They had set aside a part of the wild boar they hunted for their home and reserved the rest for their training. The arrival of this meat provided them with relief during these difficult days. A week had passed since they hunted the Stone Boar, and Agois and Lustin had continued their intense regimen and training throughout the week.
With the benefit of the Demon Beast meat they consumed, the physiques of Agois and Lustin were rapidly adapting and developing with the training program; the meat was highly nutritious and rich in energy. They had even grown a little taller.
One day, while Agois was returning home from training, a baseless unease settled within him, but he came home without thinking too much of it. When he knocked, his mother, Mina, opened the door, but her expression was somber and mournful. Agois understood that something was wrong. "I hope it's not the bad thing I'm thinking of," he muttered internally with anxiety and fear. Just as he was about to ask his mother, a voice from inside struck him with profound shock: "Mina, is that Agois?"
He knew, it was his father, Crone's voice. He rushed inside with great excitement and joy, but the scene he saw before him took his mind away. His father had returned and was smiling at him, but there was nothing where his right arm used to be. His father's arm was completely gone. Agois's mind went blank; he just stared blankly at the man with the warm smile before him, in shock. Seeing this, Mina didn't say much; she had reacted similarly and understood. She had nothing to say anyway.
Crone felt saddened and ashamed seeing this. He hadn't wanted to return to his family like this, but when he thought about it, his survival from that war was a miracle. Pushing these thoughts to the back of his mind, Crone approached his son and hugged him. His son seemed to have grown since he last saw him.
His father's warm embrace with a single arm brought Agois back to his senses, and tears streamed from his eyes, but he made no sound, hugging his father tightly. For a child his age, and a highly aware child like Agois, this scene was quite tragic.
Agois's tight embrace warmed Crone's heart. Yes, he hadn't died. Despite everything, he had been able to return home to his family. The warmth of his wife and children was a consolation for his disability. He felt much better. Thanks to this, he hadn't fallen into despair and pessimism over losing his arm. The only problem was that he could no longer fight because he had always used his right hand, and his right arm was now gone. Of course, he had earned good money from the mission, which could sustain them for up to five years; there was no need to worry for now.
Agois looked at his father and saw that he wasn't overly concerned about this disability, which eased his heart a little. Ordinary people like them didn't have the luxury of being disabled in this cruel world. But seeing his father wasn't overly worried, he felt relieved and clenched his fists. He felt much more pressure to grow stronger now, but the pressure did not deter or frighten him. On the contrary, the pressure was his motivation to progress and succeed.
Mina sighed looking at her family but immediately composed herself and cheered up. They shared a family hug with Crone and the children, and Mina added: "No matter what, Crone, your safe return is a miracle and grace that God has given to you and this family. So, my husband, you are never alone; I am by your side through every difficulty, always."
His wife's gentle words dispersed the heavy air and gloom in the environment, softening and comforting Crone's heart. He was very happy to have returned alive despite everything and was grateful to God for it. Taking his wife's hand, he told her: "Mina, my world's beautiful wife, my first and only love! Believe me, returning from the war and seeing you again was worth everything, and it was." He joked, kissing his wife's gentle hands.
Mina blushed but was very happy.
Fel, seeing this scene, didn't understand much, but seeing her father in that state had seemingly shattered her world. Now that the sadness was gone, she returned to her cheerful self.
Agois felt the gloom and pessimism dissipate, and the bad shadow in his heart scattered; he now felt a sense of relief that allowed him to enter meditation.
Breaking the emotional scene, Mina looked at Crone: "Come, my love, let's go to the table. I've made a very beautiful meal, you'll see it at the table," she said, winking. Agois and Fel understood, but Agois only smiled. There was also a little pride in his smile.
Crone was surprised; his return today had been unannounced and sudden. He also knew his family's poor financial situation while he was away, so he was astonished. His expectations were not high. His wife was talented in this regard; whatever she made would be good, and he wasn't expecting such a luxurious meal. He thought that eating with his family would be wonderful no matter what, and they went to the table.
At that moment, a scent reached Crone's nose that he hadn't smelled in a very long time: the unforgettable aroma of meat exuding rich vitality and freshness.
Crone was curious but didn't ask. (Surely nothing bad should be happening now, right?) he thought. Mina came in with a beautiful platter. She placed it on the table. The platter held large steaks and bone-in cuts of meat. The excellent cooking was evident from the sight, and the superhuman taste was clear from the aroma. Crone's mouth watered involuntarily; he hadn't seen such a meal in a long time, having eaten very bad food during the war. This scene made him feel like he was in heaven.
Without much talking, the family finished the delicious meat. After everyone was completely full, they gathered the table together and moved to sit down.
Crone couldn't hold back any longer and asked with curiosity and concern where this meat had come from: "Mina, this meat we ate was most likely Demon Beast meat, wasn't it? I don't understand what such meat is doing in our house; even nobles and rich people can't easily find this meat," he expressed his anxiety.
Mina, who was expecting this question, replied, "I was wondering when you would ask. Yes, it is the meat of a Demon Beast: the Stone Boar."
