"Raargh!" A voice of frustration resounded from within a dense forest.
Two shadows were moving around, it looked as if they were dancing but clearly that was not the case since there were sparks flying around them and some trees around the duo have been cut down in half cleanly while most had deep cuts on them...
-●-●-●-
Alexis for the umpteenth time slashed his sword at his Master who seemed to have a cocky smirk on his face...
"That's enough!" Philip said as Alexis fell to his knees.
"Well... you are getting better!" He complimented Alexis who was gasping for air, trying to more oxygen into his lungs to make up for the debt...
Philip, although he wouldn't admit it, knew that the brat who he taught and trained everyday for the past three years had grown into him.
Alexis stared at his master while his muscles ached. Every single day since the time he had completed his studies, Alexis would have to undergo intense training.
"Thanks... Master..." Alexis replied between deep breaths, he had gotten taller standing at four feet and one inch, Alexis was easily taller than his peers. His crimson red hair reached his back since he hadn't taken a haircut in three years.
Some of his baby fat too has reduced under Philip's rigorous training, Alexis now had muscles, they weren't big enough to call him "buff" but they were there.
This was thanks to his Master's special training which targeted strength over mass, hence why Philip himself wasn't a buff old man and seemed lean and very fit for his age.
"Alexis, I got some news yesterday..." Philip said as he looked at Alexis who has recovered from his tiredness.
"What kind of news Master?" Alexis asked him as he walked over to him.
"War" Philip simply said and shrugged.
"War?" Alexis asked him, that was indeed bad news but he didn't really care about it since it doesn't directly involve with his family's safety.
"Yes, War between the Satellians and the Republic..." He said once again, adding more information.
Alexis was puzzled...
"But Master, last time you told me that they struck an Alliance against our Empire... what happened between them?" Alexis replied and looked at his master waiting for the answer.
"*sigh* it's a long story" Philip sighed and massaged his head, "A while ago, the Republic sent in an army into the Kingdom of Enleitz, it numbered around two hundred thousand and this army breezed through the small country only to be stopped by us." He paused and continued,
"The only reason we sent in our forces was because the Kingdom begged for help and also because Enleitz served as a buffer zone against the Republic, therefore, your father ordered the Imperial army to 'help' the kingdom... normally the Republic would retreat once the Empire sends in their forces but this time they fought against us and ended up attacking reinforcements from the Satellian Empire..." He finished his speech and looked at Alexis who was deep in thought.
"Even if it was friendly fire, why would they declare war on something that common?" Alexis asked.
"Friendly fire? Interesting choice of words..." Philip said while Alexis had the decency to smile sheepishly...
"Normally, both sides would reconcile and form a bigger army but in this case, the Satellian force of over fifty thousand was decimated even after they proved themselves to be from Satellia..." he continued with a grave expression.
"...Master" Alexis called him out.
"What is it brat?" He asked his protege.
"Do you think the Republic was framed?" Alexis asked him with a serious face, If he was correct with his suspicions then there was only one suspect and they have some bad blood with the Republic...
"Heh, do you think so lowly of me, brat? Ofcourse I suspect that too and since the Republic is already known as an aggressive nation, the hatred of the masses is targeted at them..." Philip concluded and closed his eyes.
"The main suspect is the Kingdom of Ritzburg!" Alexis said, he didnt want to drag it around and quickly said so since he was annoyed at how much this old man actually talks...
'Maybe that's why he is always so serious, because he knows that once he opens his mouth, he can't stop talking!' Alexis thought and had to stop his laughs.
"Pfft!" He couldn't hold it in, Philip raised an eyebrow and whacked him in the head.
"Get ready, Today you'll be training till midnight!" He said with a smirk, seemingly satisfied seeing Alexis' face turn pale.
-●-●-●-
"Annalise, how are you dear?" Aurelius asked his wife who smiled at him gently.
They were in bed with a bundle inbetween, inside the bundle was a baby... right after Alexis had left, Annalise found out that she was pregnant, this news immediately made her happy considering how she was depressed for thr entire week missing her son who she won't be able to see for six years...
"I'm fine, the maids make looking after her easier than when I was with Alexis, at first I was still a bit depressed but now i have another bundle of joy!" She said and smiled at the sleeping face of her two year old baby daughter.
Aurelius too couldn't stop himself from smiling, the stressful days were over since the enemies of the empire are fighting against each other leaving the Empire safe and sound, he could now be a responsible father to his daughter who he would spoil...
The couple eagerly waited for the day to introduce their daughter to her elder brother who would be returning in three years.
-●-●-●-
"...Master...mercy..." Alexis croaked, he was way too tired and thirsty for some water, even a drop wouldn't mind, he just wanted to savour the cold liquid in his throat.
Philip slid the longsword on his hand back into its sheath and took out a bottle of water from thin air and started drinking it.
Alexis felt extremely irritated seeing this but stayed quiet and patiently until Philip threw another bottle at him.
He then like a crazed animal eagerly grabbed the bottle and drank the water.
"Ahhh" he moaned in satisfaction as his thirst was quenched.
Alexis then entered the river and cleaned himself, he felt more comfortable since back in the capital he would have to get into the bath with a maid.
