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nThe Zephyr Hawk reached incredible speeds, ripping through the sky like a comet in the night sky. The land beneath them became one continuous blur as Kieran glanced over the beast’s side.

n‘I was right. Only an Awakened Beast can obtain this level of speed,’ Kieran thought.

nKieran noticed a piece of land on the horizon a few seconds later. In the center of the land was a string of several large manors surrounded by large gates and soil with an orangish tint.

nThe Ignis Family Manors were located in an area rich with Fire Elements, so the ground tended to adopt a color of subtle flames. The fields surrounding the manors produced some crude gems where the density of Mana was the greatest.

n“That is our territory, Aatrox,” Zerim called out, his voice barely overpowering the rushing winds.

n“I suspected as much! Even though we’re quite far, I can sense a subtle rise in the temperature along with a change in the orientation of the Mana,” Kieran answered.

nUnlike Pure Mana without any attribute, Elemental Mana possessed a slightly different orientation, which is how it maintained its elemental properties without fail.

nIf a foreign phenomenon forcibly changed said orientation, it would change the Mana’s identity. That’s more or less how a Mage’s practice work when converted elements.

nBut Elemental Conversion required a level of expertise that many Mages failed to obtain without several years of dedication to their craft.

nAfter coming within a few thousand meters of the manors, Ezrath began their descent so that he would land in a predetermined position.

nThe sudden downward momentum was enough to unsettle most people’s stomachs, but Kieran managed the effects well, exhaling in the process.

nRoughly two minutes later, the Zephyr Hawk flapped its wings and began to hover in one spot, several hundred meters above the ground.

nLocated directly below the majestic mount was a massive clearing. The Zephyr Hawk’s appearance caused a commotion, but it was an awaited spectacle as people dressed in luxurious clothing exited the main manor.

nEveryone who appeared bowed as soon as the Zephyr Hawk landed.

n“Welcome back, Old Master Ezrath, Young Master Zerim. The Family Head has prepared a feast for you all to congratulate Young Zerim,” one of the attendants said, lifting their head with a hint of adoration present in their gaze.

nEzrath dismounted the Zephyr Hawk with a subtle nod as Zerim and Kieran followed behind him. “Members and honored staff of the Ignis Family, I’d like to welcome my grandson’s friend, Aatrox. Please treat him with the utmost care while he is in our presence.”

n“Welcome to the Ignis Family Manor, Lord Aatrox,” A respectful young man with light orange hair said. He bowed his head and closed his green eyes with one hand bracing his stomach.

n“I appreciate the warm welcome,” Kieran said. “However, the congratulations and attention should go to Zerim, who performed well and upheld the honor of your family.”

n“Praise to the Young Master!” Everyone chanted in accordance with Kieran’s suggestion.

nHe had no intentions of stealing Zerim’s limelight. After all, it was Zerim’s family and an event designed to celebrate his successful efforts. Kieran was merely here as a guest by right of Zerim’s invitation.

n“To celebrate this wondrous day, I suppose a feast is in order.”

n“We expected you would say as much. The Family Head is carrying out the preparations as we speak. That being said, I’m sure the Mistress would love to see Young Master Zerim.”

n“Let us proceed then,” Ezrath voiced, clasping his hands behind his back. The Zephyr Hawk lowered its head and rested beside the large fountain in the center of the open path.

nAs per Ezrath’s instructions, everyone returned to the main manor, where celebrations, official meetings, and other formal gatherings occurred.

nThe sight within the place was marvelous, with an exquisite chandelier serving as the front corridor’s centerpiece.

nAt a glance, Kieran suspected the chandelier was made from costly gems. It was a lavish expenditure, but it wasn’t so outlandish that it possessed no practicality. Kieran struggled to sense it, but he could feel the chandelier’s faint connection to the entire compound.

n‘It must be the core of a large formation designed to protect this place. On the one hand, it provides an elegant view. On the other, it provides protection.’

nAlthough Kieran’s knowledge of formation was somewhat lacking, he discerned that the formation here didn’t rival the one that protected Scar’s manor.

nAs a result, Kieran guessed that it was a formation laid by a Grandmaster Arrayist that had yet to reach the threshold of a Famed Arrayist.

n“This way, Aatrox,” Zerim voiced, gesturing for Kieran to follow after him and his grandfather.

