11 Tenth Birthday

Five years have been so long... It's was so hard to keep up with the regular beating I was given through my father's 'training', but at least I was able to sharpen my sword skills because of it.

It's too bad that I could only bring out a sort of 'Soft' Style using the skills I currently have. My father probably thinks that defending against him using the my make-shift Aura Manifestation was easy. I don't know how he's unable to figure out how his physical strength is also a factor I can't just ignore... The difference in our physiques isn't something I can overcome merely by increasing my mastery over my manifested Aura!

My father's a grown man with skills that were sharpened over the course of actual battle, causing his body is robust and covered in muscles. How could a normal ten year old even hope to stand against him with his overwhelming physical prowess? That idiot!

I understand the fact that he was suppressing his Aura Manifestation to a lower level but such small differences still effects one's overall battle prowess!

Is he trying to make me do the impossible? Or is it that he seriously can't understand the differences in both our physiques? Well, at least five years didn't go down the drain because my ability to direct oncoming forces had improved by leaps and bounds!

The fighting techniques I created under such pressure was one that used my wooden knife as an inner layer of my defence and my wooden sword as the outer layer that lessened impacts.

Every time my father swung down his wooden sword, my own sword would whittle its impact down after interception, then I'd use the wooden knife in my other hand weaken and stop the attack's remaining power. My entire body would shift and throw off the force or direct it through my feet.

And that wasn't all: The different changes my Aura exhibited in the midst of battle had helped me create a unpredictable factor in my personal fighting style. By using the innate transformational properties of the Light Attribute, even the same physical movements can have different effects.

For example, using Wind Attribute Aura Transformation could increase my speed whilst an Earth Attribute Aura Transformation could increase my heaviness in the midst of battle.

If I was to instead use my Fire Attribute Aura Transformation, then I'd be able to temporarily increase all my physical abilities in explosive bursts. It's a pity that something like that can't be used for too long without draining Mana like water. I guess only a person with high Magical Talent would be so wasteful!

Plus, even if I could transform my Aura to imitate attributes outside of the ones I have an affinity to, the amount of Light Mana it would take to sustain them would be significantly higher.

"Can we stop this now? My defence has become airtight over the years." I asked my father who was still swinging his sword relentlessly from all directions.

"It's only airtight for those only using Aura Manifestation to augment their strength. Once they start using their Aura to manipulate the elements around you, you'll be in trouble. Do you want to know why?" My father asked as he stopped attacking and gestured his hand towards the ground. A brown beam of light exited his hand before sinking into the floor beneath my feet.

The soil beneath my feet became softer as a result, causing them to suddenly sink into the soil beneath me.

How could my father miss the chance he had created? With just a single movement, his sword was swiftly placed in front of my torso. I couldn't even fight back against him after I lost the ability to redirect force. Meaning I once again had to swallow a beatdown.

"We'll stop training for today. From now on I'm going to have important business in the capital. I won't be able to watch over your training while I'm gone. You can go ask Mark or Anna if you want to spar with someone for the time being." My father informed after fixing the ground and with his Earth Attribute Aura Manifestation.

"You're not going to give him a reward for going through with your spartan training?" My mother appeared from behind me quickly grabbed my father's shoulder before he could leave. A smile that didn't reach her eyes curved on her face. My thoughts were exactly the same as mother's so I didn't interfere.

"Of course I have a reward for him, it's his tenth birthday after all! H-he has reached the age of nurturing this year so can't be stingy, can I? I would be a really bad father I didn't give him a present today!" My father said in cold sweat. A suspicious look appeared in my eyes as I heard his nervous voice.

He seems to be hiding something...

Unlike on Earth, people of Sphera only celebrated the tenth and fifteenth birthday of their children. Every other day of my birth didn't matter to them...

The reason was due to them being known as the start of certain periods of a child's growth. The tenth birthday is known as the age of nurturing due to the tradition of parents passing down their Arts and Spells to their children.

A person's childhood is all the years before they become ten. After they reach the age of ten, most parents would choose to pass down their magical spells and martial arts in order to grow their children into warriors or just pass them down for self-defence.

Of course, many parents passed their techniques down to children before their tenth birthday but they wouldn't do it as seriously until their child reached the 'Age of Nurturing'.

Sphera was a world dictated by strength so it was natural parents wanted their own children to be as strong as they could possibly become.

"And what present did you prepare for my birthday today?" I asked blandly.

Father seemed to be close to making an excuse to leave and escape Mother's grasp until someone suddenly patted his shoulder. Mark, who signalled my father with his eyes, took out a luxurious-looking glove that was covered with strange circular symbols.

