After saying goodbye to Harz and Oman, Bastian went back to his bed where he planned to spend the whole day lying on it. His whole body was still as hard as wood and he was tired. His most recent workout was the most challenging he's ever done.
He had paid the price for pissing off Harald.
He soon fell asleep, but his sleep did not last long. This was due to a bucket of cold water thrown on him.
"What the hell going on!?" Bastian jumped up from his bed like a grasshopper and saw his grandfather smiling at him.
"I just wanted to sober you up the quick way, that's all! Get ready, we need to cut down some trees." Elgon set the bucket of water down on the ground.
"Uh...Please, not today. I'm so tired, I can't work efficiently even if I come." Bastian began to treat his grandfather like a puppy.
"Be ready in five minutes!" After Elgon said without breaking his smiling expression, he turned and left the room.
Bastian reluctantly got out of his bed and began to stretch his body. He put on his old clothes, which he usually wears while working, and left his room to go to his grandfather. Before long, they both left home and began to travel towards the small forest at the bottom of the town.
For him, this trip was better than last time he had done it with a wheelbarrow in the scorching sun, because this time they were traveling in his grandfather's carriage. The weather was at least as hot as yesterday, but it was still much better to travel effortlessly in the back of the carriage.
"You know...I can't always be there for you. I'm an old man, I don't have much to live for. So I'm pushing you to act, you can't spend your life being mischievous." Elgon spoke in a moment of deep silence, sitting in the front as he had control of the two horses pulling the carriage.
Bastian cast a glance at his grandfather. "Why did you suddenly bring up such a topic?"
"I just want the best for you. My dear grandson, you are no longer a little boy, it's time to start thinking about the future. I'm afraid you're going to have a pretty tough life in the future if you don't try to put your mischief aside. No one will do things for you."
Elgon was clearly worried about his grandson's future.
Bastian said, "Grandpa, you don't have to worry. I can overcome the challenges that will come my way in the future."
Elgon remained silent.
Bastian sighed and said nothing more.
There was an awkward silence.
"The world we live in is not a safe place." Elgon said in a soft but trembling voice.
Bastian looked at her in surprise.
"I always wanted you to be a swordsman. That way, if you faced any danger in the future, you could defend yourself." Elgon's gaze fell absently onto the road.
Bastian was confused when he heard what his grandfather had said. He had heard many times stories about the dangers of the outside world, but the outside world was not where they lived. They lived in a town within the borders of the Vhenzar Kingdom. The Kingdoms used strict measures to keep the territories within their borders safe.
"Grandpa... are you talking about the Ifnerites?" He asked.
Ifnerites were the general name given to mutated creatures spread throughout the world. According to the legends among the peoples, they were beings that arose in ancient times and were contaminated by the Primordial Curse. They were the worst enemies of not only humans but all living things. Their appearances varied so much, it was even possible to encounter a gigantic wolf with ten eyes and two heads. This depended on the severity of their mutation.
"Elgon slowly shook his head, "Ifnerites aren't the only problem! Mankind can be more savage than the wildest beasts, scarier than the scariest Ifnerites. Tell me, who will protect you if you run into them?"
Bastian's brows furrow slightly. He had led a very happy and peaceful life in this small town where he spent his entire life. That's why bad thoughts about the future never crossed his mind.
In the following hours, the grandfather and grandson did not speak more than a few words and traveled with the sound of horseshoes. When they reached the forest, they were only concerned with felling and gathering wood. Both were deep in thought about the future. When they were done with their business, they returned to their home in an uncomfortable silence.
As Bastian crawled into bed with tired muscles and sore joints, he thought about what his grandfather had said before falling asleep.
Were humans that dangerous in the outside world?
He had always thought that he would live in the town where he grew up for the rest of his life, without even considering any other possibility. He was happy in this small town and was ready to spend his life as a simple farmer or lumberjack.
Bastian awoke the next day with the sun shining on his face. Today he had to attend Harald's training again.
