Aaron faced the massive steel gate that protected the entrance to the castle, a fortress built to be impenetrable, as it housed the King of Mystery himself.
The young challenger had been staying in the city of Blackport Ridge for three days, flipping the calendar all the way to October 38th, the current date.
There were still three more days until the induction ceremony and another two after that until the beginning of the tournament.
Time can't pass faster…
As he flashed his identification card towards the guards at the entrance, the loud creaking of gears erupted through the plaza.
Passerbys stopped to gawk at the sight of the challenger, his sword resting gracefully on his back in the form of a broadsword.
Feeling the glares of the knights who stood at the gatehouse, he could sense the effects of the barrier charms immediately.
They can't even get a grasp of my mana anymore, but for a Sea King of Lord Droskyn's level…
He sighed, thinking back to the two and a half weeks he had been preparing for the appearance of the Kings.
When the third mission was announced on the 20th, he had instantly begun to scout all the markets he could access.
He had collected various ritualistic ingredients, elixirs, and other artifacts similar to the bands he had purchased shortly before meeting Ezra.
If Cam can pull through with the high-level artifact and get it cleared by the Guild, then I'll actually have a chance. Without it, I might just collapse on the arena floor…
Shaking his head, thinking of the potential embarrassment he would feel from such a disaster, he passed through the monumental gate and walked across a vast courtyard to the main building right in front of him.
As he approached the entrance, two soldiers carrying rifles with bayonets opened the doors for him, saluting quietly.
Once the boy entered, he heard them shut the doors behind him, and paused for a moment, taking in the scenery he could never get used to.
Chrone Castle, the home of Cauron Thorn and the former seat of power to generations of sovereigns who had ruled the land before him—a monarchy that fell as he ascended to his throne, the first and only King of Mystery to this date.
The main hall where all guests entered was lavishly decorated, a truly spectacular sight, with glistening chandeliers of flowing gold hung from the ceiling.
Rosey carpet coated the ground beneath his feet, each opulent window adorned with a delicate mosaic that told of a different invention created by the great inventor, the master of the castle himself.
At the very farthest reaches of the chamber, his magnum opus stood out among the rest, the mix of oranges and whites highlighted beautifully by the electric framework hidden behind.
Powered by a source the King himself would know, a masterfully crafted statue of Lord Cauron Thorn shone with radiant brilliance.
Aaron could only stare at its magnificence before turning away, inspecting the antique furniture spread throughout the hall, unused, since there were no visitors other than him.
Wherever there wasn't a window, paintings hung from the walls, depicting all the former Sea Kings who once ruled the world.
The newest of the portraits was of course of Aspen Belvedere, the current King of Wishes' father, who only briefly held the position while waiting for his son to become of age.
He had never formally even acquired a Ghostship, the only case in history where someone was elevated to the position of Sea King without one.
Looking away from the long array of images, the blond boy turned his gaze towards the floor, a frown creasing its way down his lips.
Lord Cosmoti is soon to join them…
Resisting the urge to offer a prayer for the man who would often appear on his island to get drunk, Aaron strolled through the remainder of the hall, finding a set of double doors.
Pushing them open slowly, he was greeted with another winding pathway that stretched on for what felt like kilometers.
Many spiralling staircases and one unsettling trip through the dungeons later, Aaron finally made his way to the residential wing of the castle.
His mind was numb with fatigue, and the dreary sound of Penelope's snores further brought him into the darkness of rest.
Passing several doorways, each labelled with a separate challenger's name, he noted that Alaric von Steinfeste's room was cracked partially open.
Hmm? Raphael's brother is here? This is great!
Oblivious to the poor family dynamic between the twins, he disregarded his sleepiness, instead walking towards the entrance and knocking hard.
There was a heavy silence from the room, the boy's brow furrowing as he waited quietly.
Maybe he isn't here?
Shrugging his shoulders and preparing to walk away, he was startled as the door moved on its own, a voice similar to Raphael's coming from inside.
"You may enter."
Tilting his head to the side and pondering the invitation for a moment, the turquoise-eyed boy smiled, walking in without delay.
Making his way through the tiny opening corridor, he felt his eyes slowly adjusting to the bright light of the main chamber.
The mansion-like residence was nothing like any other inn he had ever stayed at, the ceilings stretching so high they might as well have been considered the sky.
All the rooms were exactly the same, so as he entered, he turned his head upward, noticing the white-haired noble on the third balcony of the room.
As he prepared to leap to the highest point, he was stopped as Alaric instead moved on his own, vaulting over the ledge and landing softly with the assistance of mana.
Inside his core, Aaron felt a slight tinge of a barrier being placed over his mind, barely noticeable but still there.
His Holy Magic is so strong that the deity inside me thought I was encountering someone aided by a god… Impressive…
Coming eye to eye with Raphael's twin, he stretched his hand out politely, a bright smile evident across his lips.
"Pleasure to meet you, my name is—"
He paused, noticing the disgusted look on the other boy's face, his golden eyes focused on the boy's hand.
"What do you think you're doing, commoner?"
