SUPREME AWAKANED SENSE

"Where to begin…? Nearly seventeen years ago, I was the captain of the Imperial Guardians of the Empire… Kyralia," he eventually said after a few seconds of hesitation.

...

[ Sixteen years earlier ]

[ Empire of Kyralia ]

[ The Imperial Palace of Kyralia ]

The Imperial Palace of Erian was a majestic structure overlooking Kragha, the capital city of the Empire of Kyralia. Built on a steep hill, it offered a breathtaking view of the city and the surrounding plains.

A blend of grandeur and elegance, with white stone walls and red tiled roofs shining under the sun, the palace windows were adorned with colorful stained glass depicting the royal family's crest. The main façade was dominated by a large carved wooden gate, flanked by two guard towers standing like sentinels.

Like any place of great majesty, where the power and wealth of the empire were palpable, the palace was heavily secured and protected by an elite royal guard, composed of soldiers trained and equipped with the finest weapons and armors of the empire. The palace walls were also reinforced with protection spells and traps to prevent intrusions.

Inside, the palace was a labyrinth of richly decorated corridors and chambers. The walls were covered with tapestries and paintings that told the history of the empire. The floors were made of polished marble, and the vaulted ceilings were decorated with frescoes.

...

That day, on that freezing night, the royal palace of Kyralia emanated an atmosphere of tension and secrecy, for intrigues and conspiracies were brewing in the corridors of power.

In the throne room, an oppressive silence prevailed.

Emperor Arin, sovereign of the Empire of Kyralia, sat upon his throne, his gaze fixed on his greatest guardian, Sir Nox. The throne room was silent except for the faint crackling of the flames dancing in the fireplace. The shadows of the royal guards stretched across the walls, unmoving and vigilant.

The emperor, a robust man with a graying beard and piercing blue eyes, leaned forward, his hands clasped together. "Sir Nox, I need your expertise and your loyalty for a mission of the utmost importance."

Standing before him was Sir Nox, the youngest guardian to have ever reached S-rank on the entire continent. He was the pride of Kyralia. Young yet experienced, wearing shining armor with a sword at his waist, he bowed slightly. "I am at your service, Your Majesty. What is the nature of this mission?"

The Emperor hesitated for a moment, as if choosing his words carefully. "Around four S+ rank portals have appeared on the continent, near our border and that of the Empire of Erian. If we believe the report from the inspection team, they were so abnormal that even the scholars and mages of Erian could not precisely determine the remaining time before their rupture," said the Emperor, pausing briefly to look at his subordinate.

"Four S+ rank portals?" Nox stiffened, wondering if he had misheard. Even if he wanted to shout, he couldn't. After all, he was in the presence of the Emperor, so he controlled his expression to appear as neutral as possible in front of his sovereign's declaration.

"The threat is great. After careful consideration and discussions with the Empire of Erian, we have decided to join forces to face this disaster. Tomorrow, a delegation of Erian's guardians will arrive for the preparations. I suggest that you and your men be ready by tomorrow. After all, you will be leading this operation."

Nox nodded, his expression grave. Four S+ ranked portals were simply too much for him and his team. This mission was nothing but suicide, and far too sudden. "I understand, Your Majesty. I will begin preparations immediately."

The Emperor rose from his throne, his gaze locked onto the knight's. "I am counting on you, Sir Nox. The security of the empire depends on it."

Nox bowed before leaving the throne room. In his mind, several questions raced.

"Why warn me so late? The Emperor could have informed me of this long before today. Could it be that he's trying to have me killed? Is he afraid I'll take the throne?" he wondered, a sinister smile forming on his lips. "No, surely not. He knows very well I have no interest in that stupid political game…" he thought before leaving the imperial palace.

...

Just after Nox's departure, a shadow emerged from behind the Emperor's throne. "My lord, isn't this excessive? He doesn't seem interested in the thro—"

Before he could finish his sentence, the air grew heavy and the room trembled slightly.

"Better safe than sorry. He is a potential threat. And anything that threatens me, directly or indirectly, I eliminate," said the Emperor, cutting off the shadow as his eyes gleamed with malice.

"Even the sovereign of Erian thinks the same, so…" The sentence was left unfinished.

Behind the Emperor's throne, the shadow had vanished before the Emperor could finish his words.

"What insolence?!" he growled, releasing a small amount of killing intent that filled the room. He was furious—furious at himself because he knew he couldn't deal with that shadow so easily without consequences.

