Punishment

Amos' Assistant was now a monster. With big pink gums, small sharp teeth, blue skin with black poisonous spikes, red eyes that rolled up showing his white eyeballs, he also had black metal armor and he was accompanied by his minions.

Amos didn't even say anything, he sensed danger, so he started to run, but the beast was gaining on him!

His legs were tapping out and they felt numb, but Amos ignored the pain.

If I die here, do I really die for real? Where the freak am I anyway? He kept running. Did I piss off blue face? Oh, no time to think, I can smell him some centimetres away.

Amos didn't know how, but he smelt fresh blood as if it were right under his little nose.

And the monster gave off a strange scent — The scent of a pure evil bloodthirsty beast!

He knew he had no chance of conversing with the beast and he knew he had no chance of defeating it either — Especially when he was already dying from exhaustion and painful muscles. He had no chance. This is the reason why he wishes to become stronger.

He wanted to be able to take down the monsters in his way, instead of being annihilated by them. And he wanted to be able to help others, who were facing analogous battles with monsters too. But looking at himself now, he had his doubts — But they were only temporary doubts and not endless halts.

The doubts would never stop him from striving even if they turned into failures. He would just keep getting back up.

As Amos ran, he then heard something approaching him and when he had glimpsed behind, the spike shot by the beast impaled this lower back and through his abdominal area.

"Aghhh!" He coughed out blood.

Though he should haven fallen to the ground with an attack like that, he kept jogging while holding his belly. His movements were very sluggish after being impaled by the huge black spike, hence, the beast caught up to him.

"What do you want from me!" screamed Amos, "Why can't you just let me live my life! Why is it so hard for me to live?" He kept jogging, the beast listened.

"I fight every day to survive! Why does it have to be every day! Give me a God damn break!"

Amos was on the brink of crying. His heart was thumping against his boney chest and he heard every single heartbeat. After a horrible life on Earth, Amos expected Archeria to be better.

He fell to the floor and blood kept running down his chin. " It's not only one world that's harsh but also the entire universe, no matter where you go, it will always be the same."

As he closed his eyes, the beast took him up and swallowed him whole.

He then woke up in his room. He breathed heavily and he had a shock expression on his face. The pain was gone, but as he looked down at his shirt, he saw the hole in it but there was no hole in my skin — Only blood and a hole in his shirt remained.

Amos smelt the blood. It was still fresh. And he also picked up Snow's sweet scent in the room.

Was Snow in here? He arose from the bed. I wonder where is she now?

He looked to his right, the hole in the wall was gone, but he smelt the fresh paint on the newly reconstructed part of it.

At least I didn't have to pay to fix it back.

He was famished and the aroma from downstairs called to him. He walked down the corridor and made his way down the spiral staircase to the first floor. A strange woman was cooking. And Xui Zang was taking his usual binge-read.

"Ah! Amos, just the guy I wanted to see, " Xui closed his book.

A man then entered the house accompanied by a younger man.

Xui Zang got up, "May I introduce you to these two fine gentlemen here, " He pointed at them, "The older guy is Lord Denzel, the younger is the great Giant Slayer Rubin."

"Pleasure," said Denzel.

"Mhm, " The younger man formally waved.

Amos walked up to them and shook their hands. "Hey, um, dudes..."

Xui Zang sat back down, "These men were sent by an old friend, to address your power levels."

"My power levels?"

The lady came from the kitchen and gave Amos hot ham, bread with eggs at the side and some coffee to sip on. He sat down on a chair to eat it.

"Yes, your Mana levels."

"And your overall strength," added Denzel.

Denzel was a tall man. For Amos, he looked like he was in his thirty's, he had a strong facial structure, with a neatly cut beard and moustache. He had a very confident posture and he had a very soothing voice as well. He wore formal clothes.

"Okay..." Amos was a bit anxious.

For Amos, the other guy [Rubin], smelt familiar. Rubin didn't say a single word since he had arrived. He, unlike the other gentleman, was wearing armor and had his sword held to his back.

He was a good looking man, with a perfectly arched chin, blue eyes, and an insanely pompous posture — He stood like a hero with his chest up and his head high.

Xui Zang looked at the woman, "Amos, this beautiful lady here, is Suzy." He stood up, "She cooked the breakfast."

Suzy had what looked like a permanent smile. She was a thick woman, with maid apparel. She swept and cleaned the kitchen as they sat down in the main room.

Amos remembered how hungry he was and gave the great smelling food a taste. Upon taking the first bite from the reddish ham, Amos started to eat as if he had never eaten before. He made loud sounds while chewing, which got the attention of all the men in the room.

When Amos had finished eating the food, he looked up and saw the men looking at him as he licked the plate. The men then quickly looked away when they were caught staring at him. Amos was embarrassed.

After a moment of complete silence and the maid had taken Amos' cup and plate to the kitchen, Xui Zang then said, "Shall we begin?"

"Sure, " retorted Denzel.

Xui Zang looked at Amos, "Hmmm...Amos, your clothes should be changed but we have no time for that now. "

"Yeah true, I have to leave soon, " Denzel agreed, "Hello, boy. You're a bit small to have such power, aren't you?"

Amos looked at him, "Mhm"

"I'm Denzel, a Knight. I also run Knight Academy as well as Giant Slayer Academy. Here is my finest student, Rubin. He's also my closest comrade on the team."

Amos couldn't help it, "Sir, Rubin is it? Do I know you from somewhere?"

He didn't say anything. But Denzel looked at him with a strict face and he said, " Yeah, I've slain a giant for you once."

It came back to Amos. Is this the guy? I can't believe that this is him! He's in this house with me once again. "I just knew it! You're the man in black?"

Xui Zang then said, "Yeah, he is, just keep that to your self, okay?"

"Okay."

Denzel then said, "Your mana levels are phenomenal! Therefore, we want you to train hard to be able to come to Wizard or Knight Academy —And when you join, we want you to be in the Black Raven Club, Rubin's Club!"

Amos was excited, this was an opportunity for him to gain the strength he wanted, "Ohh really! That's so cool!"

"You're one strange kid, you know that right?

When I use Observation: Eagle Eye on you, even though you look like a nine-year-old, I see you as a conspicuous teenager! That's strange, isn't it?"

Amos didn't want to tell them his secret. "Yeah, that's odd..."

Rubin then whispered to Denzel, "He was a lot shorter when I've seen him two days ago."

Amos didn't realise how much his little body was growing. In two days, he had already grown over thirty centimetres taller!

Denzel then said, "My old friend, Xui Zang, will guide you through your training. He told me that he gave you an MTS to help you become stronger. You must reach the strength of Level 250 to be able to go to Knight Academy, and Mana Level 500, Strength Level 100 and Speed Level 100 to go to Wizard Academy."

Rubin then walked up to Amos and reached out his hand, "Good luck on your training, I'm looking forward to seeing you again and that would be in Knight, Wizard, Giant Slayer or Warrior Academy." He shook Amos' hand.

Amos looked up at him and said, "Thank you, you would surely see me there!"

The men left.

Amos was now motivated and ready to train hard to work towards his goal of becoming a hero and monster slayer!