I was an orphan, someone who had no parents since they were killed by monsters.
I wasn't anyone special, I was a no one, a person who could easily be disposed of when they weren't of any use anymore.
I was lonely, I had no friends, I barely had any clothes, and the matriarch who was taking "care" of me was doing nothing. They were standing there, looking at my thin and weak body, starving to death on the ground.
I didn't have the strength to curse her out, and even if I did, she would give me a scolding, which meant she would beat me to the brink of death.
I was looking at her eyes. It had a look of disdain and relief. Relief since she didn't need to take care of a brat like me anymore.
Her arms were crossed, and everyone on the street ignored what she was doing.
When my parents had died, I hated the monsters that killed them, but right now I was hating humans, specifically the king.
"Stop looking at me, brat." she said as she went inside the building, locking the doors so I couldn't go back inside.
'What did I do to deserve this? I didn't even want to be born in this world. I didn't even give consent to be in this world where power rules all.' I thought, slowly closing my eyelids.
'But I want to survive in this world since I haven't yet experienced the things I heard from my parents. I want to live... I want to get stronger!'
<{Confirmed}>
<{Request has been granted. The individual named Arthur has acquired the unique skill, [Perseverance] due to wanting to get stronger}>
And that was the last thing I heard before my eyes slowly but surely shut.
...
"...id"
"Kid..."
"Wake up, kid!" yelled someone with a deep voice.
Confused as to where I was, I quickly sat up, but since I was still malnourished, having barely any strength, I fell down.
"You should probably rest, kid." said the middle aged man who's muscles were bulging from his clothes.
"Who are you?" I said with a wavering voice, on guard since I didn't know this man was at all.
Hearing him scoff, he says "Don't worry, I won't hurt you."
"Liar..." I said, slowly backing away, trying to get out of there.
"Everyone I knew in the orphanage were all shit people and you're probably one too!"
"Woah there buddy! Where'd you learn those disgusting words?" questioned the man as he put a long metal sword hanging on his waist.
"It's none of your business, old man." I scowled as I didn't have the strength to continue trying to get away.
"Alright, I'm only 35 years old, but... Here, eat this." he said as he placed down a steaming bowl with meat and liquid inside it.
Wary of it since when the matriarch gave me anything to eat, she would give me a small dose of poison, so I say "You eat it first."
"If that's what makes you not like this, then I guess I have no choice." he said as he grabbed the bowl, plucking a leaf and drinking off that.
Done, he says as he again placed the bowl next to me "Now that I showed you it's not poisoned, you should eat."
Still on guard, not even waiting for the food to cool down, I grabbed the bowl and devoured it within seconds.
"Hot!" I said as I opened my mouth, trying to cool it off.
Hearing him laugh, I look at him, confused as to why he began laughing when nothing funny happened.
"So, how was it?" asked the man.
"What do you mean?" I asked, still not fully trusting the middle aged man.
"I'm asking if you liked the food."
With a slight pause, looking away, I quietly say "Yes..."
"Well that's good." he said, sitting on a log, making a campfire.
A couple minutes- no, a couple hours passed by and when he still saw me on the ground, he asked "Do you want to become strong?"
Hearing the man say that, I became tense and giddy since that was what I wanted.
Tense because I didn't know why the man was doing this since this was the first time we've met, and giddy since I could finally kill those monsters, all the while being able to protect myself, too.
But I still hesitated. Not because I wanted to decline his offer, but because I didn't know if I could even become powerful.
Contemplating for awhile, I finally say "I will accept your offer."
Smiling, the man says "Well it looks like you're not wary of me anymore."
Ending his smile, he says "Now, get some sleep because we're starting your training tomorrow."
Feeling the aura he was emitting, I immediately lay down on the grass and fell asleep.
Waking up from the soft and itchy ground, I opened my eyes and saw him towering over me.
"Wake up. It's time for you to begin your training." he said as he walked to an open field with me sluggishly following behind him.
