Chapter 3: First Level-Up
Despite being the son of a knight, Ren had to wait a while before he could begin sword training.
The reason was simple—his parents wanted to wait until his body had grown stronger.
His father, Roy, had once suffered a serious injury from overexerting himself as a child, and they wanted to make sure Ren didn’t make the same mistake.
It was only a few days after Ren’s seventh birthday that Roy finally suggested, “How about we start swinging a sword?”
“We’ll begin training this afternoon. There are plenty of practice swords in the storage room, so pick whichever one you like.”
After finishing his breakfast, Roy slung his longsword over his back and stepped out of the house through the door in the dirt-floored kitchen.
Though Roy technically held the title of knight, his only real duty was reporting to the baron a few times a year.
Most of the time, he earned his living by hunting monsters.
(A job that keeps the village safe and provides income—it’s killing two birds with one stone.)
Mireille had said something similar before.
By hunting monsters, Roy not only protected the village but also contributed to its meager economy.
Agriculture alone wasn’t enough to support either the Ashton family or the rest of the village.
“What about you, Ren? Are you going to the archive again today?”
“That’s the plan. …Anyway, thanks for the meal. I’ll be heading there now.”
Having finished his breakfast shortly after Roy, Ren thanked his mother and left the room.
"Alright."
Ren made his way to the archive, pushed open the old wooden door, and stepped inside.
The Ashton family’s archive wasn’t large.
If three single beds were placed inside, there wouldn’t be much space left for anything else.
The only furnishings were a single bookshelf that covered one wall and a desk positioned by the window.
Since the age of three, Ren had spent nearly every day in this room, making it a near-daily routine to sit at that desk.
"What should I read today?"
Several books lay stacked on the desk—books he had used to study reading and writing.
Though he had no trouble speaking the local language, he hadn’t been able to read or write it at first.
Mireille had been the one to teach him, and it was only about a year ago that he had finally become capable of reading books on his own.
Remembering that, Ren felt a wave of nostalgia as he picked up one of the books.
It contained information about the geography of this world—unchanged from his memories of the game.
Deciding to read while he digested his meal, Ren flipped to the first page.
It described the continents of this world, beginning with the one where Ren’s home country was located.
This continent was called Elphen, named after the chief god Elphen.
With fertile land, abundant mineral and marine resources, and divine blessings, it was considered the heart of the world.
However, despite being a "blessed land," history had seen its share of conflicts, including the rise of the Demon King and the devastation caused by monsters.
Most nations had either been absorbed by larger ones or completely destroyed.
—But Ren’s homeland was an exception.
It was the Leomel Empire, the setting of The Legend of the Seven Heroes and the dominant power of western Elphen.
Founded nearly a thousand years ago by its first ruler, the Lion King, Leomel had never known defeat in battle.
Its military strength was unparalleled, ensuring that no other nation dared wage war against it.
Furthermore, the legendary Seven Heroes—warriors of Leomel—had once vanquished the Demon King.
Out of gratitude, many nations refrained from challenging Leomel, further securing its dominance.
"Still, I really am living in the middle of nowhere..."
Ren shifted his gaze from the world map to an older, more worn-out map.
This one depicted his village, the surrounding territories, and neighboring domains.
It also listed the name of his region and the noble family that ruled it.
None of the names were familiar from the game, making it clear just how remote this place was.
The distance from here to the imperial capital was over two months by carriage.
Even traveling east to the city where the local baron resided would take about ten days on horseback.
(Yep. Definitely the middle of nowhere.)
Leaning back in his chair, Ren stretched.
"I should get to studying."
He had rested long enough after eating.
With a light slap to his cheeks to refocus, he reached for a book—only to find that he couldn’t concentrate.
He knew why.
He was too excited about this afternoon’s training to focus on studying.
"...This isn’t working."
He tried a few more times to settle down, but his mind kept wandering.
Finally giving up, Ren stood up and made his way to the storage room where the training equipment was kept.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
By the time afternoon arrived, Roy had returned to the estate, carrying a freshly hunted monster into the kitchen’s earthen floor area before heading back outside to the yard where Ren was waiting.
“I heard you were studying in the archives again today.”
“Yes. I was going over the geography of the surrounding area, and I noticed that the names of the local lords were also listed on the map.”
“You’ve already gotten that far in your studies?
Looks like the only thing I have left to teach you is the sword.”
Roy let out a small chuckle before his gaze landed on the wooden magic sword in Ren’s hand.
“—By the way, I don’t remember seeing a wooden sword like that before.”
“Is this one not okay?”
“No, it’s fine. I’m just surprised you managed to find one that small.”
When Ren had gone to the storage shed earlier, he had examined the various wooden swords available.
Among them were some similar in size to his wooden magic sword.
Figuring it would be fine, he had casually taken his Wooden Magic Sword.
He was also wearing his bracelet, but since he was dressed in leather training armor, it remained hidden from Roy’s view.
