Volume 8 Chapter 40: Focus

"Hah!" Keith roared as he swung an axe with great strength. A powerful gush of force could be heard; it was quite ferocious. One blow from it would land someone in the nurse's office for days.

As Keith continued his relentless swinging, the others' concern grew. "He's been at this for hours." Unease. Usually, they would be amazed, but this was concerning for them.

Non-stop swinging. Keith had been doing this for quite some time. The others thought he would stop after a few minutes. But that was not so.

"Are his hands going to be okay? That thing is supposed to be heavy." The axe was made of wood. However, it was supposed to simulate the same weight as an actual axe. Yet this guy was moving it with one hand!

"Keith, don't you think you should take a break?" Alfia questioned.

"..." Keith said nothing as he continued to swing his axe. His mind continued to be focused and glazed.

Gabriel tapped on her shoulders, "Give him some time. He's going to need it."

"...Mmhmm." The others nodded. Well, it was not surprising for them that he acted like this. Even after a few hours,

"How long is he going to continue?" Krystal groaned. This was quite strange since Keith would always come in and make dinner. This guy has a universal time in his body!

Cadmus entered the living room, "Hey! Where's dinner? I'm quite hungry!"

"Dinner? Do you really have time to care about that?!" Nephele roared. And the other kids followed as they stared at him.

Aidiun and Shoma shook their heads. This guy has no tact at all.

"Huh? Why are you yelling at me? And where's the kid?" Cadmus looked around; Keith was nowhere in sight.

"He's been training since morning without breaks." Udine sighed.

"..." Cadmus took a deep breath as he headed to the second island. That was when he saw Keith continuing to swing the axe. He grabbed the child's shoulder. That was precisely the wrong move as a swing came down at him!

"Are you trying to gut me!" The dragon's life flashed before his eyes! This guy wanted to end him on the spot!

"Sorry about that, I was too absorbed." Keith took it down a notch as he dropped his axe.

"What's the matter with you?" The kid was usually composed; this probably shocked the rest. However, it was not so with Cadmus.

"Are you down about the match?"

"What? Of course not." Keith shook his head as he sighed deeply, "I accepted the fact that I lost."

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"But you don't accept the fact that you lost so easily." There was a difference. From what was said, Keith got demolished by the sword saint. Besides the fact that he broke his two fingers, the rest of the battle was one-sided.

"..." Bingo

"I can't believe I lost like that." That was something that even spooked him. This was the first time he had ever been destroyed so easily. He was trying his best against an opponent, yet he was easily blasted away.

"If I can get into that groove."

"Eh?" Groove?

"Tennol told me about it. When we fought, it seemed I did something to spook the sword saint." But what did I do? Keith couldn't remember it. The others, as well. They didn't understand what he did.

"..." Cadmus was silent before smacking his head, "Sheesh! Stop spacing out like that. If you're doing something, then just say it! You're making the others worried!"

"Ahh, my bad." I guess I was too absorbed. That was a bad habit he had to get rid of. Cadmus returned to the first island.

But there's something else worrying him. It wasn't only the defeat that was on his mind.

...

When Keith went to sleep,

"Oh, it's been a while." Keith waved his hand at the gods. It's been some time since he had been called over here. That was why he asked, "How's the smoked meats?" The last time they talked was when he handed the smoked meats over to them.

"They were so delicious!" Kreye shouted.

"Especially the smoked melon." Rhea grinned as she held her stomach. Kreye muttered from the side, "You didn't even dare share with us."

"Such delicious food was too amazing."

“…” The others gave her a weird look.

Keith sat across from them, "The room really became a sanctuary." That white space he had come to before became a giant place filled with flowers.

Damn, there was even a water fountain on the side!

"Ares said that we needed something grand, so Hepha went to work." Kreye shrugged.

"Of course! You three were planning to stay in that dumb pocket dimension if I haven't said anything." Ares shook his head. How could they relax staying there?!

"Anyways, how was your first loss?"

"Dude!"

"What is wrong with you?!"

"How could you say something like that?" The other divine beings began to scold that god of war?! This knucklehead! Was he trying to make everyone kill him!

Never did they expect him to say something like that!

"What? You guys were worried about him as well. Might as well ask the person himself."

"Oh, you guys don't need to worry about me." Keith waved, "I have to accept the loss." Making him talk about it calmed him down.

"You really wanted to win." Ares grinned. He saw the look in his eyes as he fought. That guy was thinking about victory and nothing more; it was quite the sight.

"...I was so close." Keith pouted.

"He's one of the people I gave my blessing to."

"What?"

"Yeah, you fought someone with my blessing." Ares grinned, "Hahaha, do you want me to give you some blessings?"

"HUH?!" The other divine beings were speechless. Ares grinned, "I quite enjoyed how you fought. You didn't even need any blessings." That was all skills and instincts. So what would happen if he had it?

"No way!"

"He can't have your blessing without mine!"

"Eh?"

"Yeah, there's a damn line!"

Magus shook his head, "Forget everything he said, child."

"…Alright."

"But think about it!" Ares didn't want to give in, but he got a beating next.

"Anyways, when are you going to make that?"

"That?" Ding! The sound of a lightbulb turned out, "Ahh, I'm going to make it later in the day."

"That's great! Then we won't bother you anymore." Keith quickly disappeared.

"Did you guys have to hit me so hard?" Ares rubbed his face. Even though he was a god of war, that didn't mean he couldn't feel pain.

"You're an idiot! How could you say something like that?!"

"What? I wanted to give it to him. It would definitely be beneficial."

"We agreed Magus would be the first one."

"By the way, is he close?"

"Mmhmm." Magus nodded, "He's going to get it once he eats that fruit."

"Oh yeah. That fruit."

…