Men were drinking at a tavern in the capital of Ars. The largest city in the Asura kingdom and some would call it the crown jewel of cities and human achievement. But within the walls schemes were hatched on a daily basis, composed of a lighter side on the surface and backstabbing, dirty politics, and plots beyond the public eye.
In this tavern a private meeting was being held in one of the building rooms.
"I have a job for you esteemed gentlemen." A man said, his voice was complimentary but his tone had the slightest hint of disgust. The man's name was Darius, a highly esteemed noble of the Asura kingdom, the very definition of politically corrupt if it was turned into a person.
"No problem at all so long as we are paid. So what's the job, protection or destruction." The leader of the group stated without a care in the world. The group was called Death Row, a band of mercenaries notorious for their lack of empathy or mercy when it came to executing a job. They have done almost every dirty deed imaginable. The group itself was composed of 20 swordsmen and 10 sorcerers. 8 or which were advanced class in their various skills and styles with the acceptation of their leader. His name was Clive Blackheart a saint class swordsman.
"It's a small town located a good distance from here called Buena Village. A family named the Greyrats reside there. The family head Paul Greyrat is a Advanced Swordsman, I need you to kill him and his family. There shouldn't be too much resistance." Darius said handing out several parchments of paper and a map. "This is a full briefing and their location."
"Discrete or Loud?" Clive asked. It was clear he liked to be loud, it built up the reputation of his group. He had already done several jobs for Darius but the only one he would refuse from the man was the assassination job on the princess Ariel. If was brought to light that Death Row was responsible for an attempt like that then their group would be hunted down to the ends of the continent.
"Discrete please. Paul used to be a noble and if his death is chaotic along with the rest of the countryside he watches over such an action may cause a domino effect and be a larger headache than I want to deal with right now. If possible, make it look like they were killed by monsters to decrease suspicion, just his families death will suffice."
"Sounds good, and the payment?"
"Half for now, half when the job is finished."
With that Darius pulled out a bag of coins, all gold pieces and was more than satisfactory for Clive.
"We will leave at once should take us about a months trip. Anything else you want to say?"
"Yes. Their sons name is Rudeus, recently my spies have intercepted a letter sent for a magician name Roxy, she will be teaching him magic. My spies let the letter pass and she is scheduled to arrive at the Greyrat household soon well before you get there. So be mindful that you may receive some resistance."
"Shouldn't be a problem, we have killed plenty of magic users before."
"Good. And with that I hope your business trip is successful."
Rudeus waited with baited breath. Any minute now a pointed hat much like any witches would appear from across the valleys of wheat. And then he saw her, his goddess. She was walking along the road with a indifferent face, as if a salaryman going to a job like any other day. It was good to see her.
'Even in my previous life right before I died from old age she still has the same complexion and look.' Rudeus thought. It was true, her species of demon lived to be 200 years old and only showed signs of aging around 140. Right now she was older than Paul and Zenith even thought by first glance she looked to be 16.
As she approached Paul picked up Rudeus and held him in his arms while he looked into the distance. It was obvious that he wanted his son to train to be a swordsman more accomplished than himself to spread the Greyrat name and not as much using magic. He was stubborn in his pride that was for sure, but he wouldn't let that hold him back from letting his son grow as his own unique person.
Roxy reached the home, walked up and stood on the front porch of the house, facing the Grey rat family.
"Hello, I'm Roxy Migurdia, pleased to meet you." She said professionally.
'Thinking back on it, I was imagining her having a beard the first time I came to this world, but I was glad my teacher was a cute woman instead. Should I still try to marry her in this world?' Rudeus thought to himself. It was true he loved the woman in front of him, but contemplations about doing the same thing twice seemed like it was too straightforward. His goals would be to build his relationships but at the same time shoot for a degree of ability even higher than that of Orsted or Hitogami.
"So, where is the student I will be teaching?" Roxy stated looking around the property of the house and the yard.
"You are looking at him." Zenith stated hugging Rudeus.
She let out a sigh looking disappointed "Ah, you do see them sometimes, idiot parents who think their kid has talent just because he is an early bloomer…"
'We can here you Roxy.' Rudeus stated smiling to himself.
"Looks like this one's a dud." Roxy finished her mumbling.
"Excuse me?" Zenith said trying to hold back her annoyance.
