Stunned, everyone present in this underground arena stood stunned on the spot. A silence ensued in the surroundings and nobody even dared to breathe loudly.
This sudden proposal by the vampire clan leader, one of the top 5 strongest swordsmen in the entire empire left everyone baffled and speechless.
Even Kahn, the main center of attention, had 'NANI?!' expression. He too was caught off guard just like everyone else.
"What? Are you joking, Lord Clan leader?" he asked.
"No, I'm serious. I want you to become my disciple. I will personally train you." responded the vampire.
His countenance was full of valor and nobility. As if a hero of those ballads and folklore had turned into reality.
"Wait, why?" asked Kahn again. He couldn't think of possible reasons.
Was his display of strength during the test too phenomenal? Because he hadn't even used his best skills and techniques during the duel and even in his personal opinion.. It would only get passing marks.
Because in reality, the vampire lord was holding back all the time otherwise, he could've killed Kahn by accident if he didn't.
"Your talent in swordsmanship is no less than those chosen clan heirs who had the best of teachers and resources in the world to train. I would even say that you overshadow them by a lot. It's a talent that shouldn't go to waste.. I would fail my sword if I let you a genius such as yourself never reach bigger heights just because you don't have enough resources." said Ismatrazel.
There was no sense of coyness or some malicious intent behind his words. It was as if he genuinely wanted to groom Kahn and make him raise his talent.
But before any further discussions occurred.. Kahn replied.
"No!" he refused.
"What? Don't you understand the kind of opportunity I'm giving you?" asked the vampire.
Kahn took the epic rank domain artifact out of his pockets and activated it. Both he and the clan leader were engulfed under a dark dome.
The clan leader showed no surprise.. Epic rank artifacts were something he had seen thousands of times already.
For the next ten minutes.. There was a heated discussion between the two swordsmen. Nobody out of this black dome could see or hear anything that was being discussed within.
When Kahn finally deactivate the dome again..
The attitude of both these males had changed from the eager swordsmen to two somber and calculative elderly men who had seen the entire world.
"I still hope you do think of my offer one day." spoke Ismatrazel.
"Thank you again for extending this offer, lord clan leader. But I still need to refuse your generosity. I hope it doesn't affect our other deal." reiterated Kahn.
"Nothing shall affect it." spoke the clan leader and took out two jade medallions from his space ring. He threw one to Kahn and the other to Szayel.
"Use these to communicate with each other. I won't be able to respond to you given my duties. But my son should be able to manage the dealings and the ups and downs that may come in the future." spoke the vampire lord.
Kahn nodded in response and gestured to Albestros that it was time for them to leave.
Several guards escorted Kahn as per their leader's orders.
When the father and son duo also returned to their private quarters.. Szayel, who could not understand what transpired inside the dome asked his father..
"Lord Father.. I don't understand. Even though he indeed saved my life.. It's not something that would make you bend the rules and accept a human as your disciple." spoke Szayel.
He knew about his clan's ironclad rules that prohibited their members to accept other species and an outsider inside their clan in any way.
"For the first time.. I wish those rules didn't exist." sighed the father.
"Remember Szayel.. No matter what happens, you must become a very close friend to Kahn. That human boy is actually a prodigy born once in a millennium.
Not only has he created a saint rank sword skill while still being a semi-saint rank.. But he can also tap into the world energy. That's not something even the widely proclaimed geniuses of the various clans and factions can do.
World Energy is extremely essential to a Saint Rank fighter in this world. Even more important than mana. There's a limit to how much mana can you use.. But there's no limit on how much world energy can be used in a fight. At the end of the day.. It only comes to your own capabilities.
You might not have seen it but every single technique he executed was perfectly formed and lethal at the same time.. Even I felt like I was facing a natural warrior who trained inside hell for decades." explained the vampire lord.
"But that's not something worth breaking the ancient rules of the clan, right?" asked Szayel.
"You wouldn't understand since you're not a swordsman like us.. Every single attack he made was full of form, fluidity, killing intent and perfect execution; it's something only those who have fought in thousand wars could do.
Even I was nothing compared to him on that same level.
I thought it was just a legend.. But people like him do exist." he sat and contemplated.
"What type of people if I may ask, lord father." spoke Szayel.
"There was only one other person in the history of our empire who could do both these things while being only a semi-saint."
"Who?"
"It was none other than the first Emperor, Rathnaar." explained the clan leader.
"I even offered him a lot of money, resources to train.. A life where he wouldn't have to worry about wealth but he still refused." he revealed.
"But why? No matter how I look at it.. This was probably his biggest life-changing opportunity. Why would he refuse?" asked Szayel.
"Because of Vivian's ploy. And he understood that there are still many traitors who still back her up from the shadows. If he accepted.. He'd be the target of prejudice, ploys and many attempts on his life.
I can make rules.. But I can't make everyone in the clan inherently accept or abide them. That is the hard truth.
Besides, something he said was indeed true; Before inviting a guest inside.. We must clean out our house first." spoke Ismatrazel and ordered Szayel to follow him.
"Where are we going?" He asked his father.
To his question.. The vampire clan leader replied in a stern tone.
"It's about time we.. Discipline your sister."