Just as O’Neil—Yurael in was the family name instead of Nightingale—was preparing to wander off and continue training his spiritual domain talent connected to his Sea of Consciousness ability, an irritating voice suddenly rang out from the side.

  “O’Neil, you’re embarrassing yourself again! You don’t act like a Barboros at all!”

  “O’Neil, you’ve lost your nerve again! You’re nothing like one of Lord Barboros’ descendants!”

  A tall, broad-shouldered boy approached, flanked by two followers of similar build.

  Steve Job—also a pure-blooded Barboros—had inherited his parents’ powerful physique.

  Though he was the same age as O’Neil, his body already resembled that of an eight- or nine-year-old child. O’Neil, despite growing well, only reached his chest.

  Job looked at O’Neil with disdain. O’Neil appeared to be sitting on a rock, lost in thought—but in truth, he was cultivating his supernatural ability.

  Job’s father, Rebus, was the second-strongest warrior of the Barboros Clan, second only to O’Neil’s father, Ulric.

  In his youth, Rebus had failed to win the favor of O’Neil’s mother—an extraordinary talent possessing the Deep Sea bloodline—during their time at the Hunting Academy. Ever since, he had lived in Ulric’s shadow as the “second warrior.”

  As a result, Rebus hated Ulric’s family. Naturally, that resentment extended to O’Neil. Thus, he encouraged his muscular son to provoke O’Neil from a young age.

  Even without that connection, as a member of the Barboros Clan—a people who revered strength above all—Job would still have found ways to challenge him.

  “You stand here daydreaming all day instead of studying combat techniques to fight dangerous species!”

  “You’re not a true Barboros!”

  Job worshiped strength and the strong. His mind was filled with nothing but muscles and battle.

  “None of your business,” O’Neil replied coldly, dismissing the data interface only he could see.

  “Looking for another beating? What is this now—the ninety-ninth time? Or the hundred and third?”

  Job had always been arrogant, relying on his tall and powerful physique. He often looked down on O’Neil, who was handsome but modest in build.

  He constantly picked fights—and had been taught lessons countless times by O’Neil’s simple combat techniques. Yet he never learned.

  O’Neil was gradually losing patience.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  “What did you say?!” Job’s face flushed red as the muscles across his body tightened. “I’m different today! Your little tricks won’t work anymore!”

  With a roar, Job charged forward and threw a punch.

  As usual, O’Neil raised his hands before his chest to block.

  But a flash of surprise crossed his eyes.

  The moment Job’s fists struck his guard, a strange vibration rippled through the impact—and Job’s strength suddenly more than doubled.

  Caught off guard, O’Neil was forced several steps back.

  “Hm? That strange feeling…” O’Neil’s eyes gleamed as he stared at Job with an unreadable expression.

  He had felt something similar before—from the jar of demonic beast blood kept by the clan leader.

  Job’s punch carried the same force as someone who had consumed demonic beast blood and gained its power.

  “Heh… heh heh…”

  With a low laugh, Job clenched his fist again, ready to charge.

  “Steve Job!”

  A sharp voice suddenly rang out from the village.

  A girl of about ten years old stepped forward, glaring at Job with clear hostility.

  Her long, ice-blue hair was tied back with a headband. Slender and delicate, her finely sculpted features already hinted at stunning beauty in the future.

  “Do you want to die? O’Neil is mine!”

  She stood in front of O’Neil and pointed at Job.

  The two boys behind Job immediately stepped back.

  “Let’s go! Astreith is here. We’ll deal with O’Neil later!”

  But Job stubbornly replied, “What are you afraid of? Others might fear you, Astreith—but I don’t! Today I’ll see what you’re capable of!”

  “Oh?” Astreith narrowed her eyes.

  A terrifying aura radiated from her blue pupils as she stared at him like a demonic lioness.

  Silence fell.

  Elsewhere in the village, beneath a large tree, several tall figures watched the confrontation.

  One of them, tall and exuding a fierce aura, was the Clan Leader—Astreith’s father.

  Smiling faintly, he observed the scene, his gaze lingering on Job.

  Beside him stood a tall middle-aged man.

  “Rebus Job,” the Clan Leader said with a smile, “your Steve is quite something.”

