21. Harold Light

At 12 pm, a Black haired young teenager with golden eyes could be seen swinging his sword in the middle of the gymnasium.

Only him was training at this hour of the day. Everyone else went back to check their new dorms.

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Harold POV:

I was doing my usual training when the same weird panel appeared before my eyes.

[ Strength Improved Slightly! ]

[ Stamina Improved Slightly! ]

[ Daily Quest Sword Practice has been Completed! ]

" Just what the hell is this?"

Since last week, I got some weird massages from the system. Usually, it only shows the status and some informations. However, It now gives me missions and keeps popping these notifications...

There is also this credit thing that allowed me to get some stuff from an online shop…This is absolutely not normal.

Even though it claims to be so helpful and I don't trust it, but I need power. To protect everyone that is close to me, and to prevent that…..from happening again.

I still get nightmares because of that damn night….

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12 years ago~

{ in a rural village at the top of a mountain,

a child around 6 years old was playing with an adorable puppy.

" Come on, pocho let's go back. Mom and dad would be angry If we were late!"

" Ruff!"

The little puppy ignored the words and jumped towards the child.

"Hehe, stop.. hahahaha"

Getting licked by the puppy, the child couldn't contain his laughter any more.

When all of a sudden…..

* BOOOM *

....

A huge explosion from where the village was, shocked both the puppy and the little child.

" W-what was that…. N-no…..MOM! DAD!"

The child was quite smart for his age, he ran towards the village. Hoping that both of his parents were fine.

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{ Inside a burning village,

Two men were facing each other. Both of them were from different elite families and currently they were fighting.

Both of them were S rank fighters. Their fight has led this poor village to burn and some commoners died because of their attacks.

The black haired man Donovan from the 'Ravens' was the first to break the silence.

" this will lead to no end…"

The other man Sebastian from the 'Waltons' replied with an indifferent expression.

" You must die today otherwise there is no stopping" as soon as he finished those words he launched at Donovan and slashed at him using his light sword.

-*Swish*

Donovan already expected that answer, so he raised his weapon to counter the incoming attack.

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In a near small house, a couple could be seen holding each other in an embrace. The woman was bleeding profusely due to the impact of the nearby fight.

The man was tearing up as he said. " S-sorry… I—I was…Late.."

The woman smiled gently as she tried to wipe the mans tears, then replied.

" Dear, don't worry…what happened already was done.. please…..protect our son"

The man regained his senses as he stood up and brought up his blade. A legendary rank sword was unsheathed from its scabbard.

….

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As the two men were fighting, another person appeared with a dangerous killing intent surrounding him.

The said man unleashed his S rank aura and stared intently at the two in front of him

The two men stopped their fight after they felt the emerging danger, then both of them asked in demanding voices.

" Who are you, and why were you hiding in this village?"

" What are you doing in this filthy village?"

The man didn't reply, he just stood there and released even more pressure with killing intent that made the two take their stance and get ready to fight.

The man being questioned finally opened his mouth and said in a cold chilling voice,

" I don't know who you are.. or from where you have come… but one thing that I'm sure of is that both of you are dead..."

As soon as he finished his sentence, a more terrifying energy erupted from his body. A huge fight between three S rankers just began.

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A child with his puppy, who currently were going back to their village, heard more and more explosions.

Finally reaching his house, a site that the child never have expected was before his eyes.

"M—mom?"

The mother Sarah had two of her legs cut off with blood splattered around and some fire burning outside.

" ….mom?…why are..not…answering….are you asleep…?"

Tears began to run from the childs' eyes as he heard footsteps from behind where he was..

Step..

Step..

"Huff.....Huff...hmm?...a kid?…."

As the child turned around there was a man covered with bruises all over his body. The puppy started barking at the stranger to protect the child.

".... A dog?"

The man was panting heavily. Annoyed from the barking noise, he shot a small mana beam at the puppy.

Without any resistance, the puppy fell and collapsed as his soul left its body.

"P-Pocho?…"

The kid had many emotions building up inside of him. Confusion, sadness, pain and fear were some of them. He couldn't hold them anymore as he began crying.

" kid…if you don't ke—"

Before the man could finish his words. A sword came from behind where he was towards his neck. The man couldn't even react to the attack as he felt the sword break his cervical vertebrae and rupturing both his trachea and esophagus and emerging from the other side of his neck.

The body of the man collapsed while his head was still hanging on the blade of the sword.

The attacker, Karl, threw the head of Donovan. Sebastian was already dead by the very same sword.

"There you are Harold"

Karl fell on his knees and hugged the crying child.

"D-Dad why is mom not responding?…Where are her legs?..why is pocho not barking?"

Karl was in the same condition as his child. Mainly, regret and grief for his wife were what he felt.

Karl took out his phone and called a certain number.

As the phone rang, he answered his child.

" Harold… I am sorry… I wasn't strong enough to stay with you"

There was a deep wound that penetrated his thorax from one end to the other. It was already a miracle that he is still breathing.

" I am… sorry…you have… to live… take this sword with you…"

The child lost his senses as he began to scream while holding the sword as hard as he could do.

" M…mwaaaaaaa… pl..pwes dad don.. goo as.. well… please… I will never leave the house again…."

The call finally reached the other side and a sound of an old man replied.

" Hello? Karl? It is weird that you called me since so long ago...wait….Is that the sound of a child crying?"

" Markus, I am sorry... please do me one last favor….."

As soon as Karl said his words he couldn't persist anymore….

The child kept cry while hugging the bloody sword and after what seemed to be forever, an old man entered the small house..

" Oh sia….., please help this child" }

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Tightening his grip around the handle of the sword, He was different as his eyes now were clearer and much more focused than before…

With a stronger resolve Harold proceeded with his training….