BAM

BAM

The forest shook each time that sound was made. It sounded far too loud to be normal. It kept every animal there awake all through the night. One would think some monster was ramming into a tree or a massive battle was happening, but it was nothing like that.

It was all Ken.

He stood covered in sweat that dripped from his body every time he moved, his eyes locked onto the same spot on the tree, a spot that had been so worn down that the heart of the tree could be seen, with a mix of blood that evidently came from his dripping fists.

He pulled back his arm again, unleashing another punch that ripped through the air faster than a bullet.

BAM

The tree shook hard, a creaking sound coming from it. It couldn’t take any more, it would collapse after the next few.

[+ 4 to all stats]

[Impossible growth has been forced, reward gained]

The system window interrupted him before he could take another punch, especially the part about gaining a reward.

He had gained a massive increase in strength tonight already. He would have stopped long ago if he had gained a reward.

’I’m happy it delayed for that much still, at least I got to work out more.’

He lifted his fists to his face and looked at the blood that covered them, deciding to wash it first before he checked anything. He headed for the stream, bent down beside it, and dipped his hands into the water. It flowed over his hands, cool and very nice. He found himself staying there for longer than he expected.

He looked into the water and saw his face. He was different now, not the same kid that had started the journey of becoming strong.

He remembered that day like it was yesterday, as he sat in his shower. The water washed the blood off his ten-year-old body after his foster father had beaten him into a bloody mess with a bat, all based on the assumption that he had taken money from his wallet, when it was actually his biological daughter.

He remembered trying to tell his foster father the truth, and that enraged him even more, the fact that Ken would try to lie about his daughter. He recalled every bat swing from that night, a total of one hundred and fifty-seven connected swings to the body of a kid.

Ken didn’t believe anyone could survive that much and still stand at the end. He remembered the taste of iron in his mouth as blood filled it up, the smell of him pissing himself, only for that to lead to more beating. He recalled every part of it so much that it hurt at the back of his mind.

"Those are a lot of heavy thoughts for a kid your age." A sudden voice cut through the air. It was calm like the morning breeze and sounded like a sweet song.

Ken shot to his feet the moment he heard the voice, his eyes scanning around for who had spoken. He had been so engrossed in his thoughts that he never heard a sound.

’That voice, someone is watching me.’

He looked around, but no matter how he tried, he could not find anyone.

"Hihihihi." A sweet giggle reached his ear again. He snapped his neck back to find where it came from, but he saw no one.

"Who are you?" he asked.

A light formed in front of him, and then a few seconds later, it took a human form, a lady. She had hair as white as snow. It flowed down the side of her body like a soft stream. Her skin was as pale as paper, and her green eyes glowed in the darkness. Her beautiful body was covered with a white silk-like gown.

She walked on the ground barefoot, and had a soft, welcoming smile on her face.

’She is strong, my instincts tell me,’ Ken said in his mind as he looked at her.

"Who are you?" he asked.

She looked at him and then let out a soft smile. "Well, it’s common courtesy that you introduce yourself first and then ask for my name," she replied.

"My name is Ken." He wasted no time.

"Well then, I am the spirit of the world tree," she said with a proud smile.

Ken looked at her and then raised his brow. "Huh? That’s not possible. There is no way a tree at the center of the elf continent would come all this way to find me," Ken said, deducing that she was lying right off the bat. He pointed at her.

"If you are an evil spirit that has come to attack me, know that I will not allow you to take me down."

She snapped when she heard that, her brows furrowed and her eyes raised.

"Huhhhhhh, who the hell do you think you are talking to?" The former grace of her voice already vanished.

"Who the hell are you to tell me that I can’t be the spirit of the world tree, huh?! Tch, I might not be, but I’m one of her daughters, so it’s the same thing.

And how dare you call me an evil spirit, what about me looks evil, you stupid human," she yelled at him.

Ken scratched his ear as he heard her yell. "Tch, so I was right, you are not the world tree. If you lied about that, how do I know that you are not also lying about being her daughter?" Ken asked.

He had already made a mental image of what she was claiming to be. The daughter of the world tree would be the tree in the home of Luna, which meant if this spirit was telling the truth then she was from Luna’s home, key word if.

"Ehhhhhh? Why the hell would I lie, I never lied. After all, she is still my mother, arghhhhhh." She almost blew a fuse but forced herself to calm down with a deep breath.