2 Coming of age

Mael discovered that this world was like a fantasy world with swords and magic. Considering the fact that he was a reincarnated person from the earth, he needs it to be kept secret from others. His own life was not his own and he will use everything to protect his precious loved ones.

He was trained by his father on using techniques and he constantly reads every book that he found interesting. He also discovered mana from the book of "mana cultivation". He first focused and felt faint energy in his body. Then circulated it within his core and trained his focus for hours. If he estimates it, his focus increased by one in several hours.

He continued his training in techniques, reading books, and mana cultivation throughout the years until he became twelve years old.

He trained and trained for years. At last, his hard work paid off. He will turn thirteen and the coming of age ceremony was at hand. He has to beat his father in terms of techniques, while his mother will serve as the jury. His mother will also judge on his practical application of the information from the books he read and as well as his focus on mana cultivation while fighting his father.

The days went by, he became thirteen. t

Thus, the day of coming of age has arrived.

His father stood at the center of weapons and Mael on the other side, while the judge is standing in the middle.

"Okay, the first one is the weapon category and the second one is the unarmed category. You will fight but not till death. Be careful not to cause a permanent injury on your opponent. The weapons were lined up and you will be judged by your performance on each weapon. For the first category, you will use weapons. Scores will be evaluated and the person with the highest overall score is the winner. The second round is the unarmed category by duel and force evaluation. That's all for the rules. Now, get into your positions and ready your weapons", His mother said as she tightened her headband.

Mael and his father got into their own positions, then picked up the sword.

"In this sword technique, you have to make as much damage as you can to the training dummy with your training sword in ten seconds, the time starts now!", she shouted as she blows the horn.

Tooooooottttttttt!

Mael and his father smashed the dummies with all their might. Both parties were on fire.

Tak! tak! tak!

Mael hits it harder and faster, but his father had no intentions of loosing to him. The training dummy of Melvin is getting crumpled, while Mael is still not yet as damaged as his father.

"Three! Two! One! Time's up", Erza called out then blows the horn.

Tooootttttttttttt!!!

Mael was disappointed at the result and moved on to the next weapon.

He grabbed the spear and his father did also. They will compete by making a hole on the big trunk of wood using their spear. The first one to complete the task is the winner. They lined up and faced the wooden trunk and then on Erza's signal, they thrusted the pole rapidly.

In just two seconds, Mael thrusted it twenty times. But his father is also coping up with him. In five seconds, he is halfway through the trunk. On the other hand, his father changed his strategy. His consecutive thrusts changed from fast and light thrusts to mediocre and heavy.

His father was changing his tactics and it proves to be effective. When he was about to finish, he paused and concentrated his attack for the last hit; then pierce it with all his might.

"Haaaaaaaaaaaahhh!"

They both shouted, while Mael was rapidly piercing. Melvin released his thrust to the trunk.

In the last moments, they both pierced it with all they got and bang! They both pierced it at the same time.

"Who's first?", asked Melvin.

"Well both of you was the first, and there's no winner and loser. It means it's a tie", said Erza.

"Huh? what? no, I'm the first one!", said Mael to her.

"Hey old man, I will defeat you this time around", Mael said as he grabbed the bow.

"Tsk! You're still a green leaf child, who did not know the vastness of Lumia. There are greater persons than me, better remember that", said Melvin as he winked at him.

He grabbed the bow and moved to the shooting range.

"For this contest, you have to take turns in firing three arrows. If you've hit the bullseye then no score. If not then minus points. All you have to do is to fire three arrows for the separate target on the first set. Then on the second set is you have to fire three consecutive shots to different targets while evading your opponent's shot at you. You have three seconds to fire and when you are hit by the opponent. Well, game over. Understood?", said Erza.

Everyone fell silent then both Melvin and Mael exclaimed.

"Huh? Do we have to dodge while firing? Are you kidding me?", both said by the contestants while their jaws dropped wide.

"Well, everything's gonna be fine. We will only use blunt arrows this time. Nyehehehe!", said Erza as she imagined the outcome.

Mael was the first one to shot at the target and his father was the one who will fire at him.

"Good luck, Boy!", his father said as he salutes at him.

Melvin was standing on the top of one of the tree trunks where the target was located and Mael stands on the opposite side where he will be firing.

