Author notes: Enjoy the new chapter! I hope it's to your liking
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The Duel
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"Hyaa! " a small 7 year old Jaune Arc shouted, as he channelled aether into his sword and cut a training dummy in half.
"Good work, boy, lower your centre of gravity more for a more solid stance" Thorin instructed
"Yes sir" Jaune followed
Thorin has been instructing Jaune in the past few months and Jaune was getting stronger. If before, he couldn't even handle carrying a sword. Now he could take on a pack of beowolves easily.
"Boy, you and your father will be having a duel today" Thorin told Jaune
"Yes? I-I know, I already agreed to it after the first month" Jaune told Thorin
When Jaune was told that Thorin would train him personally, he was excited. He wanted to be strong, so much so the he would use any means. Thorin also told Jaune the stakes of the duel.
Jaune, understandably, didn't want to leave his family. However, he knew he would be back after a while, and he would come back strong.
Jaune accepted the fact that he would train with Thorin if he won. But that's only if he won, so he worked his butt off to get to where he was now.
-oOoOoOo-
"Honey, you know Jaune wants to be a huntsman right? " Joan told her husband
"Yeah, it's just that I really can't let him out there without proving himself first" Nicholas told Joan worriedly
Thorin has been spending time with Jaune and the Arc family. The children, grew close to the old man and so did Gerard and he himself.
Nicholas knew Thorin could be trusted, at this point he even considered him a friend. But he couldn't let Jaune go out there unprepared.
Even if he loses this match, as long as he shows enough promise. I'll let him go if he wants to Nicholas thought as he was strapping on his boots and Corcea Mors.
Jaune too, was prepping himself. He and Thorin were talking about the upcoming match.
"Boy, remember your training. Always have a plan, but don't be too rigid with your plan. Stagger your opponent and then strike. "
"I think I can do this" Jaune was psyching himself up
"Boy, don't think you can do it, believe thatyou can do it" Thorin told Jaune as he Pat his shoulders.
"Thanks sir" Jaune told the man who hasn't even told him his name.
"Go out there and prove the name 'Slayer' proud" Thorin told Jaune as he entered the Arc training room.
-oOoOoOo-
"Jaune, do you really want to go train with him for a few years" Nicholas referred to Thorin as "him" due to Thorin's wish of keeping his name hidden.
"Yes dad, I've made my choice to become stronger. But, sir said I would come back in a few year's time" Jaune told his dad
"Well, you have to win first" The patriarch said as he pulled out Corcea Mors and opened the heater shield.
Jaune was using a training blade Thorin gave him. It had no elemental attributes but it was upgraded to the maximum.
Jaune readied his blade as Joan blew the whistle to signal the start of the match. Jaune patienlty held his guard, circling his father with a watchful eye.
Nicholas was also sizing Jaune up. He had the size advantage over Jaune and he didn't want to give that up.
Of course one of them had to move first and that first move was Nicholas' move.
He rushed Jaune with a shield bash, that Jaune skillfully avoided as he brought down his sword on Nicholas' right leg.
Nicholas however,blocked it with his sword and parried. Only to strike air once more as Jaune rolled to the side.
With a shout, Jaune ran up and slashed his blade downward to hit Nicholas. Nicholas was surprised by this move but used his shield to redirect the momentum of the blade.
He was about to slash Jaune on the back but Jaune was able to use the fact he was slightly thrown off the ground, to kick his dad in the face.
This didn't hurt Nicholas but it was enough to confuse him for a few seconds and throw him back. Jaune used this opportunity to strike his father.
One blow lowered Nicholas' aura by 5%. He was still in the green but he would be entering yellow soon. Nicholas finally got his footing back and pushed the attack onto Jaune.
He blocked a strike Jaune threw with the shield and diagonally swiped Jaune. Which missed because Jaune flipped backwards to avoid it.
"Gotta admit Jaune, you've become faster" Nicholas complimented Jaune
"Thanks dad" Jaune smiled, happy his father praised him.
