“It wasn’t that long. Only half an hour.”
The blue-haired girl wore a sweet—almost overly sweet—smile.
“Do you train this seriously every single day?”
Rook could hear the resentment in her tone, but he pretended not to notice.
If someone wanted to train yet lacked even a little patience, they were unlikely to accomplish much.
“There’s no need for unnecessary formalities.
I’ll first teach you a set of movements and a breathing method.
“Practice them whenever you have time. If there’s anything you don’t understand, just ask me.”
Nojiko was surprised by how straightforward he was, but she quickly nodded.
“Thank you. I’ll be troubling you, then.”
Nami had spoken to her last night about training and becoming stronger.
Nojiko understood very well just how disadvantaged ordinary people were in this world.
Now that she had an opportunity to obtain knowledge like this, naturally she wanted to give it a try.
Rook demonstrated everything in slow motion.
Starting with the fundamentals of how the human body generated force, he broke each movement down one by one and explained it to her.
Teaching her was also a way for him to review and deepen his own understanding.
As he watched Nojiko gradually grasp the essence of the exercises through his explanations, surprise appeared in Rook’s eyes.
Like Nami, Nojiko had excellent flexibility.
She was also intelligent.
At some point, Nami stopped her own training and began listening carefully as well.
Every so often, understanding flashed through her eyes.
At seven-thirty in the morning, the two sisters, drenched in sweat, finished their exercises and returned home to wash up and prepare breakfast.
Rook remained behind and continued training alone.
At nine o’clock, after breakfast.
Rook and Nojiko watched Nami leave for Arlong Park.
She wouldn’t be returning home for lunch.
Nojiko noticed that Rook was preparing to head out as well.
“Are you going into the mountains to train?”
“Want to come?”
Rook asked.
Nojiko blinked.
“Can I? What do I need to bring?”
“A dagger, a bag of seasonings, and yourself. Just keep up with me.”
Nojiko immediately understood.
The corner of her eye twitched.
He’s treating me like a portable cook, isn’t he?
He really wasn’t polite at all.
Still, she could accept that.
After all, Rook had taught her without asking for any payment.
Nojiko quickly gathered what she needed and followed Rook onto a small path leading into the mountains.
They ran at high speed along the way.
At the same time, Rook instructed her on how to coordinate her breathing with the rhythm of her stride.
After running several kilometers, Rook discovered that Nami’s older sister was physically much stronger than Nami herself.
In fact, her physical condition was far superior to that of an ordinary adult.
Half an hour later, the two stopped inside a forest deep in the mountains.
“You’ve trained your body before, haven’t you?”
Nojiko was breathing heavily.
She wiped the sweat from her face and nodded.
“Nami is the only family I have left.
“So I used to think that even if I couldn’t help her, I at least couldn’t become a burden.
“I asked Genzo to teach me some basic training methods before, but they were nowhere near as good as what you taught me today.
“Oh, right. Genzo is the village sheriff. Ever since we were children, he’s been like a dependable father to both Nami and me.”
“I know. Nami told me about him before.”
Rook replied.
Nojiko took a slow breath, and her expression became strange.
Nami really trusts him.
Had she seriously told this guy practically everything about herself?
After resting for a while, Rook saw that Nojiko had recovered her breath.
“Let’s go.”
Before long, the two arrived near a waterfall deep in the mountains.
A deep pool lay beneath it.
Along the edges of the pool floated broad, emerald-green lotus leaves.
Spray from the waterfall scattered across them.
The combination of motion and stillness displayed the beauty of nature in its purest form.
Rook felt the moist air against his skin.
His gaze shifted.
Beside a stream not far from the pool, a group of muscular wild boars were drinking and rooting through the ground for food.
Rook moved.
His figure shot forward at astonishing speed.
The boars immediately panicked.
The sharp blade sliced effortlessly through thick hide and fur.
The hunt… had begun.
Around the waterfall and pool, the training of the two officially commenced.
Training and combat had never been two completely separate paths.
Nojiko exercised beside the pool while watching one beast after another get drawn in by the smell of blood—only to be killed by Rook.
As time passed and Rook entered an increasingly efficient state of slaughter, Nojiko’s face gradually turned pale.
Beasts larger than she was had their limbs severed and heads cut off.
The heavy stench of blood made her complexion grow worse and worse.
Beside the pool, a wild boar had been butchered into pieces and was roasting over a fire pit.
Fragrant fat dripped into the flames.
Crackle!
Crackle!
Listening to the popping flames, Nojiko’s throat moved slightly.
A strange tingling sensation seemed to rise from the base of her spine.
She stared at Rook’s distant back.
Blood ran down the blade in his hand.
At that moment, he looked almost like an executioner.
Killing seemed as natural to him as breathing.
Gradually, a beastlike presence began rising from his body.
That evening, on the way home.
Nojiko carried delicious roasted meat wrapped in lotus leaves and followed about two meters behind Rook.
Her gaze remained unfocused as she stared at his back.
He had been killing all day.
The miserable screams of those beasts hadn’t shaken him in the slightest.
Was his heart made of iron and stone?
Did he feel no pity?
She felt confused.
She had killed chickens and rabbits before.
