They met again later in the chief's tent, this time in better condition than the day before. It might not have looked like it, but Reno could also be someone orderly, and that surprised Nathanaël. Because his son was not like that at all.
Each person in the village had returned home, and Nathanaël took the opportunity to look at the damage on his body.
He looked at his bruises proudly earned in his fight against Azraüs. He was strangely proud of them. With the bandages on his body, he looked more like a real warrior than before.
Despite all those battles, he had never really been injured. Goagi had created a loop that had brought them back before their fight. Astra had fought him with water, and it was his house that had taken the most. The white beings were far weaker, and he had never had the time to face one that had adapted. The only one who had really hurt him was Jin during the incident at the church of Zvenne.
And remembering it, he grimaced.
"He was conscious the whole time, that idiot."
It had left a mark on him. A total domination from his opponent.
But that day, against Azraüs, it was different. He had been able to respond. He had responded to the prodigy.
And Reno was surprised as well.
"Well, I never thought anyone would last in a fight against my son. You're truly formidable, my boy."
Nathanaël lowered his shirt battered with blows and answered Reno.
"Oh, you know, I know people far stronger than me. I don't even come close to them."
Azraüs was surprised to hear that people were far stronger than his training partner, who had managed to hold out against him. That meant that in this world, there were still powerful warriors to defeat.
While excitement began to rise, Reno continued calmly, ignoring his son.
"I see. You're surrounded by strong people every day."
"Oh yes."
"Hahaha. I underestimated you. You're a real fighter, my boy."
Reno laughed again from the bottom of his lungs, causing the entire tent to shake violently. This time, Nathanaël had to cling tightly to the tent itself not to be thrown outside.
"Anyway. The hunt was good today. I must say it doesn't happen often. But it's good news, because we'll be able to start sooner. But before anything…"
Reno suddenly grabbed a massive blade the size of his own body and placed it in a fraction of a second near Nathanaël's neck.
The gesture was so sudden that the tension barely shifted at all. Reno held the blade straight without warning as the atmosphere suddenly became too heavy for an ordinary human.
However, against all expectations, Nathanaël's gaze did not panic. On the contrary, he stared back at Reno under the threat of the sword.
Besides, he recognized the giant sword that was tattooed on his body.
"You've surely recognized the sword, my boy. In Nozras, they call it Man-Eater, so I advise you to choose your next words carefully."
Azraüs did not move, but in a deliberately indiscreet gesture, he gripped his club.
"You know the rules of Nozras: No foreigners unless they want to run for the throne. You should know why. Because we don't want them taking a side or introducing foreign customs into our country. You said you didn't want to participate, but you did nothing last night that would make me think you've sided with another group. So what are you doing here?"
The tension was palpable in the chief's tent. Reno's eyes and voice carried the weight of a beast ready to leap.
Azraüs remained calm at the back of the tent, but he was watching the situation with a very serious look as well.
Nathanaël observed the scene with a cold expression so as not to appear stressed, all while thinking about his next words.
And finally, he spoke to break the silence.
"I'm looking for a book."
"A book?"
"They say you have a book here in Nozras. I must retrieve it."
Reno took a brief pause before hardening his gaze and the pressure on the young man.
"And why is that?"
But Nathanaël lifted his eyes and held his gaze.
"To prevent a catastrophe."
Reno didn't answer right away. And a heavy silence settled in the room.
He looked into Nathanaël's eyes to see if he was telling the truth. He had seen many men speak in his life. Enough to know that Nathanaël wasn't lying. Betrayal ran rampant in this country, and yet he decided to lower his blade.
"I see. If this book is that important, then it can only be that one."
Azraüs loosened his grip on his club. And Nathanaël asked innocently, as if nothing had happened:
"You know it?"
Reno sighed.
"Yes. A long time ago, but long after the death of Nozras, a man nearly reached the throne. They say he possessed a book—or more precisely, that one of his men possessed a prophetic book that foretold future events. The man in question was a foreigner who had taken the warrior's side. He had not given his name, but he became known by all afterward because his warrior died."
How could a man become known for having failed?
"So the book wasn't prophetic?"
Then Reno's gaze drifted as if he was trying to understand what he himself was talking about. As if he wanted to reject his own words.
