97 Aurora Knights (2/2)
”Five Silver-rank pinnacle while the rest of you are just Silver-rank primary stage and Bronze-rank pinnacle. This won't do.”
Even if I really lack fighting power right now, but to become a noble Aurora Knight, having just the right bloodline isn't sufficient. If they were to want to inherit the honor and strength of their ancestors, they would have to at least show me their determination or at the very least, prove that they have a resilient life force.
Thus, these few days, these Knights were completely unfortunate.
Right after completing the test on the limits of their stamina, the lunch they anticipated didn't come but instead, a new test appears right before them.
”AH CHOO!!”
”Big Sister, stop splashing water on us! We have all caught a cold, there's no way to treat a cold in summer!”
But, after receiving my approval, Momo threw another bottle of ice water on them without any hesitation at all. Immediately, the two of the young men’s face turn white. Right before they are about to roll their eyes and faint, someone heads over and 'pah pah pah', slaps them awake before throwing them into the ice bath.
Perhaps finding it hard to bear such a sight of harshness, Kelly silently walks over and whispers softly in my ear.
”Meditating on the tip of a sword, walking on burning charcoal, escaping from frenzied dogs and bathing in ice water right after they worked out a sweat. Is such a training method effective? I only see these kids on the verge of dying, I don't really see them improving. Back then, Feyde didn't train them like that.”
”No matter how they are trained, the end point is still to force them to overcome their limits. When they find themselves treading the boundaries of death a few more times, they will break through their bottleneck. Rest assured, I received the most traditional Royal Knight Training back then.
Kelly nods her head although it is hard to tell by her expression whether she really believes my words. Turning around, she barely walked a few steps when she seems to recall something and came running back hurriedly.
”I almost got fooled by you. Back then, you went off to become a Holy Knight when you were just 10, so how could you possibly undergo the complete Royal Knight training? At most, you were only taught basic swordsmanship.”
”Don't worry about it, I am the legendary teacher who taught out a SemiGod. My way of teaching definitely isn't inferior to the conventional method in any way. So, just rest assured. Look, didn't Reyne break through the Bronze-rank after undergoing my training?”
Reyne's unexpected breakthrough is indeed something to rejoice over and that fact made my argument even more persuasive. Kelly didn't go on about it.
But, what she doesn't know is that I am full of doubt as well.
”Why aren't they breaking through? Didn't that fellow Adam somehow broke through his limits like that back then? Why don't I try making them meditate under the waterfall, beat them into a half-death state for them to experience the cosmos or tie a ton of weights on them to train their will? Un, let's try them 1 by 1 then. As long as they don't die, there would surely be a day that they will break through. Oh right, it is said that bungee-jumping is also a way to stimulate one's potential. Extreme hunger too, let’s just deprive them of their dinner for 10 days.”
A certain day, Annie asked Adam why Adam didn't teach him but rather, only imparted basic techniques to her before sending her off to adventure the outside world alone to gain some experience. Back then, Adam hesitated for a long time before coming up with an answer that makes me at a loss of whether to laugh or cry.
”I really don't know how I can teach you. If I were to use what we did back then, I think that you would most probably die your zodiac isn’t a cockroach. Right, by no means should you ever look for your Uncle Bones to learn martial arts from, definitely don't do it. Also, when he says that phrase, don't hesitate, run as far as you can.”
”That phrase?”
”Un, 'new idea'.”
At this moment, a sudden ingenious inspiration strikes me.
”Ah choo! Who is talking bad about me? Right, lads, I have a new idea. Why don't we try the racing with the horse game? You tie yourself to the horse and slap the horse on its back, allowing the horse to pull you along on its run. What? You're afraid that you can't catch up? If you can't catch up, you will just get pulled on the ground for a few times. You all should be catch up with it soon enough. Back that, that fool and I used a raptor, you know. Its speed for short distance running is much faster than warhorses. But, raptors are difficult to find here so I can only use warhorses as a replacement.”
”We might die...”
”We will definitely die!”
