Chương 1721: [1618] – Y07.118 – Hearts of Fire VIII

Kitool remained standing for a moment, but seeing the half elf's apology within his eyes, the woman sat down once more. Although losing to a Paragon held no shame, she understood what his eyes spoke.

"Daddy!" came a cry in utter shock and surprise, perhaps too shocked, too surprised, the girl reaching out to grab her father's hand, in an exaggerated manner.

"You have to be careful because you are so weak!" Adam blinked.

"Daddy! You are so weak! You have to be careful, okay?" Adam blinked once more, as the girl struck deep into his core with her words. The girl climbed on top of her father, clutching his head tightly, and she leaned in, her voice a whisper, but enough for the keen ears amongst them.

"If you lose, I will not cuddle with you." Adam closed his eyes, tears threatening to slip through his eyes.

'Did you think my daughter would bully you the most? No! I am her father! So she has to bully me the most! This daughter of mine, who love me mo-'"You think I am joking with you?" the girl whispered once more into his ear, threatening her fool of a father.

"It seems I cannot lose," the half elf replied, and though the girl buried her head within his neck, the half elf planted a kiss on her cheek, and she returned his affection, and once he had placed her down, the girl grabbed his hand. She held his gaze for a long moment, and after a moment, she let go of his hand and clasped her hands behind her back, and allowed the fool to spoil her brother. As the girl bullied her father, another father spoke with his daughter.

"You do not have to hold back," Ash stated.

"You are placing too much faith in him."

"I am placing as much as your grandfather."

"If grandfather wishes for me to take him seriously, I must do so," the woman replied simply, and she narrowed her eyes on the half elf, whose scent was curious, but there was no need to worry about that. Adam stood tall, adorned in his armour, that which had been gifted to him by his wife, enchanted by great magics. Once more, he wore the cloak and ring, for the Iyrmen had expected him to step forward, even in this place.

"Since my daughter has requested I do not lose, I cannot hold back," Adam mused playfully.

"Out of respect, I will not hold back."

"I must warn you, that I have never lost in front of my children."

"I will not regret taking away such a tale from you." Omen: 1, 2"I am Adam, though they call me Crazy Father within Aldland."

"I am Aisha."

'At least they have the same theme…' Adam thought, slowly smiling.

"May I ask, who is the strongest opponent you've faced?"

"I came to blows with the Fire Sword Dragon."

"Ah? I came across Kal Isam, the Poison Sword Dragon, and we crossed blades."

"How did that come to pass?" Aisha asked, obviously surprised by the news, and there were others who were equally as surprised, from Ramizash to Ash.

"I clashed steel with him due to my connection with Black Mountain," Adam replied. The woman remained silent for a long while, until she finally narrowed her eyes, deeper in thought.

"To think you survived."

"Whenever I think of his greatblade, I find myself wincing, for it almost cleaved me in half," Adam replied, a shudder running through him of the large blade that had threatened to bisect him almost a year ago. It was he, the Poison Sword Dragon, who had reached what they called the Peak, he who had granted him a deep fear within his heart. This novel's true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

"Mo Adam, I see you possess an amulet of the Lord of Death."

"That is right."

"Are you one who fights as an Oathsworn?"

"Yes," Adam replied, though took a moment to deliberate.

"I fight in a special manner, though that is pretty accurate."

"Then, I hope you will not hold back in that regard," the woman said, clasping her greatspear, and she pointed it towards the half elf.

"Amalrot, are you watching?" Adam asked, causing the yawning girl to sit upright, her eyes glued to her brother. The girl squealed and hid away upon her brother's wave, and she turned back to look up at him, only to see her brother's back. Then, without further fanfare, the pair began their bout. Battle Order D20 + 1 = 17 (16) Fighting Spirit: 3 -> 2 Attack: Heavy Axe (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 29 (18) D20 + 11 = 29 (18) Critical Hit! Mana: 39 -> 36 Ability: Divine Smite 8D6 + 8D6 + 9 = 55 (24)(22) 55 damage!

Attack: Heavy Axe (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 16 (5) D20 + 11 = 29 (18) Critical Hit! Mana: 36 -> 33 Ability: Divine Smite 8D6 + 8D6 + 9 = 62 (25)(28) 62 damage! Onward Soar: 1 -> 0 Attack: Heavy Axe (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 16 (5) D20 + 11 = 23 (12) Hit! Mana: 33 -> 32 Ability: Divine Smite 4D6 + 2D6 + 9 = 21 (6)(6) 21 damage! Attack: Heavy Axe (Advantage) D20 + 11 = 16 (5) D20 + 11 = 29 (18) Critical Hit! Mana: 32 -> 29 Ability: Divine Smite 8D6 + 8D6 + 9 = 51 (16)(26) 51 damage!

