It had been two years since Snow left; the house seemed a bit emptier to Ryu before but he soon got used to her absence with the belief of meeting again in his heart by doing the meditation and channeling on expansion glyph every day, there had been many changes in his body since then,

Now 14 years old Ryu got taller than before, his muscles being well developed, he let his hair fall on his forehead at the right side, his height is around 5'4, sharp eyes and a crooked tooth adding to his charms, and right now this charming man was doing something very important,

"Big brother, you seem strange today?" Jue said as he punched the knuckle towards Ryu.

"There is nothing strange here Jue," Ryu said tilting his head as he parried Jue's knuckle with his dagger, he thought

'Why did they give me this task!?' he couldn't hide the frown forming on his face, but he tried his best,

"Big brother, your face is looking weird. If you don't want to practice, we can go back home!!" Jue said as he did a right knuckle swing,

'You said about stopping yet punched me!! You bastard!!' Ryu dodged his knuckle and threw two daggers behind his feet. From a dagger holder in his belt, it was a parting gift from Felicia.

Ryu still remembers what she said,

'Don't forget this lovely big sister teacher as you use this dagger holder Ryu!! Also, keep sharpening the twin sword art I taught you to reach your own style… was it' Ryu remembered and rushed towards Jue with summoning his twin sword in the biggest size,

Jue moved his hand forward to grab the sword by knuckle before it touches him, but before he could get a hold of it the blade of the sword shortened and his hand could only grab hair.

'This does it!!' Ryu hit Jue's chest with the sword's hilt, making him fall due to tripping over daggers behind his feet,

Jue looked up at Ryu from the ground as Ryu offered his hand to pull him up,

'I am still far below big brother,' Jue thought in awe as he took the hand standing up, he asked

"Big brother, are you fine today?"

"Why did I do something wrong?" Ryu asked back shrugging,

"It is just you don't always volunteer on your own to play with me, and even about taking me to the forest on a solo practice day?" Jue answered as he tilted his head.

Ryu was stunned

'This brat is getting smart!? What should I answer? Should I spoil it for him or…' he wondered and finally spoke,

"Actually, Jue, today I wanted to take a rest and chill, so I thought about playing with my little brother," Ryu said as he rubbed his head, hearing that Jue looked suspiciously

"Seriously, brother?" he asked,

"Serious… Serious let's go!!" Ryu said cheerfully while he was thinking,

'This brat is getting sharper day by day!!'

They both made their way out of the adventurer's guild training ground. It was afternoon and the training ground is mostly empty during the afternoon so Ryu can use his manifest freely. As they stepped outside, the Adventurer's Guild Master came into view.

"Good morning, Guild master," Ryu said,

"Good morning, Master uncle," Jue said,

"Good morning Jue Hap…." Guild master was speaking, but before he could have completed, he noticed Ryu's face was looking grim and scary, as if staring into his soul it was as if saying

'You know, you can't say it, right? You won't say anything unnecessary, right'

Guild master and Ryu nodded with an unsaid mutual understanding.

"I need to go somewhere fast. I just remember… see you, kids, later," said the Guild chief as he entered the Guild's building,

Ryu and Jue were going through the Zerah forest, after 2 years Jue leveled up thrice becoming level 11 at the age of 9.

"Big brother, I will show you how I killed Rebound snakes with Grandpa!!" Jue proclaimed

"Be careful and be cool," Ryu said as he gave a pat on Jue's back. He has come to enjoy the new moves and ways of fighting. Jue always shows him during their party training.

So much so Ryu taught him the basics of grappling and boxing he remembered from his last life, and surprisingly even though Ryu himself wasn't sure about the stuff he was teaching Jue was quick to absorb it and even made his own attacks and improve on what he was taught,

A rebound snake moving on the ground came into their view and Jue rushed before even asking for permission.

"Big brother, see how I take care of it, [Ground bound]" Jue said excitedly, and the snake was suddenly gripped by the ground with a little hole that appear near its tail,

This was Jue's salvaged skill he got during his first kill ceremony.

Jue rushed towards the bounded snake and used another skill [Tap jump] which gave him a boost while jumping forward and before the snake could free itself, Jue smashed his head by the combination of [Gravel claw] and [Smash IV] killing it in one go, the snake's violet blood jumped out of its smashed face and got all over Jue's arm,

'What is this smashing power!!' Ryu thought surprised as he saw the mangled and distorted head of the snake,

"You really are getting merciless day by day Jue!" Ryu said as he moved towards him, Ryu used [Pouring] skill to wash the violet blood off his arm, and then used a heat glyph to dry his clothes,

"I am merciful brother!! Ending them fast is better than making them suffer" Jue's voice changed and become serious near the end,

'I still remember how much that mist croc struggled back then' Jue remembered the time when he came to the forest for training with Ryu first time and how Ryu left the mist croc half alive to suffer to the death,

"You are right Jue, a quick death is a mercy too," Ryu nodded,

They continued hunting various monsters, they competed in the number of monsters they killed by the end of their practice. The sun was going down due to various reasons Ryu skipped lunch visit at home.