Additionally, both the summoned bracelet and the magic sword adjusted their size according to Ren’s growth, ensuring they fit him naturally.
(Just to be safe, I should keep the bracelet hidden.)
There wasn’t any particular reason why he absolutely had to keep his magic sword summoning a secret, but considering the way the Ren Ashton from the game had carried himself, it just didn’t sit right with him to reveal this skill so openly.
“All right then, let’s start training.
Come at me.”
“Huh?”
Roy’s sudden command left Ren momentarily stunned.
“Even if the Ashton family is a knightly house, I grew up out here in the frontier, and I’ve never actually taught anyone the sword before.
My old man trained me the same way I’m about to train you.”
It was a practical, hands-on approach, to say the least.
Ren wasn’t sure what the best method was for learning swordsmanship, but if this was how Roy himself had been trained, he couldn’t exactly call it ineffective either.
“Come on, don’t hold back.”
Ren’s excitement hadn’t faded in the slightest.
He instinctively tightened his grip on the wooden magic sword, lowered his stance—
“—Got it!”
—And launched himself forward.
Since his reincarnation, he had never exerted his body to such an extent before.
Now that he was, he found himself surprised by his own physical capabilities.
“Nice footwork!”
Hearing Roy’s voice, Ren raised his wooden magic sword high overhead.
Of course, he had no intention of attempting Nature Magic (Small).
He simply swung down at Roy with all his strength.
Naturally, it was blocked with ease.
As soon as their wooden swords clashed, a powerful shockwave traveled through Ren’s arms.
“Keep going until your body can’t move anymore!”
“Y-yes, sir!”
Ren answered firmly before stepping in again.
Over and over, he swung his wooden magic sword at Roy, attempting to break through his guard.
However, with the sheer difference in strength and physique, breaking Roy’s defenses seemed impossible.
And yet—
(Why is this so fun?)
Ren found himself enjoying the experience, refusing to give up despite the overwhelming difference in skill.
What he was doing was nothing more than repeatedly swinging his sword at Roy, yet he was having the time of his life.
(It’s fun because this is basically my version of level grinding—!)
If he kept at it, his skill level would surely rise.
That thought alone gave Ren the strength to push past his growing fatigue.
Even as his breathing became ragged, even as Roy’s strength sent him staggering back, he pushed his body to its limits, determined to reach the level-up waiting beyond his efforts.
However, no matter how strong his resolve, Ren was still only seven years old.
Less than thirty minutes into training, his body finally gave out, and he collapsed onto the ground.
“…I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. For a seven-year-old, that was some impressive movement.”
Roy smirked before stepping away.
“Well, I’m off to heat some water for a bath.
You want to cool off a bit longer?”
Ren gave a small nod.
“Yeah, I think I will.”
“Got it.”
After watching Roy disappear into the house, Ren glanced down at the bracelet hidden beneath his armor.
—Magic Sword Summoning Arts (Level 1: 2/100)
“Yes!”
While the magic sword itself wouldn’t level up without magic stones, the Magic Sword Summoning Arts, as its description suggested, gained experience through usage.
Seeing tangible proof of his progress put a bright, triumphant smile on Ren’s face.
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◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
From the day of his first training session onward, Ren’s afternoons became dedicated to training with Roy.
“I think that’s enough for today.”
“Ah… Th-thank you very much…”
Ren sprawled out on the ground in exhaustion, arms and legs spread wide.
Seeing this, Roy declared the end of their session.
That being said, Ren had improved dramatically—he could move for more than twice as long as he had on the first day.
His stamina and strength were both steadily growing.
“…Let’s see how much progress I made today.”
Once Roy had left, Ren discreetly glanced at his bracelet.
—Magic Sword Summoning Arts (Level 1: 88/100)
Each session, he trained until he collapsed, and for all that effort, he only gained a mere two points of proficiency.
Based on that rate, he had been pushing his body to the limit for over a month now.
At this point, it wasn’t just his gamer instincts driving him to level up.
After all, actually moving his body was completely different from just holding a controller.
(I guess it’s because of them…?)
If he had to pinpoint the reason, it would be Roy and Mireille.
Unlike his parents in his previous life, they praised him wholeheartedly whenever he put in effort.
Their smiles made him want to work even harder.
“When I was Ren, no one ever praised me…”
In his past life, his parents had separated when he was still young, and his mother had taken custody of him.
But as he grew older, he started to resemble his father more, and his mother began to dislike him for it.
Eventually, she stopped speaking to him entirely.
By the time he was in college, she was rarely home, and they only exchanged a few words a handful of times each year.
Compared to that past, his current life was incredibly fulfilling.
There were times when the lack of modern appliances was inconvenient, but even so, he could say with certainty that he was much happier now.
“…I’ll do my best again tomorrow.”
Knowing his parents would be pleased with his efforts made working hard feel worth it.
◇ ◇ ◇ ◇
The following day, and the day after that, Ren continued to train until he collapsed.
