Grimm: Ch. 9

---Grimm's POV---

"Interesting." Kadi didn't deny it, a trace of amusement curving his lips.

I quickly hefted my greatsword and swung it toward his waist.

Clang!

The sound of clashing steel rang out as he maneuvered his dagger to deflect my strike, dispersing its force.

I could tell from his expression—for a child, my strength wasn't bad at all; it was comparable to that of an ordinary soldier. He is playing with me...

"Is that all you amount to, boy?" Kadi taunted, his dagger dancing in the moonlight.

Missing my first strike, I sought to turn the tide and thrust my sword straight toward his throat.

"Hah."

Once again, Kadi's dagger effortlessly diverted my blade. With a sidestep, he narrowly avoided the sword that came within a hair's breadth of him.

His dagger moved like a water snake, slashing across my arm and almost slicing my throat. Blood gushed out.

"Not bad, kid." His gaze was filled with greater admiration. The intent to recruit me was clear in his eyes.

Damn it! This six-year-old body... it's like fighting with chains on my limbs!

I quickly retreated to a safer distance, holding my sword defensively against any potential follow-up attack from him. Blood trickled down my arm, making the grip on my sword slicker.

"Interesting, kid. I don't want to let you go so easily now," Kadi said.

"Shut up!" I roared, spitting blood that had pooled in my mouth.

I lunged forward again, swinging my sword, but it was clear that he was just toying with me. Despite appearing to respond casually, he was leaving cut after cut on my body.

The way he played with me like a cat toying with a mouse enraged me. Was my six-year-old body simply too weak?

"Heh, still not giving up, kid?"

"In your dreams..."

Clang! Clang! Clang!

In just a few exchanges, my body was marked with even more wounds. My blood stained my clothes and arms, making them stick uncomfortably to my skin, but I refused to surrender.

"You're too slow," he remarked lazily as he observed my weakening attacks.

"Keep talking while you can..." I managed through gritted teeth, though my arms trembled with exhaustion.

Despite my best efforts, I hadn't landed a single hit on him. The gap between us was as vast as a mountain.

I didn't reply, but I knew my eyes showed I would not yield.

Is this how I die? Again?

"This should be enough."

Kadi's lazy demeanor vanished in an instant, replaced by razor-sharp precision. With a few swift strikes, he overwhelmed me, targeting my thigh, arm, and the muscles under my armpit. The final thrust pierced the area just below my left clavicle, pinning me against the wall with a forceful lunge.

"Argh!"

I clutched his blade with my right hand, desperately trying to halt its advance. Though futile, it slightly mitigated the agony caused by my own weight pressing against the embedded blade. Blood pooled beneath my feet.

Clatter!

My arm, now cold from blood loss and wracked with pain, could no longer grip my greatsword. It slipped from my hand, clanging against the stone-paved street.

I gritted my teeth, my hands gripping the back of Kadi's blade with all my might as I endured the pain, glaring at him with defiance.

"You've lost," he sneered, withdrawing his dagger with a dismissive flick to clean the blood before sheathing it.

My legs gave out, and I slumped into the corner of the wall, letting out a muffled groan of pain.

"Boss..." Bernhardt, frozen in fear, finally snapped out of his paralysis. Despite his terror, he rushed to my side to check on me, hoping to plead for mercy on my behalf.

"To come this far is already impressive. Work under me," Kadi offered, his gaze appraising.

I glared at him, unsure whether it was out of pain or defiance. At least my life seemed safe for now. But the dismissive way he looked at me stung more than my wounds.

One day, I'll defeat him.

He seemed to sense the defiance in my eyes and let out a derisive laugh. He stomped on one of my wounds, sending a fresh wave of pain through my body.

"Hah, defeat me? Train for another twenty or thirty years. Now, choose: serve me, or die?"

"Ugh!"

The amplified agony made me acutely aware of the vast gap between us again. There was no suspense; if I wanted to live, I had no choice but to rely on this man.

"I'll follow you." I growled through blood-stained teeth.

"A wise choice."

Kadi lifted his foot. If I had hesitated even slightly earlier, his blade might have been unsheathed again, and this time it wouldn't have left me any chance of survival.

"Now, head back. Don't make me wait too long." he cast a fleeting glance at me before turning to stride back toward the tavern, leaving behind only his silhouette. He didn't spare a thought for whether I would survive or not.

Clutching the wound from which blood steadily flowed, I could only transform my hatred into silent resentment. I forced myself to stand. This type of injury—though not one that had pinned me—was something Gunther had inflicted on me before.

