*August's POV*
I stared at the ground, my body aching from the beatdown the old man gave me... And, to be honest, I deserved it.
He was right... I was too prideful, too confident... Arrogant.
I gritted my teeth, clenching a handful of dirt. I looked to the side and saw my spear lying on the ground.
Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself as I slowly rose to my feet. Walking towards my spear, I leaned down and picked it up.
I stared at the spear in my hand for a few seconds, the beatdown the old man gave me playing back in my mind over and over again. I didn't even see him coming. It was too fast. I could sense it, but my body couldn't move to counter the speed of his attack.
I couldn't even tell what he hit me with... Was it a punch? A kick perhaps? Who knows. All I know is that it hurts... But not as much as what happened next.
I saw it in his eyes... Disappointment. "I really messed up this time, huh, Beowulf?"
The spear didn't answer; it seems that even he was disappointed by what happened. I placed it snuggly back on the holster on my back, and turned around, only to see the others... Staring at me through the hole in the house.
I can see mixed emotions in all of them. Some looked at me with worry, others had a look of frustration, but all has that slight look of betrayal plastered on their face.
Can't say I blame them... I did betray the trust they put in me as captain. Hell, I essentially sentenced them to die because of what I did... If I was them, I'd feel betrayed as well.
"August." Helga moved forward, her eyes scanned me. A look of worry and disappointment mix in her gaze. "Why?" she asked, and to be honest, I have no other answer except pride.
Something I know she didn't want to hear. None of them want to hear that I risked their life because of pride, pride that stems from arrogance.
The emotions I saw earlier in the old man's eyes are clear; he wasn't disappointed because of what I did... No, he was disappointed because of how I acted. And so was I. I doubted myself, and it was pathetic. I would beat myself to a pulp as well if I can.
And I thank the old man for waking me up... I needed that beating.
I was trying to be what I am not... I am not someone who doubts myself, not one who doubts my strength. Yes, I am arrogant, but I have the right to be one... Because I am strong.
So yeah, pride is the answer to Helga's question. The pride I have in myself.
But there's also another answer, one I believe even with all the odds stacked up against us. And that answer is. And it may be the arrogance speaking yet again, but I firmly believe it.
"Because I believe I-... No... we can win."
"What makes you so sure?" Eira spoke out, her voice has a hint of anger, frustration and fear. "Huh?
What makes me so sure? A good question... To be honest, all of my answers to that question have one thing in common. Yes, I am arrogant, but I have the strength to back it up. And that's my answer, the answer that I will always say if I'm asked how I'm so sure I'm gonna win.
It's simple...
I smiled, looked at my familia, beaming with confidence. "Because I said so."
There was a pause; they all stared at me. The old man did say that I should act as a captain. Well, this is me acting as one.
And if arrogant is what they saw me as. So what? It is true... I am arrogant. I have the right to be arrogant. I should have realized it sooner.
The old man is right... My arrogance would bite me in the ass; it would endanger everyone in the familia. But right now, I'm gonna make sure that the very same arrogance would allow me to keep everyone alive.
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A Survivor's life in the dungeon (A Danmachi Fanfic.)
FanfictionWitness the journey of a man who lost everything, as he dives in the dungeon for strength and power. will he succumb to the dangers that he'll face, or will he persevere and find what he's looking for, be it revenge or closure that's for him to deci...