Power limits exceeded

Noah stopped in front of the mansion. His hooves pressed against the ground as he exhaled sharply, his breath misting in the cool air. Ashan stepped down from Noah's back and patted the stallion's neck with a satisfied smirk.

"Good job today," Ashan said, his voice filled with approval. "You were able to fulfill my expectations. If you push yourself more, you might be able to return to your prime speed very soon."

Noah rotated his head slightly, as if contemplating the praise.

"Son, there you are."

Leone and Boris emerged from the mansion, their gazes landing on Noah. Boris, standing tall with his hands behind his back, smiled slightly as he took in the imposing presence of the horse. However, the moment Noah's eyes fell on Boris, he shifted uneasily. There was an overwhelming aura emanating from Boris.

Noticing Noah's discomfort, Ashan placed a reassuring hand on his neck. 

(Noah, that's my grandfather. He came here today after a long time. You don't need to be scared of him, so keep calm.)

Boris stepped closer, his sharp gaze inspecting Noah's form. The horse's pitch-black coat shimmered under the sunlight, his muscles taut beneath his skin. A magnificent beast, unlike any other horse Boris had seen.

"I heard about this friend of yours from your father," Boris remarked, his tone even but impressed. "But now that I see him in person... This is no ordinary alpha horse. He is of a quality grade—very rare. I'm confident that he is even better than the king's horse."

Boris moved in front of Noah and, with great respect, put his hands together as a sign of acknowledgment.

"It's an honor to witness your presence, great horse. I'm happy that you have become my grandson's companion."

Noah's ears flicked, and he turned his gaze toward Ashan, pride glimmering in his dark eyes. Ashan smirked, recognizing the horse's ego inflating.

Leone, arms crossed, let out a scoff. "Father, don't. He already thinks he's almighty. Next time, you might need to kneel to talk to him. He's goddamn stubborn."

Noah's ears flattened in irritation. His hind legs tensed as if ready to retaliate. Ashan sighed, shaking his head.

Why are they like this? Were they enemies in a past life?

He knocked on Noah's back gently.

(Hey, stop this. He was just joking. Don't show your bad side to Grandfather, will you? He thinks you're a good one.)

Noah huffed and looked away.

"Son, how fast can he run?" Boris asked, his attention returning to Ashan.

"He can run very fast. Do you know the pond that's in the middle of the nearby forest? From here, he can carry me there in just a few minutes."

Boris raised an eyebrow. "That's unbelievably fast. Do other people know about him?"

"I don't think so," Leone answered. "People know that an injured horse was brought here, but I haven't let them see him. I only mentioned it to the other lords, but even they haven't laid eyes on him yet. We're keeping his existence as an alpha horse a secret."

"Good. If word got out, people would start coming here to see him—or worse, try to buy him." Boris nodded approvingly. "And where are you keeping him?"

"Since he's a wild horse, we let him roam freely. He usually stays in the forest but sometimes sleeps in the horse house."

Boris turned his attention fully to Ashan, his gaze sharpening.

"Your father told me that you have already learned our family's sword arts and reached a higher stage in the lower sword master level."

Ashan met his gaze steadily. "Yes, Grandfather. It's true. I've learned them all."

"Then, if it's not a problem, I'd like to see what you've learned."

"Of course. When should I perform?"

"How about now?"

Ashan smirked. "Sure. Let's go to the training ground."

"You take the lead, son."

Ashan, Leone, and Boris made their way to the training ground. There, the damaged dummies had been restored, but deep sword marks still marred the area. Ashan stepped onto the training field, unbuttoning his shirt and placing it aside.

Boris's eyes widened slightly as he took in Ashan's physique. He turned to Leone.

"I noticed Ashan had a muscular build, but this... this is beyond normal. Did he take any special medicine?"

"No, Father. His body developed naturally. He used to exercise a lot, and that's the reason."

Boris narrowed his eyes. "If that's true, then he must have trained like a madman. Without relentless effort, gaining such a physique would be impossible."

Ashan retrieved his phoenix sword from the weapon rack and positioned himself in the middle of the field. He closed his eyes momentarily, steadying his breathing.