Now on the open filed, he says "Since you aren't yet physically strong yet, I want you to do a light jog two times around this field."
"Yes." I said as I remembered the disembodied voice from before I passed out.
'What did it say... It said something like a request had been granted. Was it my request?'
'It also said... that I acquired a unique skill. What was it?'
'It was.. It was...'
Getting deep into my thoughts, I yell in my head 'Ah! It was called [Perseverance]!'
"Why are you slowing down!" he yelled, seeing me slow down since it had only been 10 seconds since I talked to him.
'Wait...'
'Its only been 10 seconds since I spoke to him?!'
Picking up the pace, I still thought 'What are skills? What even is a unique skill? So if I focus on the unique word... Does it mean its unique to me?'
Out of breath and not even close to finishing the second lap around the field, I collapsed.
Unconsciously getting up, I slowly jogged and two minutes later, I finished.
Ragged breathing, eyes blurry and my limbs burning, I was about to fall but just in the knick of time he caught me.
"You did well for someone who's malnourished and only being around 7 years old." he softly said as he put his arms under my head and legs, laying me down on a soft place.
(3 Years Later)
"Swing it like your life depends on it!"
My arms were burning. It felt like it was going to fall off the moment I do this last swing.
Bringing down the sword, I yell "750!" and then I fell on my butt, exhausted from this.
"You're a daemon in disguise, Avery."
Scoffing, Avery says "That's enough training for today. You can rest inside the cabin."
"Look at me. Do you think I can move from where I am?" I asked as I tried to stand up, failing.
"Even though you're 10 years old, your strength is that of a B- rank adventurer."
"That's not an excuse. From what you've told me, a normal B- rank adventurer wouldn't have been able to handle this."
"Heh. Just go inside."
Sluggishly walking to the cabin Avery built, I went inside and jumped on the bed, groaning.
'My unique skill, [Perseverance] has helped me through these 3 years of my training.' I thought as I looked at my body.
'Whenever I got injured, it would slowly heal, much to my amazement. I could also increase my thought processing speeds to 1000, but if I use it for too long, my brain would begin to fry.'
'There was also one more thing my unique skill had. It was that whenever I was going to give up, I gained a boost of strength, empowering me to great heights.'
'Also, these 3 years have been hell. I had to endure the beatings he gave me whenever we fought, and when my body felt like they were going to fall off.'
'I also had to eat poisoned food, though in small doses and when that happend, I had heard that disembodied voice again.'
'Actually, I also heard it when I was getting beat up by Avery.'
'It went something along the lines of "Due to enduring excessive amounts of pain, you have received [Pain resistance]".'
'I also heard it when I was eating poison. It said "Due to your high resistance to poison, you have gained [Poison resistance]" and after that, I passed out.'
'Though that did happen last year, and since then I haven't really heard their voice.'
'Even though I said that in these 3 years I've been here it has been hell, it feels like my father is back.'
'He was someone who was strong, someone who I depended on. My mother was also someone who was strong.'
'My father was a Royal Guard. He was a commander, someone who made orders to other knights, and someone who trained the rest of the knights.'
'My mother was a mage. She taught people in the kingdom how to use magic, and after they died, do you know what they did?'
'They threw me into a run down orphanage. A place where kids, kids like me could be thrown away!'
'But now that Avery has taken me as his student, it almost feels like life is back to normal.'
'I should go to sleep.' I thought as I closed my eyes.
(6 Years Later)
I was currently fighting Avery. He was overpowering me, and even though I had strength of a Calamity class monster, I was still being pushed back.
'Just how strong are you!' I thought as he disarmed me with ease, not even tired.
Clapping his hands to get dust off, he said "You have grown plenty and I believe you should venture out in the world, Arthur."
"You've been cooped up in this place for 9 years. You don't even know what's happening out there."
Picking up my sword, I say "Why do I even need to go out and find people when I can just stay here and train with you."