"Boss... the wounds need cleaning," Bernhardt offered hesitantly.

"Just help me with the bandages. I've had worse."

I turned down further help from Bernhardt. There was a hint of self-mockery in my expression. Despite my miserable life—being an orphan for two lifetimes—my will to survive remained astonishingly strong.

Such a stubborn will to live... why?

As the sky lightened and the sun rose again in the east, a new day began in Weimar. By the time we returned to the tavern, the sunlight illuminated the morning streets.

Sipping his breakfast drink, Kadi noticed our return but quickly resumed his tasks, occupied with organizing his subordinates over the next few days.

I tore strips from my clothing to crudely bandage my wounds, with Bernhardt's help. For now, it seemed we'd have to settle for sleeping in the stable.

Perhaps it was due to the significant blood loss, but my head was spinning, and exhaustion weighed heavily on me. I decided to take a short nap to recover.

Bernhardt, still shaken, found it impossible to lie down. To distract himself from his nerves, he took up the task of feeding the horses.

---

[Character Status:
Name: Grimm
Age: 6
Level: 19 (XP: 75603/77233)
HP: 12/57

Effects:
- First aid

Current healing +2 applied.
Daily recovery rate: 20%.
Full recovery in 4 days.]

[Attributes:
Strength: 16
Agility: 10
Intelligence: 10
Charisma: 10]

[Skills]
[Iron Will +3]
[Power Strike +3]
[Weapon Mastery +2]
[Trainer +2]
[Throwing +2]
[Running +3]
[Looting +2]
[Trainer +2]
[Tactics +2]
[Inventory Management +2]
[Wound Treatment +2]
[Surgery +3]
[First Aid +2]
[Leadership +2]
[Captive Management +2]
[Trading +2]
[Persuasion +2]

[Weapon Proficiency:]
[One-Handed: 120]
[Two-Handed: 171]
[Polearms: 115]
[Bow: 104]
[Crossbow: 90]
[Throwing: 98]

[Inventory:]
[Bread x9]
[Apples x5]
[Dried Meat 1x]
[...]

---

Four days, huh? I thought bitterly.

Next time, I'd need to invest more into healing; otherwise, even the smallest incident would leave me unable to fight.

Stuck at Level 19 for nearly a year, I needed to find something productive to do once I healed. Relying on the Trial Realm once a day was too slow. There had to be a faster way to gain strength.

The best way to improve was the arena. If luck was on my side, I might even win a prize. But this wasn't a game—I had no idea how dangerous it could truly be. I'd need to gather some information.

Sitting idle and living off my supplies wasn't a sustainable option.

As my thoughts wandered, drowsiness overtook me. My body's exhaustion demanded rest, and before long, I drifted into sleep.

---Third POV---

The streets were lively with the sound of traffic and street vendors calling out their wares, accompanied by the grating noise of wheels on cobblestone and the constant chatter of a city alive with desperation.

"You're back? That's all you got? Tsk, just two silver coins?" The first slaver counted the coins with disgust.

"Hahaha, with how sickly that one looks, you should count yourself lucky to get two silver coins! At least we still have 120 copper coins left!" His companion jingled the pouch at his belt.

"Hahaha, you're right." The two men, arms slung around each other, headed back to the tavern.

Shiva glanced over at the stables, his eyes fixing on two children. A sly smile spread across his face as he walked toward them.

"Wait, do you smell blood?" another man, with a sharp nose, warned Shiva, grabbing his sleeve.

"Tsk, lucky little brat," Shiva muttered. Seeing the injured Grimm still lying there with his eyes half-closed, he looked annoyed.

Injured goods wouldn't fetch a good price.

"Can't even behave after entering the city." He didn't care how the boy got injured; all he cared about was his wallet.

---Grimm's POV---

I watched as Shiva's gaze shifted to Bernhardt, who had just finished feeding the horses. The boy's hands trembled slightly as he put down the feed bucket.

"Heh heh heh, you haven't lost much weight from all that running, huh, kid?" he and the other man cornered Bernhardt menacingly.

"Uh, what do you want? I don't have any money on me..." Bernhardt, trapped against the wall, hung his head low, too scared to speak up.

I could see him remembering what I had said the night before, anxiously clenching the hem of his shirt.

"Hahaha, no money? That's no problem! You are the money, you little fatty!"

"Hahaha..."