I need to be careful. I've only revealed that I'm slightly above the lower sword master level. The power from the dragon core is starting to affect my aura core, and my output is increasing. I forgot to reinforce my aura limiter, but it's fine. I just need to control my movements and strength.

"Son, before you start, can you release your aura?" Boris requested.

Ashan hesitated for a fraction of a second.

Haa... bad timing. My aura limiter is trembling. I think I can still manage.

He released his aura, and the air around him grew dense. The sword in his hand absorbed the energy, glowing faintly.

"It's almost one and a half meters," Boris noted, estimating the aura's reach. "A lower sword master's aura is usually capped at one meter, so he really has exceeded that level. But..."

Boris studied Ashan intently.

"What's the matter, Father?" Leone asked.

"The aura looks thicker to me. Don't you see it?"

Leone examined Ashan but shook his head. "I don't see it that way. Maybe it's just your perception."

"Hmm... maybe." Boris snapped out of his thoughts. "Alright, son. Begin."

Ashan withdrew his aura and took his starting stance. With precise steps and sharp slashes, he executed his sword art flawlessly. The rhythmic sounds of his blade cutting through the air echoed through the field. Boris smiled, impressed.

"He's even better than I expected. His form is perfect—no wasted movement. He mastered it."

Boris glanced at Leone with a smirk. "Remember when you were his age? Instead of training, you were busy goofing around."

Leone flushed. "Ah... forget those days already, Father. I got better later, didn't I?"

"Yeah, yeah."

Ashan's sword blows started to get more and more powerful. Wind waves also started to appear.

"Now it's the last part. The ultimate circle slash." Boris concentrated more on Ashan.

Suddenly, Ashan spread his legs at a wide angle and executed a dazzling rotation while slashing in a powerful arc. The impact of the slash stirred up a massive wind wave, sending sand clouds swirling across the training ground.

"Yes! He mastered it. If I say more accurately, he made it his own," Boris said with an excited smile.

Leone, however, furrowed his brows. "Father, something is strange."

"What is it?" Boris turned his attention toward Leone.

"His speed... He's way faster than before. His speed increased in a short time, but how?"

Ashan shifted his body into a jumping stance at an incredible pace. Boris focused on him, his sharp gaze observing every movement. Then, with a single explosive step, Ashan leaped into the sky. He tightened his grip on his sword and spun in midair, preparing to deliver a devastating slash.

Something went wrong.

The power of the Black Dragon's core, which Ashan had absorbed, suddenly surged within him, giving an unexpected boost to his aura core. A massive aura wave erupted from within, spreading rapidly throughout his body.

What?! This isn't normal. I never expected something like this! I need to stop it at all costs!

The surge of aura rushed through his arms, from his muscles down to his hands. The aura pulsed into his fingers, and he instinctively tried to suppress it with all his full force. However, due to his young body's limitations, he struggled to force it back in time. A fraction of the aura still managed to escape, flowing directly into his sword.

The power behind his slash exceeded his intended limit—approaching the realm of a higher sword master. Instead of cutting through three target dummies, the energy extended unnaturally, slicing through four.

Damn it.

Leone and Boris were left stunned. Their mouths hung open in disbelief. Leone struggled to find words, while Boris could only stammer.

"F-F-Four dummy circles in one slash... I-Impossible! How did he do it?"

Ashan landed smoothly, suppressing his inner turmoil. Knowing that what had just happened couldn't be undone, he carefully hid his emotions behind a calm mask.

"How is it, Grandfather? Are you satisfied?" Ashan asked, feigning composure.

Boris narrowed his eyes. "Son, come closer."

Ashan approached and stopped two meters away.

"Alright, stop there. Can you release your aura again?" Boris requested, his tone unreadable.

Ashan met his grandfather's gaze. He had expected this.

As I thought... He's suspicious of me. I need to balance things. There's only one way.

Taking a deep breath, Ashan controlled his aura output and released it once more.

Boris's eyes widened in shock.

How did this happen?

To be continued...