****(POV)
I'm sitting on a plain boulder by the roadside.
For so reason, I am feeling lancholic. I am thinking of ho. I never had that issue while I was busy training.
It has been two months since I last saw my parents. I still rember the look of disbelief on my mother's face haha.
She had brought pies for the whole gang. She kept alternating her gaze between each beast king that was devouring her cooking, seemingly wondering how co these monsters were so friendly.
For once, she lost her cool. She was always the headstrong lady that nothing could phase, but the shock was too big. Back then she had broken into tears running hugging : "You're alright! I'm so glad! I believed but."
Then she seed to think of sothing: "Wait! If you were in this forest this whole ti, why didn't you visit ?!"
I could only embarrassedly reply that I was so focused on swordsmanship that ti had sohow gone by without noticing. It had been years in fact. What made realize the passage of ti was my father venturing deeper into the forest. He had ant to ask the shadow fox about , how surprised he was when he found instead!
Still, seeing my stern mother cry I could only pat her back: "It's going to be okay, mom. Don't worry."
"Wait, that man said he is your disciple, right?! Who is he? Is he a mber of your sect?"
"One question at a ti mom haha. His status is peculiar. For now, he is an ally. He's managed to find following the recomndation of the Sectmaster and yes, I am teaching him the sword."
In the back I could hear my father: "That's my son! Starting his own swordsmanship school!"
"Y-you! If you knew he was here, why didn't you tell ?!"
"Calm down mom, he just learned of it haha. I truly was busy training."
Then she kept sighing, smiling, and finally laughing. That feast was truly amazing. I did recount to them my training experiences. My father kept nodding seriously with my mother exclaiming so perfunctory "Oh!" "Ah!" "I see!" but not following haha.
But then we left, and Iron Claymore. At first, he wanted to use his real na, but it sucked so I told him not to. I'm sure the Sectmaster would have agreed.
The farewells were emotional. For all of us. Sohow these beast kings beca family to , to us even. We would always be training together, and we shared the sa philosophy. Which philosophy, you ask? Well, the Sectmaster's one.
One where we do not care about the war at all and just go about our business. Fix yourself a goal and accomplish it, no matter what. Even if it takes an eternity, that is fine too. As much as they tried showing a strong front, they were clearly tearing up as we left haha. The fox especially was saying that he wouldn't miss usbut his tail was betraying him.
We left in order for to pursue my dream: to beco the top swordsn of the continent. My disciple ca along in order to train. His own goal is to be able to last a few minutes against when I'm serious.
Funny how, as we left, my father wanted to give his sword. The one that had accompanied him for a long ti. I simply smiled and told him to keep it safe. That he would need it more than . Rembering what I had shown him, he awkwardly laughed. Still, I appreciated the gesture.
They all had their ways to show their love. I wouldn't look down on them for trying. Actually, we aren't supposed to ever look down on people. Treat others fairly or sothing
"Where is that dumb kid!" A voice interrupts my reminiscing. "I was so damn surprised when I heard such a young man was challenging ! I have been on the ranking list for years already!"
There he is. The man is a low Rank-4 swordsman. Honestly, the only reason I even challenged him was that I heard him brag about being invincible by chance. I will be magnanimous and teach him that he should stop sitting on his ass celebrating his past glory.
It's fine to be proud, but it's sothing else to beco overconfident and arrogant. Then again, the line is often thin between the two. It is a matter of perspective. The ignorant cannot be blad for what he doesn't know.
Sa as the one that knows more shouldn't assu that everyone shares his knowledge. This is why I won't take offense to his coarse language. From his point of view, a young man challenging him is a loss of face.
Is there anything more ridiculous than being afraid of losing face? Haha
This is not sothing that a swordsman should ever consider. Surviving and protecting is all that matters. This is sothing the Sectmaster has taught .
"Hey there. Glad you found the place."
"*Scoff* It wasn't that hard! Now, I'm warning you I don't want no kid's blood on my hands. I'm the rank 4 sword emperor of the Amazing Slashing School of Doom! How dare you challenge !? I'm in the two digits of the swordsman ranking!"
"Don't worry about that. I challenged you knowingly."
"You did?! Fine, let's do this." He unsheathes his sword. "Where is your weapon?!"
"There is no need for one. Alright, I'll give you the first 10 moves."
"You! Fine, let's see you be cocky after this!"
I can see clearly where he is aiming. Shoulder, is it?
*Slash! *
He doesn't seem to be trying to kill . I simply use my hand to push the sword away. His face changes. He looks horrified at .
*Slash! *
Once more I simply parry it easily. This technique is a mix of the defensive technique my disciple once showed and the clever use of sword will.
Honestly, at this point, the hardest is to not break his sword before the tenth move.
*Slash*
"What are you?!"
*Slash*
"How the Hell can you, *huffing and puffing* Do that!?"
"It's simple really, I trained."
"There is no way that simple training can ever give you so much power! What sorcery is this?!"
"Sorcery? No, it's simply sword will."
"Impossible! This is sword will!"
He creates knives out of his energy that he throws out right at before slashing again. Is he trying to pressure ? Whatever.
*Slap*
The blades disappear and I calmly smile at him.
*Slash*
"Why!"
*Slash*
"Is."
*Slash*
"It!"
*Slash*
"Failing!"
*Slash*
"Goddamnit!"
"It's been 10 moves." On that note, I shatter his sword.
The man starts crying. Sothing about the world being unfair. Sothing about how my very existence is nonsensical. Sothing about his prized sword. I can't help but chuckle.
"Let tell you a story"
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