Then Archery is my path

April 26, 3104 – 3:16 p.m.

The door to my living room opened, and a familiar figure, Mr. Urif, entered. He was accompanied by the same woman who had informed me of my mother's death.

"Hello."

He could at least show some emotion. Probably not.

Mr. Urif, the father of three children—two girls and a boy my age—was known within the clan as my rival. I had the rare constitution of arteries that occupied 100% of my body, while he had the Magma Body constitution. But now, those comparisons felt like distant memories.

"Hello, Kail. First of all, I want you to know that Renar disappeared following a confrontation with Therianthropes. At this moment, it is unclear whether he is alive or not. However, his disappearance has caused another issue. He used a significant amount of clan resources to further his advancements but did not settle all his debts."

"Okay. Dad often had issues with repaying debts. That's nothing new. Plus, disappearing while on duty isn't unheard of, right?"

"Exactly. But taking all these factors into account, the Elderly Council has decided that you no longer hold any significance to the family. This leaves you with two options:

You can stay under the clan's care, receive permanent treatment, and wait indefinitely for Renar's return. The clan will cover all expenses for your treatment and upkeep.

Or, you can voluntarily leave the family. In this case, Kail Cindercrest will be removed from the family records entirely."

"WHAT? ARE YOU SERIOUSLY TRYING TO DISPOSE OF ME LIKE SOME WORTHLESS TOOL?"

"Kail!"

A burst of air swept through the room. It wasn't harmful—clearly, Urif had no intention of injuring me—but it was a testament to his immense mana control and the pressure he carried.

"You know as well as I do how long it could take for Renar to return. It might be a month, or it could take years. Are you certain you can endure years in your current condition?"

"No."

I lowered my head, staring at the floor.

"But I'm offering you another option. If you voluntarily renounce your place in the Cindercrest family, you will receive three things:

A serum derived from Therianthrope plasma that will regenerate your limbs, though it will not restore your aetheric arteries.

A custom-made Non-Etheric Armor, rated 3☆.

And a 4☆ weapon from the clan's arsenal.

These won't fully replace the potential you once had, but they'll give you a chance."

I was speechless. What Urif offered was extraordinary. The combination of those items could elevate someone to the level of a functional ManaWarrior from scratch. But I also knew the truth about the Elders of the Cindercrest family—they were cold, calculating individuals who dismissed emotions entirely. They would readily discard even their most talented offspring if it served the clan's interests.

For them, I was no longer an asset—just dead weight.

And at that moment, Kail felt like a black spot staining the familiar white ledger of his existence.

"Thank you."

Kail's voice trembled, and though he was on the verge of breaking down into tears again, his tear glands were already dry.

"This is the least I can offer you," Urif replied, his tone unchanged. "Additionally, if you leave the clan and manage to pass the entrance exams for Altgrad, I will cover the cost of your studies."

The Altgrad Academy. The mere mention of it brought a spark of hope to Kail's shattered heart. Altgrad was the most prestigious academy in the human territories—a place where future Masters and Grandmasters were forged. But gaining admission was no small feat. Tuition required either immense wealth or a recommendation from one of the 12 major classes or the state.

Kail was stunned. Before the accident, he had been competing for a recommendation to study in Eligard, another esteemed academy, and now he was hearing that Altgrad, a higher aspiration, was still an option.

"Thank you… really, thank you."

"But you must understand," Urif continued, his voice taking on a grave tone, "this will not just be difficult—it will border on the impossible in your current state. And if you renounce the family, you will no longer have the right to practice the martial arts of the clan."

Kail nodded, his gaze dropping. "When I lost the General Artery from my extremities, it was already clear that my journey with them had ended."

As a member of one of the 12 major classes, Kail had been privileged to practice one of their treasured martial arts:

Volcanic Ascendant (5☆)

Move Technique: Magma Traces (4☆)Sword Technique: Great Eruption (5☆)Breathing Technique: Volcanic Core (4☆)

These martial arts centered around achieving impeccable body balance for sudden, explosive movements, mimicking the eruption of a volcano. The breathing technique, Volcanic Core (4☆), altered a practitioner's Standard Body constitution into the Ignis Constitution, enabling the use of fire-based techniques and enhancing resistance to high temperatures.

