Chapter 72: Ten years I

Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Ten years I

The following morning, Tolu was still deep asleep when a knock sounded against his door.

"Get up."

His eyes opened immediately.

For a moment, he simply stared at the ceiling.

It was too early.

Another knock followed.

"Get dressed. We’re going to town."

Tolu groaned and pulled the blanket over his head.

"Master, it’s barely morning."

"I know."

"Then why are you awake?"

"Because unlike you, I have responsibilities."

Tolu slowly sat up, staring at the door with a tired expression.

"You’re the one who woke me."

"Exactly."

A few minutes later, the entire group had been dragged from their rooms and was getting ready. Temi complained under her breath while tying her hair back, Akin quietly checked the condition of his great sword, and Ore emerged looking considerably more awake than the rest of them.

When they finally gathered in the courtyard, Folami was already waiting.

Tolu glanced toward the training grounds.

"Aren’t we training today?"

"We are."

Tolu brightened slightly.

"Good."

"Just not here."

The smile disappeared from Tolu’s face.

Folami turned toward the manor’s entrance.

"We’re going into town."

Temi raised an eyebrow.

"Why?"

"I have something to take care of."

Tolu exchanged a glance with Akin and Ore.

Something about the way Folami said it made it sound like this wasn’t going to be a simple trip to buy supplies.

Still, none of them questioned him.

They followed him through the city gates later that morning, walking through the increasingly crowded streets. Folami seemed completely relaxed, his hands resting loosely at his sides as merchants called out from their stalls and cultivators moved through the streets.

They had barely made it into the busier part of town when a voice came from behind them.

"Folami."

Folami stopped.

Tolu looked back.

A young man was approaching them.

He was dressed in expensive but restrained clothing, with a sword hanging at his waist. His expression was serious, almost grim.

Folami looked at him for a moment.

"Kola."

The young man’s gaze hardened.

"So you know why I’ve come."

Folami sighed.

"I can probably guess."

Kola’s eyes narrowed.

"I heard about your engagement to Adesewa Oriyomi."

"News travels quickly."

"You don’t deserve her."

Temi’s eyebrows rose.

Tolu immediately became interested.

Folami, however, merely looked bored.

"And you’ve decided that?"

"I’ve decided that I won’t stand aside and watch you marry her."

Kola’s hand moved toward the hilt of his sword.

"I challenge you to a duel."

The surrounding conversation began to die down as people noticed what was happening.

Folami looked at Kola’s hand before looking back at his face.

"Is that really necessary?"

"Yes."

Folami sighed again.

"Fine."

Tolu blinked.

That was it?

No argument?

No intimidation?

Just fine?

The duel was arranged quickly.

Kola stepped into the open space, his aura beginning to rise.

Tolu immediately sensed it.

"Adept..."

Akin’s expression became serious.

"Peak."

Kola drew his sword.

Folami simply stood opposite him.

He didn’t even draw both daggers.

He drew only one.

The moment the fight began, Kola charged.

His sword came down in a powerful diagonal slash.

Folami stepped aside.

Not backward.

Sideways.

The blade passed harmlessly beside him.

Kola immediately reversed the motion and swung horizontally.

Folami ducked.

Another strike.

A step.

Another.

A turn.

Every attack seemed to miss by the smallest possible distance.

Tolu’s expression slowly changed.

Folami wasn’t faster.

At least, not obviously.

He was simply always where Kola’s sword wasn’t.

Then Folami moved.

One short step inside Kola’s guard.

The dagger flashed.

Kola’s sword was knocked from his hand.

Before he could react, Folami’s dagger was resting against his throat.

Silence fell over the street.

Kola froze.

Folami lowered his weapon.

"You’ve lost."

Kola stared at him, breathing heavily.

Tolu and the others were stunned.

It hadn’t even felt like a real fight.

Kola was a Peak Adept.

Yet Folami had dismantled him without displaying anything remotely close to overwhelming power.

It had been skill.

Experience.

Timing.

Nothing more—or at least, nothing that they could see.

Kola clenched his fists.

Folami looked at him for a moment before speaking.

"You’re a Peak Adept."

Kola remained silent.

"Instead of thinking about how to reach the Advanced Realm, improving your techniques, or finding ways to strengthen yourself, you’re chasing after a woman."

His expression wasn’t angry.

It was disappointment.

"Don’t waste your talent."

Kola looked away.

Folami sheathed his dagger.

Then he turned and began walking away.

