CH18: Elite Training Camp

***

CH18: Elite Training Camp

I pretended not to notice the conversation going on between the couple.

I instead stared at Zora.

The shy girl hid behind her brother once more.

If what I inferred from Rowland's story was correct, then Zora was three months younger than me.

I guessed Jarrett to be about eighteen years old, meaning he had undergone the second awakening.

This fact was very important for my plan.

I suddenly frowned as I looked at the children.

I walked closer to Zora.

"Don't come closer." Understandably, Jarrett, the siscon, blocked my path.

I treated him like air.

"You..." I said to Zora. "Why are you behaving like sheep?"

The question caught both siblings off-guard, even the three adults looked at us.

I continued.

"I heard both my parents died and I lost my chance to ever wield mana because of you. Then, you should be someone valuable, right? So why are you behaving like a weakling. What is your value?"

"How dare you?" Jarrett shouted.

"Am I wrong?" I looked him in the eye.

"It's your parents job to protect my family." Ingrid said to me.

"I agree. It was their duty." I nodded as if I just heard a common fact like 'the sky is blue'.

Ingrid became tongue-tied while Rowland watched on with interest. He knew my nature by now and could tell I wasn't acting on emotion. At least, not something as useless as rage.

The Butler acted like a shadow and merely watched the show with detached intrigue.

"However, even if it is their duty, as their son, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth when the cub they sacrificed their life for is acting like a sheep when it has the potential to be a predator." I continued.

I turned back to Zora.

"Have you started your training?"

"Yes..." She unconsciously answered.

"And no one has removed that sheep's clothing you're wearing."

She looked at me with confusion in her eyes.

"I see," I nodded. I turned back to Rowland. "Give her to me." I said while pointing to Zora.

"Stop ignoring me. How dare you covet my sister?"

"It's within my right." I replied. "I lost my parents and my ability to wield mana so that she could live. I will not allow her to become Sheep!"

"You useless brat, how dare you insult my daughter? It was your parent's honour to-" Before Ingrid could continue speaking, a strong presence locked her in place.

"Do you intend to insult my guest? Or the souls of my fallen friends? For your sake, you better keep your mouth shut!" Rowland said. "The matter of children shall be settled by them."

Poor Jarrett took that as an order from his father to challenge me.

"You keep saying my sister is sheep. Does that mean you believe you're a wolf?" He said.

"A wolf?" I shook my head.

Jarrett smiled.

However, before he could say something, I continued.

"Don't insult me. I was born a Lion King. I am Leo, the son of Lord Xander, the Lionheart!"

I cringed a bit.

However, it was necessary.

My words exuded a sense of pride beyond my age. A pride so strong that Jarrett was frozen in place while the adults looked at me with admiration and respect. Even Ingrid, although begrudgingly so.

Jarrett managed to recover himself.

He gritted his teeth.

"Alright, Lion King. Do you dare spar with me?"

"A spar? No." I shook my head again. "Sparring is for children. Let's fight."

"Do you understand what you're saying? You want to fight me? You, who can't use mana, wants to fight me?"

"Even without fangs, a Lion will always remain King. Mana is not the only way to fight."

"You asked for it." Jarrett turned to Rowland. "Father, can we fight at the training ring?"

"Are you sure?" Rowland asked.

"Yes, father."

"Very well." Rowland nodded. "Jarrett, you have received the best training our Guild has to offer. Show him the level of our Guild."

"Yes, father!" Jarrett shouted excitedly.

The boy was too green. He didn't notice his father's underlying message.

Oh well, it helped my plan, so who am I to complain.

*

We moved to the Guild's training area on the estate.

I saw some teenagers striking with wooden weapons while trying to enhance their strikes by channelling the little mana they had in their bodies.

Their techniques were so appalling that I couldn't bare looking any longer. A scowl found its way to my face.

A group of middle-aged men met us when we arrived.

"Guildmaster, you're here." The oldest of the bunch, at least appearance-wise, a bulky, grey haired man greeted Rowland.

"These two children want to use the ring." Rowland said.

The man looked at me. He frowned.

"He looks familiar..."

"Of course he does. He's Lionheart's cub."

A wide smile made its way to the man's lips.

"You've finally come, boy." He patted my shoulder. His strikes were a little heavy but they weren't anything I couldn't handle.

