"Jiiiiiiin~!"
The voice calling his name grated on Jin's nerves, prompting a heavy sigh and a deep inhalation.
The culprit behind the vexation was none other than Daytona Runcandel, a boy who held a two-year seniority over Jin.
Daytona's appearance featured spiky, jet-black hair and eyes that glimmered with an orange-gold hue, hinting at the mischief he often indulged in.
"Why are you alone without your incredible Barisada? Did you lose it? Kuhaha."
Teased Haytona Runcandel, the identical twin brother of Daytona.
Much like his sibling, Haytona sported spiky hair, though his was a striking shade of white, and his eyes mirrored the same mischievous orange-gold tint.
Known collectively as the Tona twins within the Runcandel Clan, these two boys were a constant source of vexation for everyone.
A two-word summation that aptly encapsulated Jin's feelings towards them.
"Devil's spawns."
'They have the typical {killer} mentality. It won't be long before they commit their first every murder.'
Jin thought without looking towards them.
Instead of saying anything to them, Jin continued with the thing he was doing on the table.
"Oi, we're talking to you. Where is Barisada?"
The Tona twins had begun to torment him one year ago in this life.
It had started off as some light harassment that Gilly wouldn't notice. Some examples were locking the door when Jin went to the bathroom or pouring a bunch of salt in his soup.
However, Jin didn't really mind since he wanted to taste a salty soup anyways.
He later thanked the twins for doing it which made them think their little brother was looking down on them.
Gilly---Jin's nanny, had temporarily left the Storm Castle today.
The twins had been eagerly waiting for this day to come and had no intention to let Jin spend the day in peace.
After the soup incident, it began to escalate.
They tied a dead bird on the door handle to Jin's room, and secretly released a venomous scorpion from the Storm Castle's Garden onto Jin's bed.
Needless to say, Jin's curiosity led him to eventually kill the scorpion and eat it up later on by grilling it on some coal.
His reasoning was something along the lines of:
'It is not every day you get the opportunity to have a barbeque in the Storm Castle. It is always raining.'
The twins advanced toward their younger brother with confident, purposeful strides, their presence dominating the space as they closed in on Jin.
"Brothers."
Jin spoke up suddenly.
The brothers halted their trudge.
"Do you know a cat's small intestine is about 3 to 4 times its body length, and its large intestine is relatively short in comparison."
Jin talked as the two brothers exchanged nervous glances.
"To provide a rough estimate, the small intestine of a typical adult cat can be around 3 to 4 feet long. However, this measurement can vary among individual cats."
Jin continued.
"What are you talking about? Did being a lonely loser messed up your mind? Kuaahahaha!"
Daytona chortled.
"A hungry, starving cat emits quite an odour. Since, it might be going through problems such as gastrointestinal issues and infection."
Jin spoke and turned around, his eyes shining.
"The fuc---"
Before they could finish their sentence, Jin's hand blurred and a huge, skinny white cat latched itself on Haytona's face.
Its claws dug into his cheeks, drawing out blood.
"AHHHH!"
He screamed as he tried to peel the cat away from his face. However, he was still a kid. Awareness and keeping cool in such situations were a realm that they couldn't dream of.
"You know, a hungry animal---even human, would eat anything, so long it helps them stay alive. However, hunger differentiates in them based on the situations."
Jin started walking in their direction.
Daytona rushed towards Daytona, trying to rip the cat apart. However, Jin stopped him by holding Daytona by his arm.
Smoky wisp of black coated his fist as he plunged it into his face.
Approximately 5 steps for a 7-year-old.
That was the distance between Jin and his brothers in the room.
The next instant, he crouched on the ground as Jin plunged his knee in his abdomen.
"Simple starvation leads to a moderate desperation. Do you know what condition leads to not only animals but humans to insanity?"
He continued talking and placed his foot on his brother's face and pressed it.
"The prospective false hope of salvation."
Jin spoke with an amused look as the brother's eyes widened.
He started playing with the cat a few years ago, feeding it only meat.
And then one day, Jin had started starving the cat for weeks, making it smell food again and again from the cage but never really feeding him. At the first sign of meat, the cat attacked.
Its sharp teeth tried to dig into the young Runcandel's flesh. However, no matter how young, a Runcandel was still a Runcandel.
His robust body was able to tank most stabs from the wild cat and he ended up grabbing the cat from both hands and ripping it apart into two pieces.
