It had been a month since Morgath first stepped into Kenji Tanaka's dojo. Every day had been filled with intense training, and his progress had left Kenji both amazed and confused. The fundamentals—stance, balance, footwork—had all come naturally to Morgath. Within the first month, his body moved with a level of precision that usually took years to develop. The wooden swords, once foreign and awkward, now felt like extensions of his arms.
Kenji had often remarked, "In all my years of teaching, I've never seen someone pick this up so quickly." There was bewilderment in his voice every time Morgath demonstrated a new technique or adjusted his stance after just a few corrections.
Morgath knew the truth behind his rapid advancement. His heightened perception, a result of his intense training, played a huge role. To some degree, he could sense shifts in the air, every subtle change in balance, and react almost instinctively, but there was more to it than just perception.
The system had explained it to him in one of its cryptic messages: In a mana-rich environment, all beings' intelligence increases over time.
It hadn't hit Morgath at first, but as he reflected on his training, it became clear. His mind was sharper than it had ever been. He was able to grasp complex sword techniques almost immediately, and his ability to process Kenji's instructions had improved. From his childhood he was somewhat smart, but now, it was something else. The increase in intelligence wasn't extreme yet, but it was noticeable to someone like Morgath, who was suddenly aware of his mental sharpness.
What the system had revealed wasn't public knowledge. Mana itself was still an unknown force to most people, so they couldn't speculate something if they don't have a reason to suspect it. The spiritual energy flowed unseen and unfelt by the majority of the population, its existence only hinted at through small, seemingly impossible feats. Morgath suspected that a few individuals might have even tapped into it unknowingly, perhaps casting simple tier 0 spells with pure intent. But if that had happened, those individuals kept it a secret—there had been no reports of anyone claiming such a discovery.
Now, after a month of training, Morgath had received a message that filled him with anticipation: the blacksmith had finished crafting his custom swords. He could hardly contain his excitement as he prepared for the day's lesson, but before he met Kenji, there was something he had to do first—retrieve his blades.
The sun was still low in the sky as Morgath made his way to the blacksmith's workshop. The morning air was crisp, filled with the smell of air polution, though due to the changes caused by the emergence of mana, it started to disappear. As he approached, he felt a heat emanated by the machines. The blacksmith, contrary to stereotypes, wasn't a burly man with a grizzled beard, to forge he used advanced machines, not the strength of his arms and a skillful use of a hammer.
"Ah, you're here," the blacksmith greeted, wiping sweat from his brow. "I was just about to call you, to confirm if you would collect them today's morning."
Morgath's pulse quickened. "Can I see them?"
The blacksmith chuckled, nodding toward a nearby table. "They're right over there."
Morgath's eyes fell on the swords, and for a moment, his breath caught in his throat. They were magnificent. The blades were long, just as he had requested, reaching from his hip to his ankle. Each was slightly curved, the polished steel gleaming in the soft morning light. The hilts were wrapped in black leather, providing a firm but comfortable grip. As Morgath picked them up, the weight felt perfect, balanced exactly as he had imagined.
"You've outdone yourself," Morgath said, marveling at the craftsmanship.
The blacksmith grinned, clearly pleased with the compliment. "Glad you like them, lad. But remember, just because you've got those swords in your hands now doesn't mean you're invincible. Don't go getting any ideas about being some kind of superhero." He winked, his tone light but his message serious.
Morgath smiled, appreciating the blacksmith's candor. "Don't worry. I'm not planning on saving the world just yet. If anything, I'm closer to an anti-hero."
With the blades strapped securely to his back, Morgath thanked the blacksmith and before he left the shop, he wrapped the swords so that they could not be seen in order not to create problems for himself. In the end, he didn't bother to get a gun permit. They may not be guns, but these swords would certainly cause problems if he paraded around the town with them.
As Morgath entered the dojo, the familiar scent of polished wood and incense greeted him. His swords, wrapped up and held in his hands, clinked softly as he approached Kenji, who was already in the middle of his own practice routine. The older man looked up, his expression stern but welcoming.
"I see you've got the blades," Kenji said, wiping his brow as he sheathed his practice sword.
Morgath smiled and drew one of the swords from its scabbard, presenting it to his teacher. "They're finally done. What do you think?"
Kenji took the sword carefully, inspecting the craftsmanship with a practiced eye. He swung it a few times, testing the balance, then handed it back. "I see now why you were so fixated on these. The curve, the weight... it suits your style." He looked at Morgath with a raised brow, intrigued. "Well then, shall we have a spar?"
Morgath shook his head, surprising Kenji. "Not with wooden swords anymore."
Kenji's eyes narrowed slightly. "Why not?"
"Now that I own the real thing," Morgath said, sliding the blade back into its scabbard, "we should switch to steel. It's time."