"Big brother, I am hungry!! When will we go home?" Jue said, putting his hand on his belly,

"Ahh let's go back now they would've finished it…" Ryu said putting his finger on his head,

"Finished what, big brother!?" Jue asked with a curious gaze,

"Nothing, I meant mom finished making food!! Let's go let's go!!" Ryu said trying to sound cheerful,

'I nearly blew it up!!... just a bit more' Ryu hardened his will to finish his mission,

"Brother, I killed 18 today!!" Jue said looking upwards toward Ryu smirking as they walk back,

"I did 30" Ryu proudly replied

'I will get stronger… after all…' Jue thought as he hardened his resolve,

Soon enough they were at home. Jue noticed something weird and asked Ryu,

"Big brother? Why all the lamps are off?" Jue asked, tilting his hand and Ryu replied with a serious look

"Jue, I will go in first. Anything could happen to remain out, only come when I call, you okay!?"

Seeing the seriousness on Ryu's face, Jue also get high tensioned and spoke,

"But big bro…." before he could finish Ryu cut in middle,

"Jue, just this one does as this big brother says!!" Ryu said in a dramatic voice,

"I will do as Big brother said!!" Jue answered and Ryu went inside the home,

Jue was standing outside, not moving a bit physically but his mind was shaking all over the place. There was no voice coming from inside the home. It had been half an hour, Jue thought

'I hope nothing dangerous hap...…' before he could even finish his thought, a loud shout came from inside,

"Jue!! I am in danger!! Get help!!" Ryu's shout came from inside the house,

Before Jue could ever have any thoughts, he rushed towards the door punching it barehanded, and soon there was light all over blinding his eyes for seconds and finally, as his pupil dilated and he got a clear look at what was before him, a collective shout entered his ears

"Happy birthday!!"

And next various light orbs came flowing towards him from where Ryu was standing. Everyone was there: Lina, Lana, Hina, Aiena, the Village chief, Ryu, and Geld too.

Jue was overwhelmed.

He had completely forgotten about it being his birthday today,

"Come come, Jue, Mom and Lina aunty made your birthday cake," Lina said as she removed the white cloth from the stand on the dinner table,

Everyone sang the birthday song as Jue blew up the cake and then cut the cake,

One by one he fed everyone cake and when it was Lina's turn, he said pointing towards the door, which was bent unnaturally after being punched,

"I am sorry for the door"

"No worries Jue, enjoy your party. We made you everything you love to eat," Lina said as she took a bite of the cake.

Everyone enjoyed it a lot, Jue get presents from everyone, and only Ryu and the Village chief were left.

"Here Jue it is my gift" Ryu presented Jue with arm-guards that get along with his knuckles, Ryu was saving to buy them for a while now because he was getting concerned when Jue grab small snakes in Zerah forest with upper arms guardless,

"So this was why big brother was keeping me busy!?" Jue said as he received the knuckles, they were sand yellow color made out of toxin croc tail bone he collected earlier in Zerah forest and asked the Village chief to get it made for him, it was indeed finely crafted which made Ryu wonder

'Were 20 silvers enough for making them?' he looked towards the Village chief who just smiled at him,

Finally, the Village chief's number to give gift came. He spoke

"Jue, request anything you want, as long as it is something possible your grandpa will make it true in the happiness of your 10th birthday!!"

Hearing this Jue ran towards the Village chief and in his ears, Jue spoke his wish which no one could hear.

The village chief made a thoughtful expression at first, thinking deeply if this wish should be granted, but when he noticed Jue innocently looking up at him with upturned eyes he spoke

"After all, I promised already. I will grant it Jue!!" as soon as he said this, Jue jumped into his arms and said,

"I love you; you are the best grandpa in the world!!"

After that, they all had a birthday special dinner together. Ryu and Aiena tried asking what Jue asked for but Jue just answered

"It is a secret!"

That night after successfully finishing his hard mission, Ryu laid down to sleep as he thought,

'That brat sure is growing up, the feeling of uneasiness from his sudden change had faded… but he sure is still a brat!!'

Ryu had a delightful and relieving sleep as he fell asleep before he knew it. keeping Jue clueless and away from home was a challenging task.

 

[Author's note- Hope you enjoyed, do a write a comment to motivate me]