It was not because he was aroused or anything but because to Alexis, bathing was something he did alone and was something he used to do in privacy...
While Alexis was in the river, he used water magic to swirl around him at a high speed, he then scrubbed himself with a scented stone he had brought with him.
Soon afterwards Alexis smelled like lavender... it was a very feminine smell but beggars can't be choosers so Alexis could only sigh and scrub his body with it while making sure to thoroughly wash his hair...
After he took a bath, he quickly changed into some clothes and went back to the camp.
"..." Philip was missing, the fire was still burning and his Master's tent was empty...
Alexis after staying at the fire for some time decided to enter his tent and proceeded to sleep, with the tiredness from his training, the aching all over this body and the soft pillow he rested his head on, Alexis would quickly fall asleep...
It was late into night when Alexis woke up, something didn't feel right he knew it was definitely related to his Master!
While he was deep in thought he couldn't help but hear some slight rustling from the bushes near the camp, they didn't sound like wind and sounded artificial... enemies!
Alexis took the short sword he was given by his master and quickly came out of the camp. It was still bright from the fire so he quickly used water magic and removed the source of light.
He then reinforced his legs with mana and jumped away from the open area and landed on top of a tree closeby.
"SHIT!" shouted a few gruff male voices, Alexis who was now in the Earth Duke level had enhanced senses and noticed five different voices.
But judging from the steps he heard he could differentiate between eight different people!
Knowing he was outnumbered, Alexis felt like grinning. This was his first time in combat if you take away the experiences from his otherworldly soul...
Alexis then used a sensory spell, this spell required complete control over mana, which was then sent in minuscule amounts along a radius, the thin layer would knock on individuals with mana, allowing the user of the spell to identify the number of people.
Feeling two extra people on top of trees, Alexis was able to get the total number of ten assailants...
Now all he wanted to do was to try out all sorts of moves and spells that he learned under Philip.
'Poor little insects... I'm going to have you experimented on' he thought as his smile turned into a malicious bloodthirsty grin.
His otherworldly soul was now making him excited because it had gone through similar situations...
Feeling his increasing heart rate, Alexis decided to calm down a little and silently made his way to one unsuspecting insect as he called it who was on top of a tree close to him...
Alexis covered his hand in mana just like his master had instructed him, the next part was forming a blade with his pure, element less mana, he then plunged his hand covered by a blade like mana layer, through his back.
The man who was on top of the tree saw a hand come out of him, it was covered in his blood as he tried to shriek but proceeded to choke on his blood that was gathering in his lungs and died...
His next victim was the second person on the tree and now Alexis was moving towards the person.
Nobody knew where he was, the eight people on the ground quickly went towards the camp and found nothing...
Alexis moved his way through the trees and arrived next to the other person who was top of the tree.
The person smelled nice... he knew it was a woman but that was not the only factor, the figure also had braided hair.
Even if it was a feminine man, he would have to call her a woman because he would be asked to... not that he cared...
His bloody palm touched the spine of the person on top.
The figure turned, revealing itself to be a woman... she was terrified seeing someone sneak up behind her but sighed when she saw it was only a child, she clearly didn't see the child's right arm that was covered in blood...
"Come here child, let big sister give you a gift!" She said with a gentle smile and took out a slave collar...
'Slavers?' He thought.
Alexis knew she underestimated him so he decided end her of her misery.
"Die" he said and activated another chantless spell, this spell turned his mana into flames and wind by gathering it around his hand, it effectively made a sphere of blue fire...
The wind mana used in the spell would swirl around the concentration of the fire, turning it into a ball of flames.
Alexis then pushed the ball of fire into the woman as it destroyed her from the inside, the flames erupted from her chest as it brightened up the entire area...
The fireball then forced it's way out of the woman's chest and speedily made it's way to the direction Alexis had aimed it at..
The fireball rapidly expanded until it was around four meters in diameter and then exploded in the sky.
The burnt corpse fell from the tree and kept on burning while it rested on the ground.
Alexis then jumped down towards the momentarily dazed group of slavers.
'The finale!' He thought and kneeled, he then touched the ground gently while staring into the direction of last few slavers.
"White world!" He whispered as tens of Ice spikes came from underneath the slavers and pierced them...
Half of the eight dead bodies were damaged beyond recognition while the other half was spared of an Ice spike going through their faces.
"What a mess you've made!" Remarked Philip from behind.
"Master!" Alexis exclaimed and turned to Philip with a smile.
"Well done, however next time go for cleaner moves... otherwise it will be easy for your enemies to track you down... with your body mangling spells!" He said and gave pointers.
Alexis nodded in understanding and then used Earth magic to bury the dead bodies. After a few minutes, the area was spotless, there was no sign of battle except for the smell of smoke...
'I believe it was his first kill today but the group I sent at him was annihilated, and yet even the face of such gruesome scenery he did not freeze nor broke down... this child is a natural born killer! Truly he reminds me of myself...' Philip thought and looked at the tent Alexis was currently sleeping inside.
'It also seems like Ice is his affinity, interesting...' he then cut off his thoughts and sat on a solid tree branch and had some light sleep.