Kenji stared at him, his jaw tightening. "Are you insane? Do you know how reckless that is?" His voice rose in pitch, the calm composure he usually held slipping. "Even if your body is a little more resilient, fighting with steel swords is madness. You'll get yourself killed, and probably take me with you."
Morgath muttered to himself, loud enough that Kenji could just make out the words. "It wouldn't be that risky... if I reveal it now. There's only a month left until it starts on a big scale, anyway."
Before Kenji could respond, Morgath rolled up his sleeve, revealing his bare forearm. In one fluid motion, he unsheathed his sword and slashed his arm, the blade cutting deep. Blood immediately welled up, staining his skin red.
Kenji's eyes widened in shock, his mouth opening to shout in protest, but before he could speak, Morgath raised his uninjured hand and cast a healing spell. The wound closed almost instantly, the skin knitting back together as if it had never been cut.
"See?" Morgath said, holding out his now flawless arm. "As long as we don't make any stupid mistakes, we'll be fine. I can heal us."
Kenji stepped back, blinking rapidly. "What… what did you just do?" He looked around as if expecting to see someone else behind the trick. "That's an illusion, right? Some kind of sleight of hand?"
Morgath shook his head, his expression serious. "It's real. And it's going to happen soon. Mana's already in the air—people just don't know it yet. In a few weeks, the world will start to change. That's why I'm learning swordsmanship. We're going to need these skills again. Modern weapons won't be the future for much longer."
Kenji took a long breath, still visibly stunned. But as the information began to sink in, his shock slowly turned to understanding. His gaze shifted to the swords at Morgath's side, and then back to Morgath's face. "The old ways... the art of the blade... you're saying they're going to be reborn?"
Morgath nodded. "Exactly. Guns, bombs, all that—it'll become obsolete. And when that happens, you're going to have a line of students begging you to teach them how to fight with a sword."
Kenji took a moment to absorb it all, then exhaled deeply. A strange gleam entered his eyes as he said, "It's been over a dozen years since I've had a real battle. One where I could truly be injured." He smiled, the hint of an old warrior's excitement flickering through. "Alright, Morgath. We'll spar with real weapons. But if you get hurt, don't expect me to take it easy on you."
Morgath grinned, drawing both of his swords. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
Their first spar with steel was intense. Kenji's years of experience clearly gave him the upper hand, and despite Morgath's enhanced perception and stamina, the older man's skill was undeniable. After a few exchanges, Kenji managed to slip past Morgath's defenses, landing a strike that would have been fatal if not healed quickly.
Morgath staggered, feeling the sting of the blade, but with a quick muttered spell, he healed himself, ready to go again. Kenji, though still skeptical, couldn't deny the evidence before his eyes. They sparred several more times, pushing each other harder with each round. Morgath's improvements were undeniable, but Kenji's expertise kept him ahead.
For two weeks, they trained like this—abandoning the wooden swords in favor of steel, Morgath healing any wounds they incurred. Kenji, though initially cautious, soon reveled in the challenge, rediscovering the thrill of real combat after so many years. Due to the continuos healing, Morgath even advanced with his healing spell to Tier 2, for now it was less efficient than a long incantation, but he could cast that spell muttering only the key word - Vitalyth, instead of having to recite the entire incantation.
On the final day, Morgath approached Kenji after their last spar. "I think I'm done with training for now."
Kenji raised an eyebrow. "Done? Just like that?"
Morgath nodded. "The new year is only two weeks away, which means the spiritual stones will start to condense. I need to prepare for that. Plus," he added with a small smile, "I turn nineteen in a few days. I want to spend that time with my family."
Kenji crossed his arms, a mix of approval and disappointment on his face. "Well, I suppose that's as good a reason as any. But don't think this is the end. You've made great progress, but you've still got a long way to go."
Morgath smiled. "I know. And I'll be back. Soon, you won't have much free time. I have a feeling a lot of people will be lining up for lessons once they see what's coming."
Kenji chuckled. "I hope you're right."
With that, Morgath bid farewell to his instructor, thanking him for everything, and set off for his parents' home. This time, he didn't bother hiding his swords. They hung openly at his hips, each sheathed in its scabbard, one on each side. As he walked, he pulled up not only the eyes of passersby, but also his status panel, scanning over his progress with satisfaction.
He had come a long way, during the swordmanship practice he even got a little progress in his speed—but the real journey was only just beginning.
[Status]
-[Name]: Morgath
-[Rank]: 1
--[Level]: 0
-[Stats]
--[Strength]: 0
--[Agility]: 1
--[Dexterity]: 2
--[Constitution]: 5
--[Perception]: 5
--[Health]: 10/10
--[Mana]: 10/10
-[Skills]
--[Swordsmanship] {Dual-wielding} -67%
--[Vitalyth] {Tier 1} -100% {Tier 2} -17% (Spell of healing)