Timeless Prominence

Rein was confused as to why this combat instructor had chosen such a course of action. It was his understanding that the Hall of Heroes preferred instructors to not overly favor those belonging to certain factions.

“Sometimes, combat between higher realmed and lower realmed advancers can occur. It is best for one to get a taste of such a situation during sparring.” The instructor righteously stated in an indisputable tone. He didn’t sound all that convincing-- not even to himself. After all, this was supposedly just a demonstration.

A few snorts among the crowd of initiates brought a rising heat to the instructor’s face. However, his eyes were on Rein, thus he could not identify the sources of mockery.

All knew, for this instructor to use shell advancer arts against Rein, a new initiate of the inner realm-- that reflected poorly on said instructor.

Rein had no opportunity to mull over the mind labyrinth of this instructor, for he had to defend against the man.

The instructor's speed and strength had vastly increased with whatever spell he had weaved the aurae skin into. Rein could still perceive the man’s movements, but his reactionary speed was unable to dodge every attack in time.

Yet, his unique body composition allowed him to block what he could not dodge, and Rein found that his strength was fully capable of halting the instructor’s charge. Once again, Rein’s staff met the instructor’s halberd, and the two weapons simultaneously shattered-- they were meant for inner advancer to spar with, and could not absorb the impact of their current display of strength.

The two dropped the broken weapons to the ground and turned to their fists. Again, this unnamed combat instructor found himself unable to make any headway, finding Rein’s fist arts to be new and indecipherable to his eyes. The intricacy of mortal arts normally wouldn’t cause any trouble for him, but the toughness and strength of Rein’s body ignited a deep fear in his mind.

He began wondering of another possibility-- perhaps this new initiate had awakened some ancient bloodline instead of some certain mastery insight in the inner realm. He could only grit his teeth as he activated another advancer art.

The instructor charged again. He dropped his left shoulder and the aurae forming the skin shell of his body gathered together into a shadowy form of a crimson bull with his left shoulder as its epicenter.

Rein recognized this as something that only a higher-ranked shell advancer art could perform-- a form transformation of sorts!

Thanks to the instructor’s activation of this magical art, Rein suddenly gained a clarity of mind. He wasn’t sure his elevated body would be uninjured receiving this attack, but at the same time, he recalled his half-senior Chenhr criticism of him not being able to restrain himself.

Rein had to begrudgingly admit his half-senior was right-- he had so far opted to not give any satisfaction to Beincen or this combat instructor, and now, they among others would be absolute numbskulls to not recognize the strength of his body! That would lead to him having an unneeded higher profile!

This clarity of mind led to Rein making an important decision. He relaxed his legs and only braced his upper body to receive the combat instructor’s charge.

At that very moment, the combat instructor’s crimson bull shoulder struck the cross-armed defensive Rein, with a raucous moo that shook the air above the arena.

Having relaxed his legs, Rein was flung over five hundred feet into the air towards a row of trees. His back broke through a number of trunks until he skidded to a stop on the soft grass and soil.

His body was no longer visible to the crowd, and many believed him to have been badly wounded.

“Healers. Do your duty.” The instructor believed he had completed his task, and was rather relieved. For a heartbeat, he thought he would have to activate a complete shell advancer art, if not more, to deal with the new initiate. A number of healers came out of a sidehut with a stretcher. This area is a combat arena, so these healers essentially resided here.

A leader in a verdant robe yelled and the trainees dressed in gray robes ran with rapid steps to the area where a few trees had been splintered into an opening.

Rein sighed as he remained laying on the ground. That shoulder charge had shuddered his bones for sure. But he had received no more than a bruise, and it was not even from the instructor’s charge, but rather, the landing.

When the two gray-robed trainees arrived, they were wide-eyed at the perfectly healthy Rein.

“Hey. Come closer,” Rein gestured for the two. He was certainly curious how these two had become healer trainees, but a far more important matter had to be resolved. The two trainees crept right next to Rein.

“You two should understand that it would be embarrassing for…” Again, Rein found himself met with the concealment of said instructors’ identities. “The combat instructor if his attack was not effective. Do you understand what you must do?! The combat instructor might be embarrassed and hold a grudge if you spout a hard-to-believe story.”

The two trainees nodded their two heads in agreement. Yes! If they delivered the news that Rein was hale and hearty, that rash combat instructor might hold a grudge against them! They had been around a while and knew the nature of this combat instructor.

