Provocation

Pushing open the door to the apartment building, Tyr went straight to the top floor. He wasn't sure about the soundproofing here, but living on the top floor would at least spare him from disturbances from above.

Following the burly man's instructions, Tyr found a room without a name written outside and entered.

The space inside was quite large. While it couldn't compare to the rooms in the Grand Duke's mansion, it was much bigger than the wooden house they lived in back in Wayne Village.

The house they had occupied in Wayne Village was the best one in the entire village.

Such was the disparity between classes; even a place where nobles diligently trained their descendants far surpassed the best living conditions available to commoners.

Commoners couldn't imagine how luxurious a noble's life was, and nobles couldn't imagine how poor a commoner's life could be.

Tyr walked around the room, decided it was quite good, and then went outside to carve his name onto the plaque by the door.

Only as he carved his name did Tyr discover that doing so required magic power.

But his father had told him before he came that not all children had condensed their Magic Circle before arriving here.

In fact, it was extremely rare for someone like Tyr to become a First Circle Transcendent so early; he was definitely considered exceptionally talented.

Tyr felt the magic power within him; he was not far from condensing his second Magic Circle.

After the room was settled, Avia skillfully began organizing it, while Tyr left to explore the surroundings.

He wanted to familiarize himself with the environment beforehand to avoid any mishaps during his first training session tomorrow.

Tyr truly disliked that awkward, bewildered feeling when everyone else was prepared but he was not.

Leaving the dormitory building, Tyr's first destination was the low-rise building the burly man had mentioned as the meeting point for tomorrow.

It was a two-story building, its exterior walls made of the familiar black crystal. Tyr looked around, and it seemed all the buildings here were constructed from this black crystal.

As Tyr approached, he could hear faint, intermittent screams emanating from within.

Tomorrow's training, it seemed, wouldn't be easy.

Just as Tyr was about to turn and leave, the building's main door was pushed open, and a child with an arrogant look on their face walked out.

“Oh, a newcomer.”

Upon seeing Tyr, the person's face immediately showed a mocking expression.

Everyone who came here was a competitor, and the initial period for any newcomer was never easy.

House Callis's Gu-style heir selection method meant bullying was almost the norm here.

However, unlike bullying in the outside world, those who suffered bullying here weren't the untalented wastes, but rather those who showed talent but hadn't yet matured.

After all, only the talented were enemies on the path to inheriting the Grand Duke's position.

As long as the wastes didn't provoke them, no one would bother with someone who had no significant connection to them.

However, during their initial period, all newcomers were equally bullied.

As they continued their cultivation here, those without talent, who eventually couldn't even become candidates, would be largely ignored.

During the entire training process at the Sword Prison, exclusive maids were not allowed to intervene.

Of course, during their time at the Sword Prison, no reserve was allowed to cripple or permanently injure another reserve; doing so would violate family rules.

As for the consequences of violating the rules...

The last person who violated them was still hanging there.

“Newcomer, come here.”

The boy raised his hand and crooked a finger at Tyr, full of provocation. Tyr keenly sensed the other party's ill intent. He wasn't familiar with the situation here and didn't want to get entangled, so he planned to turn and leave.

But he wanted to leave, and the other person clearly didn't want to let him go so easily.

“I told you to come here, didn't you hear me?”

Tyr felt a fluctuation of magic power behind him; the boy had already appeared behind him.

Tyr tilted his head, easily dodging the boy's punch.

He then turned, squatted into a horse stance, gathered magic power in his right fist, and fiercely punched towards the boy's lower abdomen.

The boy clearly hadn't expected Tyr to dodge. Astonishment filled his eyes. Feeling the magic power on Tyr's fist, he was surprised and quickly brought his hands down to block in front of his lower abdomen.

“Bang!”

With a dull thud, the boy was sent flying by Tyr's punch, sliding several meters across the ground before falling directly into a flowerbed.

Tyr had noticed when he entered the Sword Prison that even in this oppressive environment, many black roses were planted.

“Do you want to continue?”

Tyr walked to the flowerbed, looking down at the boy who had fallen into it.

He didn't coolly leave after repelling the boy, because he knew that if he didn't make the opponent truly hurt, there would be endless trouble later.

“Damn it, go to hell.”

The boy grabbed a handful of dirt from the flowerbed and violently threw it at Tyr's face, then gathered magic power and threw a punch at Tyr.

Clever, but still a bit naive.

During a fight, throwing dirt at an enemy to obstruct their vision, while low-level and insidious, was actually a good move. If conditions allowed, lime powder would be even better.

Tyr was prepared and easily dodged the boy's sneak attack. He reached out with his right hand, grabbed the boy's wrist, and pulled him behind himself.

The boy immediately felt his momentum become uncontrollable; his forward rush couldn't be stopped. Before he could steady himself, Tyr had already raised a foot and kicked him in the back.

Instantly, the boy once again flew out like an afterimage.

This time, Tyr gave him no chance. He stomped his foot down and surged forward.

This scene was witnessed by a delicate girl who had just emerged from the building. Upon seeing the flying figure, her expression changed, and she charged towards Tyr.

“Silas!”

Feeling someone charging from behind, Tyr stopped, raised his leg, and delivered a spinning side kick.

Although the girl made the first move, Tyr reacted faster, kicking her hard in the side of her waist, sending her stumbling back several steps.

In the few seconds Tyr was delayed, Silas had already gotten to his feet.

“Sister, let’s go together.”

“Okay.”

The two acted together, attacking Tyr in a pincer movement.

Tyr, fighting two against one, still repelled them multiple times.

As time passed, more and more people emerged from the building. Many widened their eyes upon seeing the battle outside.

“Look, it’s Letitia and Silas! They’re teaming up against… uh, looks like a newcomer, never seen them before.”