Adonis stood in an expansive grassy plain, gripping a handcrafted wooden sword.

The boy executed a series of vertical slashes with the wooden blade, each strike being critiqued by the deity within him.

{Just because that ignorant swordsmith complimented you, it doesn't mean you can relax. You are still a long way from mastering the technique!}

{SLASH!}

Adonis swung his short arms downwards trying to follow the deity's precise instructions.

Repeatedly, Adonis performed this one technique until sunset.

{The fact that you think you deserve rest after not improving in the slightest is disgusting.} Eos snarled as the boy walked back towards the gates of the city.

"Lord Eos, my arms ache." The boy complained as he dragged his feet.

This routine persisted for months: early morning runs around the city's perimeter multiple times, a hearty breakfast, hours of hand-to-hand combat, and devoted sword practice. The boy's evenings were spent at a bar popular among nobles, savoring substantial suppers.

After 4 months of doing this same routine, he found himself in the bar eating his favorite meal, a large turkey with a generous portion of rice and a side of freshly squeezed apple juice.

On this specific day, Adonis was dressed in a green tunic, black pants, a rope belt, and a long black cloak.

Drenched in sweat the boy displayed his voracious appetite by quickly devouring everything on his plate. Bar patrons had already grown accustomed to his eating habits, so they were no longer fazed by him.

{Pan is probably rolling in her grave.} Eos said disgustedly as he watched the boy eat.

"Hehe..."

A few meters away from Adonis was a familiar figure: Quin Rupert, the bank guard.

Quin sat amidst his comrade, fellow knights, sharing drinks and exuberantly celebrating the recent completion of his wedding plans.

Ignoring his presence, Adonis finished his food and went to put his empty plate on the bar counter when a deliberately extended leg obstructed his journey.

Right as he was preparing to step over the outstretched leg to avoid it, the leg unexpectedly lifted off the ground and swiftly moved towards him.

Upon contact, the boy toppled face-first, his plate shattering.

SHATTER

THUD

"Since when are Mongrels allowed in this fine establishment?" Watching the child fall, Quin snickered.

{These are mortal adults? How immature.}

Adonis didn't make a single sound when he fell, he merely utilized his arms to regain his footing and rise again; not even looking in Quin's direction.

"..."

Not achieving the expected reaction, Quin scowled, stood, and emptied his drink onto Adonis's head.

Splash

Amidst the onlookers, two of his friends ceased laughter, witnessing the heightened cruelty.

Showing remarkable composure, Adonis persistently gathered the fragments of the bowl, his demeanor unaffected by the streams of liquor cascading down his purple hair.

"Huh?" Observing the boy completely disregard him, Quin's frustration intensified and his smirk disappeared.

With his anger mounting, Quin raised his foot and forcefully stomped down on Adonis' hand, inadvertently coming down upon a jagged ceramic fragment embedded within it.

SPLURT

Despite the blood oozing from his hand, Adonis remained resolutely silent. As the knight's action drew attention, the jovial atmosphere among his friends shifted, with frowns replacing laughter.

Among the knight's companions, only one hesitantly continued to chuckle, their amusement now stained by uncertainty.

{Oizys?}

"..." Picking up the last few pieces of the shards, Adonis managed to hold in his groan.

Quin raised his foot and examined the wounded boy's hand, causing a small smirk to appear on his smug face; reflecting his satisfaction with the damage he had done.

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While he found a twisted satisfaction in the boy's pain, there was one aspect that continued to bother Quin: the boy's refusal to let out a scream or even a soft 'ouch'.

Adonis stood up and placed the fragments on the table along with the bones of the turkey.

"Sorry, Mr. Itchy. How much for the plate?" Smiling, Adonis addressed the bartender/owner, a portly middle-aged man.

"Don't worry about it, Adonis. It wasn't your fault." Smiling nervously, Mr. Itchy looked at Quin from the corner of his eye.

"Then whose fault was it, Old man? If it wasn't the vermin who was at fault." Quin snarled.

"Hey, Quin calm down." Tugging the knight's arm, one of Quin's companions intervened.

"N-no ones, young Adonis just tripped." Trying to de-escalate the situation, Itchy smiled timidly.

"Sounds like, you're trying to blame me in a roundabout way." Leaning over the counter, Quin released his menacing Earthly Aura.

DUMMMM

"N-no, I would never." Feeling the strength in his legs leave him, Itchy yelped.