"Yes indeed. The warrior had reached the throne, but it is said he did not listen to the man with the book properly. He died on the throne as well. But what made that man so incredible was that he encouraged another warrior, unknown in the countryside, afterward, and that warrior also reached the capital and a final battle for the throne. But unfortunately, he also died. And that was the fate of every warrior that man encouraged. They became unstoppable and unshakable warriors. The foreigner was no longer considered a foreigner in Nozras, and he was called: the King-Maker. He became a man sought after and coveted by all of Nozras. He had the power to bring the most pitiful man to the top."
Nathanaël was surprised to hear that such a man had existed.
"Why didn't he sit on the throne, then?"
"No one knew why, but he refused to sit on it. He had made kings and queens. He had stood during all his time in Nozras beside the throne but had never sat on it, and he could not make any of them an emperor. His greatest success was Razor the Valiant—by the way, the center is named after him. He was a good and strong man chosen by the King-Maker. However, after a week on the throne, he died at the hands of his brother."
Nathanaël lowered his head. Was there no place in this country without betrayal?
"Then one day he disappeared. It is said that his last words were: 'You are a nation doomed to failure and to war. When Nozras was here, he showed you true strength, and that was his mistake. A mistake I will never be able to repair.' He abandoned Nozras despite the pleas of everyone, but to their great surprise, he said he had to leave the book here. The world then fought for it. It was the second time Nozras went through such carnage. Eventually, the man who obtained it wanted to destroy it. And he burned the book in front of thousands of warriors of Nozras. That warrior was stoned to death, and Nozras tried to forget the book. However, a man returned to the capital one day, years later, and defeated all his opponents. He and his group crushed all who stood in their way. Nozras then recognized the overwhelming superiority that the book had forced upon them. And it was true—the warrior was in possession of the book. A new era of wars began, like in the old days."
Nathanaël listened calmly, arms crossed on a chair. The history of Nozras was simply too chaotic and desperate, and no one within it seemed to care. Where, outside, wars had ended with their torments, here everything seemed in perpetual motion to prevent any kind of peace from settling. Or perhaps peace had a different meaning here.
"Where is the book now?"
"In the capital, and the man who has it now is, I'm afraid, the closest to becoming the new Emperor."
Reno looked at Nathanaël with an expression of sadness that Nathanaël did not understand. An expression that did not match the giant capable of destroying the world with the most terrifying smile. An expression that did not match the man standing before him…
"Kid, if you don't stop that one, I'm afraid you'll never get that book."
Nathanaël was shocked. Among all the people who had held the book, the last person who had held it even during the apocalypse was obviously the most dangerous. He had made this journey only to learn that he too did not have much time. And that the last act of this madness in Nozras would begin with him.
But something was still turning in his mind. As if that wasn't enough. As if Reno wasn't saying everything.
"Why? If only the elite goes to the capital, how are you aware of it?"
And at that moment, Azraüs finally opened his mouth.
"He never told you, Nathy? The old man is one of the few warriors who reached the capital."
Nathanaël received a second heavy blow to the face. The man in front of him had reached the arena of the elites. The place where the greatest warriors gathered to decide who would sit on the throne.
And with a voice marked by rage, Azraüs continued:
"That's where we hear all these stories. Obviously, no one hears them outside. This old man had all the cards in his hands, but he ran away to create a clan and a village supposedly at peace here. And today, that's where he is while the others tear each other apart for the throne."
Azraüs seemed angry. As if the fact that his father had given up had never sat well with him.
And Reno didn't like that.
"I didn't ask you to add more, Azraüs."
The tension rose for a moment. Even though neither of them moved, Nathanaël could see their auras starting to flare. A drop of sweat appeared on his forehead.
However, Azraüs grabbed his club and left the tent.
"I'm out. Anyway, this story doesn't concern me."
Nathanaël watched Azraüs leave, his imposing tattoos on his back. Reno exhaled.
"Don't worry. He probably didn't understand anything we said. I tried to teach him Garid, but he refused. He's a stubborn child."
Nathanaël knew it very well, but witnessing it again made it even clearer.
"In any case, that's your story, and now you know where the book is. So if you want to reach it, I'll teach you the basics of Norde, and you can leave with him."
As the imposing warrior stood up, Nathanaël stopped his movement with a phrase that froze him in place.
"You're letting him go even though you came back?"
Reno's gaze darkened again. Then he rose fully, his great height and enormous muscles bending under the light, placing Nathanaël entirely in his shadow. A sad shadow carrying the weight of a heavy burden.
"I'll tell you that another time, kid. Let's start the lessons."