"Contestants get ready! In my signal! Fire!", she said as she dropped her miniature flag.

Mael grabbed three arrows from his quiver and loaded each one between his four fingers. He prepared to aim but his father released three consecutive shots, aiming at him. He dashed sideways, then released the arrows.

Tok! tok! tok!

"Two bullseyes and one middle ring, you have minus one points, get ready for set two", she instructed.

Mael braced his self then Erza said, " On my signal! Set two begin!", she said then dropped the flag second time around.

Mael reloaded again, but this time his father rained the blunt arrows like a shower barrage. Making him have no openings for the release of his arrows. His father was predicting where he will dodge and released where he will go.

He was dodging in just hair's breadth, planning on taking a drive through the barrage of arrows. He jumped forwards and released three consecutive shots, while deflecting the blunt arrows with his bow.

Released one, then deflecting one. Released, then deflect. On the third shot, he released a little bit earlier, because of nearly being hit after deflecting.

Tak! tak! tak!

"One middle ring, one bullseye and, one outer ring. All hitting but two miss, so minus two", she said as she concludes the second set.

Next was his father's turn, Mael wants to make sure that he will get his revenge on his father. As he stood at the trunk, he equipped his blunt arrows.

When he was at the top, he aimed at his father with focus. Formulating the possibility of where his father will dash. He simulated realistic events of the possible outcome.

First was to release the first one, then depending on the direction on where he will go. He will release in a few steps of distance in advance.

All of this was just a possibility and had a fifty percent chance. It's just whether he will just stand there and deflect while firing or he will move and deflect then fires.

He draws the bow with great force. Then on the signal, he fired it in his direction. In split seconds, his father fires it then blocked the incoming arrow using his bow.

In his dismay, he fired three arrows in one shot in rapid succession but his father's arrow reached the target point.

"Three bull's eyes! Prepare for the set two", said Erza

Melvin winked Mael, then it resulted for him to be irritated. He draws again the three arrows then planned on rapidly firing it to his father. But his father was so fast in reloading and firing, in which he will be firing it and at the same time defending your first release of the arrow.

"In my signal, go!", she said as she dropped the flag

Mael fired the three arrows, while aiming at three different directions. One aimed at his feet, another on his bow and on his face. He released the two but left the last one. It was blocked by him, but when he defended his face. Mael instantly reloaded it and fired at his feet. He defended the two arrows, but the last arrow got buried on his foot.

"Strike! You're out Melvin!", said Erza, while signaling that Mael won over his father.

"Yeah! First win!", he said as he jumped from the wooden trunk.

"Ok, ok. You have a tie for your scores and you better be prepared for the next battle. Up next is the crossbow technique", said Erza.

Mael grabbed the crossbow and loaded it and his father also readied himself. They moved to an assault grounds and they will hunt each other, with the walls, doors and, obstacles like they will play hide and seek. It will be a perfect place for Mael to hunt his enemy and put the skills of his past self into good use. They will play one on one using blunt bolts and have to strike first for you to win.

Mael was on the opposite side and Melvin on the other side. Mael entered the maze-like obstacles and scanned the surrounding area while listening to the sound. His steps were silent and he takes a peak every time he is seeing every corner. He peaked then moved forward, everything was silent until he heard footsteps nearing on the other side of the corner. They were near with each other. Mael can still hide in the dark side of the container or crouch and aim at him while taking cover in the container. He throws a stone in the other room, then he prepared for his strike.

He then chooses to aim, while taking cover. When Melvin appeared in the corner, he pulled the trigger. Melvin was taken by surprise and was struck in the chest.

Mael was entitled as the winner and his father was surprised by the result.

"You are the winner!", said his mother while hiding in the dark.

"Next, set is in the sniper range", She said as she disappeared.

They walked to the sniper range where they will snipe using the crossbow they held. They arrived at the sniper range and then prepared themselves. They will fire from where they stand and then snipe the two hundred meters distance target dummy. They will fire three times and the headshot is three points, the chest is two points and, hitting it wherever is one point.

Mael and Melvin will fire at the same time when the time starts.

"On my mark! Fire!", said Erza.

Chuck!

"Reload! Reload!", said Erza.

