15 Chapter 13 What it means to be strong.

*Narration*

*BOOM!!!*

A powerful blow sent August flying off. That was how the fight started, August didn't even see Heracles strike coming and only with his well trained instincts was he able to move his spear to block the blow.

"Boy get up. I barely even touched you." The god said mockingly as he looked at the downed boy.

August felt his body aching, he fought with his god countless of times now and he felt that his attack was even stronger than usual.

August slowly rose to his feet, using his spear for support. That blow alone almost broke his arm. He was angry. "Fucking old man, are you trying to kill me!?"

"Kill you? HAHAHAHA! Boy if I wanted to kill you you'll be a stain on the ground already. That was merely a love tap."

August stared at the god of strength, from the 9 years that he was with him, being trained by him, he never witnessed the true strength of the god. And he remembered that gods can't use Arcanum in the lower world.

Only one thing entered the boy's mind. Heracles is the embodiment of strength and power. And beating him would be a mountain of a task. after all, from all of their sparring sessions, he never once did beat the god.

August closed his eyes, he took a deep breath in, he prepared himself, brandishing his beloved spear Beowulf, he let his mana run wild.

All the power of a level four exploded in the air as a violent surge of mana exudes from the boy's body.

"That's the spirit. prove your worth as a warrior." Heracles smiled wildly as he clenched his fist. "COME BOY!!! ATTACK ME WITH EVERYTHING YOU HAVE, ATTACK WITH THE INTENTION TO KILL, SHOW ME WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED, SHOW ME THAT YOU ARE STRONG!!!"

August rushed at the god, his spear at the ready he pushed off the ground at speed's no ordinary man could even see.

He pushes his spear straight at the god, the force in it can decimate a monster into a fleshy mess.

But this is Heracles, The man made God. With natural strength so strong his blow could crumble mountains.

He used his fist, confronting the spear head on with his right. but Heracles was no fool, he knows that without his Arcanum his body was essentially human, even with all his strength a spear especially Beowulf would just tear his fist apart. This fist was a bluff. His true aim was the base of the spear.

August braces himself for impact on the incoming collision, but as his spear was about to hit Heracles fist, the god pulled his hand back, and using his left he punched the spear with enough strength to break adamantite. He knows that the spear wouldn't break so he can relax himself without holding much back.

His fist hit the base of the spear, sending it upwards. August's posture broke, his hands hurt from the impact but now he was wide open as his guard was broken by just one move from the god.

"SHIT!!!" The boy can only curse, as Heracles smirk, looking at the boy's eye, he loaded his right and swung it towards the wide open abdomen of August, hitting him at his solar plexus.

August winced at the pain, he was able to make his mana move fast enough to cover the area but since it was rushed it was flimsy at best. The blow still made him fly in the air, as he spits saliva with a mix of blood.

"I told you many times that you rely too much on that weapon and your reflexes. Your attack is also very honest. Have I taught you nothing?" He watches as the boy lands rolled at the ground. 'The blow must have knocked the wind out of him' he thought as he moved in, walking at a steady pace.

The ground shook at every step the mountain of a god took. August through gritted teeth looked at his god. the embodiment of strength and might. And this is him still holding back. He dreads the fact that if his god put a little more strength at the blow he would be on a one way ticket to the afterlife. This isn't just a spar. That blow made him realise it, this was a fight, a battle between two warriors. And he knows he won't win if he doesn't fight with the intention to kill.

With shaky legs August willed himself to stand back up, determination and fire burning in his eyes as he looked at the almighty god with reverence and awe. On this day, at this moment. "I WILL BEAT YOU!!!" he screamed, his voice filled with passion, with grit, drive, and determination.

"THEN COME!!!" Heracles roared, he was getting fired up by the show of grit by the boy, in this 9 years he treated August as his son, he taught him how to be strong, how to persevere, he taught him how to be a warrior both physically and mentally. And he was happy at the results. The boy is now a man.

August focused mana into the soles of his feet, as he moved faster than he ever did in his life, the wind making way for the man that won't back down.

In a blink of an eye he reached in front of Heracles as he rained a barrage of strikes with his spear.

