“How long have they been like this?” 

 

Ian asked as he pointed towards Sasha and Natashia.

 

“Uh, about 4 hours,” Koren replied as he threw a ball for Kizu to catch.

 

Ian’s eyes widened from shock but he quickly recomposed himself.

 

“Oh yeah, I want to show you about something, follow me.” 

 

Koren shrugged and followed his father down some stairs to the basement where a shiny new Armory and a brand new training range sat, something Koren did not know anything about.

 

“I got this made for you.” Ian smiled awkwardly

 

Koren’s eyes wavered, his father wasn’t a very emotional man, and when he did things like this it was a way for him to express his love. 

 

He walked up to his dad and hugged him tightly, something that his father needed after he lashed out on Koren all those months ago. 

 

“I’m sorry for saying those things all those days ago, I was just frustrated with work,” Ian whispered softly choking on his own tears

 

“I know, I know.” 

 

Koren calmed his father down who began to show him around the new training range.

 

“Here,” Ian pulled down a lever which began to move around some sort of dummy.

 

“You can shoot at these dummies that move erratically to practice your reaction time and aim.”

 

Ian pulled the lever up and walked over by the dummy.

 

“He has protective magic on him so even if he gets chopped in half he will return to his basic form, the body is also made from a material similar to human skin and flesh.”

 

Koren walked over to the armory where he picked up a mounted cross blade. He twirled the sword between his fingers and with all his strength sliced at the dummies head decapitating it. 

 

Right as the dummy head fell to the floor, it teleported back to its body where it began to merge back to its head.

 

“Neat huh?” Ian remarked

 

Koren nodded

 

“Also, I heard you replicated Sebastian’s skill can you show it to me?”

 

Koren glanced to his right where Sebastian was watching them, Sebastian noticed Koren glancing at him to which he responded with a shrug.

 

“Yeah sure.”

 

Koren grabbed a common bow and a holster filled with arrows from the armory. He summoned a medium mana string and outputted the exact amount of mana needed. He wrapped the mana string instantly around the arrow as he armed his bow and shot right between the dummy’s eyes. 

 

Ian eagerly anticipated as the arrow unnaturally turned around and shot through the chest, then the arm, then the leg, repeatedly until the dummy looked like a slice of swiss cheese.

 

“You… It’s exactly like how Sebastian did it.” Ian could not believe his eyes, not even the most famous archers could not even comprehend this skill, but his own son could easily pull it off.

 

Koren grabbed the arrow from the air and put back the bow and arrows he borrowed from the armory.

 

“Wait, I’m going to grab something.”

Koren ran up to his room and grabbed his bow and axe swiftly before running back down to the basement.

 

“Can we duel?”

 

Ian and Sebastian’s eyebrows rose, Sebastian even started to giggle a little. Ever since Sebastian told Koren about how Ian and Sasha have not shown Koren half of their power his eyes burned with desire. 

 

Ian responded with a puzzled shrug.

 

“Sure.”

 

The basement was quite large and had enough space for a duel, however, Sebastian insisted they do it outside so that they don’t break anything.

 

Koren and Ian headed outside into the backyard, Ian was holding a basic iron sword while Koren had his normal weapons. Aaron who just came back from work was chosen to be the referee for the match.

 

“Remember whoever surrenders first loses.”

 

Koren and Ian both nodded

 

“3.”

 

Koren held onto his short bow firmly, gazing into Ian’s deep blue eyes. 

 

“2.”

 

“1”

 

“Battle!” Aaron announced

 

Koren immediately took out an arrow from his arrow holster, as he readied his bow for a shot, Ian began to drive straight towards him. Koren gritted his teeth as he leaped back 20 or so meters. As he leaped, he shot an arrow at Ian’s leg which missed.

 

‘Where did he go?’ Ian was right in front of Koren but he somehow disappeared right before Koren’s eyes and was nowhere to be found. 

 

But right, as Koren turned around a sharp kick found its place right into his stomach. 

 

*BANG*

 

He was sent flying into a tree at an inhuman speed making a thundering noise from the impact. 

 

“OUGH.” Koren covered his mouth that began to output large amounts of blood. Spitting the blood out from his mouth Koren summoned mana strings from all of his fingers which each picked up an arrow from his holster simultaneously.

 

“Ohoho, what’s this?” Ian muttered

 

Having ten arrows ominously surrounding him, Koren ran straight at Ian with his axe in hand. 

