Sinbad

An elderly man sat wearily in his throne room, diligently sifting through stacks of paperwork. The weight of the administrative duties bore down on him, and the monotony of it all left him yearning for something more. In the twilight of his life, the desire for adventure, reminiscent of days gone by, burned brightly within him. If you're wondering who this man is, it's none other than Sinbad in his old age.

Suddenly, a young and radiant girl burst into the throne room, her voice ringing out as she exclaimed, "Dad!" With the energy of youth, she continued, "Brother is being a bit of a meany again." Though her words carried a hint of complaint, it was evident that her playful spirit shone through.

"Alright, sweetheart, come over here," Sinbad warmly beckoned to his daughter, "I'll give you some candy if you'd like. And remember, your brother isn't really being mean; he's just trying to help you with the things you're meant to do," Sinbad chuckled.

But I really, really don't want to go to school!" the girl exclaimed, her frustration evident. In case you were wondering, this is Sinbad's youngest daughter, now 15 years old. Among Sinbad's many children, she was the one who remained by his side, especially since her mother had passed away during childbirth. Sinbad had taken on both the roles of mother and father for his youngest daughter, while his youngest son, who was the heir to the throne, stayed behind as well.

Another individual entered the throne room, and it was none other than Sinbad's son, Adkins. His resemblance to a youthful Sinbad was striking, like looking into a mirror. Addressing his sister, he gently implored, "Sister, please don't make things difficult for your teacher. It's best to return to your class."

"But I really, really don't want to," Jessica, named after her late mother, replied. Her reluctance to comply was partly due to Sinbad's tendency to spoil her, which had shaped her behavior.

"Okay, sweetheart, Daddy won't talk to you anymore if you don't listen to your brother," Sinbad gently reminded his daughter, and she looked taken aback. She lowered her gaze and softly replied, "Alright, I'll go."

Before she left, Sinbad offered an enticing promise, "And if you do well in school, I'll take you to the newly-opened tower in Kouga Country so you can obtain your very own Djinn Equip." Sinbad's face beamed with happiness as he made the offer. The girl's eyes lit up, and she exclaimed, "I'll aim for a perfect score!"

"Dad, you're spoiling her too much," his son remarked, expressing his concern. Sinbad replied, "But how can I resist spoiling her? She's just too adorable," Sinbad chuckled with a smile.

"Anyway, I've been thinking of abdicating the throne in about 5 years from now," Sinbad shared with his son. "You'll be 25 years old by then, and Jessica will be 20. I'm not getting any younger, my boy," he added, acknowledging his age.

"What I want you to do now," Sinbad began, "is to embark on an adventure. Seek out uncharted towers and conquer them. People respect you as the heir to the throne, but they also need a strong leader they can look up to. I need you to venture out on your own, make friends, or even consider forming a harem." Sinbad paused and then added with a smile, "And who knows, you might even build up a harem like your old man did. Embrace your destiny, my boy. You're already 20."

Okay, Dad, you've been telling me to gather a harem for the past 4 years," Adkins chuckled. "But you're right," he continued more seriously, "I'll have to go out and conquer towers to earn my right to the throne. Even though I'm the heir, I need to become stronger to ensure the throne remains in capable hands." 

"That's my boy," chuckled Sinbad. "Anyway, when will you be going?" he asked.

"I'm not sure," said Adkins thoughtfully. "Maybe in the next 2 months."

"That's good. I need you to hurry. I'm getting tired, my son," Sinbad replied, expressing his desire for Adkins to take on his responsibilities soon.

"Alright, I'll leave for now," Adkins agreed.

"But before you go," Sinbad began, "I'll give you a way to train your body using Gravity Magic to become stronger. Remember, conquering the towers won't be easy, and you need to be strong."

He continued, "Use Gravity Magic in everything you do—walking, talking, running, or even sleeping. Infuse it into your everyday life. When you feel your Magoi is depleted, I want you to run around the island 50 times. It'll be challenging at first, but you'll adapt."

"And when the gravity on your body starts feeling lighter, use Gravity Magic to increase the weight on you. Rinse and repeat," Sinbad advised, emphasizing the importance of physical and magical strength for Adkins' journey ahead.

"Thank you, Dad," Adkins expressed his gratitude. "Oh, and do tell this to your sister," said Sinbad. 

Okay, I'll take my leave," said Adkins. As he was departing, he couldn't help but wonder if he could follow in his father's footsteps during his own adventures.

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Time-skip 2 month 

"Today is the day my youngest son leaves on his adventure," thought Sinbad. "I wonder if my young daughter wants to go with him. If she does, I'll have to send shadow guards to follow her. I don't want any harm to come to my youngest daughter," murmured Sinbad, his concern evident.

With a resounding bang, a door slammed against the wall, and Sinbad chuckled, saying, "Speak of the devil and it shall come."

"Dad, I want to go too, please," Jessica pleaded.

"But, honey, you have to focus on your school studies," Sinbad replied. "You only have one more year."