The attack was blindingly fast, but for the god, it was childs play, he dodged the barrage with precise and very little movements, not wasting any move. Blocking what he could block, dodging what he could dodge, he let the man's potential rise as he could see improvement with every passing moment of his attack.

And then it happened, Heracles got sloppy, his block was a tad bit late, and Beowulf made a cut, drawing blood out of the god. And the spear greedily absorbed it.

Lethal Tempo was activated.

August moved faster, his strike became more agile, as he could feel his speed rose. Pressing the pressure more he moved with gusto as his strike became more polished.

Heracles became flustered, just one tiny drop of blood changed the balance of the fight, and like an overflowing dam August draws more blood for Beowulf to absorb. One cut became two, as two became four and so on and so forth as Heracles is slowly getting pushed back by the warrior he trained.

'Good he's learning as he fight. I should probably step it up a notch before the tempo is completely in his control.' The god thought to himself as he stomped his foot on the ground, sending shockwaves all around, cracking and breaking the solid ground with just one move. Debris came flying in the air as August was pushed back. Then a fist appeared suddenly in his vision.

"Fuck!" he hurriedly raised his spear blocking the blow, but he was still sent flying by the strength of Heracles. He kept his balance as lands, skidding at the ground he stabbed his weapon on it to stop himself from going farther.

With a smile on his face he looked at his god, he finally made him bleed, sure the cuts was on his hands as he made a late block but still, a cut is a cut. And seeing that the god's hands were cut multiple times brought his confidence through the roof.

"You seem smug August." he was taken aback, that was the first time his god called him by his name since he agreed to join his familia, it was always boy, you, or child. For 9 years since he joined Heracles he never called him his name.

August twirled his spear and beamed the god a smile. he then spoke. "This was the first time you called me by my name since joining your familia."

"We'll you are a man now, a warrior." He raised his right hand for August to see, multiple cuts bleeding from Heracles' hand "And here's the proof. There aren't many gods in heaven that can boast about making me bleed." He brought his hand down, a smile plastered on the god's face. "I, HERACLES, RECOGNIZE YOU, AUGUST KAISER, AS A WARRIOR!!!"

August felt elated, all his hardwork, all the blood, sweat and tears, all the training, all the sufferings, after all of that his god finally recognized him as a warrior.

"But you still have a long way to go." Heracles voice suddenly became cold. he moved his hands behind him, towards his mace. (img not mine.) "you are a warrior now, so it would be rude not to fight you as a warrior myself." Heracles unleashed his bloodlust, all of it concentrated towards August. like a beast who has his prey in his sight.

"..."

"Our deal is for you to beat me before going to Orario still stands." August could have sworn that Heracles size became larger, he looked so big in front of him, like a mountain, but he must climb it in order to reach the summit.

The world suddenly came to a stop for August, his heart pounding, his breath became rugged. This feeling, he felt it before.

This was fear.

He knows this feeling well, he was made by it, he was molded in its existence, he thought that he broke free from it, but seeing the embodiment of strength wield his weapon for the first time, feeling the gods bloodlust directly, the fear came crawling back towards him.

Alarm bells started ringing in his head, the drive to fight and win suddenly vanished, replaced by a singular thought.

Survival.

"What's this? what is this pathetic sight? I recognize you as a warrior. Are you making me take back my words BOY!!!" Anger flashed at the God's eyes, Disappointment all too plain in his face. His voice booms as he rushed at August at terrifying speed, his mace raised up to the heaves as he swung at the man.

August took a step back, unfortunately or fortunately for him his feet steeped on a rock which made him fall down on his arse which made the strike miss him completely.

August felt the wind smacking his face from the blow, a thunderous roar boomed in the plane's as the blow passed by him.

He was sent flying by the raging wind, his mind dread at the thought that if the attack hit him hell be turned to minced meat.

He looked at Heracles, he was walking towards him, the smile on his face that he grew accustomed to is now missing. it was replaced by a disappointed frown as the god walked closer and closer towards him.

He prepared himself to run, his survival instinct kicking in high gear, he must flee, he must live, these thoughts dominated in his mind as fear took hold of it.

As he turned back to run and flee, he fell to the ground, his knees were shaking uncontrollably, his eyes drift around, looking for anything that may aid his escape, he saw his father's spear, the spear who should now belong to him, his hand rushed to picked it up but to his shock it blew his hand away.

