"You need to train hard so you would be selected in a handful of people that goes out to mainland for their schooling. And when you go out to mainland to study, you will become stronger and learn about the world soon becoming a member of a noble family one day." Yang proudly tells the whole future tale to Faust while training him.
"Mainland? For what? I don't wanna leave Mindoro and my friends are here." Faust said without even understanding what Yang foretold. His ears only pricked like of rabbit's to the part where he just need to leave Gus and his friends and go to mainland to get strong, that's all he understood he did not catch the rest.
"Haha of course Tim, Roy and Nick have all enlisted in the program. By the time you guys join middle school you will be in the mainland and be studying in the best schools on this world. You just need to get stronger to be selected. I will recommend you to the people who evaluates so you two can go to the mainland with the rest of your friends." Yang chuckles and smiles, because of how innocent and naive Faust is without having a proper planning or strategies.
"Tim, Roy and Nick are going too?" Faust ask as he got lost in thoughts and he's getting more confused.
After his training and daily routines, Faust visits Nick and calls Roy and Tim to gather at Nick's place before hand for the four of them to meet and talk to each other.
"So what is this about middle school in the Mainland?" Faust asks his 3 friends.
"We thought you knew Faust, Grandpa Yang always select some extraordinary people which will be evaluated by the Noble's and if you are worth it, you will be taken to mainland and assigned to military and you will get a higher position in the society. We are working hard towards it." Nick narrates casually to Faust.
"What about you Tim? Are you gonna go there next year itself since you are in higher class than us?" Faust questions to Tim who was silent all this time.
"Oh ye Tim, are you gonna go next year?" Nick too asks Tim with curiosity.
"I was supposed to go last year if I were good, but unfortunately I need to delay one year. They will only take a bunch of kids from our island once every 2-3 years as they have already chosen half a dozen kids last year. I need to wait for two more years, because I couldn't make the cut last time. I think I will go with you guys. And I'm happy about it too." Tim replies with a sense of agony in his tone and grief on his face.
"Is it that hard to get qualified?" Faust takes interest and again places a question before Tim as he tilts his head innocently.
"Not at all, it's just how they evaluate you is different. You will know when you take the evaluation." Tim told Faust as he himself doesn't seem too sure of what will happen.
Faust becomes more enthusiastic with what all his friends had decided.
"Let's go to mainland together, live in a huge mansion together, lets work blood and sweat and finally reach our goals to be the best in whatever we do." Roy leaves everyone with goosebumps with his words.
Faust is delighted with what Roy said, he was already looking forward to work together with everyone, spend time with them more people and reach their destinations together. This was exactly like a fairy tale for Faust which he had been dreaming from a long time.
And just with trainings and making his body rigid with all the hard work while learning martial arts.
*Two years passes by real fast with time*
Faust, now 10 years old has been training hard with his grandpa and Yang to become strong everyday without a break. He himself do feel like he was getting stronger and stronger.
Faust thought he had grown quite sturdy physically and strong in the skills he was being taught with.
*"One more year until I get taken in by Noble's and be treated like a prince because of my power and reach the highest rank in the military and will enjoy my life yaaa"* Faust fantasies to himself while holding a wooden sword with both of his hands not seeming to pay attention to anything else.
*Bam!!~*
"I told you not to space out while in a battle Faust." Gus yells irritated after landing a hard blow on Faust's head with a wooden sword.
"I told you, your body should awoke the animalistic instincts in order to excel in this art. Until you awoke those I will keep smacking you all the time whenever you seem vulnerable." Gus told Faust seriously while teaching him.
"Geez Gramps, can't you teach me in other way, it hurts so much when you hit me with that wooden sword." Faust complains while rubbing his head on the spot Gus hit him on.
"By the way I forgot to ask grandpa, don't we have real swords in our island or brought in from outside? I have been practicing with a wooden sword for too long now." Faust whines to Gus while pointing at his worn out wooden sword innocently, who was no longer pristine.
"We don't have swords in this world Faust, I told you. Swordsman are somehow viewed as a big criminal and swordsmanship is viewed as a curse in the outer world. It's better for you if you don't expose yourself with a sword outside." Gus clarified Faust, but the expression on his face also said something else.
*"I don't want you to get depressed like me if the sword doesn't choose you Faust. I need to make you more stronger to make you wield that sword by yourself.*Gus thoughts to himself sadly, not to hurt that poor kid's feelings yet he was determined to make him accomplish enough himself.
The sword that Gus was talking about is the unholy sword which was left behind in the great battle by Ares and Gus preserved that shiny sword. But it just doesn't accept Gus for some reason which made Gus to keep holding on to the sword until he can pass it on to someone worthy, that the sword chooses it's successor itself.
"Ehhh whatever, it's just some people outside" Faust annoyingly said and doesn't pay the heed to Gus.
"Ok go bring some wood from the forest now. You know how to chop it?" Gus asks Faust not wanting to hear his whining any longer.
"Yes grandpa, like I'm swinging a sword. I get it geez, you and your training methods grandpa." Faust unwillingly goes into the woods with an axe while complaining.
*"Hm I should also increase his speed and stamina. Because the faster the reflexes the better it is. Also his muscle mass shouldn't increase, he need to be toned and slender but the strength should be increased. I need to do all these things and improve him even more to help him succeed with his goals."* Gus murmurs to himself while thinking that he needed to do whatever he could to renovate Faust and mould him into a warrior not to forget to keep the smile on the face of his dear, Faust.
Edited by - Aysel Inara.