Being abducted by a wicked Cultivator, brought to some dark dungeon, tormented and dissected to unravel the mysteries hidden in his body… The more Lucas imagined such a fate, the more he agreed with Farah that a quick death would be preferable.
A moment later, Lucas felt his parent's holding onto him tightly, as if they were afraid he would suddenly be whisked away to a place where they would never see him again.
Feeling the warmth on his shoulders, Lucas relaxed slightly. Even if his mom and dad couldn't defend him against those truly powerful beings, at least for now, he felt safe beside them.
"And how do we know that you don't have any ulterior motives for approaching Lucas," Drake asked the hard question, knowing that someone amongst them had to voice this concern.
"Ah, Drake…" Charles tried to intervene, but before he could say anything more, he was interrupted when Farah stepped forward and lifted her hand.
"It's a valid question," Farah acknowledged, "And there are many things I could say to try to assuage your doubts; but I believe actions speak louder than words."
In the next instant, a heavy pressure suddenly erupted inside the training hall, one that caused Drake, Charles, Anna, and Sasha's breath to catch in their throats. As for Lucas, he nearly collapsed then and there, only barely managing to brace himself and stop his knees from buckling. Still, he felt as if he was carrying a boulder on his back and was at risk of falling at any moment.
*Bang!*
Without any warning, the 4 adults were all sent flying in different directions, smashing into the walls of the training hall before slumping to the ground, groaning in pain.
Then suddenly, the pressure disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, and Lucas found a hand lightly resting atop his head. This hand was rough and filled with callouses, and although there wasn't the slightest bit of strength being exerted onto him, he still felt like he was caught in a vice, one that could crush his skull at a moment's notice.
Lucas' survival instincts flared. In less time than it took to blink, the young boy put all the strength he could muster into his legs as his arms shot up and grabbed hold the hand above him. His rational mind knew that he was powerless to resist, that his life was no longer his to control, but just because he knew it was futile didn't mean he was going to just role over and die.
Even before the accident which nearly claimed his life, Lucas had never been one to give up easily, and that trait had only grown stronger since that fateful day 6 months ago.
He had faced death once before, and deep down, Lucas knew he should have died that day, but here he was, alive and well. He didn't think he was special, or chosen somehow, he knew it was all just a series of coincidences and an extreme bout of luck that allowed him to survive, but that experience had fortified his will to live in ways he did not yet realize.
Glancing up, Lucas met eyes with his attacker, the one who had hurt his precious family, and he glared at her with unmasked anger. If this was to be his fate, he would meet it head-on, eyes wide-open, not cowering and begging for mercy.
Seeing the look in Lucas' eyes, Farah couldn't help lifting her brow in interest. The show she was putting on right now was mostly for the adults in the room, while her secondary objective was to give the boy a good scare to let him know how dangerous the world truly was. Such experiences were good for reckless, sheltered brats, as it was just what they needed to shake them out of their complacency.
In fact, this wasn't the first time Farah had done something like this, as it was a common tactic in her pervious line of work where it was often necessary to break in arrogant new recruits. She had thought she had seen every kind of reaction to this test already; fear, panic, anxiety, outrage, and many others, but what Lucas was showing her right now was new.
If she had to describe it in simple terms, Farah would call it determination, an unyielding will to resist despite facing impossible odds; this wasn't mere false bravado, desperation, or even resignation. Lucas's gaze was piercing, but clear; he was afraid, but he was resolved to confront and overcome that fear.
There were no words spoken, no threats made, no demands issued; everything that needed to be convey was done so through the silent gazes exchanged between the two individuals.
This brat… even though he knows he can't win, and that fighting back is pointless, he refuses to back down or give up! Remarkable! Farah couldn't help praising Lucas inside. She had seen this kind of look only a few times before, but only ever on those who had resolved themselves to face certain death.
Most of those she saw this expression on had made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty, and Farah held each and every one of them in the highest of regard, for they were true heroes, whether they had survived the calamities they challenged or not.
Seeing such resolve in a 9-year-old boy was almost as shocking to Farah as Lucas' abnormal breakthrough, and for a moment, she began to understand just why he had managed to achieve something which should have been impossible.
Still, this farce had gone on long enough, and the results had been better than she expected, so Farah flashed a small grin and casually released her grip, easily shaking off Lucas' hold and causing him to fall flat on his face.
In the end, willpower and resolve could only go so far.
Scrambling to his feet, Lucas hurriedly retreated while assuming a defensive stance, not daring to take his eyes off the woman before him.
Panting heavily, and with cold sweat dripping down his back, for the first time in his life, Lucas really understood how important strength was.
