The first light of dawn slowly chased away the night’s darkness. From afar, the cries of roosters and different birds drifted into the village.
Inside the kitchen, Martha was already busy with the day’s cooking. Three months had passed since Derek was born, and now she could manage the household chores without any trouble.
Out in the yard, Rudeous was training Arthur with the sword. Though Arthur was only seven years old, in every family it was common for children to begin this early. Some were guided into cultivation only, others into weapon training for Aurans, and spell casting for mages, besides cultivation. Youth was the golden time to learn—when the body and mind were soft enough to absorb anything and engrave it deep within.
As they grew, everyone gradually leaned toward their chosen future. Those talented in magic or aura usage sought admission into the Hunter Academy. To be a hunter was the most respected and profitable path. They weren’t just raiders of dungeons—they were heroes. Hunters defended kingdoms, maintained peace and order, rescued civilians during calamities, and even took on personal missions. Many cultivators also tried for the Academy, but their chances were slim. Most failed to be accepted, and even fewer managed to graduate successfully.
For those not aiming at the hunter’s life, there were other paths. Aspiring merchants learned early how to balance profit and loss, how to deal with customers. Those dreaming of becoming healers studied under veteran healers, learning the basics step by step.
This age of youth was like molten iron. Whatever shape you wanted it to take, that was the time to strike it with the hammer.
Rudeous himself had once been a Fighter-level hunter 1 .
Later, he gave up that profession and now lived as the head of the village keepers. Yet, when it came to training his children, he spared nothing. In his eyes, no matter what future awaited them, every man and woman needed the power to protect themselves and the ones they loved. That belief was rooted deep within him.
Both of them held wooden swords. Arthur attacked from different angles with all his strength, but Rudeous calmly kept his left hand behind his back, effortlessly deflecting every strike.
Clank! Clank! Clank! ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ novel-fire.net
Arthur was giving it everything he had. His small arms trembled with every swing, sweat dripping down his forehead, but his eyes burned with determination.
At the side of the yard, Daisy stood holding Derek in her arms. For them, this had become a daily routine. At first, no one thought of bringing Derek out since he was still too small. But one morning, the sound of clashing swords reached him, and he began to cry lightly, waving his little hands restlessly. That day, Daisy carried him out to the yard to watch. From then on, it turned into a routine.
From Daisy’s arms, Derek’s bright eyes followed every swing. Each clash of wood stirred something deep inside him.
"Arthur was an Auran in my past life. But it seems he still can’t release aura. That’s normal, though, as he is only seven now. Father, on the other hand, is quite impressive. I wish I could have trained under him as well. Don’t know what happens in the future that he totally vanished without any trace in my past life."
Whenever the swords clashed, Derek’s tiny fists flinched and waved in the air as if he, too, wanted to hold a sword. And inside his mind, different questions and answers were playing with each other.
Arthur’s breathing grew heavier, his shoulders rising and falling as sweat trickled down his temples. Yet he refused to slow down. Even in Derek’s past life, he was a role model for him, for this type of determination of his. He was never the one to back down, even when facing life-threatening situations.
He tightened his grip on the wooden sword and lunged forward, this time feinting to the right before spinning to slash at Rudeous’s side.
Rudeous twisted his wrist and knocked the strike away with ease, his left hand still calmly resting behind his back.
But his eyes lit up with admiration, though he kept it well hidden.
"Well done," he said firmly. "But make sure your posture doesn’t give away your next move. If your feint is too obvious, it will be you facing the death blow."
Arthur nodded while panting. "But next time, I will surely land a blow, Father. You’d better be ready for the pain you’re about to taste."
Rudeous allowed the faintest smile to slip. "Is that so. I will be waiting then."
He shifted his stance then, lowering his guard slightly to test his son. Arthur, thinking he saw an opening, roared and swung down with all his strength in an overhead strike. But Rudeous was ready.
Claaaank! The final strike rang out, but Arthur’s strength gave in against his father’s firm hold.
The force of the clash sent a sharp vibration through his arms, almost knocking the sword from his hands. He staggered back, struggling to steady his grip.
His wooden sword slipped from his sweaty palms and fell to the ground. Gasping, he dropped to his knees.
Rudeous stepped forward, placing a firm but gentle hand on his son’s head. "Enough for today. You’ve done well."
Arthur let out a shaky breath, pride flickering in his tired smile. "Alright... I’ll do even better next time."
Daisy came closer, offering a jug of water. As Arthur drank greedily, Derek squirmed in her arms. Seeing his desperation, Daisy put him down. And the moment she did, Derek started crawling toward the fallen sword on the ground. "Let’s see how far my strength has reached." He couldn’t wait. Because he had no scope for testing his progress at other times.
But seeing his interest everyone was taken aback.
For a moment, silence lingered. Then Rudeous chuckled, his deep voice carrying warmth. "The little one seems to be more interested in weapons rather than toys."
Arthur laughed breathlessly. "True. I never saw him crying for a toy."
Reaching for the sword, Derek grabbed it and started trying to pick it up. Inside, his voice echoed firmly. "You bet I am. But one thing still bugs me though. It seems Father is also an auran. Then why the hell did only I end up being a cultivator?!!!!"