The King, Draven, casually rested one knee upon the other, his gaze fixed on Ash with an arrogant sneer.
"Who's that Spiritumen beside you?" he demanded. He then focused his eyes more clearly on Ray.
"Wait... Is he a Curseuman?"
Suddenly, the entire court erupted in a cacophony of murmurs, voices laced with the palpable fear evoked by the word 'Curseuman'.
But the white-haired old man, Pitamah, spoke with a heavy, booming voice that cut through the noise: "All of you, please be silent! There is nothing to be feared as long as I, and Karna, are here, even if it's a Curseuman!"
Just then, a new figure emerged from the same grand entrance through which the white-haired man had appeared.
He was clad in golden armor, emblazoned with the crest of the sun on its chest. With vibrant red hair and piercing black eyes, his lean, muscular body was of a similar build and height to the King.
A long katana, its blade faintly tinged with red, rested in his hands.
The King's face lit up. "Karna, my friend, I was waiting for you."
"Draven," Karna replied, his voice calm and strong, "my apologies for being late. I was busy fighting some enemies."
"Don't worry," Draven waved a dismissive hand. "Friends don't apologize."
Ash, stepping out of the brief exchange between Karna and Draven, spoke directly to the King.
"This boy with me is Ray Ross. I want permission for him to accompany him for some years."
Draven's arrogant expression returned. "I will not allow a Curseuman to stay in my palace, not even in my kingdom."
"He is not a Curseuman," Ash countered firmly.
"He's a special kind of being that we are still unknown with."
Draven's eyes narrowed. "Soldiers," he commanded, his voice ringing through the court, "I order all of you to prison this boy standing beside Ash!"
"Pitamah," Ash appealed to the elder, his voice laced with frustration.
"What is happening in this Court? Why are you silent?"
A ring of soldiers, spears and swords in hand, surrounded Ray and Ash.
Their bodies trembled, their legs shaking visibly.
"Anyone," Ash warned, his voice low and dangerous, "don't take a single step towards Ray, or all of you will die."
What is happening here? Ray thought, observing the terrified soldiers. These soldiers... I can sense immense fear in their hearts, both of the King and of death. If they take a step towards me, Ash will probably kill them, and if they disobey the King, they might be executed for breaking orders. Death awaits them on both sides. What a hopeless condition they are in!
Suddenly, Karna spoke. "Draven, why are you ordering soldiers to prison this boy? Has he committed any crime or something?"
"Karna," Draven replied, a knowing smirk on his face, "try to focus on the structure of his Aura and its release pattern. You will get your answer."
Karna turned his piercing gaze towards Ray, who met his stare.
He is someone with a large amount of aura, Ray thought, sensing Karna's power.
"I can sense centuries of training in his Aura release. If I try to attack him with my full speed, he will not take a fraction of a second to cut me in two halves."
Karna's eyes narrowed as he analyzed Ray.
"His Aura is different. Certainly not that of a Spiritumen. It's also not like a Curseuman's..."
Suddenly, his eyes widened in shock.
"This boy... he has multiple Nature Cores! Probably five to six." His gaze intensified.
"One of them is indeed a Curseuman's, the one you are sensing."
Karna's eyes scanned the different colors of Aura emanating from Ray, one of which was a distinct dark purple.
"He... he's dangerous!" Karna exclaimed, his voice filled with a mixture of awe and alarm.