Sighing, Avery says "Even though it looks like you're strong, you haven't even scratched the tip of the iceberg."
"Well obviously. I mean, look at you! Even though I'm this strong, I can't even seem to damage you."
"Arthur. There are beings out there who are stronger than me by leaps and bounds. And even though I taught you magic, it won't be enough to fend them off."
"And I have to admit. The rate at which you're getting stronger is astounding compared to when I was with my party."
"But you barely have combat experience. The monsters here aren't enough to satiate your talent and growth."
"So I have decided that you're going out into the world in a couple days. When you have decided that you're ready to come back, I will be waiting here for you."
Not knowing what to say, I sheathed my sword and went walked to the cabin. Entering, I sat on my bed and looked at my hands.
Clenching my right hand, tears started flowing out, and not wanting to get caught by Avery, I wiped my eyes and cheeks.
'Why am I crying? He isn't even my real father. We've only known each other for 9 years, longer than both my parents, but...'
'I... I actually feel like my life is back together. I don't want to end this because of my pursuit to wanting to get stronger.'
'I want to stay... I don't want to go yet... I just want the strength to protect the one's close to me.'
While I was still lost in thought, it seems I unconsciously released lightning from my finger tips.
Not even taking off my boots, harness, and belt for my sword, I swifty fell asleep.
Groaning, I, on instinct, grabbed my sword and swung forward.
Luckily, it seems I didn't put much force into it otherwise the top of the cabin would have collapsed on top of me.
But, to my surprise, I had blocked an attack from a human being.
Kicking them in the gut, and knocking them on the head with the hilt of my sword, I yell "Who are you?!" with them holding their head, trying to stop the dizziness.
They also held their stomach. And picking up on that, I realized they weren't strong since I barely put strength into that kick.
"Who are you?" I asked again, but not as loud.
Not yet getting an answer, I stayed still, wanting to see if they would attack me again.
Sheathing my sword, I brought out my right hand, with my left hand on the hilt. Bringing my right foot forward, I slid my left foot back, getting ready to charge.
And when my right foot inched forward, they rushed towards me with their dagger facing me.
The ground underneath me trembled, cracking and creaking. Then, I also charged at them, grabbing their wrist and their neck, slamming them into the ground.
"Agh!" the intruder groaning, trying to release me of my grip, as I noticed their groan was high-pitched.
With their mask falling off their face, they had a look of regret and disbelief.
Her skin looked smooth, and her eyes were beautiful. But even with that, I wouldn't let go of her neck because she would try to escape.
"Who sent you?" I asked, wanting to know why someone wanted me dead, until I realized something.
"The king..." I quietly said, looking to see if her expression changed and to which it did.
Still holding onto her neck, standing up, kicking away her weapon, I went to a chair and grabbed some rope.
"Let me... go." she said with a strained voice, fearing what I was going to do to her.
Tying up her wrists, stomach, thighs and ankles, she began thrashing around, trying to get out of the bond.
With my arms crossed, I say "You won't be able to get out with your strength. It's been enhanced to make sure I wouldn't be able to break out of it, so I know you won't be able to."
"Silent." and as I said that, she opened her mouth, trying to say words, but nothing came out, much to her surprise and fear.
"It's magic my mentor taught me. I didn't know when this would've came in handy, but who would have guessed it to be useful right now."
Using magic to detect if she had poison, I saw that she had a ball in her mouth that had an insane amount of poison, enough to instantly kill her.
Forcefully opening her mouth, with her gagging , searching all over, I found the pill and took out my hand, saliva dripping from her mouth and some on my hand.
"So you're an assassin who would rather kill themselves than give us information."
Looking into her eyes, I say, gritting my teeth "Did the king give you this!" as I crushed the pill with all my strength.
And unknowingly to me, my common skill, [Coercion], had begin flowing out of me, terrifying her.
Hearing heavy steps behind me, I looked back and saw Avery, with him saying "Let me deal with her."