Chapter 4. Training Begins
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"Why are you covered in injuries?!"
Hestia glared disapprovingly at the battered and bruised Bell, her hands on her hips.
"I'm sorry," Bell meekly lowered his head, but the movement caused him to wince as pain shot through the wounds on his neck.
"Hmm..."
For a moment, Hestia's eyes filled with tears.
No! She had to scold Bell properly, make sure he learned his lesson this time. Otherwise, he would just...
"Uwaaah!" Unable to control her emotions, Hestia hugged Bell tightly and began to sob. "You're my only family!"
"Goddess..." Bell's eyes welled up with tears as he embraced Hestia.
"You really are a fool," Cyd sighed softly from where he stood leaning against a wall. "But this is it—something heavy to bear."
"Thank you."
After crying, Bell was made to kneel as punishment, while Hestia formally bowed to Cyd.
"Thank you for taking care of Bell."
"It's nothing. Bell is my student, so as his teacher, I'm just doing what's expected," Cyd shrugged.
"Teacher?" Hestia tilted her head in confusion.
"Um... Goddess, I've become Cyd's student," Bell timidly raised his hand.
"Eh! Is that really okay? Teaching what you know to someone from another familia!" Hestia's eyes widened in surprise.
"A teacher doesn't care who their students are," Cyd said with a warm smile. "Because that's how my teacher taught me."
"You... really are a good child!" Hestia pouted with a hint of envy. "I'm so jealous of the god who has you as their child."
It seemed like she had misunderstood something. Oh well, explaining it would be too troublesome.
"Anyway, leave Bell to me," Cyd said as he walked over to Bell and helped him up. "To prevent this from happening again, Bell, you're going to be pushed to your limits."
"Eh?" Bell's eyes widened in shock.
"Yes, please take care of him!" Hestia gritted her teeth and reluctantly nodded.
She didn't want Bell to be pushed so hard, but she was scared—scared that something like this would happen again, so...
"Please make sure to push Bell to his absolute limits!"
"Eh, eh, eh!"
And so, the hero's journey of the pure white child who dreamed of becoming a hero began.
"Bang—"
Cyd dropped a box of healing potions on the ground.
"Teacher? What is this..." Bell asked, his mouth twitching.
"Healing potions," Cyd casually picked up a bottle and shook it. "Though the magic stones you fought yesterday were small, there were quite a few of them. Plus, I had some savings from Hest... cough, cough... Anyway, I exchanged them for a good amount of gold."
"And... it all turned into potions?!" Bell looked distressed. "Teacher! I still haven't bought armor or weapons! There's no way I'll need this many healing potions!"
Cyd blinked.
"You'll need them."
For some reason, Bell felt a sense of impending danger.
"Listen up, Bell. To learn the self-defense techniques I've mastered, you'll have to endure a lot of hardship," Cyd's expression turned serious. "I don't want you to die in the Dungeon, so I won't hold back, no matter how pitiful you might seem!"
"I won't!" Bell took a deep breath and puffed out his chest.
"Good, that's what I wanted to hear. The quickest way to learn is through battle," Cyd stepped back and got into a stance. "Come on, Bell. Watch my movements closely with everything you've got, and make them yours!"
"Yes, sir!"
Three minutes later.
Bell was rolling on the ground, clutching his arm in pain.
Just as Cyd had said, he hadn't held back at all, dismantling all of Bell's attacks and striking with precision.
In just a moment, Bell's arm had been dislocated.
The sharp pain brought tears to Bell's eyes, but he bit his lip hard to keep from crying out, even when his lip started to bleed. He had had enough of being weak.
Cyd silently picked up a healing potion and poured it over Bell.
As a soft light enveloped him, Bell's injuries began to heal.
Looking at Bell, who was gasping for breath as he lay on the ground, Cyd clenched his fist.
"Bell... this is the price of being a hero. You must overcome it!"
"I understand!" Bell said, clutching his arm as he stood up. "Teacher, I'll work hard!"
"Then let's continue," Cyd tossed the empty bottle aside and grabbed a new potion from the box.
"Teacher..." Bell hesitated, looking at Cyd.
"Hm?" Cyd tilted his head.
"I just get the feeling that you're really experienced with this," Bell swallowed nervously.
"I've done it before," Cyd replied nonchalantly, tossing the potion in his hand. "To tame a pair of bulls, I beat them within an inch of their lives and then healed them back up. When the potions were gone, they were obedient."
Bell glanced at the box at Cyd's feet. There were still plenty of potions left...
So this was how many times he would have to "die" today?
"I'll do my best!"
Bell steeled himself and charged at Cyd.
The night was still young, and there were many potions left. Bell was destined to "die" many more times.
"You'll become a great hero," Cyd smiled as he watched Bell charge at him.
A woman in a high tower gazed into the distance through a window.
"What kind of soul is that?"
A once pure white soul now bore thirteen marks of different colors, each intertwining on the soul as if staking their claim. While these marks made the soul shine brilliantly, they also obscured its essence.
"I want to imprint my color on it," the woman licked her lips.
Although she wanted to strip away those annoying lights to fully appreciate the pure soul, she was even more eager to leave her mark on it like the others.
"It's simply... marvelous..."
The woman bit her finger as she leaned against the glass, her long legs intertwining as she stared dreamily into the distance.
"Eek!"
Cyd suddenly felt a chill, instinctively dodging Bell's straight punch.
"I did it! I've improved!" Bell exclaimed with wide eyes.
After enduring countless beatings, with his bones broken and muscles bruised numerous times, Bell had finally managed to avoid being taken down by Cyd for the first time!
Cyd grabbed Bell by the collar and tossed him aside.
Okay, maybe it was just an illusion!
"I'll do my best!" Bell struggled to crawl to the box, grabbing one of the precious healing potions he would normally be reluctant to use and pouring it over his head.
As the soft light enveloped him, Bell was once again full of energy.
Cyd shook his head, trying to rid himself of the lingering chill, but for some reason... it only grew stronger.
Oh well, it was better to focus on training the little guy in front of him.
"Bell, I'm going to start attacking now. Remember, you have to dodge!"
"Wait, Teacher, hold on! Waaah!"
In the end, Bell, with his eyes rolled back and foaming at the mouth, was carried back home by Cyd.