Despite facing an enemy far above his class…
Despite staring at a monster that had already obliterated multiple magical beasts and B-class mages on its own…
Despite his battered body...
Dae couldn't fathom how Dom could stand the Reflezard with such an unwavering glow in his eyes.
As Dom suddenly dashed toward the beast, fists clenched for his next strike, Dae's mind flashed back to an old memory.
An eight-year-old Dae, in a long white robe, stumbled to one knee, shallow pants escaping his mouth as he barely held onto his two short wooden swords.
The crunch of sandals on the grass then drew his eyes upward.
An old man approached, a wooden sword in hand, as he stopped in front of Dae with a warm, friendly smile. "You've gotten better, little one. I'm impressed," He said.
Dae grunted, rising slowly. "I still haven't hit you yet," He murmured, rubbing his cheek with his wrist while glancing at the old man's spotless robes, compared to his dirtied ones.
The man laughed. "It'll take a few more years before you do that." He declared boldly.
Dae narrowed his eyes. "One more time." He said, taking a stance with his weapons raised—but the man suddenly smacked his head with his sword.
Dae whimpered as he dropped his swords and rubbed his aching skull.
"A smart warrior knows when to retreat. I've told you that many times, Dae." The man said, his voice suddenly strict, making Dae frown.
After a short, tensed moment, the old man's expression softened as he placed a hand on Dae's head. "Besides, I heard your mother made Yugwa."
Dae's sadness vanished instantly at the mention of his favorite dessert. Without thinking, he dashed to the house, his training completely abandoned, while the old man laughed behind him.
Ten minutes later…
Dae and the old man sat at the dining table.
A young woman, bearing a striking resemblance to Dae, arrived with a tray of colorful snacks and drinks.
"Thank you, mother," Dae said, happily taking the food.
She smiled warmly. "You're very welcome, my dear." She said, placing the bigger plate in front of the old man.
As he took the cup of tea, she noticed the wooden sword beside him.
"Father, I thought we agreed not to bring swords to the dining hall." She said, her voice calm yet slightly intimidating.
The old man chuckled. "Sorry, Nari." He said, gently sipping his tea. "People my age tend to forget things."
Nari, Dae's mother, narrowed her eyes at him, her father-in-law, and Dae's grandfather, but then sighed helplessly as she picked up the sword and returned it to its allocated place.
As the grandfather picked up his chopsticks, he noticed Dae organizing his snacks by color. "Does that really matter? You'll eat them anyway," He asked.
"I just like it this way," Dae said, finishing his arrangement before taking a bite with a satisfied sigh.
The grandfather shook his head, then ate with a matching sigh.
Minutes later, a maid arrived to pick up the empty dishes. As she refilled the man's cup, Dae asked the question that had been burning inside him for some time.
"Grandfather? How can I become strong like you?"
The Grandfather thanked the maid for the cup, then turned to answer, "Through years of dedicated training and experience,"
Dae pouted. "But I've been at this for two years already." He muttered.
The Grandfather smirked. "It'll take a few more years than that, Dae."
"How long?" Dae asked as the maid dropped a cup in front of him.
"Who knows?" The old man said, sipping on his refreshing tea. "It usually takes thirty years to master all the forms. Since I added a few more, it took me five decades to complete my training."
He lowered his cup with a fond smile.
"Even your father, Hakuji, has yet to fully master it."
Dae's frown deepened. "That's… a long time." He mumbled, his spirit disheartened.
His grandfather then gave him an encouraging smile. "But," He said, tapping his chin dramatically. "… seeing you grasp so much at such a young age while still modifying it into your own two sword style. It wouldn't surprise me if you master it faster than all of us."
Dae's eyes widened. "Even you?" He asked.
The grandfather's grin widened. "Are you in such a hurry to surpass me?"
"I'm going to finally defeat you and become the greatest swordsman in the world," Dae said, determination shining through the colorful food smear on his cheek.
The sight made the old man laugh.
Dae's brow twitched. "Are you mocking me?" He asked, annoyed.
"Of course not, young warrior." The man chuckled, hiding his teasing smile behind his cup while Dae glared at him as he drank his warm milk, another sight that drew a laugh from the old man.
Some more minutes later, while another maid cleaned the table, Dae asked the question that truly mattered:
"Grandfather… what if, even after mastering it, I'm still not stronger than you?"
The man raised a brow.
"You said great-grandfather and even great-great-grandfather mastered it faster than you… But you're still stronger than all of them."
Dae looked at him, his young gaze serious.
"Is it because you added more forms?" He asked.