A glint flashed in the man's eyes. He gave Rowland a knowing smile.

I realised he was testing me.

"Looks like he inherited something from his father."

"Let them get on the stage. I'm sure they're dying to get this over with."

*

The central ring was soon cleared for us.

"The rules are simple. The first person to incapacitate or make the opponent surrender wins." Rowland said.

"Anything goes?" Jarret asked.

"Yes. Anything goes."

Jarrett turned back to me.

"Don't worry. I won't bully you too much. You're just the same age as my sister. I'll only use a wooden weapon to fight you."

I heard faint murmurs from the people on the grounds.

I was almost the same height with Jarrett, so I'm sure many people assumed I was the same age as him.

Hearing I was the same age as Zora came as a surprise to them.

Then came the question of why this fight was happening, and why it was a fight and not a spar.

"I'd advise you to use all your strength; mana, Pangea and all. I don't want any excuses when you lose."

"How can I lose to someone who can't even use mana? A wooden spear is enough."

Another murmur sounded around the grounds.

"He can't use mana?" I heard the grey haired man's voice.

"Amelia was poisoned with Mana-stealing poison when he was in her womb. The poison transferred over to him." Rowland said.

The man and the other middle-aged men who seemed to know my father looked at me with pity.

"Then, why are you allowing them to fight? This difference is clear."

"Is that so?" Rowland smiled mysteriously. "Keep watching. You'll see."

I wondered why Rowland was acting like this. He seemed more like my father than Jarrett's.

"Whether I can use mana or not shouldn't be your concern." I said. "Very well. I don't want to hear you whining when you lose, so I'll give you an advantage."

I turned to Zola who was beside her father.

"I'll give your brother an handicap by only using one arm to fight him. So, decide. Which arm should I use? My left or my right?"

Everyone was taken aback by my words, none the least the girl in question.

Her shyness didn't allow her to respond verbally, however, her eyes told me all I needed.

I turned back to Jarrett who was gritting his teeth in anger.

"Your sister is smart. She chose my left. Indeed, most people are right-handed. Restricting me to my left hand would give you and advantage." I smiled. "I knew I saw the predator in her."

The smile vanished and I assumed a stoic expression.

"Come! Show me if you're Predator or Sheep!"

*

Jarrett attacked me with a downward swipe of his wooden spear.

I sidestepped and dodged it easily.

He transitioned into a sideways swipe. I managed to back-step to evade it.

He launched a flurry of swipes which I continued to narrowly dodge. My stoic expression morphed into an annoyed smile.

'I've seen enough.' I thought disappointedly.

A downward swipe came upon me, which I parried to the left with my left hand, before using the moment to send a palm into Jarrett's exposed side.

The palm sent him a few feet back as the strike knocked some wind from his lungs.

I could've ended the fight if I hadn't reduced the force behind my strike at that moment. My full powered strike would've broken some of his ribs.

"Are you an idiot? Who taught you to use a spear like a sword? Do you have a death wish or something?" I couldn't help scolding in an annoyed tone.

Then, I recalled the training I saw the recruits doing before.

I realised most of them were using a sword.

"Don't tell me you trained with a sword, only to end up awakening a spear-type Pangea." I looked incredulously at Rowland.

He nodded to confirm my deduction.

My gaze turned to Jarrett who just managed to recover from my palm strike.

I picked up the wooden spear he dropped in annoyance.

"Listen well. A spear is different from a sword. The main attack of a spear is a thrust. Unless you have no option, you should always use a thrust with your spear."

Jarrett looked at me stunned as I lectured with a stern expression.

I realised the kid wasn't listening to anything I said.

"Summon your Pangea." I unconsciously said in a commanding tone.

The boy summoned his Pangea Spear without realising it.

The Spear looked like a simple Iron Spear. It was plain without any decorations.

It would've been overlooked as something ordinary if it weren't for the Silver glow it released when it was summoned, indicating the Spear was in fact an A-rank Pangea.

"Now attack me, but only with a thrust." I ordered.

From then on, the fight turned into a teaching class.

I showed Jarrett how to use a spear by fixing his attacks as we 'fought'.

Even the audience were swept in by my pace as I schooled the late teen.

Eventually, Rowland coughed and ended the fight.

"I believe the winner is clear." He said.

"I felt like I saw Vice Guild leader Xander there for a moment. He's truly his son."

