The Monster King's Legacy-Chapter 134: Strength Born of Struggle

The rest of the day, Lance spent it climbing the mountain again after descending, only this time, he couldn't descend and had to sleep there.

The next morning, after completing the remaining of his course, Lance didn't even get the chance to rest properly, before Kaelthara appeared again.

"Good," she said, her voice gruff but approving. "Now, let's see how you fare in combat."

Lance barely had time to brace himself before Kaelthara attacked, her massive tail sweeping toward him like a battering ram. He dove to the side, the force of the blow sending a shockwave through the ground.

"Do you ever warn your opponents?" he complained, scrambling to his feet.

"In battle, there are no warnings," Kaelthara replied, her claws slashing toward him. "Now, move!"

The sparring session continued in such relentless fashion, pushing him to his breaking point. Though she held back enough not to seriously injure him, the sheer force of her attacks was enough to leave him bruised and battered.

Without clearly realizing it, Lance's strategy quickly shifted from dodging to anticipating her movements, as he preferred not leaving things up to the uncertainty and randomness of it all. Even then, there wasn't much he could do against these attacks, as Kaelthara showed almost no shift in her position before her tail or claw struck.

"You're learning," Kaelthara said, a rare note of approval in her voice as Lance narrowly avoided another sweep of her tail.

…

As the sun hung lower in the evening sky, Lance was on the verge of collapse… perhaps for a while now. His muscles screamed for rest, and his mind was clouded with exhaustion. Yet, every time he faltered, Kaelthara's booming voice brought him back to his feet.

"Do you think this is hard?" she'd almost mock. "The world is full of creatures stronger and crueler than you. If you can't handle this, you'll never survive out there! Forget survival, you shouldn't even be satisfied to live in such a world where you are a weakling!"

Strangely enough, her words were like motivation for him, like some kind of affirmation. Lance gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stand, his mouth moving under the intense exhaustion and pressure. "I can handle it," he muttered, his voice hoarse.

Kaelthara's piercing gaze bore into him with what would look like a grin. "GOOD."

…

When Kaelthara finally called for a break, Lance collapsed onto the ground, his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath, his entire body trembling.

"Not bad," Kaelthara said, her tone gruff but tinged with approval. "You're tougher than I thought, human."

Lance managed a weak smile, but no words came out.

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As Lance lay on the ground, staring up at the sky now that the sun was down, Kaelthara watched him with a thoughtful expression.

"You've got spirit," she said, her tone more vibrant, with some ting of approval.

Lance glanced at her, his curiosity piqued.

Kaelthara huffed, "you're yet to collapse and pass out from exhaustion, that alone is worth more than a lot. Rest today, we continue tomorrow." She said, without waiting for a response, she flew away.

That evening, as Lance lay on the grass, thinking of how he would get food while nursing his sore muscles, Aelyndra approached with a teasing smirk. "Still alive, I see. Mother hasn't killed you yet."

"Barely," Lance replied, though there was a glint of pride in his eyes.

Aelyndra tilted her head, her golden eyes softening. "You're more resilient than I expected, human. I'm... impressed."

Lance chuckled, leaning back against a rock. "Thanks, Aelyndra. That means a lot."

As the fire crackled between them, Lance felt a renewed sense of purpose. Kaelthara's training was grueling, but it was pushing him to become something more.

…

By the end of the week, Lance could feel the changes, albeit a little. More than anything however, his entire body felt as though it was collapsing on itself. He had healed himself three times already within that week, which were times Kaelthara had asked him to, mostly before they began training.

Following kaelthara's praises, though they came sparingly, Lance couldn't help but feel a spark of hope, with all his faith placed in her hands. He was ready to do all she asked, it was looking worth it.

…

Quickly, a month passed in a blur of grueling training, aching muscles, and relentless challenges. The Sacred Dragon Realm's Sacred Peaks had become Lance's crucible, each day a test of his endurance and willpower under Kaelthara's unyielding supervision. What had once seemed impossible; climbing sheer cliffs and mountains with weighted packs that would crush normal bone, dodging Kaelthara's strikes, and carrying out precision drills, were all now part of his routine.

