Rin dragged his feet into the room, as if he had just fought a dragon without breath, or at least, a skyscraper made of muscles. His hair strands stuck to his forehead from heavy sweat, his clothes torn in places, and his eyes screamed one word: "Enough!"
Rin (hoarse groan): "Finally... that deadly training is over... I feel like I need a vacation lasting a thousand years."
As he approached the couch, his steps suddenly halted when he saw an unusual sight: a small child sitting calmly at the table, as if the world meant nothing to him.
Rin (raising an eyebrow, dull voice): "Oh? Hello, Ryo."
Ryo (waving his hand sarcastically): "Why are you the only one not shocked by my appearance?"
Rin (weary smile): "Hey, Ryo, forgot I've seen your true form before?"
Ryo (laughing, shaking his head): "Ah... sometimes I forget I'm exposed to some people."
But the brief peace didn't last long, as Illyria slowly stirred in her seat, like awakening from a long nightmare. She looked at Ryo, then Rin, then back at Ryo, her eyes widening every moment.
Illyria (hoarse voice): "This... this is Ryo?! This child... is the kingdom's hope?!"
Ryo (calm and childlike pride): "Yes. Ryo... Hero of the Fire Kingdom, in a tiny, adorable form."
Illyria (standing abruptly, stern): "We'll see about that... now!"
No sooner had she spoken than she grabbed his hand and dragged him behind her to the battlefield, without giving him time to even grab a single candy.
---
At the battlefield...
The air was charged, silence enveloped the place, except for some guards and elite spectators. In the middle stood little Ryo, while from the opposite side, a huge man entered, his size nearly swallowing his shadow. His aura was like a silent roar.
Illyria (firm voice): "If you truly are Ryo... prove it."
Opponent (laughing mockingly): "Fighting... a child?! Is this some kind of circus act?"
Ryo (coldly): "Rest assured... this act will haunt your nightmares."
Opponent: "W-What did you—Huh?!"
His words cut off as his feet moved against his will. First a step... then a jump... then he spun screaming before starting a hysterical dance.
Crowd (astonished): "What... is happening here?!"
Ryo waved his finger in the air as if playing an invisible violin string, and the man's body danced like a puppet controlled by unseen strings.
Ryo (mocking, winking at the crowd): "A little hop here... some ballet there... Oh! Ballet moves? Why not!"
Opponent (screaming): "Stop! Please! I... I hate ballet!!"
Ryo (wide grin): "But you dance like a star at the Moon Festival."
Rin burst into laughter, while Illyria opened her mouth in shock, trying to understand how a child could control a skilled warrior's body like a wooden doll.
Within a minute, the opponent collapsed to the ground, exhausted and defeated—not from fighting, but from forced dancing.
Ryo (proud smile): "I think... I proved myself."
Suddenly he collapsed and fainted in the middle of the arena.
Rin (running to him): "Ryo!!"
Illyria (whispering): "He controlled the body and environment... at this age? Impossible..."
---
Four hours later...
Ryo slowly opened his eyes, lying in his bed.
Ryo: "How long did I sleep? And why did I faint?"
System (calm voice): "Four hours. I told you... your small body can't handle powerful skills. By the way, during your nap, Illyria sent a spy to monitor you."
Ryo (surprised): "Oh? That's exciting!"
---
In the great dining hall...
A giant table adorned with the finest foods from at least five continents. Ryo sat between Rin and Yue, devouring food as if his life depended on it.
Rin (watching piles disappear): "Are you going to eat all of that by yourself?"
Ryo (mouth full): "I'm not going to... I am."
Yue (laughing): "Who would've thought a body this size has a black hole for a stomach?!"
Guard (whispering sarcastically): "Is that a child... or a hungry hurricane?!"
Servant (astonished): "Five dishes in ten minutes... did he swallow them or did they evaporate?!"
Suddenly, Illyria entered the hall carrying a small plate with a candy covered in gold.
Illyria (smiling): "Good, I kept this candy specially for the—"
Whoosh!
