Chapter Twenty
The morning sun bathed the Demeter Familia estate in a warm glow, signalling the start of a new day.
Muichiro woke up in a comfortable bed inside Demeter's room, his gaze fixed on the ceiling for a moment as he recalled the events of the previous day.
After the welcome party and the ritual, he had shared a bed with Demeter for the first time.
Her warmth and presence had been a curious thing, moon had always done similar things even when in her realm there was no need for things such as sleep.
And while he might not fully understand the emotions associated with such closeness, he recognized the significance of the gesture for the other party.
'Demeter isn't here anymore...She should be doing something else then.' Muichiro thought as he looked around the room but hadn't sensed Demeter anywhere.
With a composed demeanour, Muichiro got out of bed, his movements precise and efficient.
He proceeded to his morning routine, washing his face and teeth in the bathroom Demeter had pointed out yesterday. Dressed in his usual attire of the haori and mesh underneath, he was ready to face the day ahead.
Upon exiting the bathroom, he found Demeter waiting in the room, her hair tied up in a neat bun, wearing a cheerful smile that contrasted with her calm personality.
She gestured towards the table, where a simple breakfast was laid out.
"Good morning, Muichiro," she greeted warmly. "I hope you slept well."
Muichiro nodded in response, his voice as calm as ever. "Yes, thank you."
"Great, some of my familia had made us some breakfast, and I thought we could eat it together." Muichiro nodded not minding such a thing.
As they sat down to eat, Demeter engaged in casual conversation. She inquired about his sleep, his thoughts on the familia, and his plans for the day.
Muichiro answered succinctly, his attention on his food and the topic at hand.
....
"Muichiro I know you're quite strong, probably even stronger than most level ones, and that's even before you received my falna, but I still want to see where you stand."
After breakfast, Demeter mentioned that they had a training scheduled and a test in the morning.
Muichiro acknowledged her words with a nod, he did not mind that she wanted to see how strong he was, Moon had already said that he was around a peak level two.
And that's not counting his magic, skills and blessings, just pure strength alone. After they finished their breakfast Demeter took Muichiro to a secluded area outside the Manor.
It seemed to be an outdoor training area. And right now it was completely empty and devoid of any people.
All except one man, standing in the middle of the empty field
Adrian, the warrior assigned as his sparring partner, was already there, his sword at ready.
"Good morning Demeter-sama, I hope you had a wonderful morning." Adrian asked.
"I did, thank you, Adrian, Muichiro this is Adrian a retired adventurer who now acts as the Head of security for the familia."Muichiro nodded but said nothing else.
"Not much of a talker huh! That's fine too, Demeter-sama has told me your pretty skilled with the sword so I'll be testing that today. Ahh but don't worry you can use your real sword I'll be using this beginner one." Adrian said with a smile.
Muichiro looked at him and tilted his head" But you'll die..."
"..."
"Hahaha ha, I'll die, Demeter-sama where did you find this one? He's full of joke's isn't he? Hey, Muichiro-kun your new to Orario so you might not know the true immensity when it comes to level differences."
Adrian then went on a long rant about how the levels work and that no matter how skilled Muichiro was, he was still only a level one adventurer, but he was level two.
Even if he didn't use a weapon he could still beat Muichiro with a pinky. Demeter sighed and finally interrupted Adrian.
"Oh right the test, it's quite simple actually, this will be a sparring match. You can go all out against me."
"And if by some miracle you can get me out of the arena boundaries then Demeter will not worry about you going into the dungeon alone, for now at least."
Muichiro nodded and turned to Demeter." I don't need to hold back..."
"Yes but remember it's only a sparring match so no lethal injuries or death."
"Understood..."
The air crackled with tension as Muichiro's katana gleamed in the sunlight, its edge eager for the dance of combat.
Adrian, the retired adventurer, raised an eyebrow as he adjusted his grip on the slender long sword he held.
"Ready to be impressed, Muichiro-kun?" Adrian grinned, the challenge evident in his eyes. "Let's see if your reputation matches your skill."
Muichiro's response was silence, his gaze narrowing as he honed in on his opponent. The wind picked up, rustling the leaves and causing the grass to sway. Then, with a sudden burst of movement, Muichiro closed the distance in an instant, his katana singing through the air.
Adrian's eyes widened as he barely managed to raise his blade in time to block the lightning-fast strike.
The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the ground, creating hairline cracks that spread like veins. The force of the blow reverberated through Adrian's arms, his muscles straining against the unexpected power of Muichiro's attack.
But Muichiro wasn't done. He twisted his body with uncanny agility, launching a series of strikes that seemed to blur into a single fluid motion. Adrian backpedalled, his steps leaving fissures in the earth. He parried, dodged, and deflected, each movement accompanied by a chorus of clashing metal.
The intensity of the fight escalated as Muichiro's attacks grew even faster and more precise. Adrian's defence was valiant, his skill undeniable, but he was struggling to keep up with the sheer onslaught of Muichiro's strikes. The ground beneath them trembled with each clash, and the arena's boundaries seemed to blur as they circled each other.
"Is this all you've got?" Muichiro's voice was calm, almost taunting, as he pushed forward relentlessly.
Adrian's teeth gritted, his eyes narrowing in determination. With a sudden surge of energy, he managed to break free from Muichiro's flurry of attacks, creating a brief opening. He lunged forward, his blade aiming for Muichiro's side.
However, Muichiro was already prepared. He pivoted gracefully, his katana meeting Adrian's blade with an ear-splitting clash.
The shockwave of their clash sent shockwaves racing outward, causing the ground to split and crack beneath their feet. A fissure snaked its way across the arena, the earth splitting open as if unable to contain the force of their clash.
The two warriors locked eyes for a moment, their breaths heavy with exertion. Then, as if by unspoken agreement, they resumed their dance of steel and fury. Each stroke, each parry, each step seemed to echo with the weight of their determination and prowess.
As the battle raged on, the sun climbed higher in the sky, casting long shadows that danced along with the movements of the combatants. Dust and dirt kicked up from the ground, mingling with the sweat that dripped from their brows. The ground trembled beneath their feet, and the very air seemed charged with their energy.
In a final display of power, Muichiro's blade whirled through the air, a streak of silver cutting through the sunlight.
Adrian's defences finally wavered, and with a resounding clash, Muichiro's katana struck true. Adrian's sword was knocked from his hand, sailing through the air before embedding itself in the ground.
The shockwave from the impact sent both warriors stumbling back, their breaths ragged.
The ground, now marred by deep cracks and sword marks, bore witness to the duel that had unfolded. Adrian's gaze met Muichiro's, a mix of shock and respect in his eyes.
"Guess… I underestimated you," Adrian admitted, a weary smile tugging at his lips.
....
This is a mass release of Eight entire chapters. I'm sure you all are gonna have a field day reading them.
I've only been able to briefly look over them so if there are any spelling mistakes or grammar issues please do point them out so I can fix them at a later date.
Total word count of the mass release:11,155