What is this kid? How can he fight like that? How does he master so many skills?

  A thousand questions swirl in my head as I watch the back of young Lord Maki. Never in my life have I considered myself talented or a genius, nor did I ever think I’d meet one living in such a remote, growing village.

  Just remembering how he fought against the foxes and wolves sends chills down my spine. During his first encounter with a monster, he acted completely normal. That struck me as odd for a child. Moments later, he proved me wrong—he managed to control both monsters quickly and ended the fight without getting hurt. That’s a feat few can pull off.

  Each of his fights with foxes went better than the last. He moved with growing confidence, a calmer mind, and avoided rash decisions.

  The real issue came when we encountered the pack of wolves. I wanted to suggest we stick to foxes or that he let me take care of half of them. As I explained the differences between the two species, I never saw even a flicker of doubt in his eyes—as if he had already made his decision.

  In the end, just as I feared, the young lord chose to fight the wolves without my help. I could only sigh internally and accept his choice. I had my bow ready the whole time in case things went south—a rank-one wolf isn’t a problem for me; I can kill four of them in under three seconds if I want to.

  Then my mind exploded. The young lord began using magic—something he hadn't done with the foxes. And not just any magic. It was incredibly powerful for an Amethyst rank. I could feel the mana being pushed more and more into the ice sphere—something that should be impossible for someone who just awakened.

  Just as I expected from such a concentrated spell, it instantly killed one wolf and injured another. That only left me with even more questions.

  He has an incredible talent for magic, based on that last spell. He can maintain his Imra for an extended time during combat—an invaluable trait for someone his age. His swordsmanship is his second most dangerous asset. I’ve never seen anyone so naturally gifted with twin swords. And somehow, he also has eyes in the back of his head.

  He can detect blind-spot attacks and react immediately. He always moves to the most favorable position in every exchange, as if he knows the entire terrain around him. He must memorize the battlefield while observing monsters before the fight. His mobility helps him finish off enemies or escape difficult situations.

  He’s a natural genius. He was born for battle. He is the one who will take these villages to the next level—of that I’m certain.

  The questions won’t stop flooding my mind. The more I observe him, the more questions arise—and I find no answers.

  Since he’s a newly awakened, young Lord Maki must be ten years old. In another ten years, he’ll be a force to be reckoned with. I’m eager to see what his future holds.

  I finally had a chance to check some notifications after that encounter with the wolves.

  I gained two levels in Sword Reinforcement and Pseudo-Dominion—both of which I used constantly. One level in Lightning Step—I didn’t expect that, since I barely used it. I didn’t gain any levels in Focused Spherical Formation, even though I used it three times. It seems that wasn’t enough. Lastly, I gained three levels in Calm Mind, the most-used skill and MVP of the fight.

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  Randy treated my shoulder right after the fight. The pain has almost disappeared, but I’m still injured. According to him, either my parents or grandma can give me a potion that’ll heal me in seconds.

  My body and mind are screaming for food and sleep.

  Fighting monsters gave me valuable experience. It helped level up my skills quickly. The more I push myself, the greater the rewards. The problem lies in the damage I take during battle.

  If I get too hurt, I’ll be stuck in bed for a long time, only able to train like before—in that room, without any real action. I won’t become addicted to fighting, but I might start to enjoy the adrenaline it brings.

  I need to find a balance between both. Fighting monsters to the death sharpens my reflexes. My brain has to decide what skill to use at the exact right moment—something I can’t learn from home training alone. On the other hand, I don’t get injured at home and can still level up a few skills. But my real combat abilities would be fragile—my mind wouldn’t be able to pick the best move based on battle experience.

  I want a regeneration skill. Something to heal my wounds or restore stamina would be the cherry on top of my current toolkit.

  I’ve felt Randy’s gaze on my back the entire way home. He must have so many doubts about me. I accepted it a while ago—I'm special.

  I don’t plan on answering any questions about my abilities or anything revealing. I only trust him because my family does. But revealing something so personal would cross a line. I think he understands his position, which is why he hasn’t asked anything.

  I didn’t want to use magic back there, but if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have won.

  We reached the village. Randy and the other guy said goodbye and told me where to go to find my parents or grandma.

  I forgot to ask the teenager’s name. Since he didn’t talk much, I just ended up ignoring him the whole time.

  It’s time to go to my family and tell them about my first experience fighting monsters.

  I walk toward the place they pointed out. It looks like a small estate on the edge of the village. The house in the middle is as big as ours back in Talar, but a bit newer, and there’s another house of similar size about 20 meters away.

  When I arrive, the guards stare at me like the rest of the village did. They must have sensed something about me that made them realize who I am.

  They bowed respectfully. I returned the gesture and continued toward the main house.

  I enter and, after knocking on a few doors, I find my grandmother sitting in an office. I could’ve used my skill to find the closest person, but that would’ve ruined the fun—and I’m too tired to waste it on something so simple.

  Her face changed completely when she saw me. She had looked serious and stressed by the stack of papers on her desk. Now she looks a little more relaxed.

  “I see you’re back, Maki. From the looks of it, you hurt your shoulder, and your face shows how tired you are.” I could only smile at her words.

  “I’m very busy right now. Go eat something and then find the room with your name. You can sleep there for a while. Once I’m done with this paperwork, I’ll come find you and we can talk on the way back to Talar.” Do I really look that tired? She noticed immediately.

  “Thanks, Grandma. I’ll eat something and sleep right away.” I couldn’t say no to her. Our moods lined up perfectly—her with work and me with exhaustion.

  She gave me a gentle smile and went back to her papers while I quietly closed the door and headed toward the kitchen.

  The food was amazing as always. Every day I fall more in love with food. If I can, I want to eat at every famous restaurant in the world someday. A distant dream I intend to fulfill.

  My room in this house has the same simple decoration. It makes me feel calm and at home. I touched the bed and immediately fell into a deep sleep.

  I don’t know how many hours passed. My grandma hasn’t come to wake me yet, which means it’s not time to go.

  I’m hungry and still a little sleepy. Even though I ate before sleeping, I woke up starving again. A second meal won’t hurt—in fact, it’ll bring me back to life.

  I finish eating and go back to bed for another nap before we return to Talar.

  The sound of the door wakes me. I give permission to enter, and sure enough—it’s my grandma.

  “Little boy, go wash your face. I’ll see you outside the house in five minutes.” With a wave of her hand, she left the room and closed the door.

  Time to go. I do as she says and splash cold water on my face to fully wake up. I find her waiting at the entrance.

  “What do you think of Mancor?” Her question catches me off guard. It’s a small but cozy place. It has beautiful nature and would be a perfect spot for camping. As I gather my thoughts, my grandmother continues speaking.

  “In the future, we want to make Mancor the capital of our small territory.”