The Ruler Of Judgement

Learning Swordsmanship

The next day, Magnus began practicing the basic swordsmanship techniques directly imprinted in his brain by the system. It was challenging at first, considering he had never held a sword before.

William, upon seeing him train, was quite surprised. Luckily, the soul sword could be disguised to look like a regular wooden sword, saving Magnus the hassle of explanation. He simply told his grandfather that his friend Devon had given it to him, mentioning that Devon's father, a former adventurer and swordsman, had passed it down.

William, concerned about Magnus hurting himself, suggested he learn from Devon's father, Michael. The system also chimed in, acknowledging the benefit of learning from an experienced swordsman like Michael, who could refine the raw skills instilled by the system. Magnus readily agreed with his grandpa's suggestion.

Michael, a man with a warrior's physique yet kind demeanor, had known Magnus since his childhood days. When William and Magnus approached him in the evening, Michael initially expressed hesitation due to Magnus's young age. However, Magnus's determination swayed him. He pleaded with Michael, promising to stop the training if deemed unfit after a trial period. Seeing such unwavering determination in Magnus's eyes, Michael finally relented."But remember," Michael warned, "swordsmanship demands complete dedication. It's either all in or not at all, even for a child."With a determined nod, Magnus began his sword training under Michael's tutelage.

As advised by the system, he refrained from using his soul sword, not wanting to raise suspicion about its extraordinary sturdiness. Even Devon attempted to learn alongside Magnus, but he was easily defeated within a day.Magnus, however, persevered. After a month of relentless training, Michael was utterly astonished by Magnus's progress. He could now occasionally surprise Michael during their daily sparring sessions. After three months, Michael remarked, "I haven't encountered a prodigy like you in my entire life. You've grasped techniques that took me years to master in a mere three months."

Magnus smiled humbly, acknowledging in his heart that it wasn't solely his talent but also the system's support that accelerated his learning. The system, however, played down its role, stating, "You are the one who put in the hard work, host."Pleased by this praise, Magnus's happiness was short-lived as the system doused his spirits with a dose of reality. "While Michael might be the strongest in the village, he wouldn't even rank among the top 90% of professional swordsmen out there."

This realization dawned upon Magnus. His village was just a small speck in a vast world teeming with powerful individuals. Regaining his composure, he turned to the system, "What should we do next? We still have three months before I awaken my magic power and weapon power."The system replied, "Focus on increasing your warrior level, host. This will strengthen your attributes and your soul sword as well."Magnus checked his status, revealing significant improvement over the past three months. He had gained the 'basic swordsmanship' skill, and his physical attributes had noticeably increased.

[[ Name: Magnus

Age: 14

Strength: 12

Speed: 12

Stamina: 14

Intelligence: 15

Health (HP): 110

Magic Power (MP): 0 (Dormant)

Magic Attribute: Judgement (Dormant)

Mage Level: 0

Weapon Power (WP): 0 (Dormant)

Weapon Type: Soul Sword

Warrior Level: 0

Skills: Basic Swordsmanship

Title: Ruler Of Judgement (Not Qualified to Equip Yet), Hope of The Judgement (Not Qualified to Equip Yet) ]]

However, he noticed a plateau in his progress over the last few days. The system explained, "This is the limit of attribute growth without a level increase. You must now begin hunting magic beasts. Defeating them is the only way to level up."

Magnus was taken aback. William had instilled in him the dangers of magic beasts, creatures so powerful that even William, in his prime with a party, could only defeat a level 2 beast. Doubt crept in; was he truly ready for such a challenge?The system reassured him, "Your training has prepared you to face them, host. You are completely ready." It further emphasized, "There's no other choice. You won't gain levels otherwise."

One significant advantage was the system's status screen. Unlike ordinary people who had to pay to visit the Adventure Guild to get their stats assessed, Magnus could monitor his attributes and level in real-time. The village, being small and financially constrained, couldn't afford the Guild's services.

Curious about the Adventure Guild, Magnus inquired about it from the system."The Adventure Guild operates across all human-dominated nations," the system explained. "They function independently of any specific country and offer various services, from mundane tasks like cleaning houses to subduing dangerous beasts. There's no need to worry about them for now, host. You'll get a chance to see the Guild yourself when we visit Pulkit Town, the nearest town from Hebrew Village."

A pang of sadness hit Magnus. "Do I have to leave this village?" he asked emotionally."The world is vast, host," the system replied. "Hebrew Village can't provide the resources for your growth. We'll have to travel to the town after you awaken your magic and weapon power. Remember, this journey is necessary for your advancement. And more importantly, you need to be strong to protect those you care about."Despite his disappointment, Magnus accepted the inevitable. He understood the system's logic – power was essential.

That night, he sought permission from William to venture into the forest for hunting. William, naturally, expressed concern and offered to accompany him. However, Magnus politely declined, stating, "Grandpa, I need to do this alone."William, having witnessed Michael's praise for Magnus, recognized it might be time for his grandson to gain independence. With a worried expression, he conceded, "Don't wander deep into the forest. Make safety your top priority.""Absolutely, Grandpa," Magnus replied with a reassuring smile. He couldn't reveal his true intention of hunting magic beasts – William would never allow it.

The next morning, Magnus began preparations for his first hunt. William packed his food and reiterated his safety concerns. Michael also dropped by to offer words of encouragement. The forest was a mere two hours' walk from Magnus's house. Under the watchful eyes of his loving grandfather and supportive mentor, Magnus embarked on his first hunting expedition, unaware of the challenges and revelations that awaited him within the dense woods.