However, most people were unaware of a deeper secret—the Ignis Constitution was one of six essential elemental constitutions (Ignis, Terra, Aqua, Umbra, Lux, and Ventus). Beyond these lay the rare Unique Constitutions, which granted unparalleled aetheric efficiency and resilience to additional factors.

There were only two ways to acquire a Unique Body Constitution:

To be born with it—a stroke of extraordinary luck.To develop it through rigorous practice with a 5☆ technique.

While Kail had managed to develop the standard Ignis Constitution through his dedication, he knew that method two was fraught with uncertainty. Unlike innate constitutions, which were gifts of birthright, developing one through practice didn't guarantee success—and now, his condition made it a distant dream.

His body, once full of boundless potential, now felt like a prison. Yet despite the overwhelming loss, a flicker of determination stirred within him.

-If you do stay, I can offer you some other martial arts.

"Not. You've done too much. If I don't doubt it, the 4☆ weapon will also fall out of your pocket. I don't think the sandbags are ready to give me even a slice of toast."

At the moment, I can't do anything to you, but I will remember how you did it.

-Rebeca will approach later with the documents that you will have to sign. The regeneration of the limbs will take about half a year. During this period, you are not allowed to practice any breathing techniques so as not to affect the process. If you need anything, you can tell her.

"Thank you, for the hope at least."

Then, for the first time, I saw him smile—just a little.

After Mr. Urif left the palace, I started thinking about how to proceed.

Any clan will not even glance at me if I approach them. That means there are only individuals or those already retired. I don't know why anyone would accept an invalid, but I have no other way out anyway. I'll have to request a list of former fighters. Plus, I can't use martial arts based on Aqua, Shadow, or Lux—they differ too much from Ignis. I don't even know if I'll find someone... ahhh. We'll see.

April 27, 10:28 AM

Rebeca entered the salon with a stack of documents in her hands.

-Good morning, Karl. How are you?

"Normal. You?"

-It could be even better.

You say this in front of a disabled child. How normal.

-So, Karl, as you're a minor, you're not allowed to represent yourself. That's why Mr. Urif, being your relative, has already signed all the documents. I'm here to tell you two things.

Here's your bank card. There's around VA 15,000 in the account.

(Water somewhere costs VA0.50, a meal at a café or street food around €10, and 3☆ equipment costs roughly this amount.)

-I have access to this account, so if you need more money, just send me a message, and I'll transfer it. Just don't overdo it.

Karl simply took the card without a word. Being from a major clan, he was used to hearing even larger amounts.

-2. This is the token of the clan. You might have seen it with your father. This represents a key to those who owe the clan. No one can decipher or modify it. It's set specifically to recognize Mr. Urif's blood. When you decide you need the non-aetheric armor and the promised weapon, go to the central house and find Mr. Urif. As long as you hold this token, no one will be allowed to stop you.

The token was shaped like a coin, slightly larger in width, engraved with the clan crest—a knight in full red armor adorned with gold decorations, standing against the backdrop of a volcano.

-Thanks, Rebeca. Could you also send me information on independent or retired ManaArmis professionals? Preferably those with Ignis, Terra, or Ventus constitutions.

-Of course, I'll send you a message.

Then Rebeca hesitated, her expression shifting slightly.

-Did something happen?

-They've decided that Mrs. Elyndra will be cremated.

The moment I heard those words, something horrible began to boil inside me. My left hand formed a fist so tightly that the quilt in my lap bunched up from the tension.

-So... our dear elders decided that the person who raised them from financial ruin with her products doesn't deserve a place next to their prestigious ancestors. Rebeca, can you please tell me why they acted like this?

-She didn't use ManaArmis.

You've absolutely lost your minds. She literally saved you from collapsing into obscurity, gave you dominance over the market of biological and chemical preparations, brought in billions of euros invested into laboratories—and you think this is justified? Without her, you could barely hold your position as one of the Twelve Major Classes. Animals. That's what you are. Just animals.

-Fuhh... in exchange, could you put a small part of what remains in some kind of necklace?

-Of course. Please get some rest, Kail.

As she left, I slumped back into the bed, the rage swirling inside me refusing to subside.

I will not forget. Nothing.

.