For one year and a half, Josiah took the words of his mother's loyal servant to the risk and went out to train every single day after the farm work. Thomas would supervise him, as promised, and they would return home late at night.Josiah would slay beasts to strengthen his sword and would train on the air and inanimate objects to strengthen his skill expertise. Occasionally he would also spar with Thomas himself, who would then give him some tips.In that night they were sparring with each other. Whenever Thomas was about to overcome the kid with his weapon he would stop right before the blade cut him through. Josiah didn't hold the skill to do the same, but so far he never needed to, as he never landed a single blow on the old man.But he was getting better fast. As of now, it was very unlikely he would let himself get caught before thirty seconds of fighting.In the middle of an exchange of clashes, Josiah was analyzing:'There… He always uses his body weight and momentum to lean m

"Are you okay?""You… I told you to run away… Argh."The girl ran to Josiah in order to help him lift his body out of the grass."Not now. You are all hurt. Come.""Come? Where? Do you live around here? I also live nearb…" 'Wait' Josiah interrupted himself with a thought: 'it's better to let her mother treat me or something. If the old man finds out I was fighting a pair of those things out of his sight he'll never teach me anything again.'He followed the girl around the forest. She would walk fast with her hand on his arm, but her fast wasn't exactly his fast, as he was accustomed to Thomas' heavy training.She wasn't much of a talker either, probably an age thing."How old are you?""Five. And you?""F… Er… I'm also five." Josiah answered. 'Yeah… That's my age.' He thought."Then we are the same age!"She stopped running for a second and looked at Josiah.She had deep black eyes and a bright smile."I am Lenny.""I am Josiah.""Come. Let's go."She resumed walking."But then again…

"Thomas…? Thomas? Are you ok?"Josiah was crouching, standing next to the servant's eyes, who had collapsed on the floor."For low long did I sleep?""Did you sleep? I don't know… Two seconds? You just fell and now I'm here.""Ouch, I see… This feels like… This feels like back when someone in the castle wanted to poison lady Mirild's chalice and, as the cupbearer was out, I had to experiment it first. I remember seeing all spinning around and then I fell down, exactly like that," Thomas said as he rubbed his face and tried standing up. "I believe this weapon can strike at distance. I am completely sure your attack was out of my range after I dodged it.""So it's like a mid-ranged attack with a poisoning effect?""If so, a somewhat mild one. I felt the dizziness but I don't feel anything inside my stomach, in fact, I can just get up just fin…"He stumbled upon his own legs and fell down again before he could get straight."You don't seem fine…""Ach, Josiah. Can you bring me to the hous

The Magistrate waited for Josiah to come at him with both arms crossed. The mocking smile on his face exposed his confidence. He hadn't even begun making it easier to draw his weapons out of the huge number of belts and chains they were being held with among the heavy armory the man carried with him. 'Did I really uttered all cockily I'm going to give this guy hell? What the f*ck is wrong with me?' Josiah realized internally.The Magistrate didn't move an inch, even with Josiah stepping closer.'Forget it. Focus. If this dumbass won't start fighting, I will.'He charged trying to reproduce what he learned, but the small worries in the back of his mind may have turned it into a slower assault than he was accustomed to.As soon as Josiah got close, he felt his left shoulder tearing up. When he looked to his left a huge jet of blood splashed on his face. Where did that come from? Josiah didn't see anything until he was cut. All of that happened in mid-air, during his attack. Josiah had

Summer had blessed Couche once again with the pleasant breeze and the giant shiny sun in the sky, helping the crops growing larger and larger in the farmsteads. The smell of fresh grass helped people stay motivated.During three long years, Josiah struggled every day training his wielding skill and battle endurance. He also trained the level of the weapons he had, alternating in sparring with the servant and venturing in the woods to find creatures to strengthen the blood abilities of the weapons he owned.With a lot of responsibilities an adult man can only train so much, but being a kid with a lot of free time, Josiah devoted almost all of his to perfect his combat-related abilities. In a perfect mix of bloodborn talent, knowledge from another world, and perseverance; he was approaching the level of adults when it came to weapon-wielding. "This sword. My mother left it to me when I was born. It's the only thing I have from her. It's now at level 16. Thomas said I'm leveling it up ul