3 years later...

Akin has been training with Tartus for the last 3 years now. A lot happened during those 3 years. Akin is now 15. He has been learning a lot and has gotten much stronger. But it was not only Akin that changed.

Akin and Tartus have long been together and far away from Erex. Now they are finally returning to the Kingdom.

"So, what's this new tournament again?" Asks Akin.

Akin grew up a lot. He wears similar clothes as before: black pants and a short-sleeved red shirt. The only difference in the clothes is their size. Akin's clothes have a lot of rips from his training. Akin also has more muscles now, but nothing really extraordinary. His body is equivalent to someone who works out consistently.

"Didn't you read the journals? It's all over the place."

"I mean, I looked at it. There will be a tournament, and the age required to participate is 15. That's all I know. I didn't read the rest."

"Well, basically, there are a lot of knights in Erex. That's why the Kingdom is going to be pickier about it. Before becoming a knight, now you have to participate in a tournament and get at least third place. That's pretty much it."

"I see. Can I enter the tournament even though I didn't join the knight academy?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

"If I can, I will win it! And finally, become a knight!"

"That's the spirit. But I actually think you have good chances. You were trained by me, after all."

Tartus continues.

"Though before you enter the tournament, it would be better if you could learn how to make an aura attack."

"I'm still working on it. By the day of the tournament, I will have learned it! I'm sure!"

Akin stares at Tartus' neck for a couple of seconds. After 3 years of training with him, he just realized the burn scar on Tartus' neck.

"Hey. Changing the subject a little, but what's the deal with your neck? Why does it look like it was severely burned?"

"Secret."

"C'mon, please tell me. We have been together for 3 years!"

"When you are strong enough to beat me, I will tell you."

Akin makes an irritated face.

After more hours of walking, Akin and Tartus enter the south of Erex.

"Wow. It has been a long time since I last have been here!" Says Akin.

"It sure has. Well, I have to go. I will try to make your subscription in the tournament, and I also have to talk to some other people."

"Sure. I will be walking around."

Tartus makes a huge jump and gets far away from Akin.

Akin starts walking in the forest.

I will visit ms Lillian before I leave again. But now I have to concentrate on my aura attack. Thinks Akin.

"I have no time to waste. I will start training now! I have been working on this attack for the last 2 months. Before the tournament, I will finally be able to execute it!"

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2 months ago, in a forest far away from Erex, during Akin's training.

"Akin. I think you're prepared to execute your first aura attack. It took a long time, and you had to train other things first. But now, I think it is the time."

"My first aura attack!? Finally! So will I be able to create a cool armor like my brother?"

"That's not how it works. Each aura is different from one another. You can't do the same things as your brother."

"Well, what can I do then?"

"I don't know."

"Huh? What do you mean? How can I know what my power is?"

"Normally, your power is similar to your parents' power, so you could learn with them. Do you have any idea what type of aura your parents had?"

"I don't know who my parents are. I have never seen them."

"I see. Really no idea?"

"No."

"Hmm. When growing up, your body should show signs of how your aura works. The problem is that your amount of aura is too low. Your body gave no signs at all. I honestly don't know how you could do it then."

Akin looks at the ground and thinks.

"Then I guess I will have to try all possible powers."

"What?"

"I don't know what my aura can do. So I will just try everything and see what works!"

"Akin, I don't think that's a viable way."

"I don't care how much time it takes. I will find a way!"

Tartus smiles and thinks.

Akin, you're really something else. Thinking about it, maybe...

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

"Ok. I have a way."

"What way?" Asks Akin curious.

"Most of the auras are related to an element of nature, lightning, wind, plants, all from nature. Of course, there are some exceptions like Eiden, but not even I know how his power works. Anyways each of these elements has a basic attack."

"A basic attack?"

"An aura attack that everyone with that element can do. For example, Ian and I have aura powers related to wind. Even though our powers are related to the same element, our aura is still different from each other. Therefore we execute different wind attacks. But..."

"But what?"

"As I said, each element has an attack in common. No one knows why, but Ian and I can throw powerful winds without moving. The power of the wind will change, but we both can do it without moving. That's an attack we both have in common. Of course, I have other much more powerful attacks that Ian can't do, and Ian has other attacks that I can't do."

"Wait, so that power you used against me... You have other attacks more powerful than that?"

"That attack is my weakest one. Common element attacks are usually weak."

Those winds are his weakest attack? What is his most powerful one? Thinks Akin.

"Anyways. We can try with the most common elements and see if you can make their common attack. You shouldn't be able to execute them immediately, but by trying, it should at least give us a sign."

"A sign?"

"You will understand it."

Akin starts doing as Tartus said. He first tried the common wind attack, then the water one. Both were unsuccessful. Akin now tries the fire one.

"Ok, try making a fireball out of your mouth."

"My mouth?"

"Yeah, that's the common fire attack. Every fire user can do it. Just breathe deeply and try to throw it."

"Right!"

Akin breathes as deep as he can, then he opens his mouth and blows, trying to throw something. But nothing comes out.

"I guess fire is not my thing either. What's the next element?"

"We found it!"

"Huh? Nothing came out of it. Only wind."

"It showed the sign!"

"I didn't see anything." Says Akin confused.

"Of course, you can't see it. But trust me, fire is your element. Now, practice until you can make a fireball get out of your mouth."

"So, I just have to keep blowing?"

"I don't know. Try to concentrate your aura in your mouth or something."

"How do I do that?"

"How am I supposed to know. I'm not a fire user. You will have to figure it out alone."

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Since then, Akin has been trying to figure out a way to throw a fireball. Using what he has learned before, he could make progress. Now he can throw some visible sparks. That is the best he could do until now.

Akin breaths intensely, concentrate and blows.

