(Michael's POV)

After Andrew passed out that day, although I didn't show that I was impressed by what Andrew did and his accomplishments, I still had to go out that day in the evening towards the forest in search of a herb, even though there were great risks of me getting killed since the more powerful beasts roamed the forest at night, I didn't bother about all that and just took my cutlass and headed to the forest while feeling bright and happy, I have finally found a good seed indeed and I intend to groom him to the best of my abilities.

I enter the forest and seems like it was my lucky day as I did not encounter any beast on my way to and fro the forest before and after acquiring the required herb.

On getting back to the house, I mix the herb with other solutions before applying the herbs to Andrew's legs, I still mixed some solutions which I had to make Andrew drink. They were all effective in stimulating the body's cells for easier and quicker recovery.

After feeding Andrew the herbs, I looked at Andrew with a tender smile on my face while saying without care, fully understanding that Andrew has passed his limits and was fully unconscious, "You did good kid. If the master was to have seen you before, I am sure he would have taken you to be his most prized possession. Pity he is no longer around at this moment". While saying those words I reminisced when a man who was advanced in age was tutoring me on the way to becoming a seasoned hunter. It was truly hellish that period not as difficult as that of Andrew though, I had wanted Andrew to quit his notion of wanting to become a hunter at his tender age and focus on what younger children do hence I had to set such a level of difficulty.

In starting, I had thought Andrew would give up but he completed it in the end. Even if Andrew had collapsed quarter way he would have still fulfilled my requirements of training him cause if I was at his age, I am sure that I would not have been able to get to the quarter lap, when I had just started my training for being a hunter, I had started with a much simpler training method before I got to the weighty stone running part(he named the training section with his obscure naming sense). When Andrew got to half, I was more than shocked and if Andrew has turned in my direction to look at me at that moment, he would have questioned if I was feeling okay because, at that moment, I had my mouth wide agape forgetting to close it for a long while. When Andrew was at the third quarter mark, I have almost grown used to the surprises this kid could show me. But when Andrew was a bit away from the goal and was almost losing consciousness, my words towards him were words of encouragement albeit in the opposite form. I still saw a lot of unused potential in Andrew which he has not yet burst forth with and hence decided to use such words to awaken him up to try his hardest and he didn't fail me, as in the end, he struggled to complete it all. From that moment henceforth I had decided to train Andrew with all of my power and resources undermining how costly it would be in the end.

I took care of Andrew all through the whole time when he was unconscious from his bathing to his meals which were herbal soup to changing his clothes with some clothes which I bought nearby and the herbs placed around the injury, and all through those moments, I didn't forget to train. I guess am truly a training freak. Hearing the sound of objects falling, I say to myself, 'He must have woken up, let me just warm the porridge so he can eat a proper meal then'. I walk towards his kitchen to get the porridge ready for Andrew.

(Andrew's POV)

Here I was, looking behind and in front of myself, and all I could see was a huge war where powers greater than I could ever imagine were being thrown here and there. World-ending powers were being used and seem like they were fighting for something but everything seems blurry to me. I had very few people on my side but they were able to hold their forte against the lots before them. They were all-powerful, the fight that could end worlds carried on for a very long time but gradually all those around me fell one by one although they were strong they couldn't stop all of them. Time fast forwards and I could only find myself fighting against lots of people and I was even capable of overpowering them albeit I was having a tough time all on my own unlike when I was being assisted by others. Time fast forwards again and seems like something was running down my face giving me a tickling sensation. I raise my hands to touch what was on my face and when I was able to get a good look at it, it seems to be a gold liquid, it was also on a huge whole on my chest which I had no idea of when it appeared, 'How did such a huge hole get there without my noticing?', I couldn't help but wonder. Instead of blood, the golden liquid seems to be running through me and from the way everything seems to be, I have been fatally injured in this fight. The people all surrounding me whose faces were still blurry at this moment seems to be saying something inaudible and agreed with throwing their powers at me.

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Waking up, I find my body all drenched in sweat, what a dream I had. I have been having such a dream once in a while even when on earth but am not still able to comprehend the meaning of it. The dreams all started after my father died. Since then, I would have a dream such as this once in a while which I couldn't understand. The dreams might depict different scenarios but would always end up when I was about to be killed by a group of blurry-looking people. I grab my head and shake it up, the dreams just come when I am exhausted I haven't spoken about it to Audrey to tell how tight-lipped I was about the dreams I was having.

Looking around I seem to vaguely remember what happened and realize where I am right now from the memories. Trying to stand I realize my leg was strapped with something and it was giving me a stinging sensation on the part that has been bloodied formerly.

The pain almost makes me pass out but I had to hold strong while gnashing my teeth to get by the pain. 'Do I have to pass through these pains regularly to get powerful? Just the first round of the training hurt my legs so badly that I am not sure when they would be able to recover. Is all this necessary after all? Shouldn't I just leave everything as it is and try another method of being rich? I don't think I can handle all the training to come, I would die before everything is over and before I am strong enough to take care of myself and handle the situations outside the forest. And presently am sure I have not passed the test, I should just give up at the end then', I sigh in depression, clearly ready to give up on everything.

'Even Michael does not believe in me. I guess this is the end of the road. Guess I should find something to support my walking so I can get out of here to my house and try recuperating over there. It's good to know when to give up', I say to myself once again while taking a look around the room where I was currently on but I ended up being disappointed because apart from the mat on which I was currently lying, the only other things in the room would be the weapons which were arranged properly at the corner. 'Guess I would have to make do with one of the weapons then. I would return it after I am through or even pay for them now to avoid coming back here just immediately as I find my money', I say inwardly as I crawl towards the weapon rack to take a weapon to support myself out of the house. On getting close to the weapon rack, I manage to prop myself up halfway with the assistance of the weapon rack but I lose balance and fall while tumbling the weapons which creates a great disturbance since the weapons were arranged closely together, and thus, falling some of them which causes a chain reaction which results in most or all of them falling on the floor and creating a huge disturbance.

There is a bit of stillness after the noise created from the weapons falling on the floor, I didn't try standing up for a long while but I do not seem to be in more pain than before though, I just sat down staring blankly into space like I was at a loss. The silence continues for a long while until I start crawling to put all the weapons which have fallen back in their original position, looking at my speed though, I did take a lot of time to be able to get by it all. 'I can't give up. I can't give up. I can't be mediocre this time too. I can't be weak. I should train harder. I should be able to put some resistance against powerful forces this time around. I don't want to have any more regrets. I wasn't given a second chance to waste it. Even if I become a merchant, depending on other people's power and connections would eventually lead to my doom. I want to rule. I want to be powerful. Since he gave me such training, he doesn't intend to kill me but instead develops me to the best of his abilities, since he probably went through the same training and others went through it too and Michael is a lot stronger now. I want to be like him and even surpass him', a new wave of resolve has lightened my heart as I start saying inwardly with new fervour and great light in my eyes. It was not an easy decision but I had to make such a huge decision at this moment, and I didn't know that the resolution I gathered to make such a decision would sharpen my life and bring me to greater heights.