With an anger filled roar, Haytona looked towards Jin.
"You are dead, JIIIIIINNNNNN!"
However, his eyes widened as he saw Daytona laying on the floor with Jin's foot on his face as he had crushed his nose under his weight.
He was wailing his limbs around as Jin's eyes started glowing.
"Oh? Did you kill my pet cat? I guess I don't have to explain myself now."
Jin's voice was sinister, almost as if he was a demon.
It wasn't just the Tona Siblings who were planning for this day. Jin was eagerly waiting for the day Gilly would be absent.
"Bastard! You threw your cat on me! Look at the dama---"
His voice stopped on its own.
He knew there was something wrong.
His body.
The blessed physique. It was working against him. The wounds were not deep in the first place due to the blessing and on top of that, his body was making a recovery.
"Tch."
Kicking the brother under his feet, he knocked him out and then looked at Haytona.
Before he could utter another word, Jin acted swiftly.
In an instant, he closed the gap between them and drove his fist into Haytona's stomach, causing the older boy to gasp for breath.
Simultaneously, Haytona found himself on the receiving end of a punch to the jaw that sent him sprawling to the floor.
It marked the first time they had been struck in such a manner, and the shock was evident on their faces.
What was more surprising was that their seven-year-old brother's fist felt like a solid chunk of ice—cold and unyielding.
It was the Shadow Energy. However, they couldn't see it.
Jin was activating and deactivating it in a near instant, faster than what their eyes could perceive.
The older brother got on his knees and started crawling back as Jin followed him like a ghost in the Storm Castle's hallway.
"About the scorpion. Do you know what I did with the poison?"
Jin asked from behind him as he continued crawling away from him.
"I stored it, of course. Don't worry. I won't be so harsh on my older brothers."
If one could only hear his voice and not see the current situation, Jin's voice was soothingly empathetic. Almost as if his voice was brimming with brotherly love.
Jin kicked him again and he slumped against the wall. Placing his foot on his chest, he lowered his body.
"I'd say you are finally getting the bonding time you wanted with me, aren't you?"
Jin asked.
"HAP!"
The other twin swung a bar at him. Rolling on the floor, Jin avoided it as the bar hit Haytona instead of him.
"Eek!"
Daytona shrieked seeing how his blow knocked the lights out of his twin.
'He is around the corner.'
Jin shuddered.
"Stop fighting, you two."
Jin spoke out loud as the man arriving from the corner of the hallway halted. Sliding against the corner, he peaked at the pureblood Runcandels.
'What are they doing?'
The guardian knight---Khan thought.
Daytona raised his weapon up as Jin closed the distance again and kicked his jaw with his heel, knocking the lights out of his eyes as they rolled back to his head.
"Young master!"
Khan immediately came out, hearing the audible crunch of bones breaking.
He was a top-class guardian knight, and normally wouldn't have been shocked by a fistfight between kids, even if they were from the Runcandel Clan.
However, even he couldn't help but stare in disbelief at Jin who was looking down indifferently towards the unconscious twins lying on the ground.
Daytona had his jaw snapped while Haytona's ribs were broken as there were marks of coughed up blood and his lip had a deep cut on it. Daytona too had his nose crushed when Jin trampled on him with his boot.
'The 7-year-old young master pummelled his older brothers?'
It was indeed perplexing.
Typically, there should have been a significant difference in physical prowess between a seven-year-old and a nine-year-old, especially considering that the Tona twins had been recently immersed in the teachings of Runcandel Martial Arts.
The unexpected display of strength and precision by Jin defied conventional expectations.
It was almost as if the Tona Twins were completely outclassed by Jin's martial arts---even tho he hadn't learnt any [Runcandel Martial Arts]
"Young Master Jin, what just..." The knight began to inquire, his concern evident, as Daytona emitted a faint, painful moan.
"They started fighting each other out of nowhere," Jin replied with a casual tone, weaving a fabricated explanation.
"Excuse me?" The knight's confusion was palpable.
"They fought each other," Jin reiterated, maintaining the facade of innocence. "And I jumped in to break up the fight. If I had not done anything, they would've killed each other."
Although the guardian knight had witnessed everything, both Jin and Khan realised the futility of pressing further.
He observed Jin's cold stare and acknowledged that he was in no position to dispute the actions of the young masters of the Storm Castle.
Despite his duty to safeguard the children, he remained an outsider within this enigmatic family dynamic.
