After acing the test, I was accepted as Prometheus's disciple. We started off easy, but he put me through hell.
Now, six months have passed, and a "new me" has emerged.
*
"Lord Prometheus, Lord Noah," Jacque greeted us as we exited Prometheus's room. Prometheus was dressed in his regular robes, while I was clad in skin-tight armor.
"Good morning," I greeted apathetically. This had been the routine for the past six months.
When I would wake up, I would immediately head to Prometheus's room. After learning to manipulate mana, we would head to the training grounds to spar.
I had never once won, despite Prometheus lowering his power to that of a demigod each time.
Technically, he still had more experience, so it only made sense. However, I was now at the latter part of the demigod realm.
I hadn't reached the peak yet, but I was definitely close. I assumed it would only take a few more months.
After steeling my resolve to become stronger, I dedicated my entire life to training.
I would sometimes neglect meals and social interactions simply to train. It was unhealthy, yet necessary.
After shattering Prometheus's expectations and destroying the wall during my first session of controlling mana, I had only improved.
Now, I could properly manipulate and shape visible mana as I willed. It was amazing.
Supernatural things were amazing.
No, it wasn't supernatural anymore. It was reality.
I had been visiting the arena every day alongside Leo, absorbing knowledge and fighting styles from the competitors.
Although I didn't use a weapon, watching others wield them helped a lot since I could spot flaws.
I was now fifteen years old, and my birthday had passed a few months ago.
On my birthday, I comprehended a skill related to one of my divinities, Void.
"I assume you shall be training?" Jacque inquired, and I nodded. "I shall inform Leo to meet you at the arena once you are done."
"Thank you, Jacque."
"It is my pleasure, Lord Noah," Jacque said before bowing once. Prometheus and I nodded before heading to the training grounds.
The training grounds were located underground and were a facility reserved for Prometheus and me during this specific time.
It was dawn.
Everybody else had been cleared out on special orders. The training grounds were empty during dawn when Prometheus and I trained.
The facility was a rectangle-shaped area. The floor was made using orichalcum, and so were the walls.
It wasn't pretty, but it was useful.
I relished the crisp smell of dawn on the training grounds. I always wondered where the scent came from since the grounds were underground.
Apparently, according to Prometheus, it was due to air fresheners.
Prometheus turned on the lights, and I took off my armor. I quickly put on a simple tank top which displayed my toned body, along with black pants.
Prometheus took off his robes and wore clothes similar to mine, although a bit more sophisticated.
He was a noble through and through. His presentation was his reputation, and he wouldn't let it go down the drain, even in front of me.
"I'll beat you today, gramps," I said, mocking Prometheus. Ever since I'd become his disciple, I often called him gramps to mock his old appearance.
Our relationship had gotten better, and we were truly like family now.
The memories of my father had also begun fading. It was sad, but it was probably for the best.
"You wish," replied Prometheus. "You'd be lucky to get a hit in. Unless, of course, you want to give up right now."
"Give up? Are you so scared that you need me to give up?"
"Just saying. Why waste your time losing? Give up and save yourself some face. It's for the best, anyway."
"You wish," I said, letting out a toothy grin. Assuming a stance, I waited for Prometheus to make the first move.
A moment of silence descended upon the grounds before a buzzing sound resounded in my ear, jolting me out of my thoughts.
Immediately, I spotted Prometheus's foot heading my way. It was aimed at my back. I lowered my head, evading the kick.
Then, I smirked before attempting an upper cut.
Prometheus's easily caught my fist, twisting it to the verge of a breakdown. My expression crumpled, and a pained groan escaped my lips.
I allowed my body to twist to his will before slipping my hand out of his grip. Then, I fell, sliding my ankle and gripping his calves using it.
His balance crumbled before my eyes, and I augmented my fist using mana.
"Watch out," I commented before punching using all my strength. My fist collided with Prometheus's abdomen.
His abdomen caved, allowing my fist to dig in. His expression crumpled, and I followed with a hook kick.
