As Lucavion handed his ID to the guard, Vitaliara perched lazily on his shoulder, her ethereal form glowing faintly under the torchlight. The guard examined the card, his expression neutral.
“Name: Luca. Adventurer rank: D. A swordsman,” the guard read aloud before nodding and sliding the ID back across the counter. “You’re clear. Head straight, you will meet with Captain Edran.”
Lucavion inclined his head in a gesture of thanks, his usual smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. Taking his ID, he tucked it neatly into his coat and stepped through the gates, his stride relaxed yet deliberate.
As they passed into the bustling recruitment area, Vitaliara shifted on his shoulder, her glowing eyes narrowing as she turned her gaze toward the blonde girl exiting the room. [Isn’t that the girl from the inn?] she asked, her voice quiet but pointed.
Lucavion didn’t miss a step, his smile never faltering. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he replied smoothly, his tone nonchalant.
[Liar,] Vitaliara shot back, her tail flicking with subtle agitation. [You recognized her. I felt it.]
Lucavion gave a soft chuckle, his voice low enough to avoid drawing attention. “I think you’re imagining things, my dear.”
But Vitaliara wasn’t convinced. Her translucent form pulsed faintly as her gaze lingered on the retreating figure of Elara. [There’s something peculiar about her,] she murmured, more to herself than to him. [Something familiar… but different.]
Lucavion’s face flickered for the briefest of moments, but he quickly masked it with an exaggerated yawn. “You’re overthinking, as usual.”
[No, I’m not,] Vitaliara insisted, her tone sharpening. [I sensed it. It’s not like when I first met you—when you were using Starlight as your mana. This girl’s energy is… strange. Compound. Integrated into herself in a way I can’t quite place.]
Lucavion remained silent, his steps unchanging as they moved through the recruitment hall. Vitaliara’s tail curled slightly around his neck, her glowing eyes narrowing further as she studied his expression—or rather, his carefully maintained lack of one.
[You’re hiding something, Lucavion,] she said quietly. [And I’m going to find out what it is.]
Lucavion’s smirk returned, faint and enigmatic. “Good luck with that,” he said, his voice carrying a playful lilt. “Now, let’s focus. We’ve got an expedition to join, remember?”
Vitaliara huffed softly but said nothing more, her glowing form settling into a thoughtful silence.
Familiar, yet different, she thought again, her tail flicking with restless curiosity. Just who are you, and why does he seem so intent on pretending you don’t exist?
Lucavion strode into the room, his steps unhurried but deliberate, as if the bustling energy of the recruitment area had no hold over him. The chamber he entered was more subdued, the air heavy with an unspoken authority that emanated from the man standing at its center. Captain Edran.
The moment Lucavion stepped inside, a subtle pressure brushed against him—not oppressive, but sharp, like the edge of a well-honed blade. His instincts, honed through years of battle and survival, flared in response.
As expected, he is strong, Lucavion thought, his dark eyes narrowing slightly as he took in the man before him. Captain Edran stood tall and composed, his silver-gray hair and the faint scar on his jawline adding to his aura of experience. But it wasn’t just his presence that caught Lucavion’s attention—it was the subtle flow of energy radiating from him, restrained yet unmistakably potent.
At least a 6th-rank Awakened, Lucavion calculated inwardly. Or perhaps even peak 6th-rank.
He allowed his gaze to sweep over the man, noting the way Edran carried himself. His strength wasn’t just in his rank—it was in the way his aura harmonized with his physicality, a mark of someone who had honed their abilities through countless battles.
It’s been a while since my senses warned me like this, Lucavion mused, a faint thrill stirring within him. His fingers twitched faintly at his sides, an almost imperceptible reaction to the unspoken question that lingered in his mind. How would it feel if we were to fight?
Before his thoughts could wander further, Captain Edran’s voice cut through the air like a whip. “All of the weirdos are coming today, it seems.” His tone was gruff, edged with a dry sarcasm. His sharp gray eyes fixed on Lucavion with a penetrating intensity. “Do you want to die, kid?”
Lucavion blinked, his smirk faltering for the briefest moment. “Hmm?”
“Cease your intent,” Edran said bluntly, his gaze unwavering.
Lucavion raised an eyebrow, feigning ignorance as he tilted his head slightly. “Intent?” Experience new tales on empire
“Yes. You are oozing intent.”
Lucavion’s face softened slightly as he tilted his head, his dark eyes narrowing faintly in confusion. “Intent?” he repeated, his tone laced with genuine curiosity. “I wasn’t aware I was exuding any.”
Edran’s sharp gray eyes didn’t waver, his stance unmoving and resolute. “Don’t think that your sword intent is only limited to the mana drawn from your core,” he said, his voice calm but firm, carrying the weight of years of understanding. “There’s a reason why it’s called intent.”