The spear rejected him, Beowulf doesn't want a pathetic master.

"Boy even your spear sees how weak you are?" Heracles voice travelled towards August's ear. "I made a promise to you, that I will make you strong. That you will be strong or you will die trying." He looked at him, August can see sadness in the god's eyes. "I intend to keep that promise. And it seems like death is the promise that I would keep."

August eyes went wide, his god really will kill him. Is this how his life would end? Is this what his destiny leads to. His life flashed before his eyes. He remembered everything, he remembered his siblings, his mother, his father, he remembered Shakti and the adventures of Orario who helped him, who saved him, he remembered the promise he made.

He will be the strongest, he will kill every monster in the world. A promise to his family, a promise to himself.

Will he die today? his mind raced, his eyes shut close as he remembered Beowulf's cold touch, the connection he has with the spear, how it was his partner, how he felt as he first touched the weapon.

'Will I die today?'

'NO!!!'

He will not die today!!!

His hand slammed at the weapon as he felt its power surge inside him.

'How can I be so pathetic!?' He thought to himself as he gripped the weapon, his eyes looked at Heracles, invigorated with the fire that he lost momentarily.

"I'm sorry Beowulf, It won't happen again." he looked at his weapon as he whispered at it, he stood up gallantly, as mana oozed out of his body, not the same violent burst like a raging fire as before, right now it was controlled, like a fire from a candle, smooth and flowing, calm and collected.

"Sorry Old man..." He looked at Heracles, and the god felt elated at his child. The fear from before is gone, right now his eyes are filled with the fire if determination. "I made you watch something pathetic."

"HAHAHAHA!!!" Heracles laughed, this is what he hoped for, this is what it means to be strong. To be able to face your fears head on and to conquer it. This is true strength, the strength of ones mind. "There you are August. I thought you were gone. HAHAHA!!! You pas--"

"Let me stop you right there old man." He cut Heracles' word before he could complete it. "Pass? no... our deal still stands, I will defeat you, right here, right now." He twirled his spear as he smiled viciously towards his god, the calm mana around him flickers, growing brighter and brighter, threatening to burst forth.

Heracles couldn't believe his ears, is this boy serious, did he really believe that he could beat him? He the mighty Heracles? His lips slowly rose into a smile. "Are you sure about that August?" He asked as he waved his mace back and forth generating a powerful gust that roared into the air.

"Of course... Why? are you perhaps scared old man?"

*50 things Heracles' hates number 22. Being called old + number 29, accusing him of being a cowered, or being called scared.*

A vein popped inside Heracles head. Oh he done fucked up now, being called old was one thing, but now the man accused him of being scared. Him? Scared? He was coming at him at 20% of his strength, but now... oh now he'll teach this young blood a lesson that he'll never forget.

Bloodlust ran wild as Heracles unleashed it at full force towards August, The god, like the epicenter of a raging storm as the ground shook at his fury.

30% will do. He thought to himself as his muscles bulged at his will.

August stared at his god, unafraid, unaffected by the bloodlust that assaulted him, Don't get it twisted he was still very much afraid of the god, but he will face it head on, and he will conquer his fear.

At that moment Beowulf vibrated, sending a signal towards August, A signal that August was waiting for.

:The user must wield Beowulf. 'Checked.'

: The user has to be in battle for more than ten minutes. 'Checked.'

: The user has to slay or injure the opponent for blood to be absorbed by Beowulf. 'Checked.'

: The user must be fully immersed in Battle and nothing else.

"CHECKED!!!" August smiled as he said the word, it confused Heracles.

'Checked? what's checked?' Heracles asked himself, and then he saw August smilling at him viciously. Then it clicked, his eyes went wide as he connected the dots. "THE SON OF BITCH!!!"

August mind ran wild, his mana burst, the calm form of it no longer there.

10 minutes had passed, all conditions had been met. It was now or never, all or nothing.

With a shout August chanted the only magic that he knows, the proof of his connection to Beowulf, the ace up his sleeve, his last resort.

"ENDLESS BATTLE!!!"

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Chapter 13 is done, how do you guys like the story so far?

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good day, love y'all.