A step closer to an adventure

I was swinging my sword as usual while Norwin looked at me drinking coffee, he then stood up and unsheathed his own sword.

“Very good, your strength and technique has been improving, now, we are going to try some real moves, first, hold your sword tight”

I hold my sword as I observe Norwin, he lifted her sword up and let it down all the way without touching the grass, part of his body went down with him as he was getting in his knees

“A full power swing, try it without hitting the grass”

I nodded and did the exact same thing but my sword got stuck in the dirt and I tried to pull it out, Norwin dug with his sword until mine was out.

“Yeah, that’s why, in normal encounters you can let all your power down but even in there you need to know where to stop, or how much force you are applying, maybe a full swing is too much for a creature, or maybe he moves and you get stuck like that, take that in consideration”

“Yes, sir!”

The next move that Norwin taught me was some simple swings from left to right, the first time I did it I had to drop my sword since my bones and muscles hurt.

“No, no, come on, son, don’t do it will full strength, this is a matter of technique rather than raw strength, strength is important but the technique is what it matters”

“Huh… this is more complicated that I thought”

“It obviously is, you think this would be an easy path? The path of the warrior has just started, son”

“I thought I was going to be an adventurer”

“Well, if you are going to fight you are also a warrior”

“A warrior, huh?...”

I smile and swing my sword with both hands and close my eye from the pain

“There, just do it with your body at the same time, don’t stay in the same position”

“HAH!”

I did another swing and this time I lost my balance.

“Again!”

“HAH!”

“Again!”

I let out a scream every time I swung and little by little my technique was doing better, I threw myself in the grass cleaning the sweat from my forehead while Norwin gave me a canteen with water, I drank it and sigh.

“You are doing great, son, it’s been only a week and we advanced one step”

“Thanks, Norwin, although I still feel the pain from the previous week”

“That’s normal, when you stopped feeling pain, we can continue to more techniques, but for now, now that you are a little more comfortable you will be carrying your sword now in your stamina training, meaning that you would need to carry your sword with and without the sheath”

“That sounds fun, I’m going to regret it a bit but, sounds good”

“Good, now only one more repetition with swings and we would start that training”

“Yes, sir”

“Are you ready?”

“Yes!”

I grabbed my sword and continued with the swings, a whole hour of doing swings with different positions, but just one at the time, 20 minutes doing full charger swings, 20 minutes of left and right swings, and 20 minutes of stabs.

When I finished, I let myself be in the grass while I drank water but it was already lunchtime, we ate food and drank juice, Norwin drank wine but just a bit, while I was eating a pear, Norwin asked me.

“This training is essential for any weapon, but what kind of weapon do you want to use?”

“I think swords are fine, I am not looking to anything else”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah”

“Mmmh… well, we can always visit some stores in town to see if anything else caught your attention, I don’t want you to use a weapon that you don’t feel comfortable or maybe there is one that would be better for you”

“You think I am bad with the sword?”

“Oh no, don’t get me wrong, son, I am just trying to picture, I am thinking also in what armor would be the best for you, you are growing muscle and would be able to carry medium type armor unless you want some light armor”

“I think that would be when I am really prepared”

“Is never too late, but you are right, maybe your body will expand a bit for the muscles”

“You think so?”

“You haven’t noticed? Flex your arm”

“Mmmh?”

I flex my arm and saw my bicep with more muscle than before, It wasn’t anything crazy but I was very skinny when I got here

“Oh…”

I touch my bicep; I couldn’t believe and Norwin started laughing

“Is only natural, of course you are not going to be able to carry heavy equipment just now but, that is the results of your hard work, son”

I smiled and continued eating, I was proud of myself, it has been a while since I felt like that, after resting for about thirty minutes I stood up and started to stretch, I hold my sword in my belt and started trotting, unsheathing my sword and after a bit I started running.

It was difficult to run with a sword, the sheath wasn’t completely in its place and I had to adjust it so it didn’t move around, my hand was getting tired from time to time and I had to change it, when I arrive at the location where I need to climb some trees and balance myself to the next one, I notice the extra weight in my belt.

I miss one of them I fall on the floor, but I was able to road, my sword punched me a bit so it hurt me in the thigh, not for that much thought, only a light punch, I continue running and then I try to climb, the trees again to jump to one to another until I reach the end of the woods.

I rubbed my thigh and saw Norwin approaching me.

“It is different, right?”

“Yeah, I need to be careful, maybe my waist is not the best place to have my sword”

“And you are carrying a short blade, imagine if you carry a long sword or a different type of weapon like a lance”

I put my hand in my chin thinking about what just happen

“I see, I understand”

“Alright, well, let’s go before the sun goes down”

“Yes, sir”

We went through the road until one carriage happened to pass by, sometimes we get lucky and we can get into the carriage and sometimes the carriage just passes by and we need to walk to the town alone, this time was one of the lucky days, I look at the road while I was holding face with my hand.

“What are you thinking about, son?”

“Nothing, really, I just like to observe the road…”

“Haha, don’t get to relaxed, we still need to help Elizabeth and my wife”

“Yeah, I know”

I looked at Norwin smiling and the carriage dropped us at the entrance, we walked through the main town to the commercial district until we got to the store.

When we arrived, there were only a few customers eating a regular lunch while Elizabeth was cleaning. We went upstairs without saying too much and I went to take a bath, we didn’t talk that much during business hours downstairs but when there was just only a few customers.

“Ryu!”

Elizabeth was waiting in my room holding a book and a pen, she was helping me learn the language of this town, writing more than anything.

“And how was today’s training?”

“I finally got some moves with me, I still need to train but I am getting there”

“I am rooting for you, you are a really hard worker person, Ryu”

“Not at all, haha”

“Stop, I know that you won’t take the compliment so take it”

“But…”

“Take… it…”

“Okay…”

Elizabeth smiled at me and I smiled at her back, we continued with the studying session and after an hour we went downstairs to help with some customers, I learned how to cook too to help Rose.

“You are always helpful, Hikari, are you sure you don’t want to rest?”

“I’m okay ma'am, do not worry about me”

Rose laughed kindly and, in a matter of a few minutes, the customers were served their food and leave a big tip when they left, all the tips were thrown into a jar to make some savings, and with that the whole day finished, I just needed to it was to brush my teeth and go to sleep.

I said “Good night” to everybody and went upstairs, I was in my bed, I put my arms below my head and looked at the ceiling, the warm feeling of the family made me really happy, but I couldn’t enjoy it at a hundred percent.

I miss you… mom… dad…