…
Approximately one year later
Warm sweat dripped from Peter's forehead, sliding into his eyebrows as he swung the dueling sword in practiced arcs, shifting his center of gravity from his left leg to his right.
He inhaled deeply, drawing fresh air into his lungs before exhaling a breath of turbid air. His arms and legs ached from the repeated motions, lactic acid spreading through his body, leaving him sore all over.
For nearly an hour, he had been practicing sword forms—this, after completing ten laps around the village. It was safe to say he was completely spent. Without a second thought, he plopped down onto the ground.
"Fine, you can rest for five minutes," Joseph, the devil, spoke without the slightest hint of guilt in his voice.
Peter didn't complain. Though he felt as if his ancestors were waving at him from the other side of the river, five minutes would be enough. His Skills were already at work, aiding his recovery with every breath.
Joseph did not know the full extent of their capabilities, but he understood enough to push Peter to his limits every day during training.
Unfortunately, those Skills couldn't restore his enthusiasm. He looked back at his past self—the naïve boy who had once thought training would be easy—with a mixture of amusement and regret.
Sitting on the porch, Joseph watched, likely waiting for his son to whine or voice a complaint. But Peter had his pride as a man. He would not give his father the satisfaction.
Though, whining to his mother last week didn't count.
Peter sighed and decided to check his progress, hoping for some encouragement to continue training.
Status…
[
Name: Peter
Race: Human
Class: None
Age: 6
Title: Trailblazer: Skills, Skill Creator
Stats:
Health: 80 (Cons * 10)
Mana: 2800 (Spirit * 10)
Constitution: 8 Spirit: 280
Strength: 7 Agility: 8
Intelligence: 12
Luck: 18 Charisma: 35
Skills:
IDE, Status Camouflage, Mana sense Lv. 22, Mana Manipulation Lv. 9, Weapons Mastery Lv.9, Undying Vitality lv.3
]
He hadn't yet gotten the opportunity to experiment with Weapons Mastery, having only used a sword so far. However, creating Undying Vitality right after gaining Weapons Mastery had been the best decision he had made.
From the moment he obtained it, fatigue had become a thing of the past.
[
Undying Vitality Lv. 3
A powerful regeneration skill that passively restores health, stamina, mana, mental resilience, and soul integrity over time. In active mode, it accelerates recovery at the cost of mana, allowing the user to heal rapidly in critical situations.
Active: Faster recovery based on mana invested.
Rank: Rare
]
Leveling up Undying Vitality was slow, as it was primarily a recovery skill. So far, Peter had only used it to remove fatigue and soreness from his body—maybe a few minor bruises at most.
"Come on, get up now. Your five minutes are over," Joseph said, standing up with his real sword in hand.
Peter regretted ever telling his father that he had chosen a physical recovery skill for his second slot. Still, he forced himself to stand.
"Continue swinging your sword until your mother calls for breakfast," Joseph instructed, putting some distance between them before beginning his own practice.
He moved through the same sword katas Peter was trying to memorize, but with an effortless grace. His blade flowed fluidly through the air, looking more like a dance than a series of attacks.
Peter picked up his fallen sword and resumed his practice, following his father's example. After all, this was what he had asked for.
Mariah had made it clear that if he wanted to choose a different profession, they would support him. In fact, she had been very insistent on it. Thankfully, she hadn't forced him to change his mind.
His training schedule had increased compared to a year ago. Mornings started with running, followed by swordsmanship practice under Joseph's instruction until breakfast. After that, he was left alone until lunch.
Not that he spent that time lazing around. Instead, he meditated and practiced Mana Sense and Mana Manipulation.
Lunch was followed by work on his IDE. His study sessions with Mariah had already been completed, and she had other responsibilities to take care of now, especially after the passing of Elder Minerva.
Evenings were either spent with David or going through sword katas once more.
The practice was obnoxiously boring. As an amateur, Peter's training consisted of repeating the same kata motions over and over until he could perform them fluidly without thinking.
So far, he had only been taught the foundational moves: Slash, Thrust, Parry, Block, Feint, Riposte, Overhead Strike, and Side Swipe.
They were the very basics, yet there was a vast difference between how Joseph executed them compared to Peter.
One day, unable to hold back his curiosity, Peter asked about it.
Joseph's response was calm and straightforward. "A sword does not require many moves. The eight basic moves, while simple, become awfully complex when transitioning from one to another during a confrontation."
He continued, "I am better at it because I can transition from one form to another much better than you. You will understand once you start sparring."
…Status
[
Weapons Mastery {Two handed sword} has levelled up to 10.
]
Peter faltered mid-swing, his gaze shifting to the notification once more. When he turned to his father, he found Joseph watching him with a mixture of fatherly pride and something else—something he couldn't quite place.
"Seems like you finally leveled it up based on your expression," Joseph said with a chuckle.
Peter nodded back, unable to contain his excitement. At last, he would be able to participate in the evening sparring sessions. David had been attending them for a while now, which had left Peter more than a little irritated.
But rules were rules. Mariah had strictly forbidden him from joining until he raised his Swordsmanship {Two-Handed Sword} to level 10.
Any weapon skill had to reach level 10 before it began providing guidance on using mana to coat the weapon. Mana Manipulation could already assist with that, but his parents didn't know.