nKieran extracted his gaze from the chandelier a few seconds later and followed behind Ezrath and Zerim. They walked up one set of the paired winding staircases and into a large study with a statue of a dragoon.

nThe dragoon was the Ignis Family’s pride, so many of their centerpieces revolved around this theme. There were many banners with symbols of a dragoon and several large medallions on the walls and doors.

nAfter entering the study, Kieran laid eyes upon three people—all of whom bore a slight resemblance to Zerim.

nA middle-aged man sat behind a large desk with his hand sifting through his thick ashen beard. Like Zerim, he possessed a pair of scarlet eyes the color of brightly burning flames.

nThis was naturally Zerim’s father—the current Head of the Ignis Family—Zairen Ignis. “Come here, boy. Let your father get an excellent look at the next generation of the Ignis’ line within the War Deity Council.”

nZairen stood up from his seat and embraced Zerim, showing him affection that made Kieran’s heart falter. ‘The pure love of a parent.’

nPain rose within Kieran’s heart, but he blinked it away, burying it within the depths of his being once more.

nZairen clapped Zerim’s shoulders and stepped back with a proud smile. “I knew from the moment you awakened your Inverse Dragoon Heart that you were destined for greatness.”

n“Father,” Zerim said. “I’d like you to meet my friend—Aatrox, the Champion of this year’s Gladiator’s Coliseum.”

n“!!” Zairen’s eyes widened as he noticed that he had overlooked an additional presence in the room. He gave a bitter smile and heartfelt apology. “Pardon my rude behavior. It is a pleasure to meet you, Aatrox.”

nZairen extended his hand, shaking Kieran’s hand. Despite being the Family Head of a strong family, Zairen felt anyone Zerim called a friend was deserving of his praise, much less the War Deity Council’s Champion.

n‘Firm.’

nThat thought passed through Zairen’s mind once Kieran clasped his hand.

nZerim then took it upon himself to introduce Kieran to the other two people in the room. “This is my mother, Joselia Ignis, and my younger brother, Ephraim Ignis.”

nKieran panned his gaze to the younger boy that resembled Zerim with much darker hair before shifting his gaze to the mature lady wearing a slender burgundy dress that agreed with her slightly tanned skin tone.

n“It’s a pleasure to meet you all,” Kieran replied, paying his respects to everyone within the room.

nBefore they could plunge into deeper conversation, however, Ezrath stepped forward.

n“This boy isn’t just this year’s Champion. He’s the successor of Scar—so his future is bound to be great but also difficult,” Ezrath commented. His gaze changed, and he used this chance to supply Zairen with meaningful information.

n“Ah, The Bloody Hero’s successor and my son are friends? What a wonderful occasion; I believe this is something to be commemorated. Tell me, Aatrox—is there anything in particular that you desire? The Ignis Family won’t hesitate to supply it to you if it’s within our ability.”

nKieran hesitated at first, shifting his gaze from Ezrath to Zerim.

n“Don’t be shy. I’m sure my father has already learned of your leniency on the battlefield. Think of it as a token of our gratitude and an attempt to deepen our relationship,” Zerim said.

nAfter listening to Zerim’s reasoning, Kieran felt he would be a fool if he continued to hesitate. “If that’s the case, I require a flame. One useful in crafting, but it must be within my limits due to my ineptitude.”

n“A flame?” Zairen’s expression flashed with a peculiar glint. “We have a plethora of flames on hand. But, if it’s something that falls within your control… I suppose you’ll need a Core Flame rather than a Sentient Flame.”

nThe difference between a Core Flame and a Sentient Flame resided in the disparity of Focus required to control each one.

nFurthermore, Sentient Flames demanded that the user possess a Fire Affinity; otherwise, melding one’s Focus with the Sentient Flame would become impossible.

nCore Flames were mellow in comparison, requiring physical manipulation to maximize their effects. Focus wasn’t a requirement, but it could heighten the impact of the flame while controlled.

n“With his talent level, a Tier 3 Core Flame should suffice. It’s not too tyrannical but also not too docile,” Ezrath suggested.

nZairen naturally agreed with his father’s suggestion. “Very well. I’ll prepare the Core Flame before you depart from our home. With that matter aside, I believe we have a celebration to enjoy. All the preparation have been completed. All that awaits is our arrival.”

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