I Will Rule

Chapter 7: Coming-of-age ceremony

Guys, there seems to be a misunderstanding here. Lincoln only awakened the memories of his future on the day of the ceremony, meaning that before that he did not know that he would live, and also, no, he does not have two personalities; he only awakened his memories, the memories of his life, in Chapter Four.

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Chapter 7: Coming-of-age ceremony

Lincoln Loud – Age 16 – First Step of the Iron Body Technique

Shelby Loud – Age 14 – Sixth Step of the Iron Body Technique

“Alright then, there’s half a day left before the celebration. I should at least advance to the second step. I don’t really need to, but I can’t let people know I’ve fallen. I could easily progress to the sixth step before the ceremony, but there’s no need for that,” Lincoln muttered as he sat in a special training area within his mansion.

“Hmm,” he mused, closing his eyes in contemplation. Using a unique technique not belonging to his family, he delved into meditation. Despite having forgotten many powerful techniques, he still possessed enough to conquer this simple world.

After a few minutes of focused meditation:

Lincoln Loud – Age 16 – Second Step of the Iron Body Technique

He stood up, feeling the surge of strength course through his veins. “Alright then, Earth is a very weak planet. Even now, the Von Loud family uses an S-level artifact for the coming-of-age ceremony. But that artifact barely reaches the F-level in the broader universe. I will hack this artifact with ease. Since the artifact is an S-level item designed for awakening, it’s controlled by the world’s laws. By hacking this artifact, I will be challenging the laws of this world itself. I won’t be able to control the world entirely, but I will determine if my awakening is complete.”

Leaving the training room, Lincoln headed to the dining hall. There he found Shelby, her face still showing traces of the tears she had shed.

“Lincoln, where have you been?” Shelby asked, her voice trembling with fear. She had been plagued by nightmares of losing Lincoln during the coming-of-age ceremony, and now that the event was upon them, Lincoln’s condition seemed worse than she had imagined.

“Shelby, I have two great pieces of news. First, I’ve recovered and reached the second step of the Iron Body Technique,” Lincoln said with a smile.

“What?” Shelby exclaimed, leaping from her seat and clinging to him like a koala. “Really, really, really!” She was elated, though she knew this level wasn’t enough to fully protect him. Still, it was better than nothing.

“Secondly, I’ve found a powerful weapon. This whip managed to push Rick back with considerable force,” Lincoln added.

“But isn’t Rick at the seventh step? I thought I was the only one among your peers who could fight him,” Shelby said, rightly confused.

Despite being only 14 years old, Shelby had surpassed Lincoln’s peers in strength. Though she was at the sixth step, she could fight someone at the seventh step, bridging the massive gap between the middle and high tiers.

“Yes, something like that. This whip will increase my chances of survival,” Lincoln said, thinking to himself, 'Not that the coming-of-age ceremony involves any real fighting. I don’t need any of these things at all.'

“That’s perfect!” Shelby cheered, but her expression quickly turned somber. “Lincoln, please, please come back alive!” She pleaded, her voice tinged with sorrow.

“Don’t worry about me, Shelby. Everything will be better than okay,” Lincoln assured her.

“I hope so,” Shelby replied, her voice soft with hope.