There was a jovial ambiance at the Heracles manor as the members of the familia stared in awe at the now awakened August.
In the months following the amphitheater incident, August had become a legend in Orario - the hero who had faced the creature alongside his god. The new members couldn't be prouder to be part of this familia.
"So... I missed quite a lot, huh?" August chuckled, scratching his head and looking awkwardly at the eight new members he knew nothing about. - Kiez and Jugo are out doing an errand on Denki's order. -
"Yeah, all because you were sleeping like an idiot," Heracles smirked, looking mischievously at August. This surprised the eight new members; for them, Heracles was a stoic figure, always serious and rarely ever smiling.
"Give me a break, old man! I didn't exactly plan for that to happen!" August retorted, earning him a punch at the head from Heracles. But before it could land, his body moved out of the way, smooth and fast, as if he was never there to begin with.
Heracles had a look of shock momentarily plastered on his face, but he quickly hid it. His mind, however, was processing the movement August had just shown him. 'Like in our spar earlier, it felt like he knew exactly where my hits would be coming from,' he thought. 'What the hell did he do inside the spear's dimension?'
August, oblivious to his god's thoughts, smirked at Heracles, a mocking expression that made a vein pop in the god's forehead.
That smile made the god snap. He relentlessly tried - and failed - to smack August's head. As this happened, Denki had a nostalgic look on his face; this was something he was used to from the past, his captain and god bickering. But the others had looks of disbelief.
They couldn't believe someone had the audacity to tease Heracles face to face. And they couldn't believe Heracles, someone they thought of as a god who never smiled, was actually grinning from ear to ear.
Helga's illusion of August being this hardened warrior and unparalleled adventurer shattered. The more she looked at him, the more she realized that at the end of the day, August Kaiser was still just a child. 'This is the hero of Orario? The spear of mortal death?' she questioned herself as her eyes twitched, watching the god and the boy exchange insults and banter like children. 'And Lord Heracles... Was he always this childish?'
The others felt the same way. There was a rumor that August Kaiser was the embodiment of death, someone who showed no mercy, whose spear was feared by everyone. Yet what they were seeing now was undoubtedly a child.
"Oh, by the way, has Denki ever mentioned the familia tradition to you guys?" August asked, effortlessly dodging another punch without even looking at Heracles.
"Tradition?" Oswald asked, confused. "D-Denki never mentioned any tradition, sir." Oswald gulped as a sinister smile slowly formed on August's face.
Denki was just as confused as Oswald was; he never remembered any tradition of the familia. Then it hit him - the very first day he met August as his captain. His face turned pale at the realization. "T-t-t... THAT WAS A TRADITION?!!" he yelled, looking at August as if he was looking at a demon.
"Well, it was how I welcomed you," August shrugged. "And since I missed welcoming these guys... I reckon this time is a good time to do it." Again, he released that vicious smile. "You'll be joining them as well, of course. I want to see how much you've really grown."
"You know, I'm really tired right now... All of us are. We just exited the dungeon and aren't at a hundred percent," Denki said with a strained smile.
But August just returned the favor with a polite smile. "Well, I just woke up from a coma," he said, then turned towards Heracles. "Old man, can we use the back?"
Heracles gave an exhausted sigh and nodded. "Be sure to clean it all up after you're done."
"Yeah yeah... I'll be coming to your office later, after I'm done with this." August waved Heracles off.
Heracles could only shake his head. "And as usual... You still lack respect. I'll be sure to fix that." He mutters as he walked towards his office.
August smiled as he stared at Heracles' back, he then turned his attention towards Denki and the others. "Well, bring your gear with you and met me at the back... We'll be now commencing the Heracles familia tradition."
"It wasn't a tradition to begin with!" Denki raised his voice up, but August just downright ignored him and headed towards the back of the manor.
Helga who was now more curious about this so called tradition asked Denki. "So... What exactly is this tradition he speaks of?"
"Again this wasn't a tradition." Denki frustratingly answered. But because everyone was looking at him and wanted a more clear answer, he sighed and opened his mouth. "He'll probably spar with us. When I first joined Heracles familia, it was the first thing he ever did. Sufficed to say that he beat me to a pulp."
"A sparing with the Gaé bulg huh? Well that doesn't sound too bad. Hell, this is actually a great opportunity if I do say so myself." Helga had a look of excitement plastered on her face, the same sentiment could be felt on the other members.
And to that Denki just shook his head and muttered to himself. "Ahhh... I had that same look once."
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Denki and the members of Heracles familia all moved together outside the manor towards the open space which by now has been considered as the training area. And there waiting for them is August, sitting at the middle of the field in a lotus position, with his eyes closed.