"Hmph! Even if the apocalypse breaks, I won't get out of my bed." Bastian muttered inwardly and buried his face in his pillow.
"Bastian! Bastian!"
A panicked cry rose from below.
"Hmm?" Bastian straightened up and paid attention to the sound, which sounded like Harz's.
A few seconds later, the door to Bastian's room opened and Harz walked in. His face was filled with horror and worry.
"What happened?" Bastian asked sleepily.
"Master Harald wants you to be in the inn's backyard in five minutes. All the students will be dueling each other today. If you don't get ready right away, he'll punish you for walking around town naked!"
Harz spoke quickly.
"Running around naked? Pff...what else?" A mocking expression appeared on Bastian's face.
Harz said, "He was very serious when he said that."
Bastian's mocking expression slowly faded, and after a few seconds of standing still, he jumped out of his bed and put on loose-fitting clothes.
Bastian and Harz started running towards the inn at full speed.
When they got there, they found that the youth of the town were training with wooden swords and clubs in their hands. They were all preparing themselves for duels with each other.
When Harald saw Bastian and Harz coming, he clapped his hands to get everyone's attention.
"The reason I'm asking you to duel with each other instead of training today is to measure how much you have improved compared to the previous one. However, I decided to make things a little more enjoyable for you. I'll let you rest for two weeks if you manage to beat your matchup partner in the duel."
When Harald finished his sentence, all the boys started talking excitedly among themselves.
Bastian's sleepy eyes suddenly opened wide and began to glow faintly. He imagined himself enjoying himself in peace by not showing up for two weeks of terrifying training.
You should definitely not miss this opportunity!
Harald began pairing the boys in turns. He most recently paired Bastian with Oman. The reason behind all of this was actually to carefully observe Bastian's moves in the duel. There was something about him that he suspected but could not fully discover, he wanted to find this thing. The prize he presented would of course enable all the boys there to show their talents with all their efforts, but he already knew very well the person who would make the most effort for this award.
Boys took turns dueling with the wooden swords in their hands with their matched partners. of course, their duels were not aimed at injuring each other; it was just to strike a light blow to the body of the other side by finding open in the moves.
All the boys dueled each other with as much effort as they could.
Finally, it was time for Bastian and Oman's duel.
Oman let out a cheerful laugh and said, "Sorry man, but I'm not going to miss my two-week rest. So you better be ready for my moves!"
Bastian grinned, "If you really think I'm going to miss out on two weeks of rest, you're dreaming."
Harald had his full attention on the two boys in front of him. He was especially curious about Bastian's moves. Although he thought that Bastian was more talented than Oman, there were too many disciplinary differences between them. Oman would come to all training and do his best, so his body and the intensity of his moves would definitely surpass Bastian.
"Go!"
With the signal, the duel of the two boys began.
Oman gripped the wooden sword in his hand tightly with both hands and attacked with firm steps.
Bastian immediately took a step back and solidified his stance, after countering his opponent's move, he would launch a counterattack. Although he tried to get through the training as best he could, he was able to effectively apply the moves he learned.
Harald squinted slightly and nodded.
As Oman approached him, he made a downward thrust with his wooden sword, which he gripped tightly. If he had a real sword in his hand, this move could cut a long cut in the opponent's torso.
Bastian gripped the wooden sword in his hand tightly and, holding it to his side, blocked the wooden sword that was oncoming directly towards his head. As the two wooden swords slammed into each other, a muffled sound rang out from the wooden slamming of the planks.
"Hmm! As I guessed, Oman's physical strength is far superior to him." Harald muttered inwardly as he saw Bastian's legs bent even though he correctly blocked the oncoming move.
"Damn! That fagot has the power of a bear." Bastian grit his teeth at the pain he felt in his legs and arms, and cried out in his heart.
Oman did not stop in a single attack and continued to make consecutive moves.
Although Bastian was able to counter the moves each time, stepping back and keeping his sword in a good position, his stamina was dwindling; If he continued like this, he would not be able to hold on any longer and he would lose control of the wooden sword in his hand.