“Ray and Hulcus went there, too?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Well, well. How convenient. They’re all moving around like perfect chess pieces.”

Axion chuckled as he paused, knife poised over his steak, reacting to the news his subordinate brought him.

In truth, it was Axion who had sent Ray and Hulcus to the Fourth Training Ground.

His uncle had warned him not to interfere with Theo before the Blooming Ceremony began.

“But that’s ridiculous.”

Axion had already made up his mind to ignore Ed’s orders.

“My uncle’s flaw is that he’s always too quiet and cautious. Sometimes, you have to seize the chance to sink your teeth in when the moment’s right.”

To him, Theo and Wellington were obstacles that needed to be removed sooner rather than later.

So, setting up a “board” before the Blooming Ceremony officially began was essential.

A perfect setup for a trap that they couldn’t escape from.

“Plus, this way, I can also see how much Theo and Wellington have grown.”

Axion knew that Ray and Hulcus, who could be considered his rivals, had gone into seclusion to train in preparation for the ceremony.

So, he timed it just as they emerged and sent them both letters with two main messages:

- Wellington lost.
- Ragnar received a sword from the clan leader.

As the two most competitive members among the Four Dragons of the North, he anticipated a reaction from them.

And he was right.

With that, the first board was perfectly set.

“They’re both impulsive. Especially Hulcus—he hates waiting. As for Ray, her curiosity is bound to take over.”

It wasn’t that he expected them to destroy each other in this fight.

But it would certainly stir things up enough to ignite a spark.

Then, he could fan the flames at the Blooming Ceremony and watch everything burn.

Theo, Wellington, and all the others.

*Clink, clink.* The clatter of knife and fork against his plate echoed loudly through the room.

---

Ray could still recall the only real memory from her childhood.

“Are you cold? Here, take this.”

One day, in the midst of a fierce snowstorm, Ray had slipped out of the palace without her nanny noticing.

She’d always been confined to her room due to her frail health, and she’d grown tired of it.

But soon, she regretted it. She got lost in the blizzard, her body freezing, and all she could think of was her mother as she shivered.

Then, she met a boy.

He looked like a snowman, bundled up in a thick scarf, mittens, hat, and coat.

The boy asked if she was alright and wrapped his scarf around her neck.

Ray had stared at his face for a long time.

His warm touch was comforting, but what struck her most was—

*He’s so pretty.*

His soft cheeks were as delicate as a peach and so charming, completely different from her thin, sickly appearance.

“If you dress so thinly, you’ll catch a cold. Let’s get you back home, alright?”

The boy seemed unconcerned with her looks; he simply held her hand tightly and guided her as they searched for her home.

*Crunch, crunch.*

The trail of their long footprints on the snowy white field was a vivid memory.

In the end, Ray made it back to the palace safely.

She suffered from a bad cold for a few days afterward, but that memory planted the desire to “play and run around,” which later drove her to overcome the curse of the *Nine Yin Veins* and wield a sword.

Then, one day, she learned by chance that the boy from her memory was her peer.

His name was Theo Ragnar.

She had heard about him before—the “cripple of the Rose Palace.”

*But they say he’s changed… all of a sudden?*

Ray wanted to see for herself.

She had been unable to search for him before, but now, having completed her seclusion training and acquired the *Ice White God Sword,* things were different.

*I want to see for myself. What kind of sword does he wield?*

Wellington, who was observing Ray closely, narrowed his eyes.

*I thought it was competitiveness, but it’s something else. What’s going on? They don’t seem close.*

He knew that Ray, who had spent most of her childhood confined due to her illness, was socially awkward.

Her words were blunt, and her emotions slow to show, earning her the reputation of being as cold as ice.

But now, Ray was showing a clear emotional reaction for the first time.

Something was there.

But he refrained from asking directly.

Not only was Ray difficult to understand, but they had another troublemaker with them.

“What are you talking about, Ray Ragnar! I’m going to fight Theo Ragnar first!”

*Boom!*

Hulcus stamped his foot on the ground, his voice echoing with thunderous volume.

Ray frowned, irritated by the noise.

“Losers go last.”

“Are you seriously bringing up a fight from three years ago? At our age, each month counts! Three years is plenty of time to close the gap…”

“Yes, loser.”

Hulcus’s face flushed bright red.

“You…! Fine! Let’s settle it again. The winner will get to face Theo Ragnar!”

“You think I can’t do that?”

Ray and Hulcus unsheathed their swords, glaring fiercely at each other.

*Whooosh…*

A powerful wave of energy swirled around them like a storm.

Standing between them, Wellington grimaced.

Why on earth were they making such a scene here?

*Could it be… Axion?*

He suddenly thought of someone who might be behind this “prank.”

But stopping the two of them took precedence, so he raised his sword decisively.

*Vrrrm…*

<Narcio’s Secret Art – Abyss Sword>

A fierce wind generated by his sword cleaved the air between Ray and Hulcus.

*Sshhh!*

“...!”

“...!”