"It might be part of it…" The Grandfather replied as he folded his arms and hummed in thought. "But I think the real reason was that I followed Ethan," He said finally.
"The Mage Emperor?" Dae whispered, eyes wide.
The old man smirked at his surfacing memories. "He was a great and powerful mage. A man worthy of the title he bears." He said, his smile softening. "But it wasn't his strength or title that moved me… it was his savior complex."
"Saviour complex? What's that?" Dae asked, curious.
The Grandfather looked at the ceiling as he answered, "It's a name for people who are driven to everyone and anyone they find…even at the cost of their own life."
Dae's brow furrowed. "Isn't that… dangerous?"
"That's why I respected him," He chuckled, turning his gaze back to his grandson. "Throughout my many years in battle, I've met countless warriors who boast of the same drive. But when their lives were threatened, they were the first to run."
His smile widened.
"Ethan was one of the few who could still stand and fight. No… he was even worse than the rest."
He paused, shaking his head at the memory.
"It was almost as if he was eagerly throwing his life away for others' sake. To be honest, his complex was more of a mental illness than a noble trait."
The Grandfather laughed at his own words, his heart flooded with reminiscence.
Dae tilted his head, confused. "But… a smart warrior knows when to retreat… right?" He asked.
The Grandfather rubbed his head, conflicted by his own words now turned against him. "That's true, but…" He said, his gaze darkened. "There are some fights you can't run away from--even if the result is guaranteed."
Dae's frown deepened even more. "I'm confused." He muttered.
The old man sighed. "You'll understand it one day." The old man sighed with a shrug. "Let's just say being Ethan made me stronger."
Dae glanced at his grandfather, his next words hesitant, "But he's… dead."
He nodded sadly, recalling the death of his dear friend, then smiled as he looked at Dae. "But it doesn't have to be Ethan…" He said, "… if you truly follow my footsteps, I'm certain you'll encounter someone like him."
"Really?" Dae asked, his eyes hopeful.
The Grandfather nodded, moving close enough to place a hand on Dae's head. "When you meet that person, follow them too." He said, rubbing Dae's silky black hair. "I can't explain it. But I believe staying together-- laughing, fighting, all while surviving many hardships will make you stronger."
Dae smiled, eager to meet such a person, but then frowned in thought. "But how will I know if they have that complex?"
The Grandfather chuckled fondly, removing his hand. "Believe me, Dae." He said, smiling boldly. "Many may try to imitate, but once you see the real thing, you'll just know it.">
Back in the present…
Dae's tired eyes widened as he watched Dom ram his shoulder into the Reflezard, sending it tumbling with an earth-rumbling crash.
As the beast retaliated with a swing of its injured tail, flinging Dom through the air, Dae flinched once he recalled Dom's cry and his grandfather's words.
"It's you." He whispered.
Dom groaned as he rolled to a stop and jumped onto his feet, his eyes tracking the speeding shadow moving around him. "Why's this thing so damn fast?" He grumbled, narrowly dodging another claw strike that sliced the ground like paper.
With a twist, he punched the beast's side, shattering its armor in one single strike.
As Dom aimed another punch at its exposed flesh, his gaze shifted to the heavy tail now whistling towards him from the side. He raised his arms, blocking the strike with the impact, sending him skidding across the field several feet away.
"Damn it," He grumbled, lowering his arms just as the beast appeared behind him with another strike.
Dominic's strong enough to break its armor… Dae thought, watching as Dom weaved and countered the beast with a kick, its armor crumbling away like glass.
The problem is…
Before Dom could land the next blow, the beast retreated, its speed covering dozens of feet in an instant.
Dom clicked his tongue as he dashed after it.
He's not fast enough to finish it off.
Dae watched Dom struggle to fatally wound the beast, his eyes following the shards of armor scattering into the wind as the Reflezard dodged another armor-piercing punch.
If I can only slow it down for him…
He glanced at his sword, still just out of reach, and remembered that phrase.
As the words resonated in his mind, as Dom's determined punches echoed in his ears, Dae rose.
His eyes were glowing with unnatural strength as he popped his dislocated shoulder back into place. Despite the agonizing pain, he reached out for his blade, his grip tight against the hilt.
Meanwhile…
Dom gritted his teeth as he weaved under the Reflezard's next slash. He stopped behind it, grabbed its tail, and grunted as he swung the beast onto its back.
The ground cracked, dust and debris erupting as the beast shrieked in pain.
Dom jumped, aiming both feet down to finish it—but it quickly dashed away, leaving the attack to deepen the crater below with another explosion.
"Fuck." Dom sighed, panting heavily as his pain and fatigue finally caught up to him. As he searched the thick dust cloud around him, he failed to notice two glowing eyes until the beast was already on top of him.
