The sun shone on the dark mountain top.
The lanterns that were lighting up the area around the mountain died down.
In front of the worn-out temple.
Around fifty youth's were gathered, and all of them were in the same stance.
Most of the Chosen Ones were gritting their teeth until blood kept trickling down from their chins.
Lord, Lone, and Ares weren't looking any better. Their legs were trembling like newborn babies, and it was a miracle that they still managed to keep standing.
Ichiro, on the other hand, was sweating buckets. His posture looked solid, but even he had some signs of difficulty.
Shinu stood up, and every eye was locked on him.
''The second test is over— good job, everyone.'' Once his words were heard, the Chosen Ones fell lifelessly to the ground.
Lord, Ares, and Lone sat down heavily on the ground with sweat pouring down from their pores.
''Haahhh…'' Ichiro sat down on the ground with an exhausted look.
''The second test was to test willpower, and everyone passed with flying colors.'' Shinu said and turned around, ''You all may leave, rest, enjoy the company of your fellow peers— tomorrow, another test will be waiting.''
He and other Grandmasters left the temple, leaving exhausted youths behind.
''Haahh… That was torture…'' Ares complained while looking at the bright blue sky, where the sun was shining onto them.
He wanted a cold shower to get rid of the exhaustion and the warmth he was feeling.
''Agh, my throat.'' Lord rubbed his neck and felt his parched throat.
His lips were dry, and his mind screamed to get something to quench his thirst.
''I-I want to leave, but… I can't move!'' He lifelessly lied down on the ground and felt the hot sun warming him up.
Ichiro wiped his sweat and slowly stood up, ''Ahh…'' He took something from his pocket, it was black sunglasses.
He covered his eyes with it and slowly started walking towards the temple.
After seeing him leave, Lord, Lone, and Ares forced themselves to stand.
Their pride couldn't make them look weak in front of other Chosen Ones.
After seeing the four young men leaving, the rest of Chosen Ones followed. They ignored the stinging pain in their legs and aching muscles.
While walking in the streets.
Lord kept looking inside the stores and almost drooled after seeing disciples drinking something transparent liquid.
''I am thirsty…'' He groaned in annoyance.
''Is he always like this?'' Ichiro asked from Lone.
Lone wryly smiled, ''Yes… But, this is only when he is around his friends, in front of strangers or other nobles, he acts like true Crown Prince.''
''Crown Prince?'' Ichiro frowned, ''What do you mean?''
''Heh, it's nothing.'' Lone put his hands behind his back and started walking faster.
Ichiro scratched his cheek and kept muttering the words Crown Prince inside his mind.
Soon, they reached Lord's residence.
''Wine!'' Lord screamed with excitement and stormed inside the building.
The scent of wine instantly assaulted his nostrils, and a drool of saliva left his mouth.
He was about to run straight towards his room, but then, in the living room, he saw four wooden barrels.
He, Lone, and Ares paled while Ichiro tilted his head and wondered why the wine barrels were in the living room.
''N-No!'' Lord rushed towards the wine barrels and opened them.
He almost fainted after seeing the interior.
Lone and Ares walked next to him and facepalmed.
The barrels were utterly empty.
There wasn't even a drop of wine.
''Nooo!'' Lord fell down on his knees and screamed towards the ceiling.
Lone and Ares patted his shoulders and said he could drink water, which made Lord even sadder.
Ichiro only chuckled and left the building.
He saw signs of wet marks on the pavement, like something was poured down on it.
He crouched and touched it with his finger and felt the texture.
''Someone poured the wine on the pavement…'' A small smile was painted on his face, and now he understood why Lord didn't want them to find out about the wine.
'They resemble a lot of those two rascals from my previous life…' He shook his head and didn't want to remind himself of his past life.
Everyone he knows might be dead by now; he doesn't know because he doesn't know how long it took him to reincarnate.
It could have taken 100 years, or maybe only 10 minutes, he can't know.
Looking inside the building through the window, he still saw Lord crying buckets, and Ichiro took it as a signal to go rest and meet them up later.
He started walking in the streets that weren't as empty as before.
The streets were clean, with pavement being very well maintained and the windows of the stores looking very clean.
He saw disciples starting to work inside the stores while customers kept pouring in.
But, while he was walking, he noticed a masked young man entering a store that sells medicines.
Ichiro frowned and stopped in front of the store.
The store was quite simple, made of brick and wood, while the store's interior was very simple.
There was one desk, with a shelf behind, where dozens of medicines were located.
There was also a door next to the shelf, which takes to the storage area, where the rest of the medicines are located.
He saw the masked man talking with the green-robed disciple, who soon entered the storage to get the medicine.
*Creak*
Ichiro pushed the door open and walked next to the masked man.
The masked man turned his head and widened his eyes in shock, ''What are you doing here?''
''Well, my legs are aching, what about you… Avery?'' Ichiro scanned Avery's body and didn't see him being injured in any way.
''None of your business.'' Avery snorted and turned away.
Soon, the disciple arrived with a bottle of medicine and gave it to Avery, who paid for the medicine and left the store without looking back.
''Can I get the same medicine as him?'' Ichiro asked, and the disciple nodded.
Soon, the disciple came with the same bottle of medicine.
Ichiro gave him the money and left the store.
Outside the store, he looked at the medicine and stayed silent.
[Budesonide]
'Medicine for those who have breathing troubles…'
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