Ch. 5 Zues Familia

( Yuto Pov ) 

The two perverts hid in the alleyways as they caught their breathes. 

I looked at them before looking at my system. 

[ Rewards: B grade strengthening potion. ] 

[ C grade Blueprint: throwing knives. ] 

' Cool.' I thought before looking at the old man. 

" I'm gonna leave." I spoke as I tried to leave. 

" Nope." The old man spoke as he grabbed my collar. 

" We can't have any witnesses... what's your name, kid?" 

" Sigh, Yuto Takahashi. " I replied. 

The old man nodded. 

" You seemed interesting, Yuto. Why not join my Familia?" 

" Wha?" I tilted my head. 

It was sudden, but I have a mission to complete. 

" Sure." I shrugged. 

" Hahaha! That's great!" The old man carried me under his arm as he started walking. 

The young man followed as well. We walked towars the direction of their Familia. 

A few minutes later, 

" Did you guys peak at the woman bath house again?" A man with dark brown hair asked. 

" Y..yes." The young man nodded meekly as he hid behind the old man. 

The old man shrugged. 

" Sigh, and what of the kid?" He said as he looked at me. 

" Oh, him? Well... let's welcome our newest member!!" He picked me up as he showed me to the rest of the Familia. 

" Oohhh!!" The Familia cheered as they looked at me. 

" Can you let me go?" I asked as I was still in the air. 

" Nope." The old man replied. 

I sighed. 

' I feel like a cat... so humiliating.' 

The old man kept me in the air as everyone celebrated. 

I noticed how welcoming they were. This place felt warm, filled with happy smiles as I watched from above. 

" Zues." Another man appeared.

" Maxim!!" The old man now known as Zues replied. 

' Zues? So he was a God after all.' I thought as my feet touched the ground. 

" Did you go on your perverted trip again? And you. I thought you would be better." Maxim spoke as he looked at Zues and the young man before setting his eyes towards me.

" And you brought a kid..." 

" My name is Yuto Takahashi. I would like to join the Familia." 

The man known as Maxim looked at me as he observed me. 

" You... you have the scent of blood. Do you know how to fight?" He asked. 

" If you would like a demonstration, just give the word." 

Maxim nodded before looking at everyone in the Familia. 

" Make way idiots!!! Our rookie here is gonna show us what he's made of!!" He shouted. 

The room turned silent before they roared in cheers. 

" Whoohooo!!!!" 

" A show is about to begin!!" 

" Move it!!" 

Everyone cleared the floor as they threw the tables outside. 

" Come on, kid!!!" They cheered. 

I stood in the middle of them as I looked Maxim. 

" Zald! You fight." 

" Yes, captain." The dark brown haired man known as Zald grabbed his greatsword.

He towered over me with his heavy armor and large sword. 

If there was one thing I knew about everyone in this room, it was that every adventurer was skilled and strong except for that young man next to Zeus. 

' Appraisal.' 

[ Zald ] [ Age 40 ] 

[ Level 7 ] 

I frowned as I didn't know about level 7 meant. Was it like mine, or was it the so-called blessing I have been hearing about.

I didn't have time to think about it as Maxim threw a sword in front of me. 

* Clink! * 

" There. Now fight little one." 

I grabbed the sword and held it in my hands. 

I used a katana before, but a cross sword was different. 

It was more heavy and bigger, especially in my hands. 

But I gripped it. 

" Go easy on him." Maxim spoke to Zald, who nodded. I'm return. 

' It seems I'll have to use everything I have.' I thought. 

I was cautious as I approached Zald, who stood there menacingly. 

In a split second, I dashed at Zald and swung the sword towards him. 

But he was faster as I saw the sparks in the air as the sword in my hand broke.

I retreated as I looked at my broken sword. 

* Clink! * 

" Try again." Maxim spoke. 

I threw the broken sword away before grabbing the other on the floor. 

I began to attack Zald as he once again broke my sword. 

But this time, I looked at my hand to see it bleeding. 

The pain was numbed as I looked at Zald as he looked at me with a stoic face. 

' I see... it's about determination.' 

I picked up another sword on the ground and swung it at Zald.

* Clank! * 

Again.

* Clank * 

Again!

* Clink!! * 

Again!!! 

[ Ding! Through repetitive action, you have gained a new skill. ] 

[ Swordmanship lvl 1 ] 

" Hoh?" Zald raised an eyebrow at my swing as he blocked this attack instead. 

" You... improved?" He spoke before smiling. 

" Then let's see if you could get better." He pushed we me back as I slid across the floor. 

I gripped the sword in hand as I observed Zald through Transparent View. 

He was controlling his strength. 

I dodged a swing as I countered with thrust. 

Zald pushed the blade away like he was swatting a fly. 

" Alright, kid. How about this? If you managed to land an attack, I'll teach you myself. Don't worry, I'll be lowering my strength to yours." Zald spoke as he turned towards me. 

I nodded. 

" Deal." I replied. 

