"Hahhh… Hahahah…" Elfriedden started to laugh, as a tear flew from his eyes. "After all my growth… I am still such a weak, pathetic man…" He couldn't help but laugh at the irony of life as he glanced his friend and Blake's spirits arrive to save his ass.
He got too cocky, and almost got himself killed. Unlike Blake's friends that work together and trust one another because of their strong bonds shared for many years, Elfriedden still felt apart from their group.
After all, he hasn't been with the for even a year, why would he trust them and entrust everything to them ? He only found them strong and all but… he had a very strong pride.
A baseless pride built upon his own failures, and his own pathetic performance since he was very young. Back then, in the Elven Kingdom where he came from, magic power and talents were valued even more highly than in Human society.
"Two Star… Needle Master? And… a needle as your spirit?! What is this?! Pathetic!"
The day he awakened his Talent and Spirit was the day all of Elfriedden's dreams shattered into pieces… His father, the King of Elves, reprimanded him for his weak talent and even weaker spirit.
"E-Eh? Wait… what do you mean, father?! Isn't it… good?"
He realized he wasn't special, he was just like his many siblings, sons of concubines his father had made so he could one day find the ideal inheritor to the throne…
"Your brother is a three-star Holy Paladin, and your big sister is a four-star Spirit Archmage. Do you truly think you're worthy, Elfriedden?!"
All of those people that thought that loved him changed that day, everyone made fun of him, some pitied him, his own siblings that were always at his side now didn't wanted to even look him at his face.
"B-But… W-Why… Wait…! Please wait!"
His entire life gave a sudden twist… and even the love of his life, the princess of the fairies, was forced to neve speak to him again.
Since this day, Elfriedden has been desperately training and using his Skills, killing monsters from a very young age, and developing his Ice Magic, which was very weak at the beginning, but that then he managed to let it grow to such an extent.
He even managed to reach Rank 2 at such a young age, gaining his second spirit, but only for it to be threads… Nonetheless, he kept growing stronger, trying to prove himself to his family.
But ultimately, as more tragedies struck the Elven Kingdom, and as the Demon Invasion continued, he was neve able to show his father he was worthy…
He developed a terrible inferiority complex and was always striving to prove himself. Secretly meeting with his loved damsel, who was now being forced to marry his brother in a few more years.
He simply couldn't accept it. If he allowed them to put their hands on her he would…
What would he do anyways?
Weak… without any honor, lacking achievements…
The only thing he could now was hide in a corner and let the world around him move on…
Or keep crawling for a way out of this hell.
The reason why he decided to join the Stronghold Academy as someone as important as an Elven Prince was because of this reason, so he could become even stronger, prove his father and his siblings he was worthy.
And to gain the hand of his beloved… He was doing it all for love, more than anything else…
Despite being born in such a privileged background, he had been working harder than anybody else to accomplish such goals.
His desperation made him go this far as to want to show off to Blake, someone he considered his rival, someone so powerful and with such a pitiful background that it hurt his own pride to look at him in the eyes.
He always felt inferior in front of him, and he hated that feeling more than anything else… At the vey least, he wanted to show him he could take down a Demon Lord all by himself.
But he was terribly wrong.
"Oi, what are you spasming about?!" Chris roared, making him snap back to reality, as he threw a Healing Potion to him, made out of Blake's special ingredients. "Drink that and get up, the battle's not over!"
"…" Elfriedden glanced at the potion with a face filled with frustration, all while Fang and Woo distracted the huge Kong. "It feels like nothing even matters anymore…"
"Huh?! What has gotten into you?!" Chris was shocked. "Oi!"
"Every time I keep trying, every time I think I improve… I am always proven to be wrong." Elfriedden laughed, although he started crying.
Chris, who always thought of him as a prideful jerk was taken aback.
"Life's so unfair…" Elfriedden clenched his fists.
"Yeah, it is." Chris said, glancing at him from above, and grabbing his shoulder, and forcing Elfriedden to stand up. "It is fucking unfair! Isn't it?!"
"E-Eh?!" Elfriedden was a bit surprised.
"But that doesn't mean you've gotta just sit there and weep like a baby because stuff doesn't go your way!" Chris crossed his arms, glancing at Elfriedden angrily. "Blake has always told me that! Our potential is unlimited, no matter what Talent or Spirits we have! All that is matters is our hard work. Even if it doesn't give results now, it will eventually, we can't give up!"
"Chris…" Elfriedden stepped back, surprised. "But I…"
"You're pretty strong! And kind of a freaking jerk, but I kind of admired your prideful attitude, and your strong mind!" Chris said. "Elfriedden, you're not pathetic at all! You're a pretty strong guy, in fact, I kind of looked up to you… But if you're going to weep now, then get out of here… We're fighting to defend a Kingdom. Isn't this the biggest achievement we could ever accomplish?"
"You thought of me that way?!" Elfriedden opened his eyes wide open. "And achievement… Right… I… I don't know what has gotten into me. Hmph, whatever!" He cleared his tears. "You're right… Let's prove them all that we aren't pushovers. Forget what I said earlier… I'm back to normal."
"Hah, you bastard, you'll have to pay me a good sum if you don't want me to divulge that you were weeping like a baby!" Chris laughed.
"Silence, you barbaric kid." Elfriedden crossed his arms. "But… thanks, for cheering me up. Nobody aside from my mother has ever spoken to me … It somehow warmed my heart." Elfriedden smiled gently.
"Geh… I don't swing that way dude." Chris felt creeped out.
"I didn't meant it that way, you monkey!" Elfriedden got even more furious. "Agh! Forget it! He's coming!"
"GRAAAAAAH! WHAT ARE YOU BABBLING ABOUT, PITIFUL ANTS?!"
Kong's huge arms reached Chris and Elfriedden, his fists barely missing the two of them as they hit the ground, shattering it and creating a huge catastrophe.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOOOMMM!!!
"He's strong and incredibly tough, but slow." Elfriedden said. "And my ice didn't work on him at all, at most, it slowed him down!"
"My attacks are barely breaking through as well!" Said Fang.
"His pressure points are hidden with those huge muscles!" Woo complained. "Damn ape!"
"Then we'll have to torment the bastard with some magic first! Let me smoother him up for you guys!" Chris smiled. "Hey, Elfriedden, look carefully! This is the fruit of hard work!"