Chapter 369
Renn could feel it.
This man meant what he said.
His heart pounded like a drum against his chest.
He had always told himself the title was what mattered. Not the process. Not the fight. Just the result. If it raised his family, if it gave them land, a future, if it gave them wealth and respect—then it was worth everything.
But now, when that goal stood within reach, offered by the hand of a Grand Knight himself…
Why was he hesitating?
Because he wanted to win it with his own hands?
No. He clenched his jaw. That wasn’t it.
Renn had pride, yes—but he wasn’t blinded by it. He knew what he was capable of.
And more importantly… he knew what he wasn’t.
Even setting Michael aside, he couldn’t beat Uga.
The boy had fought with nothing but his fists—and yet those fists could crush boulders. Renn had tricks, skill… but against overwhelming strength, tricks only lasted so long.
He remembered how Uga’s punch shattered the arena tiles. How Michael stood amidst such a monster and beat it.
Compared to them, he was only so strong. But such strength wasn’t enough.
Not here.
Not now.
Renn’s fingers twitched at his sides. He stared at the stone floor, the weight of everything finally dragging his shoulders down. What was he even clinging to?
Stubborn pride?
Empty resolve?
He looked up at Verren once more.
The old knight stood there, calm, waiting. Not pushing. Not begging. Just waiting—like a mountain giving him the choice to climb or walk away.
Renn exhaled slowly.
Compared to fighting a losing battle…
It was better to follow the mountain.
Even if he had no interest in becoming anyone’s disciple before—after seeing Verren summon that glowing energy, that same resonance he once thought was his alone…
How could he not want to learn?
He wanted that power. That understanding.
More than that—he wanted to protect the title once it was his. And a title meant nothing without strength behind it.
Without another word, Renn dropped to one knee.
It wasn’t dramatic.
It wasn’t grand.
But it was real.
The moment his knee touched the ground, his voice followed—low, resolute.
“…Master.”
Verren didn’t react immediately.
Then he stepped forward.
And placed a hand on Renn’s shoulder.
“Well said,” the Grand Knight murmured.
“There’s much to learn. But you’ve taken the first step.”
Renn didn’t look up.
But for the first time in what felt like days, the storm in his chest quieted.
He’d made his decision.
And now—he would see where it led.
At the same time, a spark lit up in the young swordsman.
For some reason, Renn felt the future was brighter.
He was still kneeling, the weight of his vow still fresh, when the heavy doors to the waiting room creaked open.
Two familiar looking officials in deep blue robes stepped in—a middle-aged man with sharp features and a scroll tucked under one arm, and a woman beside him, her posture straight and precise.
Their expressions were weary and spent.
No one truly knew how much they had endured within the barrier chamber—how tightly they held on to prevent the chaos from spilling into the arena and causing mass casualties.
If it had only been commoners, perhaps they wouldn’t have pushed themselves so hard. But unfortunately, scattered among the audience were nobles—people whose backgrounds demanded caution. Individuals whose deaths would carry consequences far beyond them.
They couldn’t afford to relax.
Their eyes landed on the scene before them.
A boy kneeling.
An old man standing over him, hand on his shoulder.
Recognition hit them like a bolt of lightning.
Their gazes shifted from Renn to Verren. And just like that, their expressions snapped into something completely different.
Respect.
Reverence.
Fear.
Both immediately lowered their heads.
“Sir Verren,” the woman said, voice calm but tight with tension. “We didn’t realize—”
“You don’t need to,” Verren said, cutting her off gently. He removed his hand from Renn’s shoulder and gestured for the boy to rise.
“Stand, Renn.”
Renn obeyed, quickly pushing himself to his feet. His legs felt a bit shaky, but it wasn’t from fear. It was awe.
The way those officials reacted… as if the mere presence of his new master was enough to make authority crumble.
Verren turned back to the blue-robed pair. “You may carry on with your business. I’ll be taking my disciple with me now.”
There was no room for negotiation in his voice.
The officials didn’t even glance at Renn. They kept their heads down and stepped aside with silent compliance.
With that, Verren placed a hand behind his back and strode forward, his cloak brushing lightly across the floor.
Renn followed.
And as he stepped out of the waiting room behind the Grand Knight, he couldn’t help but glance back once.
The room that once held his anxiety, his doubts, his ambition…
Now left behind.
His eyes turned forward again.
A new path was beginning.
And the man walking ahead of him wasn’t just powerful—he was majestic.
Everything about Verren felt larger than life.
Even the mana in the air felt calmer when he passed.
Renn didn’t speak.
He simply walked.
Eyes wide. Mind racing.
Because somewhere deep inside him, he knew—
this decision would change everything.
The two officials, still bowed, slowly lifted their heads—only slightly—long enough to exchange a glance.
Suspicion flickered in their eyes.
They were not simple servants. Each held considerable authority within the kingdom’s bureaucratic structure. People like them were not easily impressed.
Yet… they had just walked in on a Grand Knight of the LionHeart Kingdom standing beside a kneeling boy—Renn.
And Verren had called that boy disciple.
Their eyes met again. One furrowed his brow in thought. The other arched a brow in disbelief.
“That boy… Renn Noah, right?” the man whispered softly to his colleague.
The woman gave the faintest nod. “Yes. He defeated Prince Rui.”
“For someone who could do that, maybe… this makes sense,” the man muttered, almost to himself. “He must’ve had someone behind him all along.”
The woman’s lips tightened.
Neither of them spoke further.
They didn’t need to.
Some things didn’t require debate—especially when standing in the presence of a man who could shake the kingdom by walking into a room.
Unparalleled Under The Heavens