Transcendent Gene
Chapter 176: Moving Forth [6]

Chapter 176: Moving Forth [6]

[Aura Explosion] was the easiest technique to create, which was also why it came first.

It was really just the result of Gio’s experimentation to create other techniques, but he realized that a bursting wave of energy that spread from his body wasn’t a bad technique at all.

It was perfect for catching enemies off-guard and protecting himself in critical moments. Really, it was more of a defensive technique than an offensive one.

But, it was still a massive eruption of aura. Naturally, it was a case of "offense is the best defense."

Gio wasn’t satisfied with that much.

Without reveling in his success and without wasting time bothering with pain or exhaustion, he instantly raised his arms to the sky with his eyes pointed where Kyrian was standing only a few seconds prior.

The sky coalesced into ten virtual blue swords that slammed down on his target when he moved his arm.

They stabbed into the ground around Kyrian and shined brightly. Cracks filled with blue light tore the ground apart, and then there was another burst. It was like a quick and powerful geyser of energy that once again swallowed the area before disappearing into smoke.

When Kyrian’s form was finally revealed in the aftermath, Gio’s sword was already at his neck.

"I could have moved," he said coldly. The smile playing on his lips betrayed his inner feelings.

"’Could haves’ don’t exist in battle. Isn’t that what you taught me?"

"Yeah. That, and the fact that there is no such thing as a fair battle in war. I guess you took that one especially to heart."

Gio grinned.

It was a cheap move that could hardly be counted as a victory. Gio abused the circumstances to manufacture a beneficial scenario, but rarely would there be an enemy who chose to taunt rather than kill amongst monsters.

However, humans were different.

The scenario was rare, but not impossible. If it was framed differently, it became extremely possible.

The core of his strategy was to fake defeat and draw the enemy closer.

There was no shame in doing such a thing if it meant that at the end of the battle, his blade was the one on his opponent’s neck.

Kyrian shared his son’s grin.

"You usually don’t play dirty," he said while canceling his power and helping Gio stand upright.

"I thought you had a sense of honor or something along those lines, but was it all a lie from the beginning?"

"I was raised in the Wasteland, Father. Never expect a fair fight out of me," he responded teasingly.

Kyrian shook his head with a smile.

It had been long enough now. He was past the point of needing to worry about Gio. After three hundred and ninety days together, they knew each other much better than before. Kyrian could now accept a joke like that, and Gio could now act comfortably enough to make one.

"It’s amazing how much you’ve grown. Compared to an ordinary child your age, it’s unbelievable. I could put you in the same place as those great talents some Clans like to brag about, but I guess you wouldn’t know anything about that yet."

The way Gio had lived, he’d never met anyone his own age. He had only seen how his power struck beasts, monsters, and people far above his weight class.

Humans his own age...?

Kyrian even wondered if Gio would be disappointed when he saw what the average new Sequencer looked like.

"There are three more days before you go to Celestelle. Have you prepared yourself?"

"Yeah. Everything that needs to be packed is packed...."

"...and I’m now aware of your Nightreign account name."

Kyrian finished his sentence for him. Gio nodded with a light smile.

"Right. So I can come back whenever I want."

"Well, if you come back too often, you might get in trouble."

"I’ll make sure to balance things."

A year wasn’t enough time. Gio just came to Arcadia. He couldn’t accept completely leaving his family behind after only a year of living with them.

After going to Celestelle, he would only be able to visit through normal means on the few holidays the institute honored. He wanted to move between Helix and Celestelle far more often than that.

With Moon Rabbit’s number, he could find his way to Lunos at any time as Lynx, and with his father’s help, he could return home as Gio.

They didn’t need to waste tears on a farewell that could be broken at any point.

"Do you remember when I told you that I could guarantee you admission into FIS?" Kyrian asked as they entered the mansion.

Gio nodded. After he’d done his Aptitude Test, Kyrian specifically told him that he would be able to enter First Institute no matter what.

"There are two ways we can go about it. The first..."

Kyrian held up a finger.

"...is to go normally as a child of the Atmos Clan using our allocated entrance slot. The second is to attend under a fake identity as a commoner that we’re sponsoring."

With his second finger raised, Kyrian met Gio’s eyes with a stern gaze.

"Before you make your decision, I’ll tell you bluntly what our situation looks like right now. I’ve deemed that you’re responsible enough to handle the information."

Gio already knew. Even if Kyrian was bringing the clan back up, they had become a laughingstock for several years. They’d been beaten down and marginalized, forcing Kyrian to fight hard in the political scene to gain back power as a merchant clan rather than a military clan.

"If you decide to go as a descendant of the clan, you’ll be targeted openly and in the shadows by children of other Great Clans that disagree with our return to society. They will try their best to knock you down and, in turn, lower the reputation of our clan. Your movements might be watched more carefully, and if you slip up, it’s possible that it even becomes a matter the press flock to. The life of a Young Master is not easy for those in larger clans, especially the ones that are like ours."

On the other hand, if he was being sponsored, he would be subjected to minimal bullying and attention. After all, a sponsorship meant nothing from a merchant clan. The growth of the Atmos Clan’s military power was always being closely monitored, making it nigh impossible for their sponsored geniuses to ever end up a part of their arsenal.

"If your goal is to learn without distractions, I recommend you pick the latte–"

"No need. I already picked the former."

Gio shook his head and cut off his father’s words.

"You mentioned the consequences, but there’s an inverse to that, isn’t there?" He said.

"If I surpass those arrogant geniuses and turn their efforts meaningless, doesn’t the reputation of our clan increase?"

It was a double-edged sword. The risks were high, as were the rewards.

"Father, I told you this and I’ll tell you again. I am and always will be a part of the Atmos Clan. If I can fight to improve our circumstances, you can’t expect me to back down."

Kyrian’s eyes widened slightly.

"I guess you’re right," he said, his expression relaxing into a smile.

’My son really does resemble me.’

Kyrian said something similar in the past. The result was the Atmos Clan.

His ambition was enough, his spirit was enough, and his power was enough.

’When he goes to FIS...’

He couldn’t hide the pride in his eyes when he looked at his son.

’...that place will become his playground.’