"Can't the teacher come with me?" Jessica yelled, her puppy-dog eyes making it impossible to refuse her.

"Okay, I'll see what I can do," Sinbad relented.

Someone entered through the door, addressing Sinbad, "You're doing it again, giving in so easily when she acts like this."

Sinbad sighed, "What can I do?" He continued, "Anyway, you seem to have gotten your body into good shape, Adkins. That's my kids for you. Call Jessica's teacher here."

"Okay," Adkins responded.

Five minutes later, the teacher arrived and greeted Sinbad, saying, "Hello, Your Majesty. You called for me."

Upon meeting the teacher's eyes, Sinbad sensed that he was a dark magician.

"Go to your room or go play with your friends," Sinbad instructed Jessica.

"Okay, Dad," Jessica replied.

Sinbad turned his attention to the teacher, asking, "Who are you, and how long have you been here?"

Adkins, who stood next to his father, felt a shiver run down his spine as he sensed the immense power emanating from his father. He couldn't help but wonder just how strong Sinbad truly was.

The dark magician, now on his knees and struggling, pleaded, "I've done nothing wrong. I just wanted to be a teacher."

"I don't believe you," Sinbad replied sternly. Drawing upon a skill he had learned during his many years of adventuring, Sinbad activated "Mind Reading." As he probed the dark magician's thoughts, he discovered the sinister truth: this man had infiltrated as a teacher to control his daughter and use her to assassinate him. He had only been here for a month, during which he had killed the previous teacher and used illusion magic to change his appearance.

"There's more," Sinbad continued. "There's a map in his head—a map to a tower no one has ever reached or conquered because of the immense energy radiating from it. It's located at the edge of the world. I'll have to visit it after I step down from the throne," Sinbad revealed, his resolve unwavering.

Son, this man has killed your sister's teacher and tried illusion magic to manipulate your sister for assassination," Sinbad explained. "I will let you deal with him. This will be your first kill. Do not feel sick because he tried to use your sister."

Adkins was seething with anger, knowing that someone had come dangerously close to harming his sister and using her as a tool against their father. The rage burned in his eyes.

Sinbad, noticing his son's fury, advised, "Calm down, son. You need a sound mind to be a ruler, so take your time. I already know everything I need to know."

Adkins approached the man and, with a heavy heart, swiftly slit his throat. Blood cascaded out like a waterfall, and Adkins couldn't help but feel nauseous as he watched the man's life force fade from his eyes.

Sinbad came to his son, patting his back reassuringly. "This won't be your last kill, son. There will be more," he consoled. "And as a king, you'll have to make hard choices." He continued, "And here, I'll give you this skill, 'Mind Reading,' and two Djinn weapons—one for you and one for your sister. This dagger is for you, and this staff is for your sister. The dagger bestows upon you the power of darkness, allowing you to absorb the abilities of others, but they must be deceased. The staff grants your sister control over water and air in anything she chooses."

Sinbad called upon one of the guards to come and clean the mess.

Anyways, go and tell your sister to get ready to leave with you," Sinbad instructed. "You'll have shadow guards following you to keep your sister safe, but not to intervene," he clarified, looking at Adkins. "You see, you won't experience growth if you know there's someone constantly watching over you, even in the face of danger. They won't assist you, even if your life is at risk. Do you understand?" Sinbad asked, emphasizing the importance of self-reliance and personal growth.

"Yes, Father," Adkins affirmed. "Before I leave, I'll continue teaching my sister because she no longer has a teacher. I understand. If she refuses, I'll let her know that you said if she doesn't learn, I'll bring her back." Adkins acknowledged the responsibility and the importance of his role in his sister's education.

3 hours later 

Sinbad stood at the dock, bidding farewell to his daughter and son as they embarked on their adventure.

"Take care of your sister," Sinbad advised Adkins.

"I will," Adkins assured.

Sinbad then turned to Jessica, giving her a kiss on her forehead and a warm hug. "Jessica, you have to learn from your brother. If not, he'll send you back here. Do you understand?" Sinbad emphasized the importance of learning from Adkins during their journey.

"I will, Daddy!" Jessica cheerfully exclaimed.

As Jessica and Adkins boarded their ship and waved goodbye, Sinbad quietly summoned some guards, who emerged from his shadow as if they had never been there.

Sinbad addressed the guards, saying, "Take care of them. Even though I said you won't help him, even if he's on the brink of death, that was a lie. If you think he's about to die, you jump in and save him." He continued, "But you have to keep a watchful eye on Jessica; she's a vulnerable girl." Sinbad was ensuring his children's safety during their journey, even if it meant breaking his earlier directive.

Yes, sir the guards saluted. 

You may leave said Sinbad.

Sinbad began to make his way back to the castle. Unbeknownst to anyone, he was using illusion magic to conceal his movements. This secrecy was paramount, as the departure of his daughter and son was a closely guarded secret. If word got out, there was a risk that malevolent individuals might target his children, and Sinbad was determined to prevent any harm from befalling them.