Slapping away the blond-haired boy's hand and taking a step back in disgust, he waved his hand in front of his face like he had smelled something grotesque.
Aaron himself simply stared at his right hand that had been knocked away, a blank expression coating his face.
Blinking slowly, his left cheek twitched ever so slightly, only one thought coming through his mind.
I hate his guts.
Taking a slow and deep breath, he attempted to mitigate the tension, smiling even more widely and retracting his hand.
"Ah. My apologies, Alaric. I'm not familiar with the customs of the noble families in the Sea of Wishes, and it is my mistake."
Bowing his head slightly while inwardly scoffing at the arrogant noble, the blond boy waited for his response.
With his skull still facing the floor, he attempted to look up with his eyes, only to notice another even deeper look of revulsion across the white-haired boy's face.
"Why is a server boy addressing me by my first name? I thought Thorn's men were better trained than that!"
Shaking his head and scoffing aloud, he raised his voice, attempting to reach the guards in the hallway.
"Guards! Escort this commoner out of my quarters immediately. I believe him to be a thief after my wealth, and he should be thrown in the dungeons at once!"
Aaron could only stare again, mouth agape at Raphael's twin before him, a slow realization dawning on him.
H-He's not serious, right?
Contrary to his beliefs, he heard the clanks of armor as soldiers rushed into the room, their hands reaching out to grab the blond boy without mercy.
Instead of letting them detain him and satisfy the noble's wishes, the boy reacted fast.
Forcing all his mana into his artificial leg, he shot upward, flipping around and slamming his foot into Alaric's back, sending him tumbling over.
There wasn't even a struggle as he restrained the startled teen, his grunts of fury echoing throughout the room.
"GUARDS! GUARDS! HELP!"
However, much to his displeasure, as the men gazed at their opponent's face, they backed away, holstering their guns slowly.
"Fetch the captain…"
One of the soldiers turned to his comrade with a request, and the man left promptly, muttering something under his breath.
The soldier who spoke up first then sighed, rubbing his forehead, and turned back to Alaric, who lay sprawled on his stomach with one hand painfully twisted behind his back by Aaron.
"Sir Steinfeste. I'm afraid there is no commoner to remove."
There was a silence as the golden-eyed boy's gaze furrowed in absolute confusion, his voice breaking out in a struggled roar.
"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!? HE'S RIGHT—"
He was cut off as Aaron shoved a wad of cotton into the boy's mouth, shutting him up to allow the knight to speak again.
"The person restraining you is Aaron Grimstall… The top-ranked challenger of the Hunters' Exam and personal guest of Lord Thorn. I cannot detain him."
The armored man's words resounded through the chamber, and Alaric's struggles ceased the moment he processed them.
Sighing hard and moving off the noble, Aaron wiped his hands on his pants, watching the boy ungag himself and speak timidly.
"Y-you mean…"
He froze, his gaze focusing on the blond boy who whistled silently to himself while looking off into the distance.
Alaric's eye twitched with anger, his pale face turning red with rage, a staff appearing in his hand faster than Aaron could react.
Opening his mouth to cast a spell in a fit of rage, he was interrupted by a billowing voice at the door, a presence similar to that of a King's commander falling over both boys.
In less than a second, the white-haired noble hung in the air, his neck in the grasp of a bearded elder who wore all but the helmet of a knight's attire.
The crest embedded into his shoulder was that of an eagle with a pair of glasses, the signature mark of Cauron Thorn.
"What the hell are you doing? Are you mentally deficient or downright stupid?"
Tightening the grip he had around the child's throat, the choking sounds escaping from Alaric's lips echoed through the room, Aaron's own face paling.
Inside his head, the many mental charms he had established worked well at resisting the interference of the commander; however, the sheer dominating aura being emitted from his body nearly knocked him to his knees.
The noble boy's face had begun to turn purple as he choked out words in a mangled manner of speech.
"I—I'm… S–Sorr—y…"
His eyes began to roll back in his head; however, only a moment before he fainted, the large elder threw him aside, his body ragdolling helplessly against a stone wall.
Taking a deep breath and appearing at Aaron's side at a similar speed as he did with Alaric, he attempted the same thing on the blond boy, yet this time, his opponent was ready.
Ducking downward and summoning Penelope from her sheath to his hand, Aaron struck upward, aiming at the man's jaw.
Gritting his teeth and forcing mana into his strike, he felt the empowered blade connect with flesh, the sound of bone breaking resounding through the chamber.
However, the freshly broken limb did not belong to the silver-bearded commander, but instead to the guard by Aaron's side.
Collapsing in shock, the man's body fell against a well-placed assortment of sheets and blankets, which covered him up, preventing a ghastly scene.
Staring up in disbelief at the commander, the blond boy realized in a look of awe that the man had deflected his strike towards the other man without issue.
But now, as two half-conscious individuals lay sprawled in one room, the old man stopped, glaring at Aaron ferociously.
Swallowing hard, the boy braced for a beating; however, only a swift slap to his back struck into his body.
"HAHAHA! You're a natural kid!"