Chapter 13: Training for a greater reason... So goodbye for now
### Chapter 13: Training for a Greater Reason... So Goodbye for Now
A day had passed since Ruthar had met with his entire family and his twin sister Rotexa. He had left after she woke up, giving her tips on magic. To his surprise, she hadn't wanted him to leave her.
That day had been a significant gain for Ruthar. He had extracted all the skills Rotexa had been honing and multiplied them tenfold. Wielding a sword had suddenly become a piece of cake, and Hendrick found it hard to believe.
They were sparring as usual, but this time Ruthar was more finely tuned than ever.
"I won't cheat this time, old man! I'm gonna crush you!" Ruthar yelled, swinging his sword deftly through the air, missing Hendrick's face by an inch.
The attack came faster than anticipated, but luckily, Hendrick was an experienced swordsman. Still, Ruthar refused to end it there. He slashed at Hendrick with his wooden sword, which Hendrick blocked with ease.
Ruthar saw an opening and threw a knee at Hendrick at full speed.
"Stupid boy!" Hendrick grinned, thinking he had gotten Ruthar as he swung his wooden sword at Ruthar's other leg.
It seemed like an impossible position to dodge, and Hendrick felt as though he had won. However—
With one leg on the floor, Ruthar pounced into the air, avoiding Hendrick's attack and driving his knee into Hendrick's jaw.
"KAWAACCK!" Hendrick stumbled from the unusual force in Ruthar's attack.
This left Hendrick stunned long enough for Ruthar to place his wooden sword on Hendrick's throat.
"I win this time!" Ruthar winked at Hendrick, gladdened by his achievement. 'After all those years of embarrassment, I finally win a brawl against this guy.'
"Hahahahahaha! That's nice, Ruthar. I was thinking you wouldn't improve until you turned five, but it seems you have been holding back on me." Hendrick dropped his wooden sword to the ground and fell to his bottom.
Ruthar reveled in the praises, knowing if not for Rotexa's hard work, he would have never been able to defeat Hendrick.
"So what's next?" Ruthar asked, joining him to sit.
With this question, Hendrick grew silent and contemplative. "I heard you challenged the young prince Tomaha. That means you have had enough of the basics."
"Basics?" Ruthar wondered. So this was all basics. No wonder it was too easy.
"There are grades of swordsmen: Blade Rank, Sword Master, Sword King, Supreme Blade, and Ultimate User, which is the final level. The young prince Tomaha is at the Blade Rank, but by the time you are five, he will be at the Sword Master's level."
'Now that I am in the novel, I am paying more attention to these ranks, and Hendrick is saying I will have to reach the same rank or greater in a few months,' Ruthar held himself in apprehension.
"I can give you training that can aid you to the Sword Master level in those months, but that will depend on you and your determination."
Even if he could reach the rank, he was still lacking in experience. Not to forget magic, and the way things were, there was no way to get there in just a few months.
'I just hope my connection with Rotexa pays off. If not, I don't think I will be able to win.'
If Ruthar wasn't mistaken, Hendrick was on the verge of breaking into the Supreme Blade grade, but he still needed a few more years of training.
"So are you going to teach me the ultimate sword techniques?" Ruthar asked, putting on a feigned childish face.
Just like magic, a swordsman possessed a form of energy that they circulated around their weapons to make them more lethal and destructive. With this technique, a swordsman could easily gain the upper hand over a magic user.
"I will teach it to you in time, but not today. You are still going to have a class with Elara Nightshade, aren't you?" Hendrick suggested, not sure of their current relationship. News spread fast around the kingdom.
Come to think of it, Ruthar had not seen Elara since that time.
'Did something happen to her? I'm really worried.'
***
After training with Hendrick, Ruthar chose to stand by the window, where he could peek out at the gates in hopes that Elara would come through.
Gandara was there silently, watching and supporting as he ordered her to.
"Do you think Elara will come today?" he asked, still staring out the window. He heard Gandara gasp and begin to clumsily stammer.
"Uh-uhm... I... I... think so."
No matter how nice he acted towards her, she would still tremble in fear or withdraw whenever speaking.
Well, he tried his best to make her confident, but it had dull-witted effects. For now, he couldn't give a damn anymore.
'She'll grow up someday.'
The sun was already at its fullest, and it was clear she would not be coming, probably prohibited by the pig she was betrothed to.
Ruthar slammed his right fist on the lower brick of the window. 'Damn you, Tomaha!'
This made his rage boil even more. Why did he always have to lead a life full of losses?
After a short while of fuming, he left the window, leaving Gandara speechless. He went up to his room, making sure no one was watching, and entered it, locking the door after him.
He went straight to his bed and brought out the tome given to him by Kimara. He began to study it more than usual, with so much determination grounded in his actions.
'I have to prepare myself and learn all I can. By the time I turn five, I am going to make sure I am strong enough to break the Spade Horus family and their laws!'
'I will become greater than my siblings and make sure to set Elara free from the fate of being betrothed to that pig... That is a promise.'