22 Chapter 22

(3'rd POV)

Standing few meters away from each other, Ashborn and Reynolds. Son and Father duo were facing each other.

Reynolds after getting stuck on solid orange-stage managed to get on the next stage quite easily with the help of S-Class beast core. Right now Reynolds is light orange-stage and is close to breaking through yellow-stage.

Besides he managed to assimilate with beast-will that he found in beast-core. He can bring out the first phase of his beast will without any after-effects on his body.

"Father, Are you ready?" Ashborn asked father who only grinned and immediately entered the first phase of his beast-will.

His hair stood up and turned its color into white, eyes meanwhile turned into bloody-red color.

'He can't transform more than that?' Ashborn noticed that something didn't let beast-will work on its full potential.

"I can only enter the first phase of my beast-will." His father answered and Ashborn only nodded.

'He just doesn't know what is second-phase.' Ashborn thought it was weird why he didn't transform fully.

Now he realized that people here think that beast-wills have phases of transformation. His father had great strength to handle this beast-will and it should be able to transform fully, he just doesn't exactly realize what his own beast-will is.

"Here I come." Reynolds dashed at Ashborn with great speed.

He quickly got near Ashborn and tried to punch him, but Ash just evaded his punch. Ash in return swung his leg at his father. Reynold noticed leg aimed at his chest and quickly jumped back.

'Beast-like reflexes.' Ashborn analyzed his father's movements. Reynolds managed to see his attack even though he didn't put any effort into it. It's still formidable that someone actually saw his swing.

"Not bad, not bad. I even got surprised." Reynolds joked and again dashed at Ashborn who still remained standing in one pose.

This time Reynolds didn't attack mindlessly and kicked the ground to raise dust in the air. This was made to block Ashborn vision, but Ashborn never relayed on his sight only. Ashborn's sensitivity to mana is so high that even with covered eyes he can still fight Reynolds.

While dust-covered the whole imaginary arena. Reynold continued to attack Ashborn who only evaded or blocked him.

'He can see me in this dust.' Reynolds received senses of the beast from his beast-will. Even in this dust where normal sight wouldn't help you Reynolds could clearly see Ashborn and his movements. Besides Reynolds showed extreme reflexes, when he evaded Ashborn's kick.

Reynolds tried to kick Ashborn, but Ashborn caught his leg. Without wasting time Rey twisted his body, so he could use another leg to kick Ashborn. This time he managed to connect his leg at Ashborn's face.

Ashborn was pushed back from this contact, but no visible injuries were seen on his face. He was perfectly fine. but uneasiness was found on Reynold's face.

"You sense this right, the feeling that you are prey." Ashborn told his father.

Ashborn was releasing some of his mana. For normal people or mages, this mana would give a feeling of fright. But for Reynold who now had beast-like senses, it felt like he was in front of his predator.

He was prey.

"That wolf in the dungeon also felt the same. He wanted to run away from fright, but couldn't." Ashborn said as he took a step forwards.

"Are you the same father? Are you that same wolf who ran away as prey?" Ashborn asked his father who only grinned.

"You cocky little..." Reynold shook his head. Right now he didn't want to lose to his son, at least not without putting up a good fight.

Ashborn charged at his father, who let his guard down. Immediately appearing next to Reynold he swung his fist at his face, Reynold's widened his eyes and tilted his face to evade punch.

Ashborn hit his father's chin who stumbled back.

"Let that beast take over you." Ash wanted his father to fully utilize his beast-will power and if Reynolds wanted to use the power of the beast, he has to turn into one.

"Your beast will is of a wolf, father. What do you think is the second phase of your beast will? That wolf didn't have any elemental affinities. It just enhanced himself with mana. Now, why don't you enter the second phase?" Ashborn asked as if mocking Reynolds.

'Easy to say...' Thought Reynolds, but it was worth trying to transform. Concentrating and imagining what exactly he wanted to transform into, he let beast will do the job.

Being already in the first phase of his beast will Reynolds could easily enter the second phase of his beast will if he could imagine what exactly he wants to turn into.

Reynolds just didn't listen to the beast's instincts that told him what to do.

'How ironic. Beast Will itself wants to help, but he just didn't listen to it before.' Ashborn watched how Reynolds was entering the second phase of his Beast Will. He was doing everything instinctively.

Reynolds's hair grows, on the head, on his hands, and his whole upper body was coated in white fur. His head was transformed into the head of a wolf. He looked like Beast Monarch...

'Did that bastard Beast Monarch...'

(Guys it would be better if you wouldn't know what Ash thought :DDDD)

Reynolds entered the second phase of his beast will. His bloody-red eyes looked happy at the moment, but as soon as he looked at Ash they were filled with disbelief.

'His instincts got... stronger?' Ashborn realized that Reynolds can feel his power.

Reynolds who thought that he would at least pose a challenge to his son lost his hope of fight. Even though Ashborn wasn't releasing mana, that feeling of fear never left Reynolds after looking at him.

'Just how strong did he get?' Wondered Reynolds while looking at his son.

"Wrap it up already. Ellie is scared." Ash and Rey heard the voice of Alice.

