Nalen's face produced the most magnificent smile when he heard that he could take Ning's sword for free.
"Really?" he asked with the same excited face, like a child who had been told that their parents were going to give them that one toy they had wanted for the longest time.
However, when the reality of the situation hit Nalen, his smile disappeared, turning into a frown that clearly held anger within it.
Ning smiled a little when he saw that. "What's wrong? You don't want it?" he asked.
"You must be aware that I can't pick it up, aren't you?" Nalen asked. "That's why you tried to taunt me."
"Oh," Ning said. "Not only were you notified about my sword, but you also already went to take it, huh? I must say that's quite rude. Is that what the main branch of the Foreman family does?"
Nalen's anger only increased. "You dare talk about my family with your peasant's mouth?" he asked. "Do you want to die?"
"Do you want to kill me?" Ning asked.
"Brother Ning," Tenn said worriedly. "Please, don't—"
"Tenn, stay out of this," Nalen spoke and even used a bit of wind essence to push him back. Kaleb tried to move, but Ning simply put his hand up and stopped him.
"Oh? You actually aren't afraid of me," Nalen said with a surprised look.
"There's nothing in this world that will make me afraid," Ning said. "But, you're free to try as much as you want."
"Oh? You think you can't be scared?" Nalen asked. "When I'm done with you, you'll jump at every shadow and shriek at every gust of wind."
"I'll look forward to it," Ning said. "Now, since you're aware that I won't be selling you my sword, you can go back and let us rest."
Ning turned around to walk away, but the man grabbed him. His hold was strong, but to his surprise, it didn't hurt Ning at all. Thanks to having a superior physical body to the ones in his own rank, Ning's body could compare with those from a rank or two above him as well.
While there was no way for him to compare in Essence, he could hold his own if it was just a physical body.
He grabbed Nalen's hand and pried open his fingers with relative ease.
Nalen was surprised and tried to pull away his arm, but Ning wouldn't let go. He kept a tight grip and even squeezed a bit.
Nalen felt a slight pain in his hand and couldn't help but be surprised. He couldn't understand how someone that was clearly weaker than him was so much more powerful.
Anger flared in him and a green scythe split itself from his arm. The scythe which looked similar to a mantis' arm was illusory in nature and seemed to be made up of wind essence.
Ning quickly let go and jumped back as the scythe cut past where he stood previously. "Ooh!" he couldn't help but comment on what he saw. "Is that your Essence soul? It looks like a mantis' arm. No way, is your entire soul like that of a mantis?"
Ning taunted him, knowing that the man was already angry.
"You!" Nalen only got angrier. He poured out his essence, ready for an attack when suddenly he felt a pressure on him that came from the Essence of a person of a higher rank than him.
Footsteps sounded through the hallway while Ning smiled as he had already noticed the man's movement before any of the others had.
"What is going on here?" he spoke.
Tenn turned around. "Father!" he called out.
Kaleb moved to the side and let the man of the house walkthrough.
Tenn's father walked up in between Ning and Nalen and looked at the both of them. "What's happening?" he asked. "Why did I sense your Essence soul flare up?"
"Uncle Genn, I want you to hand him over to me," Nalen said as anger raged in him. "I want to tear him apart with my own hands."
"Why?" Tenn's father asked.
"Because he's been disrespectful to me since I came here and has done nothing but try and provoke me into a fight," Nalen said.
"And you got provoked?" the man asked while glancing at Ning from the side. "By an Essence Manifestation rank kid?"
"His rank might be low, but his ego isn't," Nalen said. "I want you to hand him over, so I can give out a punishment on my own."
Tenn's father turned toward him and asked him to explain. Tenn hid nothing from his father as he told everything as it was, from Nalen's overbearing attitude to Ning's arrogance.
"All this because of a sword?" Genn looked disappointed. "You came here to buy his sword?"
"Yes, Uncle Genn," Nalen said.
"You, do you want to sell your sword?" Genn asked.
"No, I would like to keep my sword," Ning said.
"Alright, then this conversation is over," Geen said. "Return to your house. He does not wish to sell you his sword."
"This won't do, uncle," Nalen said. "We're way past the matter of the sword. He disrespected the family, so he must be punished."
"Nalen Foreman!" Genn shouted at the man, making the house shudder for a moment with his loud voice. "You come to my house at night and demand me to hand over my guest whose only crime was to talk back to you. Do you hear yourself?"
Nalen took a step back in fear. "I… " The words froze in his mouth.
"Leave! You have no more business here today," Genn spoke.
Nalen gulped a bit and quickly nodded. He glanced at Ning and glared for a moment before turning around to leave.
After he was gone, Tenn's father turned to the three. "It's late already; go and rest." After saying that, he left as well.
The three watched the man leave back to the living room with a look of awe on their faces.
"Woah!" Kaleb couldn't help but say. "Dude, your dad freaking rocks."