Mael reloads, but his father was faster. You would need some decent pulling strength for your reload to be faster when reloading the crossbow.

Mael successfully reloads then they fired again and again.

Erza took her telescope then said the results.

Mael got three headshots and his father also. With that Mael got the bow contest than a 1-draw on the crossbow.

"That means the Winner on bow and crossbow technique is Mael!", she said.

"Next, the two-handed technique where you will be competing. Let's go to the weights area and prepare your strength", said Erza.

As they arrived, Erza instructed them to grab the two-handed hammer and swing it to the large iron pole that measures your damage by the vibration it will produce.

Mael comes first and lifted the hammer, with the signal of his mother, he swings it horizontally and then bang!

The pole produced a vibration and Erza laughed.

"You have a score often, but you will still get stronger as the time pass by", said his mother.

His Father was next. He lifted the hammer then bang!

Mael can feel the vibration from his skin and he distanced a bit because it was suffocating.

"Twenty-nine, well that concludes our two-handed contest", she said as she announced the victory of Melvin.

They moved on to the dagger contest, and he grabbed his dagger. They will be assassinating the clay dummy while making the greatest damage they can make to the target with three tries.

Melvin comes first and dashed to the dummy then stabbed its heart while he twisted his body to pull the dagger. Slashing it sideways even when the dagger was still buried from the body of the dummy.

"Eight points. Next attack!", she said.

The wound from the dummy healed by itself and reverted to its original state.

"Ready! Go!", she shouted.

Melvin then dashed, throwing the dagger at the center of the abdomen then grabbed it while still on darting form then he sliced the belly. The left side of the dummy is ripped open.

"Nine points! Next attack", she said.

Melvin then braced, he tossed it to the neck and pulled the dagger. He twisted, then throws it to the back of its head.

"Ten points! Mael, on my mark! Ready, go!", she shouted.

Mael darted to the dummy, then he twisted and turned three times; while slashing the neck and the armpits.

"Ten points! Next attack!", she shouted

Mael darted again to the front and then he disappeared in front. Appearing at the back of the dummy, then stabbing its head.

"Splendid! Another ten!", she said as she shouted.

He darted then stabbed the heart, then slashed through the neck. All way up to its head leaving it its face open. He backflipped after he finished his attack.

"Wonderful! Ten!!!!" she shouted with all her might.

"You win!", she added.

The next was the unarmed techniques, with the first round as a one on one duel and next is the force evaluation.

"Get ready for the duel, the rules are by hit based, a single hit is one point, the counter is two points, and knocked down is a hundred points", she gave them the instructions and commanded them to get ready in the stage.

Mael is on the opposite side and he removed his shirt, his father is also topless and their bodies are all well-formed. They will have a short match that will last for one minute and the one who is knocked down first will be the loser if no one is knocked down then the one who has many points is the winner.

"Get ready! fight with your dignity on the line and fight fair and square. Your force aura will be evaluated by me right after the fight. Position yourselves and in three, two, one. Fight!", she shouted then ringed the bell.

Mael darted without hesitation and strikes with his punch but countered by his father with a hook punch in his side.

Huk!

Mael staggered because his force aura is in another level, even when Melvin's hook will not land but only an inch distance from his body, his strike's shock wave will still be landing and if you're hit, it is enough to blow you away.

Mael was struck and the pain is hindering him from breath. Even Mael is stepping back a few times, his father is not even making him have time to breathe and even made some combos and he managed to block all his father's strikes but still has his force applied.

The shockwave was producing banging sounds and Mael is cornered in the stage. He is just defending, never mind to leave openings. With him cornered, he has no choice but to counter his father's strikes.

The unarmed technique has three fundamentals: it is the offensive, defensive, and, the aura. The offensive is to attack and counter, Defensive is to block, disarm and, deflect and, the Aura which is the force gathering, and body enhancement.

His father was attacking and Mael's patience was on the limit. He was secretly gathering force to counter his father. With the right timing, his father punched him with force applied and he deflects it with his right hand then punched his abdomen with all his gathered force.

Bang!

"Nguk!", his father gasped as he is thrown to the edge of the stage.

