(Rudeus POV)
WE were now 5 years old. We had a small party at home to celebrate our birthday. Birthdays weren't an annual celebration in this world as the families gave customary gifts to kids and celebrated the ages 5, 10 and 15. Since, the "coming of" or the "considered as adult" age was 15, it made much more sense.
Right now, we were sitting on the dining table with Julian right beside me, his face stoic --- as clueless as ever, while Paul and Zenith sat in front of us. Roxy was sitting just beside Julian while Lilia continued to bring the dishes she had made for the birthday party. While I didn't hate the notion of eating something sweet at birthday parties, the sheer number of sweets that kept coming to the table was concerning.
Even Paul and Zenith, who don't really mind or notice whatever Lilia is cooking, even started to notice it. Looking at each other in confusion and mentally deciding on who would ask the serious faced maid, Zenith seemed to let out a resigned sigh before asking her, "Ehm, Lilia?"
She stopped in her tracks, just like a robot and looked over to her, "Yes?"
Zenith seemed to fumble with her words before talking, "Don't you think there are too many sweets?" She asked, trying not to undermine her efforts or anything. I mean she was right to think like that. After all, Lilia had been putting a lot of effort into the presentation alone. You can already imagine how much she would've struggled in cooking them.
"Hm? I don't think so," she replied with confusion. Zenith was about to speak again but Lilia continued, "I mean he is eating all of it," she said while pointing her finger at... me? No, it was someone beside me.
"He sure has a sweet tooth," Roxy chimed in with a mischievous grin, leaning in closer to Julian, who wore a face adorned with an extravagant cream moustache and frosting freckles. It was as if he had discovered the holy grail of desserts and was willing to defend it with his life. His expression was a mixture of childlike delight and ravenous hunger, as if he had been deprived of cake for centuries, surviving on celery sticks and plain oatmeal since he was born, and this moment was his long-awaited salvation.
"Sheesh, dude. Leave some for me," I interjected as I saw him finish one cake after another, totally devouring them. Like a man on a mission.
He looked up and if looks could kill, he'd probably have an arsenal of cake knives hidden up his sleeves, ready to tear me down into bacon strips for even thinking about getting a small morsel out of the whole thing.
"Well, well, time for gifts," Paul announced, trying to shift the topic and seemed even more excited than me and Ju-, well this kid isn't excited at all. Seems like a burden to him. I am sure he would've died if he didn't have the cakes to distract him. Maybe he is one of those rare cases where kids have high sociopathic tendencies, but at times he seems so warm that the little doubt I have vanishes out in thin air, not leaving a single iota of doubt behind.
Oh, and a side note. I started to go outside. I am not sure how it happened. Maybe it was the incident with Julian and how different he seemed that night, but something told me that if I listen to him, it will only give me personal benefit. And it was accurate. I was reluctant at first but having him by my side, I was able to set foot outside and feel the freedom that I thought I had lost for good. The touch of wet soil against my bare feet as I ran and the fresh air that I felt by running as fast as I could instead of sitting in a window. It was a magical experience.
Looking up, I saw Paul handing me and Julian gifts. Paul had 4 swords in his hands. Two of them were big ones... way too big for kids our size to wield and the other two were practice swords. Julian stopped his mindless eating and looked up as he received the gift from Paul and examined it closely. "Thank you." He said softly before placing it to the side. While I fully expected him to attack the cake again, my expectations crashed as he wiped his mouth and sat straight, the goofy aura around him morphing into a much more intimidating one.
It was the same as that night.
He looked behind me, as if prompting me to say something. AGH! I forgot to show my gratitude. "Thanks dad." I said too as he smirked and placed a hand on his chest.
"Sons!" he addressed both of us, "A man should always keep his sword within his heart. To protect his loved ones, you..." Paul started a long, rambling piece of advice while I just smiled and listened. Meanwhile, Julian seemed to entirely be focused on what he was saying. If only he had a paper and a pen, he would be taking notes like a nerd. Maybe, he understands his own indifference towards others and is trying to utilise this moment to understand something. At first even Paul and Zenith seemed to be worried as I heard them multiple times about Julian lacking emotions evident from when he fell from his crib but didn't cry at all. Or when Zenith fell and grimaced. While I rushed over to her and was panicking, he just sat silently. I mean he isn't wrong since it was a small scrap but still! However, with time, after seeing him act so silly at times just like a while ago, they came to terms with his uncanny personality.
