Goodbye Spar

V1 Chapter 11: Goodbye Spar

The day of my departure was just around the corner now. The days which might be the last time I would see my parents passed by in a flash. I'll have to set off for Ethos tomorrow, making me feel empty and sad inside.

Although I may have my consciousness of my past life, the bond I have created with my family is special to me now. This is how I wished to live in my previous life, too, with my family.

I was sitting in my backyard, gazing up at the sky while my thought was running rampant. A lot has happened in the last five years. (I got the thing that I so yearned for)

I lived, ate, and slept with my new family. It was one of the best feelings I got from this life. Maybe this happiness got multiplied by the fact that I lost everyone in my previous life, but I didn't care. 

My heart, which was numbed before, slowly regained its former form. (Although I still don't feel anything for anyone except my family). But one thing that worries me a little bit is that I don't seem to get sexually attracted by anyone. 

(I just cannot feel it inside me to love or attract myself to them) 

Just as my dream was fulfilled, a new obstacle came around. Thinking about the things that will take away my happiness again enrages me to the core. (Why this again? Why can't I live like I want to?)

Clenching my fists in anger, I gritted my teeth. (When will I become strong enough?)

Tomorrow was my departure; as repulsed as I was by the fact of leaving my home, I couldn't do anything about it. My fate has been the one playing games with me all this time. 

I wasn't the only one that strongly rejected the idea of me leaving so far from my own city. My mom was also distressed by it, arguing many times about me at least staying near the town where I could visit regularly.  

But we all knew that our fate wasn't in our hands anymore. We got some advantages because my dad was a respectful person in Balek Town; almost everyone, young to old, knew about him. 

Delaying anymore without reason would be the same as disrespecting the Noble where he is trying so hard to accommodate us (A bunch of bullshit)

(These Nobles and their 'noble' reasons)

To see me off, Clark came back home. But he has been giving me the silent treatment and avoiding me since yesterday. (Is this little shit jealous of me?) (Why did he even come back from his oh-so-great school?)

I was already distant from Clark because he had stayed away from home almost all of the time since he awakened. At first, he annoyed me with his obsession with becoming a Knight mocking me whenever I rejected his 'generous' offer to become a Knight. 

And now this.

Thinking about Clark successfully added fire to my already frustrated mind. (Huff~ I need to calm down, raging isn't going to solve my problems)

"Jake! Dinner's ready!"

I heard my mom's voice from inside the house (Fwuhh~ Let's forget these useless things and go). "Coming!"

Putting my thoughts aside, I went back to the house. I made my way to the dining hall after washing my hands.

Clark was already seated on the chair, and the table was already set up with plates full of food. 

"It's your favorite meal today" my mom said to me

"Thanks, mom!"

I glanced toward Clark, who appeared to be uninterested in every way. Ignoring him, I sat down on my seat and waited for dad to arrive at the table. 

–

My dad arrived at the table and almost immediately told me, "We need to leave tomorrow, sleep early, and don't train today." 

I just nodded at his words, again reminded of the fact that we would be parting tomorrow.

Seeing the heavy atmosphere, he again said, "Don't be this tense; we will always be by your side; we will always be a family." 

"I bet he won't even remember us when he becomes a Knight" hissed Clark, which snapped my fuse, but before I could say anything, my mom scolded him. 

(This shithead…)

This comment also displeased my dad, who usually takes Clark's side in pestering me to join the adventurers guild and work in his line. 

Despite displeasure, he chose to not say anything to him. 

 "Let's have a spar today, Jake. After that, you go and rest. You need to set off early."

After dinner, my dad and I went to the backyard for our last spar. 

We went into the garden to have our match (Hufff~ I hope I can make him sweat a little)

I knew I couldn't win against my dad at my level of combat experience, but that doesn't mean that I won't give it my all and make him sweat. 

I looked into my dad's eye; he was trying to gauge my intentions. Looking into my eye, he said, "I will show you why you shouldn't be overconfident in your strength, come at me with all you've got" (Wha~)

Before I could even process what he said, my surroundings grew heavy, and huge pressure of magic descended upon me. 

It felt like my weight had increased two-fold just by him releasing his suppressed magic into the surroundings. Internally squirming under the overbearing pressure that I was under, I channeled through my own magic core to reduce this effect. 

Just like air, a huge magic pressure could crush anything like a pulp (It was painful). Precisely, I regulated the Magic pressure in my body to that of the surroundings.

One who can take control of the surroundings like this usually wins a fight in one v one battles. (Higher magic cores win over the inferiors even if they don't have any skills)

Dad is at [Level 8] right now, so we have a three-level difference. I can't win against him even if I outclass him in swordsmanship. (This world is seriously unfair)

This paints the picture of how the superior-born Nobles control the masses with their power and superior magic.

