Hadden thought he would drown and die on 3 separate occasions when he was tossed into the ocean time and time after not being able to remember the alphabet. He couldn’t imagine just why his teacher was trying to kill him. Was he trying to get rid of him? He didn’t even question why they were in the ocean. That never even crossed his mind. All he did was desperately try to save himself from the crashing waves that threatened to slam him onto the cliff wall multiple times.

He wasn’t sure how long he had been in the water or when he was pulled out and placed on the beach. His eyes opened blearily, and his vision was filled by sunlight the moment he opened it.

He tried to move both his arms to block the sunlight, but only his right arm listened to his command. He heard footsteps and quickly turned his head toward the figure.

“How do you feel?” Ning asked, towering over him, shading him from the sun.

“I… I feel like I’m dying,” Hadden said. “You tried to kill me.”

“Nonsense,” Ning said and reached for him before pulling him up straight. He dusted the sand off his back and smiled. “So, how was it?” he asked.

Hadden looked confused. “How was… what?” he asked.

“Your first day of training of course,” Ning said.

Hadden looked confused. “You were trying to kill me,” he shouted at Ning. Ning took one swipe at his leg, and the boy fell back into the sand. “Don’t raise your voice at me,” he said seriously. “And I never said your training was ever going to be easy.”

“Urgh!” the boy grunted in pain. He hadn’t realized just how much pain his body was in. Just how much the water had hurt him.

“Anyway, that is enough for today,” Ning said. “We will continue the same tomorrow until you can improve your resistance to pain. I’m hoping to do it in the next few months. Then, you split your core.”

Ning took the grunting Hadden to a nearby creek on the island he had teleported to and dunked him there a few times until sand hand left every part of his body. Then, he handed him a fresh pair of clothes to change into. action

“Get changed and wash the old ones. Then come find me.”

Hadden stripped near the flowing creek, the rustle of water bringing him memories of his village. His body aches even as he stands there, the child from the midday breeze bringing pain along with it.

His left arm felt numb with pain. Was his life going to be this forever now? To be beaten at every turn, by bandits first, and now his master.

He grabbed onto the necklace on his chest. He couldn’t use it right now, but he knew this was the storage artifact where his parents and his brother’s ashes were kept. It gave him strength in trying times.

He held onto it, searching for that right now. Then, he remembered what he told Ning.

“I want to be strong,” he said softly. “Strong enough to protect anyone and everyone. Even if it means I have to get beat up every day, I will get strong.”

He kissed the necklace and let go of it. He changed into fresh new clothes, ignoring the pain his body felt, and went back to where Ning was.

“I’m done, teacher,” he said seriously.

Ning turned around. “Good,” he said. “Let’s return.”

Hadden backed away from Ning the moment they appeared inside the room at the tavern. “Woah… wait, huh? What? What was that? How are we here?” he asked, surprised.

This was his first time being teleported around, or more exactly this was the first time he was conscious while he was teleported from one location to another.

“That is teleportation,” Ning said. “Get used to it. You’ll be doing that a lot many times from today.”

Hadden looked at Ning as if he was seeing someone else now. He knew his master was strong, but this… this was something else.

“Where were we just now?” he asked, looking outside the tavern. It was morning here. But it had been noon back on that island.

“It was an island, east of the Azurage country,” Ning said and brought out something from somewhere that Hadden couldn’t see. “Eat this.”

The boy looked at the small ball of powder. “What’s this?” he asked. “It’s called a pill,” Ning explained. “It can heal you very quickly. All the pain in your body would be gone at once.”

“What?” the boy looked with wonder at the pill in Ning’s hand. He took it and ate it, chewing it before swallowing. Ning looked at him eat, knowing what he just gave the boy wasn’t a healing pill at all. It was just a placebo, to make the boy he would heal. He had to let the boy sit in pain for a while to get used to it. Ning planned to heal him half a day later so the boy would think the pill worked.

The boy showed signs of relief on his face, not knowing what he had eaten. Ning almost wanted to smile.

He looked around for a second and then asked the system where Emma was.

“Stay here, and learn your alphabet,” Ning said. “Emma should be back soon and she will help you with food. I need to go somewhere for now.”

“Okay, teacher,” Hadden said blankly. Ning nodded and turned around to leave. When he was at the door, Hadden called him again.

“Teacher!” he shouted. Ning turned back around to look at the young boy.

“What is it?” he asked. “Thank you for teaching me,” he said. “I will not let you down. I will definitely become stronger.”

Ning smiled at the strong face the boy had put on, despite all the pain he should be feeling right now. He couldn’t help but feel happy about that. “I have no doubts,” he said and left with a face full of a bright smile.