"Anyway, we're going to our first expedition after going to get some equipment, after coming back we can sort out this place, I hope by then I can think of a way of protecting the borders as well, until then, no one can live here... we can't have Sophia and Anya in this insecure place."
Until he had placed all the arrays and murals and traps, he wouldn't allow anyone to leave here, leaving some 'scarecrows' would perhaps help keep some disgusting fellows away.
"Thank you, boss!" Andre noticed sincere care for his family in there, once again reaffirming that he had made the right choice, without further ado, Constantine set motion.
"Let's go. We have to get some gear for Malik and Raki before setting off, they can't go like that." The boy and girl nodded with appreciation, they had no weapons and no plates, stepping out like this were they not to be accompanied, would be suicide.
**
**
It was swift but going to some cheap shop Constantine got Malik and Raki a weapon of their preference, Raki choose a sword merely because she wanted to compete with Zamira, though instead of a massive Nodachi like Zamira's, hers was a standard double edged broadsword. As for Malik, he choose something rather amazing.
"A crossbow?" Constantine tilted his head, a rather odd choice for young minds, most that have no combat experienced wouldnt chose this weapon.
The answer that the boy gave him, left him momentarily struck.
"I noticed that we're all close quarter fighters, master... I think we need someone for long-range." Malik said with some nervousness, he didn't consider himself particularly good with this weapon or any other in particular, if that was the case, then he'd rather begin with this one.
"Ho!~" It wasn't only Constantine, even Andre had to further evaluate this son-in-law of his.
"Boy, I didn't know you have this degree of awareness, is your accuracy alright?" He asked, though what he said is true, it would all be for nought if he lacks talent with the weapon.
"I will try my best!" The boy yelled.
"Very well, but If I see you don't have potential with that weapon, you're changing it."
"Thank you, master..." Malik smiled and held his new weapon dearly, by now he might even put a name for it.
'With all these brats calling me master all of the sudden, this is going to be hellish... what the hell did I get myself into, I never had more than one disciple before...' He always placed his entire focus on a single disciple, now there is an entire group he has to teach.
'How troublesome.'
**
**
"We won't be back in about a week, are you sure you don't want to speak with Sophia, Andre?"
It was time to leave, the group stood in front of the gate that gave way to the Lindom Forest, the mission, was to find that tree, take the branch and take it back to subsequently meet this Alchemist, someone that would be a magus.
"I'm good, boss... I already told her we're going away for a week or two, no worries." The man waved his hammer back and forth with enthusiasm, wondering what kind of training he would be subjected to during this trip.
Zamira too held her sword proudly, she couldn't wait to test it.
"Then we're on, here... look at this tree, this is what we're looking after." He showed the sheet to those that still had doubts as the group started to walk away from the town and into the forest.
"I have never seen it." Malik scratched his head awkwardly.
"As I said, I have only seen it once in the deeper parts of the forest, i-it is dangerous..." Raki continued.
"Good, I want you all to be strong and motivated, whoever I see slacking is going to stay behind, I'm not saving lazy people!"
"Yes!"
"Let's go!"
**
**
An entire day of trip into the forest got Constantine to know what field they were in, a rather simple forest, the clear sky indicated no incoming rain, animals were sightseen randomly, nothing special like what he had seen in the Cave of Sandork.
"What can you tell me about the creatures of this area, Zamira, Andre?" He asked them, just to be ready for any possible inconvenient.
"This area has a lot of predators, boss... they're big and usually go in packs, there are also poisonous insects, a lot of them if you know where to look, they come out mostly at night but stay away from fire, aside from that, in the outskirts of the forest we are not bound to find anything interesting, the problem is when we hit the core of the forest, there...I don't know but people have even talked about gigantic creatures and there are the werebeasts too, this forest is the border between the Sadamek Empire and the Wolf Empire... there are no physical borders, this forest is the border.
"How wide is it?"
"Several dozens of kilometres from the Wolf Empire to the Sadamek Empire, the forest is massive but most of us don't even touch upon or even scratch its surface, master... we're taught from an early age to not go too deep into it, most of us stay in the plains and tundras to the East and South of the town." Andre concluded, not feeling nervous at all even when he knew that is precisely what they were doing.
