369 The Dragonhearts
“Show me what you’ve got, Emilio,” Julius said with an energetic smile, pointing his wooden sword towards his son, “I want to see what you’ve learned in your travels. If those stories you’ve told are more than exaggeration–if you’ve earned that insignia!”
However, now, with experience under his belt and a plethora of powers etched into his flesh, the excitement Emilio felt was somewhat different as he stood there with a smile, holding the wooden sword in his metallic, right hand:
Emilio was now ready to show his father just how much he’d grown–specifically, how much stronger than his father that he had gotten over the course of his journey to become a world-class adventurer.
“Sorry to burst your bubble, pops, but I fight a whole lot differently now!” Emilio said.
The air around him shifted as the temperature rose somewhat; a small amount of azure scales protected his hands like gauntlets as his amethyst eyes turned to a draconic blue.
[Dragonheart System Activated]
[Current Stage: 1/10 | Dragon Newt]
Of course, he wasn’t planning on seriously hurting his father–after all, it was a match merely for fun, though there was some pride riding on it. With that in mind, he tapped into a small amount of his system’s power.
“Oh? You really did go and master that Dragonheart power, huh?” Julius said, seeming somewhat nervous but even more excited, “…I wanna see it!”
“Begin!” Treyna swiped her hand through the air.
With the bout’s beginning being signified, the father and son both took off in a dash towards one another. The speed of their first steps pierced through the sound barrier in unison, causing the grass to rustle as both of their wooden swords clashed.
It was a battle of smiles; a fulfilling match between parent and child, yet it was a fearsomeness that would seem like an all-out fight to outside eyes. Julius pivoted off of his right foot, spinning around and going for a strike to Emilio’s side.
“–!”
Emilio reacted perfectly, managing to duck down as the wooden blade soared over his head, causing his blonde-and-black hair to sway in the residual wind. He countered, going for a thrust of his weapon towards his father’s abdominal region.
“Hyrah!”
The experience and mastery of the Mountain God Style was showcased by Julius, who revealed his stalwart defense as he blocked the sword thrust before repelling Emilio.
As they both jumped back some distance from one another, resetting the encounter, both held smiles on their faces.
“You’ve gotten a helluva lot stronger!” Julius complimented, “I thought you said that new arm held you back, but you’re a commendable swordsman, Emilio! That speed of yours, too–phew, you’ve got this old man working up a sweat!”
“You’re every bit as skilled as I remember, Father! Still, don’t gas out yet!” Emilio yelled out, dashing back in.
Julius rushed in as well with a beaming smile, “Don’t count on it!”
The sparring match between Dragonhearts rippled through the lush fields as the speed of the two was imperceivable to the untrained eye; wooden blades collided again and again, sending shivers through the wind.
‘Has he been training this whole time? He’s stronger than I remember–maybe I’m just used to how he trained with me when I was younger,’ Emilio thought.
‘The brat’s grown into quite the monster! I’m going to pull a muscle trying to keep up with his speed and power! I love it!’ Julius thought.
One factor noticed by Julius that he didn’t consider until they clashed blades again and again, continuously colliding without one gaining an edge over another was the disadvantages wielded by his son:
Emilio was using only one eye, halving his field of view, using an artificial arm, and withholding the usage of magic altogether, relying only on his physical might and swordplay.
‘This kid…He’s underestimating me, isn’t it?!’ Julius smiled.
That wasn’t quite the truth; the young Dragonheart wasn’t intentionally trying to take it easy on his father–he was solely trying his hardest while keeping the playing field even.
Even so, as Emilio dodged and weaved through the swift, air-hissing strikes of his father’s, he still found himself struck in the stomach, hit with enough force to feel it ring through his body sharply.
As he was knocked back, catching himself on his feet, he found his father staring him down, egging him on with a gestore of his hand.
“Show me what you’ve really got, Emilio. I don’t care if you have to bust me up a bit–you and your mother can heal me up after!” Julius said, “Let me see that your mother and I can sleep soundly at night, knowing you’ll be safe out there in the world!”
The words from his father resonated with him as he felt he was disrespecting both his pride and wishes as a father. He decided to show it–the power he had obtained throughout his journey; all of the mystifying, grandiose nature of it.
