"Huh. So the reason Aizen's capital is named the same as the nation's name, is cuz Aizen was the name of the first King's father. So the King named the capital and the nation after Aizen. How filial." Reivan remarked as he read from the pages of the floating book in front of him. While comfortably reclining on a posh armchair near his room's window, he ruminated on his nation's history.

'I always thought it was just a lack of creativity. But I guess there was a reason behind it after all.'

He used [Formless Will] to close the book — 'Aizen's Founding Father' — shut and placed it on top of a pile of other books he'd finished reading.

'Mm. I'm getting better.'

Reivan inwardly nodded in satisfaction at the precision he'd achieved with controlling his ability.

Especially since he did that while simultaneously controlling ten wisps of mana to dance between the gaps of his left hand's fingers.

'Maybe if I practice enough, I'll be able to control ten of them on each hand, while still being able to do basic stuff like brewing tea and controlling utensils to shove food into my mouth.'

He really liked [Formless Will].

In a way, it was a bit dangerous though. Since it tempted him to be very lazy.

But he didn't fall into that hole. Although he did use the ability to do mundane tasks like feeding himself, holding books up, and fixing his appearance, Reivan made sure to put his body — which had quite a bit of free time now — to use in other things.

Namely, playing around with the twins, practicing those dance lessons that he abhorred, getting used to acting like royalty, and doing muscle training.

In the four years since he'd met Hector and Helen, His Might increased from 10 to 18.

Perhaps it was small in the grand scheme of things, being surrounded by monsters with four to five-digit Might stats, but it was a tremendous achievement nonetheless.

Especially since Helen — who'd received the cosmic stamp of approval for her talent — only went from 6 to 14 Might.

'Even though I had the benefits of being a Warbeast as well as the Beast King's Ichor running through my veins constantly, our stats both increased by the same amount.'

Helen's talent was truly crazy. Even being part of a race that boasted terrifying physical prowess and a legendary medicine only allowed him to improve at an equal pace.

'If the Ichor's growth rate increase effect worked on humans too, I wonder how long it would take her to start beating up Knights?'

Unfortunately, most of the ichor's effects only worked if it was used on a warbeast. Despite sharing an uncanny resemblance, humans and warbeasts were biologically different, hence, the ichor couldn't enhance a human's growth. Seeing as the things the Ichor affected didn't exist in a human's body.

Luckily, it still worked perfectly fine as healing medicine. And although weaker, it provided a stamina regeneration buff for a long time as well.

Only Vianna, Viktor, and Reivan fully benefited from the infinite amount of Beast King's Ichor.

'Father's been begging me to stop giving Mother any more lately... if she wasn't an Ascendant, I'd probably have four little siblings by now, huh.' he chuckled at his own thoughts before taking out another book from the Zoro-chan's — who was still sleeping — stomach.

Just as he was about to start reading it, Reivan heard someone knocking on his room's door.

"It is I, Your Highness," a familiar male voice called out from beyond the door.

"Ah, Sir Harold. Come in." Reivan called back as he dispelled the wisps of mana and stored the book back in Zoro-chan's stomach.

"Yes. Then, excuse me."

The door opened to reveal a middle-aged man with black hair and eyes, and a height that wouldn't have looked out of place in the NBA.

"I've already prepared this week's batch." Reivan gestured at two buckets placed on the floor.

"As always, we are thankful for your help, Your Highness." Harold looked at the buckets — one full of golden pills and the other with green — then stood ramrod straight with his chest out, doing that incredibly simple salute the knights always did.

"I'm a prince of this nation, so it's the least I can do." Reivan waved him off. He couldn't remember how many times he's had to do this over the past few years, but since the Ascended Knight in front of him always thanked him so sincerely, he wasn't that annoyed. "Please get up, Sir Harold. You have to get these pills to those who need them."

"Indeed." The knight slowly got up and walked over to the two buckets, storing them in his ring. He bowed before turning around to leave, however, he suddenly stopped.

"Is there something wrong?" Reivan raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Ah, no. Forgive me for forgetting, but..." Harold cleared his throat before saying, "I wish you a happy tenth birthday, Your Highness. I shan't be here on the day of, so I wished to greet you in advance."