“Stay still.” Rein was rolled onto the stretcher, and then the gray-robed trainee intentionally placed a large white sheet that covered Rein’s whole body.

Rein felt himself being lifted up by a finger before dropping back onto the ground.

“Fuck.” A male-trainee’s voice. “Why in the twelve hells are you so heavy?”

Rein had not weighed himself after his body had transformed….

“We need a third! Henre! Come over!”

A moment later and finally, Rein was lifted up while thoroughly covered in a white sheet. A second sheet was placed over the first to further obscure Rein’s body.

“Sir! We’ll need to carry the new initiate to the main healer ward! His injuries are severe with many broken bones and internal bleeding! Why did you go so overboard?!” The trainee yelled in a rather exasperated voice.

The combat instructor opened his mouth only to close it again. Had he gone overboard…? Maybe he overestimated that new initiate’s intimidating physical abilities.

Rein, covered as he was, noticed none of this. He wondered if Beincen might have a psychotic grin of satisfaction plastered on his face.

Despite having gained a clarity of mind to obscure the nature of his body from too high a degree of suspicion, Rein’s heart was certainly bubbling with indignation. 

He inwardly swore that he would return the favor. How? Rein already had an ‘easy’ target in his mind: Rekcen, the younger brother of Beincen!

Once they were out of range, Rein found himself suddenly dropped to the ground.

“Xune’s Spear, why are you do damn heavy!” The same trainee exclaimed again while panting, as the white sheets were peeled back.

“You’re free to go,” the other said. “The combat session is always the last of the initiation procession. Often, new initiates get injured and as such this is the last session of the day. Now go! We’ve got our work cut out for us today!”

The third healer trainee Henre only had a dumbfounded open mouth expression as he watched Rein gingerly stand up with nary an injury.

Rein brought a finger to his lips in a shushing motion and then Henre, after a heartbeat, began nodding in understanding with a small smile. He soon followed after the other two unnamed trainees.

Having been freed early, Rein returned to the white tent he had submitted proof of his battle contribution in the morning. He had been told to return here before nightfall for the rewards. He laid back and dozed off.

By sunset, Rein awoke to find himself reunited with the rest of their combat team in the white tent. Each person was awarded a number of contribution points. Supposedly, these contribution points could be traded for armaments, psychedelics or knowledge in the Hall’s treasure and library halls.

“You’ve healed?” Xeeseir asked as he curiously ran their eyes up and down Rein’s body a few times. Wilo and Dahk, part of Rein’s initiates cohort, similarly scrutinized his body.

“Of course!” replied Rein with a grin. “The Halls have amazing healers, don’t you know?”

“I see.” Wilo eternally wore her wooden mask, but Rein could tell from her tone that she did not believe his words in any shape or form.

Anyhow, Rein immediately brightened up upon learning that both he and Xeeseir had been awarded two thousand points. Wilo, five hundred, the twins Joxeire and Suxeire four hundred, Dahk and Chirh three hundred.

Clearly, the Hall highly valued Rein and Xeeseir’s involvement in battling that bulky man with three hypnotic circles sigil-- supposedly an outer advancer of the Convergence Sect.

“Rumors are that you’ve taken a beating.” The elder twin Suxeire noted as she popped up to the side of Rein. Word must have spread.

“That bastard Beincen bribed one of the sparring instructor to target me. The sparring instructor even activated shell realm magic and broke a number of my bones! If not for the healers of the ward…” Rein exclaimed, intending to further cement the rumors of said event. The gray-robed individual handing out the rewards would certainly further spread this news.

Xeeseir, frowning at Rein’s words, also passed on the events with the blacksmith instructor, Rahr, in addition to the sparring instructor.

“No, no.” Suxeire, having been in the Halls longer, shook her head, causing her raven locks to sway around her face. “Those two are different. Some instructors, such as the blacksmiths, have to be kept perfectly neutral, since they supply armaments to the advancers. If a blacksmith were to be even slightly biased and forge a weaker armament for an individual, that could severely interfere with the strength of the Hall.”

Evidently, Suxeire believed it necessary to explain the situation to Rein.

“On the other end, a sparring instructor-- a slightly bruised up member could recover in a short day’s time, especially with the augmented recovery speed of the body in combination with the alchemical liquids.”

She sighed with eyes closed. “Thus, some types of instructors are allowed more leeway. It’s an open secret that certain sparring instructors even take resource bribes from houses and clans.” After a short pause, she added, “Supposedly, sparring instructors focus on researching new combat techniques. It’s possible that Beincen is a contributor to that instructor.”

