After six months of training, Julius knew his technique wasckingpared to Smith''s. He breathed deeply, controlling his anger to focus on a particr memory.


    "Did you know? I killed a brown bear one versus one, unarmed and without technique?" Adam said, a smirk gracing his ethereal lips as his eyes focused on his dull mana control technique in Theodore''s shop.


    "A brown bear? Like the ones from the encyclopedia?" Julius asked, raising his brow in doubt. The creature''s image he had seen looked terrifying, making it hard to believe a man could emerge victorious in a direct confrontation.


    "Yeah, yeah! That one. Then, I killed an alpha and three wolves alone," Adam added, his prideful deration making his words strangely believable to the boy, as if he was bragging. Yet, he rapidly frowned.


    "I''m sure you are pranking me again, big bro. I don''t believe you."


    Adam looked at Julius, grinning from ear to ear before narrating his harrowing first trial. Of course, he exaggerated some parts to make the story more engaging and downyed others to make it less horrifying. After all, Julius was still a kid.


    Once over, Julius looked at his big brother with wide eyes glistening with respect. He wasn''t sure if the story was true, but it had captivated and even inspired him. Especially the parts about how he used his brain to turn the tables on his bestial adversaries by predicting and turning their own movements against them.


    "Remember! You can beat beasts much stronger than you without technique if you use your brain!" Adam ended his story with a lesson, feeling smug about his storytelling and educational skills. After all, he could be the best teacher if he wanted...


    Julius awakened from his recollection, grimacing in worry. ''I hope you weren''t pranking me, big brother,'' he thought, his expression shifting to solemness as he nced at Adam''s unconscious frame and dim eyes with a hint of sadness.


    Now, inplete control of his emotions, he changed his battle strategy. He first swept his surroundings with a focused nce, looking for potential things he could use to win. Soon, ideas formed in his mind, apanied by fragmented images of what would happen if he followed them as he tried to predict Smith''s movements.


    Meanwhile, his brother''s teachings echoed in his head, offering him much-needed guidance in his desperate plight.


    "Uncontrolled anger is a poison you should never let flow in your mind, especially in dangerous situations. It clouds your judgment and makes youmit deadly mistakes. Use your anger to fuel your focus and determination instead of letting it control you... hum... Something like that... maybe...?"


    Adam once warned him about anger management, his dead-serious face contrasting with his hesitation, creating aedic scene. Yet, he trusted him. He was his teacher, friend, and brother.


    "You are only so-so for a baron''s knight. You betrayed yourdy, and a kid is stalling you. Didn''t you choose the wrong job, or was your mother so dumb that you inherited her terrible intelligence?" Julius said with a disgustingly smug face. If anger was a poison, he nned to suffocate Smith with it!


    "Listen, Julius. I''m a pro at making people enrage, trust me. I''ll share with you the ultimate angering skill today! If you want to anger someone instantly, curse his mother! It always works, really."


    Another time, Adam taught him this bizarre technique for reasons Julius never understood... until today.


    Upon hearing the offending words, Smith furrowed his brows, and his eyes turned into thin slits. His forehead''s veins bulged, and his face took a redder tinge.


    "What did you say? See if I don''t undress your mom in front of you when I catch herter!" Smith growled in anger, charging at Julius.


    Adam''s technique was effective!


    Sadly, it was effective both ways...


    "You... Perverted dog! Undress your mom, not mine!" Julius shot back, outraged at Smith''s vile threat.


    Thankfully, he quickly exhaled, refocusing on his ideas and preparing to meet Smith''s attack.


    Smith''s rage-fueled charge left deep gouges in the frozen soil. Cracking noises echoed in the forest as he armed his right fist and threw it at the daring kid in a wide swing aimed at the face. The sound of disced wind followed behind the fist, a testament to the blow''s power.


    That was exactly what Julius wanted. This move clearly resulted from the knight''s anger controlling his actions. It was way too wide, leaving many openings he could abuse.


    ''It''s true! Big bro wasn''t pranking me. Even if my technique is worse than his, I can win if I use my brain!'' Julius thought, his eyes sparkling and admiration for his teacher filling his drumming heart.


    Then, he squatted down, dodging the zooming punch by a hair''s breadth as the punch''s shockwave ruffled his hair. In this position, he tensed his thighs, their volumes increasing under the small Qi influx, and propelled himself upwards at a speed defyingmon sense. His right fist followed his explosive movement, shooting like a bullet towards Smith''s chin.


    Carried forward by his momentum, Smith realised his inability to dodge in time. He clenched his teeth to endure the blow, his heart racing as the realisation he had messed up struck him like a hammer.


    A secondter, Julius'' fist hit Smith''s chin with deadly uracy. He had ced his entire body weight behind in the blow, making the knight''s body take off a few centimeters before slumping to the ground, unmoving.


    As he observed the devastating effect of his blow, he couldn''t help but remember how he thought it was another bullshit prank from his brother. After all, he never fought and was too young to understand the logic behind battle techniques.


    ''I won''t ever doubt you again, big bro!'' He thought, his eyes glowing with newfound respect.


    Little did he know Adam had taught him those things randomly, either to sound like a pro or to act cool since he was a novice fighter himself. Take Julius''st uppercut as an example. It was a well-known boxing technique he had once seen on TV.But he had never used it himself.


    His fight over, Julius stepped in the direction Alina and nor escaped, massaging his cheek with a grimace when suddenly...


    Soft grumbles reached his ears, attracting his attention. Turning back, he saw Smith shaking his head and rising to his feet with aplicated expression.


    ''I lost consciousness?'' This ludicrous idea resounded in the knight''s mind as a warm liquid filled his mouth.


    PTUI


    He spat a bloody tooth on the ground and gazed at Julius.


    "Urgh... I can''t believe it. A kid yed me like a fool," he muttered, his eyes widening in disbelief and a hint of terror. An icy shiver ran down his spine as he realised he had almost lost.


    However, he understood his mistake. He was done underestimating the kid and would fight as if battling a peer to the death.


    "I have to admit it, kid. You fought well, but your resistance ends now."


    His presence exuded a menacing and lethal aura, and his eyes narrowed in extreme focus, glinting with sharpness and calction.


    The real battle was about to begin.