I Will Surpass That

"Our kind will die out, sir," Sicarius repeated, his short figure eyeing the old man with clear resolute eyes. Sicarius shut the journal and returned it to its place.

"Why do you think so, kid?" Sicarius felt the old man's gaze watch him intently as if he was some kind of fascinating specimen.

"In the journal it was stated that humans were fighting back, taking back the western continents. As I see it, there is no fighting back happening, we are simply surviving but barely. The attacks against the Sins have failed and we humans have been pushed back in Europe and Africa at present." Sicarius explained with his beady little eyes beaming with what seemed to be wisdom, "That journal was written at the start of it all, a hundred years ago, and a hundred years later the situation of humans worsened instead. Doesn't it seem like the future of our kind is heading in one bleak direction?"

The old man met his gaze intensely and nodded, "You are right, kid. That's why we train the youth as soldiers. If we train a hundred status 3's we survive for one more year, with a hundred status 4's we survive for a decade more, with a hundred status 5's we might consider even fighting back, and any person beyond that status level is a high-value person that is vital for war against the Sins."

"Did we not have status 7 powereds, sir?" Sicarius asked, "Weren't the status 7 beings the ones that built his very structure?"

"It's not that simple kid. Do not forget that even human powereds are susceptible to the corruption of the Sins. What do you think happens when the Sins corrupt a powered of status 6? A total massacre of all the powered with status's below that, imagine if the Sins corrupted a status 7, we will lose a continent. The more we fight, the more we lose strong powered to the other side, so we can't fight. We are completely helpless and passive in this war, only meant to defend and survive." The old man sighed and closed his eyes, "We can only hope to survive until we humans are blessed with a status 8 powered."

"That's exactly why I said our kind will all die," Sicarius replied, "Little by little the Sins will advance, and beings like you won't be able to hide in their shelters anymore."

The old man's mouth parted slightly then his demeanor hardened, "Do you even know what you're saying, boy!?"

"Of course, I do. That's why I'm saying it." Sicarius didn't cower from the old man's rage, instead, he challenged it, "You rely on us, the youth to fight for you, to die endlessly like pawns. Don't you feel guilty, sir? The more we go on like this the more regrets you will have."

The old man was seething now. Anyone would be if they were being labeled as cowards, especially if the one saying those words was a person a hundred years younger than you. An aura of power started to surge from the old man's body, it seems that he would lash out at the child if he was not appeased. Any second now and it felt like Sicarius would be punished gravely for his words.

"I will give you a choice, you give me what I need and I promise you, that I will attain status 8, no, I will surpass that and finally end the burden that has been placed on your shoulders, or should we just leave things as they are and live with the fact that extinction of human's was the result of your incompetence."

Suddenly, the aura of power was no more. Instead, the old man stared at Sicarius with a dull blank gaze as if processing what he just heard. Then, after a second, a deep guttural sound started to escape his lips. A sound that only when it increased in volume did Sicarius realize was laughter.

"I can not believe I took any of your words seriously!" The old man hollered, "Status 8? No! Even beyond that?! Is your power to make people laugh boy!?"

The old man was dying of laughter while Sicarius kept his stony violet eyes fixed on the old figure. There was nothing to be read from his expression. Only his eyes deep and resolute could be interpreted, and they reflected nothing but confidence. Arrogance would be a better word, to think and actually believe in himself with blind confidence that he can save the world was complete arrogance.

How old was this boy? Around 6 or 7 years of age, and yet he had the demeanor and bearing of a mature man, not only that but the only reason the old man even had an interest in this child was the irregularity of his physique. Nowhere in this world can a child of this age be seen with a physique bursting with strength, filled to the limit with power.

The old man was laughing. But the longer he stared at the eyes of the boy before him the more he was convinced that this kid wasn't arrogant at all. He was simply telling what he believes to be the truth, the truth that he will reach the apex.

Slowly, the old man's laughter withered like his doubt of the child's words. Soon, the room went back to its original silent state with both beings staring at each other. It was only after a minute did the old man utter a sound.

"Are you serious, young man?"

"Yes."

"What do you need to make this fantasy of yours come to life?" The old man slowly levitated in front of Sicarius.

"I need unrestricted access to everything in this facility," Sicarius answered, facing the old man's eyes with complete stoicism.

"No guidance from any teachers?" The old man asked,

"I will pick a teacher worthy of being my mentor."

"From now on, you are my student." The old man announced, "Do you dare object?"

"No, mentor," Sicarius replied,

"Do you know what happens if you fail to make the truth of your words, boy?" The old man asked in grave seriousness releasing a pulse of mana from his body that pushed against everything in the room.

"The only reason I'll ever fail is if I die from overtraining my body," Sicarius replied,

The old man roared in laughter, "Good! That's the spirit! Don't worry I'll train you just to the brink of death! Let me see if you still think that status 8 is as easy as farts!"

Sicarius's face was as dull and lifeless as always, he can not be threatened with hardship. Anything easy was never worth achieving. To Sicarius being trained to the brink of death was just how it should be.