  “At only eight years old, he can drink demonic beast blood, digest it, and gain its power.”

  The middle-aged man laughed proudly.

  “He’s only consumed the blood of low-tier demonic beasts.”

  “But in a few years, when he drinks stronger and more varied bloodlines, he’ll become even more exceptional!”

  Another stern-faced man spoke.

  “But Astreith should be stronger. She’s the clan’s unparalleled genius. Even without drinking high-tier demonic beast blood, she already possesses the power of a true demonic beast hunter. She’s the most likely to obtain that ‘thing.’”

  He was Astreith’s uncle—the clan leader’s younger brother—responsible for trade with the outside world. Though not the strongest transcendent hunter, his judgment carried weight.

  Rebus merely chuckled.

  Though he disliked the clan’s rigid belief in strength above all, he did not dare offend the clan leader’s brother.

  Still, when he looked at his son, satisfaction filled his eyes.

  “Clan Leader,” Rebus suddenly said, “how about making a deal?”

  “What if Astreith marries Steve? Their offspring would be perfect. They are the most talented children of the next generation.”

  “What?!”

  “No!”

  Two voices shouted simultaneously.

  One was Ulric, O’Neil’s father. He glared at Rebus before turning away silently.

  The other was the clan leader’s younger brother.

  “They’re still children! We should consider this carefully!”

  In truth, he had grand ambitions—perhaps even plans to use his beautiful niece to build ties with powerful figures in the Golden Capital.

  “Rebus, do you want to fight?!” Ulric growled, clenching his teeth.

  “As long as I’m alive, your foolish son will never marry Astreith!”

  Only my son O’Neil can… Ulric thought bitterly.

  “I’m not afraid of you!” Rebus roared back, unwilling to back down despite Ulric being the clan’s strongest warrior.

  “Enough!” the Clan Leader thundered, his head throbbing.

  “She is my daughter! A woman of the Barboros Clan! Her husband must be stronger than she is!”

  “Whoever wishes to marry her must defeat her—and earn her consent!”

  Rebus clicked his tongue.

  “Maybe not now. But in a few years? Who knows?”

  “Though as for someone’s son who stares blankly all day—there’s no hope.”

  “Rebus!” Ulric’s fist tightened.

  “Silence!” the Clan Leader barked.

  “Ulric, watch your child. He’s already physically weaker than the others, yet he refuses to train properly.”

  “In the past, someone like him would’ve been expelled from the clan!”

  Ulric’s face reddened. He wanted to argue—but ultimately sighed.

  Astreith’s uncle suddenly remarked, “It seems little Astreith truly likes little O’Neil…”

  The Clan Leader waved dismissively.

  “Childish thoughts. When they grow up, they’ll understand.”

  “Only strong partners produce outstanding offspring.”

  “We, the Barboros Clan, will always believe in the supremacy of the strong.”

  Ulric said nothing more.

  His son couldn’t even match an ordinary Barboros child—let alone Steve Job.

  What could he possibly say?

  O’Neil never imagined that his research and meditation in the spiritual domain would be mistaken by the elders of his clan as nothing more than childish daydreaming.

  ---

  ?????: ?????? ????????

  ?????: 10

  ??????: ?? ????

  ?????: ????

  ????? ????: ????? ?????? ??????

  ???????:

  ?????? ?????? (??????? 10)

  ???? ?????? ????????? ??????? ??????? ?????? ????? ??? ??????.

  [????????? ?????? ??????]

  ????? ????? ???? ?????? ×4.

  ???? ?????? ???? ????? ????? ??????? ?????? ????? ?? ????? ?????? ???????.

  [?????? ??????? ?? ??????]

  ???? ??????? ?????? ?? ?????? ???? ????? ????? ?? ??? ?????? ??? ????? ????????.

  [????? ?????]

  ???? ???????? ?? ?????? ???????? ???????? ????? ?????? ?? ??? ????? ????? ?????.

  [??????? ?? ???????]

  ?????? ?? ??????? ?? ???? ????? ??? ????? ???? ????? ?? ??????? ?????? ????? ?????? ????????.

  [????? ??????]

  ???? ????????? ?????? ????? ?????? ????? ?? ?????? ????? ???????? ??????.