“Alright, Father…but don’t blame me for what happens next!” He called out.
“Not in a million years!” Julius smiled, watching.
As he ignited the heat that persisted within his soul, the grass around him rippled violently before it began to catch fire from the heat waves propelling off of him. The black scales stretched over his body, connecting and reinforcing, clamping shut like an impervious armor as the draconic helm covered his head.
[Current Stage: 4/10 | Dragon Elite]
The wind pressure alone that pushed out from the manifestation of such power made Julius stumble briefly, unprepared for it as the veteran adventurer couldn’t help but grin at the sight of the power his son had cultivated.
“That’s it…That’s the true power of our bloodline, isn’t it? You’re amazing, Emilio! Really, you’ve surpassed your mother and I’s expectations–tenfold!” Julius prepared himself, taking to the Mountain God Style stance.
All Emilio could do was nod as he readied himself as well, standing his ground as he allowed his father to take the initiative. The moment that Julius flexed his body just slightly, he took off with swiftness that surpassed sound a few times over, attempting to blitz Emilio, however–
Before the eyes of the masterful swordsman, the scale-armored young man vanished; Emilio reappeared behind Julius, completely overwhelming him in the compartment of speed. Julius flipped back, sweating bullets as he was saved merely by instinct sharpened over decades.
‘This speed…Hot damn, he’s fast!’ Julius thought.
Emilio took a single step forward before, once again, he vanished; the speed in which he moved left even the heightened gaze of Julius unable to perceive him, only catching the ripples of wind and scatters of dirt left in his son’s wake.
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‘I’ll time it and…now!’ Julius thought.
As the man struck his blade forward, predicting where Emilio was going to approach from, all he found meeting his blade was air. Suddenly, the presence erupted behind him, leaving Julius only able to look back before–
“–Over!”
Stopped mere inches from Julius’ face was the wooden sword wielded by Emilio, which felt more like a legendary greatsword when wielded in his draconic hands.
Julius was stunned for a few seconds, realizing how close he came to potentially being knocked out or worse before laughing, “Ga-ha-ha! You got me good, kid!”
With the sparring match being expertly called by Treyna, a former adventurer herself with sharp eyes, Emilio exhaled as he relinquished the armor of his system, holding a smile as he rested the training sword on his shoulder.
“So?” Emilio asked with a smirk.
“Yeah, you’re definitely leagues above the brat you were before you left. I’ve got Vandread to thank for that,” Julius admitted with a smile.
The father and son shared a high-five before it was time to head back inside, sharing in some sweet, refreshing goat’s milk after the match.
“That hits the spot!” Julius said, placing his mug down on the table.
“Yeah, it does,” Emilio agreed, wiping the remnants of milk from his upper lip.
Everett gulped some down as well before releasing a massive belch, “Oh, err, excuse me.”
Everyone looked at the tall, broad-built bumpkin for a moment before the room erupted in laughter–shared even by Treyna and Irene.
“Damn, Emilio was right! You really are like a bear!” Julius laughed, “Are you sure you don’t have demi-human blood in ya?!”
“I think so…maybe!” Everett responded.
“Ha-ha!” Emilio couldn’t help but laugh as well.
Night came quickly as the time spent reuniting with the Dragonhearts was a fulfilling day for the young man; after eating another serving of stew, Emilio headed up to his room, which was now shared by Everett in addition to Irene.
It was somewhat cramped, though undeniably a safe environment; still, Everett took up a large portion of the center of the room, sprawling out on the mattress brought in for him. Only a few minutes seemed to pass before Everett was “lights out” again, emitting those bear-like snores soon enough.
“He falls asleep quickly, doesn’t he?” Irene asked, looking at the snoring bumpkin.
Emilio nodded, “Yup–he does that a lot.”
As it was time to call it a night for himself, the era of long awaited rest had begun for Emilio Dragonheart—succeeding in his goal of becoming a certified adventurer after a long, eventful journey, it was time for reprieve after the chaos.
And with that…
Months would pass, seasons would sweep by from the calm of spring, the warmth of summer, the melancholy of autumn, and the rain of winter.