"Alright, let's see what else I can do," Kailash muttered to himself, feeling a mix of exhaustion and exhilaration.
He stared at the screen in front of him, eyes darting over the New Skills Unlocked message.
The adrenaline from his small victory was still pumping, but a part of him wondered if he could handle any more today.
His body was aching, and he felt like he'd run a marathon, not that he'd ever run one in his previous life, but this had to be close.
Still, the excitement of progress was enough to make him curious.
He tapped the notification and waited, half-expecting something dramatic like a flash of light or a booming voice announcing his newfound powers.
Instead, a simple text box appeared.
[New Skill Unlocked: Basic Swordsmanship]
[New Skill Unlocked: Foundational Qi Mastery (Beginner)]
Kailash blinked. "Well, it's not flashy, but I'll take it."
He grinned, looking down at the Beginner's Sword in his hand.
Basic Swordsmanship. That had to be better than flailing around like an idiot.
Maybe now he could actually swing the sword without it feeling like he was holding a broomstick for the first time.
He stood up slowly, rolling his shoulders to shake off some of the stiffness in his muscles. His arms still felt like noodles, but he wasn't going to let that stop him.
With the system on his side, he had an edge. He wasn't just some kid swinging a sword in the middle of nowhere, he was a cultivator in the making.
Or at least, he would be, once he stopped embarrassing himself.
Taking a deep breath, he settled into the stance he'd been practicing earlier.
But this time, something was different.
The sword felt... lighter. More balanced. His hands weren't gripping it like a clumsy beginner anymore.
It was subtle, but it felt right.
"Okay, let's try this again."
He swung the sword in a smooth arc, and this time, it didn't wobble or pull him off balance.
The blade cut through the air with a satisfying swish, and Kailash couldn't help but grin.
"That's more like it." He swung again, this time with a little more confidence.
The sword moved fluidly, the motion natural and controlled.
As he continued practicing, each swing became smoother, more precise.
It wasn't perfect not by a long shot but the difference was night and day compared to his earlier attempts.
The Basic Swordsmanship skill had clearly kicked in, giving him the muscle memory he needed to stop looking like a flailing idiot.
"Alright, I can work with this." He wiped the sweat from his brow, feeling a small sense of accomplishment.
Sure, he was still at the bottom of the cultivation ladder, but he was moving up, step by step.
Just as he was about to pack it in for the day, a familiar voice called out from behind him.
"Hey, Kailash!"
He turned to see Ajit jogging over, his usual mischievous grin plastered on his face.
"What now?" Kailash asked, trying not to sound too annoyed.
He had a feeling Ajit was about to make some smart remark about his training again.
Ajit skidded to a stop in front of him, panting slightly. "You've been out here all day, man. Didn't think you had it in you. Figured you'd give up after an hour and go back to reading books or something."
"Guess I'm full of surprises," Kailash shot back, leaning on the sword. "Besides, I've actually made some progress. You should try it sometime."
Ajit snorted. "Progress, huh? What, you gonna be the next grand cultivator of the Jade Kingdom or something?".
He said it with a laugh, but there was a hint of something else in his voice.
Jealousy, maybe.
Or curiosity.
Kailash shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Hey, anything's possible. I've already unlocked some skills."
He wasn't sure why he was telling Ajit this, but part of him wanted to see the look on his face.
Ajit blinked, surprised. "Skills? What, like those fancy techniques the sect kids talk about?"
"Kind of." Kailash couldn't help but smirk. "Basic swordsmanship, for starters."
Ajit eyed him, clearly skeptical. "Really? So, you think you could beat me in a fight, huh?"
Kailash's smirk faded. "Wait, what? No, that's not what I—"
Before he could finish, Ajit had grabbed a stick from the ground and was twirling it like it was some kind of legendary weapon.
"Come on, then. Let's see if that fancy swordsmanship of yours is any good!"
"You can't be serious," Kailash muttered, but Ajit was already bouncing on his feet, grinning like an idiot.
"Oh, I'm serious! Come on, show me what you've got!" Ajit swung the stick at him, not hard, but enough to make Kailash flinch.
Kailash raised the sword, blocking the stick instinctively.
The metal clanged against the wood, and Ajit stumbled back, wide-eyed.
"Whoa, that was actually pretty good," Ajit admitted, looking surprised.
"I told you," Kailash replied, adjusting his grip on the sword. "Basic swordsmanship."
Ajit grinned again, clearly not ready to back down. "Alright, but let's see how you handle this!" He swung the stick again, faster this time, and Kailash barely had time to block.
The two of them exchanged a few more blows if you could call it that, Ajit swinging wildly with his stick while Kailash awkwardly parried with the sword.
It wasn't exactly a graceful fight, but Kailash was holding his own.
And, more importantly, he wasn't making a complete fool of himself.
Eventually, Ajit backed off, panting and laughing. "Okay, okay, I give up. You win. That sword of yours is cheating."
Kailash laughed, lowering the sword. "I told you, it's not cheating. It's skill."
Ajit rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night."
He dropped the stick and stretched, glancing at the setting sun. "Anyway, you'd better get back before Maasa starts worrying about you again."
Kailash nodded, realizing how late it had gotten.
He sheathed the sword and gave Ajit a playful shove as they walked back toward the village.
"You know," Ajit said after a moment, "you're not as bad as I thought you'd be at this cultivation stuff. Maybe you'll make something of yourself after all."
Kailash grinned, feeling a warm sense of satisfaction. "Yeah. Maybe I will."