"I want to make him a Guild instructor. I believe we've all seen a glimpse of his ability."

Although they could tell I had many things I could teach the recruits, not many of the current instructors agreed with Rowland.

They came up with many good sounding reasons to oppose the decision including my age and lack of mana.

I realised Rowland was considering revealing a secret that would shut all of them up.

The fact that I had the guts to fight him, a Champion.

That would earn me a level of respect that the instructor's complaints would become irrelevant.

As high as that prestige would be, I had no interest in it.

It would draw too much attention to me, something I didn't want. So, I quickly cut in.

"I have no interest in teaching anyone aside her. Your recruits are already set in their ways. She is a blank surface I can mould into a worthy predator. She is the only one I want."

I ignored the rich looks the adults were giving me and said to Zora.

"This is the world of the strong. You can only hide behind your brother and father for so long. You'll need to stand on your own two feet. I can teach you how to do so."

"Why...?" She muttered in a low voice.

"What? I didn't hear you." I heard what she said but pretended not to.

"Why are you coming after me? Why me?" She said.

"I told you. My parents died protecting you. I can't use mana because my mother was poison protecting yours while you were in her womb. I, a Lion king, was robbed of my fangs before I was even born. If I had my mana, I would surely be the greatest Hunter in the world. However, that is impossible now." I looked the girl in the eye while ignoring the jeers at my bodacious claims. "I can see the lioness in you. You have the potential to be strong. You can become stronger than your father. With my help, you can become the strongest in the world. The world may have robbed me of my place at the Apex, however, you as my student can reach that position."

I stretched out my hand.

"All you need to do is take my hand."

Everyone stared at my hand as they waited for Zora to make the biggest decision of her life.

Rowland had held Ingrid down, preventing his wife from uttering a word to influence her decision.

The girl looked me in the eyes.

Although I was only three months older than her, I towered over her the same way her brother did.

She looked between my face and outstretched hand a couple of times before she finally made her decision.

She took my hand.

"You've made a smart choice."

I turned to Rowland.

"My request. I need a private area built to my specification. No one, no matter who they are, is to enter without my express permission, not even you... sir."

"That can be arranged." Rowland nodded. "Walk with me."

I followed behind Rowland, leaving behind the stunned crowd at the training area.

*

We arrived at Rowland's Guildmaster Office a stone's throw away from the training area.

"Well played, boy." Rowland said as we took a seat. "With Zora as your student, Ingrid wouldn't act against you."

I pretended not to understand what he was saying.

Both of us silently decided to behave as if the matter never happened.

"Did you mean what you said or were you lying to her?"

"Zora has more potential than her brother. She only needs to lose her shyness. Add that to my tailored training, she will definitely reach the Apex... as long as nothing happens to her."

Rowland nodded.

The world of Arun was a dangerous one. Many geniuses died everyday.

"Aside the space you asked for, is there anything else you'll need?"

"Food. Lots of it. Especially meat and milk. From a higher rank creature as possible. I want to build her foundation before her second awakening five months from now."

"Alright. I'll see what I can do. Let me know if there's anything else you'll need."

I nodded.

"What about your second awakening?"

"What about it?"

"It's in two months, right? Where do you want to do it? In your private area or at the Guild's awakening hall?"

"I don't have mana so I'll definitely not awaken a Pangea. I don't want to disgrace myself. I'll go through the motions in my private space."

"I understand."

"I want to take my leave. I still have to arrange my luggage."

"A maid will take you to your room."

"Thank you, sir." I headed for the door.

Just as I reached it, Rowland asked,

"You won't consider the instructor job? It's a good way to make a living based on your ability."

"No, I have another profession in mind." I shook my head. "Besides, as I said, your recruits are set in their ways. They won't listen to what I have to teach them."

I thought about it, then said,

"Maybe I'll look at them and select a few of them. Zora will need a team. She can't reach the top alone. I might as well train them all from the beginning."

"How many do you need?"

"A team of six should be good enough."

"I'll grant you the permission to move five new, untouched recruits to your camp as long as you can convince them to join."

I nodded.

Finally, I left the office.

This was how I secured my place in the DoomMane Guild.

My special camp would later be known as the Guild's Elite Camp as all its graduates would go on to become strong members of the Guild.

And I, the Camp instructor, would earn a high prestige within the Guild even though I didn't have mana.

(To be continued...)