The last thing Sol remembered was watching Amon die right in front of him. After that, his anger took over and he just blacked out.
Someone must have saved him, and it must have been Little Zeel. Even though he didn't know how he did it, Sol was still grateful.
But suddenly, Sol saw the edge of a golden rune on Little Zeel's stomach.
Sol immediately turned to the old man and said.
"Thank you again mister, I really don't know how to repay you."
Sol could instantly tell that this old man had helped Little Zeel. He was beginning to feel the heavy pressure of the debt he owed this old man. So when the old man said his next words, it caused Sol to feel conflicted.
"Ha! Brat, if you know you owe me a massive debt, then repay it by becoming my disciple!"
After seeing Sol's conflicting expression, the old man said seriously.
"Look brat, you say you want revenge but do you even know where the Ga-On Church is located? If you don't even know that, do you think a weak brat like you will ever be able to take revenge against a behemoth like them? I should know how strong those bastards are, we've been in conflict with them for several millennia!"
Sol hearing this showed a confused expression.
"What does mister mean you've been in conflict with them? Has your village been destroyed as well?"
To Sol, this man was from the Ibbian Mountain Range.
Though his tattered robes were strange looking, it wasn't uncommon for other Ibbian Tribes to have completely different customs from each other, so they could dress differently. And besides, this man was speaking in their native tongue, he was obviously someone native to the Ibbian Mountain Range.
However, when Sol asked this question, the old man became strangely silent.
Sol's confusion grew even more, and suspicion began to rise in his heart.
After a while, the old man coughed and said.
"Look brat, it's not that I wanted to trick you, it's just that you kept interrupting me before I can explain anythin-."
"Who are you?"
Sol asked in a cold tone while his eyes narrowed into slits.
"Ah, Damn brat, there you go again interrupting me!"
"Tell me who you are!!"
"What? Brat, there's no need to yell at me. You see those trees over there?"
Sol turned to look where the old man pointed before he slowly nodded; the serious expression never leaving his face.
"Ehem, well, after going past those trees and walking about twenty kilometers, you'll reach the barrier. Past that barrier and you'll enter the Eastern Continent, that's where I'm from."
After listening to the old man, a look of hatred appeared in Sol's eyes as he growled.
"So you're an outsider?"
Sol then took a defensive stance with Little Zeel behind him.
The old man seeing this was slightly enraged by Sol's actions.
"Damn brat! Is this how you treat someone who saved your life? What would your father think?!"
Sol's expression changed at that.
"You-You know my father?"
"Of course I do! You look just like that bastard, how could I not recognize his son!"
Sol wore a skeptical expression, thinking that the old man was just saying that. But then the old man said.
"At least your father was grateful for the Body Enhancing Technique I gifted him. But you? Brat you might have his handsome looks but it seems he didn't teach you how to repay the kindness shown to you!"
Sol was now slightly convinced this man knew his father. His guess that he resembled his father was spot on, including that his father was good-looking.
Perhaps this was just an observant guess from the old man, but Sol really didn't feel like this old man was lying to him.
"I… I sincerely apologize for my actions!"
Sol came out of his defensive stance and quickly apologized.
With his lowered head, Sol continued.
"You're right, my father told me that if someone shows kind will to me, it is up to my judgment whether the kind will shown is worth repaying back. Not only did Mister save my life, but you also save my friend Little Zeel. You even went out of your way to offer me to become your disciple, I'm… I'm extremely sorry for showing such hostility towards you!"
"…"
After listening to Sol's heartfelt apology, the old man was really taken aback. He couldn't speak for a good few seconds.
Though Sol didn't raise his head even as the old man remained silent.
The old man took this time to observe Sol more carefully.
'He's not just polite and thoughtful, he's extremely well-mannered and his sense of morality is the best I've seen in anyone. This kid was raised extremely well. Han Min, your kid… When you were bragging about him I really thought you were just babbling nonsense. But if I had a son like this child, I wouldn't shut up about him either! No wait! Even though he isn't my son, I'll definitely make him my disciple!!'
After thinking this, the old man smiled with a mischievous grin. He then released a huff then said.
"This brat, you think a simple apology is going to wash away how awful you've been?"
"I… I don't know what else to do but apologize… *Sniffle*"
Seeing Sol grab his pants while tears formed in his eyes, the old man was stunned.
"Wah-What are you crying for? This brat, how old are you for you to be crying so much?"
"*Sniffle*… Father said there is no shame in a man crying. In fact, it makes them brave simply by letting others see how vulnerable they can be. And I'm… I'm only ten."
"Well, that's…"
The old man was about to say something, but upon processing Sol's latter sentence, his words trailed off while his face changed expressions.
"You-How old did you just say you were?"
"Ten."
When Sol confirmed his age, the old man sucked in a cold breath of air. He then looked Sol up and down in astonishment.
His physique easily made him look at the very least twelve and at the highest fourteen!
'To have such a physique and strength at ten, what is this child? Is this… is this even normal for a Human?'
The old man could have claimed to have seen all types of children with varying talents in the world
Some had heaven-defying talents while others with mediocre talent at best.
But for Sol, out of every child he had seen that had heaven-defying talent, either overall or in one aspect, Sol's talent for Martial Arts exceed anything he thought was possible.
He thought Sol was fourteen for crying out loud. And that was despite him examining Sol's body thoroughly!
The old man thought no wonder Sol seemed so immature for his age, as it turns out, he was just a kid barely off his mother's milk! If anything, he seemed too mature for his age.
'This child… if I don't make this child my disciple I might not ever be able to live peacefully for the rest of my life. Brat, you're becoming my disciple, even if I have to fight the heavens themselves!'