24 Family

Shen walked through the forest and he was confused and annoyed.

In the past 8 hours, he couldn't find a single middle mortal beast, just lower mortal types. It was already daylight.

Shen was starting to get hungry and was saving his appetite for a middle mortal class of beasts.

*Growl* Shen clutched his stomach and had bags under his eyes from not sleeping Shen sat down next to a tree and put his head against it.

\"How come I can't find a single middle-class beast in this whole damn forest!\" Shen shouted out in frustration tapping the back of his head against the tree.

And was planning to leave and ask around in town but just then he heard a scream come from behind him.

\"Help! Please, someone! Anyone! Help please!\" It sounded like a little kid!

Shen stood up and ran to the source of the voice.

He found a small dark brown-haired child hiding in a tree with a hole in the middle just big enough for his short size,

He was being attacked by a creature that was a giant hornet trying to break into the trees using its stinger stabbing into the tree and breaking off chunks of wood.

Shen saw what was happening and rushed to save the boy and blindsided the monster with the But it whipped around and stopped it with its stinger and they began to stab at each other back and forth.

The hornet attempted to stab Shen's face but the beast's movements felt slower than the monkeyroo.

He dodged out of the way while activating iron fists and punching the beast in the face which caused the creature to be thrown into a tree.

As it tried to recover Shen stabbed it into the tree pinning it into it a bit of blood splashed on his face.

[Congratulations on defeating giant hornet: Middle-class beast.]

[Skill Upgraded.]

Shen couldn't believe what just happened. ' That was a middle-class beast??? Why was it so easy?' He thought that it must have been a level lower than the monkeyroo since it was so slow

But now he thought maybe it wasn't the creature! Maybe it was him! His boy must have sped up and made it easier to kill for him.

\"T-Thank you, mister\" A voice interrupted Shens thoughts and caused him to turn around quickly.

The child behind him was wearing rags and looking at him with brown eyes which were red with tears.

The child flinched and said \"Thank you for saving me sir!\" The Child bowed and looked up at Shen like he was a monster since in the kid's eyes he looked like one he just killed a middle-class beast like it was nothing.

\"It's fine, are you hurt?\" Shen said with a smile trying to seem endearing to the child.

\"J-J-Just a scratch sir\" Now the kid was terrified the man smiled even though his face has blood all over it! 'This man is not sane!' The child thought nearly wet himself in fear.

\"Let me see\" Shen put out his hand to the child.

\"O-ok\" The boy sheepishly put his arm in the man's hand and closed his eye and Shen saw a shallow scratch along the forearm of the small child reaching his elbow.

Shen cast some basic healing magic and the wound went away, not even a bruise. Shen was surprised 'Did my healing also get better?' Shen thought.

The boy opened his eyes to see the scratch was completely better, no scar, not even he could see where the cut used to be. The boy's face brightened up and he looked at Shen with gratitude.

\"Thank you mister!\" The boy said with a joyful smile.

\"It was nothing but I have a couple questions if you don't mind answering them for me\" Shen knelt close to the kid's face.

\"Sure! I know a lot about these parts.\" The child said pridefully \"Ask me anything.\"

\"Ok,\" Shen said, \"Let's start with your name.\"

\"My name is Julius masters.\" The boy responded.

\"Why was this beast after you and where did you find it?\"

\"At the cave not too far from here. It's forbidden to go there but I went in because my friends dared me too,\" The boy said, \"They said I was too afraid to go in and I went in to prove them wrong and I did!\"

\"And what did that gain you?\" Shen said simply remembering how Shu used to scold him.

\"...Nothing.\" The boy said looking down to the ground.

\"It almost killed you do you know how stupid it to do something like this?\"Shen said scolding the boy.

\"But I just wanted to be Brave!\" The boy cried out.

\"It won't matter if you're brave if you're dead! There is a difference between being brave and being stupid! You just did something damn near suicidal! And for what your friends think you're cool?\" Shen Shouted at the boy.

\"I-I-I\" The boy could barely speak.

The man was right and the boy was almost pushed to tears.