The words hung in the air, pointed yet deliberately incomplete, as if Edran were handing Lucavion the missing piece of a puzzle. He fixed his gaze on Lucavion, his silence a clear invitation to figure it out yourself.
Lucavion’s smile faded entirely as he met Edran’s unrelenting gaze, the pieces slowly clicking into place. The weight of realization settled over him, subtle but undeniable, as his thoughts pieced together the captain’s cryptic words.
I see, he thought, his eyes flickering with newfound understanding.
The mana around him—the faint currents of the world itself—was subtly responding to his unspoken thoughts. His idle musings of testing Edran’s strength, of imagining a clash between them, had unconsciously bled into the energy he carried. It wasn’t bloodthirst or malice, but a subtle projection of his inner self, amplified by his connection to the blade.
That’s why people avoid me when I’m armed, he realized, a faint tinge of exasperation coloring his thoughts. Sigh… how stupid. I’d always assumed it was because I looked handsome.
A flicker of amusement returned to his features as he straightened slightly, schooling his expression into something more neutral.
‘But then again, I would assume this can be avoided with just this?’
A thought occurred in his mind. If the reason for this ‘intent’ phenomenon to occur was related to mana and his thoughts, there were simply two things that could be done.
Either he would need to remove the variables from this situation. One variable was thoughts and thoughts wouldn’t be stopped.
That is why…
He simply separated his thoughts from his mana.
“Hmm?”
The subtle hum in the air stilled, and the oppressive edge of his presence dissolved like a dissipating fog.
Edran’s sharp eyes widened slightly, a flicker of surprise breaking through his stoic expression. “Did you do that intentionally?” he asked, his tone edged with disbelief.
Lucavion tilted his head, his smirk returning as he feigned ignorance. “Do what, Captain?”
Edran’s expression darkened, his voice lowering with a touch of warning. “…Don’t play with me, boy.”
“You must be misunderstanding something,” Lucavion replied smoothly, his tone light and disarming. He brushed an invisible speck of dust from his coat, his demeanor utterly unbothered.
Edran clicked his tongue, his sharp gaze narrowing on Lucavion. “Tch. Let’s not waste any more time. What is your name?”
Lucavion paused for a split second, his dark eyes flickering with amusement as he adjusted his reply. “Lucavi—Luca.”
“Luca?” Edran repeated, his tone laced with suspicion as he studied the young man before him.
“Yes,” Lucavion confirmed, his smirk unwavering. “Luca. A simple name for a simple swordsman.”
Edran’s gaze lingered on him for a moment longer, as though weighing the truth of his words. Finally, the captain exhaled sharply, a faint sneer tugging at his lips. “You’re a strange one, Luca. Keep your tricks in check, or you’ll regret it.”
“Understood, Captain. I’ll do my best to behave.”
SWOOSH!
Just as Lucavion’s lips parted to deliver another quip, a sharp swish of air cut through the room. Without warning, a blade descended in a swift, calculated arc.
Clank!
The metallic clash reverberated through the chamber as Lucavion’s hand moved instinctively. His own blade, drawn in a blur of motion, intercepted Edran’s strike with precision. Despite the suddenness of the attack, Lucavion stood firm, his balance unwavering as his dark eyes locked onto Edran’s.
For a moment, the two swords remained crossed, a faint hum of tension filling the air. Then Edran leaned back slightly, his blade withdrawing with a deliberate motion. “Not bad,” he said, his tone carrying a faint edge of approval.
Lucavion smirked, lowering his blade with an easy grace before sheathing it smoothly. “I’ll take that as a compliment, Captain.”
Edran eyed him critically, his sharp gaze scrutinizing every detail of Lucavion’s stance and reaction. “Quick hands, steady footing, and you didn’t lose your cool,” he remarked, his voice steady. “But don’t let it go to your head. That was a test, not a fight.”
Lucavion inclined his head slightly. “Of course, Captain. A test of reflexes, I assume?”
Edran didn’t reply immediately. Instead, he tapped the flat of his blade against his shoulder, his expression unreadable. “More than that. It’s also a measure of restraint. Plenty of swordsmen can draw their blades quickly, but only a few can do it without losing themselves to instinct. You held firm.”
Lucavion chuckled softly, brushing an invisible speck of dust from his sleeve. “I appreciate the evaluation. I take it I passed?”
Edran’s lips twitched into a faint smirk, though it barely softened the sharpness of his gaze. “You’ve got potential, but potential alone won’t get you far on this expedition.” He turned away, his tone cooling as he added, “Head to the third station. Walk straight and then turn right, you will see the sign.”
‘Hmm?’