Watching Crone's astonishment and curiosity, she continued: "Agois and his friend hunted this Demon Beast, all by themselves. Of course, if I had known, I wouldn't have allowed this dangerous hunt, but I had no idea until this rascal brought home pounds and pounds of bloody meat." As she spoke, she gently ruffled her son's hair with feigned annoyance and affection.
Hearing this, Crone looked at his son with a serious expression: "Son, was the Stone Boar an adult?" he asked. Because adult Stone Boars possess more strength than the average Iron Body Realm practitioner.
Agois proudly nodded and replied, "Yes, Dad."
Crone, looking at his son's proud attitude, trusted his son, even though the fact that his son and his friend alone had hunted an adult Stone Boar seemed surreal and abnormal. His son was sensible and mature. He wouldn't make ridiculous boasts about such things; besides, there was the meat they had eaten, so it had to be true, yet he was still in disbelief.
Asking for details, he questioned his son: "Son, tell me the truth. How did you manage to take down the Stone Boar?"
Agois couldn't understand his father's serious expression, which made it seem like defeating the Stone Boar was impossible, and he explained the process: "First, we had previously discovered that the Stone Boar was roaming in the clearing two kilometers away from the valley where we train. We prepared the trap by digging a hole nearby and lining it with sharp branches. That was the first stage. I once heard from Lustin's father that Demon Beasts are drawn to blood. So, I used my blood to try and lure the beast toward the trap if it was nearby, and we succeeded. The beast took the bait and had fallen into the trap."
Crone, although surprised so far, was still not entirely satisfied or convinced, and Agois continued as expected:
"Then I knew I had successfully angered the beast because it was chasing me like it was going mad with rage. Dad, you know, my agility and speed are good. While it wasn't enough to fully escape the Stone Boar, my goal wasn't to escape anyway. It was to lure it into another, final trap. That trap was the sword you bought me. It had retained its sharpness since I never used it. I took the sword and firmly fixed it to a large tree. I lured the enraged beast to that tree. By going in front of it, blocking its vision, and maneuvering at the last moment, I allowed the full-speed beast to crash into the tree, and, as I expected, the sword entered the beast's neck and killed it."
Listening to this, the events finally began to seem logical and acceptable to Crone. But what he still didn't understand was why the Stone Boar had been alone; but he was glad it was, or his son wouldn't be here today. Gathering his composure, Crone said in a serious and stern tone: "I accept that your trap was clever, son, but what you did was foolish. Stone Boars travel in herds; they generally do not wander alone, and you are lucky it was alone that day," he said.
Hearing this, Mina froze. She looked at her son with concern and anger but couldn't say anything, seeing his surprised and sorrowful expression.
Agois only now realized the danger of the hunt. He regretted it; what if something had happened to his good friend Lustin as a result of his own poor decision? He had acted without sufficient knowledge and had taken everything too lightly. His father was right. It was a foolish decision.
"You are right, Dad, Mom. I ventured into such a dangerous thing due to my arrogance and ridiculous confidence without having much knowledge. I apologize. I will act with more caution and information from now on," said Agois.
Crone, looking at his son's expression, which truly showed he had learned his lesson, said no more. His son had understood the point. Crone was tired, and other details could be discussed tomorrow. He wasn't as energetic as he used to be, so they ended the night early.
The next morning, Mina was doing handicrafts while Fel watched her curiously.
Crone, looking at his son in the yard, focused on his physique, which had developed over a month and a half. It was impossible for his son to show such a clear improvement according to the regimen he had prepared. He vaguely guessed the reason. Nevertheless, he asked:
"Agois, why did you take a risk like hunting the Stone Boar?"
Agois replied with embarrassment: "Dad, I wanted to grow stronger sooner, and I could achieve that with more training. You know, you get results from your training when you eat appropriately."
Crone had guessed, but he wanted to hear this audacious plan from his son. "You are still a child, but your ambition is too great, son. Sometimes that is not a good thing. I can understand you, but unfortunately, we can no longer support your intense training, son. You know, don't even think about ways like hunting to find food. We are returning to the old training plan."
Crone was ashamed. Not being able to support his son in this matter made him feel bad as a father. (The saying that poor children grow up fast was true), he thought to himself. His son's desire to grow strong at this age deeply saddened him; his body was small, but his mind contained a mature adult.
Agois was not disappointed. He already knew; more intense training meant more food. His family's situation was now worse. Embarrassedly, he said, "It's not necessary, Dad. As you said, I am still young, and I have a long time ahead of me. You don't need to increase the training intensity; let's continue as before."
Crone understood his son. With limited resources, he couldn't do more. Anyway, soon, in a few years, he had to take his son to the capital for the Awakening Baptism; he needed to save money for that. If he had talent, his son would become a Cultivator; at that point, the Iron Body or even the Copper Body Realm would be meaningless. The training he gave his son was only preparation for his future; even if he couldn't become a Cultivator, he should have enough strength to survive