"How strong?"
"Since you're so eager to find out, then you can be the one."
"Rivier, step out!"
At Bode's call, the boy named Rivier stepped forward.
"Everyone else, move aside!"
Rivier walked up to Jonathan. He was more than a head taller than Jonathan, standing a full five foot two, and had a fairly sturdy build.
He looked down at Jonathan, his eyes full of disdain.
Jonathan showed no reaction. His mind was as calm as still water.
"Are you ready?"
"Anytime," Rivier said.
Jonathan nodded.
Bode glanced at them both. "Let the match begin!"
Rivier's friends immediately began cheering him on.
Jonathan didn't feel the slightest pressure. When Rivier clenched his fists and charged straight at him, he stood perfectly still. Only when the fist was close to his face did he turn aside.
His nimble movements drew gasps from the boys around them.
Bode's eyes widened in surprise. "This kid's improved again. What a frightening young man!"
Rivier clenched his teeth and threw punches with all his might, adding kicks as well, but Jonathan dodged them all with ease.
Bode gave Jonathan a closer look and noticed something strapped to his calves, arms, and waist.
It was hidden beneath his clothes, so it would have been hard to spot without looking carefully.
"Impressive!"
Now that he had a hunch, Bode couldn't help praising the boy before him.
"You coward! Stop dodging if you've got any guts! Do you dare face me head-on?"
Jonathan wasn't about to let a few taunts provoke him, but there was no point dragging things out. He blurred forward, and Rivier's vision swam. Jonathan vanished from sight.
By the time Rivier realized what had happened, Jonathan had shaped his hand like a blade and pressed it against Rivier's throat.
"If I had a dagger in my hand, I'd have slit your throat by now, and you'd be dead on the spot."
Rivier felt a chill shoot from his tailbone to the top of his head. Sweat poured down his face as he raised his hands and stammered, "I-I surrender."
Jonathan lowered his hand and walked over to pick up his food again.
"Now you understand that there's always someone stronger, and a higher sky beyond the one above you," Bode said. "Jonathan is only eight years old, the same age as the youngest among you."
The boys around them burst into cries of surprise.
"Eight? He's my age, and he's already that strong?!"
"Yeah, he's incredible!"
"How does he even train?"
Rivier stared at Jonathan in shock. He was even younger than Rivier had thought.
"Uncle Bode, I've got things to do, so I'll head back now," Jonathan said.
"Go on. Thanks for helping me out today. I'll treat you to a meal next time!"
Jonathan neither nodded nor refused. He simply smiled and walked away.
"Now you know what a genius looks like. I've seen him train myself. He works at least ten times harder than you do."
"And if I'm not mistaken, Jonathan was wearing weighted gear during that match."
"Weighted gear?!" Rivier was stunned all over again, his face full of disbelief.
"His strength is already on par with a proper warrior's."
"You'll never catch up with him in this lifetime. But if you make him your goal and keep pushing yourselves, you can still become excellent warriors. You might even surpass me someday."
"Really, Instructor?"
"Of course!"
"So, do you still want to rest?"
Rivier straightened up and said firmly, "I, Rivier, won't rest until I collapse!"
"Good. Then let's keep going!"
For Jonathan, it was only a brief interlude. Once he got home, he continued training as usual.
In the afternoon, he set aside two hours to cultivate battle qi.
After Abraham tested him, he found that Jonathan could cultivate dark-attribute battle qi manuals. He could also cultivate the Assassination Dou Dian that Abraham practiced, so that was the manual he was currently studying.
Streams of black battle-qi energy flowed into Jonathan's body. Following the route recorded in the Assassination Dou Dian, he refined the energy, strengthening his muscles, bones, and even his internal organs.
Once refined, the battle qi turned dark red and acquired a slight corrosive property.
If someone was struck by this battle qi, the wound would gradually corrode and fester. Without immediate treatment, it could even become life-threatening.
Ten days passed in the blink of an eye.
When Abraham still hadn't returned, Jonathan began to worry.
The life of an assassin was extremely dangerous. If one went on a mission and failed to return on time, there was a good chance something had happened.
And when something went wrong, it usually went wrong in the worst possible way.
Jonathan stood at the door, gazing into the distance and silently praying for Abraham.
With nothing else he could do, he could only keep training and cultivating, day after day.
A week later, Abraham returned.
But he came back with only one arm, and a long scar now marked his face.
It was clear he had been through a perilous battle.
Jonathan dashed toward him like an arrow. When he reached Abraham, he touched the empty sleeve where his arm had been. His expression darkened, his eyes full of sorrow.
Abraham stroked Jonathan's head with his remaining hand and smiled. "Don't be sad. At least I made it back alive."
"And there's good news, too. Now I'll have more time to train with you."
Though his soul belonged to a middle-aged man who had lived for decades, at that moment Jonathan's eyes still brimmed with tears.
"Father, I'll take care of you from now on!"
Abraham chuckled. "What are you talking about? Even with one arm gone, I'm nowhere near needing a little brat like you to look after me."
"Come on, let's go inside. Is there anything to eat? I'm hungry."
"I bought some food in Blackstone Town yesterday. There's meat and vegetables. I'll cook for you!"
Several days later.
"You want to test your magical talent?"
Abraham's expression turned serious. After thinking it over, he said, "Even if the test shows that you have magical talent, how can you be sure it's as good as your talent for cultivating battle qi?"
"There are warriors and mages on the continent who cultivate both, but they're extremely rare—so rare you can count them on your fingers."
"More importantly, cultivating both will slow your progress. It's not worth it."
"With your talent for battle qi, I believe it's only a matter of time before you surpass me. Even reaching the Saint Realm isn't impossible for you. But if you take up magic as well..."
"Have you ever considered that you might end up accomplishing nothing?"
Jonathan had already thought of how to respond. He smiled and said, "Father, it's not as complicated as you think. I just want to find out whether I have magical talent."
"If I do, there's no harm in learning a little. At the very least, magic could help me protect myself."
"If my magical talent is ordinary, then I'll only learn the basics. I won't pursue it any further."
Seeing the determination in Jonathan's eyes, Abraham sighed. "All right. I'll go to Black Flame City tomorrow and ask around."
"Thank you, Father!"
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