As for me...
I don't really care. I had siblings in my previous life but their attitude made me not want to have siblings anymore. However, after these brief 5 years, spending almost all the time with Julian, I am grateful I have a brother like him. While my life wouldn't have been much different than before, I think he helped me get over my trauma much faster than I could on my own.
Looking back up, I saw dad still talking. His spiel had an energetic air to it but seeing him talk so much, mom chided him. Admonished, he smiled and wrapped it up with a "Just remember to put it away when you don't need it." Man clearly wanted me to have the self-preparation and self-awareness of wielding a sword despite me showing next to no interest in it. Julian was already at a much higher level with the sword than me which made me focus extra hard on magic.
Zenith gave us books. "Since you both really really love books," she chimed with a gleeful smile. She gave me a botanical encyclopaedia while for Julian it was an odd choice. It was a book on almost all recipes in this world. As a former drum-belly, I would hate my cute little Twin to become fatty, I still respect his preferences. Maybe, as his older brother, I should advise him on eating less sweets in future... you know, in moderation. The encyclopaedias were thick volumes, with illustrations and easy-to-understand instructions for both of us. "Thank you, mother. I just wanted something exactly like this." I replied and looked at Julian who was looking at the book like it lacked something but looked up at Zenith and replied with a small nod and a monotone "Thank You."
'Show some gratitude dammit!' was my initial thought, but the thought changed as I saw the corner of his lips almost twist into a smile but alas, it remained a wistful wish as it turned back to it's usual one. But well, at least there is some progress. To be honest, it is such a waste of a cute face. Imagine all the long-eared elves he could pull but NAH! He is just going to scare them away with a face like that. Thinking of a grown-up Julian's face with a stoic look and a scar spreading diagonally along his face is enough to send a shiver down my spine.
As I was lost in thoughts, mother pulled us both in a tight hug. It was a warm hug and despite her petite and tender stature, there was an element of warmth and security in her embrace. Something, I never experienced. Or maybe I did but had long forgotten it. But well, who cares now.
Roxy gave me a wand. It was a stick---roughly 30 centimetres with a red jewel on top. She gave Julian a same wand but with a blue gem in it. "I crafted it yesterday. I had forgotten about it all this time since you were practising sword and magic but a master is supposed to give their pupil a wand or staff when they start using elementary magic. Sorry for forgetting."
As much as Roxy didn't like being called 'Master' she seemed reluctant to relinquish the duties of one.
"Thank you, master. I will take good care of it." I spoke up as she grimaced.
"Thanks, Roxy." Julian replied in a low tone since she was sitting just beside him. She smiled and looked down, holding the hem of her shirt.
I wonder what's wrong.
(***********)
The following day, I began actually training with the sword, focusing on practice swings and fundamental forms. We had a wooden practice dummy in our yard that I used to practise my forms and my strikes. My father helped me with my footwork, my balance, and the like. It felt really good, getting into the real meat and potatoes of swordplay.
Knowing how to wield a sword was crucial in this world. Even the heroes who appeared in books mostly wielded swords. Some used axes or hammers, but they were in a distinct minority. No one used spears, because the despised Superds made use of tridents; it was commonly thought that the spear was a weapon of evil. When a spear appeared in a story, it was usually wielded by the wickedest of villains, the kind who would devour friend and foe alike, who would slaughter indiscriminately.
Given that background, the art of the blade was far more advanced in this world than it was in my old one. A master swordsman could cleave a boulder in a single stroke, or unleash a flash of the blade to strike a distant foe.
Paul had enough skill to accomplish the first one. I wanted to know the principles behind it, so he demonstrated it several times while praising and encouraging me. He probably felt pretty good having his young, Advanced- magic-using son clapping and cheering for him.
Julian on the other hand seemed to be surpassing Paul's level already as I almost saw him manifest the aura of his blade outside to hit a distant object. There has been something uncanny about him. Every time it seems like he is breaking through a stage or is improving he immediately stops, signalling he is too tired or doesn't want to continue. Almost like a lazy genius or someone who doesn't want other people to know his level of skill. Not even his parents. Still... Roxy seemed to know a little. I was able to tell at least this much by looking at her reaction towards every extraordinary thing he did.
