"Master look."

Elise was punching the air leaving behind several mirror images behind.

"Good stuff but I won't lose."

I also started to punch the air leaving behind only one mirror image.

"I won master."

"They grow so quick don't they."

I looked out of the window with my right arm behind my back.

"You sound like an old man." Elise laughed out loud.

"Humph, who is an old man. You ought to show me more respect."

"Che, you are no fun master." Elise clicked her tongue.

"Anyway, did you hide the dagger I gave you well?"

"Yes, my parents won't find it ever."

"Good, from now you will sneak out every night and kill beasts in the Forrest. The beast cores and materials need to be hidden in the Forrest. This is for your development so don't disappoint me."

"I understand but why are you talking to me with your back turned to me."

"You fool you dare question me? This is what masters do, if I had a beard I would stroke it the whole time."

I stroked my non existent beard.

"You are weird, master."

- - -

My parents put me to sleep, they were currently in the living room. Today operation "sleeping in my own bed" will be carried out.

I rolled out of my bed and crawled to my room.

"Hey Thorus. Being active is good but it's sleep time." My father took me and wanted to carry me back to the bed room.

Damn it, I hated being an infant, how could one train like this. It was like I was under constant surveillance.

Not with me. I shat my pants and stuck my hand into my diaper. My father stopped.

"What's the matter Thorus? Does it itch?"

Eat shit.

My hand full with weapon grade "uranium" found its way into his mouth.

"What?" My father became startled and dropped me.

"Roland you fool. How can you drop Thorus?" My mother rushed to me.

"Thank goddess he's alright."

"Blueghbrbrbrrb" My father was vomiting all over the place.

Wiping his puke from his mouth he said.

"I-I'm sorry. I'm a failure as a father."

My mother looked sternly at my father.

"You useless husband, you are lucky that he is alright.Clean up this mess."

My father didn't dare to delay and cleaned up the mess.

"My poor Thorus you had too suffer so much."

After my mother cleaned me, she carried me back to the bedroom.

I begun to struggle again.

"You want to sleep inside your room?" My mother asked.

I pointed at my room.

"Don't you want to sleep with daddy and mommy?"

I struggled again.

"Why don't you let him have his way dear? It's unlikely that something like last time happens."

My mother sighed and carried me to my room.

It seemed like she couldn't bear to deny my wishes.

_ _ _

Back inside my room I had much more space for myself. My parents went to sleep so it was time for some training.

Sitting crosslegged on my bed I meditated. After my mind settled down I could feel the mana in the air. The feeling became stronger and I could see countless specks of different colored lights while my eyes were closed.

It was time to specialize in an element. Having no clear path would hinder my progression, I needed to focus on at most three elements.

For now I should focus on earth,darkness and light magic. Earth had the best defense I thought, also who could deny the awesomeness of dark magic? Light despite being for sissies was necessary for healing.

I wondered if I could draw the darkness, light and earth elements into my body.

With my will I tried to guide the surrounding mana into my body. Contrary to my expectation when the mana was about to enter my body there was a resistance. No matter how much I tried the mana wouldn't enter my body.

"Who dares to interfere? The laws of the universe can kiss my ass."

Dark aura spread out of my body and the resistance became weaker until it was non existent.

The dark, light and earth mana were absorbed in a fast rate.

When the elements went inside my mana core I could feel a raise in power. Before my six elements were balanced but this harmony was broken.

Suddenly a sharp pain could be felt in my belly. I stopped absorbing the surrounding mana. Concentrating on my mana core I could see that it was almost at the brink of shattering. There was a small crack on the core.

It was close, I almost shattered my mana core. It seemed like my mana core couldn't handle the huge amount of mana.

My mana core was now ball of black white and brown. The other elements were overshadowed from these three elements.

While I was thinking of the change inside of my body, I heard something. Someone threw a stone at my window. I opened the window and someone appeared inside my room, it was Elise.

The moment she appeared she went on her knees, blood was dripping from her right arm.

"Master." Her face was pale.

"Shh, not so loud you will wake up my parents."

"I failed master."

"Let me heal you. Take off your jacket and lay down."

On her right shoulder there was a fist size hole.

Putting my hand on her right shoulder I begun to use heal. A white glow appeared and with that her injuries were healing fast. My healing power was much stronger than before. It came with a price however my mana consumption was much higher.

I finished healing her and a bit of color returned on Elise's face.

"Tell me what happened? With your strength a wolf wouldn't be an opponent."

"You disciple was careless. I was sneaked attacked by a horned tiger."

"A horned tiger, there are horned tigers in the Forrest?"

"Of course, they are usually live deep inside the moutains.They only come down if there is a stronger beast driving them away or when food becomes scares."

"I see you did your homework good."

"My father was a former adventurer, he told me a lot of things."

"Tell me did you manage to kill the tiger?"

She looked at me strangely.

"Master, the tiger was young but it was at least E rank. I was lucky that I could escape."

"E rank? What's that?"

"Beasts like humans are ranked from G to SSS with G rank being the weakest."

"I see, so what do you think? What rank are you?"

"Without the proper equipment its hard to tell. I guess I'm around F+ rank. Beasts however are much stronger than humans."

"What ranks were the horned rabbits and horned wolves?"

"The horned rabbits are G rank while the wolves vary from G+ to F+."

I see, so it meant my power level was around F.

"You have done well. Did you mange to get any cores?"

"I hid about eight beast cores all from horned rabbits."

"Good, these bastards deserve death."

Elise was looking at me with expecting eyes.

"What now?"

"Master won't you give me any reward?"

"What do you want? Money, fame or power?"

"A pat on my head is enough."

Oh, this was somehow unexpected.

"Kneel down and receive my divine patting."

"Yes master." Elise knelt down with a smile on her face.

Patting her for a short while she chuckled.

"That's it? You stingy old man."

"You are asking for a spanking."

"Che, never mind I'm going."

Before I could say something she vanished.

"At least clean your blood. Oh man how am I going to clean this mess?"

After cleaning up the mess Elise left, I concentrated on my mana core again. The light mana I absorbed was visibly less. It seemed like my mana regeneration was not affected by absorbing the surrounding mana. The mana absorbed from the air was limited. I needed to think of a way to change that.

- - -

"Roland did you notice that things are missing in the house?"

"Like what?"

"Some of Thorus toys are missing also his bed sheet is nowhere to be found."

"Strange, do you think that some thief sneaked in?"

"Are you stupid? As if someone would take the risk and steal a bed sheet and some toys."

"I'm sure the missing things will be found again. Don't worry."