With most of the groundwork laid out beneath me to enter the Empire's academy, I focused my third year in this world learning the fundamentals and basics of all four sword styles and all four hand to hand combat martial arts known to the Empire.
And though my parents weren't wealthy enough to provide me with an instructor for each of these, my father, who was previously a magic knight before he received the title of Baron, was well versed in exactly the basics for three of the sword styles and Gold rank in one.
See there are four sword styles known in the Empire, three of them developed by the Empire and one developed by a practitioner from the Republic back when the Republic was still just land with a few small towns and domineered by bandits and rogues.
These four sword styles are:
The Magic Sword - The Magic Sword style is a style that relies on the users ability with magic and Armis. It's a sword style with no real elegance and is only known to be tricky to deal with. It teaches no real forms apart from basic swordsman swings.
The Dragon Sword - The Dragon Sword style is the only sword style not invented by the Empire. The style originates from the chaotic nation of the Republic, but back when the style was created, it was a land of no name and just bandits and rogues. The Dragon Sword style is the most sophisticated and strongest sword style consisting of 12 sword forms.
The Iron Sword - The Iron Sword style focuses on defence and counter attacks. It's practitioners carefully study their opponents movements and bodies as they parry their blade ready to hit back when the opponent is most vulnerable. This sword style consists of 6 sword forms.
The Fools Sword - Finally, the Fools Sword style was invented by the Empires old royal family prince, who was labelled a fool and someone incapable of learning the Magic Sword. And so he devised a sword style based on entire trickery and underhanded tactics, using the environment and anything at hand to act as a crutch for him to win. The sword style, however, was shamed by the people who later denounced it as the Fools Sword after their Foolish prince of the Empire. It consist of 7 forms.
Each of these Sword styles also comes with hand to hand combat styles taught similarly to their swords which I request to learn by my father.
I was then informed of the rankings for practitioners of the sword and martial arts. They are divided into six individual ranks on a level of mastery and power.
Bronze - Beginner level and learning fundamentals of any sword and the first form.
Silver - Intermediate level grasping a hand of the forms and repetitively strengthening yourself.
Gold - learnt all forms, now it's all about practicing and perfecting whilst raising strength and control of Armis.
King - Powerful enough to win against most practitioners, a mastery of at least two forms.
High King - Formidable opponent exerting great mastery in at least five forms of the sword style.
Emperor - Complete mastery of all forms and the movement of Armis. Strength powerful enough to level a mountain.
These were the first things my father taught me before I even laid my hands on a wooden sword. Only after I understood and absorbed the information, did he start relying the basics onto me.
And as I said, my parent's weren't rich enough to buy me tutors for each of these, however my mother was very much the literary mind and enjoyed reading. When she was still at the academy, she won a contest that allowed her to request any books from the academy at any moment.
This was quite the stroke of luck. Perhaps being in this game and thinking about the Hero as I gave my all in training rubbed of on me and I gained some of his plot armour?
Following that, my father bestowed all the knowledge he had, and I soon added all the routine moves of each sword style and their martial counterparts into my daily routine.
Slowly, my comfortable life was practically became a fixed schedule and I woke up to workout, practice martial arts, eat, drink, excrete waste and study until night settled. But it was all going to be worth it.
"Just a couple more years, you shitty Hero! I'll show you the levels between me and you and steal your glorious life!!!" A twisted grin formed on my face as I cackled in my bed ominously with the moonlight glistening upon me.
"Son~, me and your mother would appreciate if you could keep you evil planning to yourself!" My parents shouted from the other room as they tried to sleep.
"Right!" I replied, my chuckling dialled down a level.
And soon, the remaining 3 years turned to 2, then 1...and finally the day came.