"Oh..." the prince chuckled as he nodded in understanding. "Thank you, Sir Harold. I wish you luck in... whatever you're doing."

"Yes." the knight nodded. "Tomorrow, perhaps you'll come to know just how much help you've been to us knights. To the Kingdom of Aizen."

Reivan hummed in agreement. "Oh, I will. Without a doubt. I never liked how secretive everyone has been to me."

Harold's serious face broke into a smile for a second before it returned to its usual earnestness.

"Ah, go go!" Reivan shooed him off. "Aren't you fighting for the country and whatnot? What're you waiting around here for?"

"Yes. Well, I shall get going now."

As the knight stood and made his way out, the prince whispered, "I am expecting you to return next week as well, Sir Harold."

"Of course." Harold nodded, not bothering to suppress the smile on his face. "Like always."

As the door shut behind the knight who left, Reivan took out the book he'd intended to read, and began controlling wisps of mana to dance between his fingers in complicated patterns.

'Tomorrow...'

He gritted his teeth in anticipation.

"To my first son's marriage! And to my second son's tenth birthday! Cheers!" Rodin raised his goblet as he sat at the highest position in the Great Hall. He downed the entire goblet in one go.

""Cheers!"" echoed hundreds of knights and ministers, raising their own before downing their drink as well.

"Thank you, everyone!" Reivan also raised his cup — albeit filled with grape juice instead of wine — and toasted along with everyone before downing his drink as well.

"Happy birthday, Rein!" Vianna also cheered as she swooped over and hugged Reivan.

"M-Mother, not in front of all these people..." he tried to struggle out of her embrace, but how could he possibly escape the grasp of an Ascendant? His efforts made in vain, Reivan just stopped squirming and let her do as she pleased as he fought with the embarrassment he felt.

'Well, there goes my first impression...'

Today was the first time he got to attend such an official banquet, so he'd wanted to make a good first impression on everyone, seeing as he was set to become a future leader of this country. Maybe not as the King — since that was his elder brother's gig — but as an assistant of some kind. Perhaps a general or a minister.

And now, that first impression was ruined by his mother.

'Well, I suppose, as a ten-year-old, I wouldn't have been able to impress them that much, unless I show off all my abilities.'

But that couldn't happen. Rodin had forbade him from telling anybody else but his family and the knights. The Mercers were also fine, since practically all of them were set for knighthood anyway. The ministers and maids on the other hand were intentionally left out of the loop.

'I guess Father has some doubts about them, huh? I'll have to watch out for them myself...'

That night on the balcony, Reivan revealed all of his abilities except for [Glimpse of Eternity], as well as expressed his desire to put them to use for the nation.

His [Supreme Insight] was used to identify the usage methods or origins of various items and drugs.

Naturally, his [Drug Memorization] was used to mass-produce a variant of the Beast King's Ichor. Namely, a golden pill that increased stamina regeneration for about a year and a golden pill that heals wounds at an almost miraculous speed. Reivan even added nutrients from vitamins he took when he was still on earth.

[Indomitable Willpower] couldn't really be used for other people, and despite the utility of his [Essence of Falsehood], his father didn't want to put it to use yet.

'Probably cuz I'd discover stuff that I shouldn't.'

In any case, it meant that aside from seeming a bit more mature than other kids, there wasn't really anything impressive about Reivan, aside from the fact that he was a prince. He had certain eye-catching qualities, such as his somewhat droopy, golden eyes that made him look kind and well-mannered. The slight smile that perpetually graced his lips. His hair, which was the color of steel, and his features that looked as if they were arranged by a master sculptor left no doubts about how much of a lady-killer he'd grow up to be.

Well, the thing was, being good-looking apparently runs in the family, so his looks weren't amazing by the standards of the people, who were used to seeing their rulers be handsome or beautiful.

'I suppose to a country famed for knights, martial prowess is the most important factor.'

Reivan shrugged. There was nothing he could do about that, since he wasn't allowed to get combat training yet.

"Hey, Rein. Happy birthday." Roland, who'd come over with his new wife, snapped Reivan out of his thoughts.

'Damn. He looks cool as fuck. Am I gonna be that handsome one day?'

His older brother, Roland, had turned twenty years old a few weeks ago. He had the same dark hair and blue eyes that their father had and the white frock coat he wore suited him perfectly, making him the very picture of a prince.