But she had never witnessed anything like what she had seen today—a scene resembling a slaughterhouse, where killing itself seemed to be the purpose.
There had to have been at least a hundred beasts.
After passing through the forest outside the village, the two returned home.
Nojiko sat on the sofa drinking plain water.
Rook glanced up at her distracted expression.
“You don’t need to come with me tomorrow.”
Nojiko froze.
She looked at him in confusion.
“W-Why? Did I do something wrong?”
Rook’s expression remained calm.
“You weren’t focused for most of the second half of today.
Your mind kept wandering, and your training efficiency dropped considerably.
“The mountains aren’t your home.
“If you keep acting like that, sooner or later there’ll be a moment when I can’t watch over you.
“I don’t want you losing your life because of it.
“If that happened, I wouldn’t be able to explain it to Nami.”
Nojiko fell silent.
Rook continued without changing expression.
“Different experiences shape different values.
“You sisters are both kindhearted.
“But Nami has spent years struggling among scum and criminals.
Compared to you, she can accept and adapt to bloody realities like this much more easily.
“If you can’t adapt, then I suggest you keep your distance from me.
“Keeping a comfortable distance between us would probably be better for everyone.”
He stood.
“That’s all.
I’m going out to train.
“Think about it yourself.”
Rook left the house.
Watching his departing back, Nojiko bit her lip.
Her eyes dimmed.
“Adapt…”
“Has Nami been living through things this bloody all these years?”
Suddenly, she felt as though she could see Nami’s past experiences more clearly.
Yet whenever Nami returned to her, she almost always wore that cheerful expression.
She was protecting my feelings.
And I…
I already knew that.
But witnessing scenes like today’s had forced her to truly understand what that knowledge meant.
Gradually, a different light began appearing in Nojiko’s eyes.
She seemed more determined.
As though she had made some kind of decision.
However, with her sharp senses, she quickly noticed that something about Nojiko seemed different.
“What’s wrong with you?”
Nojiko smiled exactly as she normally would.
“Nothing.
I’m fine.
“You’re the one who had a hard day.”
“Haha, forget about that. You clean up later. I’m going to train with Rook.”
“Alright. Go ahead.”
…
Early the next morning.
Just as Rook and Nami were preparing to leave, Nojiko appeared in front of Rook carrying her equipment.
Her expression was serious.
“I’m coming with you.
“Yesterday was only my first time.
“Don’t worry. I won’t hold you back.”
Rook narrowed his eyes slightly.
“Then I’ll give you one more chance.”
Nojiko breathed a sigh of relief and followed him.
Deep within the forest.
Today, they changed locations and continued hunting.
Rook used different kinds of beasts to refine his swordsmanship.
As his Swordsmanship proficiency steadily increased and his blade repeatedly cut through different bodies, something gradually condensed around Rook through the tempering of blood.
A kind of intimidating presence.
It could also be called killing intent.
Or sheer momentum.
In the blink of an eye, another three days passed.
As Rook trained with complete abandon, the beasts in the mountains became increasingly wary.
They gradually began hiding themselves more carefully.
March 30th.
At noon.
Deep within a mountain ravine.
Rook turned and swung his sword.
Slash!
The head of a massive tiger was severed in a single strike.
His body abruptly came to a stop.
In the distance, Nojiko stared at the three-meter-long tiger that had just been decapitated.
Her mouth still opened slightly despite herself.
“So strong…
“And he seems even stronger than before.
“The presence around him is becoming more frightening too.”
At the same time, system notifications appeared within Rook’s consciousness.
[Notice: Your Swordsmanship proficiency has reached the maximum value for “Skilled”: 500/500. Swordsmanship will automatically advance.]
[Notice: Your Swordsmanship skill has advanced from “Skilled” to “Expert”!]
[Body +1!]
[Strength +1!]
[Agility +1!]
[Notice: Your Swordsmanship has reached “Expert.” You have obtained the Trait: “Sword Presence.”]
[Sword Presence: Focus your body, mind, and will while perceiving the natural world, forming an invisible field of pressure capable of intimidating an opponent’s body and mind.]
[Notice: Swordsmanship — Expert: 0/1000. Next Rank: “Master.”]
At that moment, Rook slowly closed his eyes.
His Swordsmanship had advanced.
His attributes increased.
Changes immediately began taking place both inside and outside his body.
His muscles, tendons, and bones gradually became tougher and stronger.
At the same time, the swordsmanship knowledge inside his mind began continuously evolving.
From the intricacies of swinging a sword… to integrating one’s spiritual will into every strike.
The connection between his body and mind grew increasingly intimate.
His body, mind, and will seemed to align more closely.
His killing intent, fighting spirit, and imposing presence gradually began gathering upon his sword.
At that moment, an unsettling aura slowly rose from Rook’s body.
It felt sharp… yet also wild and domineering.
Rook silently experienced the changes brought about by the awakening of his Sword Presence.
He had gained the ability to consciously coordinate his body, mind, and will.
Sword Presence could be directed outward, allowing him to perceive the external world and sense the movement and underlying rhythm of the natural world.
But it could also be directed inward.
By coordinating his own body and mind, he could continually improve the efficiency with which he utilized his physical and mental strength.
“So this is the kind of Trait a skill can awaken after reaching a certain level?”