Oh, the audacity of that little rascal! He had the nerve to meddle with my cherished loli, the apple of my eye --- that little nugget of affection nestled deep in the caverns of my heart.
"Hey Rudeus, how about you spar with Julian. Maybe he can tell you something about it. You both are twins after-all. If he can't make you understand, I do not know what will." Paul said in a resigned way, already giving up on teaching something I couldn't figure out even in the slightest.
ABOUT TIME!
Like a guardian angel with an overprotective streak, I sprang into action, ready to defend my crush with all the fierceness of a mama bear protecting her cub. I was armed with determination, a dash of insanity, and a questionable collection of mildly cringey pick-up lines once I won the battle.
Leaping off from where I was sitting, I stood in front of Julian who stood with one arm over the hilt and the other one casually dangling to his side as the practice sword dug into the soft soil beneath. "It's his first time sparring so be easy," Paul spoke to Julian in a hushed tone while he just nodded.
I CAN HEAR YOU, YOU MORONS... *cough*, anyways. While I was nearing the saint stage in water, I was quite confident in my sword skills as well. It wasn't like I was as well versed as Julian in it, but we both had our strong and weak points. It wasn't like I'd lose in the blink of an eye or anything. I am sure of at least this much.
Paul stood in the distance and then motioned for us to begin the battle. "Well, well, little brother. Let's see what you got." I whispered under my breath. His thumb touched the hilt of his sword and it opened with a wooden clatter. I must say, the sound effect even from a practice sword was much more realistic than...
"Huh?"
Before I knew it, an intangible blade blew past my cheek. A subtle burning sensation invaded my cheek before a lock of my hair fell on the ground. Looking up, I saw Julian standing where he was while his sword was in the air, it's tip pointed at me.
"Oh? You dodged it?" He spoke in confusion and for a moment he almost seemed... pleased? You almost killed me there for fuck's sake! If I hadn't sensed the mana materialising, I would've lost half of my face just now.
"Give me a break, little brother. Are you seriously going to kill your own brother?" I spoke through gritted teeth as I stood back up from my knees, my senses still blaring alarms at me. My whole body still wasn't able to recover from the trauma of my prospective death just now. He was talented with the sword... I knew it. But, this is on a whole other level. He is able to move faster than I can cast magic.
But hey... maybe that's the key to it! His speed.
"Hey, Julian! Is the use of magic banned?" I asked,
"I don't mind. Limit it to basic spells that don't ruin mom's plants. As long as they are unscathed, do as you wish." He replied with a nonchalant shrug. He sure is a mama's boy. Anyways, it can go into my favour. With usage of utility spells, I can gain an upper edge. No matter how much of a prodigy he is, he can't surpass a full-time shut in NEET otaku gamer weeb who has dedicated decades to his cause.
And once I do, I can finally get my moment with my demon loli. My thoughts almost went a full merry-go-round, but they were interrupted as I saw Julian suddenly shift his stance. There were three major schools of swordsmanship. The offence focused Sword God style, The Defense focused counter attacking Water God style and finally the last one was an Ad-hoc method of fighting; The North God Style. It was an adaptive style in which to perform a move, you don't need to meet any requirements, you just adapt to it on the fly.
As I saw Julian bend and bring his sword around his neck, I could feel the shift in air. Even Paul who was just watching the spar while secretly staring at Lilia's juicy butt, was now focused on us. There was something weird going on about all of this. His style, unconventional stance ... it didn't seem to adhere to any style at all but at the same time it seemed to incline more towards a new unique style that seemed to be formulated by his own self. The only way to gain martial strength was to adhere to a single school and gain proficiency in it.
Just like magic, swordsmanship was divided into tiers. Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Saint, King, Imperial and Divine. Roxy was a saint-level magician. If I had to make a rough guess, Julian was nearing or was already a Divine stage in one of the schools of Swordsmanship. Other than that, nothing else explains the sudden shift in the atmosphere and the suffocating pressure that he suddenly started to ooze out like pheromones. Paul was looking at Julian in surprise as it was his first time seeing him like this. "I won't hold back. You should stop thinking about holding back either." He said as I let out a grin.
He's too smart.
