The royal carriage was moving down the roads, its heavy wheels rolling steadily over the stone path. Knights rode alongside it, clearing the pathway ahead. They pushed away every commoner who came in their way without hesitation, showing no concern even if someone stumbled or got injured. Women and children were shoved aside just the same, as if their presence held no value compared to the importance of the carriage passing through.
Inside, Arthur was seated quietly. He was around twelve years old at that time.
As he stared out of the window, his face remained completely expressionless. His eyes held no curiosity, no excitement. He was simply… bored.
Ever since he was born, he had been considered special. Not just gifted, but divine. A child blessed beyond ordinary limits.
He was showered with love from both his mother and father, praised constantly, and treated as someone destined for greatness.
But none of it mattered to him.
He viewed emotions like love, hate, and lust as nothing more than trivial desires of mortals. Weak distractions.
He didn't see himself as human.
He believed he was something beyond that.
Far above everyone else.
The reason was simple, he had never struggled, he had always dominated every situation.
At the age of eight, he had already defeated top knights. Battles meant nothing to him because victory was always guaranteed.
The only people he acknowledged were his father and his sister, Seraphina, as strong.
And even then, he knew he would surpass his father soon.
But after that…
What would be left?
Being the strongest from the very beginning had taken away any sense of challenge.
Standing above thousands of people who felt like nothing more than insects created a sense of emptiness.
It wasn't pride.
It was isolation.
Thus, Arthur grew bored of the world itself.
Until—
"Hey you! Get out of the way, can't you see the crown prince is coming?"
The sudden noise broke his thoughts.
Arthur leaned slightly out of the window and looked ahead.
There, standing directly in front of the carriage, was a boy.
He looked even younger than Arthur.
A few knights tried to push him away, but the boy didn't move even an inch.
"I'm here for the knight named Pete, hand him over to me and I'll let you pass"
"Who do you think you are? You filthy commoner? Move aside or I'll chop your head for your impudence"
The boy stared at the knight pointing a finger at him, silently.
Then, without warning, he grabbed the knight's finger and twisted it sharply.
The knight let out a painful groan, his face contorting.
"My mother was raped by Pete when I was away, and you dare call yourself an honored knight? Just because she was a commoner, does that mean you can do whatever you want with her? I'm saying it again tell me who among you is Pete and I'll move"
A few onlookers nearby were unsure how to react.
Some admired the boy's courage.
Others thought he was simply being foolish.
After all, why would royal knights negotiate with a commoner child?
To them, he was just inviting death.
"Kill him, the crown prince doesn't like waiting" one knight scoffed
But before anyone could act—
The boy drew his sword.
It wasn't anything special. Just a simple blade, worn and ordinary.
Yet—
He moved and in a single motion, he cut down the knight.
The strike was clean and precise.
The knight fell instantly.
Everyone froze.
"Did he just kill a royal knight?"
The rest of the knights charged at him immediately.
But the boy didn't retreat.
He rushed forward instead.
And what followed was not a fight…
It was a slaughter.
He cut through them one after another without hesitation, his movements sharp and efficient. Not a single strike was wasted.
And yet—
He remained untouched.
Arthur's eyes widened slightly as he watched.
For the first time in his life, something felt different.
A commoner boy… younger than him…
And yet capable of matching such skill.
Arthur stepped out of the carriage.
"It's the crown prince! The boy is surely dead now"
"Fight me"
His words stunned everyone.
Even the knights stopped moving.
"Your highness I just want Pete dead"
The boy replied, his gaze steady.
"Oh?"
Arthur moved.
His speed was so overwhelming that it appeared as if he was teleporting from one spot to another.
In an instant, he stood right in front of the boy.
"I accept your condition"
At that exact moment—
Pete, who had been standing unnoticed among the knights, suddenly collapsed.
His head separated cleanly from his body and fell to the ground.
No one had even seen Arthur draw his sword.
The cut had already been made.
"Now your turn"
Arthur pulled out his sword and pointed it at the boy. With no other choice, the boy lunged at Arthur. Their swords collided, and the sound echoed across the street.
"T-The boy is evenly matched with the crown prince? Impossible"
The onlookers were stunned, unable to believe what they were witnessing.
"HAHHHHHH!"
Arthur felt genuine thrill and happiness for the first time in his life.
CLING CLING
They continued exchanging blows, moving at incredible speed.
Their figures blurred, leaving only afterimages visible to the public.
With each passing minute, instead of growing tired, they only became faster.
Arthur was already at the 9th tier of swordsmanship, yet he was fighting to a draw with another child. This moment made Arthur finally understand the excitement of life.
Minutes passed, and finally the young boy got tired and fell to the ground, gasping for breath, his sword now completely shattered into pieces.
"A human among ants hah, what's your name?"
"Kylrus"
The boy replied, looking directly into Arthur's eyes without fear.