They turned to her and saw Ellie in her hands trembling from fear. Rey not wanting to end spar so easily looked at his wife with puppy eyes. Miraculously bloody-red eyes turned into his normal blue ones.

"No." Alice said answered and Reynolds felt defeated.

He returned to his former self and transformed back into a human. Getting out of the second phase took a lot of his stamina.

"Ah, I feel so tired. I want to eat!" It didn't seem that he was tired, he was still as energized as before.

"My brother is so strong!" Ellie exclaimed and complimented her brother.

"Of course, he is El! HE IS MY SON." Rey also added his word and warped his hand around Ash's neck.

Alice just smiled at their interactions.

"So, Ash what are going to do now? Are you also going to attend Xyrus Academy?" Rey asked his son who looked confused.

"What Xyrus Academy?" Ashborn knew what was Xyrus Academy, but he didn't plan to attend some kind of school that can't teach him anything.

"Art was already admitted there. I think Directress Goodsky would also like you to attend." It was now Alice who said this.

"It's one of the best magic schools, Ash. You should attend."

"I don't want to." Ash answered shortly surprising his family.

"Why is that?" Reynolds asked.

"Magic School/Academy is created to teach magic to others, but I don't see any reasons for me, who already knows magic better than most teachers there, to attend that school." Ashborn being taught by those who don't even know what exactly is mana? Ridiculous.

"But..." Alice was thinking that Ash was getting overconfident in himself and tried to retort, but got stopped.

"I'm not going to learn under someone, who doesn't even know what is mana."

"What are you talking about, Mana is a fundamental subject anyon-" Alice once again got stopped.

"Even in guide books for starting magicians, is said that mana is like water. It can take many forms. Then why people still can't use mana as they want to and rely on their elemental affinities?" As Ashborn said the four elements of Fire, Wind, Earth, and Water started floating around his hand.

"Subject is closed." With that said they didn't continue arguing.

"Right..."

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

"So what did he say, Rey?" Vincent asked Rey at the dining table.

Currently, Leywins and Helsteas were dining and celebrating Ashborn's return from his journey.

"Nope." Reynold's nonchalant answer shocked both Tabitha and Vincent, but Lilia wasn't different from her parents either.

"W-What are you saying, Rey?" Vincent still not believing in Rey's answer asked again.

"As I said, Ashborn won't attend Xyrus Academy."

"But, I already told Directress to come here..." Muttered Vincent and Ashborn heard him.

"I never said that I will attend before, on another hand you are bringing Directress to test me... I presume that's it?" Ashborn asked and chills run down on Vincent's back.

"Y-yes..." Vincent answered.

"*Sigh* Let it be. May she come and I will send her back again." Ashborn didn't like what Vincent did. He didn't like that Vincent is bringing someone to test him without notifying him and who would dare to test the monarch?

'People still don't know the identity of an S-Class adventurer. Even someone high positioned as Directress of Xyrus Academy.' Ashborn thought.

If Goodsky knew about Ashborn being an S-Class adventurer she would immediately beg Vincent to convince Ash to attend Xyrus Academy.

"When is Lilia going to attend Xyrus Academy?" Alice changed the topic.

"Oh, From next year. She managed to awaken so it shouldn't be a problem." Tabitha answered happily. For Helsteas it was big news that someone in their family became a mage.

"All thanks to Arthur." Said Vincent.

"Who would have thought that Arthur had 4 elemental affinities and 2 deviances."

Arthur managed to help Lilia awaken as a mage because he managed to help Lilia feel mana particles. If Arthur didn't have four affinities that wouldn't be possible... of course if he is not Ashborn.

'I could probably directly form the core in her body, but she was still young for that process.' Forming core in someone isn't a problem, but that person would have to adapt to the sudden increase of strength.

"Ash, by the way on what stage is your core since you are S-Class Adventurer, maybe High-Silver?" Reynold suddenly asked questions that piqued everyone's interest.

'I already don't care about revealing this.'

"I no longer use core. I simply don't need it." Ashborn answered shocking everyone in the room.

"T-Then how are you able to use magic?" Lilia who always wanted to form the core and become a mage asked.

"Mana isn't something that needs core to be used." The short answer of Ash didn't make any sense for people.

"I don't understand at all..." Nobody understood.

'Am I teacher explaining lesson to students?' Wondered Ashborn while looking at the group.

"To say it easier. I use magic without the core."

"H-How?"

"I'm just built differently."

-------------------------------------------

Wassup boys and girls.

I'm back with another chapter for and I decided that Ashborn won't attend Xyrus Academy as a student. He might visit Xyrus and help out Arthur with something, but no he won't attend it as a student.

Also, Ashborn won't be Lance. To not end up killing the whole Dicathen Council because of Artifacts, I won't make Ash even visit them.

Ashborn would kill them because they wanted to make slave from him with some kind of artifact. Even though it won't work on him, still, something like this is unacceptable.

And also I won't have a PC for some time... I tried to fix it myself, but only messed up... so I'm going to write on phone. :((((( I'm sad, they might reinstall windows... I don't want to download my games again...

Btw CYAAAA.