Starting Out with an Infinite Skill Tree!

Ch. 13



Chapter 13. Yan: What More Can a Blade, Hidden in Its 'Sheath,' Truly Do?

"Found him. It's him."

"Black hair, black eyes. So it's you, huh? The one who bullied my little brother."

The noisy voice cut through, breaking up the warm conversation between the siblings.

It happened just as Yan and his sister were almost home.

A gang of half-grown children suddenly swarmed in and surrounded them.

‘What's going on!?’

The siblings stared at the fierce-looking boys, girls, and a crowd of brats, completely confused about the situation.

Meanwhile—

Cidy, who had been following all this time, still thinking about how to approach Yan and "sweet-talk" him, froze when she saw the scene. Then, her lips curled with obvious amusement.

‘Did that boy really manage to rile up all the kids in the village? Heh! Looks like something interesting's about to happen again.’

"Big bro-ther!!"

Giselle clung tightly around Yan's neck, shrinking back in fear as her small body trembled.

She was frightened by the sheer number of children glaring so fiercely.

‘So many bad guys…’

‘What do we do...?’

‘Are they going to hurt me and big bro-ther?’

As little Giselle's mind began spinning out of control in fear, Yan gently set her down from his arms. His cold gaze swept over the group of children.

"What is it you want?"

His eyes moved across their faces—yes, all of them were familiar. He even gave a short, dry chuckle.

"Two outsiders taking over the playground like bullies—that's you, isn't it? Outsider!" the tallest boy, clearly the leader, put on his best “fierce” face and spoke up.

But his gaze couldn't help wandering curiously toward Yan's black hair and black eyes. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't quite pull off the look of menace.

He's definitely not from our village. Everyone here has silver hair and red eyes,’ the boy thought, uncertain.

On the other side, after hearing the boy's words—

Yan's eyes narrowed slightly, his lips curling faintly in thought.

So this is about "bullying," huh?

I see—

Some parents must have told their kids to take revenge for being picked on.

"That's not true—!!"

Giselle's eyes went wide, ready to shout back at the boy's slander.

"Oh? So that's what this is. You've come to settle the score then?"

Yan cut her off, reaching out to place his hand atop Giselle's head, gently ruffling her hair.

He shook his head lightly, a casual smile on his lips, signaling for her not to speak.

Her brother's hand seemed to have a strange magic to it—the worry in Giselle's heart scattered in an instant.

Her small face, still flushed red from agitation, calmed down, though she couldn't quite understand why her brother seemed to be admitting guilt.

Still, obedient as always, she fell silent. Her tiny hand gripped tightly onto Yan's, her wide eyes glaring fiercely at the "bad guys," as if waiting for her brother's next move.

—Because she trusted Yan unconditionally.

"What? This guy—so arrogant!"

Yan's reply stunned the boys for a moment, but soon anger surged across their faces.

None of them had expected this strange kid with black hair and black eyes to admit it so boldly.

"If you admit it, then you should apolo—"

"I don't have much time to waste playing games with you!"

Yan's eyes closed slightly, then snapped open as he cut off the boy's words.

To get so hung up on appearances, to wear such ugly expressions because of it... How childish.

Fine. Then he'd show these brats a little taste—just enough so they wouldn't bother him again.

Being singled out like this—he wasn't the type to just swallow it.

Taking in a deep breath, Yan lifted his head again. In that instant, his entire presence changed.

The gentle warmth he always carried for his sister vanished without a trace. What now radiated before everyone's eyes was a gaze as sharp and frigid as a blade of ice.

"Wha—!!"

The angry boys' voices choked in their throats.

"... Ugh..!"

Even though they were just naïve, half-grown kids, they couldn't help but stumble back a step under Yan's sudden, overwhelming aura.

They swallowed hard, staring at the black-haired, black-eyed boy before them.

—’His presence... changed!’

‘What... what was going on with him!? He only looked about ten years old. Why did he feel as imposing as an adult?’

‘And wait—wasn't he the one in the wrong here!?’

‘Then why was it that his pressure felt so absolute... so crushing... like they were the guilty ones instead!?’

Fear flickered across the boys' and girls' eyes under that icy gaze.

As for the little brats behind them—they had already shrunk back, hiding behind their older siblings.

‘Black-haired demon. So scary!’

That was all their young minds could think. One snot-nosed kid even sniffled loudly, too frightened to hold it back.

"Listen well. The weak have no rights, no choices. That's a truth that holds in every era. I am stronger than you, which is why you fear me... I'm not wrong, am I?”

"What!!!!"

The boys who had just faltered now flared up again at Yan's brazen words, their shock giving way to outrage.

‘Stronger than us!?’

They were at the age where pride burned hot in their blood, and there were so many of them here. Yet this "outsider" had the gall to mock them!

The shame stung like a slap to the face, making them flush red with fury.

"Because I'm stronger, I can 'take over' the playground. Because I'm stronger, even with so many of you here, you hesitate to move against just me. Tell me, isn't that the truth?"

"... Answer me! Isn't your behavior right now proof of fear!?!"

Yan's voice rang out, sharp and commanding, echoing across the street.

From a distance, Cidy peeked around a corner where she had been secretly observing. Her eyes widened slightly.

‘Looks like she wouldn't need to step in after all.’

... Back at the standoff—

Yan's eyes glinted like a lone wolf locking onto its prey, full of oppressive weight. His lips curled into a sharp grin.

It was naked mockery. Naked contempt.

"Let me say it again—I don't have time to play your childish 'race discrimination' games. This is nothing but a simple fight—you provoke, I hit back. Before you decided you wanted to 'teach me a lesson,' you should have thought about the consequences."

Step.

Yan suddenly moved forward.

The boys panicked and shuffled back in unison.

‘His very thoughts... they're on a completely different level from ours!’

They didn't realize it yet, but the suffocating pressure made their faces pale.

In this standoff, it no longer felt like they had surrounded Yan.

It felt like Yan alone had surrounded them.

‘Damn it... what is this guy!? The tall boy in the front grit his teeth in rage, but beads of sweat dotted his forehead.’

"Damn you!!! You—!!"

Just as his face turned bright red and his anger boiled over—

Yan's voice cut in, calm and razor-sharp: "Angry? Then you'd better get one thing straight—you don't even have the chance to swing your fists at me."

"A punch that can't land, no matter how strong, is nothing but wasted effort."

The tall boy could no longer hold back. He raised his fist, ready to pummel Yan's face and shut that arrogant mouth.

But—

His movements froze. His eyes went wide.

"Magic!?"

He cried out in shock as he realized his arm was suddenly bound. A soft yet unyielding wind wrapped tightly around it, rendering him unable to move.

A blade sheathed is still a blade—sharp as ever, but hidden from sight. Just how far could such a "sheathed" weapon go?

At that moment, a brilliant smile spread across Yan's face.

But to the tall boy, it was the smile of a true demon.

You... you've gotta be the devil! Controlling “wind element magic” to this degree—this is cheating! This is absolutely cheating!


Tip: You can use left, right, A and D keyboard keys to browse between chapters.