~ Kairo's Pov... ~
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I sat there, staring at the walls and the beams, but my mind just wasn't here.
At least, not right now...
Every thought I had was circling back to her.
My own mother... It's kind of funny? Isn't it? Was she even fine with me being here? Did she even care that I was alive after what happened to me? If she did, what the hell would she do to me if I don't come back?
That last thought alone dug into me harder than the pain in my gut.
"I... I need to leave." I finally said, practically forcing myself upright despite all the stiffness in my body. I felt better than before, but I was still in a lot of pain...
I watched as my master's eyes snapped toward me, before he said: "Trust me, boy... You won't be going anywhere in that condition." His tone was cold, and final too.
I had to go... Even if I had to beg for it. I swallowed what small amount of pride I had.
"Y...You don't understand... I have to." I pressed, letting my throat rest for a second, before continuing: "I should be home, w-with my mother..."
For a moment, I felt a sense of awkward silence hanging between us... Then, he scoffed, shaking his head, and told me;
"Don't even waste your strength worrying about that... Kainaisn't the type of woman to care about such things. All that child has ever cared about… is strength."
I froze up, my brow furrowing, asking: "You… know about my mother?"
His lips tugged into the faintest hint of a smile, but there was nothing kind nor soft about it;
"Yes... I know her well. I've already spoken with her, and explained the situation."
"What-what did she say...?" Now I was just curious.
"...She said you should stay here."
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'What?'
Hold on for a second...
"I... I don't think I understand... She said-She told you that I should stay, here... As in, I should live here?"
My master didn't flinch at my question...
He just stood there, arms folded, gaze locked on me like he'd been expecting me to ask;
"Yes." He said flatly: "That's exactly what she meant..."
The words didn't sit right. My chest tightened. I wasn't sure what to feel at this point. Whether if I should be relived that I wasn't under her, or sad that she easily cut me off;
"…But, why? She's my mother... Why would she want me to stay here instead of-"
"-Because strength is all she cares about, boy." He cut me off without hesitation, his voice was sharp enough to silence me;
"She doesn't want a son warming a chair at home. She wants a warrior. And if that means leaving you in my care, then so be it. However, there's a condition..."
A condition? Was I some kind of bargaining chip to this woman or something?
"Like what, sir...?" I asked him.
"She said that every month, she will spar with you. To test if you'll grow."
Every word felt like a weight pressing down on me. A fucking, condition. Of course there was a damn condition.
My jaw tightened, and I finally asked: "…And if I don't grow? Meet her expectations. What happens...?"
His eyes narrowed, not out of malice but out of honesty: "I won't beat around the bush, boy... She'll throw you aside."
So that was it. My worth? My entire existence to her, was boiled down to whether I got stronger or not...? I wasn't her son. I was just… potential.
"Heh... She really said that?" My voice was low, and more bitter than I honestly wanted it to be. The previous me didn't feel good at all hearing this...
"...She did." My master didn't even stutter;
"Your mother is not a woman who hides her thoughts, child. She values strength above all else. To her, even her own bloodis no exception to that rule..."
I just leaned back against the bed's wall, staring at the beams again...
A laugh almost slipped out, but it felt wrong, like it'd break me if I let it out: "Tch… unreal…"
Honestly, a part of me wanted to scream. Another part of me wanted to just shut it all out. But what stuck the hardest was the fire creeping into my chest...
I wouldn't let this woman affect me... Or my life.
SCREW. THIS!
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I turned to my master.
"…Then, I'll grow."
I said, not to him, but to myself...
I kept my voice steady despite the anger practically brewing inside of me;
"She said she wants a warrior, right? Fine... I'll give her one."
My master's lips twitched, almost approving, though his eyes stayed hardened: "Good... Then get used to that kind of pain... Because from this day forward… You'll be living in it."
"Yes sir..." I responded.
Now... I'll have to change my plans.
That Kalis, I'll need it, today.
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A few more hours had passed since that little talk we had this morning. Master had left an hour or so ago to... finish up some things. At least, that's what he told me.
But, it wasn't that bad. I truly did learn something today. That my own mother might as well be dead to me...
Regardless... I think I'm in a, working condition now.
All the food I ate earlier had digested some time ago, and my body feels much better compared to this morning because of it. I'd say that I'm at 50% of my max, give or take, but it should be more than enough to take the life of a Kalis.
'I'll be starting my plan now Nexus...' I told him, finally getting off the bed as I did.
[...Do you want me to direct you towards them, host?]
'That would be helpful, so... yes.' I responded. I jumped towards the window and hoped out.
[The one you are looking for, is approximately 289.5 kilometers from here, straight ahead.]
(A/N: I should mention now that Nexus has partial omniscience. He can help guide Kairo to what he wants... As long as he is strong enough, or worthy enough to hear said answer.)
'At my current condition, how long before I find it...?'
[A minute, or so at most.]
'...I should get going then.'
I took off, straight ahead without looking back...
When I ran, I practically shot off...
I wasn't entirely used to my own speed, but I was getting used to it. Though, it didn't really help all that much, considering I had a new passive ability that essentially doubled my base running speed either...
After a few, I eventually reached where I needed to be.
Heck, I could see them all down there, running to their hearts content...
'Well... They're definitely not as small as I'd thought they'd be.'
Most of them were a meter, or slightly larger.
However, I found myself focusing on the one in the middle of the horde... It was much, much bigger than the rest of them, not only that, it's overall skin tone was a shade darker, and it also seemed slightly more, aggressive...
'Nexus... That big one... Is it what I think it is...?'
[It is my little host... That, is their Alpha.]
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END