Touching the ground with my heel, I casted compound magic, softening the ground beneath me. Julian seemed to not notice as he dashed straight in, his sword disappearing before reappearing in front of my eyes. "Giggity, giggity, goo. Quagmire." I let out a howl as I backflipped into the air, aided by wind magic as I jumped away and he went straight into the swamp that formed due to the delayed incantation. Like a time bomb if you would.
Julian looked at me for a while and raised his hand.
Did he give up?
Wait... huh?
Before I knew it, he threw his practice sword at me. The sword didn't have any element imbued in it so I was able to bend my body and dodge it. Looking down, I saw him cast a fire spell that exploded a small patch in the grass and jumped back to where he was at the start.
"Mom would be sad," I heard him mutter under his breath, "and mad."
Did he just shudder?
Pointing my sword's tip towards him, I conjured wind mana and propelled myself towards him. However, my hair stood on the edge as I saw the wind whistle behind me. The sword that he had thrown before curved in and hit me straight where my liver was. And holy shit, that hurts. Almost as if truck kun had rammed into me.
He moved forward with a sudden swiftness. Not being able to read his movement, I swung the sword in the area he was most probably in. However, despite his speed that could blitz my perception, he came to a sudden stop like he had never been moving. His acceleration and deceleration are crazy. He swung his sword but for some reason when he got closer to me, his speed felt much slower.
"Gotta be faster than this, lil' bro," I spoke with a grin as I attacked with my sword followed by a water whip. However, his form vanished when my sword was just a millimetre away from him. Panicking, I looked back. He had covered a large distance in the blink of an eye and arrived in my blind spot. Extending the whip of water from the tip of the sword, I lashed it out at him but again... his form blurred and the whip met the grassy field.
"Sometimes I have a hard time admitting they are five year olds." I could hear Roxy's voice from afar and Paul and Lilia's affirmative hums. While it was true that not many Five year olds could do what we are doing, the stipulation for me was quite different. but hey, I still got a good talent in compound magic due to all the knowledge from my past life. However, Julian was something else. His sword technique was getting nigh impossible for me to read. If it lasts any longer, I will lose... badly.
I needed to understand his technique... quickly.
"Gahh..." A strained gasp left my mouth as the practice sword hit my back in a diagonal. While it wasn't sharp, it felt like a burning metal had been placed on my back, a pain akin to sweltering flesh invading me. It was painful but not severe enough to make me off-balance. I stayed straight and looked around, forming a thin veil of water around me as a protective barrier.
I wasn't able to use mana in swordsmanship. Despite me trying my best, I couldn't comprehend it but Julian told me I could tailor magical spells to aid me in close combat. Julian was like a magical dancer right now. But I could see a pattern now. I do not know if he is doing it on purpose or not, but the pattern was becoming more and more obvious. I could see it... the basic essence of his technique. There was a veil of mist covering him that was obscuring my ability to read his next move.
And...
...his tempo. As soon as I noticed it, everything started to fall into place.
He was changing his tempo at a gradual rate. The main theme of it was disorientation through drastic changes in tempo and movement along with manifestation as clouds of mist that envelop a wide area, adding an additional layer of visual distortion to confuse me even further. When Julian reveals himself, his movements appear to be incredibly slow to the naked eye. This deliberate deceleration creates a stark contrast with the fast-paced nature of combat, causing me to misjudge the timing and speed of his attacks. The exaggerated slowness can be disorienting, making it difficult to accurately anticipate his movements and effectively counter them.
On the flip side, when he hides or retreats, he utilises his exceptional speed to move swiftly and almost instantaneously from one position to another. This sudden burst of velocity happens so rapidly that it seems as though he has disappeared or teleported, leaving behind only the lingering mist as a trace of their presence. This aspect of the technique allows him to quickly reposition himself, launch surprise attacks, or evade incoming strikes with remarkable agility.
In simple words... he was adhering to the North God style but added his own magical element to it.
However, now that I have figured out more or less what he was doing, I needed to figure how to counter his technique. To be honest, at this point the gap in our potential was quite obvious. Julian had a knack for swordsmanship but his adjoining magical skills were subpar, compared to me.