Roxy made quick assumptions about a few things in her life and sometimes came to immediate judgements, Rudeus couldn't blame her for that characteristic as it was common of every man or woman to operate under that form of narcissism until they had been shown otherwise.
"No nothing. Only I doubt that a child could grasp the complex matter of the theory of magic."
"Transforming ones mana or life energy into either physical matter such as water magic, or altering the properties of an object like healing and teleportation magic." Rudeus recited.
She looked surprised and a little caught off guard. Rudeus scolded himself a little, he didn't want to show off his knowledge but he couldn't hold himself back from stating that.
"Close but they are divided into three school, attack, healing, and summoning. But you have done some research. How did you learn about this?" Roxy asked curious at the extent of the boys knowledge.
"There were four books in the attic that I have read from, the magic book was my favorite however I have only read to the intermediate level." That was a lie but not a lie if he had said the same thing in his previous life. As for her statement about attack, healing and summoning on the surface she was right. But Rudeus was stating the purer form of magic and how it could be perceived, it would be several decades until he released that theory to the magical university though.
"I see. In that case I shall give a brief lesson, after that a demonstration, and then I want to see if you can do the spell I preform." Roxy stated with a hint of anticipation.
"Thank you ma'am." Rudeus said jumping out of Paul's arms and falling to the ground. He ran to the open yard where a picnic table and some chairs were set up.
With that Paul and Zenith went back inside of the house, they still had some work and chores to do inside, along with the food being prepared for Roxy's arrival. Plus Zenith didn't want to add pier pressure onto Roxy by watching her teach her son like a helicopter parent.
"What levels of magic are there Rudeus?" Roxy asked testing him.
"There are seven, beginner, intermediate, advanced, saint, king, emperor, and divine or god tier magic. The latter most of which is on a continental size when it comes to area of effect." Rudeus recited.
"Very good, now I will be reciting an intermediate level of magic known as water ball. Do you know the words." Roxy asked.
Rudeus shook his head. He hadn't used the incantation in so many decades because he had the ability to do it without speaking AKA silent magic. Speaking of, he wondered what words would be used to create the magic he had used, especially with his monster's creation and the ability to transfer part of his consciousness into the creature to control it. Questions for later.
Roxy sighed again as she began to demonstrate. She cast her water ball using her staff and a ball of water was created. It flew forward like a bullet with an insane amount of pressure and force behind it. The water collides with the trunk of a small tree on the other side of the yard, the tree snapped and fell to the earth.
The witch turned to Rudeus expecting a look of amazement.
"Hey miss, my mom put allot of work into that tree, she would be pretty upset if she had to replant it."
She then looked back at the tree with concern, much like a employee who dropped a plate accidentally at a diner, worrying they would be fired over their accident. She quickly ran over, dragged the tree, and used a healing incantation to get the tree to snap back together. Flowers bloomed as the healing magic caused it to be in it's prime of health.
She breathed out a sigh of relief.
"Now let me see you use the magic." Roxy said.
"Okay, but do I have to use the incantation?"
"Of course you do." Roxy stated annoyed.
"Well….." Rudeus outstretched his hand and a ball of water instantly formed, panic spread over his face.
'whoa that's way too big, reduce it, reduce it!' He thought to himself. The ball was several hundred times denser than he intended. His mana had multiplied enough that even a simple spell could wipe out a squadron of soldiers.
He tried his best to shrink it but a gust of coincidental wind make Roxy's skirt fly up for a brief moment showing her panties. Rudeus completely lost his concentration and lost control of the spell. It was like trying to keep a rabid dog on a leash and the spell was released at the tree.
Unlike Roxy's spell which sounded slow and peaceful which when released and collided with the tree sounding like a splash of water, Rudeus's spell sounded entirely different. It was like a waterfall right next to someone's ear. The sound was deafening and Rudeus's ears rung from the noise. He closed his eyes and covered his ears to control the damage to his senses. Roxy had done the same. He felt the shockwave as the ground vibrated from the collision of energy.
Hesitant Rudeus opened his eyes.
"Well mom is going to be pissed." He said mumbling to himself.
The tree was obliterated, along with the ground, and cobblestone wall that was behind the tree. Chunks of shredded branches and wood fell from the sky. If Rudeus was to question if the tree had the ability to speak to him, it's final words would probably be, "Why me you asshole!"
