and honing his bones. At just eight years old, his body was far from fully developed.
For now, Zev thought, I should focus on strengthening my body while stabilizing my spiritual energy.
That was true—Zev could only maintain or materialize his spiritual energy for a minute, which showed just how much he still lacked in terms of spiritual power.
Bam!
The door flew open, and Harin stepped inside, his gaze falling on Zev, who was sitting cross-legged, appearing to meditate. Zev opened his eyes and glanced up at him.
"The guild leader summons you," Harin said.
Zev stood up, having expected this. Teaching Leron a lesson wasn't his only goal, his second objective was to force Felix to reveal his true nature, and the third was to get his father's attention. In his mind, everything would begin once he met his father.
"Lead the way."
Both of them exited the room and walked for a few minutes, eventually arriving at the silver door adorned with the emblem of crossed wings and a sword—the symbol of the Black Sigil guild.
Harin opened the door. "This way, Sir Zev."
"Thanks, Harin. Stay here; it won't take long," Zev replied.
The room inside was dim, making it difficult for Zev to discern much of his surroundings. His gaze shifted to the figure ahead of him, a man with silver hair, appearing to be in his fifties, sitting calmly.
It was Lucan Quellen, the leader of the Black Sigil and the strongest living mutant.
Zev narrowed his eyebrows. Even from a distance, he could feel the oppressive weight of Lucan's presence. Despite the pressure, he continued his walk toward him.
He lowered his head respectfully. "I greet you, great guild leader," he said, his tone nonchalant.
Lucan's eyes hardened, glaring at him with fierce intensity. "I didn't call you here as a guild leader, but as your father."
Zev straightened, meeting his father's gaze directly. "I apologize. I failed to recognize it, father."
"Anyway, why did you do that to your brother?" Lucan asked, his tone sharp.
Zev was about to respond. "There's no other reason—"
Swoosh!
Suddenly, an overwhelming pressure filled the room, forcing Zev back and making it hard to breathe. Despite the suffocating weight of it, Zev managed a smile. He knew his father could see through him completely. I can't lie.
"Just tell me the truth, Zev."
Zev straightened, his voice steady. "The reason I did it is because I don't want to be at the bottom of the food chain. Or easy to say, they should not look down on me."
"Explain it."
"There's no further explanation, father. I just showed Leron who the strongest is between us. I also taught him a valuable lesson—that he shouldn't start something if he can't face the consequences."
"Hahahaha! How amusing!" Lucan suddenly laughed, clearly surprised by Zev's answer. It wasn't the kind of response one would expect from an eight-year-old. "Are you not afraid that Leron or your other siblings will seek revenge?"
Zev was taken aback. This was the first time he had ever seen his father laugh. Since his awakening, the only expression he'd ever seen on Lucan's face was disappointment. Yet, despite the shock, Zev maintained his composure.
"I will face them, as it is the consequence of my actions. If Leron seeks revenge, I'll accept it with open arms. But next time, I cannot guarantee his survival," Zev said, his tone serious.
Lucan felt the underlying hatred in his son's words, yet he could also sense that Zev wasn't lying. "To be honest, I should punish you for what you've done. Leron is severely injured, and his mental state has been deeply affected." Lucan stood up, his presence imposing.
"Yes, father. I will accept your punishment," Zev replied without hesitation.
"But before that," Lucan continued, "I've received a report from Harin. Show me your spiritual energy. Based on your progress, I'll decide whether to punish you or reward you."