That only led to another question popping up in Rein’s mind.

“Blacksmith Rahr had elected to take me on as a disciple of his craft. Would I not be in an odd position being that I am now part of Supreme Jensure’s faction?” This was something that Rein had just realized.

“Blacksmith Rahr, too, once belonged to a faction. However, the leader of that faction had moved to a higher realm by the time he had attained a degree of mastery in his craft,” replied Suxeire.

More and more, Rein discovered the intricate system of the Halls. Indeed, Jensure, likely already an advancer that had reached the mastery levels of the outer realm, would have advanced beyond this Hall of Heroes branch by the time Rein could truly produce anything of quality compared to master blacksmiths.

Supposedly, any Halls member who was mildly successful would eventually be transferred to its main branch in its home realm. Thus, Rein’s current allegiance would be inconsequential in the long run.

Meanwhile, Rein was nodding to himself-- all this made sense. No matter. He had already set his target-- Rekcen!

None of these extra considerations were of interest to Chirh, who had gone to the point of flopping flat on the ground with a dead expression upon hearing of Rein’s encounters with Beincen.

“Oh, don’t be so dramatic.” The younger twin, Joxeire, found this rather hilarious. “Me and  my sister have survived somewhat even after rejecting the advances made by--”

She was immediately cut off by Suxeire. “Unnecessary information, sis.”

However, it was too late, as the other five would have to be complete idiots to not pick up on the implication behind Joxeire’s words. Not that it was surprising in any way. These twin ladies were beauties, even if the scar on Suxeire’s face might put off a great many men.

Seeking to divert their attention, Suxeire further expounded upon how the Hall worked.

“The Hall actually wants some of its less desirable nobles of houses and clans to be an annoyance. These nobles would dump resources into the Hall’s coffers, while essentially acting as a barrier to test other members. Grinding stones to sharpen the brightest blades, so to speak.”

Again, Rein found himself understanding the increasingly nuanced operating mechanism of the Halls. Just that… “How exactly can the Hall enforce such rules accurately in varying situations?”

“It’s the Allfather,” so replied Suxeire. “It is said that he is all-seeing, all-knowing. It is said that he can read a person’s heart and intentions like a book.” She glanced around suspiciously. “It is also said that he walks among us for eternity.”

A rather scary thought. But not impossible. Rein was unsure of how powerful Master Yirn was. But he had seen enough to know that there were truly some unimaginable advancer arts out in every corner of the world.

Even that bounty on The Blasphemer that had projected information into Rein’s mind had stated that the figure was essentially faceless and basically unidentifiable through sight or style of combat.

“So. Let us reaffirm our situation,” Xeeseir redirected everyone to the important topic at hand. “Both me, Wilo, Rein have already decided that we will undertake red diamond and beyond rated missions.”

“Now, Chirh obviously doesn’t have a choice since he had offended House Larne as well,” chortled Xeeseir in amusement, knowing that Chirh would rather not be included. “So that leaves you twins and Dahk.”

“Such missions would only bring glory to my kin,” Dahk immediately agreed. 

“Why not?” To Rein’s surprise, the twin ladies nodded their heads. He had assumed that these twin ladies who had joined the Halls at least a quarter earlier would perhaps already have a team-- or received offers to join one. Unless… Rein recalled Joxeire’s earlier leak. Unless they had offended someone influential that prevented them from finding a combat team.

Rein suddenly found Suxeire plastering her slender body and ample breasts against his body. “A side offer would be that I wish to be your partner,” She declared with a whimsical smile. Her actions drew the confusion of the others, except her twin sister.

Rein himself entered a state of full bafflement as his mind raced to keep up with the developments. Suxeire’s body naturally felt sublime against his. He had noticed it the night before, with the thin robes of the Halls hugging Suxeire’s hourglass curves. Yesterday, she was in protective leather gear under the robes. Today? She wore a sleeveless blouse and a knee-length skirt, with a hint of midriff barely visible through the thin Halls robes wrapped around her body.

Still. If there was one thing Rein believed-- no woman would suddenly throw themselves into a man’s arms. His now deceased mother had employed a good many attractive ladies to train his mettle.

Thus, Rein, after a brief and weak struggle, extricated himself from a protesting Suxeire’s embrace as his mind maintained clarity and connected the dots. If Suxeire and Joxeire had been unable to join a team in their time here, it must mean that the noble they had rejected must be vastly more influential than Beincen of House Larne.

