Chapter 5

Hakon woke up drenched in sweat. The pungent smell from the day before lingered around, and they shot into his nose as if it knew he just woke up. Cursing and grimacing, Hakon got up, feeling sore all over.

Several servants roaming the backyard, scurrying around to purge the back yard of the pungent smell he’d left behind shuddered at his sudden movements. One shrieked and inhaled too much air the moment later. The poor woman nearly choked on the smell and vomited a short distance from Hakon.

He raised an eyebrow at the woman, her complexion pale, her hands trembling. Like the other servants, she wore rags and was much smaller than the average Barbarian. She did not have any muscles, or any muscles worth to note, but that was expected. She was no Barbarian.

The servants were weak, fragile, and they were easily scared even when there was no reason to be. Her quivering eyes lingered momentarily on Hakon but quickly shifted to the side of the sparring ring.

“Father.” Hakon turned to his father standing outside the ring, arms crossed, eyes locked on to the scene unfolding before him.

He frowned deeply. “What did you do?”

The answer was obvious, but there was no better way to tell his father than to show it to him. Moving his muscles a little eased the soreness that clung to him even after a full night’s rest – actually, he did not know when he fell asleep. Regardless, the mana mass was mostly full again, which was all he needed for the demonstration.

Hakon bent down to pick up the sword at his feet and raised it at his father. The chieftain’s frown faded, one brow lifted. No words were exchanged as the chieftain stepped into the ring, no weapon drawn.

There was no hesitation as Hakon burst into action. He shot toward his father and executed a swift horizontal slash. There was no way he could hurt his father after a single day of training, but his steps were sharper and his sword flowed smoother. It was a slight difference, yet in a fight it could be a deciding factor between life and death.

There was only one problem; his body hurt in a way it never did before. It was almost like he gained a second set of muscles – a set that was on the verge of being torn apart. Fortunately, those muscles did not restrict his momentum all too much. Hakon grit his teeth through the pain, unwilling to show his father anything but the best of himself.

The chieftain deflected the slash with a wrist flick, eyes trained on Hakon’s every movement.

Mana oozed from the mass at Hakon’s will. It seeped slowly into his legs under his guidance. Blood gathered in his mouth and the pungent smell made him want to vomit, but his focus prevailed. So did the pain. If anything, the pain worsened as mana pushed into his legs. It bore down on him and nearly pushed him into giving up. Yet he did not.

Ignoring the loss of a portion of mana and the pain that accompanied the sensation, Hakon kicked the ground, and propelled forward. His muscles screamed at him as mana burned through them, but the deed was done. He reached his father in an instant, sword thrust toward his chest.

The boost of mana faded as quickly as it arrived, slowing him almost immediately. However, he was already where he wanted to be, his blade ready to taste the chieftain’s blood.

But his father was not that easy to hit. His brow furrowed slightly when Hakon appeared before him, yet he did not allow anyone to draw his blood. The chieftain’s muscles bulged from one moment to the next, and a terrifying pressure descended upon his son. His hand blurred suddenly, and Hakon’s sword snapped, its blade narrowly missing his face.

“You earned a Level.” He noted his son’s achievement with a tinge of surprise in his voice, but Hakon shook his head as mana surged toward him.

“Two.” Corrected him, smiling despite the loss of his beloved sword. The Ancestors had rewarded him with something far more precious after all.

[Skill [Dash] has been learned.]

[Proficiency gained. [Flow Control Lv.2] improved to [Flow Control Lv.3]]

[Experience threshold met. Level Up!]

“What level is your Sword Mastery?” The chieftain stared at him.

“19.”

His eyes widened, which was the biggest reaction Hakon could remember seeing from the chieftain in…forever.

“The Mind.” He muttered, regarding his son in a new light. “Is it an Ancient Power we haven’t heard about?”

The chieftain narrowed his eyes at Hakon. He was in deep thought, yet he didn’t let his son into his thoughts. Instead, he nodded slowly.

“Maybe the Ancestors have not forsaken you.”

Hakon straightened his back and failed to suppress the vibrant smile as it bloomed. He salivated as more and more mana entered his body. Even though the mana mass hadn’t been full before, earning another Level flooded the mass, filling it to the brim, and beyond its previous limit. His physique changed as well, all owed to the Ancestors and their generosity.

His Ancient Scripture looked nothing like the night before.

Hakon Taskur – Level 3
Race – Barbarian

Ancient Power – Enhanced Comprehension

Bloodline– Wildborne Lifeblood

Skills – [Combat Awareness Lv.1], [Sword Mastery Lv.19], [Reading Lv.3], [Flow Control Lv.3], [Running Lv.3], [Dash Lv.1]

He learned [Running] in the attempt to use mana on his legs. It was nothing special, but the Skill could come in handy. Traveling through the forest with a movement Skill would surely accelerate his plans.

“Are you up for a spar? Or will you train alone? Hunt?” His father asked.

Hakon swallowed his surprise. He’d never seen the chieftain so interested in him. It was uncomfortable…yet pleasant at the same time. Weird and unfamiliar suited the situation the most. Regardless, his father’s questions brought up a good point. Since he could Level through training, he had more options than others.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“How strong are Ulfar and the other Bloodbearer?” Hakon asked instead.

“Giant Blood is raw power. It strengthens their Bloodline, their power grows with their Level.” The chieftain reiterated calmly, “Your generation has been blessed with many powerful warriors. They are talented and some may even earn their 1st Ascension before the Battle of Generation. Ulfar, however, is different. Behemoth Blood is a power of legends like Astrid’s Blood Fury.”

The darkness in his father’s eyes burned deep into Hakon’s “Ulfar did not leave to hunt with the other Bloodbearers. His father took him to the mountains this morning.”