"What was that noise!" Paul shouted bursting out of the door and looking at the destruction, "Well Zenith is going to be pissed." He stated.
'I couldn't agree more.' Rudeus thought looking at his open hands, reflecting on what he had just done. He would need to get better at sword fighting in this life it would seem. He had no intention to stop multiplying his magic but if he continued, tomorrow a water ball would level a small hill, and the next day a village, and then the day after that who knows how destructive his abilities would be. 'I will have to find a way to supplement and contain my energy too without leveling a mountain by creating a simple water ball' He gripped his hands in a fist tightly solidifying in his mind his new objective. Maybe Roxy could give something to teach him about how to control his magic.
"Roxy what did you do to my tree!" Zenith screamed in horror and anger.
"It wasn't her mother! It was me, I'm sorry about the tree I couldn't control the spell." Rudeus stated. He would not allow mistrust to be created for Roxy so early and he would be glad to take the fall for his mistake.
"Really!? Roxy can you explain this?" Zenith said. She had already run up to Roxy in a blur looking directly into the witch's eyes. Those eyes displayed nothing but shock. It took her a moment to snap back and regain her composure.
"Rudeus Greyrat is a prodigy. He didn't even have to say anything to cast the spell. Mana is natural for him to use but difficult to regulate at least from what I have witnessed. Not only that he has an incredibly higher reserve of mana than anyone I have seen of someone his age.
"You hear that Paul! My Rudeus is a natural!" Zenith shouted, switching her mood on the dime from anger to joy as she jumped up into their air and embraced her husband. She then went over to Roxy.
"Please stay and teach our son how to control his abilities, we only have one house after all and we would prefer he not blow it up, he already destroyed part of our wall."
Roxy seemed at a loss for words at this point. She had had quite a full day in a brief period of time. No thanks to Rudeus. Speaking of which he wanted to get started as soon as possible with controlling his mana to a smaller scale. Beforehand he had only focused on growing his mana but precision was needed as well, and maybe by figuring out how to use a needle as effectively as a broadsword he would unlock some new abilities.
Roxy nodded blankly still in a little bit of a daze. Zenith smiled and took her as well as Rudeus inside.
"We hope you will like staying here Roxy." Zenith said outstretching her hand to the assortment of food laid out at the table. It was like a thanksgiving dinner, but in this case it was a welcoming party.
The young witch looked in awe at the display and she bowed swiftly thanking them for the hospitality. With that the feast began.
After part of the meal was done Rudeus dismissed himself saying he was tired. He lay down on his bed. Relaxing his entire body and expanding his mana, focusing on the being residing in the mountain, his pet project known as Hollow.
The creature awoke.
"Well I need to see if water ball will produce the same result." The creature said. It had the voice of a young, innocent playful girl. Rudeus figured that if the monster ever had to fight the voice would be off putting to say the very least. Like seeing those two girls in that famous horror movie say "come play with us."
Speaking of if it caught people by surprise it would say something like, "Hey mister, want to play hide and seek." Followed by," You hide, and I'll find you." But Rudeus was getting ahead of himself.
He outstretched the creatures hand and let out a water ball. It destroyed a part of the wall causing the cave to get a little bit bigger. It was however on a smaller level of power than Rudeus's demonstration to Roxy. If his theory was true it would seem that the larger he expanded his mana outside of his body then the weaker the magic would be. This made sense, his release of magic was like a faucet. He had the same amount of water but the pressure would be reduced if he spread it out and kept it from building up pressure in one spot.
The downside of this theory was that if it was true the creature had a limited range and he would gradually lose the connection the further the creature was from Rudeus's body. And if that was true then he couldn't save Ariel after the teleportation incident when he stopped it, the distance would be too great from him and creature to maintain. He would stop the teleportation event from happening but the downside of this would-be Ariel wouldn't be saved by Sylphie. The upside of stopping the teleportation event was saving hundreds of thousands of people so obviously the pro outweighed the con.
It was also possible Orsted would try to save Ariel and keep her from dying as this was apart of his plan to kill the Man God. But Rudeus could not count on Orsted until contact had been established and he had no idea where the Dragon God was at this time. He would have to track him once he had fully matured, but for now he would continue to grow his power and prepare to stop the teleportation event.
With that Rudeus sealed himself in his ice coffin for the creature and opened his human bodies eyes again, back in his bedroom. He then closed them, falling into a deep sleep.