\"Do you have a family kid?\" Shen asked and the boy nodded his head slightly. \"Then go and spend time with them, not with those stupid friends who will get you killed for fun.\"

\"B-B-but i\" Tears ran down the boy's cheeks.

Shen sighed and looked at the boy in the eyes. \"Then make them understand. Your life is important and they would miss you if you were gone.\" Shen said calmly. \"Listen I'll walk you back home after I eat and mark this cave on my map.\"

Julius and Shen sat down on two logs while he cooked the hornet on a spit and they began to talk.

Shen found out the boy had two brothers and one sister and he was the oldest.

He said that his real dad had left him and his stepdad was more of a father than the one he used to have but he was working all the time and couldn't be there for him.

\"What about your siblings?\" Shen asked with an eyebrow raised.

\"My sister judged my friends and I got mad and didn't talk to her anymore,\" Julius said, crossing his arms in a huff.

\"That's not right, you should always try and make up with family! I was alone for most of my life with only my grandmaster to take care of me and talk to me. Without him I would have been dead a long time ago. Either by the people who hated me or...\" Shen said looking into the forest with eyes that looked a thousand miles away.

\"Well I wouldn't have made it this far,\" Shen said, coming back to reality.

Julius sat and gripped his rags tightly in his hands and softly sobbing.

\"What's wrong\" Shen was perplexed.

\"They won't take me back. I said something horrible to my mom and sister and they hate me now\" Julius said through thick tears.

\"That's not true they are your family! And I'm sure that if you go back and apologize they will take you back!\" Shen exclaimed.

Julius began to wipe his tears away. \"Really? You think they will?\"

\"I know they will because family is something you can't take for granted and mothers always love their kids no matter what they do,\" Shen replied looking into the fire. \"That's why I wish I had one like yours because a family that argues with you, cares for you.\"

The boy looked at Shen who was looking into the fire and saw a tear form at the bridge of his eyelid before Shen wiped it away and began to speak.

\"The food is done, let's eat.\" Shen cut a piece of the beast and gave it to the kid and ate a piece himself.

[Skill upgraded basic sword fighting. (2)]

[Skill acquired frenzy assault.]

[One more middle-class beast needed to upgrade.]

\"Nice,\" Shen said and the boy heard him. \"What sir?\"

\"Oh I mean it's nice to have a family and a place to go home to,\" Shen responded. \"You know people who listen to you when you talk. I never had that I was by myself I only ever had master Shu\"

\"Yea it is..\" Julius felt bad for everything he did and wanted to go home and see his family again.

****

After they ate their fill Shen got up and walked Julius home.

After a while they stood at the front door of a dirt home which was small but well maintained.

\"I don't think they will take me back,\" Julius said sheepishly.

\"Ok well let's see\" Shen knocked on the door and after a minute a woman with red eyes from crying Answered the door \"Yes\" She said.

The boy was hiding behind shens leg and walked forward.

\"Hi mom,\" The boy said. \"Mom I'm so sorry-\" Before the boy could finish the mom hugged him and started to cry holding him.

In her embrace, he began to cry too.

After a moment a little girl came out of the house and saw them and ran into the hug while crying.

\"Big brother your back!\" She shouted through her tears and the little boys had much the same reaction. They all cried together for a moment.

After they were done the mom stood up and told the boy to go inside so that his father would talk to him later and the boy's face went pale and caused Shen to chuckle in response. The women went up to Shen.

\"Thank you for bringing him home,\" The mother said, wiping her tears.

After talking for a few minutes Shen left the family and went back to the woods to find the cave the boy was talking about and thinking about how Shu was when he was that age.

\"Ha\" Shen let out a chuckle \"I was such a handful always getting into trouble and trying to escape the temple. He was my father, mother, and brother.\" He let out a bit of a smile \"I miss those simple times. I miss you Shu.\"

\"I'll get revenge for you Shu. I promise.\"

***

In a dungeon under the Igniculus prison.

Shu was in a cell with his foot chained to the floor pulling on the chain trying to get free \"I'll get out of here.\" Shu laid with his back against the wall. \"I'll get back to you Shen Even if it kills me.\"

\"And when I do I'll tell you the truth.\"