"Knockdown!", shouted his mother

His father stands up but collapsed after. Mael helped him to stand up then his father said, "Congrats son, you're a big boy now that is strong enough to beat me. Well, I'm going on a journey and leave Golden Valley to your hands in the meantime. Huk!".

"Don't talk yet, dad. you're not yet recovered and we have plenty of time to discuss that", said Mael.

Later that night, his mother made a celebration in the Manor estate of the successful coming of age of her son Mael, his father rested that night because he is recuperating. They prepared the gardens located at the back of their mansion and made it the location of the ceremony.

They arranged the tables, putting on table cloths and then the lamps and candles to it, as well as floating lanterns in the surroundings. The guards positioned on every corner and all is set up. The night came and the visitors are coming one by one.

Mael has shown himself with a formal dress and appeared himself to the crowd. It as a tuxedo and black slacks at the bottom. The guests are amazed by his handsomeness, he is not the type of person who is handsome or cute but right in the middle. Mael was famous in the Golden Valley due to his kindness and down to earth humility–especially to the girls. After his appearance, there came young girls that are charging towards him.

They wore gowns colored red, blue, and yellow. The yellow gowned were cute and she has a yellow hair. The red gowned were beautiful and has red hair. The blue gowned has blue curly hair. The one in the sparkling yellow gown spoke first.

"Hello, young master! Congrats! I have a gift for you and I hope you will like it", she handed him a gift box.

"By the way, I'm Nesty", she said as she winked in the left eye.

The bright red gowned girl broke their conversation and said, "I'm Elizabeth, Beth for short. I had this chocolate made by myself, hope you like it", she smiled dearly and then about-faced, she giggled a bit after and then she faced him again.

The royal blue gowned girl was holding a letter and gave it to him, he grabbed it and smiled.

"I will read it at bedtime, I will treasure this letter and hide it", he said then he smiled at her cutely.

She was stricken by cuteness and blushed thus she retreated.

"Hey, Elsa! Where are you going? I'm sorry, she is still on the process", said Beth to Mael.

"Hahaha! Thanks for the letter! Let's have time to talk later after the party!", he shouted to Elsa.

"Young master Mael, we will be on our way, let's talk again later", Nesty said as she grabbed Beth then chased Elsa.

The program was starting and his mother was the master of ceremony. They made a little program for Mael and they congratulated him one by one. He is seating on the VIP table beside his mother and the guests are making their own speech.

"Congratulations, young master Mael, for successfully reaching adulthood. I hope you will be as great as your father in the future", messaged the representative of the agriculture and as the last message, was his mother is the one who talked.

"Son, first of all, I support you on everything as well as your future decisions. Just don't forget to be humble and kind-hearted to the people. You love them and they will love you back. You're still young so make many friends, but don't be a playboy like you father", she paused then all the guests laughed

"Don't play the hearts of the girls you've met and you're still forbidden to have girlfriend, not now. And last, be courageous in all of your difficulties along the way", she paused and said, " that is all and enjoy the night."

All cheered for the young master, they happily sang that night and after the party. He met with the three girls and they talked like normal. In the front of their mansion, they sat on the round table in the lawn while basking in the moonlight. They all dressed in normal clothes and are happily talking.

"Hey what are your hobbies? Likes and dislikes?", Beth asked Mael.

Mael thought for a second then replied, "My hobbies are reading books, studying alchemy, enchanting, and as well as training with father. I like athletic games and adventuring or wandering in the Golden Valley. Never been to any place but only Golden Valley. And dislikes is the betrayal from anyone", he explained

"Ohhhhhh! Betrayal! You've been betrayed before? Tell me, who is it? And I will punch her in the face", Nesty said to Mael intrigued

"Yeah, she's a special someone. But it's not important. Well at least I have new friends!", he said to her.

"Yeah, and we will never betray you! Never!", said Beth.

"Ummmu!, We will never betray young master Mael! We will protect his feelings!", said Elsa.

Mael was moved and was about to say something but his new friends are called by their parents.

"I'm sorry. But we have to go home with our parents. Let's met again sometime.", said Nesty

"Goodbye!", said Elsa timidly.

They left and Mael waved them goodbye.

He reads the letter in his pocket and then smiled.

"Thanks", he said to them when they are nowhere to be seen. It's the word he wants to say to them but they left immediately.