Talk about brother goals, hehe... ehmm, anyways. What I wanted to say was that he was clearly in the advantage right now. While I was better than him at magic, the difference in swordsmanship was so titanic that it didn't matter. I only have a small window of opportunity to attack him. His haze technique requires him to slow down when he gets near. That is the whole point of his decelerating "tempo". If I am able to read that small window and attack in it, I would be able to land a hit. It doesn't matter that he had already hit me more than 20 times since the time I have been trying to comprehend his technique. All that matters is for me to land a hit on him.
And so...
In a very classic, edgy anime fashion, I closed my eyes and held my sword up. Before you call me edgy, hear me out. I was trying to sense subtle shifts in wind that would tell me when he attacks or box in. Now you would say that I could do it with my eyes open, yes? Well, I just think I'd look cool enough for Roxy. Makes sense, right?
And no, that isn't being edgy.
Anyways, as soon as I closed my eyes, I lost consciousness.
Why, you ask?
Well before I could start sensing movements using wind mana, he hit the back of my head. I could hear Paul mutter "Shit, he forgot to hold back," before running to me. My body felt really heavy as I fell to the ground. However, the last thing that I saw before I lost consciousness was Julian's surprised face as he looked at his shoulder.
Apparently, he got hit by my sword that I had swung. Honestly, I don't remember doing that. Maybe out of pure instinct?
"Oi, I told you not to go too hard on him!" Paul spoke and stooped near me.
"I just tapped the back of his head though." He replied before darkness overtook me.
(JULIAN GREYRAT)
The spar ended much later than I thought it would. Rudeus adapted well to my basic technique. It was a good thing I didn't add additional layers of mist by combining fire and water. But in the end... the way he swung his sword. I wasn't able to read it because there was no mana in it. I have been able to see the flow of mana with my eyes since birth. At first it was occasional but now I can use it for 10 seconds with a 5 minutes cooldown.
Maybe I shouldn't depend too much on it. The only flaw in my fight was to depend too much on it.
"That was a good fight," Roxy suddenly chimed in from behind me as Paul carried Rudeus away, "but you went too hard on him in the end."
"I didn't, actually." I replied as I turned to face her.
"I know. You let him figure out your technique as well." She spoke up with a grin as a gust of wind ruffled her hair.
"He figured it out himself." I replied and she just snorted, rolling her eyes. Then as if she remembered something, clasped her hands together, "Oh, I got another gift for you."
"We should wait until Rudeus gets up." I suggested.
"Well, you know, the thing is... uhh... ehmm," she fumbled, twirling a stray lock of her hair around her index finger while her other hand held the hem of her skirt, subtly pulling it down. "This gift is for you..."
I tilted my head, "In particular?"
"In particular, yes." She paused, "before you ask why-"
"I won't ask why." I interjected as she looked at me with confusion. "Because we are friends as well, no?"
Her look of confusion contorted into a look of surprise to a cheeky smile, "Too smart." She spoke and handed me a small cap.
"I made it myself." She added.
It was a warm, knitted cap, probably made by keeping the incoming winters in mind. Its intricate design showcased her attention to detail, as every stitch seemed perfectly placed.
"Thanks, Roxy." I showed my gratitude as she hugged me for a while before parting away, "it's almost dinner time. We should go back. And have Rudeus wake up as well."
As she bolted inside, I stood outside for a while. Slipping the cap on my head, I let the wind caress me. It was warm. Almost as if it had her own body warmth. Or maybe that is because it smells of the same scent she applies every morning. Closing my eyes, I stood there, allowing the wind to envelop me. The cap hugged my head snugly, cocooning me in a comforting embrace. The softness of the yarn brushing against my skin, as if offering solace and protection against the harshness of the incoming weather.
Gifts like these were nice once in a while. Not flashy. Just warm and comfortable... In a world filled with glossy trinkets and opulent displays, these unassuming offerings stood apart. They held a certain purity, free from the desire for attention or admiration.
Realising I was getting late, I decided that I should probably go back. I was tired. And I almost lost to Rudy. I should get him something as well so he doesn't sulk much once he sees my cap. He's my brother after all...
Right?
AUTHOR'S NOTE
Just to clarify, yeah, the attack sequence / technique was inspired by Muchiro Tokito. Also, dm me your discord accounts. My pc went kaboom so I need someone to make AI arts for me. I will provide the link you need to make the art. Just need someone with a pc that isn't 100% potato. 90% potato works.
Contact me on Confringo#2258
That's all. Sayonara.