The next morning, Kito woke up early, very excited to begin his training. He quickly got dressed and went downstairs, where his father was already waiting for him.
"Good morning, Kito," his father greeted him, wearing clothes that emphasized his strong, muscular build. "Ready for your first lesson?"
"Yes, Dad! I'm ready!" Kito replied, his eyes shining with determination.
"Okay, follow me outside, we'll start. We have a long day ahead of us." Her father replied, suddenly becoming very serious.
Both of them went outside, the cool morning air helping them to fully wake up. Kito's father led him to a small training area he had set up in their garden, complete with wooden dummies and targets.
"Before we start, Kito, I want you to understand that fighting is not a game," his father said seriously. "It can be dangerous, and you should never underestimate your opponent. You also need to know when to use force and when to show restraint."
Kito nodded, taking his father's words to heart. It was the first time he had ever seen his father so serious. Up until now, his father had always taken a lighthearted approach to everything, smiling no matter how serious the topic, but not today.
For their first lesson, Kito's father, Darius, decided to teach him the basics of hand-to-hand combat. They started with simple exercises to help Kito develop his balance, coordination, and reflexes. Then, his father showed him various basic punches and kicks, explaining the importance of good form and technique.
As Kito practiced, his father corrected his posture and encouraged him. "Stay dynamic, Kito. And don't forget to always use your hips when you throw a punch, that's where the power comes from."
Between their training sessions, Kito's father, Darius, shared his own experiences as a fighter, both in the village and beyond. He talked about the many battles he had fought, the friends he had made, and the lessons he had learned along the way.
Kito listened attentively, absorbing not only the technical knowledge but also the wisdom and values his father was passing on to him. He began to understand the responsibility that came with being an experienced fighter, and the importance of protecting those who could not protect themselves.
During one of their breaks, Kito's curiosity got the better of him. "Dad, have you ever encountered powerful monsters or powerful enemies on your adventures?"
His father thought for a moment before replying, "Yes, I have faced many formidable opponents throughout my life. For now, it's still too early, but one day we will have the opportunity to talk about it. This world is not exactly what you think."
In addition to hand-to-hand combat, his father also taught him sword fighting, using a wooden sword to avoid injury.
Days turned into weeks, and Kito's skills steadily improved under his father's tutelage. Surprisingly, his father took this training very seriously, which made him an excellent coach.
One day, during a training session, a notification appeared in front of Kito:
"Congratulations! Following your training, your sword skill level has progressed to rank E.
- +5% damage during sword combat"
"Congratulations! Following your training, your hand-to-hand combat skill level has progressed to rank E.
- +5% damage during hand-to-hand combat"
"Amazing!" Kito exclaimed. "It feels like the moment I gained a certain understanding, level, or number of repetitions of moves, I was able to unlock these skills!"
At that moment, his father approached him and said with pride: "Kito, I am truly proud of you. In just a few weeks, not only have you learned the basics, but you have also mastered them brilliantly. These fundamentals will be essential no matter which path you choose. There are many sword fighting and close combat styles, each with their strengths and weaknesses, but the basics are universal. As a reward, tomorrow we will go to the village to buy your first sword. It is a respected tradition in many villages: a sword is given when one masters the rudiments of sword martial arts and hand-to-hand combat."
Kaliana, his mother, who had overheard the conversation, added: "It's perfect timing, as I think it's high time Kito started forging bonds with the villagers."
Until now, Kito had never set foot in the village. His mother had told him the village was called Elysia. It wasn't a very large village and was quite far from other villages and towns. Nevertheless, it had everything one could need: a healer, an alchemist, a blacksmith, a trainer, and a few other important figures. Elysia had no formal leaders, which posed no problems given the low number of visitors.
Kito's father was the closest figure to a village chief. This was, in fact, why they lived in a large house, so far from the village center. Kito didn't know why his father assumed this role. Over the years, a few villagers had come to visit them and spent time with young Kito. However, he was slowly beginning to forget these memories. Perhaps due to his child's body, most of his memories before the age of four were blurry. The impact of his young age might have been more significant than he thought.
Nevertheless, he remembered that no one had ever addressed his father as the village chief. On the contrary, villagers spoke to him as a friend. In general, conversations took place in his father's office, a perfectly soundproofed room.
The evening came to an end, and after dinner, Kito went to his room. After reaching rank E in sword fighting and hand-to-hand combat skills, he began to think about his future goals. The next morning, he would go with his father and mother to the village to choose his first sword. Then, he would return to the forest and finally begin exploring it, killing monsters, and gathering ingredients to learn the art of alchemy. He would undoubtedly ask his father to continue training him, as rank E didn't seem very high.
If the ranking system was similar to the one he knew, there were ranks E, D, C, B, A, S, and perhaps more ranks afterward. He was still very weak. Gradually, his eyes closed, and he fell asleep, eager for the next day to discover the village where he had lived for several years.