After my annoying Dad had settled down, our party returned to the village without difficulty.

For the next two days, I was stuck in bed, my body immobilized with pain.

While solely training my ki did strengthen my body some, I was still too weak to use all of my ki at once normally and since I had just gotten a good handle on my sense, I haven't been able to do any serious physical training.

Thus, I was inflicted with the backlash of burning muscles, creaking bones, and endless cramps.

This unfortunately left me unable to flee from my mother's creative tortures *cough* tender attentions as she persistently tried to get me to talk to her. (my father having immediately told her about my talking when we got home.)

I, of course, remained silent.

Hah!, I wasn't stupid, there's no way I would let myself experience THAT twice.

In the end, my mother decided that Seph had lied to her, despite the twenty plus testimonies of the other villagers saying otherwise, and refused to speak to him for two whole weeks.

As for Aaron and his group, after being grounded for a few days with only bread and water to eat, immediately returned to their old antics, though they went no where near the forest.

Haaa, I did a really good job on that brainwashing... *Ahem* I mean Aaron was a naturally proper obedient little brother.

Regrettably, the villagers also noticed this, and as I had predicted, I was bombarded with requests to control the brat pack.

It got to the point where I couldn't get two steps without receiving pleas of help for things that before, people had just ignored.

Annoyed, I tracked down Aaron and his friends and beat them up...*cough* *hrm..*Firmly trained them with a fist?

*Errmm....*

*Ah!*

I politely requested that they stop and they agreed with grimaces of pain *cough* smiles of happiness.

Since then, they have been model children and I've experienced many tears of thanks from their parents.

To make their parents cry...

*Ahem* anyway...

As for me killing the magical beast, the adults kept their word and remained silent, it turns out that the feline I killed was only a lower level magical beast, the Nemean lion.

Still, it was unheard of for any four year-old, much less a blind one to accomplish such a feat, so I was quite impressed they managed to keep their mouths shut.

Still, this experience made me realize I was still lacking in many areas, and that I still had a great deal more to learn in the area of my senses.

So I devised a new training regimen that would work on physical prowess, ki manipulation, and develop new areas of my senses (like the half-trance I had discovered).

I would run around in the Mistwood forest, running for miles to increase my strength, while using my senses in avoid magical beast in a dangerous game of tag.

Only, instead of running on the ground, I would be using the trees to train my ki manipulation and accuracy.

Ninja style~~

No one even noticed I was gone, the advantage of being the quiet child.

Months turned into a year of constant training passed, and my body slowly became more toned, and my skills improved, but I remained near the outer edge of the forest.

I could sense far stronger presences in the deeper parts of the forest that I was no where near the level of being able to fight.

I had asked my mother about my appearance a few days ago, curious as to what I looked like.

If anyone had been walking through the forest today, they would have likely only seen a dark shadow and flash of white as I rocketed through the air, occasionally pushing off from the trunk of a tree.

However, if they were lucky, they would see me in one of the rare moments where I paused on a branch for a moment to catch my breath.

They would see a five year-old kid, a bit tall for his age ,with long white hair that contrasted sharply with skin tanned from hundreds of days spent outside in the sun.

Most likely, the child's eyes would be gently closed, but if they were open, they would see icy blue eyes that shone coldly in contrast with the boy's sun kissed face.

Phwhahahaha

I'm the perfect type for the icy silent genius~~

It fits perfectly with my plans~

Ah! Cool face, cool face, no smiling!!!

*Ahem*

I was dashing through the forest when I suddenly heard a noise I had never heard before.

*Chiiiiiirrrrriiiiiiiippppp*

It was a small squeak of pain a few miles away.

Of course, in a forest full of hungry magical beasts, there would naturally be many cries of pain as animals became food.

But this noise seemed......different?

Almost like it had been unwillingly voiced...

Generally, injured animals gave large roars of pain, trying to warn others away, which in my opinion, was pretty stupid.

It was like they were advertising 'Come and Eat ME!'

Could this be a Smart magical beast?

Curiosity overrode caution and I headed to the place where I had heard it.

The little body was so still and quiet, I almost didn't notice it.

It was curled up tightly under a bush, but even stretched out, the little creature would only be a long as my arm.

I quietly pushed the bush out of the way and focused all of my senses on the little animal.

As far as I could tell, it's form was that of a lizard with a long, snake-like neck. It had scales that were just a bit harder than usual, and claws that were not fully developed.

It was a baby?

Magical beast usually zealously guarded their children, but my sense confirmed there was no possible Mama beast anywhere near by.

There was a long gash on one side of its stomach that was slowly, but steadily gushing blood.

The baby magical beast managed weakly lifted its head up for a moment, but I soon felt the small vibrations in the ground as it tiredly fell, too weak to even make an attempt to defend itself.

I was amazed it had even lasted this long, the little lizard must have an incredibly strong spirit.

It probably would have grown up to be very strong.

I would have enjoyed playing with it......

A feeling of charity rose in my heart and caused my hand to stretch out, pulling my mana into the very tips of my fingers

I haven't actually learned any of the spells of this world, nor do I intend to make any, as explaining how I came up with them to people was a huge pain.

