Training

The next few days consisted of the same routine for Leroy.

Wake up, eat breakfast, and then go either take a shower or directly to the training grounds of the Jackals.

It was a weird feeling for Leroy, before leaving the slums his body had always been the same never getting better but never getting worse either and at most he had a faster recovery than others, but ever since he came here and started eating good meals, his body had started to change at an unprecedented speed.

It was like his entire body was evolving, his previous malnourished look had almost disappeared in a single week and even some muscles had started to grow.

It was exhilarating for him to see himself thrive and grow stronger, it was such an addictive feeling that Leroy just couldn't let it go.

Staying at the training grounds well into the night and waking up early in the morning, had caused his food expenses to go way higher though as previously he could get by with one meal a day but now he was eating thrice as much.

Harry had told him to not worry about it though as he would get good pay after every mission that should be able to sustain him if he didn't go drinking every night.

Thankfully Leroy seemed to detest the taste and smell of alcohol so he didn't have to worry about that money sink as the others in the Jackals had to.

He had also gotten to know them better during the week, still, it seemed like most of them didn't want to form a friendship with him.

'Not like I care' Leroy thought as he continued to swing his sword in the plains.

The ones who had been welcoming to Leroy besides Harry had been, Henry, Jakins, and Ordio.

Henry was a short man with brown hair and a smile ever present on his face, Leroy had even asked him once what was so funny that he was smiling constantly and the man had just replied that smiling is always better than crying yknow? Leroy was confused as of course smiling was better but wouldn't smiling constantly remove its meaning?

Jakins on the other hand was a serious man that took his training very seriously and Leroy had even sparred with him once by the end of the week and had gotten completely beaten in less than 3 minutes. It was like the man had overwhelming strength which even showed as he was tall, if not the tallest man Leroy had ever seen at two meters in height and bulging muscles covered his entire body.

Ordio, the last of the group was of medium stature and could be said to be the most average-looking out of the group if not for him heaving a bald head. He was also part of the 5 archers in the Jackals and a very skilled one at that, he had shown his shot to Leroy by managing to hit the exact center of a tree about 200 meters away.

Now it was the day before the mission day and Harry had gathered all of the members to the center of the plain they called their training ground.

"All right everyone, tomorrow we have a mission to escort a caravan through the canyon of Degracia towards the border city of Ameth in the east of the empire. Inside the caravan is the heir of the Baron of SteelBurn so there is no place for mistakes if we fail the mission then it's the same as all of us dying so I don't care what you do, the heir can't die."

The others nodded at his words beside one as he raised his voice.

"Captain, if we can't make any mistakes why are we taking the kid on the mission? What if he makes a mistake, with our lives on the line I don't think it's a good decision" The man said his voice raised as he pointed at Leroy.

"Gorkuis, that isn't going to happen, I already trained him well enough to be able to survive and even fight. My decision is final"

"Then it's just a dumb decision" Gorkuis grumbled under his breath but Harry seemed to have heard him.

"Well then since you think it's a dumb decision, how about you have a spar with our kid here"

Leroy was stuck in the middle of this with a calm expression while thinking.

'Wait wait wait, why did I get pulled into this? what did I ever do to you?' Leroy thought while lampooning inwardly.

"Are you sure about this captain? do you really think I'll lose to someone who has just held a sword for the first time in their life just a week ago?" Gorkuis asked Harry, his expression how clearly displeased.

"I'm not saying anything Gor, I'm just asking you to put your words where your mouth is and tell me after the spar if the kid is truly a liability and if he is then I will retract my decision" Harry answered calmly while looking at Gorkuis.

Gorkuis turned around towards Leroy with his fists clenched and his eyes hardened.

'Who does he think he is? Just because he's the captain he wants to humiliate me by saying that I can't even beat a kid who just got out of his nest' Gorkuis thought as his hands almost started shaking from the anger he was experiencing at the moment.

'Fine I'll show you just how wrong you were Captain' Gorkuis thought and finally opened his mouth.

"Leroy right? Nothing against you but I don't want someone to hold us back in a life and death scenario with my life on the line ya know?"

Leroy just stared at his for a few moments while thinking.

'I don't have to win, no the chances of me winning are very low in the first place. What Harry wants to do is make the others finally stop treating me as a kid but more of a companion they can rely on.'

Leroy thought as he stepped forward towards Gorkuis.

Putting his hand on the handle of his sword, Leroy drew it and spread his legs apart, bringing the sword in front of him as his eyes focused on Gorkuis.

He was a large man with broad shoulders and long hair tied in a braid behind him.

"Let's just do this," Leroy said finally ready to start the match.

"Yknow, I like you a little kid," Gorkuis said as he drew his sword and formed his own stance.

Harry looked at both of them and said

"No killing or debilitating wounds, everything else is allowed until the opponent gives up, now..."

"BEGIN"