'That means I only need to be careful with this Wolf Empire or whatever... werebeasts... creatures that have humanoid form but they're animals...' when he thought about those possible assailants his gaze moved onto Zamira for a moment with suspiciousness.
The beauty seemingly detected his gaze and smiled back.
'You're too coolheaded...' He sighed.
"I'm going to be training you all every morning, Andre, you're undergoing hand combat with me, I need to test your skills, Raki and Malik, the same. Zamira, you and I will be sparring by the end of the session... after I get a grasp of his skills, Andre will join us. We will repeat this every... single... day... understood!?" That would be the training regime that they would follow until they were qualified to stand up proudly whilst holding a weapon.
"Yes." They answered, Zamira and Andre louder than the rest as Malik and Raki didn't seem as motivated, however, they would.
"Raki, Malik! I didn't hear that!"
"YES, MASTER!"
**
**
The journey through the forest was relatively peaceful with only some boars and small predators going here and there, they didn't have a chance and ended up being something he used to decrease Raki and Malik's fear.
It was quickly becoming the night and he decided to stop for today, while Zamira cooked something together with Raki and Malik, not too far away he and Andre were sparring.
*BAANGG!!*
Andre's hammer crashed heavily on the ground, denting the soil and throwing debris everywhere, but it was unable to touch Constantine who merely sidestepped.
'As expected, Andre is quite strong... with that body it would be a disappointment if he wasn't.' He thought, evading yet another slow but powerful swipe.
Andre was strong but also rather slow, natural given his size.
"You need to work on your speed, big man!" Constantine took the chance of the opening to flash forward and deliver a rough punch straight to Andre's uncovered ribs.
*BOOMM!!*
pαпᵈα-noνɐ1·сoМ !!!
*COUGH!*
The man had to spit some saliva, nearly releasing his hammer and staggering back!
'How can he punch so harshly with that small frame!?' It was as if a mosquito suddenly slapped you and instead of feeling nothing you felt a real slap, it's ridiculous.
"You want to learn it?" Constantine asked, still in that pose and with a smirk on his face.
"Y-Yes!" He wanted to know how what he did, but Constantine wasn't going to easily deliver.
"Then come at me and try to replicate it, look at my body, my momentum, the way my muscles move, my entire torso, even the exact spot where I am sticking you, replicate it, Andre!"
*BAANGG!!*
It was time for another round and the big man was ready to go.
'Among all of them, I'll have the least mercy with you... you and Zamira have the highest potential.'
**
**
"KYA!"
Raki fell on the dirty ground, getting her close full of dust and rubbing her pained chest.
She looked up in disbelief to her master who she had been sparring with just now, he stood there with a cold gaze that she hadn't expected.
When he said he was going to do her assessment, she didn't expect him to be so... merciless.
On the side stood the others their gazes straight towards Constantine who had done exactly the same test for all of them, regardless of Andre or Raki, he requested the same for them.
'Come to me with all you've got.'
"Stand up, Raki." He said coldly, only for the girl to start shivering.
"..." She had never fought, she had been hit and suffered, but she had never fought anyone in her life, only escaped, her first time actually wielding a weapon and using it was not too long ago against a boar that Malik killed... now, for the first time in her life and against the person she wanted to do it the least, she had to fight.
"You said you want to do this, if you're not up to it, you can always go back, I'll take you-"
"NO! I CAN DO IT!"
The prospect of being abandoned and losing this opportunity seemed more terrifying to her eyes, with a lot of reluctance but a determination to change, Raki stood up and held her sword, all she had to do was to go with everything she got, she knew she was going to lose... winning was not important.
'I just... have to give it my all and fight master.'
"Then come, your physical strength is not up for it, but try to do it the best you can, I want you to wake up early every morning to work out with me, VERY EARLY!" Constantine knew her body wasn't up to the task, and hence, she'd have to run and work out a lot, but this is the path she choose.
"YES!" Without further ado, Raki charged, Constantine allowed her several failed strikes before he once again countered.
*BANG!*
"Ugh." She fell.
"Stand up, your opponent won't allow you to stand up as I do."
'Once you become strong enough, I won't allow you to stand up either...'
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