Every member felt chills run up their spine, they gulped at the aura that was surrounding August.
"Holy shit!" Helga couldn't help but utter, sweat started to pour out of the female adventurer, and she was not alone.
Ozwald, Katty, and the others all couldn't help but be at awe, their eyes drawn at their captain, gone was the childish demeanor he showed when they first met him. Right now, they are standing in front of a predator.
August opened his eyes, and everyone took a step back unconsciously. "So I believe introduction is in order." August spoke nonchalant. Relaxed, and composed, his voice serene to their ears. "Let's start with you, you seem to be the strongest of the new bloods here." He pointed towards Helga.
Helga snapped to attention, she cough a bit, clearing her throat and formally introduced herself. "My name's Helga, Helga Baldswurth, I'm currently level three, the same level as Denki... Its a pleasure to meet you Captain." she gave a curt nod and a smile at the end of her introduction.
August nods in return and looked at the person besides her, urging them to continue.
One by one, the new members of the familia introduced themselves, some nervous, others tried to sound confident in front of their captain.
"Name's Ozwald Len, a level two mage, I mainly stay at the back line and cast spell. It's an honor to meet you Mr, Gaé bulg sir."
August chuckled a bit with Ozwald introduction, he gave him a smile and turned his attention to the next person.
"I'm Katty Prusha, a level two, and I act as the main scout when we are diving... I-I hope we get along well." Katty bowed respectfully after her introduction.
"Call me Bors, no last name, A level 2 adventurer as well...." the introduction continued, and August greet them all with a smile and a respectful nod.
"It's good to officially meet you all." August turned serious, making them tense up. He then bowed at them, and looked at everyone sincerely. "Thank you... Thank you for joining this small familia of ours. Thank you for being here, keeping the familia strong in the times that I wasn't here to do so."
Everyone could feel the appreciation and sincerity in August's voice, they smiled warmly towards their captain, feeling prideful that such a powerful person is acknowledging them.
But then, like a switch had been turned on, an eerie mana exuded out of August. A vicious smile morph into his face, and with a smooth motion, he twirled his spear and got into his stance. "Now... Allow me to officially welcome you all to the Heracles familia. All of you, come at me with everything you got."
"He's kidding right?" Thorne asked, a bit perplexed by the suddeness of it.
Denki sighed and just pulled his katana. "No he isn't... You'll get use to it..." He paused and looked at Thorne, a small smirk appearing on his face. "Eventually."
For Denki, he might have be against sparring earlier, but right now, a tinged of excitement had now took over. For 3 and a half months, he had been pushing himself, and right now, there's a chance to see just how much he had improve.
Thorne looked dumbfounded... And he wasn't alone, the rest of the familia all looked at each other, confused.
"What's the matter? Come on now, don't keep me waiting. I'll even let you guys have the first move." August taunted.
The new members stared at each other, a look of understanding showing in their face, they give each other a nod, and took their stance, gripping their respective weapons firmly.
"Well if you insist! DON'T MIND IF WE DO!!!" Helga pulled her claymore out, and with a quick burst, she dashed straight towards August.
Denki followed suit, he formed a mana dome that covered the whole area at the back of the manor.
August smirked, unmoving from where he stood. Waiting for the two who moved first.
"NADIA!!!" Denki screamed, as he was a mere step away from August, and on cue, two arrows flew right besides him, cutting the escape route of August whilst Denki went with a frontal assault. He raised his katana up, and slashed down, the very picture of perfection was his slash.
"A good opening attack." August muttered, he couldn't move to the left, or the the right, due to the arrow, and Denki's sword was heading straight at his head. By all accounts, he was cornered.
Not only that, Helga also arrived right behind him, flanking him, as she slashed her claymore horizontally, aiming at August's back.
But in an instant, just when their weapons was within a hairs length, August moved... He shifted his body, turning right, his eyes glued towards Denki, the katana, and the arrow passing by him harmlessly, and with that move, he also used Denki's own attack to block Helga's. Making the two widen their eyes in surprise as their attack cancel each other's out.
Without missing a beat, Thorne, Lysander, and Eira, -who moved just a little later than the two level 3s- arrived to surround August. Thorne on the right, and Eira on the left, while Lysander was up in the air, the former gladiator attacked from above.
August stayed on his spot, moving so quick that his movement looked like a blur to his attacker, he stabbed his spear to the ground and stretched his two hands towards Denki, and Helga.
He grabbed Denki by the collar of his armor, and Helga by the arm, he then dug his feet to the ground as he spun, using his leg like a top, he tossed Denki, and Helga towards Thorne, and Eira respectively. Sending them flying back.