...

Just after leaving the royal palace, Nox walked through the streets of Kragha, the capital of Kyralia also known as the City of Warriors, contemplating the place where he was born. Although he was born and had lived there, he did not feel truly attached to it. After all, he no longer had any family here.

He was wandering through the capital's streets when a mother and son duo passed by him. Normally, he wouldn't have noticed them, but their conversation caught his attention.

"Mom, when I grow up, I'll do everything to become emperor," said the boy, his eyes sparkling.

"Yes, yes, but for now you should focus on mastering your father's sword technique," said the mother, ruffling his hair.

"I'll create my own technique later!"

"I know, I know. Come on, my little emperor, hurry up."

As he watched them, painful memories resurfaced. He missed his mother.

"Mother…" he murmured.

...

Nox's mother had been a very loving and pleasant woman. With his father, they had formed a happy family. But that happiness didn't last forever.

When Nox had just turned fifteen, his mother succumbed abruptly to an unknown illness. That incident changed Nox's father forever, who soon became harsher with Nox in his training, pushing him to his limits.

In Kyralia, strength was revered. The strongest was feared and made the law. His father, who was the emperor, did not spare him. Nox, on his part, managed to survive and adapt—barely—to his new training routine. The stronger he became, the more people called him a prodigy, and soon rumors began to spread that he would succeed his father on the throne. It was unprecedented.

In Kyralia, there was no imperial lineage. The strongest in the empire was appointed as emperor. To decide who was the strongest, a competition was held every five years to determine the strongest of the generation. In this competition, various qualities were evaluated, but in the end, what everyone wanted to see was sheer power—a demonstration of strength. The one deemed the strongest had to challenge the reigning emperor for the throne. If he won, he claimed the title, while the former emperor was demoted to the rank of counselor to preserve his dignity.

But if the young challenger lost, the Emperor's reign continued for another five years and a new tournament would be held. Nox's father had been on the throne since his birth. For nearly fifteen years, no one had ever defeated him. And judging by Nox's abilities, everyone was convinced he could defeat his father and take the throne—a feat never accomplished before. No family in Kyralia had ever held power twice. If Nox succeeded, it would be an achievement remembered for generations.

But Nox had no desire to become sovereign. He simply wanted to go somewhere far away and rebuild his life. He had no motivation or reason to train and become stronger. While others had noble ambitions—becoming emperor, protecting someone, defending the world from portals, or becoming strong for glory—he was but an empty shell without dreams or goals.

The five-year tournament was approaching, and everyone already anticipated a father-versus-son duel in the finals, when suddenly the Emperor disappeared. The people of Kyralia erupted with speculation.

"Was he afraid his son could beat him?"

"No, maybe he wanted to avoid injuring him severely. You know the tournament is dangerous, right?"

"Could he have been assassinated?"

"Are you crazy? Who could kill such a monster who closes S-rank portals alone?"

Despite the uproar caused by the Emperor's disappearance, the tournament could not be postponed, so it was held. And since the empire could not remain without an Emperor, Emperor Atlas, predecessor of Emperor Gin, was appointed temporary ruler.

But when the tournament began and the participants were introduced, Nox was not present. His absence was shocking. The genius of the current generation was missing—but why? No one had the answer. In the end, Emperor Atlas was once again named Kyralia's new Emperor.

"Nox could have become Emperor."

"You sure? He's young, we couldn't have known for certain."

"Don't make me laugh. Without skills, Nox would win easily. He's a monster—only his father could stop him."

"Skills are part of strength."

"Skills? We are martial artists," shouted the second, silencing his interlocutor. "Mana, or their so-called magic or skills—they depend on luck, not effort."

The legitimacy of the Emperor's throne was debated by the people, but unexpectedly Nox found himself appointed Imperial Captain at fifteen, despite not having reached adulthood. The raging controversy eventually faded into obscurity.

...

"Damn, why am I remembering these things?" he wondered, standing still, watching nostalgically as the mother and son disappeared from sight.

Watching them reminded him of the good moments spent with his own mother. Since her death, he had no one… or almost no one.

The image of a beautiful woman with long black hair and dark eyes crossed his mind.

"Tilda…" he murmured, embarrassed as an indecent thought formed.

He shook his head to chase away impure ideas.

The situation was serious: he had to inform his men about tomorrow's mission.