Tolu hurried after him.

"Master."

"Hm?"

"Why did you even accept the duel?"

Folami glanced over his shoulder.

"Because there will be more."

"More?"

"Of course."

He sighed.

"Now that the engagement is public, every idiot who thinks he has something to prove will come looking for me."

Temi frowned.

"So you’re going to fight all of them?"

"No."

Folami smiled faintly.

"I’m going to fight enough of them to chase off the rest of the idiots."

Tolu stared at him.

Folami continued walking as though nothing unusual had happened.

"Besides, I’d rather settle it now than have some fool interrupt training every few days."

Tolu glanced back at Kola, who was still standing in the street.

Then he looked at Folami.

Their master really was strange.

But somehow, the explanation made perfect sense.

The four of them continued following Folami through the streets after leaving Kola behind.

For a while, none of them said anything.

Tolu kept replaying the duel in his mind.

Kola had been a Middle Peak Adept, yet Folami had defeated him so easily that it barely looked like a fight. There had been no overwhelming display of energy, no devastating technique, no sudden burst of speed.

Just experience.

Every time Kola attacked, Folami had already understood what was coming.

Eventually, Folami glanced over his shoulder.

"You’re thinking too loudly."

Tolu blinked.

"I didn’t say anything."

"You didn’t have to."

Temi snorted.

"He’s probably wondering how you beat a Peak Adept without even looking serious."

"I wasn’t looking serious?"

"You looked bored."

"I was bored."

Akin shook his head.

Ore smiled quietly.

They continued walking.

The streets gradually became busier as they moved farther into the city. Unlike the poorer districts they had grown accustomed to, this part of town was filled with cultivators, merchants, guards and well-dressed families. Large shops lined both sides of the road, their signs advertising weapons, pills, cultivation techniques and various treasures.

Tolu found himself staring at everything.

It was difficult to believe that all of this existed in the same city as Ile-Esha.

Folami eventually stopped in front of a large shop.

"Wait here."

He disappeared inside.

The four stood outside together.

Temi looked around.

"So we’re really just waiting?"

"Apparently," Akin replied.

Tolu leaned against the wall.

His gaze wandered across the street.

A large estate stood beyond the shops, surrounded by a tall wall and guarded entrance. Several servants were carrying goods inside while a group of young cultivators walked through the gate.

Tolu watched them for a moment.

Something about the sight made him think of Folami’s manor.

Of their rooms.

Their food.

The gold coins they received every month.

How different everything had become.

Ten years.

The thought suddenly entered his mind.

Where would they be if Folami didn’t come into their lives?

He was still thinking about it when Folami returned.

He had a small package in one hand.

Instead of immediately continuing, he looked at the four of them.

"Come."

They followed him.

A few streets later, Folami led them into a quieter area of the city. There was a small public garden there, with several large trees and stone benches scattered around.

Folami sat beneath one of the trees.

The others remained standing.

He looked at them.

"Sit."

They did.

For several seconds, Folami said nothing.

Then he asked casually,

"Where do you see yourselves in ten years?"

The question caught all four of them off guard.

Temi frowned.

"Ten years?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I’m curious."

Tolu glanced at the others.

Akin seemed to be thinking seriously about the question.

Ore tilted her head.

Temi crossed her arms.

"That’s a long time."

"Exactly."

Folami leaned back against the tree.

"Which is why your answer should tell me more about you than what you think you’ll accomplish tomorrow."

Tolu looked down at his hands.

Ten years.

When he was nineteen, ten years had seemed impossibly far away.

Now he was eighteen.

Ten years would make him twenty-eight.

Older than Folami was now.

The thought felt strange.

Temi was the first to answer.

"I want money."

Akin looked at her.

Tolu laughed.

"At least you’re honest."

"What’s wrong with wanting money?"

"Nothing."

"Good."

Temi leaned forward.

"I don’t want to spend my entire life taking missions from people who have more money than I do. I don’t want to worry about whether I can afford a better weapon or whether I can pay for medicine if I get injured."

Her expression became more serious.

"I want something of my own."

Folami nodded.

"What kind of something?"

"I don’t know yet."

She shrugged.

"Maybe a business. Something involving weapons, potions, or trade. Something that can keep making money even when I’m not personally fighting."

Tolu looked at her with surprise.

Temi noticed.

"What?"

"I didn’t expect you to say that."

"Why?"

"I thought you’d say you wanted to become the strongest person alive."

"I do."