No doubt, Roland made many ladies longingly weep into their pillows every night.

He would remain an unattainable goal for them all, however, seeing as his balls were firmly in his wife's grasp.

"Hello, Lady Vianna!" Stella, wearing a flowing white wedding gown, greeted his mother first before turning toward him with a smile. "And happy birthday to you as well, Rein."

'So I'm just an afterthought to you, Big Sis?' Reivan inwardly shook his head, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

"Thanks. Congratulations on getting married as well. Now, you're really part of the family."

"Huhuhu~ now, I can see Lady Vianna every day!" Stella clapped her hands in glee.

"Don't just decide to bother other people like that..." Roland massaged the bridge of his nose upon hearing what his wife said. He tried to avoid intensifying his headache by turning toward his little brother, who was still being hugged by Vianna. "So? Having fun? We don't have luxurious feasts like this often."

"Yep." Reivan nodded, but then sent his elder brother a look of annoyance. "If you'd gotten married on a separate day, we could've gone on two feasts, instead of one. Why'd you have to do that..."

Roland shrugged. "Weddings are supposed to be held on auspicious days. And what day is more auspicious than the day that my most beloved little brother was born?"

The younger prince rolled his eyes. "I'm your only little brother."

The older prince roared with laughter.

As Reivan was about to chuck a chicken leg at him using [Formless Will], he felt his mother let go of him.

"Rein, your friends are coming. Go let them greet you," she whispered while pointing somewhere.

Reivan looked in the direction she was indicating and found Hector pulling an expressionless Helen along. The twins sported a little frock coat and dress, both colored white, to fit the occasion.

"Okay." he nodded before jogging toward them to meet them halfway.

"Happy birthday!" Hector cheered as he held his fist out.

"Thanks." Reivan smiled as he bumped fists with Hector.

"Happy Birthday." Helen greeted, her face still expressionless. But Reivan knew that she was happy for him, so that was good enough.

'Rather than a bitchy resting face, she has an... expressionless resting face...? Fuck. I dunno. I'm horrible at naming things.'

"Thanks, Helen. Here." he thanked her before he took out a brightly colored candy from Zoro-chan's stomach and then brought it up to Helen's mouth.

"Mm." the glutton parted her lips and let the candy push into her mouth, even getting a bit of saliva on Reivan's fingers. "Shorry."

"Don't talk while you're eating." Reivan took out a handkerchief and wiped his slightly wet hand.

'We've done this so much. Can't she do it without getting spit on my fingers? Now I'm kinda tempted to just throw it into the air like the first time I gave her candy.'

Every time they met, Helen would ask him for candy. Since Reivan pretty much always had some (courtesy of his mother, who spoiled him rotten), then he gave her some. This went on and on until it became a habit.

To be honest, Reivan thought that he was training her, in a way.

'Well, she's happy. And I don't particularly mind. So I guess there's nothing wrong with it...?'

Seeing his sister, Hector imitated her and opened his mouth, asking for candy.

"You don't get any." Reivan eyed him like he was an idiot.

"Why!?"

"Cuz we're gonna eat dinner soon anyway. You shouldn't eat sweets before meals."

"What?" Hector pointed at his sister, expressionlessly melting the candy in her mouth with her spit. "What about her?"

"Helen's fine. Her stomach is an abyss, so it hardly matters what she eats before meals."

"This is favoritism!" the boy stomped on the floor, having no choice but to chew on his grievances.

"You look nice." Helen, who seemed to have finished her sweet, commented as she pointed at Reivan's clothes.

"Haha, thanks. I can't look bad when it's my birthday, so they apparently had the best shops in the kingdom compete over which one I'd wear." Reivan chuckled as he recalled what happened a few weeks ago. "You should've seen the looks in their eyes while they waited for me to choose the winner."

Even though today was his birthday, it was also Roland and Stella's wedding day. Naturally, Reivan was wearing white, just like everybody else in the Great Hall.

"Anyway, come eat at our table." he pulled the twins by the hands.

"But I thought only the royal family could eat there?" Hector raised an eyebrow as he got dragged along.