Both of them instinctively backed off, a glint of surprise in Ray’s eyes.

The same went for Hulcus.

“If you’re going to fight, go do it at home. This is Theo Ragnar’s territory. I won’t allow a commotion here without the owner present.”

Wellington’s tone radiated a chilling menace.

“Oh!”

Hulcus let out a small exclamation, looking at Wellington.

“Well, well, are you the real Wellington?”

“What nonsense is that? Are you suggesting I’m an imposter?”

“Maybe.”

“What?”

“The Wellington I know wasn’t like this.”

A smirk crept onto one side of Hulcus’s face.

“He was so polite and proper that it was almost boring… But now, you’re so sharp. People don’t usually change like that. What did you learn?”

Wellington’s mind briefly flashed back.

Moments spent with Theo.

Moments spent learning swordsmanship from Evelyn.

Moments spent sparring with his followers.

The past few months had indeed been a turning point in his life.

Days that were unlike anything he had experienced in his family had unknowingly altered his mindset.

Of course, Wellington had no reason to share any of that with Hulcus.

“Stop the nonsense and get out.”

“Hmm! If Theo Ragnar is the one who changed you, then I want to see him even more. What should I do?”

Realizing that words wouldn’t be enough, Wellington prepared to release his sword energy.

Just then—

*A heavy pressure suddenly blanketed the Fourth Training Ground.*

“What’s this…?”

“What…?”

The overwhelming force made Hulcus jolt in surprise and look up, while Ray narrowed her eyes, gazing in a different direction.

Wellington, too, turned to look.

*Thump, thump.*

Theo was approaching them, his footsteps slow and steady.

But his presence was anything but calm.

It was as if he’d come from an intense battle.

His eyes, visible through the disheveled hair that hung over his face, glowed a blood-red, as sharp as a beast’s.

His clothes were torn in places, revealing bruises and scars, sending chills down anyone who looked at them.

Most of all, there was this overwhelming aura…

It was fierce enough to resemble the *Dragon Fear* of a legendary dragon.

“G-gah…!”

“S-surely he hasn’t even unlocked his m-magic yet…!”

“Wh-what is…?”

Even the Four Dragons of the North were shocked by the intensity of his aura. Ordinary people could hardly bear it.

Jenkins and his lackeys looked pale, with some even fainting on the spot.

And as Theo drew closer, the murderous aura and his presence became even sharper.

“Hahaha! My instincts were right. This is going to be fun. You’re mine—!”

*Boom!*

Laughing maniacally, Hulcus kicked off the ground and charged straight at Theo.

Wellington felt a jolt of alarm.

Theo’s entrance had captured his attention so completely that he’d momentarily forgotten about Hulcus.

*Theo just came out of his seclusion training. Even if he’s gained newfound insight, he’s likely exhausted and won’t be able to perform at full capacity.*

With the Blooming Ceremony only five days away, if Theo were to be injured, it would be disastrous.

So he quickly moved to intercept Hulcus—

But then, Wellington saw it.

Theo, suddenly aiming a beautifully decorated sword in his hand toward them.

*Slash!*

Theo swung his sword in Hulcus’s direction with tremendous force.

The oppressive aura dominating the Fourth Training Ground condensed into a single sharp line, like a sword.

*A flash…!*

Something blindingly white streaked through the air.

That was all Wellington could register.

Then—

*Splat!*

“What… what

 did he do…?”

Hulcus stood motionless, drenched in blood, his expression frozen in horror.

From his right shoulder to his left waist, a bloody line ran diagonally across his body, with blood seeping out.

His claymore had been sliced in half, lying discarded on the ground.

*When…?*

Wellington’s eyes wavered, and even Ray’s widened.

“Arrgh!”

Hulcus let out a scream, unable to accept the reality, and moved to attack again.

But—

“Quiet.”

Theo, now right in front of him, struck Hulcus in the temple with the hilt of his sword.

*Thud!*

Without a word, Hulcus fell backward, landing with a heavy thud.

Such a large figure collapsing made the entire training ground tremble.

*Not once did I see Theo move. Not even as he approached Hulcus.*

His steps had been so light, as if he were simply strolling.

Wellington, Theo’s followers, and Jenkins’s gang were all stunned by the display.

“The *Black Bear*… lost?”

“One of the Four Dragons, defeated?”

“What happened?”

A few months ago, Theo and Wellington had sparred in a duel, but it was only a spar.

People didn’t take it as a “real” fight.

They thought the rumors were exaggerated, or that Wellington had taken it easy on Theo.

But this was different.

Hulcus had charged at Theo with his full strength.

Yet, he hadn’t even touched him before he was dealt a mortal blow.

And it had taken just one strike.

He had felled a prodigy of the North in a single blow.

Naturally, the impact was profound.

Theo turned to Ray, as if asking whether she wanted to continue.

His crimson eyes glowed fiercely, as if ready to strike her down if she dared.

Ray looked back and forth between her sword and Theo’s.

After a moment of silence, she slid her sword back into its scabbard.

*Clink!*