"Just because you have more money than most commoners, it doesn't mean you can speak on equal terms as Nobles. It seems you've forgotten that." Quin seized the man's apron, pulling him closer until their faces were mere inches apart.

In a display of twisted dominance, he allowed his aura to exert an oppressive pressure on the helpless old man.

Unlike at the bank, Adonis didn't hesitate to assist the old man. This fearlessness stemmed from his familiarity with Itchy, his drastic growth in strength as well as a sense of responsibility for the predicament the bartender currently found himself.

"Can you not go one day without bullying others?" With remarkable fluidity, Adonis sprang onto the counter and executed a swift kick that dislodged Itchy's apron from Quin's grasp.

BAM

Quin was stunned by the unexpected turn of events, and a similar astonishment rippled through the patrons at the bar.

All eyes were now fixed upon the unfolding scene, yet a hushed unease prevailed.

Despite the concern, no one dared to intervene; after all, who were they to impede the actions of a knight?

"You dare touch me, commoner?" Scowling in disgust, Quin screamed at the boy.

Quin's fist struck Adonis's jaw, propelling him onto an unoccupied table.

BAM

Colliding with the table, Adonis heard his back emit an unsettling noise.

CRACK

Soundless, Adonis rose shakily and stared daggers at the knight, refusing to display weakness.

{Show him that you've gotten stronger.}

"I can glare too." Quin turned to face the boy despite many of his friends voicing their concerns for his actions.

The knight then focused all his aura onto one target, the boy.

DUMMM

Contrary to the expected response, Adonis stood his ground and didn't immediately fold under the knight's aura.

Observing his intimidation failing, Quin's fury intensified, simmering as he anticipated a retaliatory move from the commoner.

'This kid! I must kill him.'

Springing forward, Adonis launched himself at the knight with the intention of delivering a punch to his face.

However, his attempt proved futile as the knight skillfully intercepted the punch, catching his fist in mid-air.

Departing from his usual response of hurling away, the knight tightened his grip on the boy's bloodied hand and unleashed a forceful strike into his abdomen using his free hand.

BAM

Upon being struck, Adonis involuntarily coughed out a spray of saliva, a testament to the power of the blow.

However, Quin didn't stop there; the strike was followed by another...

BAM

, and then yet another

BAM

BAM

BAM

Unrelenting, the man continued his assault, delivering a total of five forceful punches before ultimately hurling the boy into the unyielding stone wall.

THUD

"Argh..." In a matter of seconds, Adonis stood back up shakily with blood dripping down from the side of his face.

"Either you have guts or no brains." Strolling towards the boy, Quin chuckled.

{Oizys, I suggest you kill him.}

'Even If I could, taking another's life is never an option.'

{Even if you could? Oh please, you know damn well you could.}

"..."

Adonis once again propelled himself at the knight at a much more impressive speed than before, surprising Quin and everyone else who was spectating.

The boy was upon the man in seconds but this time he went for his legs, he slid across the polished wooden floor in an attempt to slide tackle the knight; but just like the last time his attack was thwarted pretty easily.

{Ahh, so that's what you're planning...}

With a quick motion, Quin executed a controlled hop, descending even more rapidly, aiming at the boy's extended leg.

"Peasant!"

Adonis narrowly escaped the counter by rolling away and getting back to his feet.

The two stared at each other as the tension in the air became almost permeable.

For the third time, Adonis dashed at the knight.

"I've finally realized it now, you're an idiot!" Watching the boy approach him once more, Quin laughed.

Deviating from his prior strategy of targeting Quins' head or legs, Adonis chose a different approach.

He launched into a flying sidekick directed towards Quin's abdomen.

Reacting swiftly to the incoming attack, the recipient employed both arms to block the strike.

As the impact connected, Adonis seamlessly transitioned into his next move.

Utilizing his right leg, which he had employed for the initial attack, he executed a midair pivot, swiftly launching a side heel kick with his left leg towards the man's bicep.

The force from the child wasn't enough to hurt the knight, but it was more than enough to push him back about five feet like he had hoped.

"Hm?" Noticing the distance he was forced to travel by a mere child, Quin raised his eyebrow.

Although he wasn't going all out and was extremely intoxicated, it shouldn't have been possible for him to be pushed back by a kid.

Extra information

PTC stands for 'Prodigal tide changer', a prodigy capable of turning the tides of war and bringing about change.