DAVE'S FLAW

"Hmm? what is this?" Dave asked as he picked up a crimson-red crystal in the shape of a sphere on the floor between the two halves of the dead volcanic wolf.

"That's a beast core, you dimwit"

"Who's there!?" Dave shouted while quickly wielding his sabers as soon as he heard a voice replying to him.

"I can't believe you couldn't recognize my voice after training you for six years," said a man who began to appear right in front of Dave. When Dave saw the facial features of the man in front of him, his eyes widened as he said with disbelief.

"Master Manuel, What are you doing here!?"

Manuel's appearance hasn't changed from how he looked six years ago. But his skin is a bit paler than before while the rainbow-like crystal is no more on his forehead.

"Am here to teach my dear successor how to be a smart MC" Manuel replied as he became fully visible.

"If so then you also have to improve since you are my Master" Dave replied with a cunning smile on his face.

"You..." Manuel said as a vein began to bulge out from the left side of his forehead. But he later calmed down as he asked.

"Shouldn't you be asking where you are right?"

When Dave heard that question, he suddenly stopped inspecting the glowing beast's core on his hand as an awakening dawned upon him.

"Forgive me for my lack of sensitivity Master," Dave eventually said as he slightly bowed with an awkward smile on his face.

'I hope choosing you was worth it' Manuel thought as a sigh escaped his mouth while he waved his left hand which was covered by the golden robe he was currently wearing.

When he did that, the air in the void began to divide into two as a battle was seen between the divided air. Dave suddenly became cold when he saw the people having a battle outside the void.

The people who were battling right now were none other than Dave's squad members and the volcanic wolves. Although three volcanic wolves In the peak phase of Rank C were missing, their overall performance was overwhelming the divine beast hunters who were currently riddled with various injuries.

"How do you feel about this battle?" Manuel suddenly asked calmly after watching the battle for close to two minutes now.

"..."

There was no response from Dave who was currently watching the battle with an empty expression. But not long after, he quickly dashed toward the battle with an angry expression.

Unfortunately, he bumped into an invisible barrier that seems to be a wall between the void and the outside world.

"Let me go to my squad Master" Dave eventually spoke with a tense voice. But Manuel simply ignored that request as he spoke.

"You know, someone once told me that to get a top-notch leadership skill Is through experience"

"MASTER!!" Dave shouted as his peak Rank B aura suddenly burst out and enveloped the entire void.

"I gave you the power of a God doesn't mean that you are automatically one" Manuel coldly spoke as his aura also burst out and enveloped the entire hall.

'This is above Rank S!' Dave screamed in his mind as he felt a mountain landing on each of his shoulders.

Although he struggled to keep himself up from the pressure, he quickly fell flat on the invisible floor when he felt the pressure increasing steadily.

"Do you know what your flaw is?" Manuel asked calmly this time as he slowly approached the lying Dave. While still enduring the pressure crashing on his body, he slowly answered.

"No Master. Please enlighten me"

After silently staring at the suffering Dave on the floor for some minutes, he sighed and removed the pressure that was heavily crashing on Dave as he spoke.

"Your pride is off the charts"

"But Master, you previously told me that pride is a trait I need to have for me to become a god" Dave quickly spoke while getting off the floor.

"Yes, that's true. But I also said that you shouldn't let your pride take the best of you" Manuel replied with a stern face.

"How do you mean master?" Dave asked with a confused expression. When Manuel heard that question, he suddenly turned his gaze toward the battle outside the void as he asked again.

"Dave, what do you feel about this battle?"

Although Dave's confused state got intensified by that question, he still answered after looking at the heartbreaking battle in front of him.

"Depressed and angry"

"Why?" Manuel asked again calmly

"Because I let them down" Dave replied gloomily

"And how did you let them down?"

"By letting my pride get the best of me" Dave replied again with his gloomy expression becoming more intense.

"That's my heir!" exclaimed Manuel with a loud laugh. But he quickly calmed down and spoke seriously.

"Now that you know what your flaw is, aim to be a better person that will benefit both you and your squad in the future"

"Thank you for your guidance master" Dave replied with a deep bow.

"Now go and help your squad," Manuel said while waving his right hand which clearly removed the barrier between the void and the outside world.

"Thank you again, Master" Dave spoke again as he ran out of the void.

(To be continued...)