The guardian knight couldn't help but harbor a growing conviction.
'I already knew that the children of the Runcandel Clan were violent and brutal, but this just confirms my beliefs... I should just report to the patriarch and stay out of this. Especially the youngest.... he is already this cunning and ruthless, at such a tender age. He hasn't even left the Storm Castle yet!'
As his concerns deepened, he contemplated the best course of action, one that would ensure the safety and stability of the Runcandel Clan while keeping a wary distance from the complex dynamics unfolding within the family.
The knight, despite his reservations, maintained his composure and offered a respectful bow to Jin.
After all, Jin was indeed a true-blooded Runcandel, regardless of his age.
"I understand. Then I shall take the Tona young masters to the doctor," the knight responded, adhering to his duty to ensure their well-being.
"That would be unnecessary. I can take care of my brothers myself."
Jin interrupted, standing in between them.
"Young Master Jin...."
Khan's voice wavered.
Though Khan may have harbored reservations and a desire to argue, the shift in Jin's demeanor left the knight with no alternative but to exhale a discreet sigh and bow his head in reluctant agreement.
"Well then, young master Jin, please escort them to the infirmary yourself. I can trust them with you, right?" Khan inquired, seeking assurance from the young Runcandel in spite of his earlier reservations.
"Of course. They are my brother. I will make sure they get the "appropriate" treatment they need to get back to their senses."
The palpable aura of sinister intent emanating from Jin's gaze as he surveyed his incapacitated brothers sent a shiver down Khan's spine.
With a heavy sigh, the knight pivoted on his heel and departed the scene.
Once he was certain Khan was gone, Jin turned his attention back to the two boys, a hint of elation coursing through him.
He looked forward to the opportunity for some genuine bonding time with his brothers. However, a nagging concern tugged at his thoughts.
'Our father, Cyron Runcandel, might come after this,' he mused internally. 'I needed to talk to him anyways. Good thing Khan arrived in time.'
With his determination to address the impending matter, Jin wasted no time.
He began to drag the Tona Twins by their collars, leading them toward the concealed depths of the Storm Castle's basement.
(***)
In the eastern region of the continent, a perilous and unprotected area known as the Black Sea, Cyron had been engaged in deep meditation for several days.
Despite his simple posture, the imposing presence of the nearby monsters was not enough to muster the courage to approach him, even those towering in size like colossal buildings.
After some time, a man, his form adorned with the blood of countless slain monsters, approached Cyron.
"Greetings to the patriarch. This is Khan."
The man spoke, identifying himself as the guardian knight who had adhered to Jin's directive, leaving the Tona Twins at Jin's discretion.
"Is something the matter?" Cyron inquired as he carefully opened his eyes, addressing Khan's presence.
"I have come to report about a dispute between the young masters at the Storm Castle," Khan replied.
"There's no way you'd disturb my training just because of a dispute between children. Speak freely," Cyron urged him to continue.
Khan proceeded to recount the details of the incident, and a smile crept onto Cyron's face.
"So, did the twins die?" Cyron inquired with a dispassionate tone, fully aware that it was highly unlikely that the twins had met their demise.
"I do not...know. Forgive me, patriarch," Khan admitted.
Cyron's heart skipped a beat.
It had been a considerable amount of time since he had experienced such a feeling, but it wasn't concern for the well-being of the Tona Twins—his own sons—that had induced it.
Rather, it was the audacity of his youngest son, who had potentially committed a murder and wielded enough influence over the guardian knight to get away with it.
This was what had excited Cyron.
With a huge smile over his face, he thought.
'I should go see the youngest for myself.'
And so, Cyron made an appearance at the Storm Castle one month later.
During that one-month time, Jin made sure to train his elder brothers well.
He hung them upside down from the ceiling in the basement and used them as punching bags to alleviate his boredom from the continuous storms outside.
After 15 days of starvation and continuous beating, they were saved by Gilly who came down to the basement in suspicion since Jin was assuring everyone that Tona Twins needed some time alone for training in the basement.
And after another 15 days, Cyron Runcandel made an appearance in the Storm Castle.
However, it wasn't just him.
An order was issued that day.
"Every Runcandel flag-bearer must gather at the Storm Castle, except for those working on imperial requests."
Rosa Runcandel, known as the Black Panther, issued her command, and its reverberations rippled across the world.