"It's fine~ It's my birthday so I can do whatever I want. Rules don't matter to royalty, especially since we're the ones who make the rules in the first place." Reivan smirked. "Also, the food's better at our table."

"I want to eat at their table." Helen immediately voiced her opinion.

"Well, that's two against one, Hector." the young prince smiled, glad that his ploy had worked.

"Oh, my..." Vianna covered her mouth in feigned shock. "What do we have here? Only royals get to eat at this table, Rein. Why are you bringing your little girl friend here? Hm?"

Reivan ignored his mother's teasing. "Father, I wanna eat with my friends, so can they sit here?"

"Hoho... I don't particularly mind." Rodin chuckled, his cheeks a bit flushed. It was apparent that he'd downed quite a few drinks in the time Reivan was away. The king sent his youngest son a teasing look, "Little Helen has the pedigree, being part of the Mercer Clan. And little Hector barely suffices as a brother-in-law to a royal."

'Wow, everyone's just trying to pair up two kids, huh?'

Reivan inwardly shook his head. Helen was more of a sister to him, than a potential love interest. There's obviously that thing where she's a child, and his tastes were that of an adult, but he was incapable of thinking about Helen in any other way than a sister because of how he watched her — and would continue to watch her — grow up, as he did with Kyouka.

In fact, she was so similar to a dog, he thought of her as a pet in the very, very back of his mind.

But everybody else didn't need to know that. So he ignored his parents — who were acting like children with all their teasing — and turned toward his two friends.

"I got permission. You two eat here with us." Reivan stated as he signaled a nearby servant to fetch more chairs.

"Whoo~!" Hector raised both arms and cheered.

"Yay." Helen pumped her fists without much vigor and directly made her way to the table, ogling the various dishes with sparkling eyes.

Reivan couldn't help chuckle at the two's actions.

'Well, since it is my birthday, I guess I'll try to enjoy it as best as I can.'

Rodin led the way through the hallways as the rest of the royal family — including the newly inducted Stella — trailed along behind him.

"Had your fun, Rein?" the king asked.

"Yep." Reivan nodded as he tried his best to keep up with the adults' pace. "It was my first time participating in a feast that grand. Lots of people came to congratulate me and everything. It was fun."

"That's good." Rodin grinned before his face turned serious. "Because the fun part's over."

"Rodin, must we do this? Can't we wait until he's a bit older?" Vianna's brows furrowed in worry before sending her husband a pleading look.

"Vianna, the Warbeasts have their own customs." Rodin's firm voice reverberated throughout the stone pathway he'd just begun to enter. "and we, Aizen's royal family, have ours. Please respect that, as I've respected your customs."

"Mm..." The queen still looked like she wanted to say something, but she decided to just nod and accept it.

"Thank you." Rodin smiled as he gestured for everybody to follow. "It's down here. Watch your step as you climb down the stairs. Roland almost died when he tripp--"

"Please don't tell that story here," Roland interjected before his father could embarrass him in front of his new wife.

"I'm kind of interested though. Please continue, Father." Stella giggled.

"Absolutely not."

"C'mon~! Please?"

"I refuse. Father, don't tell her about it."

"You're so stingy..." Stella sulked, before her eyes widened in realization. "If Father can't tell me, then how about Lady Vianna?"

"Ugh..." Roland groaned. "M-Mother... please don't..."

"Fufu..." Vianna covered her mouth as she snickered mischievously. "I dunno~"

"Mother, please!" the oldest prince pleaded.

Reivan couldn't help but laugh at their antics.

'They all look carefree, but I know they're doing this to ease my anxiety...'

Of the five people in the group, only Reivan didn't know what was about to happen. And to be honest, he really was quite anxious.

If he failed whatever trial awaited him, would he never be allowed to join in on the serious matters? Would he be treated like a child for the rest of his life?

Perhaps the adults sensed that unease, which is why they tried to calm him down through bantering with each other.

'I have a really great family, don't I?'

Their transparent actions filled his heart with warmth, as well as determination to succeed at whatever test his father was about to put him through.

'I mean, realistically speaking, it's gonna be easy for me, right? They think I'm a child after all, so whatever's gonna happen should be manageable for a child. Since I'm actually a grown-ass man, I'll be okay... right?'

