4 Chapter 4
(3'rd POV)
Arthur and Ashborn retrieved wooden swords which they received from their parents and stepped to the edge of the camp where Adam was expecting them.
"You know how to reinforce your weapon right, genius? " Adam asked Arthur this time.
Everyone except Ash, didn't know that he already formed mana-core, It was there but it was just for show. (Ashborn can manipulate and feel mana without the core. Besides, he generates his own mana. I made this for plot reasons yep...)
By this time, Raynolds already picked up that Adam was just trying to put on a show of dominance into his little boys, however, he just watched, knowing he wouldn't harm them too much.
Arthur felt betrayed, while Ashborn looked like he didn't care.
Alice looked more restless as she kept glancing back and forth between her children, Adam and Raynolds, keeping a firm hold onto her husband's sleeve.
'Well, at least mother is here to heal me if I get hurt, right? ' Thought Arthur when he saw that at least mother was concerned about him.
The brothers finally took a stance and looked at Adam who was standing 5 meters away from them. Arthurs's eyes narrowed at Adam, soon he willed his mana in his legs and dashed forwards to his opponent with both his hands holding on the sword.
Ashborn just looked at his opponent, he observed what he was doing. Also, maintaining an eye on Arthur, to later match what he was planning.
Arthur swung his sword at Adam. Adam, seeing this, still kept his cocky expression, but Arthur's swing had been just faint. Art blinked foot diagonally to his right.
Adam's eyes widened at this. His smug look all but vanished and was replaced by a look of surprise, as he realized what was about to happen.
Arthur swung his sword at Adam's open rib cage and reinforced his sword at the last moment of his swing. The look of surprise on Adam lasted all but a split second before he pivoted his right foot with almost inhuman speed.
Arthur squatted in time to dodge Adam's upward swing and linked his stance from a thrust to a spinning swipe and landed a blow on Adam's left ankle using all his momentum. Adam's ankle gave out at that moment, throwing him off balance.
But he actually did a full-on split, followed by a roundhouse sweep with his legs as soon as he was on the ground.
Arthur jumped to dodge the incoming attack of Adam, but shortly after, the attack was followed by Adam's stick. Arthur wanted to thrust the pommel of the sword to block the attack, but he saw another pair of hands emerging in his sight.
Ashborn caught Adam's stick with mana-reinforced hands. Without wasting any time Ashborn plucked a stick, throwing Adam off guards.
"His grip. " Said Ash and Art understood.
Arthur strengthened his legs with mana and kicked Adam's grip where he was held on a stick. Adam was disarmed, so Ashborn soon proceeded to attack, by throwing the stick which he was holding at Adam.
Adam swiftly dodged.
"Haven't taught them how to fight my ass! How the hell did you train these little monsters?" Cried out Adam in frustration
"I didn't teach them that." Raynolds muttered, in fact, he himself was surprised.
"Seems like we finished. " Arthur managed to say while gasping for air.
"But wait... when did you awaken your core? You reinforced your hand with mana, didn't you? " Arthur abruptly asked his brother, getting everyone's attention.
"Just when you awakened. " Ashborn responded blithely like it wasn't anything special.
"Why didn't you tell us, honey? " Alice crouched to her children.
"Just... wanted to avoid more training. "
"..."
"So you were slacking off, you little... I'll give you one hell of training after this trip. '' Tick marks grew on Raynolds's forehead.
Arthur was on the verge of tears, Alice simply smiled and others just laughed. But later Jasmine asked.
"Where did you learn to fight like this?"
Arthur's eyes widened, at the same time Ashborn looked at Jasmine and just shrugged it off, altering everyone's attention to Arthur.
"I learned by reading books and watching dad, Yes. " Arthur said quickly not to raise suspicion in others. Everyone turned to Ashbron then again, he hasn't done anything special, but he cooperated with Arthur greatly.
"I just saw Arthur being hit by a stick, so I just caught it." said Ash, showing the same hand he caught stick with.
"That easily? " Asked Adam with narrowed eyes, he was quite frustrated at his failure. Ash looked at his father and met with his gaze.
"I just inherited strength from my father." Ash stated and the situation right away changed.
"HAHA! As expected. Both my sons are geniuses! "
After small talk, Arthur was asked to teach everyone his so-called "Simple" Technique. Ash on the other hand just slept, but not without airing his mana around to sense danger even when sleeping.
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
(Ashborn POV)
A couple of days passed as we finally managed to make it to the foot of the Grand Mountains.
On the way there, Twin-horns were trying to learn a little trick from Arthur.
But for some reason, I got a bad feeling. If only I could stretch my mana over large distances...
Also, I and Arthur now are officially 4-years-old brats, that was what Adam called us. Mother also made the cake, I don't know where she got the ingredients. Overall, it was good.
In this Journey, I also heard about Elemental Magic which people categorized. Elements here are divided into 4 categories, Fire, Earth, Water, Wind. Those 4 categories also have a subclass or let's call it superior stage.
People with those sub-classes are called Deviants.
Water → Ice (Humans only)
Water + Earth → Plant (Elves only)
Earth → Gravity (Humans & Dwarves)
Earth → Metal (Dwarves only)
Earth + Fire → Magma (Dwarves only)
Fire → Lightning (Humans only)
Wind → Sound (Humans and Elves only)
Another waste of time. Once more, another restriction just like this mana-core. They can't even fully utilize elements.
While I was thinking about this I felt something triggering inside me. At that moment, I was sitting in the carriage first in a row.
Just barely managed to catch it...
'Who is bold enough to attack? ' I questioned myself. Perhaps, I was getting riled up a little. I will kill whoever sent this arrow.
"BANDITS! PREPARE TO ENGAGE!" Helen shouted from outside and more arrows flew towards our carriage.
"Submit, O' wind and follow my will. I command and gather you around in protection. Wind Barrier!" Angela proceeded to cast a spell, soon a wind hurricane redirected arrows in different locations.
In a matter of seconds, the tarp covering, the carriage was torn to shreds and I got a better view of the situation at hand.
We are completely surrounded.
I could see at least 30 bandits around us. Our situation, of course, isn't favorable, they are at a higher position than us. In addition to us, they have long-ranged weapons.
I started releasing my mana and it seems not only me. Twin-Horns, Father, even Arthur started channeling mana in their bodies.
Afterward, a bald man with multiple scars deforming his face and a body of a bear carrying a giant battle-ax spoke out.
"Look what we have here. Pretty good catch boys. Leave only the girls and the kids alive. Try not to scar them too much. Damaged goods will only sell for less." he snorted with a smirk that revealed a nearly toothless mouth.
Damaged goods...
'I'll kill him with my own hands' Tick mark grew on my head, of course, I would get annoyed at this.