The clan's flag-bearers stationed in various regions, including the Vermont Empire, Akin Kingdom, Zhan Kingdom, Curano Dukedom, and beyond, swiftly converged upon the Storm Castle in response to her summons.
Seven of Cyron's children, along with a contingent of over 200 knights and aides who had been supporting them in various regions, gathered at the Storm Castle in response to Rosa's summons.
Among the siblings, Ran Runcandel, the third son, questioned the purpose of their father's visit. He had returned from the northern region, where he had been engaged in battling monsters.
Vigo Runcandel, the fourth son, expressed his concerns, having interrupted an assassination task assigned by a prominent figure in the Curano Dukedom to answer the call. He knew his client would be displeased, but the summons left him with no alternative.
Mary Runcandel, the third daughter, had been involved in dueling and defeating formidable warriors in the southern region.
"Stay silent." A single voice swept over everyone, shutting their mouths. It was the first daughter, Luna Runcandel. Two words were enough to silence all of her siblings.
With Cyron's seven children and the entourage of guardian knights and aides, they formed an imposing assembly. Their combined strength was such that they could obliterate an average city in just 30 minutes and conquer an average nation in a single day.
As the news of Cyron's mobilization began to circulate among the world's ruling class, various speculations and rumors emerged.
'Why is Cyron taking action? Wasn't he supposed to remain at the Black Sea for another decade?'
'Could the Runcandels be planning world domination?'
'Have the Zipfel Clan reacted to this development?'
The mere mention of Cyron, the world's singular Genesis Knight, and his offspring, the Runcandels, triggered significant waves of discussion and conjecture.
In the pouring rainstorm, Cyron's children and the clan's guardian knights lined up in two rows on either side of the stairs leading up to the Storm Castle. The solemnity in their eyes conveyed their resolve, as if they were poised for imminent warfare.
As Cyron, the patriarch, arrived at the entrance of the Storm Castle, the assembled knights and aides greeted him in unison.
"Greetings to the patriarch!"
"Greetings to the patriarch!"
Simultaneously, they raised their swords high into the air. Their voices resounded like thunder, causing the mountaintop to tremble, as if landslides were imminent.
"Mhm."
With a subtle nod, Cyron acknowledged their greetings and proceeded to ascend the stairs.
His offsprings---The 7 Runcandels present followed closely behind him. The air grew thicker.
Trailing closely behind Cyron was the First Flag Bearer, Luna Runcandel.
She possessed long, flowing white tresses and striking purple eyes. Her hair was arranged in a straightforward, evenly balanced style, with locks of hair cascading gracefully on both sides.
Behind her was the Second Flag Bearer, Joshua Runcandel. He had short black hair styled in a slick back style and eyes similar to Haytona and Daytone.
Following closely was the Third Flag Bearer, Luntia Runcandel. She also had long white hair, albeit styled in bangs over her forehead.
Fourth Flag Bearer and a 9-star swordsman, Diphus Runcandel. He had long shoulder length white hair.
Seventh Flag Bearer, Mary Runcandel. She has black hair that flows to her shoulders with red eyes.
Fifth Flag Bearer, Ran Runcandel. He had wavy white hair that stops around his ears and red eyes.
Sixth Flag Bearer, Vigo Runcandel. He was wearing a headband that covered his forehead creating a shadow over his eyes. He had curly black hair.
"I wonder what the youngest is up to."
Mary commented, already feeling bored.
"He did choose the Barisada in the ceremony. Maybe father wants to check up on him."
Diphus replied.
"Oh crap, he did!"
She had already forgotten. After all, she was not the sharpest amongst her siblings. Only her blade was sharp.
"Father's mood is odd. Is something extremely important about to happen?"
The unspoken question circulated silently among the Runcandel children as they exchanged glances.
As Cyron continued on his path, they fell into step behind him, their expressions marked by solemnity. The guardian knights remained stationed at the Storm Castle gates, vigilant in their duty.
Yet, none among them were privy to the actual reason for Cyron's visit to the Storm Castle, a simple desire to see his youngest child.
A desire that was simple. Yet, the sinister glint in Cyron's eyes and the evil smirk that casted a tangible veil over them suggested a deeper meaning.
However, they won't know until they commence today's meeting.
"Haytona. Daytona."
"Yes, father."
Cyron summoned the Tona twins first. The sick brothers knelt before their father as their runny noses caused snuffles to resound in the throne room.
"Tell me what mistake the two of you made to anger the youngest."