Chapter 40: Spar?

Chapter 40: Spar?

The butler led Ini and Arike to their respective rooms, explaining the amenities and services available to them. Ini listened attentively, his eyes scanning the luxurious decor and spacious layout of the rooms.

As they reached Arike's room, Ini gently carried her inside, laying her down on the bed. She was still fast asleep, her chest rising and falling with each breath. Ini smiled, relieved that she was comfortable, and gently tucked her in.

Before leaving the room, Ini snapped his fingers, and a shimmering barrier of light appeared around the room. The barrier was a sign of his power, and it would prevent any unwanted guests from disturbing Arike's rest.

Satisfied that Arike was safe, Ini turned to leave, but then remembered his purpose for being there. He called out to the butler, who was already walking away, "When could I see Willow?"

The butler turned back, a hint of a smile on his face. "The official meeting is tomorrow, but I could take you to meet her. They're currently working out in the gym."

Ini's eyes lit up with interest, and with a flick of his hand, the key card to Arike's room vanished. "Okay, let's go," he said, his voice filled with anticipation.

The butler nodded and led Ini to the gym, where the S-ranks were training.

After navigating through some corners, they arrived at the gym. The butler opened the door for Ini, and then closed it behind him, leaving Ini alone in the gym.

As Ini entered, he realized that two people were sparring in the center of the room. One was a massive man with incredible strength, while the other was lean and fast, dodging the big man's attacks with ease. Ini counted five people in total, each with their own unique abilities.

The two fighters were using the strength and wind elements, respectively. There was another guy with a massive magic energy reserve, but it seemed like his magic was raw and unrefined. Ini deduced that he must be using raw magic bursts to fight.

Then, there was a domineering man with the electric element. Ini remembered him as Moray, his sister's husband, his brother-in-law. Moray was a formidable fighter, and Ini could sense his power.

Finally, there was Willow, Ini's sister. She was dressed in a white sports bra and leggings, her white hair flowing behind her like an ice angel descended from heaven. Her beauty was captivating, and Ini couldn't help but feel a pang of nostalgia.

As Ini entered the room, all the S-ranks stopped what they were doing and looked at him. The big guy, who had been fighting the lean and fast opponent, took advantage of the distraction and punched his opponent to the ground, saying "Yes!"

However, he quickly realized that something was off and looked up to see his teammates staring at Ini. Ini, on the other hand, was calmly walking towards them, his slow steps echoing in the gym.

The gym was quite large, measuring one hundred meters square, so it took Ini almost a minute to reach them. As he walked, he passed by all the S-ranks, his eyes fixed on Willow.

Willow stared back at him, her eyes filled with a mix of emotions. She was still wondering whether this was her brother or not. The silence was palpable, and the tension in the room was building.

Finally, Willow broke the silence, saying "Welcome to the Twilight Guild, and thank you for joining us on this raid." Her voice was calm and collected, but Ini could sense the underlying emotions.

Ini didn't reply to her greeting, instead saying "It's been twenty-four years. Don't tell me you don't remember me." His voice was low and even, but the words sent shockwaves through the S-ranks.

"How old were they for them to have been alive to meet twenty-four years ago?" some of them wondered. Moray and Willow were the most shocked, as they knew what this meant.

Willow's voice cracked as she said "Brother?" Her eyes filled with tears, and the other S-ranks were shocked to see a sibling of Willow they didn't know.

Willow was an icon, and information about her was widely available. The fact that she had a brother was news to them, and they didn't know how to react.

Ini didn't reply to Willow's question, instead saying "Her last words were 'I have to get Ore.' I begged her not to go, but she wouldn't listen. For some reason, she exchanged her life for yours. I never quite understood why our mother had to die, why you killed her."

Those words made the gym atmosphere grim. Willow was on the verge of tears, her voice cracking as she said "She was my mother too. I didn't know... I..." She was breaking down fast, shocking the other S-ranks who had only seen her at her best.

Moray didn't like what he was seeing. No one hurts his girl. He turned to Ini, his eyes blazing with anger, and said "That's enough."

However, Ini didn't even look at him. He just looked at the seal on his wrist and lifted the first two seals, giving him fifty percent of his powers. "This should be enough," he murmured.

With another wave of his hand, the S-ranks were sent flying into the walls behind them. Only Willow was still standing, her eyes fixed on Ini.

Ini turned to her, his eyes filled with a mix of emotions. "You killed our parents, but not only did you not get punished, you got adopted by a rich family. I, on the other hand, stayed in that hellhole. But things changed after the switch. I awakened, and life was starting to get better. Then, I went into a ten-year coma. I lost ten years of my life. Maybe if you had been there, I would have been protected. Maybe if you had been my elder sister, our situation would be different."

He sighed, and with another wave of his hand, his two swords appeared, unsheathed. "We're going to spar. I'll advise you to give it your all. I won't want to kill you in a single slash."

Ini began walking towards Willow, his swords creating sparks on the ground