"Shit." He grumbled as he turned, his eyes widening as the Reflezard's claw was already inches away from ripping him apart.
A streak of purple lightning suddenly cut through the dust, snatching Dom away from the beast's destructive path.
It shrieked with frustration and turned its gaze to Do,m now standing several feet away, his eyes focused on Dae, who knelt beside him, coughing into his hand.
"Hey. You okay?" Dom asked, noticing the blood stains on Dae's palm.
"Worry about yourself," Dae grumbled, using his one sword to push himself up.
They then leapt apart, evading the Reflezard's deadly charge.
Dom aimed a punch at its exposed side, but it dashed to safety again. He gritted his teeth, brow twitching with frustration just as Dae zipped forward, electricity crackling around his body.
"I'll slow it down for you!" He shouted, gripping his lightning-charged sword with his two hands.
Dom stared briefly in shock, then grinned as he dashed to meet them.
As Dae drew near, the beast narrowed its gaze on the two colored hues in its vision. Despite the rapidly approaching purple shroud, it focused its attention on the stronger blue shroud and burst forward, dashing right past Dae as it targeted Dom instead.
"I'm not even a threat to you now, right?" Dae muttered, sliding across the ground as he changed direction and dashed after it. "You'll regret that."
Dae skidded to its side, his sword pulled behind him.
"Single sword style. Form 2… Orbit!"
With a quick twist, Dae spun rapidly, his blade carving a wheel of lightning and steel, exploiting the gap of broken armor created by Dom's relentless blows to slice through one of its hind legs.
The Reflezard shrieked as it tumbled, its once threatening speed now harshly dragging its body across the floor until it finally stopped-- right in Dom's path.
With a wide grin, Dom swung his fist, the wind whistling against his knuckles. The beast instinctively raised an arm to defend, but Dom's punch obliterated it, the armor and flesh scattering into the air while the beast shrieked in pain.
"One more," Dom grumbled, planting his foot firmly to the ground as he swung his other fist only for a familiar to smack his body away. Dom skidded to a stop, blood escaping his lips, which quickly curled into a smile once he realized how weak that blow felt.
The beast stumbled, its eyes glancing between its weakened tail, injured leg, and severed arm. As it locked eyes with Dom, the cold blue glow made its entire body tremble. Instinctively, it realized that it was no longer the predator.
With a sudden gust, it bolted for the trees.
"Motherfucker." Dom scoffed as he chased after it, but despite its now slower dash, he couldn't close the distance.
Dae, however, easily overtook the beast and stopped in its path, pointing his sword forward. "You're not going anywhere," He grumbled, channeling his electricity in his weapon, which roared again like a cannon.
Once the beast noticed the surging mana in the trembling blade, it shrieked as familiar patterns spider-webbed acrossitss armor, preparing to redirect the spell.
But instead of shooting, Dae leapt forward and jammed the weapon through the gap in its broken armor, his blade piercing deep into the beast's flesh.
"Viper's Bolt!"
With a shout, Dae unleashed his spell directly into the Reflezard's body. It shrieked loudly, millions of volts ripping through its body with a bright purple light glowing through the cracks all over its body.
Then, a sharp hiss, it swung its one good arm into Dae's torso, sending him hurtling through the air.
Even a direct hit wasn't enough? He thought as he crashed into the corpse of a large beast. His battered body trembled with excruciating pain, yet a faint smirk tugged at his blood-stained lips as he watched the beast stumble.
It let out a deafening shriek, its eyes widened as pain ripped throughout its entire body, its limbs twitching from the residual sparks while steam rose from the gaps in its armor.
With his target now immobilized, Dom burst forward, closing the gap in the blink of an eye.
The Reflezard sensed him and whipped its tail. Dom leapt, easily evading the beast's now sluggish attack. It looked up, eyes widening to their limits as Dom drew his foot back--then smashed it into its face.
As the armor crumbled beneath Dom's foot, Dae watched from a distance, perceiving every shard of its hard shell scattered in slow motion.
With a determined shout, Dom focused all his mana into his kick, the intensity shredding his trousers as the force dug through the beast's considerably harder shell, before finally connecting with its skull.
The resulting explosion was akin to a ripe tomato being smashed with a bat. Armor, flesh, bone, and blood scattering into the wind as Dom's kick obliterated the Reflezard's head.
It only took a single second, but for Dae, it stretched for longer.
As the beast's headless body fell while Dom spun, unable to resist the momentum of his kick, Dae's tired smile widened.
I've finally found him, Grandfather.