Chapter 73 – Budding intent
Kenan was going through so intense pain. A pain so overwhelming that he never thought it was even possible to feel sothing like this.
His blood was being forcefully drained, being stored into the blood lotus. His life was ending — in a slow and excruciating way.
His vision started to blur, his throat went dry. He forcefully raised his head to look at Kaden, and what he saw made him even more stupefied.
Kaden was looking at him in a very strange way. Like he was observing an interesting experint — not a human being being drained of blood and transford into a literal mummy.
The entire arena was silent, staring at the scene with wide, shocked eyes.
They had never thought, not even for a mont, that Kaden was this strong.
Because mind you — the one on the verge of dying was not so mundane person.
It was Kenan Fireborn, the heir of the illustrious Fireborn Family. The one known as the Hand of Fire.
"Blood...? He controls blood?" one of the spectators muttered in shock.
After all, blood was an extrely rare power to control — just like sun, stars, and moon, or even space and ti.
All these were powers that only a few beings in both worlds had any control over.
These thoughts raced through the minds of all the participants, making them ntally add Kaden Warborn to the list of people they would never dare provoke.
But all that... Kenan didn’t quite care about it right now — as he was literally dying. And in those monts, in a flash, Kenan started to relive his life.
He saw his father’s stern eyes, always speaking of duty and the glory of their family.
He saw his mother smiling softly, telling him he could always do better.
He saw the maids and servants of his house looking at him with respect, reverence — and even fear.
Not because of Kenan, the young boy.
But because of the na he carried.
Fireborn.
And then—
’Ah... so... yes...’
His thoughts were deeply broken by the pain, but strangely, his mind had never felt this clear.
He just realized why he had always been so against bearing the family na.
It was not truly because of fear of failure... that was part of it, yes, but not all.
It was about identity.
He was tired of being known only as the heir of the Hand of Fire. No—
He wanted to be recognized for who he truly was. As Kenan. A young boy with dreams.
And as that realization struck his heart, a spark of enlightennt followed.
If he wanted to be known beyond the na of his family... then he would have to act like the person he really was.
He had to act—
He looked at Kaden, and slowly, a smile crept onto his lips.
It was a terrifying sight, considering how shriveled and inhuman his face had beco.
But that soon changed, as suddenly — a burst of fire exploded from his body, burning away the blood lotus and restoring his appearance back to normal.
Kaden imdiately retreated, his expression tightening into a frown.
The fire dispersed, and in its place stood Kenan, his body now wrapped in flickering flas that danced here and there across his skin, unstable and raw.
His eyes, originally black, were now tinged with a hint of orange.
Inside the VIP room, Old Smith’s expression shifted slightly.
"Oho! A budding intent... how interesting," she said, taking another puff of her pipe, her black eyes gleaming with a smirk.
"Now, what will you do against this, my dear disciple?" she said, her voice tinted with amusent as the fight took an unexpected turn.
She wasn’t the only one surprised. In another room, ris — accompanied by Lisa and Lari — was also watching the fight unfold.
"How did he awaken a budding intent?" ris asked, her voice genuinely puzzled.
And how could she not be?
An intent — even the most basic, budding form — required a deep level of understanding and acceptance of oneself and the power one held.
It might sound obvious, but it wasn’t.
Most people never truly accept who they are. And as for power... controlling it didn’t an understanding it.
There’s a nuance.
So how had he done it?
"You seem to forget sothing, my lady," Lari said beside her, eyes fixed on the duel.
"He is a Fireborn heir. On the sa level — and maybe even higher — than you all of we only consider status. His talent is nothing to scoff at," she said calmly.
Anyone else daring to say that to ris might have been severely punished. But since it was Lari...
ris simply clicked her tongue.
"Talent or not, it doesn’t matter. If Kaden loses, he goes down," she said with unwavering intensity.
Lari sighed softly and chose to remain silent.
As for Lisa... she just stood there, trying to make her presence as small as possible.
But she didn’t need to. All of them were fully focused on the battle playing out before them.
"What are you? So protagonist?" Kaden asked, tilting his head. After all, wasn’t this exactly the kind of cliché protagonists pull? Gaining enlightennt at the brink of death?
Even Kaden, who wasn’t particularly a novel nerd in his past life, recognized that trope.
’Death... what is this?’
[The state of budding intent. It’s a realm you reach once you understand your inner self and your power to a certain level.]
At those words, Kaden frowned.
If that’s the requirent...
Why hadn’t he awakened this so-called budding intent?
Kaden fell silent, thinking. He already knew himself to a significant degree.
Are your thoughts elsewhere?"
Kenan’s voice sliced through Kaden’s thoughts, and in an instant, he surged forward.
Flas wrapped around his fist, his speed explosive.
Kaden barely had ti to react.
But his perception stat was high. His agility, elite.
He twisted his body at the last second, dodging the flaming punch by a hair’s breadth.
But that wasn’t the real attack.
Reditha pulsed inside his mind and whispered a warning.
And he imdiately raised a hand as blood surged outward — just in ti to block the sneaky fire spear hidden behind Kenan’s fist.
BOOOOM!
The spear slamd into the blood barrier with force that made the air itself ripple. Flas licked the edges, trying to lt through — and the blood burned.
Kaden’s eyes widened as he was forced back several ters.
’His attacks... they’re stronger now,’ he thought, narrowing his gaze.
"WOAAAHHHHHHHH!"
"KENAN! KENAN! KENAN!"
The crowd roared.
Their excitent was a living thing — bouncing through the walls, shaking the ground.
Kenan stood still, panting slightly, his eyes focused. Urgent.
He knew this state wouldn’t last long. The budding intent was fragile.
He had to end it now.
anwhile, Kaden’s mind was spinning.
Why hadn’t he awakened intent yet?
He already knew himself to a great degree.
And his control over blood was extrely high now—
Kaden’s thoughts stopped abruptly.
’Blood...?’
Why had he just assud it was blood?
Kaden’s eyes widened in realization.
His true power wasn’t blood.
His real origin... wasn’t the elent itself.
It was sothing else.
Kaden looked down at his hand — at the blood-red katana that had always been with him.
And in that mont, as his fingers tightened around her hilt...the realization hit him like a tidal wave.
His power... his true origin... was not blood.
It was his sword.
"...Reditha."
Kaden’s voice echoed throughout the arena
And instantly Reditha glowed with a mad, radiant crimson light.
A divine, fevered, living light that drowned all the arena.
DING!
—End of Chapter 73—
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