Takumi's opportunity to test his skills came sooner than expected. One evening, as he returned to the village after training, he noticed a commotion near the main square. Villagers were shouting, their faces pale with fear.
"What's going on?" Takumi asked, grabbing the arm of a passing farmer.
"Bandits," the man replied, his voice trembling. "They've been raiding villages along the border. Now they're here."
Takumi's heart sank. He'd read about bandits in fantasy novels, but the reality was far grimmer. These weren't cartoonish villains—they were desperate men armed with swords and a willingness to kill.
As he approached the square, he saw a group of villagers confronting the bandits. The leader, a burly man with a scar running down his face, sneered at the crowd. "Hand over your valuables, and no one gets hurt."
Takumi's hands clenched into fists. He wasn't a hero—not yet—but he couldn't stand by and do nothing.
"Stay back, lad," Caelum's voice came from behind him. The old mage stepped forward, his staff glowing faintly. "I'll handle this."
But Takumi shook his head. "No. I've been training for this. Let me help."
Caelum hesitated, then nodded. "Fine. But don't be reckless."
The fight that followed was chaotic. The bandits charged, their weapons glinting in the fading light. Takumi focused, summoning a barrage of small, sharp stones. He hurled them at the attackers, forcing them to dodge and stumble. Meanwhile, Caelum unleashed a series of fireballs, keeping the bandits at bay.
Takumi's training paid off in unexpected ways. When one of the bandits lunged at him, he instinctively raised a stone barrier, blocking the attack. As the bandit tried to recover, Takumi collapsed the barrier, sending chunks of rock tumbling onto his foe.
By the end of the skirmish, the remaining bandits fled, leaving their injured comrades behind. The villagers cheered, rushing to thank their defenders.
Caelum placed a hand on Takumi's shoulder. "You did well today. But remember, this is just the beginning. If you want to survive in this world, you'll need to keep pushing yourself."
Takumi nodded, determination burning in his eyes. He had proven that even the weakest magic could be powerful in the right hands. And he wasn't done yet.