The courtyard stretched out like a tennis court, its area decorated with numerous vibrant rose beds. As they positioned themselves in the center, the fragrance of the blooming flowers enveloped the air, creating a peaceful scene that contrasted with the imminent training session. The solitary path leading back to the mansion added a touch of serenity to the otherwise lively setting.
Vaos maintained a stern look, arms folded, his gaze fixed upon Vulcan. The weight of his scrutiny seemed to add to already tense atmosphere.
"Ehh... What a scary guy, well, I might as well give it my all and try to kick his ass." Vulcan gulped as he looked back to Vaos, the imposing caretaker staring him down
"Punk, today's training will be simple. Your challenge is to attempt to knock me off my feet, and you'll only get three tries to do so. Is that understood?" As he spoke, he emphasized his point by getting into his fighting stance.
Vulcan sighed, preparing himself for the challenge. "This exercise again, huh?" he muttered. Despite the reluctance, he squared his shoulders, mirroring Vaos's stance. He poised his light blue neon katana, its glow casting a faint hue in the courtyard, as he prepared to face the stern caretaker.
"Quit stalling, you damn punk! Show me what you've got!" Vaos bellowed, his eyes fixed on Vulcan.
Vulcan hesitated for a moment, taking a deep breath, he charged forward, determined to make the most of his three attempts to knock Vaos off his feet. "Well here goes nothing... Vaos, today I'm going to win!"
Vulcan sprinted towards Vaos; swinging his sword. His swift and precise slashes cut through the air, trying to catch Vaos off guard. However, Vaos, with an almost casual grace, skillfully dodged every strike, his arms remaining crossed as if untouched by Vulcan's attempts. The courtyard resonated with the sound of their clash, a display between offense and defense unfolding.
"Hmph, what a sense of nostalgia. It's as if I was in this same situation last time we were training. You're still as reckless as ever, you punk." Vaos, unfazed by Vulcan's assault. His stern expression and the word "Punk" echoed with memories of past training sessions, highlighting Vulcan's persistent, albeit reckless, approach.
The longer Vulcan swinged his sword, his strikes seemed to be more aimless although faster. However, Vaos effortlessly sidestepped each swing, demonstrating an almost dance-like agility. With calculated precision, Vaos then smoothly maneuvered, using his shoulder to knock Vulcan to the ground.
"Two more tries, now get up you punk," Vaos commanded, his steps echoing in the courtyard as he returned to his position.
Vulcan pick himself from the ground, gripping his sword firmly with both hands as he meticulously aligned it to his posture. A faint light blue glow enveloped his feet and hands as he uttered, "Spirit Technique, Soul Enhancement, Level Three!"
Vulcan suddenly appeared in front of Vaos like a swift gust of wind, and with a surge of energy, he unleashed a flurry of slashes. His movements faster than before, leaving an ethereal trail in its wake.
"Hmph, what crude spirit techniques, punk. You can't possibly hope to beat me like this."
Vaos continued to effortlessly evade every swing of Vulcan's sword, displaying the same ease as before. In the blink of an eye, Vaos vanished and reappeared behind Vulcan. His foot, cloaked in dark energy, swiftly ascended, connecting with Vulcan's back and sending him across the courtyard almost into the bed of roses.
Vaos scowled at Vulcan, his crossed arms. "This is your final shot, punk. Don't waste my time any longer. Get on with it. I'm not thrilled to be here either, especially watching you stumble around like a fool."
"His kicks are as powerful as ever. I know I should lose on purpose, but damn it, I really do want to beat him," Vulcan muttered, shaking off the effects, he got back on his feet and returned to his position.
Vulcan took a deep breath, focusing his energy as he tightened his grip on the sword. He held the weapon high, poised for the next round.
Vulcan's sword started to emit a faint glow as he began to initiate his spirit technique, "ethereal slash, level-" However, before he could complete the technique, Vaos swiftly interrupted him.
"Hyperion tree cutter kick," In an instance, Vaos suddenly appeared above Vulcan. He swung his leg downward mirroring the relentless force of an axe.
Vulcan's barely dodged the devastating impact of the axe kick, but he couldn't escape unharmed. As Vaos's foot descended, the force shattered the ground beneath, scattering pebbles that stung Vulcan's face. Leaving a small crater, proof of Vaos sheer power.
"Hmph, at least your reactions are quicker than last time, but even you can't dodge this." Vaos unleashed a relentless barrage of rapid kicks, showing no sign of stopping.
Vulcan struggled to avoid each kick, the majority of them landing with impact, causing him to wince with each strike.
"Tch, if I don't do anything, I'll just be knocked down on my ass again. Damn it, I hope this works. Spirit technique, offensive counter, level two," In the middle of Vaos's relentless barrage of kicks, Vulcan found a moment for a counterattack. Holding his sword in a defensive stance, a weak barrier enveloped Vulcan. However, as Vaos continued his assault, the barrier started to crack under the pressure. Vulcan struggling to maintain his defensive stance.
"Keep on kicking, you scary butler. As soon as this barrier breaks, I'm giving you a taste of your own medicine," he whispered. The courtyard echoed with the sound of kicks, and the small, weakening barrier struggled to hold against Vaos's barrage.
The weak barrier Vulcan summoned shattered under the unrelenting force of Vaos's kicks, its fragments scattered in the air and soon dissipating. Leaving Vulcan exposed and vulnerable once more.
Vaos, with a stern expression, said, "You can't hide behind a pathetic shield like that, punk. It's clear you've lost today's sparring match." As he raised his leg, the ominous energy surrounding it intensified, preparing a powerful blow aimed directly at Vulcan's vulnerable position.
