Child from the Dungeon-Chapter 102: Trembling Star

[ December 5th ]

An instructor is training his sword technique to his trainee, outclassing him in every way as he dismantles his guard helmet, revealing his face and his golden shining hair.

" Again! " The instructor says while the trainee raises himself, preparing his stance again but when he does that, he was immediately knocked out again by his instructor.

" Enough! " the instructor says as the trainee was on the ground, heavily wounded.

" This is for today, Carlos! "

" This will be the first day I will teach you the advanced swordplay of the Calibur House," he says to Carlos, Donovan's greatest rival in power (I mean it). 𝙗𝙚𝒅𝒏𝙤𝙫𝙚𝒍.𝒐𝙧𝙜

" No, this isn't over yet...! "

" I've yet to grasp the essence of the advanced swordplay techniques, uncle, I...! "

" What's happening here!? " a voice comes, making Carlos' skin shiver as the person who said that comes into the training room.

As the person comes in, his gravitas already changed the atmosphere of the place, making people that could feel his presence feel inferior.

" Welcome, my lord! " Carlos's uncle gives him the salute to Arthur Calibur, the head of the Calibur House.

" Cousin... " Arthur responds to him, as he then comes into their place.

" Why do stay on the ground, Carlos? " the uncle asks Carlos as he is still stuck on the ground, still feeling weak in his father's presence, he didn't want to look at him for his pressure really...

"( So, bloody powerful! )" Carlos says in his mind, while still trying to kneel which made his uncle angry.

" Greet your father, Carlos! "

" U..umm... "

" Carlos Calibur greets with full respect to the Calibur House Head! " Carlos greets his father as he kneels and salutes his father.

" Hmm... " Arthur looks at Carlos as his legs constantly tap on the floor.

" The young one is doing well cousin... "

" If he continues his training, I'll assure you that... "

" Is not enough! " Arthur says as he then releases his Mana Aura in front of the two.

As it happens, Carlos begins to shiver all over his body, realizing that his father is greatly displeased.

"( It is hard for me to know when father is pleased or not, for I will never predict what emotion state he is in the present. )"

"( The only way for me to know he is pleased or not, is to see if father will shower me with his immense pressure after he sees me or not, but if he does that then... )" Carlos closes his eyes, sweat droll over his neck, realizing that he somehow offended his father in some way.

As Carlos shivered, Arthur approached him closer, shadowing him with his huge towering body.

" Who told you to close your eyes, son!? " Arthur asks Carlos which shocks him as he looks at his father.

" Calibur House Head, I... "

" Answer the question, don't greet me twice, boy! " Arthur orders Carlos to just straight to the point which Carlos says that he is still having a hard time accustoming to his great pressure.

Hearing that, Arthur stares at him, looking at him sharply as if he didn't like the answer.

"( He is very displeased right now! )"

"( My father always want more from me, I appreciated that knowing my own talented self, but... )"

"( Sometimes, I don't know what standards my father wants me to fulfill. )" Carlos wondered what his father wanted actually, just to come here without telling anything, which is so uncommon for him since he's a strict person that will never disobeys the House's very code.

" You survived quite well, son... " Arthur suddenly says which shocks Carlos after thinking negatively about him.

Hearing those words, Carlos then replied with great confidence after hearing such praise from his father, but.

" Calibur House Head, I thank...- "

" That's not a compliment! boy! " Arthur suddenly yells at him.

" Look at you, do you think that this is enough for you to be 'equal' with me? " Arthur roasts Carlos's inability to withstand his pressure.

" Do you think that training advanced swordplay techniques from our glorious House, can make you my rival!? "

" No! not yet! "

" You're still so far from it! " Arthur tells Carlos the truth of his state, yelling at him about whatever he had in his mind.

While Arthur just explains Carlos's weaknesses, Carlos whose mind is already somewhere else can only ignore and wait until his father will stop opening his mouth.

"( Well father, I can be stronger if you didn't come and interrupted me! )" Carlos says in his mind as his father then changed the topic.

" Do you hear the news, Carlos!? " Arthur suddenly asks which made Carlos shocked as he was grinding to learn his swordplay for three days.

" What news, House Head? " Carlos asks.

" The news that came out this day, about someone so famous from the Royal Houses. "

" The child from the Richter House, Donovan Richter-Grimshaw! " Arthur says which shocks Carlos.

"( Donovan!!! what the...! )" Carlos stays silent after hearing this.

" Right now, he is on the news, the 'Child From the Dungeon', still two years old after he was taken from it*...! ) "

" He's already become more powerful for months! " Arthur says as he tells Carlos that just recently, a TV journalist visits the Richter House and at that moment, Donovan presents the Journalists and the viewers with his great display of abilities.

Hearing that, Carlos was shocked for his father continued to give him the full details, explaining how Donovan showed off in the news as his grandfather, Hector ask him to defeat a large Magirobot which he did that less than 30 minutes.

"( Donovan is really that smart in terms of battle, isn't he? )" Carlos asks himself.

" Not only the Magirobot, that Richter House Head also asks his 'grandson' to defeat many of his captured monsters, which he did it with ease, I've seen it since I've been there when he kills the monsters when that part happened. " Arthur says to Carlos which made something click in him.

" So what is your desire, House Head? " Carlos asks Arthur about it.

" It's simple, you're friend is already making progress while you still train techniques! "

" Because of that, you don't realize that while you're training the styles of the House's sword techniques... "

" You're classmate there, had already fought many things unlike other kids on his age, even I must say to myself that I didn't kill a monster until I was ten! "

" But that kid! "

" Seeing him achieved that makes me furious! and then I get more furious after seeing you! " Arthur says which made Carlos feel pressed.

" Because of that, seeing your progress... "

" I've decided that your training regiment will be drastically changed. "

" For it's time to face challenges, boy! " Arthur says to Carlos as he then leaves him, leaving the place while Carlos kneels and just thinks about what his father just told.

"( Donovan did those things... )" Carlos says as he wants to see the whole thing himself.

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Extra:

In the human world, Donovan's age counts from when Duncan finds him and his body looks like a baby back then, so...

Don't ask too much about Donovan's actual age.