Ch 42-The prank

"Ugh, I just can't get it" complained Topaz with a grunt.

It's already been thirty minutes since she's been meditating with the coin in her hand but nothing has happened.

She didn't expect any great thing to happen in such a short time but some sort of sign that things were working out would have been appreciated.

"Ban!, did you get something" ylled Topaz at the top of her lungs towards Ban who was at the other side of camp training.

"Nope, I aint got none, captain really was right when he said that controlling cursed energy in the air would be hard. And even .ore when trying to take it away from a target" replied Ban back.

Bans situation wasn't any different from Topaz, he himself has been trying to get a feel for his own powers and try to awaken whant his captain said he had but... It's easier said than done.

[Don't fret over it you two, this isn't something that you master instantly, even Meliodas had hard time mastering his own powers] reassure Merlin who was flying around while being chased by Kanna and Rex.

When Meliodas left, He tasked Merlin to entertain the kids while he did something in secret. He didn't mind the secrecy because he trusted Meliodases Judgement and reasons for what he does.

Hearing his reassuring words they both felt a bit happier that even their great captain struggled to master his powers.

... What are his powers?

At this moment both Topaz and Ban felt regret on sleeping the night when Meliodas was answering their questions.

*Boom*

A sudden shockwave swept through the camp they made making both Topaz and Ban get swept back a bit. Although Merlin, Kanna, and Rex were fine as a blue glowing talisman stickex on their backs glowwed and made a shield that protected them.

"*Cough* *Cough* what was that" said Topaz as she recollected herself from the floor.

"I don't know but it isn't good" said Ban with a frown.

As the cloud of dust settled a huge grey dragon with golden accents around his body appeared. A pair of huge wings and talons that looked as Shrpa as a sword appeared on front of them both.

"Shit dragon!" Said ban in a dim tone.

Looking at the figure on first of her, Topaz froze. Topaz gasped as she beheld the majestic dragon before her, its formidable presence and golden accents leaving her in awe. "A dragon," she whispered, her eyes wide with awe and fear.

Opening it's mouth, a shine appears as it started to charge some sort of attack though this time.

"Shit it's aiming for the kids" screamed Ban in absolute worry

Ban's scream of worry pierced the air as the dragon aimed its attack towards the children. Topaz's heart raced as she realized the imminent danger. "We have to protect them!" she exclaimed, frantically searching for a way to shield the kids from the impending threat.

*Vooom* as it finished charging up the attack, it was about to shoot until.

*Boop*

The dragon suddenly felt a small impact on his chest and looked at the directions of ban.

"Come for me you stupid lizard!" Ban yelled as he kept throwing rocks infused with cursed energy.

Although Meliodas had never thought Ban or Topaz the way of infusing items with cursed energy, in the spur of the moment Bans battle instinct took over and managed to create stacks infused with cursed energy.

Although to the dragon they felt like tickling pokes even though one of the thrown rocks could kill a man with a single throw.

With a growl in flaped its wings landing right on front of Ban raising its talon, it swung it downwards in one quick movement.

But even with bans cursed energy, he couldn't dodge the sudden attack. The Dragon was just to fast even though it's size is huge.

"UGHHH" grunted Ban I pain as he was being held down by the dragons talon. The pressure that weighted upon him only started increasing and increasing as ban tried to counter it by reinforcing his body with more cursed energy.

But in the end it was futile.

even when he was enslaved and experimented on he has never felt so useless. In the moment his captain was gone, Him and Topaz became nothing but fodder, no, less than fodder. They couldn't even protect two children. HIS captains children.

Seeing ban struggle the dragon grinned and snorted at him

"💢" seeing the dragons laugh at him Ban felt even more humiliated.

'you fucking dragon of I ly I was stong as Captain!, or even you!!!' Screamed ban Inside his mind.

And to his wishes his cursed energy reacted. Immediately ban started to feel strenght that he had never felt he had before, his before skinny body became more toned and a bit muscly.

"This!" Ban had just realized that he has just used his cursed technique he could feel that this power wasn't his but instead was the dragons.

With a smile, Ban pushed himself up from the dragons talon but-

The dragon immediately let go of ban and spun around sending Ban flying into a tree.

As he took care of Ban he turned around and directed his sights to Topaz so was trying to get the children out of the camp. But it became hard to do so as the dragon children kept pushing her away and attempting to run towards the dangerous dragon.

"Damit kids!, please calm down we need to go and find your dad!" Said topaz I a worried tone.

Suddenly topaz felt danger behind her like never before. Looking g behind her she noticed that the dragon was looking straight at her.

"Shit!" She immediately picked up the kids by force and started running into the woods.

Running as fast as she could, Topaz started getting chased by the dragons it knocked down tree by tree. Eventually getting tired of the chase, the dragon flaped its wings creating.a strong gust that sensed the children And Topaz flying a bit into the air.

"KYA!" Screamed Topaz as she was blows away.

Crashing into the floor she coughed in pain and looked around to see were the kids were.as she finally set her eyes on where the dragons currently was, she saw that the dragon was Already infornt of them with his mouth wide open but she was too far away to reach them In Time.