Jaune again ran up to Nicholas and was preparing an over head vertical strike. Nicholas saw the clearly telegraphed swing and moved to block it.
When Nicholas was waiting for the strike to come, it didn't. Instead it his the bottom part of the shield in a diagonal sweep and three Corcea Mors' shield to the outside of the field.
"A feint, nice work son" Nicholas complimented his son again.
Maybe having him train wouldn't be so bad Nicholas thought as he blocked a strike from Jaune's blade and struck Jaune for the first time.
It was like Jaune had aura, but he clearly didn't, this confused Nicholas but he didn't dwell on it.
Jaune however was trying is best to block his dad's relentless strikes.
The pressure of the fight suddenly changed from Jaune to his father. Nicholas was giving out a flurry of blows, left right, middle and then an leg sweep which almost got Jaune as Jaune backed off.
Jaune's aether was at about 80% which was near his father's aura at 78%
Jaune screamed once more and slashed at his father with no reguard for what his father might do.
Nicholas attempted to block the strike, though the weight of the other blade was too much that he let it slide to one side, Jaune then hit his father's side using the momentum left, bringing Nicholas' aura to orange.
Hmm he really is doing good Nicholas thought as he then dropped his blade and raised his arms
"I give, Jaune, through these past few months you have been working you ass off" Nicholas told his son
Jaune felt happy recieving recognition but he also lowered his blade "Dad, are you allowing me to go with master? "
Nicholas nodded "He's nice enough, you'll learn a lot from him Jaune"
"Dad... don't worry, I'll come back stronger then ever" Jaune assured his dad
"Jaune, I can't stop you from doing what you believe in, so help me it's an Arc thing. But what I want you to promise is, your safety. If shit hits the fan, you get outta there as fast as you can" Nicholas embraced his son, he really loved him even though he never trained him.
Jaune cried too as he embraced his dad, he knew he would be gone for a long time but he would miss his sisters and parents.
-oOoOoOo-
"Jaune did you pack everything? I gave you some food, towels, clothes and all other grooming materials if you ever have signal from a cct you can call us please Jaune, my baby boy. I'll miss you" Joan was crying as she was hugging her son, she knew however, that it was necessary for him to leave and train to be a proper huntsman.
"Don't worry mom, I'll be careful and I'll call" Jaune assured his mom
"Jauneeeeee don't leaveee" Rogue said pulling at the bottom of his shirt. She didn't want to lose her big bro.
"Don't worry Rogue, Sapphire and Saphron are still here, though Sapphire would be better to approach" Jaune thought of his two eldest sisters
"Noooooo! I want big bro to stay" she said crying
"So you're going huh Lil bro? " Saphron told Jaune
"Yeah sis, please take care of Sapphire and everyone else before you leave too" Jaune asked Saphron
"I will, don't worry about them Jaune" Saphron assured Jaune that his sisters would miss him, but they knew he wanted to go.
"Dad... I'll be going now" Jaune told his dad, expecting some sort of glare. But Nicholas, he knew what Jaune must do.
"Jaune... I hope you stay safe, I and your mother will be waiting for you to come home" Nicholas told his son with a smile
Jaune smiled and waved as he left his family.
"So... master, sorry if...uh...I didn't ask you this before but... "
"Call me Thorin, Jaune. Just that, from now on you shall be my successor."
"Yeah but, Thorin... Why me? I just helped you out that one time, any other person would do that" Jaune told the person who he already accepted as his uncle.
"You'd be surprised at how many people would've left me to die. Jaune within you... I see a heart of gold and around that heart is a determination to get stronger. Which leads up to potential, I may not be the least questionable figure out there, but I believe in you and your power" Thorin told Jaune
"I... Yes master, I'll do my best from now on" Jaune told Thorin as he stood confidently.
"Kid... Jaune, don't call me master. Call me Thorin, you'll be my equal soon enough" Thorin smiled at Jaune and they went on their 8 year training journey.
Author note: Uhm, turns out I could finish both chapters in the span of a few hours, who would've thought? Well, if anything was wrong with these chapters, justtell me! I'll happily fix it