In less than a second, the candy vanished from the plate... and the plate looked as if it never had anything.
Illyria (astonished): "Huh? Where's the candy?!"
Yue (pointing at Ryo with a sigh): "Want an answer? Look at the culprit..."
Illyria (narrowing eyes): "...Ryo."
Ryo (innocent smile): "Was... delicious?"
Illyria (smiling kindly then lightly hitting him): "That was for kings only!!"
Ryo (whispering): "Maybe I should tell her I'm... a prince too?"
Illyria (freezing suddenly): "Huh? What did you say?"
Ryo (stammering, sweating): "I'm... a prince? From a very far kingdom?"
Rin and Yue (looking at each other amazed): "A prince?!"
Illyria (staring at him): "A prince?"
Ryo (trying to swallow slowly): "...Technically?"
---
Illyria (approaching Ryo slowly, her expression a strange mix of curiosity and threat):
"A prince...? From which kingdom exactly? The Candy Kingdom? The Hunger Kingdom? Or the Kingdom of Eating the Uneatable?"
Ryo (raising a finger as if about to give a royal speech, but his voice trembling and clearly lying):
"I'm... Ryo, Prince of the Fire Kingdom, Lord of the Celestial Flames, Master of the Eternal Blaze, and—"
Illyria (interrupting, waving a wooden spoon she took from a servant and lightly hitting his face):
"And thief of the royal candy!"
Ryo (leaning back as if hit by a death ray):
"I didn't know it was royal! I swear I saw it... shining! And... it seemed to whisper to me!"
Rin (trying to hold back laughter but failing):
"It whispered to you? Now candies talk?"
Yue (wiping tears of laughter):
"Imagine Ryo going to battle and the enemy throws chocolate at him... the end is known."
Ryo (closing eyes tiredly):
"No one understands royal suffering..."
---
After dinner, in a quiet corner of the palace, under soft moonlight...
Ryo sat on the window sill, gazing at the sky, munching on a piece of bread like a little philosopher suffering an identity crisis.
Ryo (inner voice): "I feel like I'm not taken seriously... Is it because I'm small? Or because I eat too fast?"
The system voice suddenly appeared in his head, calm but sarcastic:
System: "Maybe because you made a grown man do a penguin dance in the middle of the arena in front of witnesses."
Ryo: "...That was a classy dance."
System: "And a classy ending when you fell on your face like a potato."
Ryo (puffing his cheek): "I'll prove to everyone that I'm not just a kid... but a force to be reckoned with!"
---
The next day, 6 AM...
Rin woke to loud knocking on his door.
Rin (rubbing his eyes): "Who's this madman?"
He opened the door... to find Ryo standing before him, wearing a red cloak three times his size, holding a wooden staff painted with a dragon's face.
Ryo (deep fake voice): "Rise, my comrade... The time for royal training has come."
Rin (staring blankly): "...Are you okay?"
Ryo (pointing to the sky): "The sun hasn't risen yet... It's the perfect time to tame the dragon spirit inside me!"
Rin: "Did you eat expired candy?"
Ryo (raising his fist): "No! I ate the will of kings!"
---
At the training ground, five minutes later...
Ryo (struggling to lift a huge stone, his face tomato-red):
"Heh... just... a little more focus!"
Rin (sipping tea, sitting in the shade): "Want some help?"
Ryo: "No! This is a test... of honor... of greatness... of my muscles!"
The stone slipped from his hands, almost crushing him.
Yue (entering with a book): "Is this a new type of yoga? Called 'Self-Crush'?"
Ryo (under the stone): "I'm still... training... all under control!"
The stone suddenly lifted... powered by the system.
Ryo (standing victorious, unaware why): "See?! It's the power of will!"
System (dry): "More like the power of AI."
---
At that moment, Illyria appeared from afar, crossing her arms and looking at Ryo with a half-smile.
Illyria: "Despite everything... this kid is strange."
Rin: "Strange? He's a tiny hurricane the size of a handful of rice."
Yue (laughing): "But a hurricane you can't help but love... even if he steals your sweets."
---
To be continued...