Chapter 59: A Sudden Encounter

It didn't take long for Marius and Grevlin to near the academy gates; on their way here, they noticed quite a few talented children around, a few years older than Grevlin. Many of them being at Level 6, which was no different from a Two Star G Class Combatants. Rarely would one see a prestigious group carrying children at the Three Star G Class. Those who had achieved Level 9 where all children in their teenage years, the youngest being 13.

Though curious, Marius and Grevlin didn't stay idle for long as they promptly walked towards the compound, Marius was about to let Grevlin off and head off his way, but soon, he was distracted by a peculiar youth.

It was a boy who seemed roughly the same age as Grevlin, having a freckled face and orange hair. He stood by the side of a husky man with similar features, only his body wore a lengthy coak with heavy armor underneath it.

Marius frowned as when he inspected them, he heard a strange notification.

____

Ding!

Target is superior to you in strength, cannot provide complete details.

Ding!

[Name: Welsh Morgan]

[Level: ?| Age: 37]

[Race: Half-Blood Artiman]

[Battle Rank:? Star E Rank Warrior]

[Stamina: ? | Strength: ?]

[Agility: ? | Dexterity: ?]

[Mystic Power: ?]

[Mystical Power Arts: ?]

[Inborn Abilities: ??? | Level ??]

[Learnt Skills: ????, ????, ????, ????, ????]

____

Ding!

[Name: Melson Morgan]

[Level: 10| Age: 10]

[Race: Half-Blood Artiman]

[Battle Rank: F Rank Warrior]

[Stamina: G★ | Strength: G★★★]

[Agility: F | Dexterity: F]

[Mystic Power: F]

[Mystical Power Arts: Foundation Light Sutra]

[Inborn Abilities: Speed Burst | Level 2]

[Learnt Skills: Flash Step, Light Cut]

____

'Hmm, well now, this is my first time after that old man that I encountered someone I couldn't quite understand, and this place isn't even in the royal city. It looks like I truly need to hurry and complete my advancement test, a pity the month is still a long way off from finishing; I won't be able to advance until then. Still, other than this man, his son is rather incredible to think I'd see a Third Grade Talent here. It's even a bit odd, to think that his strength would only be one level below that of his actual core stats, almost as if he's a Half Fourth Grade Talent if such a thing even exists. Heh, truly interesting...'

Marius thought with an unusual look on his face as he stared at both father and son that blocked their path. Grevlin gave the strange boy a hard stare in front of him as he noticed the latter was looking at him provocatively.

As for Welsh, it appeared as if the world was of no concern to him. He merely waited for something to take place. As expected, it didn't take long for Melson to speak as he had finished sizing up who he deemed as a rival.

"Hey you there, I couldn't help but notice that out of all the new arrivals. Yours is the only talent that can match up to mine. But is this really so? I refuse to believe that just anybody can stand up to me. As such, I hereby declare that within these trials; I shall defeat you directly."

After saying his words, Melson didn't care for Grevlin's reply. He turned around and strolled into the academy, not even bidding farewell to his father.

Grevlin looked at the boy's back with a curious expression. It was his first time, never had there been a person in his age group to dare confront him directly like this. He had been teased before and mocked, but everyone back on earth, especially in his class, knew better than to provoke Grevlin to combat. They learned so from the broken bones of a pitiful child whom Grevlin had 'accidentally' hurt with his elbows...

With a thoughtful look far unlike that of his age, Grevlin then shook his head, no longer pondering Melson's words. He behaved in a more mature manner, as he knew that he didn't need to participate in the Academy Trails as he was already a student.

"Father, I'm off."

"Good, take care now, son."

Marius said with a smile; he looked at Grevlin with a proud look, even more so at his inherited indifference to provocation.

Watching both boys as they disappeared through the school gates, it was only now that Welsh finnaly spoke to Marius.

"Youth, truly the best time of our years, don't you think so?"

Marius glanced at him, recalling his dark childhood years, filled with endless killing and suffering the likes of which no ordinary man could ever possibly imagine. 

As he recalled those years, a slightly dismal aura filled the air, startling Welsh, who didn't expect such a sudden change. However, this aura didn't last long as Marius consciously suppressed it.

His eyes now a bit colder as if he had been suffused with a dark killing breath, he glanced at Welsh and answered, 'It might be for some, but for others, a child's years can be no different from a nightmare. Heh, what truly defines a child's best years are not the years itself, but their very experiences...'

After saying those words, Marius turned and left the gates, making his way to the Seeker's Faction of the Hero's District.

Welsh, who now had a flash of enlightenment, stared at Marius's figure which grew distant with each passing second as he made a faint smile while thinking.

'Who would have thought that some random fellow could teach me about child-rearing? Ha, funny, yet truly intriguing...'

Following those thoughts, his body soon after flashed before he vanished, leaving behind no trace of his existence. Yet, as both Marius and Welsh went their way, they would see an obscure carriage if one looked in a corner. 

Within it was the well dressed Vawn Wilborn, who peeked through its windows at Marius, who left in the distance, his eyes shining with a cold ray, showing a dense murderous desire.

"Go now, do not fail our family's reputation," Vawn said in an icy tone.

Jae, who stood up from his seat in the carriage, bowed before replying, "I will do my best, father."

Not long after, Jae left for the gates, leaving behind the gloomy scene of the silent carriage that soon after left, returning to the Wilbron Estate.