"Your father left your gift with me because he was meaning to give you it himself after he returned." Mark said reassuringly. A thankful look appeared in my father's eyes as he straightened his back, but although mother was kind of naive, she wouldn't have been able to survive as a mercenary if she didn't have keen eyes. Her glare caused father's nonchalant expression to stiffen. He tried to escape quietly but mother hunted him down with a smile.

"We'll both leave for now~! Mark, can you explain your gift's uses while we're gone?" My mother said as she chased father who was making a break for it.

Just how serious is not giving a present anyway? Well, mother did remind father to buy one yesterday... Maybe he forgot about it due to his busy work.

'I'll definitely buy something for you tomorrow!' Was what my father said yesterday... Actually, he shouldn't have made a promise he couldn't keep.

"You're father truly is extremely busy these days." Mark shook his head as he looked at the thoughtful expression on my face. Like always, he was acting like a nonchalant prince of our kingdom.

"Doing what?" I asked in response but didn't expect that great of an answer.

Mark was just being father's wingman out of respect for his good friend.

"Protecting the Duke from outside dangers." Mark said with sharp glint in his eyes. He looked around the training ground for a moment before gazing into my mature-looking eyes deeply after seeing that no one was around.

"There are dangers in the world beside Vampires, and sometimes humans can be more dangerous than viscous monsters... Please keep that in mind in future." Mark continued helplessly.

His tone seemed different than it was moments ago... Why? His eyes now seemed to have some depth despite how he was still smiling like always...

I frowned upon his words. He didn't look like he was saying this to me. It looked more like he was informing himself so that he wouldn't forget.

Now that I think about it, I may have forgotten such a simple reality due to the amount of time I spent living peacefully with my new family. Has my instincts dulled over these years?

I'd need to find a way to fight someone who isn't my father to find that out. A parent will always hold back on their children no matter how seriously they act. Well, there's no reason for me to look for a fight right now so my lack of combat experience shouldn't matter much for now. All I need to remember is to be more cautious around others...

As for the threat of Vampires, even I know that those so-called 'Barbarians' won't won't attack for at least another century. They may have strange magic and strong equipment but our unfathomable number of humans will definitely be able to overpower them!

The only thing that worries me are the Metal Barbarians since it's common knowledge that they are strong to the point that most Spells and Arts don't work on them. Even anti-magic attacks used by Titans and Devas are unable to work effectively against them...

Well, let's forget about that for now. I am more interested in Mark's past.

"What happened to you in the past anyway? This present you're giving me doesn't seem to be common, and it gives off the feeling of an antique in a way." I said while looking at the mystical-looking glove he gifted.

"Can't you be more childish and say something like: 'A present? Wow, what does it do~?' Though, if you did, I'd have just laughed at you." Mark said cheekily as wore the weird glove on his hand. The size of the glove adjusted to his hand magically before the patterns on it faded until it looked ordinary.

"Mark Greenlock, that was my name before my house had fallen due to the conflicts between the Mercenary Guild and Drakeyol Kingdom. My family was slaughtered by assassins because they were a major power within the kingdom that was second to Duke Swordwick." Mark reminisced sadly.

I didn't interrupt him nor did I have anything say in response to his shocking background! This somehow explains so much about his personality.

"If I had been stronger, maybe I could have saved my parents from their fates of burning with the Greenlock Household. Perhaps I could have even fought instead of running away. There's not one day I don't look at this glove and remorse over my weakness that time. This is the only thing I had left after my family's downfall." Mark continued as he looked in a certain direction of the training ground.

I could feel that in his eyes laid a certain memory of his childhood which he rarely spoke of. Maybe he's looking towards of his former home? My eyes turned cloudy after hearing his tale.

"The why are you giving this to me? It's precious to you, so why give it to me instead of holding onto it?" I asked as I looked at his lonely silhouette. The sun seemed harsher than usual today as the show he cast on me was pitch black. I couldn't clearly see his eyes nor could I comprehend what he was feeling.

I had never known he had such a life before becoming a butler of the Swordwick Household. His tragic story really moved me... Why was he always laughing and joking around with me even after bottling up such a past? I really... just... can't understand him...

"Let's just call it a gamble." The atmosphere around him changed as he flicked my head. I furrowed my brows as I looked at him but he nonchalantly smiled in response to my strong glare.

"When I look at you, what I see is a boy who accepted his father's unreasonable training in order to train himself. Even if his talent is below others, he worked hard to become someone that could fight for those he wants to protect.

You are a lot more determined than I was at your age... Why don't I help you out? Your magical talent is too low to wield a ordinary Enchanted Sword that uses Mana to sharpen its edge, but my family's heirloom is different. It will at least help you overcome your weakness a little." Mark said as he showed me the gloves uses by injecting his Mana.