"Damm, Sparkles again. I guess I still can't concentrate enough aura on my mouth."

Tartus taught Akin a lot about how the aura works. Akin can already concentrate some of it on his mouth, that is how he can throw sparkles, but it is still not enough. The biggest problem is that, because of Akin's lack of aura, he has to concentrate more of it into his mouth than a regular fire user would have to."

Akin keeps blowing and blowing. But again, only sparkles come out.

Tartus gets to Ian's mansion and knocks on the office.

"Enter, please."

Tartus enters the office.

"Tartus?! What a surprise! What are you doing here?" Says Willian. On his side are Ian and the other governors.

"Hi. I heard it's here where the subscriptions to the tournament are made."

"Exactly. Since the tournament will be held at the Great Stadium in the south, all the governors and I will use Ian's mansion for a while. Do you want to join the tournament?"

"I'm just here to enroll my apprentice. Is it possible?"

"Your apprentice to join the tournament? What was his name again?"

"Akin."

"Sure, sure, Eiden's brother. It has been a long time, hasn't it? It's going to be hard to enroll Akin, though. This is our first tournament, and we have a lot of unexpected guests. A princess is going to participate. Can you believe it? The princess of the ice lands! Anyways the students from the knight academy also have to participate. We are pretty much full."

"I see. Then I will be going..."

"Wait. Not all students from the knight academy have good enough grades to participate. And since it's the great hero Tartus asking, maybe we can do something about it. I'm sure we can put Akin in the tournament as well."

"Can you really do it?"

"Of course! Edwin put Akin's name in the tournament."

"Really? We will have to take someone out then."

"Do it. It doesn't matter. Akin must be on this tournament."

"Thanks, king Willian. I'm sure Akin will do great in the tournament. When will be it again?"

"The day after tomorrow." Says Willian with a big smile.

"Great. I will be leaving now."

"Tell Akin that I wish him good luck."

Tartus walks to the door and leaves the office.

It worked better than I thought it would. Thinks Tartus.

Tartus leaves Ian's mansion and starts slowly walking.

"Tartus!"

Tartus hears someone from behind. It was Ian.

"Ian! It's good that you came. I actually wanted to talk to you. How did you get out of your office? Did Willian let you go?"

"I don't really have to stay there. And now the tournament is full. Probably no one else will enter it."

"I see."

"But Tartus, are you sure about letting Akin join? I know you trained him, but..."

"No worries."

"Are you sure? You know Willian just let him because he thinks Akin will lose, right?"

"Yeah, I realized it. But I trust Akin. Of course, I didn't teach him everything. Some things he will have to learn alone. Actually, I have already taught him everything I could. Now it's up to him."

"I know, but many powerful people are joining this first tournament. I'm sure Akin is strong enough to become a knight, but I'm not sure he can handle them."

"Trust me, Ian. Akin can do it."

"Damm it! Sparkles again!"

Akin still got no improvement.

"Ok, now I will definitely... Huh?"

Akin hears some voices from the forest.

"Go away!"

"Haha. You can't beat us!"

What are those voices? Thinks Akin.

Akin walks in the direction of the sounds.

What's going on here?

Akin sees a small kid that appears to be crying. Next to the kid are two other boys who are similar in age to Akin. All of them were wearing uniforms.

"Please go away!" Screams the kid.

"Haha! Now you understand who rules here, right!? We are almost graduating from the knight academy, so you freshman must treat us like your lords. Or else." The boy closes his fist and threatens to punch the kid.

"I will do whatever you want! Please let me go!"

"Alright! Then..."

"Are you actually threatening someone younger than you for no reason?" Says Akin, who is now in the field of vision of everyone there.

"Who are you? Get lost if you don't want to get punched!"

"Punched by you?" Says Akin while laughing.

"What are you laughing at there? We are from the knight academy, you idiot. We can take anyone down!"

"Knight academy? Are there people that weak in the knight academy?"

"What!? You are asking for a punch, aren't you!?"

"You can try punching me. Because no way someone who threatens the weak could be any strong!"

"You!" One of the boys runs after Akin with his fists closed. He tries a punch.

"Huh?"

But Akin easily dodges.

"C'mon, you gotta do better. I knew you were weak, but not that weak."

"You!!!"

The boy tries a punch, then another, and another. He makes consecutive punches, all easily dodged by Akin.

"You just keep dodging! You can't even fight back!"

"Do you think so?"

The boy closes his fists again, but Akin throws a frontal kick on his face before he can punch.

"Aghhhh. Damn!!"

"Huh? I didn't kick that hard."

Akin then punches the boy in the face. The boy flies and falls face down to the ground.

"What, what was that!? No one can punch that hard!" Says the boy with a frightened face.

"No worry, I will take him down now!" Says the other boy, who until now was just observing the fight.

After saying that, the boy's arm is covered by rocks, creating what looks like a stone glove.

"Oh. An aura attack."

"Exactly! And now I'm gonna end you!"

"No, wait!" Screams the boy on the ground.

Without hearing his friend, the boy with his stone glove runs towards Akin.

Akin gives a smile and spreads his legs from each other. He closes his fist and prepares for a punch.

"Haha! You won't dodge! Bad choice! My stone glove increases my strength!"

"Yeah, I realized."

The boy's punch and Akins's punch hit each other.

"What? No way!!!!"

After their punches hit each other, the stone glove is broken.

The boy is thrown far away and hits a tree. Akin's punch is many times stronger than the boy's.

"What was that???" Asks the boy while bleeding after Akin's punch.

"I tried to warn you." Says the other boy.

"Huh?"

"I felt it after receiving his punch. Your stone glove is strong, but that guy is not normal!"

"Don't you have anything else? You guys are pretty weak!" Says Akin with a big smile.