The water was dark and freezing. Marcus sank deeper, his lungs burning. He couldn’t tell which way was up. The current spun him like a toy.*I’m dying,* he thought. *Just like Father. Just like Mother.*Then something strange happened. Warmth spread from his chest through his body. It felt like fire pushing away the cold.His eyes opened underwater. Everything should be dark, but he could see clearly. Fish swam past. Plants waved in the current. Strangest of all, light came from his own body.Golden light surrounded him. It got brighter every second, so bright it hurt to look at.Dark shapes moved toward him through the water. Marcus’s heart jumped. These were river beasts. Monsters that killed grown men. Some were big as horses with teeth like knives.The closest beast opened its huge jaws and swam straight at him. Marcus wanted to scream but couldn’t. Water would fill his lungs.The beast stopped just feet away. Marcus could see every sharp tooth. But it didn’t attack. Instead, it b

Three years passed like water flowing down a river. Marcus was now ten years old.Every morning before sunrise, he woke and cleaned the training grounds. He swept away fallen leaves, wiped down the practice weapons, and made sure everything was perfect. The other students never saw him do this work. They only saw the results.During the day, he dusted the books in Grandfather Octavius’s library. Hundreds of books about sword techniques, energy cultivation, and warrior history. While cleaning, Marcus read every single one. His memory was strange—once he read something, he never forgot it.At night, when everyone slept, Marcus sneaked into the library again. He practiced the techniques he’d read about. He couldn’t train openly because Grandfather Octavius had rules. Students under ten years old were not allowed to begin warrior training. The body needed to mature first, the old man said.But Marcus couldn’t wait. Every night he trained in secret, pushing his body to the limit.“Brother

Three days after the competition, a hooded figure rode through the night toward the imperial capital. His horse was exhausted, but he pushed it harder. The information he carried was worth a fortune.The man’s name was Felix. He’d been working as a servant at Iron Sword Academy for two years, paid by Cornelius to report any useful information. But what he’d witnessed three days ago was beyond anything he’d expected.A ten-year-old boy defeating a third-class warrior with ease. A child who could sense energy levels that even trained warriors couldn’t detect. This wasn’t just talent, this was something extraordinary.Felix reached the capital by dawn. The city was massive, ten times larger than any town near the academy. Tall walls surrounded it, and guards checked everyone entering. But Felix had papers that identified him as a merchant. He passed through easily.He went straight to Cornelius’s son’s residence in the noble district. The house was grand, showing the family’s wealth and

That night, Marcus couldn’t sleep. Theodore’s words kept echoing in his mind. The golden light wasn’t luck. Someone protected him. But who?His parents were dead. He’d seen them die with his own eyes. Unless…No. That was impossible. Dead was dead.But doubt, once planted, grows like a weed.Marcus gave up trying to sleep. He left his room and headed to the forest training ground. The moon was full, providing enough light to see.He needed to clear his mind. He needed to focus on what he could control: getting stronger.Marcus began practicing his sword forms. Simple movements at first, then increasingly complex. His body moved like water, each strike flowing into the next.As he trained, something felt different. The energy in his body was moving faster, circulating through pathways he’d worked years to open. He was close to a breakthrough.480 circles of energy. He needed just twenty more to reach Earth King level. Most warriors spent years trying to make that jump. Marcus wanted to

The academy healer worked quickly on Marcus's wounds. The knife cuts were deep but clean. Nothing vital had been damaged. Still, he'd lost a lot of blood."You're lucky," the healer said, wrapping bandages around his torso. "A few inches to the left and that blade would have pierced your lung. What kind of training accident causes knife wounds?""The dangerous kind," Grandfather Octavius answered from the doorway. "Leave us. I need to speak with Marcus alone."The healer bowed and left. Lydia tried to stay, but Octavius shook his head. "You too, Rouxi. This is between Marcus and me.""But Grandfather...""Please. Trust me."Lydia left reluctantly, closing the door behind her. The room fell silent except for the sound of Marcus's breathing.Octavius pulled a chair close to the bed and sat down. For a long moment, he just looked at Marcus. His old eyes seemed to see everything."I've suspected for a while now," Octavius finally said. "But I wanted you to tell me yourself. So I'm asking