Then, six days later, during their usual training session, something changed.
“—Huh?”
About an hour into training, his body suddenly felt strangely light.
Even compared to before they started, he felt even lighter—so light that he almost felt like he could leap into the sky.
“What’s wrong? Did you get hurt?”
Roy’s voice was laced with concern as he saw Ren freeze mid-movement, his face full of surprise.
“N-no, I’m fine! It’s nothing serious!”
“If you say so… Just don’t push yourself too hard!”
“Yes, sir! I know!”
As he responded, Ren realized that the change wasn’t just in his body’s lightness.
There was also newfound strength in his grip on the wooden magic sword.
He tried to pinpoint the source of this power, but he couldn’t figure it out.
Still, not wanting to worry Roy, he lowered his stance and stepped forward as usual.
And the moment he moved, Roy immediately noticed the difference.
“Wha—!? You’re fast!?”
Roy was a seasoned hunter who ventured into the forest daily to fight monsters, yet even he couldn’t hide his shock at Ren’s sudden speed.
Ren had always possessed remarkable physical abilities for a seven-year-old.
But now, his speed far surpassed that of the monsters in the forest.
“Gh…!”
Even so, Roy held his ground, positioning his wooden sword horizontally to block Ren’s strike.
The force of Ren’s attack tore into the ground beneath Roy’s feet as he braced himself.
The wooden sword in his hands groaned under the pressure, letting out a pained creak.
“Haaaaah!”
But Ren didn’t stop.
He kept up his relentless assault, forcing Roy to block again and again.
Each clash of their swords rang out in heavy, resounding echoes, the force behind them growing stronger with every strike.
(My body feels so light—!)
The numbness he usually felt in his hands was gone.
Now, he could swing the wooden magic sword as freely as he pleased.
“There’s no way someone could get stronger all of a sudden… Wait, no—Ren!
Could it be that you—?!”
Roy narrowed his eyes, furrowing his brow as beads of sweat formed on his forehead.
Then, as if arriving at a conclusion, he readied his wooden sword—this time, preparing to launch an attack of his own.
But just as he was about to move—
“—Huh…?”
Ren suddenly lost all strength, dropping to his knees with a soft thud.
“Looks like you ran out of fuel.”
“Th-that can’t be…I still have plenty of energy left…”
Confused by the sudden exhaustion, Ren could only watch as Roy approached, smiling as if he were genuinely pleased.
Then, without warning, Roy reached out and scooped him up in his arms.
“Well done! I can’t believe my own kid turned out to be a skill holder!”
“W-wait…Dad—?!”
“There’s no doubt about it! You must’ve gotten stronger because your skill leveled up! I don’t have a skill myself, so I wouldn’t know how it feels, but I can’t think of any other reason!”
Held securely in Roy’s powerful arms, Ren finally realized what had happened.
(I see…During training, my Magic Sword Summoning skill Arts must’ve leveled up…)
The next level was supposed to grant him Physical Enhancement (Minor).
That would explain why his body felt so light and why his strength had increased.
Since it was such a sudden change, his mind and body hadn’t been able to fully process it yet, which likely led to him hitting his limit unexpectedly.
“Now that we know that, we should head to the church to get your skill appraised!—Or at least, that’s what I’d like to say, but…”
Roy’s enthusiasm faded, and he looked down at Ren with an apologetic expression.
“Sorry…We just don’t have the money to make the trip to the church.”
“Um…Is skill appraisal really that expensive?”
“Nah, if it were just the appraisal fee, I could cover it by hunting two monsters. In towns with churches, it’s common for people to get their skills appraised right after they’re born.”
“Then…Is it because this village is too remote, so the travel costs would add up…?”
Roy immediately nodded.
“The closest church is in the city where the baron lives. And getting there takes about ten days on horseback.”
The city where the baron resided was quite a distance away.
“If it were just the travel expenses for the three of us, we could probably manage. But while I’m gone, we’d need to hire a mercenary to hunt monsters in my place…That’s where things get tricky.”
For Ren, who had been keeping his skill a secret, this was actually good news.
He had planned to live a quiet life in this village, so this was one less thing to worry about.
“Well, I don’t think we need to get it appraised.”
“…Ren?”
“It’s not like not knowing the skill’s name is going to kill me or anything.”
“You…Aren’t you a little too level-headed for a kid? I thought children would be dying to know what their skill was called…”
“Well, different families have different priorities.”
Roy was momentarily taken aback.
Then, he burst into a hearty laugh, his voice ringing out as if it could reach the ends of the earth.
Hearing this, Mireille rushed out of the house, wondering what had happened.
And the moment she learned that Ren was a skill holder, she hugged him tightly—so tightly that it felt as if she would never let go.
—From that day on, Ren dedicated himself to the way of the sword.
Half a year passed.
A year.
Then several more years.
And with each passing day, he continued to refine himself, never letting a single moment go to waste.
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