Though his body was beyond battered and bruised, the contours of his face changing before every time he had to heal himself, Lance had begun to see the results of his labour. His muscles, though they had carried a noticeable and defined bulk, now appeared more striated, giving him a look as though he was made of 95% muscle, it was unbelievable. His endurance had doubled, and his reflexes had sharpened significantly.

One morning, as Lance scaled a steep rock face with ease, using nothing but his hands and fingers to grab and pull himself up he rocky sides, he glanced down to see Kaelthara watching him from below. Her golden eyes were steady, her expression unreadable, but there was a faint glimmer of approval that hadn't been there before.

Lance continued his climb, noting in his mind that something was about to change, and perhaps his training was about to hit another height of difficulty. As always, he was without a shirt, and now his trouser had become too tattered to be worn, so Aelyndra had found something else for him. It was a sturdy material which through some means of magic, was sewn into a simple trouser wear for him. So far, it had been holding up pretty well.

While he was shirtless, a couple of materials were strapped to his chest and abdomen. These straps were also placed on his arms, and legs under the baggy trousers, and the last one around his head. Though he started with rolling boulders, it didn't take long before Elder Naerys presented Kaelthara with an even better idea, using creations of her own. Lance wasn't sure if it was gravity or some sort of weighted magic, but it sure was worse than pushing or pulling boulders, and even worse, the things didn't appear to have a limit. Whenever he got used to the weight on him, it would automatically increase, so his body was always under stress, especially after Kaelthara, who had fallen in love with it, asked Lance to have them on at all times.

After reaching the summit, Lance paused to catch his breath, taking in the scene before him from the top. The view was breathtaking, the peaks stretching endlessly in every direction, their tips reaching into the sky as though they would pierce into space.

Just then, Kaelthara's voice snapped him out of his reverie.

"Don't stand there gawking, human," she called, her voice piercing his very thoughts. "If you're not moving, you're not improving!"

Lance grinned despite the ache in his limbs. "Yes, ma'am!"

He began his descent, his footing sure and his movements fluid.

"Faster than last week," Kaelthara noted with a quiet nod.

Lance wiped the sweat from his brow, nodding. "I'll shave off more time tomorrow."

"How about you shave off more time right now? You can do it." She said.

Lance grinned, a mix of pain and perseverance. "I can do it!"

Listening to him, Kaelthara laughed, her tail striking the ground, "Good! You must be the son I never had!" she said, her draconic features forming into a grin. "But before then, you should eat. It has been more than a week after all. Also, perhaps, you should take a bath later today, and scrub those."

"Yes, I'll make sure to do so." Lance replied, receiving a large reddish orange coloured fruit from her. It had been his food every since his arrival in the sacred dragon realm. It was such a strange thing of nature that Lance didn't bother questioning. After eating just one of it, it could last him an entire week, even when he spent every minute of the day burning energy. Even stranger, he didn't have the need to excrete out any waste, so he hadn't used the toilet for more than a month, though, he still urinated.

As Lance ate, Kaelthara suddenly spoke, her tone reminiscing. "You're learning," she said, her tone also carrying an edge of satisfaction. "You remind me of someone I trained long ago. They were stubborn, too."

Lance raised an eyebrow, curious. "What happened to them?"

"They became strong," she said simply, turning away.

"Oh… I see…" He said dryly. 'What did I expect?'

Suddenly, kaeltahra spoke again. "Tell me, Lance," she began, her tone thoughtful, "why do you push yourself so hard? Most would have given up by now."

Lance paused, staring into the fruit in his hands as though it held the answer to the question. "I guess... it's because I don't want to be a liability, to my people, to anyone who depends on me. I've always relied on my mind, my strategies, but… that's not enough. I need to be strong to always be able to protect those who trust me, and those I care about. Besides, seeking strength can never go wrong."

Kaelthara hummed, her breath pushing out like a soft and short breeze. "A noble reason. Strength born from responsibility is the most enduring kind, I believe."

Lance bit into the fruit as he listened, feeling a newfound respect for the towering dragon. "And what about you? Why did you offer to train me?"

Kaelthara huffed, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Because you fit my methods, and besides, a weak man will not stand by my daughter."

Lance chuckled dryly as he heard her, shaking his head. No one had cleared things up for her that he and Aelyndra were not in that kind of relationship yet. Either way, it wouldn't be him.