With a solemn expression Aego turned to Kuro who was casually licking his shallow wounds while the remaining fog warrior dragged himself along the ground, trying to reach the man and wolf duo.

Aegon watched the fog warrior with an unreadable face.

“I think I know what you feel.” He said softly, almost a whisper.

Looking down at the swords which he dropped, he questioned himself.

“I didn't get any better, I actually got worse…” Last time Aegon didn’t need to be saved by Kuro, even if he did help a lot either way.

Lying down with a sigh and a deep sense of defeat Aegon couldn't help but wonder if he was even fit to cultivate.

He wondered if perhaps a simple life in the countryside, taking care of his parents and their small farm, raising a family of his own and living a quiet life would suit him more.

He was tempted for a moment, tempted to quit that is, it seemed so easy, but he wasn’t alone, he had no way of sustaining Kuro without the help of the Martial House, his parents had some livestock but it certainly wasn't enough to feed an adult wolf, much less an adult Direwolf, even if they allowed it.

“Abandoning him is out of the question…”

The fog warrior was now quite close to Aegon’s lying body, even Kuro stopped licking his wounds and looked at Aegon with confusion.

He racked his brains for ways to sustain his dearest companion without cultivating but he found none, meanwhile, the faces of his new friends kept flashing through his mind, they were laughing and fighting together, he could also imagine his brother’s mocking expression when he found out he wanted to quit, or maybe he wouldn't mock him but instead soothe him.

[That would be even worse.] He cringed at the mere thought.

And lastly that pair of red eyes, he still wondered if it the whole thing wasn’t actually a dream, but he couldn't shake a weird feeling of latent responsibility after that fateful encounter, it all seemed so rushed, so nonsensical to just stumble into a dying god and suddenly become its successor, it made his rational side think he had hallucinated it all after hitting his head from the fall, but that sense of responsibility he now carried, despite how faint it was, felt suffocating and he had to admit it left him nervous….

In a swift movement Aegon stabbed his sword through the fog warrior’s forehead, the poor warrior was almost within arm’s reach of his foe before his demise.

Aegon stood up as the fog warrior melted back into the surrounding fog, three fog tornadoes appearing right after.

Without waiting for the archers to fully form he and Kuro each rushed one of the fog tornadoes.

Aegon swung his sword in a full arc and in a stroke of luck the archer materialised a moment before Aegon’s sword reached it, it was consequently cut in half and started dissipating almost as soon as it fully formed.

Meanwhile, Kuro wasn't as lucky as his jump was a bit too early, he ended up passing through the incomplete fog archer and landed behind it

The poor beast rolled on the ground for a bit before finding his feet again, but as soon as it did an arrow flew through the air and it seemed inevitable that it would hit its target straight through the eye and claim its life, but at the last moment, Kuro disappeared from the tower and Aegon was left to fend off alone against the two remaining fog marksman.

Yet that wouldn't last long either.

While Kuro was in dire straits, the other archer had aimed and shot at Aegon, but this time the young man was prepared and barely managed to dodge by throwing himself to the ground but even then the arrow still cut a thin line across Aegon’s falling back before lodging itself firmly onto the wall.

He found his footing quickly but as soon as he did, and a lot like Kuro, an arrow was already making its way towards him, he once again threw himself to the floor and rolled away. After a few rounds of this he got frustrated and stood his ground, guarding his face with his swords.

Bang

To his delight the arrow hit one of his swords and fell to the floor, yet soon after another arrow hit his leg.

“AAAAAHHHH”

The pain was realistic beyond belief, even if the injury wasn't, so he couldn't help but let out a scream and drop his blades from the shock, a fatal mistake, as another arrow whistled in his direction and he was thrown out of the tower like a ragged doll, falling on his butt in an eerily similar way to his first visit.

…

Atop the pavilion on the second floor, the First Elder was sipping his tea and looking out the window towards the tilted tower in the vicinity.

Lifting his tea cup for another sip he watched as a youth and a black wolf made way towards the Battle Tower, the sight made his expression somewhat brighter.

On the back of said youth were two blades instead of the usual one.

His curiosity was piqued, his eyes glowed with a light blue light and he could now see the interior of the tower.

His bright face soon turned into a frown and when Aegon’s cheeks finally hit the ground he revealed all his disappointment, anger and even a bit of disgust.

“What the hell?!” His fist hit the table and the poor piece of furniture broke in half along with whatever was placed on it, only the tea cup on his other hand survived the First Elder’s rage.

Standing up with his eyes still locked on the youth below he screamed in a manner wholly unbecoming of a master of such stature.

“YOUUU.” He pointed, the veins on his forehead threatening to burst, his face becoming a deeper and deeper shade of red.

…

The scream from the second floor surprised everyone on the small pavilion, the more experienced students immediately looked towards the tower where a youth with a black wolf was sitting on the floor with his back turned towards the small pavilion, nothing about him stood out, except one small detail….

The older students immediately made the connection between the enraged scream and the twin blades strapped to the young man’s back.

“God help him.” Those who knew nodded in a sombre mood, by now even the more clueless students were starting to understand that being called like that from the second floor wasn't a blessing at all, well, save for one of them….