Unlike my last world, the scene of the French Revolution cannot be reenacted here because even if the Commoners overpower them by more than 99%, the Nobles are more powerful than them. 

My dad's level would be seen as one of the highest in the power spectrum among us commoners. But among nobles, [Level 8] was low-average at best.

Dad was just standing in one place, hands folded, looking at me with a stern gaze. I calmed myself down and conjured an ice-sword for myself; using my breathing, I calmed my shaking hands and got into a stance. (I can do this… fwoooooh~)

I could feel myself getting excited facing my dad. I wanted to challenge him, and I wanted to come out on top.

But before any one of us could start fighting, my mom came outside in the garden sensing the heavy atmosphere. 

She panicked and looked at me, then at my dad. And yelled, "It's too much. He is just a kid!"

Dad looked at her with a calm gaze and replied in a low but stern voice, "You don't understand where he is going, Julie. It will be hell. Noble houses, schemes, battlefields, wars. Who knows what Jake has to face in the upcoming years? He should at least be able to face me before facing the world." 

We both went silent after hearing his reasoning. My mom understood what dad was trying to do and turned to me. "Just hang in there, okay?" she said, tearing up, and stood away from us, intending to spectate. 

"Are you going to watch? Mom." I asked her

"I will be." she simply replied without her reasoning.

From the corner of my vision, I saw Clark's figure enter the garden (Maybe because of the commotion). He, too, stayed, intending to spectate my spar with dad.

I got into my fighting stance again.

Circulating my magic inside my body, I lashed forward with my sword for a basic horizontal strike. Looking intently with my eyes to catch any movement of my dad. 

Dad just stepped back, out of range of my sword. Expecting this outcome, without fazing, I manipulated my previous momentum and chained my move with a slanting bottom-to-top slash and another top to bottom slash.

He continuously dodged my chain slashes with minimal movement and dodged my vertical slash by the side-stepping left. I predicted his movements and preemptively used my icicle in his expected location.

Surprised by this, he again dodged my attack by again side-stepping right. I internally smiled as I thought that he had walked straight into my trap.

I trusted my sword towards him, but what I expected didn't happen. Instead of me getting an easy victory, my dad rushed in towards me, and while dodging my blade, he punched parallel to it, straight into my face. 

I jumped backward to reduce the concussive impact damage, but the hit made me fly for a solid meter before landing on the ground. 

"JAKE!" my mom screamed, seeming worried about me. She didn't know about this move, that I flew back on purpose to reduce damage. 

"I am alright mom" I said to calm her down (Man, moms are always worrywarts, no matter what world)

"I am impressed Jake. Not only you forced me to attack you which I didn't intend to do in this spar. You also reduced the impact from my hit" my dad said to me, stressing on the last part to further ease my mom.

I got up again and pushed my magic core further for better reaction timing, and so I could use more of my magic between my sword attacks.

*slash*

*slash* *fwoou~*

*stab* 

I sent a flurry of chained attacks and slashes, not stopping for a single second. Always trying my best to predict the next move my dad will make.

To a bystander, it would seem that my dad was dodging these attacks effortlessly, but I could feel that he was in a pinch. Although my attacks are feeble against a [Level 8] and won't damage dad even if my strike landed with full force.

But he was still dodging and not tanking my attacks (Is it because of pride? It makes sense, who would accept their own son giving them a hard time)

I could feel the frustration inside my dad's eyes gradually building up; seeing his own son reading and predicting his moves ticked him off. (He is going to attack!)

I noticed his attacking stance this time, and I reduced the friction on my shoes with my ice. That's not all, I was ready to give this shot my all, so I conjured an Icicle and reduced the friction of a meter of the ground around me.

Because of the slippery ground, his punch pushed me, and his own form staggered. (He seems surprised, hehe)

While getting launched by the force of his punch, I used my icicle and shot it toward his staggering form.

*phraaak* 

My icicle connected with his shoulder, and he wasn't able to dodge it. 

(MY ATTACK FINALLY LANDED!) "Aghhh!" I slammed into the wall behind me because I forgot I was frictionless and won't be able to stop my momentum. (Still, I won though)

"Jake! Are you okay??" my mom ran to me.

"What kind of desperation was that? Did you forget about your own spell?" My dad asked me with a confused face

"I am okay; it was just a surprise that hit me. Still, I landed an attack though" I shot a mocking grin at my dad, to which he scoffed. 

"You can match up to [Level 6]; that is pretty impressive for your age. But don't make this silly mistake again" my dad gave a genuine appreciation.

"That's it for today. Go and rest now," my mom said to me, shooting a death glare at my dad.

I noticed Clark, who was standing in the corner the whole time. He had a shocked and bewildered expression on his face. (It looks like he hasn't landed a hit on dad yet)

Seeing his sullen expression made me unbelievably happy for some reason, and I went to sleep. Tired from the fight.

That's how my last day with my family ended.