[ Ding! New Mission! ] 

[ Win the bet between you and Zald ] 

[ Time: 1:15 ] 

[ Reward: C Grade Blueprint ] 

' It'll be great to learn skills from him. And get rewards. '

I swung my sword at him as he parried it, and I took a step back to regain my balance as I continued to attack Zald. 

This man was a monster. It felt like I was hitting a wall. 

A wall so damn high. 

I kept observing Zald as I watched his muscles move as he swung his sword. 

The way it worked, and how he shifted his movements. 

His swings were powerful and fast, but they were mostly filled with strength.

I predict his next attack and used all my power in this swing as Zald and my sword connected. 

* Ding * 

But at the last second, I trusted the sword into Zalds chest plate. 

His chest plate was sturdier than my sword as my sword snapped. 

The room became silent as they looked at the blade on the ground. 

" You, did you copy my swing?" I could see his mouth muscles form a smile as I nodded. 

" I win." I replied. 

" Damn right!!" Zeus shouted. 

" Well, it seems we got ourselves a genius here." Maxim spoke as he looked at the rest of the Familia. 

" Everyone!! Welcome, our newest Familia member!! Yuto Takahashi!!" 

" Woohoo!!!" 

" Cheers!!!" 

" Get the tables and chairs back inside!!" Maxim shouted as they follow is order. 

I sighed as I felt both of my arms numb.

" Now, time for the main event!!" Zeus spoke as he approached me. 

" What now?" I asked him. 

" You get yer blessing!" He grinned. 

" How does that work?" 

" Sit on the chair and show your bare back, Zeus will give his blessing there." Zald explained as he put a chair in front of me. 

The chair was facing in the different direction for Zeus to access my back easier. 

As soon as I took off my cloak and shirt, I revealed my scars. 

Ones from the abuse of the slave traders and the birth defects. 

" Huh, that's a lot of scars." Zues spoke as he observed my back with a serious face. 

" That just means the kid has the scars of a warrior." Zald spoke. 

Maxim was silent before speaking. 

" Yuto?" 

" Sigh, I was a... sigh a slave." 

Maxim nodded. 

" Hahaha!! That means the kid is a man!!" A Familia member slapped my back as the others laughed and patted my back in comfort. 

I started to warm up to these guys already. 

" Well, let's continue." Zeus spoke as I felt a cold, wet finger being drawn on my back.

Someone was bandaging my hand as I thanked them. 

" Done! Now you're a level one adventurer kid!" Zeus celebrated. 

" Congrats!!" The Familia cheered. 

[ Mission completed ] 

[ Rewards: New Skill: Familia amor ] 

( Description: The closer bond you have with your Familia , the faster you grow in their presence. ) 

[ System alert!! ] 

[ Do you wish for the system to synchronize with Falna blessing?] 

[ Y/N ] 

' Yes.' 

[ System updating...] 

[ 1%.....] 

I waited for the system to update as I enjoyed the feast. 

* Clank * 

Zald dropped a plate in front of me. 

" If you're going to be trained by me, you'll eat like me, alright?" 

I nodded as I looked down to see raw meat. 

" Uhh, isn't this raw?" I asked, looking uo to Zald. 

" Yup. Train your stomach with this." He replied. 

I looked to see Zald eating his food that looked like a cuisine. 

I sighed as bit into the meat. 

" Ohh!! He bit it!! I won the bet!! Haha!!" 

" Goddammit!!" 

I ignored them as I continued to eat. 

It's been a while since I ate meat as I didn't hold back. 

" Hey, I got a question." A familia mamber spoke as I looked at him with a meat still in my mouth. 

" Hm?" I tilted my head. 

" You're blind correct? Or is it a skill?" 

" I'm blind." I answered. 

" Then how could you see?" A elven man next to me asked. 

" I use my other senses. Hear, smell, taste, and touch." 

" What?" The Familia asked.

" I don't really know it just became a habit other than using my eyes." I shrugged. 

" Then how did you copy my swing?" Zald chimed in. 

" When you kept hitting the sword out of my hand, I felt the power and vibration from the floor when you shifted your weight when swinging." 

" I tried to make those same vibrations and forms of power through my swings." I was bullshitting. 

[ Charisma: G -> G+ ] 

' Oh! It's done.' I looked at the system in my mind. 

" Then... your ears." The elven man pointed at my ears as I looked at him. 

" You're an elf." He finished. 

The table went silent as everyone looked at my ears, which were shorter than an elves. 

" Nah! Hisnears are too short..." 

" It's been cut off." The elven man interrupted him. 

No one said a word as I felt the stares of pity. 

I don't like those looks they gave me as it reminded me of how weak I was at the time. 

" You're correct. But it's all in the past, I'm here now, a place where I belong." I smiled. 

" Damn right!!" A dwarf shouted. 

Everyone cheered as the party continued. 

The elven man kept his gaze at me for a few seconds, he wasn't the only one as well ad the other elfs in the Familia stared at me.for a while before turning their gazes somewhere else. 

I continued to devour the meat in front of me like my life depended on it as tears of joy streamed my face. 

' Meat!!' 

The elves looked at me as they shook their heads. 

I was different from elves who ate vegetarian food. And here I was, an elf with cut ears, eating meat with extreme joy.