So what if he had the courage to stand up?
So what if he refused to give in?
So what if he was resolved to resist?
What did any of that count for if he was too weak to protect himself or those he cared about?
Stronger! I need to become stronger!
"That's a good look you have there, Lucas," Farah declared in a firm yet approving tone, "Never forget that feeling, it will carry you far."
Slowly but surely, Lucas lowered his guard before running off to check on his parents.
Only after confirming that Anna, Drake, Charles, and Sasha were all just winded but not injured in any way did Lucas calm down. He understood why Farah had done what she did, and he understood that there was no better way to convey to them all what her intentions were, but that didn't mean he was happy about it.
On the other hand, the 4 adults all had a slightly different perspective, and once they had gathered again, they all offered a deep bow and spoke in unison, "Thank you for your instruction, Senior."
This time, Farah didn't make a fuss about being called 'Senior', as she really was acting as one in this moment.
In a peaceful place like Redwood Town, violence and fighting were abnormal and seen by most as something bad. However, out in the wider world, receiving martial instruction from a master, even if it was just a one-sided beating, was a gift that one should offer their full appreciation for.
Charles, Sasha, Anna, and Drake had all been adventurers for many years and had faced their fair share of danger, so they understood that Farah was teaching them all a lesson here today; the world was cruel and dangerous, and everything you had could be taken from you at any moment.
Their tranquil lives had gradually made them forget this simply truth.
They had been exposed, the evidence was irrefutable, there was no way to hide at least part of the truth, yet they were still trying to bargain with someone they all knew was much stronger than them.
It was as naïve as it was foolish.
If Farah had any kind of malicious intent, she could have coerced them into speaking or simply taken what she wanted right from the start, there was no need for her to consult with them at all.
The fact that Farah had deliberately taken them somewhere secluded, where they would feel comfortable speaking in private, and had been discussing the matter with them in a civil manner, showed more than enough good-will already.
Understanding their mistake, the adults held no grudge against the mysterious butcher and even thanked her for her generosity.
Farah was also gracious enough to accept their apology and thanks, casually brushing the matter aside with her trademark grunt.
While the situation might have seemed strange to some, including the inexperienced boy in the room, it had to be noted that for someone of Farah's strength, simply being questioned by those as weak and lacking in status as Anna and Drake was a massive insult.
Even a Baron like Charles didn't normally have the qualifications to speak on equal terms with Farah.
Of course, even if Lucas knew and understood all the intricacies at play here, it was questionable whether he would have been able to accept such an outcome. He and his family had been attacked and threatened; no matter how justifiable the reasons, that was enough for him to feel sour in his heart.
Noticing the pout on their son's face, Anna and Drake both took him aside, reassured him that they were fine, and that everything that happened was just a misunderstanding. It took a while, but Lucas begrudgingly accepted that what had happened, had happened. He also couldn't deny that this little episode had served as a wake-up call for him.
Ever since the accident, Lucas had only been training because it felt natural to him, rather than because he had a burning desire to get stronger. As for the wealth of knowledge he had acquired, he had put much more focus on making his life more comfortable with it rather than using it to improve himself. Even after his recent breakthrough, all he could think about was trivial things like making cookies or building pumps to make fetching water easier.
Lucas still didn't think this was a bad mindset, or wrong in any way, but he realized now that even if he could dramatically increase the living standards of his family and Redwood Town, if he couldn't protect that progress from covetous eyes, it would only bring disaster to everyone around him.
Adjusting his mindset, Lucas walked back over to Farah and bowed deeply, "Thank you for your instruction, Senior."
"En," Farah nodded, again impressed by how steady and mature this young boy was.
Still, Farah understood that while Lucas had accepted the reality before him, he wasn't resigned to it. This wasn't a surprise given how he was ready to fight back against her just a few minutes ago, so she decided to offer up a little something as an apology, "Instead of 1 Silver, 30 Copper a bucket of fat scraps, I'll sell them to you at 1 Silver, 15 Copper from now on."
Lifting his head, Lucas narrowed his eyes slightly as he swiftly did some mental calculations before saying, "Make it 1 Silver flat, and you have a deal."
Farah was clearly taken aback by this counter-offer. At that price, she would basically be selling the fat scraps for no profit at all, but seeing the stubborn look on Lucas' face, she soon flashed a grin and nodded, stretching out her hand, "Fine, but since you're asking for such a low price, you'll have to give me a 10% discount on whatever it is you're working on right now."
"Deal," Lucas immediately agreed, feeling he had gained enough of an advantage, stretching out his own hand and shaking on it.