That can only mean one thing. Suxeire was hoping to drag him directly into their mess! Naturally, Beincen and this unnamed noble would find a common enemy in him. Rein’s initial conclusion naturally made him glare at Suxeire with a hint of hostility.

However, he still struggled to piece together the entire picture. His mastery of magic was not even as high as Suxeire or Joxeire. The two could already form fragments of shell advancer skin-- they are at the peak of the inner realm! Why would Suxeire aim for him instead of Xeeseir, who had displayed his origin skill out in the open? In his eyes, if Suxiere truly wished to seduce someone to be her shield, Xeeseir would be a far better target!

“Oh, don’t look at me like that,” Suxeire whispered seductively into Rein’s right ear. She once again pressed her body into Rein’s and even tentatively dragged her tongue against his ear. “You’d get to do as you wish with my body. Surely, that’s worth something. And my sister… my twin sister… it’ll be up to her what she wishes to do…”

Rein turned his head and gazed deep into Suxeire’s eyes. He had met and observed many seductresses during his mortal merchant days. Many might put up such a front to influence merchant deals in their favor.

Over time, Rein discovered an observable difference between those playacting and those truly interested in said pleasurable acts-- An all-encompassing expression of devotion even while performing what some may consider shameful acts of pleasure.

Suxeire’s eyes certainly contained that all-encompassing expression of devotion… No. Rein inwardly lambasted himself. There is always the possibility of some seductresses being exquisite at their playacting!

Plus, he wasn’t here to seek a partner. That was one thing Rein knew. He had to find traces of his younger brother, identify the members of the Dingien Clan soliciting the help of devils, and seek revenge for his destroyed hometown. In his mind, he saw this as ‘delivering justice’. A closer Suxeire would attract the attention of a noble significantly more influential relative to Beincen and potentially jeopardize these goals!

Also, if he were to properly master his magics and become a proper advancer, his lengthened lifespan would provide him with ample opportunities if he ever became desperate for such physical pleasures. He gripped Suxeire’s neck, eliciting a seductive moan, before firmly pushing Suxeire an arm’s length distance from him.

Suxeire had yet to give up on her endeavor. “Blacksmiths are highly influential as well. If you become a competent one, many nobles would rather stay cordial in order to have access to your wares. And anyway,” her tone became a tinge disdainful. “Aren’t you a man?”

So, she must be betting on that blacksmith gig that he had obtained, Rein realized. As for that challenge at the end? His reply was thus. “Would a man jeopardize family and goals for momentary fling with a…” Rein ceased his words. Although he was somewhat annoyed with Suxeire, he believed he would be going too far to accuse her of being ‘easy’. After all, she had supposedly rejected the advances of an influential noble, leading to her supposed current predicament.

He had no wish to further escalate the current situation with an insult. However, it could not be denied that this was simply a lady he had but known for half a day, even if she was a beauty.

“Family, indeed.” Suxeire muttered, turning her gaze at her younger twin sister. She withdrew her seductive and devoted dreamy eyes and became apologetic as she took a step back. “It was just an offer that I thought you might have been interested in. Forgive me.” She curtsied.

“Rein.” Xeeseir frowned on the side. The balding man was unsure if it was still a good idea for the twins to remain a part of their group. “The twin ladies…”

Rein sighed. He still hadn’t come up with an answer to the mystery of why Suxeire did not target Xeeseir instead if she desired a shield against the unnamed noble the twins had rejected. Perhaps if the twin ladies joined their group, the two would suffer less. It did not sit well with him that fear of said rejected noble had led to existing advancer teams ignoring the twin ladies over the past few months. He himself was being harassed by Beincen!

“It’s fine.” Rein certainly hoped he would not regret his decision.

He detected a hint of a relieved smile as the twin ladies nearly skipped on the spot with joy.

Then, his heart sank. While Joxeire remained standing politely as a respectable member of the group, the older twin, Suxeire, opted to sit in front of Rein, on the ground with her legs to the side.  She bent her neck backwards and Rein found himself directing a stern glare into a fervent pair of eyes. The seductress even bit her lips, indicating her enjoyment of Rein’s glower!

So, this was what his mother called, an unhinged minx, Rein decried to himself apprehensively. He had a feeling he would have to keep this little minx in check while plumbing for her secrets…