A Survivor's life in the dungeon (A Danmachi Fanfic.)

Chapter 126

*August's POV*

I stared at the ground, my body aching from the beatdown the old man gave me... And, to be honest, I deserved it.

He was right... I was too prideful, too confident... Arrogant.

I gritted my teeth, clenching a handful of dirt. I looked to the side and saw my spear lying on the ground.

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself as I slowly rose to my feet. Walking towards my spear, I leaned down and picked it up.

I stared at the spear in my hand for a few seconds, the beatdown the old man gave me playing back in my mind over and over again. I didn't even see him coming. It was too fast. I could sense it, but my body couldn't move to counter the speed of his attack.

I couldn't even tell what he hit me with... Was it a punch? A kick perhaps? Who knows. All I know is that it hurts... But not as much as what happened next.

I saw it in his eyes... Disappointment. "I really messed up this time, huh, Beowulf?"

The spear didn't answer; it seems that even he was disappointed by what happened. I placed it snuggly back on the holster on my back, and turned around, only to see the others... Staring at me through the hole in the house.

I can see mixed emotions in all of them. Some looked at me with worry, others had a look of frustration, but all has that slight look of betrayal plastered on their face.

Can't say I blame them... I did betray the trust they put in me as captain. Hell, I essentially sentenced them to die because of what I did... If I was them, I'd feel betrayed as well.

"August." Helga moved forward, her eyes scanned me. A look of worry and disappointment mix in her gaze. "Why?" she asked, and to be honest, I have no other answer except pride.

Something I know she didn't want to hear. None of them want to hear that I risked their life because of pride, pride that stems from arrogance.

The emotions I saw earlier in the old man's eyes are clear; he wasn't disappointed because of what I did... No, he was disappointed because of how I acted. And so was I. I doubted myself, and it was pathetic. I would beat myself to a pulp as well if I can.

And I thank the old man for waking me up... I needed that beating.

I was trying to be what I am not... I am not someone who doubts myself, not one who doubts my strength. Yes, I am arrogant, but I have the right to be one... Because I am strong.

So yeah, pride is the answer to Helga's question. The pride I have in myself.

But there's also another answer, one I believe even with all the odds stacked up against us. And that answer is. And it may be the arrogance speaking yet again, but I firmly believe it.

"Because I believe I-... No... we can win."

"What makes you so sure?" Eira spoke out, her voice has a hint of anger, frustration and fear. "Huh?

What makes me so sure? A good question... To be honest, all of my answers to that question have one thing in common. Yes, I am arrogant, but I have the strength to back it up. And that's my answer, the answer that I will always say if I'm asked how I'm so sure I'm gonna win.

It's simple...

I smiled, looked at my familia, beaming with confidence. "Because I said so."

There was a pause; they all stared at me. The old man did say that I should act as a captain. Well, this is me acting as one.

And if arrogant is what they saw me as. So what? It is true... I am arrogant. I have the right to be arrogant. I should have realized it sooner.

The old man is right... My arrogance would bite me in the ass; it would endanger everyone in the familia. But right now, I'm gonna make sure that the very same arrogance would allow me to keep everyone alive.