Chapter 21: Dragon meets Bat

Chapter 21: Dragon meets Bat

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"Being weak is nothing to be ashamed of... Staying weak is !!"

– Fuegoleon Vermillion, (Black Clover)

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<(Richard Dragon pov)>

This is a really big house, even bigger than Sensei's dojo. I wonder what the history is behind this building, just how much blood and tears were used up to make this piece of architectural marvel.

Countless useless thoughts like these began to swirl in my mind as I stood outside the door of the main mansion after ringing the bell on the door. It didn't even make sense, the guards outside at the main gate had already checked my identity and let me in, so the residents knew that I was coming. So, what was the use of placing a doorbell here? Seriously, the rich and their over-the-top security.

"Good morning Mr. Dragon. We were expecting you. Please come in. The young master is waiting for you inside." A man in his late thirties or maybe early forties greeted me after he curtly opened the door.

He was probably the butler of the family, a well-mannered person if one goes by his style of speaking. Even though I had only just met him, I could sense he wasn't a selfish bloodsucker like most of the people I encountered after coming to Gotham.

He seemed like a normal butler at first sight but if one looked carefully at his posture and the thin outline of a fading muscular physique inside that suit of his, one would know that he had some decent combat experience, maybe a military man of some kind.

I didn't reply to his greeting and just silently followed him. I am not here to judge people or find out about his personal history. I am simply here to teach a prospective student if he is worthy enough to be one. Otherwise, I am just here to enjoy a cup of expensive tea.

As we went to the living room which was bigger than my entire apartment, I saw the kid I was supposed to teach. And he was just what I expected him to be, a normal-looking little kid. He didn't look any different than the other hundreds of kids I have seen in my life, maybe a little better looking than the average but that might just be the expensive grooming products that I have heard billionaires like to use.

Although the look in his eyes did seem somewhat different than what I was used to. I have seen a lot of eyes. My master, O-sensei believed them to be the windows to our souls, displaying our true emotions, our true selves to everyone outside. I have seen eyes with looks showing a determination to survive or desire to take revenge or even greed for money and power. But his eyes were different. In his eyes, I saw... absolutely nothing.

They were blank. Not a single bit of emotion was present, just pure intelligence. It was like he was observing me as much as I was observing him, like a predator hiding in the shadows, waiting to see if I was a friend or a foe.

Maybe 'they' were right. He might be different than the others who normally want to learn martial arts from me. But the question was why did they want me to teach him? Why was it so important that they even had 'her' approach me for a 'favor'?

"What's your name?" I ask, not waiting for the butler to start the introductions.

"Don't you already know that?" The kid raised one of his brows in a question.

"I want to hear it from you," I said as I looked him straight in the eyes. I was trying to determine his personality by observing his actions and expressions. I am not gonna teach a kid with a twisted personality who might become a serial killer in the future.

"Sure. But you have to promise me one thing, Mr. Dragon. You will teach me everything you know in these two years as long as I can learn them or master them. You won't withhold anything from me as long as I have enough talent to learn from you." Bruce said as he too sounded quite serious.

I had only agreed to teach him for two years because I knew that he wouldn't be able to learn or master everything I had to offer under the limited time. That way, even if he did go down a dark path, people would still be able to stop him.

Even geniuses need years after years of training to even begin to comprehend some of the advanced techniques I possess. He might be a genius himself but, no matter how rare once-in-a-century genius he is, he simply won't be able to learn it all, at least not the skills that truly matter like my knowledge of chi.

"I accept. I swear I will teach you everything I know in these two years as long as you can learn and master each subsequent skill and technique I teach before I move on to the next." I swore.

Truthfully, I was feeling somewhat guilty for fooling a small kid like him. But I had no other choice. I can't make him into an absolute weapon for 'them' to use. I couldn't go against them directly and deny training him. If I don't train him, they would just find someone else for the job. But this way, at least I could make sure that he doesn't become the weapon that 'they' always want in their members.

"Thank you, then I'll be in your care from now on, sensei" Bruce bowed to me, this time with much more respect than before.

"We will start your training from tomorrow then, my young student." I bowed back, a little happy to finally get some respect from him.

"By the way, I should mention that a young friend of mine will also join my classes. She is my best friend and lives with me, so you can trust her. I assure you she is the most innocent and pure girl you will ever meet who can't even think of stealing, much less killing." Bruce said as he smiled at me.

Of course, I nodded and smiled back in return accepting his request. Training him will be more important for me of course since that was why I was here but if he wants a friend to learn with him then sure, why not.

But I still wonder, why did he describe his friend, the girl that way? Is she a little angel or something?

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{A big shout-out to my new pátron 'Sebastian Vasquez' for joining the CELESTIAL EMEROR tier on my Pàtreon. Thanks for the support.}

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