Martial Arts

The spring quietly rained down on Steam Village.

It was already late in the night, a slight breeze blowing with the light rain.

Steam Village was not covered in darkness, it was quite the opposite given the fact that each street had dozens of tiny lights that shone like a bright band.

To every visitor's surprise, the streets weren't the sole provider of light in this deep darkness of the night. Even the tall buildings of the village aided with Illuminating the streets.

Which led the visitors to see that touch of human civilization. A village accommodating thousands of people, yet lively and full of energy.

In the middle of Steam Village was a magnificent mansion. A boy at the age of 6 could be seen standing by an open window as he faced the night rain.

' So how do I go about this hmmm...' Yone was incredibly sensible as he was pondering. With this thought, things started to feel complicated. After thinking for an unknown amount of time, his brows wrinkled deeper.

A whole different world and new power system was a rather complicated thing to comprehend quickly enough. Don't mention those secrets, cultures, and all the various rules he had no idea about.

' The most important thing is cultivation. The current me has not even been allowed to touch the martial arts books my father keeps in his room, I still haven't stepped on the path to becoming a martial arts master yet. I'm just a mere mortal! I have to hurry and cultivate, catching up to this world's apex experts and seize everything to myself.'

Not to mention, his current situation was far from safe. At this point, he was literally walking into a wolf's den, courting death.

The problem in front of Yone right now was cultivation.

Nonetheless, that wasn't his sole problem.

His family itself was the biggest problem that's kept him a mortal till now.

He had to increase his level of foundation as fast as possible. If he were to not use his past experiences and move as slowly as he did in his past life, he would for sure not be able to attain Immortality.

He needed to be hundreds of steps in front of everyone, otherwise, he wouldn't be strong enough to compete and do as he pleased.

Yet again, for him to start doing all of this, he needed to start cultivating the power system of this world known as martial arts.

Unfortunately, his family which was supposedly noble and rich, was in fact quite poor and even in worse conditions than a peasant's household.

His family were fallen nobles who were stripped away from all of their rights to own any land anywhere. Furthermore, their future generations were forbidden from accessing any martial arts books until the age of 20.

Funnily enough, the starting age to practice martial arts in this world was seven.

This meant that Yone would be thirteen years behind everyone else. Essentially, whoever imposed this rule on his family wanted to cripple them permanently, ensuring they could never compete against them again.

" Rules huh..." He sneered, his gaze focused out of the window.

At this moment, the door to his room was lightly pushed open and a young teenager walked in.

"Little brother, why are you standing in the rain by the window side ?"

The youth was muscular, slightly taller than Yone. His face resembled Yone's features greatly. As Yone turned his head to look at this young man, a complicated look flickered across his face.

"It's you huh, my twin older brother." He raised his eyebrows, his expression returning to that of cold indifference. Tom lowered his head and looked at his own toes; this is his signature stance.

"I saw that younger brother's window was not shut closed, so I thought I'd come in here and close it. Tomorrow is the martial arts talent test, it's so late and you haven't gone to bed yet little brother. If mother and father knew, they would probably be worried and punish me for not taking care of you."

Tom was not surprised at Yone's coldness. Ever since he was a small child, his little brother had always been like that. Sometimes he would wonder, maybe a genius is just like this, being rather different from ordinary people. Even though he had the same face as his little brother, he felt that he was ordinary like an ant.

They were born from the same womb at the same time, and yet why were the heavens unfair? He was born a few minutes earlier than his little brother, yet the gap in talent between him and Yone was like the difference between heaven and earth.

Tom despaired each time he remembered his identity, and even felt disgusted when he looked at himself in the mirror.

Fortunately, all of these feelings were immediately washed away each time he recalled the punishment placed on his family by the Kingdom of Elinar.

' At least talent wouldn't matter since both of us are forbidden from touching martial arts,' Tom sighed in relief, his head lifting upwards and eyes gleaming with a brighter light than usual.

" Worried..." At the thought of his parents, Yone lightly laughed. He could still recall how the woman who gave birth to him reminded him every year that, no matter what he did, he should never consider martial arts in his life, or else his life would be in danger.

At first, he thought what she kept advising him was just a normal concern, since all mothers would be worried about their children facing dangers and life-threatening events.

Only at a later date, when he overheard a conversation between his father and a visitor did he know the reality behind her words. And how everyone in their family was forbidden from ever practicing martial arts till the age of 20.

As for the behavior of his older brother in front of him and the kindness he was showing.

It was merely respect and reverence for the talent he showcased as he was growing up, or else he wouldn't be this caring and loving towards him since both of them were doomed to be weaklings for life.

If his experience with people didn't fail him. Yone believed that Tom was only doing this in hopes that he could somehow be protected by him when their academy days started.

As a blue panel appeared in front of Yone, he gave his older brother a faint glance," You can leave."

Tom's heart shook as he felt like his brother's eyes were sharp like an ice blade, seemingly penetrating the deepest parts of his heart.

Under such a gaze, he felt like he was naked in the snow, unable to hold any secrets.

"Then I'll see you tomorrow, little brother." Not daring to say anymore, Tom slowly closed the door and left.