 

“Time to end this!” Ian yelled as a bloodthirsty aura surrounded him which alarmed Sasha and Natashia who were still discussing. 

 

“AAAH!” Koren roared as the two weapons collided, throwing his right hand towards Ian five arrows began to speed towards Ian who was preoccupied with Koren’s axe.

 

“THAT’S WHAT I LIKE TO SEE!” Ian bellowed as a silvery-white aura enveloped his body which blocked all of the arrows that were headed towards him.

 

Koren placed both hands on his axe and using all of his strength he pushed against Ian’s sword. 

 

‘BREAK, BREAK, BREAK!’ Koren yelled inwardly as he used more pressure. 

 

“KRRRK!”

 

The sword snapped in half leaving Ian with no weapon to use, but it was not over for Koren yet.

 

Ian started to form a bright blue sword out of nowhere

 

Koren turned to Aaron who was watching the fight

 

“Is that allowed?” 

 

Aaron shrugged casually. 

 

Ian is known as a swordsman master for two reasons, his amazing talent, and his ability to be able to manifest a sword from pure mana, something people had never heard about before.

 

Koren jumped back knowing well enough that he would not be able to fight head to head against Ian’s mana sword. 

 

‘What do I do, what do I do.’ Koren’s mind was racing, he didn’t know how to beat Ian. Ian’s offense was impeccable and his defense was impenetrable.

 

“Koren.” Sebastian interrupted Koren’s thoughts 

 

‘Huh? Yeah?’ 

 

“What are you?” Sebastian’s voice was filled with anger

 

‘What?”

 

“What are you?” He repeated

 

Koren looked dazed for a moment but his mouth curled up, the fire that burned in his eyes before was back. 

 

“I’m a fucking archer.” 

 

Sebastian’s anger instantly washed away and a large smile replaced it.

 

“Your damn right.”

 

Ian who was waiting for Koren to make a move decided to go first, he leaped forward, swinging his mana sword down onto Koren. 

 

However, this time was different Koren threw his axe towards Ian’s face which was blocked by his sword. Koren then shot two arrows repeatedly towards Ian’s stomach.

 

“Arrows are meaningless against me Koren!” Ian remarked as a silvery-white aura covered Ian’s body

 

*CRACK*

 

Ian’s eyes widened in shock, the two arrows that Koren shot shattered Ian’s shield, Koren jumped up grabbed his axe and held Ian in a chokehold. 

 

“You… how?” Ian mumbled

 

“I think that Koren won,”  Sasha commented

 

Aaron and Natashia nodded in agreement, Koren upon hearing this dropped down from exhaustion. 

 

“When did you come?” Ian asked as he walked over to Koren, helping him up.

 

“Well, it was hard to stay focused with all the noise you guys were making.” 

 

Sasha continued

 

“Koren, who taught you how to infuse mana into arrows?” Sasha was deeply impressed with Koren’s results, especially with how he reacted to situations that did not go in his favor.

 

“Ah, I taught myself.” Koren smiled

 

Koren did actually learn this by himself, even Sebastian didn’t know Koren knew how to do this.

 

“Bravo!” Natashia began to clap unnecessarily loud but they all ignored it 

 

They all went back inside as the sunset and Sasha finally agreed to the terms on a rewritten contract, as the family sat down for dinner Koren had to drop the bombshell.

 

“Mom, Dad I have to tell you something important.”  Koren looked at his parents nervously

 

Sasha and Ian looked at each other for a moment before turning to Koren.

 

“Yes?”

 

“I’m going to stay in Corendale for a year,” Koren spoke quickly and softly, but his parents heard every word. 

 

“A year?” Sasha’s face began to tremble while Ian stared at Koren’s speechless. 

 

“Yes, the king changed the time I will spend there from one month to a year.”

 

Aaron and Steve quickly asked to be excused and walked away while avoiding Koren’s eyes

 

‘Those sons of…’ Koren gritted his teeth but faced his parents

 

“What about school?”

 

“I will be personally taught archery by an Elf official.” Koren looked down at his shoes afraid of his parent’s eyes.

 

Sasha angrily stormed out of the dining room leaving Koren with Ian who soon after left without saying a word.

 

“That could have gone better,” Koren noted as he played around with his food

 

“You can say that again.” Sebastian frowned