(Discontinued) CORHEIM Year One Volume 1: The New Heart in Town

VOL.2: Chapter Tri

Chapter 35———Training 'Em When They're Ripe [3/3]
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Ryoji's Part
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Training was still in session for Ryoji as it has been an hour since his training had commenced. His Aether were dwindling down even in his synchronized form much to his dismay while his opponent was still going strong in this "session".
To Ryoji, this was one of the hardest battles he had to deal with as of late. Even that team he fought, Funka, Kadoku and Helene were nothing compare to this. Even going in this form of his, that hybrid of a red dragon and demon——He still felt weak compared to him.
For Lino, it was an ordinary day in an ordinary week.
Although——This young boy was shaping up to be quite a catch: He was no pushover.
With smoke overcasting the training field, the master of many could not see anything before him. Quite pellicular, considering he could smell them.
Couldn't pinpoint them.
"Where did you go?" Lino asked himself a bit loudly, hoping to get some mental activity from the boy he was avoiding. His strategy was sound, even smiling as his pupil's thoughts became coherent.
Right here, you son of a bit..... Ryoji plotted as he proceeded to ambush Lino, only to be disappointed as he was not quick enough.
.....Ch? Right: Telepathy at its best. Yet again, it dawned on Ryoji, there was no way that he could complete his mission.
"Even thinking about it gives him the advantage!" Igneus pointed out.
Yeah. I know.
"Then why did you give him the slip-up?!" He fumed at his Bonder, even trying to slap his brain around.
My bad. Ryoji smirked under the smoke, making his intentions clearer than day. He jumped out of his synchronized body, showing his regular form to Lino.
Before they have
The boy's fast! Even without synchronization, he's not one to be underestimated and even got me there for a sec!!! Lino was in distress, actually being serious for a second as his student was tumbling before stopping.
"Can't give me a break, can you?" Ryoji asked loudly, rolling back to stand up and fight again.
This protector has seen many promising champions come and go, which left him with high expectations. "No...." Lino said as he was catching his breathe for a femtosecond before floating in the air. "Like I said before, I have high expectations for you and you will surpass them." At least they aren't like shrikes.....Imagine that, Ravens that kill with no remorse. Butchers instead of surgeons. Lino thought deeply. He was avoiding Ryoji in order to test him.
I need to get him but how exactly? Ryoji was planning to use a short burst of wind to propel him towards him. To catch a dog, you'll need a lure to do so.
A hair's inch and he would have tasted victory. So damn close! Ryoji gritted his teeth in frustration, one inch away and he would have become his next student. He came so far and was not going to throw it away but he reached into his back leg. "Deer Jerky?" He asked himself.
"Oh yeah, that's right——he's a dog! Use the deer jerky!" Igneus told Ryoji on what to do, a plain to which they both agreed upon.
Ryoji threw the jerky behind Lino and immediately like a dog would,he came to it and sniffed it before wolfing it down.
Before realizing what it truly was. Wait a second....Ugh, this is deer jerky. I hate this stuff. Lino cringed, spitting out the chewed remains of that jerky lure. The jerky was so disgusting to him
Before Ryoji had come around to gain victory, even Lino looked in despair.
It was a great feeling——to win on his and Igneus's behalf, no one helping him; no Akina swooping in.
Just Ryoji Dragomir Kazama doing all the work while Igneus assisted. It was their teamwork.
His chance was robbed when a sudden——An alarm clock echoed through the area. "Time's up!" Lino yelled out stopped Ryoji in his tracks, feeling much more relaxed as the Heart-Bond was done chasing him. Goodness lord......It's finally over....The boy's scary...
Ryoji reverted back into his human form in disappointment as Igneus standing by him, caring for him more than the other. "It's okay, Ryo. We did our bestest when no one could."
Damnit! Ryoji threw his fist to the ground, ignoring Igneus as he did it again and again. Upset that he failed, he couldn't
"It's okay. You're still my pupil."
He raised his head up to see Lino looking down with admiration.
"What I meant was that you need to keep up with me for the duration of the sparring, which was forty minutes." He corrected himself as he looked up and Ryoji turned around to see a clock that was beeping. "You lasted about forty-two minutes. New record."
His eyes widen with happiness, he lasted more than Hanianna Cortes. One of the Incredible Tri couldn't last longer than me.... Ryoji thought cockily asked he smirked.