Reivan had the absurd feeling that he'd just set a flag for himself, but he ignored it. He focused on mentally preparing himself for the unexpected as his tiny footfalls echoed across the passageway.

After going through multiple sets of descending stairs as well as double doors taller than large hills outfitted with physical barricades and covered with countless glowing runes, the group eventually made it to their destination.

'Holy fucking shit. What in god's name is that!'

Reivan couldn't help but gulp down a mouthful of spit as he beheld the massive pool of swirling black and blue-green energy in the middle of the large hall's floor.

The hall was at least thrice as large as the Great Hall they'd just feasted in. However, unlike the Great Hall with all its grandeur and luxury, this hall emphasized practicality. All around them, the stone walls had pretty much every inch of it covered in runes that glowed with a bright blue light. Across the hall were obelisks with the same runes as the walls, humming every few seconds, causing the air to vibrate from time to time.

Sitting cross-legged as they floated in mid-air were hundreds of knights in full armor. Despite how they all seemed to be meditating, Reivan could practically feel the tension in the air around them, shaking off any doubt that they were all on full alert at the moment.

A careless scan with his [Supreme Insight] confirmed that each and every one of them was an Ascendant. All five hundred of them.

'That portal or whatever the fuck that thing is... that's definitely bad news. It has some of the strongest people in the world guarding it. And all these pillar thingies and runes.'

If the things he could see didn't impress upon him how dangerous that pool of energy was, the feeling he got from it did the job well.

As Reivan observed the vortex, goosebumps sprung up all around his body. He felt every fiber of his being reject it, as disgust filled every corner of his mind.

'This...'

It was a somewhat familiar feeling. He would never forget the event that set his life on the path to ruin.

'The fucking rat bastard!'

The feeling he got from the energy wasn't exactly the same as the smoke that the rat released, but they were uncannily similar, just that this energy felt a bit more... intense.

"..." Reivan's hands clenched hard, drawing crimson as his nails dug into his palms. His heart beat rapidly in agitation the more he looked at the whirling mass of nightmares, and he felt reckless thoughts fill his head. As such, he decided to lower his head to avoid gazing at it any longer, gnashing his teeth as memories flooded into his mind.

When he remembered that rat, the origin of all his suffering, of all of his loved ones' suffering, the disgust he felt vanished, becoming rage instead. Wrath filled his veins as he felt his blood boil and his vision turned red. He wanted nothing else but to jump in there and tear whatever hid below apart.

"..." Rodin calmly watched as his son's blood dripped down to the floor, thinking that this was all caused by his son's dread at what was before them.

Vianna also stayed silent as she sensed her son's roiling emotions, having no other choice but to bite her lip in frustration.

The king cleared his throat. His voice, filled with the gravitas of a nation's ruler boomed as he asked the young prince, "Reivan Aizenwald, prince of Aizen. Do you wish to go back? We can put all of this behind us if you do."

His father's question snapped Reivan out of his thoughts. The young warbeast's chest heaved up and down as he tried to calm himself, but his efforts seemed to fail him every time.

'Go back? Now? After I've seen this?'

Reivan shook his head.

"I don't want to."

Your overwhelming willpower has activated Sub-Skill #2 - [Intent]! [Intent] has temporarily tranformed into [Killing Intent]!

[Formless Will] is temorarily enhanced! A savage aura of malice surrounds you!

All weaker entities are paralyzed with fear.

Cold fury fills your bones!

Hesitation for inflicting harm upon others is nullified. Your eyes glimmer with rage!

While in combat with the objects of your hatred, Migh—

'Fuck off.'

Reivan mentally waved off all the screens that filled his vision. He was in no mood to read anything at the moment.

"Are we supposed to go inside that thing?" he pointed toward the mass of abominable energy that inspired a fierce loathing within him. "Let's hurry up already."

"Oh?" Rodin couldn't help but grunt in confusion, but when he saw the look in his son's eyes, devoid of fear, the king couldn't help but nod in satisfaction. As he felt his skin prickle due to the aura of intensity coming off of his son, he smiled. "Good."

Aizen's ruler sent a signal to the surrounding knights.

Seeing this, a portion of the knights sprung into action, diving into the whirlpool without hesitation.

Rodin took a step forward as he looked back at his son, urging him to follow.

"Let us go."