But it is a pity that their Princess has already handed them all over to the hands of the devil. No matter what, they can only follow through to the end.
”I have another good idea. It is said that carving a tattoo on one's chest will awaken one's potential. Why don't we give it a try?”
A few years later, when the first generation of Aurora Knight reminisces the past, tears would start flowing down their face. Whenever the word 'trainer' is mentioned, they would instinctively start to tremble. Some of them would bring tidbits everywhere. Some of them would shake in fear whenever they see ice and Dark Elves. Some of them would start catching a cold when summer comes and be cured of it the moment winter sets...
One of the thing which people found the most incredulous about this group of powerful founding Knights is that each of them has a tattoo on their chest. For some of them, it is a tiger while for the others, it is an elephant. However, for the most of them, they have seven bizarre scars over there.
TL: Fist of North Star, Kenshiro.
”You are already dead! My life is without regrets!”
This is their most despair-inducing war cry to their enemies. The self-confidence and fearlessness of death from the war cry motivated the future generations of Knights to imitate it.
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In this generation where entertainment is sorely lacking, especially for normal peasants, a traveling circus arrives at a town and starts to put up their tent, sound their gongs and distribute flyers. This is like a festival for that little town, bringing great joy to little children.
But, for that circus, moving between cities tend to be unsafe, not to mention that their daily jobs are tough. There are rich merchants and nobles who find circuses low-class and vulgar. Yet, if they were to cater mainly to the normal peasants, they would find it hard to make good money. Thus, it is often difficult for them to retain talents.
This is why the history for typical circuses are short. Many of them disband within 3 to 5 years. Even if they were to occasionally become popular for a moment due to the introduction of a certain interesting and novel program, due to the inflexibility of their management system, they would still meet with difficulties sooner or later and disband eventually.
The Fire Dragon Circus is a long-standing circus with hundred years of history behind it. Just like the other new stars who were radiant for a period of time, they are also undergoing a period of downfall.
Initially, this reputable circus was supposed to perform during the enthronement ceremony. This is a hard-to-come-by opportunity for their big circus. If their name were to spread far and wide from it, they might even be able to hold regular performances at some theater or establish a long-term employment contract with some great nobles. This would release them from their fate of wandering about and anchor them to shore. However, just when the group was happily planning for their future, they met with an accident.
First was the original circus master as well as the trapeze artist Isoro getting injured in the midst of training. Then, a series of training-related accidents follows by, causing them to be unable to operate temporarily. Seeing how the inauguration is just around the corner, their competitor, Fetero Circus and Soaring Wing Musical came to poach their people. Two of their three aces left. What’s more, the Siren Tamer who remained brought big trouble for the circus.
Seeing how they are unable to conduct even regular performances, the circus that was passed down within the family for 3 generations is on the verge of collapsing, the heavily-injured Isoro almost died from anger. But, just before he went fully into a coma, he passed the role of the circus master to the immature little Milor.
But even though Milor tried his best to sustain this family business, even when the old members were trying their best in the performances and even took the initiative to claim a lower salary, the day of their disbandment still slowly approaches.
But, today is a happy day. A rich investor is actually offering to finance the Fire Dragon Circus. Little Milor is overjoyed.
”Nice to meet you, esteemed lady. May I have the honor of knowing your name? Are you married? Oh, that's great. Can I have the pleasure of enjoying dinner with you today?”
After walking into the tent with a big pool inside, Milor frowns upon hearing that deep and strong voice.
The Siren Tracy might be one of the pillars propping up the circus, but her own natural charms have also brought countless trouble to the circus.
”This customer here, the circus is currently not in its operational hours, so I beseech you not to disturb our circus members... Ah?”
After walking over to the pool, the sight that unfolds before him left him dumbfounded. The beautiful Siren stands dumbfounded at one side while the ones engaged in a conversation is a Dracon and a seal.
At the same time, a golden-haired Holy Knight walks over with a smile on his face.
”Morning, Lord Milor. I am Rolande. There are some things which I would like to discuss with you about. It involves a large sum of money. Are you interested?”