Chapter 503: Dumpy’s Growth
(Planet Vorthas, Secret Training Facility)
A couple of days slipped by in the blink of an eye for both Leo and Veyr, and by the end of it, Leo finally succeeded in mastering [Shapeshift] to perfection.
“Well done, Skyshard. You’ve completely grasped the essence of this technique. Everything about your transformation, from your posture and hair color to the pitch of your voice and tone modulation is flawless.
Looks like I taught you well,” the Twelfth Elder remarked with a rare note of approval, as Leo responded with a gracious bow.
Though the man had never been the most patient or methodical instructor, he had at least seen this one lesson through to the end, and for that, Leo was genuinely grateful.
In contrast, Veyr had just completed the facial transformation phase a couple hours ago and was now moving on to the last components: the hair color and vocal cords manipulation.
“Skyshard, since your training here is complete, you are to leave for Planet Juxta at once.
Commander Charles will no doubt provide you with valuable insight on conducting scouting missions in foreign territories, as well as advice on military protocols and key tactical considerations,” the Twelfth Elder instructed, his tone shifting back to command as he waved Leo off, making it clear that his return to Juxta was no longer optional.
“If Veyr here manages to master this technique in the next 2-3 days, then you can expect to be deployed to Planet Koral approximately 10 days from now.
So I suggest you make use of your time with Charles wisely, for when it comes to military matters, there’s no other brain quite like his,” The Twelfth Elder advised, as Leo nodded and took his leave.
—————–
(Meanwhile, On Planet Juxta, Dumpy’s POV)
Leo had left Dumpy behind on Planet Juxta to train under Charles while he pursued his own path on Vorthas, and in the span of just one month, the miniature frog had undergone staggering improvements.
Charles, more than anyone, recognized that Dumpy was the one companion whose loyalty to Leo would never falter, no matter the circumstance.
And so, whenever Charles managed to steal a moment from his duties, he poured it into training the frog with everything he had, as he tried his best to mold Dumpy into something truly formidable.
Since Dumpy was a beast, most of his growth came naturally through battle experience and raw repetition.
Unlike humans, who took weeks or even months to show visible results, a beast’s progress has the potential to leap forward in dramatic bursts, especially when properly guided.
And so, with daily sparring sessions against one of the finest warriors the Cult had to offer, Dumpy evolved fast….. blazingly fast.
In just thirty days, the frog had gone from the early stages of the Transcendent Tier to the middle stage, a jump that would leave even the most prodigious human talents in the dust.
*Shing*
*Shing*
*Shing*
Steel clashed in rhythmic bursts as Dumpy, now standing at a towering fifteen feet, loomed over Charles with wild, sweeping slashes.
His form was monstrous, his shoulders wide, arms bulging with sinew, his long tongue flicking between strikes to disorient and probe for openings.
Despite having the ability to bloat himself up to a terrifying 150 feet if he wished, it had become clear to him after weeks of trial and error that assuming any size larger than fifteen feet was more of a hindrance than an advantage to him in close-quarters human combat.
Not only did the larger mass make him slower, it also made him a larger target to hit for his opponent, which made dodging and moving increasingly more complicated.
Hence, after tons of trial and error, Dumpy realized that fifteen feet was the ideal size advantage for him while battling against a human opponent.
At fifteen feet, he was powerful, agile, and surprisingly intelligent in his movements, especially now that Charles had drilled the basics of stances, angles, and feints into his thick, froggy skull.
“Lower your elbows when you brace,” Charles barked as he stepped back, parrying a diagonal cut and circling around to Dumpy’s blind spot. “If you keep them flared out like that, I’ll break through your guard every time. Use those damn legs of yours and plant. Engage your hips on the counter!”
“RIBBITTTTTT—”
“Don’t yell at me, old man! You think just because you’ve got those old uncle muscles, you can push me around? Only my Lord Father is allowed to bully me like this!” Dumpy retorted, huffing as he stomped the ground and sent a chunk of broken rock towards Charles’s face.
*Chuckle*
*Block*
Charles let out a short laugh, the sound echoing across the rocky battlefield, as he blocked the rock with ease, before casually twisting his blade and smacking Dumpy across the chest with the flat of it.
*Push*
His attack sent Dumpy flipping backwards, as the green frog landed with a crash and a puff of dust piling around him.
“I love how you think your Lord Father is the strongest in the universe. Someday perhaps, I’m sure he can surpass me….
His talents are far too great to be limited to a mere Monarch.
But what about Soron? Do you really think your Lord Father can beat a God?” Charles asked as Dumpy spat a mouthful of acid on the ground beside him, the floor sizzling where his spittle landed.
“Of course he can! Lord Father has an impeccable record against fighting Gods. He’s never lost a fight against one yet!” Dumpy replied, as Charles absolutely lost it at this response.
“HAHAHAHAHA….. THAT’S TRUE, HOW CAN HE LOSE A FIGHT AGAINST A GOD WHEN HE’S NEVER FOUGHT AGAINST ONE. BY THAT LOGIC, HE INDEED HAS NO LOSSES AGAINST A GOD! HAHAHAHA—”
He said, as it was this unwavering dedication that Dumpy had towards Leo that Charles found the most endearing in the creature.
“Here, your reward for making me laugh… do your best to block this,” Charles said, as a rare gleam of mischief danced in his eyes and he raised his blade, channeling just a sliver of his true strength into the strike.
*SHUA*
The air split apart with a sharp whiplash as his blade tore through it, sending a shockwave barreling toward Dumpy before the frog even had time to fully react.
*BOOOM*
Dumpy braced himself with all the discipline Charles had beaten into him over the month….. elbows tucked, feet anchored, hips engaged, yet the moment steel clashed against his crossed swords, the sheer force behind the blow shattered through his guard like a hammer through glass.
His legs skidded across the dirt, feet dragging trenches in the ground before his stance buckled entirely, as the pressure flung him backward like a broken ragdoll, his limbs flailing mid-air as he slammed into the rocky terrain behind him with a deafening crash.
*CRASH*
Dust exploded in all directions.
Silence followed.
And then… a faint ‘ribbit’ escaped his swollen cheeks before his tongue lolled to the side and his eyes rolled upward, unconscious.
Charles sheathed his sword with a soft chuckle, walking over and crouching beside the dazed frog.
“Not bad,” he said, patting Dumpy’s shoulder. “You held form for a full half-second longer than last time.”
He smiled, not unkindly, for at this rate Dumpy was on-track to become a Monarch Tier beast within the next two years.