He then took one step back, just in time to dodge the two gladius that slammed to the ground, missing him completely.
'Fast!' Lysander thought to himself, 'And his movement, it's so natural... It's mesmerizing to look at!' he quickly got up and delivered a barrage of slashes towards August.
August was surprise at the fighting style of Lysander, he expected another brute force fighter, someone who relies on his strength that their moves becomes dull, but the former gladiator is moving like a refined warrior. 'He's like the old man.' He made a quick assessment, nodding his head as he dodged the slashes.
Nadia kept her eyes peeled towards August, she took a deep breath, and with practice motion, let lose 3 simultaneous arrows, all flying true towards her captain.
August who was dodging the attack of Lysander flawlessly, suddenly spun, the arrow missing him by a hairs length, and with a smooth motion he extended his legs, delivering a kick straight towards the former gladiator's abdomen.
Nadia's eyes couldn't believe it, August didn't even look at her arrows, in fact she made sure to aim at his blindside, but not only did he dodged, he used the very same motion to deliver an attack to Lysander.
Lysander was sent reeling back in pain, spatting up saliva as air was forcefully pushed out his lungs.
"Ozwald!" Nadia called out to the pudgy mage while nocking another arrow into her bow. "Don't just stand there! Hurry up and chant!"
Ozwald was snapped back to attention, he was mesmerized by how easily August was dealing with the team that in his mind was one of the stronger ones in the city. So much so that when all of it was happening, he could only stared in awe. "R-right!" he stuttered as he forced his mana to move inside his body.
He aimed his staff towards August, glowing a faint white light. "Unleashed streak of light, bow limbs of the holy tree. Yo-"
"Too slow!" August practically just appeared in front of Ozwald, grinning at the mage, but for him, it just looked like a demon was smiling down at him.
"That's why I'm here!" Bors who didn't go with the others to attack, and opted to stay at the backline jumped in front of Ozwald, getting in between him and August.
August just casually smirked at the short, stocky man. "I was saying that for the both of you."
He then jumped, dodging the axe that Bors swung at him, he flipped in the air and landed in the middle of the two, he then grabbed Bors by his hair with his left hand, and Ozwald by the nape with his right, making sure he was holding back, he slammed the two head, causing both adventurer to groan in pain.
"It's basic knowledge that you should always take out the mage first." August shrugs and said it with a casual tone. "And I don't thin I need to continue what comes next in that phrase?"
He tilted his head, dodging another arrow, and with a lazy turn, he looked at Nadia.
The elf felt chills run up her spine, she knew the basic of combat, it was to take out the mage first, and then the long range archers. Meaning... Her.
She quickly pulled a dagger out, she scowled and jumped back. Wanting to create a larger space between her and the monster standing in front of her.
August shakes his head and clicked his tongue. A slight look of disappointment momentarily appearing on his face.
With a quick burst of step he arrived quickly in front of the elven archer. Her eyes widened at shock and fear. August then punched her at her stomach, holding back quite a bit as to not hurt her as much. But it was enough to send her reeling at the ground.
"You panicked. You discarded your best weapon in exchange of a shorter range dagger against a superior fighter." August smiled at her as he gave her advice, meanwhile, Nadia was drooling on the floor at the pain, she was unconscious.
August then looked back, noticing that Ozwald is down for the count as well. But a small smile appeared in his face as he noticed that six individual are still conscious and are still able to fight.
"Now then..." August cracked his neck and turned to see Denki, Helga, Eira, Thorne, and Lysander, all aiming their weapon at him, with their respective fighting stance. At the corner of his eyes, he could also see Bors, shakily pushing himself up.
August walked towards his spear, he had stabbed it on the ground earlier, and opted to fight them barehanded, but he was a little fired-up, especially with the look those who are still standing is giving him.
"I'm gonna go a bit more serious now..." He pulled his spear off the ground, a spark of red lightning coiled around his body, his mana exploded, filling the air with a dense and sinister feeling.
Denki, Helga, Eira, Lysander, and Bors gulped, they could feel a hand clasping their neck, and grasping their heart.
They all thought their mind was playing games with their head, as a giant wolf like figure appeared right behind August, growling at them.
They are his prey... That was the feeling that entered their hearts, this isn't the hero of Orario that they were facing, nor was it their captain, August Kaiser.
"All of you... Come at me with the intent to kill. I'm afraid that if you hold back right now and treat this as a spar... I might accidentally kill you." August twirled his spear, the red lightning burst everywhere, scorching the ground, prickling the skin of everyone in the area.
And they realized it, right now... At this moment. They are facing... The spear of mortal death. Gáe Bulg!
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Chapter 100 is now complete. How are you all enjoying the story so far?
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