Mana: 29 -> 28 Spell: Shield Defence: 27 -> 32"Shall we end it here?" Adam asked, lowering his shield to peek over it, still holding up his axe.

"…" The woman remained silent. The clash had lasted only an instant, and her arms trembled, the righteous, holy fury, had rocked through her body, her bones. What was that? She had taken such a heavy blow, but as her blow was about to strike him, he managed to force it away in the last moment.

Even so, he stood, feigning a cowardice to her, wishing to stop the bout, and some may have thought he wished to stop for he had expended himself, but the look within his eyes held a deep warning, the kind that said if she wished to continue, he wouldn't mind.

'I really don't want to embarrass you in front of your father,' Adam thought, hoping the woman wouldn't step forward.

"I have lost," Aisha finally said.

"Papa," Amalrot said, as the half elf picked her up, and the pair exchanged kisses, and as he offered her back to her mother, the girl clutched him tight, until she was led away by the food within the woman's fingers. Lanarot sighed, though as Adam held out his fist, she bumped it lightly.

"Your brother couldn't lose so he had to end it quickly."

"Brother, you must learn our family way," Lanarot grumbled.

"If I learn it, the Iyr wouldn't allow me to step outside."

"I shall convince Jirot," the girl replied, side eyeing her brother, a playful smirk upon her lips.

"Jirot will like it if you stay."

"Then I won't be able to go out and find good fights for you to watch."

"You are too wise now," Lanarot accused, holding up a threatening finger. Adam smirked.

"You must praise your brother who has claimed victory for our family," Jurot stated firmly. Lanarot sighed, side eyeing her eldest brothers, but she stood, marching up to her brother's leg, hugging it tight.

"You fought well, brother."

"I suppose if you say I fought well, I fought well," Adam said, peeking down at the girl, who continued to smirk. Then, finally, he stepped back towards his children. Konarot's eyes were full of such awe. Her father had gone against the Fariq Thanwi, the Fariq, but this was not just any warrior, but a half dragon whose presence was terrifying, like that of the Sleeping Dragon of Arisa. There was a difference between an Aswadian and a half dragon. Yet, just like that.

Kirot furrowed her brows lightly, considering if she should give up on learning with a greatblade, for wasn't her father's style the greatest.

"So cool, daddy…" Karot whispered, holding up a fist.

"Ehm, right, right, this daddy of yours, he's so cool isn't he?" Adam flushed, fist bumping his eldest son. Meanwhile… Jirot side eyed her father from her mother's side.

"…"

"What?" Adam asked.

"You ended the fight too quickly." However, there was no bite in the girl's words, her tone soft, as though she was forcing herself to speak the words.

"Oh, well, I mean, dear, you told me you wouldn't cuddle me if I lost, so daddy had to use his great techniques to claim victory."

"As long as you understand, daddy…" Jirot turned, hiding within her mother's bosom. Little Jarot meanwhile beamed up towards his father, and blinked as his father held out his fist, and they gently fist bumped.

"Is daddy cool?"

"Yes…"

"Who is cooler? Daddy or babo?"

"Babo," the boy replied, without skipping a beat.

"I meant babo Dogek!"

"Babo."

"What about papo?"

"Papo."

"What! What about daddy and nano?"

"Nano, of coas," the boy said, and he repeated it along with the children.

"Okay, that one I should have expected, since nano is so cool." Adam's lips twitched slightly, for little Jarot, he was Jirot's brother indeed. Jirot stared up at her mother, and once her father had stepped away, the girl sat up tall, leaning into her mother's ears.

"Daddy is the strongest!" Vonda smiled wide, for this daughter of hers, who was now so shy with her praise, was too adorable.

"Is babo or daddy stronger?" Jirot flushed, turning away her head.

"I think nana is calling me."

"You would always say babo is the strongest?" Vonda accused, and allowed the girl to kiss her, before she scampered off to her nana. Then, Jirot, at her grandmother's side, turned to see if her mother was still looking, and seeing that she was, the pair smirked towards one another, and Jirot hid away. The Twin Steel Sabres blinked. They turned to look towards the rest of their companions, only to see they weren't surprised in the slightest.

'…'