She started running and running but she only felt like the distance was getting larger and larger as she spiraled Into dispar.

'NO! damit if only I was faster' as she made her wish a sudden glow appeared on the money bag on her side and she suddenly felt light as a feather. With a boom of speed she managed to get to the kids and take them out of the way before the dragon could close it's jaws.

The dragons mouth opened as it readied to charge up another attack until.

*Whack*

It felt a sudden sting on his chest. Before it was a sudden tickling but now it felt like when your mother slaps your hand when you try to grab cookies In The cookie jar without asking.

Topaz was also amazed at the speed that the steick came flying at the dragon

"You alright Topaz" said a voice behind her.

Looking behind Topaz saw Ban who was remiving wooden stacked that were stuck on his body,.Probably gained from when he was sent crashing I to a tree.

"I'm happy your alright" said topaz with a smile.

"Dont Worry about it *clinck*" said ban as he threw a bag of coins at her.

"Meliodas said that your cursed Technique was related to coins so I though you would need them on the way over here" Earlier when Ban realized his cursed Technique and was thrown Into a tree, he managed to snatch a bag of money that Meliodas left behind in his tent.

Topaz nodded In happiness as she had also just discovered her own power. To convert money into strenght. Wether it be speed, explosive power or agility. As long as she had money on her she could become stronger for a limited amount of time.

As they both looked at the dragon tower I g infornt of the. Ban and Topaz grinned togheter as Ban said.

"Ya ready Topaz~" said Ban with a confident smile.

"Of course let's kick some lizard ass!" Said Topaz with an equally broad smile.

"Good, good, it seems like this little prank of mine was worth it" sudenly spoke the dragon with a Smile.

""Eh?"" (Ban & Topaz)

Surprised by the dragon suddenly being able to talk. The dragon shined with a blue light and died down revealing Meliodas who had a giant smile on his face.

"Good job you two, you guys managed to awaken your cursed techniques" said Meliodas he congratulated them both.

Though Ban and Topaz didn't really hear him as they both were still in a daze.

"Hm?" Looking down he found he found both Kanna and Rex tugging his pant.

Swiping them Into his arm he smiled and became quite happy at the fact that the kids could still recognize him.

From the beginning he wasn't going to hurt them both, but he wanted to give both Ban and Topaz a goal to protect so he pretended to be attacking and going after the kids. And when he did the kids started running towards him as they both still recognized Meliodas even though he was in his [Prime: Bahamut] form.

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"So you can turn into a dragon"

"I can do a little bit more than that but yeah"

"And this was all just a test to push us into a corner and make us awaken out powers"

"Bingo"

*Sigh* with a sigh of relief both Ban and Topaz slumped their shoulders In relaxation.

In the last few minutes Meliodas has been explaining his little 'prank' to them and how he used this as a way to force them I to becoming stronger.

And what's bingo?

"Anyways I'm just glad that we weren't in danger all this time, now that that I think about it fighting a dragon with our strength was pretty stupid to begin with" said Topaz with a tired chuckle.

Ban also nodded in acknowledgment.

"Anyways I'm sure that that your all happy that you two got stronger but I whant to test some things out first" said Meliodas witha. Smile.

"No more dragons for today right captain" asked Ban with a hopefully smile.

"Of course not, were just going to test some limits of your techniques" pulling out a sandwich from his storage, he handed it over to the already drooling Topaz.

"Now then use it" said Meliodas making Topaz confused.

Meliodas started explain ning how he wanted to see if the price she had to pay for power was just limited to gold or it could be something else. And to no surprise the sandwich disappeared and Topaz Cursed energy flared up for a few minutes before dying down back to its original amount.

"I see so you can use other things besides money, it seems like the power is scaled on the amount of value you put on them" explained Meliodas earning a nod from Topaz.

Directing his gaze to Ban he said "now then please return what you snatched" said Meliodas, ban sheepishly smiled and held out his hand as Meliodases hard earned three levels worth of stats returned to him.

"Your cursed technique is good ban but when snatching something you shouldn't limit yourself to only other people powers, you should try and see if you can 'snatch' times or physical objects as well. Also try not to take to much or your body might blow up from over stuffing. Yourself with power your body can't take, I'm sure that you will just regenerate but I'm sure that it isn't a nice feeling to explode" recommended Meliodas making Ban nod in a happy face.

"Alright you two for today just train your cursed technique, we will be doing combat and weapon training tomorrow."

Hearing Meliodas, both Ban and Topaz ran to their corners and started experimenting with their powers and seeing their limits.

"They grow up so fast don't they" sid Meliodas in a nostalgic tone.

[You sound like an old man] commented Merlin in a teasing tone.

Kanna and Rex who were playing with some wooden toys that Meliodas bought of the system store giggled, although they didn't understand what they were saying, just looking at their father's scrunched up face made them laugh.

"Dam you!" Meliodas yelled as he started to chase after Merlin for maing his own kids laugh at him.

Although this day may have becomes more hectic than usual, the Pendragon family and the others never stoped smiling, including ban as they all looked at the funny scene.