<Relax, she lasted two minutes shorter than you.>
Lino corrected him before he continued on. "In this line of work, you need to be vigilant around your surroundings. Not every area you will be in isn't a battle zone, you must show initiative in this case." He talked more of what Ryoji needed to improve. "You must always pay attention and learn if there are any suspicious activity or things that don't seem right. As for your reward....." He whistled for Kaimana for his cue, which then he disappeared and came back with something.
Could that be..... Ryoji started to marvel, his heart began to pulsate from the overbearing excitement as
Kaimana came out holding something wrapped in a brown cloth
"That's your Heartzschwert, kiddo." Kaiman addressed, it was Lino's turn to speak to his newly delegated pupil. "Job well done, Mr.Kazama. I am impressed by your skills and thus," Lino stated as his friend Kaimana gave him before Ryoji gave it back to him.
"Sir, I can't take it though. I think this was more of a playtime, for me: It was serious. I don't deserve it." Ryoji rejected before Lino forced him to have it.
"It's yours to keep." Lino approved, forcing Ryoji to unwrap it. Oh ho, but you do in fact: I actually got serious for a minute. Lino thought, feeling how the small drop of blood was slowly coming down from his face. Not bad, Young Kazama. Not bad at all. He thought to himself as Hakea held it and kneeled for him———he's finally getting it!!
What will it be? An actual sword? Something unorthodox like a naginata ?
Oh, the excitement was unbearable!!
He never felt such joy before a weapon.
Ryoji started to unwrap it, he hasn't felt like a child in such a while.... Even Igneus looked at him and smiled while his Bonder continued to unravel the mystery.
Then he frowned at it. What the hell?
It was a severely rusted blade, two feet tall and seven inches in height.
It had no edge to cut as it was blunt as a butter knife, but no weight to it.
The weirdest weapon that he has ever seen.
There were these little vents on the sides of it——with a faded diamond like symbol in the center of the rusty sword. Ryoji assumes that it was once a golden color. However, the tip of it was sharper than anything. The guard was shaped in an uppercase "I" and was a jade color, the handle hasn't been tainted from oxidation yet. It was a bronze color, and sticky and robust.
So, he test to see if it was still useable in actual combat. He swung with it——unexpectedly: It felt good. It wasn't heavy and momentum came through faster than light can travel. I guess looks can be deceiving at times. Ryoji thought.
Still! There's no edge! The shape of the blade was not made for slashing like an actual sword; This could be French..It's more of a rapier.
"Interesting Heartzschwert." Kaimana stated, he got closer to the boy. "After all the Heartzschwerts you could've had, Lino choose one where even you, a former child assassin/orphan/Heart-Bond/soldier, will have extreme difficulties and inconveniences with Ifrit's Heart."
"Ifrit's Heart?" Ryoji asked curiously.
"....This is the first time in a long time has been given a weapon that of a maestro, not a noob. This blade is the embodiment of power——No: It is power. Treat it with care." Lino warned him about the blade.
There was a myth that a dead Aeon lives in the blade and each time of you managed to activate it; you would have the power of a primal god in you. Those are mere fables that a sane person shouldn't take heed for it. Lino thought to himself.
"This Heartzschwert is made of Orichalcum——one of the strongest and oldest metals here our our lush and beautiful planet. The session is now over. I'll advise you to not tell anyone that you are under my wing now. Don't tell a soul."
Ryoji knew he was holding something back but played along with him, grateful that he had sanctuary with the strongest hero in the N.U.S.N.
"I won't." Ryoji nodded.
"One thing before you go, I think you should know this since I share everything with my students.... I am aware that Chief Apex has a new apprentice as well. You know her very well: It's Akina Willoby. Your friend." Lino confessed
Lino saw the shock in Ryoji's eyes, of how this girl was lucky enough to be in Surwick to eventually being stronger than the entire class. He too, was surprised of how bold his inferior had become.
"She is an Ultimen, just like Chief Apex. I will tell you more about them when you get back from your "informational" field trip. Goodbye." He said goodbye to the boy as he teleported him back to Earth.
Although the boy had many things to ask him, it was too late for it. Akina's under the tutelage of Chief Apex!?! How!?! And what the hell is an Ultimen?! What field trip is he talking about?! these thoughts came inside his head as he arrive in the office. He left it and went to Joseph Vigouroux in Houndspire.