My foot collided with his temple.
I smiled, but the expression was quickly wiped out when a mana-augmented fist hit my sternum, knocking the wind out of me.
My expression contorted and I fell a few feet backwards.
"Damn geezer," I spat, regaining my balance in an instant.
Suddenly, the temperature of the room rose exponentially, and a tiny flame manifested in Prometheus's palm.
"Is that all you can conjure as a demigod?"
"No, but that's all I need to destroy you," replied Prometheus cheekily, launching the flame towards me.
I propelled myself upwards before twisting my body, narrowly avoiding the flame.
"Fuck," I muttered as a second flame collided with my palm, burning it entirely. I attempted to heal it using mana, but I only managed to extinguish the flame.
At that moment, Prometheus's fist approached, aimed directly at my face.
Noticing the attack, lightning emerged from my body, and I sidestepped at terrifying speeds. Then, I began delivering a barrage of attacks on the God of Fire and Foresight.
"Lightning attribute mana," Prometheus muttered before wings of fire emerged from his back. They were enormous and had a wingspan of at least a few meters.
Sparks of flame and gusts of wind flew towards me, and I used lightning mana to increase my speed, evading them all narrowly.
"You've gotten better at evading," praised Prometheus, raising an eyebrow. "Only some demigods would be able to contest you, even if they've achieved the peak."
I smiled at the praise… but it turned out to be a trick.
At that moment, a sharp pain ran through my spine, knocking me forward. I spat out blood, succumbing to the intense pain.
I fell to the floor face-first.
"Always pay attention," Prometheus let out a chuckle, resting his foot on my back.
At that moment, I lost it. Tapping into my divinity, I activated a skill I'd unlocked… one that belonged to the Void divinity.
I used [Void Mind], a skill designed to extinguish any and all emotions from the caster's mind.
It emptied your mind and focused towards a specific goal… one that involved your success. My eyes turned apathetic, and my body turned stiff.
Noticing the change in my demeanor, Prometheus's gaze became wary. He lifted his foot from my back, and that's when I struck.
Appearing behind him in an instant, I punched the back of his head, knocking him off balance.
His wings of fire dimmed in potency, and I summoned [Lightning Spear], a technique I'd created using lightning-attributed mana.
A spear of a sparky, yellow element was forged. It was suspended in the air above my palm.
I swung my arm, and the spear lunged forward towards Prometheus. The crackling noise was like honey to my ears.
Sweet.
The spear pierced through wind pressure, charging towards Prometheus like a bullet.
Prometheus unfurled his wings of fire and launched a gust of wind towards my [Lightning Spear], knocking it off course.
However, his surprise wasn't alleviated. He stared at me dumbfoundedly into my apathetic eyes.
He didn't speak, but I could understand his thoughts. He seemed to be asking the origin of what I'd used.
Yet, I had no intention of telling him… not yet.
I'd hidden [Void Mind] from him ever since my birthday, improving its capabilities in secret. It had worked until now.
Revealing my secret… it was obvious he was surprised.
He believed I had made little to no progress in unlocking abilities from my dual divinities.
I summoned another [Lightning Spear]. No, I summoned several. They floated beside my upper body, like guardians.
Prometheus's eyes narrowed, and he prepared to either evade of deflect the attacks. He couldn't tank them, considering he'd reduced his power to that of a demigod.
If a high-demigod attacked him, he was sure to succumb.
The spears shot towards him one by one, threatening to pierce his body.
That's when I made my move.
He evaded the spears through a method of evasion that looked majestic. Despite an old appearance, Prometheus's body was surprisingly flexible.
However, he made a mistake.
He believed he'd escaped danger. Unbeknownst to him, danger hadn't even approached him yet.
Crackling noise emerged from behind his body, and he turned out to face me.
However, the [Lightning Spear] that I'd formed behind his back was already heading towards his face.
His eyes widened, and I smirked. This was sure to get him.
However, to my surprise, the spear disintegrated before reaching him…
Fuck.