"I wasn't trying to hide, you know, the barrier you shattered absorbed the damage from all your kicks. Now, I plan to shoot that energy back at you!" Vulcan held out his hand, he conjured a small round ball of radiant light that swiftly homed in on Vaos. However, the vigilant caretaker reacted swiftly, preparing for the incoming surge of energy.
"If you had discreetly used that technique, it might have caught me off guard, but your straightforward approach is predictable, as always," Vaos commented with a hint of amusement, effortlessly leaping over the ball of condensed energy. Closing the distance, he faced Vulcan directly.
Vaos gracefully withdrew his leg and precisely struck Vulcan's chest, catching him off guard with no time to react. The force of the blow left Vulcan coughing, struggling to regain his breath, feeling the impact throughout his body.
Vaos approached Vulcan, who clutched his chest in pain, and lifted him up by the collar of his shirt.
"You see, during my prime, I earned a myriad of nicknames that were the themes of destruction, mayhem, and pandemonium. I'd love to demonstrate why, but if I were to unleash that now, I'm afraid it would almost certainly end your life."
Vaos tightened his grip on Vulcan's collar, his gaze unwavering and critical.
"But more importantly, Vulcan, I can't fathom what Eve sees in you. You lack an ornament power, and it's only thanks to Eve's kindness that you wield that sword, allowing you to use spirit techniques despite your lack of an ornament. Yet, even then, your fighting capabilities are poor. The only redeeming quality you possess is your willpower."
Vaos, with a dismissive gesture, effortlessly flung Vulcan to the ground.
"Zero tries left; you fail the sparring match again. Frankly, punk, I doubt you'll be able to protect Eve or Eliza when you go to Legis. So, I'm going to give you this." Vaos threw a small, ominous dark crystal ball at Vulcan as he lay on the ground, defeated.
After taking a minute to catch his breath and compose himself, Vulcan sat up, "What's this, Vaos?" His eyes drawn to the mysterious crystal ball that Vaos had thrown his way.
"This is a summoning crystal, throw it on the floor and stomp on it, then I'll be teleported to wherever you are." Vaos, with a serious expression, continued his explanation, "It's a last resort, punk. I doubt you'll handle it properly, but if Eve or Eliza is in serious trouble, use it. Just don't waste it on trivial matters."
Vulcan, a bit bruised but responded, "You don't trust me that much, huh. Well, thanks, I guess. I'm off to have Eliza heal me." He stood up, brushing himself off of any dirt, and walked over to the sheath of his sword, carefully putting the sword back in.
"Tch, you damn punk, when are you going to release that potential already..." Vaos muttered under his breath, as he saw Vulcan walk away.
Vulcan stumbled with each step, the soreness from the intense sparring match lingered. What would typically be a quick journey to Eliza's room now stretched into minutes, each movement a reminder of the demanding duel with Vaos.
As Vulcan thought about Vaos's words, a heavy sigh escaped his lips. "Maybe that scary butler should go instead; he's clearly stronger than me. If they end up fighting anyone, I'm sure Vaos will defeat them quickly."
"Do you think Vaos was always that strong?" Startled by an unexpected voice from behind, Vulcan turned to see Eve standing there.
Vulcan sighed in relief, "O-Oh, it's you, Eve..."
"Vaos wasn't always the scary man he is now. If anything, I'm almost certain, you remind Vaos of himself before his prime," she said with a soft smile, though her usual smug aura lingered
"So you're saying I'll become a kicking pro like him?"
Eve chuckled, "Maybe not a kicking pro, but who knows? You might surprise yourself with what you can achieve. More importantly, I believe you were going to Eliza so she can heal you? Come on let's go I'll help you there." She extended her arm, offering Vulcan a supportive lean as they made their way to Eliza's room.
"Thank you, Eve..." He accepted Eve's offered shoulder for support, his cheeks taking on a subtle blush in response to the unexpected gesture.
Shortly after entering Eliza's room, Eliza began the magical healing process, her hands emitting a soft glow as she focused on Vulcan's injuries. Meanwhile, Eve, spoke to someone on her phone.
"Looks like Vaos was hard on you again, Vulcan. I wouldn't listen to anything he says. Vaos is practically a grumpy old man," Eliza reassured, a warm smile on her face. Her hands emitted a soothing, light green energy.
"I don't care what he says, it's what he does. Like leaving bruises on me, oww that hurts." Vulcan winced, feeling the sting of the healing process as Eliza worked on him.
"Stop struggling so much, and this won't sting so much, you baby." Eliza teased, sticking her tongue out at Vulcan, her tail playfully pushing against his cheek.
"Good news, everyone! We have our ride to go to Legis," Eve announced as she ended the call on her phone.
Our ride? Are we going by train?" Vulcan asked.
"No, we're going by car. The one driving will be Eliza."
"Huh, you know how to drive, Eliza?" Vulcan looked at Eliza.
"Despite the many times Vaos said that he'll fix the car we have here, yes, I do know how to drive," Eliza smirked.
"Luckily enough, I managed to find a cheap car at a nearby dealership. So, instead of waiting for two days, we'll be heading to Legis tomorrow. The journey should take about three days by car," Eve explained.
"So we go tomorrow, huh..." Vulcan sighed.
The built up for a supposed two-day wait was unexpectedly cut short, condensing into a single day. Tomorrow marks the beginning of their journey, a tale unfolding with uncertainty, for better or worse.