But for the sake of my own amusement, *cough* *cough* *ahem*for the sake of saving the lizard's life, mana manipulation would be enough.

Gently touching the lizard, I let my mana flow slowly into its body and focused all of my senses on the wound.

Minutes passed as I knitted tissue back together, reconnected veins and arteries, and replenished the blood supply.

So focused was I that I didn't even notice the large presence sneaking up on me.

Finished, I sat back and wiped the sweat that had accumulated off my brow.

The concentration needed for healing had made me quite tired, even though I still had plenty of mana left.

The lizard, full of energy now, though still a bit sluggish from the aftereffects of major healing, gratefully rubbed its smoothed scaled head on my hand.

"Hah.... just grow up to be a strong opponent someday, K?"

The lizard gave a confused chirp and continued to rub my hand.

Hmmmm, I don't think it understood me.

I was about to make a second attempt at communication when a loud growl rose from behind me.

Snatching the baby lizard, I shot away from whatever was behind me while sending my senses out to determine the threat.

It was a large wolf creature, with spikes growing along it spine that created a whistling sound in the air as the beast chased after me.

From the size of its presence, it was an upper level middle class beast!

Darn! It must have sneaked up on me when I was focused on healing my future amusement *cough* the lizard.

I could smell the slight tang of the lizards blood on its claws, this must have been what injured the little lizard.

Man, how did manage to get so far away from the wolf with that kind of wound?

Well, whatever.

It's too bad Wolfie, but there's no way I'm going to let you eat him after all of my hard work!

Luckily, I was just a tad faster than the wolf, so I managed to always stay a safe distance away.

After an hour, the the huge wolf finally gave up and went in search of easier prey.

After running a little longer just to make sure there was a large distance between us and the wolf, I collapsed on a large branch, gasping for breath.

"......you.......hah.....better.....be......hah......worth..it......hah....little...hah....guy..."

"...now.....go....away......and.....become.....strong......hahhhhhh......"

I tried to shoo the little guy away.

It rudely ignored me and loving wrapped its neck around my arm.

There was suddenly a burning pain in my arm.

"Owwwwwwwww! What are you doing!!!??"

The lizard clung valiantly onto my arm, despite my vigorous attempts to shake it off.

The pain suddenly stopped and the stubborn creature finally slid off.

An intricate marking ran up my arm.

I was now a five year-old with a tattoo

Uuuuuu, my Mom is going to kill me!

I glared at the little snake, who was looking up expectantly at me and waving its tail like a dog.

There was now an identical marking running along the lizards back.

"What was that for?"

I suddenly heard the voice of a young boy in my head.

-Pa....Papa!-

Nooooooooo!!!!

I'm only five, I'm too young to have fathered a son!!!!

Eh, no, wait, different species...

Few~~

"I am Not your Papa"

I sternly corrected the lizard on its mistake.

-Papa!-

He ignored me.

I jumped down from the tree and began walking home.

He agilely climbed down from the tree and followed.

I tried moving faster.

He increased in speed as well.

I tried losing him.

He always found me, wherever I hid.

All during that time, I was bombarded with an unending number of -Papa!-s

........

"I Give UP!"

As soon as I shouted the words, the little lizard climbed onto my shoulder in an amazing flash of speed.

I looked sourly at it.

"At least be Quiet"

He nodded happily.

Oh, so NOW you listen to me.

At the edge of the forest, I stopped and wrapped my arm in a bandage, not wanting my mother *ahem* anyone to see it.

As soon as I walked into the village, I was surrounded by females of all ages.

"Kyaaaaaa! It's so Cute! Felix, where did you find it!"

I made up some story of finding him in one of the fields (not wanting anyone to know where I had been) and finally managed to escape into my house.

The little lizard had been frightened by all the commotion and curled tightly around my shoulders.

Ha, its only right you should experience some suffering as well after forcing yourself on me, little brat.

My mother reacted similarly to the outside females,

"Awwwww, he's sooooo cute! And those glossy black scales look just amazing!"

Hmmmm, so my new pet's scales were black? Good to know.

My father was far more reasonable.

"What are you going to name him?"

I thought it out for a moment, I reallllyyy wanted to call him something like Blackie, or Brat, but he was only a baby, I couldn't honestly blame the little void for all the annoyance he had caused me, honestly at least.

Ah! that was perfect!

I grabbed a piece of paper and introduced the lizard to my family.

'This little parasite shall be know as Void'

There was a long silence.

Hmmmm, I probably shouldn't have written the parasite part?

Oh well.

I ignored my dumbfounded parents and began to move towards the stairs.

Wait......

What's this familiar chill......

Oh No, Could it Be!!!???

"Our Son Can Write!!!!"

My parents screamed in unison.

Darn It.

I should have seen that coming.....

During the following torture *ahem* celebration, which I continue to refuse to tell reveal the details of, I caught a quiet whisper from from my little brother.

"Li....Lizard......R...Rival....."