This was just the beginning.
Kael, who already knew it was pointless to do sensory drills, took half an hour to create an obstacle course for Igni to cross using the wooden obstacles Lyric gave him. Then, he stood at the opposite end of the course and,
“Alright, Igni, come to me. Let’s see how fast you can do it, okay?”
He spoke with a big smile on his face.
“Kyu!”
Igni nodded excitedly as he started running towards him as fast as his little legs allowed him to.
Kael chuckled, finding him extremely adorable. He was looking forward to how Igni would jump or crawl through the obstacles.
What he forgot, however… was the fact that this little thing was a Dragon.
Jump or crawl…?
Heh.
Flicker
Fiery red flames appeared in front of Kael, and within a second, all the ‘obstacles’ were turned into ash.
And Igni…
“Kyu!”
He rushed towards Kael with his small legs, stepping over the ‘obstacles’ he destroyed.
The only true obstacle between the little Dragon and Kael was his small legs that couldn’t seem to balance the weight of his body, making him slip a few times before he stood up and ran again.
“Kyu!”
Igni cheered loudly as he hugged Kael’s knees.
Yes, just like that, the Obstacle navigation drill was over.
And what did Kael do?
“Great job, Igni~
You are the best!”
He picked Igni up, whose eyes were staring at him with pure affection, and hugged the little thing as tightly as he could.
“Kyahaha!”
Igni laughed heartily, a laugh that melted Kael’s heart.
Igni was too adorable; he couldn’t find faults in him.
“Do you want to play more?”
Kael questioned.
“Kyuu!”
Igni nodded. The little dragon was never tired.
Kael placed him on the floor. Then, he distanced himself from him and took out the projectiles Lyric had given him.
They were made of a soft material, making sure that they wouldn’t hurt baby beasts during the drills.
“I will throw these at you, and you need to not get hurt by them, okay?”
Yes, it was the agility drill.
But…
To a dragon, it was meaningless.
Why move when you can just… burn the projectiles?
Flicker
And this is exactly what the dragon did.
It didn’t matter how many projectiles Kael threw at him—one, ten, or hundred—it was all the same.
He turned them all to ashes.
Yes, Fire was indeed the answer to everything.
“…”
Kael stared at the little dragon in silence.
“Kyu!”
Igni cheered, looking at him with eyes that shined with expectation.
“Great job, Igni!”
Kael clapped; he couldn’t resist when the little thing stared at him like that.
The training continued.
The biting and clawing drills?
The little dragon was stronger than Kael himself; he could crush every prop Lyric had given to Kael with ease.
The drill to push or pull heavy objects?
The little guy could thwart away most of the ‘heavy objects’ these baby beasts were supposed to pull as if they were made of paper.
As for the ‘special ability’ training?
As a Fire Dragon, Igni’s special ability was Fire Magic, and the two-day-old baby was better than Kael in every possible way. Flames literally appeared and disappeared on his whims.
If Kael showed him a Fire Ball, he would fill the entire room with similar Fireballs, and he would do it with such precision that there would be no damage.
Practicing Fire Magic with someone like Igni was nothing more than a humbling experience for the Hero.
…
“Yes, Instructor Lyric, I will give Igni all the time he needs…”
Kael nodded with a weak smile on his face.
Don’t be too hard on him if he still cannot do what Luna could?
That little thing doesn’t do anything! He just fires his way through everything!
The Hero had his own troubles.
“Hero Kael, I am here to help you. If there is something that is bothering you, you should ask.
If you think it is too much for Igni right now, don’t hesitate to say anything. I’ll help you find some easier drills that Igni can complete to raise his confidence.”
Lyric spoke gently and Kael could only smile and nod at her.
He couldn’t really say that what he needed wasn’t something easier, but drills used to train fully grown beasts, now could he? After all, a Fire Wyvern would never reach that level within a week. No normal Beast could.
‘I need to figure something out…’
Kael muttered inwardly.
This couldn’t go on like this.
Igni was too strong. He needed a way to train him and make him learn how to use that strength.
Of course, he knew that this was the consequence of his decision, but even then, Kael felt like he did well by hiding Igni’s existence.
As to how he would deal with this matter, it was for the Future Kael to solve.
The lecture continued.
Soon, it ended, freeing Kael from today’s training.
He lazily stretched his body, his then, his eyes fell on Elira, who was about to leave.
“Do not be late tomorrow, maid. I do not like people who do not know how to value their time, is that clear?”
Elira, who was just about to walk past the doors, froze, her body trembling in anger.
She swore in her heart she would make this brat pay.
Kael laughed out loud, enjoying every second of this interaction.
He then returned to his room, and after scanning his surroundings, he brought out Igni. It was time to eat and play with Igni while also meditating and reviewing what he had learned today.
These days, Kael has also taken an interest in Nerathis’s history. After all, it was a world with magic. He wanted to know more about it, especially now that it was evident that he would be staying here for a long time.
He continued this for a few more hours, and finally, his exhaustion caught up to him.
Making sure that he was extremely tired, Kael went to bed, ready to sleep.
He had noticed that if he pushed his body to the limit, he didn’t see that Vision again.
So that is what he had been doing all this time.
Kael slept like a log, and the next day when he woke up, he was greeted by the feeling of cold steel biting into his wrists and neck.
Rattle Rattle
Suddenly, his surroundings shook.
‘What in the hell is happening…?’
Kael frowned in confusion as he realized where he was.
It was an iron cage that seemed to be covered by a cloth, hindering his vision.
The smell of rust and damp earth filled his nostrils. He tried to move, but the chain tied to his collar held him down.
‘W-Wha-‘
Before the panic could even set in, the cloth covering his cage was removed. The bright light almost blinded him, forcing him to close his eyes.
“Come out.”
A giant, muscular man opened the cage and pulled him out using the chain without mercy.
Caught unprepared, Kael couldn’t balance himself and fell on the ground, scratching his knee.
The giant man got angry.
“What are you lying there for!? Stand up!”
He yelled as he pulled the chain again, forcing Kael to stand.