Their mocking laughter echoed far and wide, but even on a busy street, no one would intervene. What a fucked up world, I thought, watching the passersby hurry past with averted eyes.

"Come with me!" Shiva punched Bernhardt in the stomach, his fist sinking deep into the soft flesh. He had no intention of treating him gently as he dragged him away.

"Ugh!" Bernhardt didn't dare resist, clutching his stomach in pain.

Shiva's large hand grabbed him, yanking him to the ground, preparing to drag the dirt-smeared boy off to sell him.

Enough is enough! I was too exhausted to give these two a proper lesson right now, but I couldn't just watch.

"We're under your command now, aren't we? Aren't you going to do something about these two?"

Kadi had clearly been aware of the situation from the start. Relaxing upstairs with a cup of tea, he only put his cup down lazily when I called out to him.

"What are you yelling about, you little brat? Do you think you can just call the Boss by name?" As soon as Shiva heard my outburst, he raised his fist to teach me a lesson.

"Enough."

Just as Shiva's fist was about to land on my face, a slow, deliberate voice drifted down from upstairs, stopping the chaos.

"You see, brat? It's useless..." Shiva was ready to continue taunting me, but then he froze, shocked as he processed what Kadi had just said.

"Wait, Boss? But didn't you say..."

"I still have use for those two. You two go get something to eat," Kadi said in his usual unhurried tone.

"..."

"Tch... Let's go." Shiva shot me a venomous glare. I could read his thoughts clearly: Lucky kid! Let's see if there's a next time!

Once he and the other man left, I went to check on Bernhardt. Aside from his dirty face, his stomach would likely recover in a few days. The bruise was already darkening against his skin.

"You okay?" I extended a hand to help him up, noting how his fingers shook as he took it.

"I'm fine..." Bernhardt's voice was trembling; he was probably crying, but his muddy face and disheveled hair hid it well. He was clearly trying hard not to let me see this.

I could only sigh helplessly in my heart.

"Let's go wash your face by the river, then we'll eat. Here, wash your face."

I patted Bernhardt on the shoulder and walked ahead. I understood the feeling of not wanting others to see your vulnerability. After all, boys had their pride.

Inside Weimar ran a natural river, its waters clear despite the city's grime, sustaining its hundreds of thousands of residents and showcasing its enviable geographical advantages and rich culture.

It was past the prime time for fetching water, and groups of women and young maidens preparing for marriage were gathered around washing clothes.

We chose a quieter spot to wash up, but we still attracted attention from the women.

The older women whispered amongst themselves, while the younger girls covered their mouths, giggling at Bernhardt's bedraggled state.

I watched as his ears turned bright red with embarrassment. He quickly scrubbed his face clean, not daring to lift his head.

His whole face was as red as a ripe apple.

"Hahaha! How can your face turn so red? Don't worry too much about it. Boys all have their rough patches. Just smile confidently and shrug it off!"

I couldn't resist teasing him. It was pitiful, sure, but also pretty funny to see such a big kid so flustered.

"I-I'm not... I'm not crying at all!" Bernhardt stammered, at a loss for words. Once his face was clean, he stared at his reflection in the water, lost in thought.

Trailing behind me, his mood seemed to sink with the setting sun.

As I headed into a narrow alley, Bernhardt, following behind, suddenly grabbed my arm with surprising strength.

"Huh?"

"Grimm! Once your injury heals, teach me swordsmanship!"

I looked at the boy, who was outwardly even burlier than myself, and thought for a moment.

"Of course. But you'd better follow my orders."

"Yes, Boss!" Bernhardt straightened up immediately, his chest puffing out with pride.

"Good. Let's go." I nodded, satisfied. Having a potential warrior as a helper would be better than none, especially one with his natural build.

After eating, I thought it might be a good idea to check out some new clothes. This outfit had been worn for ages, and the fabric was on the verge of mildew from lack of washing.

We went to our usual spot and ordered two lamb chops. If Bernhardt was going to be my underling, I wasn't about to skimp on feeding him.

Two kids, each about 4'5" tall, gnawing on lamb chops in the middle of the street, were a conspicuous sight, and we naturally caught the attention of a pickpocket.

The thief, another child, bumped into me and snatched my coin pouch, which I was about to store in my spatial pocket.

"Hey!"

I reacted immediately, shouting after the thief. Bernhardt, quick on his feet, shoved his lamb chops into my hands and took off in pursuit.

I did my best to follow them, but my injuries made it difficult to run too fast. Damn it! Next time, I'll store the money in the spatial pocket right after using it.