I wasn't sure how much time had passed since we began our journey. I slept and woke up repeatedly, but this small body couldn't endure long periods of travel. Sometimes, I felt the motion of the cart rocking me, and other times, the sound of the horse and the creaking of the wheels on the road would wake me.
My father and General Adrian were talking about the past, exchanging memories as if they had forgotten I even existed, along with my mother. I wasn't particularly interested in what they were saying, as most of their conversation was about battles and adventures I hadn't been part of... yet.
When I opened my eyes this time, I found my mother's head resting against the window, seemingly overcome by sleep. Her expression was peaceful, as if she had finally found a moment of rest. I could feel the warmth of her arm beside me, giving me a sense of comfort.
But the sound of General Adrian's voice broke the silence.
"Well then, little one... how did you awaken the heart of mana at such a young age?"
I felt my mother's eyes slowly open, as though the question had woken her too. She looked at me kindly, but didn't speak, as if she was waiting for my response, just as Adrian was.
I paused for a moment. I had to choose my words carefully. It wasn't normal for a three-year-old to understand such complex things, so how could I explain without raising suspicions?
I sighed slightly, then raised my head and spoke in a hesitant, childish voice.
"I don't really know... but when I close my eyes, I see some little colored things. And all I've been trying to do is catch them."
I glanced at Adrian's expression, then at my mother, trying to gauge their reactions. Would they believe me? Or had I opened the door to a series of questions I wasn't ready to face?
General Adrian stroked his chin, as if analyzing the matter deeply.
"This is strange... because this is exactly what we try to explain to the teenagers, so they can gather the pieces of mana in the middle of their upper bodies to form the mana core."
He remained silent for a moment, as if contemplating something, before asking me again with a curious tone:
"Has anyone tried to teach you that? Or did you feel it on your own?"
Before I could respond, my father interrupted with clear enthusiasm, proudly patting his chest:
"Haha! No one taught him! I've truly given birth to a genius!"
I couldn't stop a small smile from forming, but before I could say anything, Adrian laughed and joked while glancing at my mother:
"I don't think so... I believe this is thanks to Celestia's genes, not yours! Hahaha!"
I turned to my mother, who just sighed while giving him a sidelong glance before offering a light smile.
She seemed uninterested in their conversation, but in reality, she was paying attention to every word spoken if it had to do with me. Her gaze was calm, but I could feel her sharp focus on every detail.
Suddenly, General Adrian broke the silence and looked at me with an unusual seriousness:
"Are you interested in joining the military academy?"
I lifted my head and looked at him, trying to comprehend his question. The military academy? I didn't even know what that was... I was about to ask, but my mother's voice preceded mine, this time with a tone of firmness I had never heard from her before:
"I refuse this categorically."
Everyone turned their gaze toward her, but she didn't stop. She continued speaking sharply, her eyes locked directly on Adrian:
"Why should he join the army and get involved in the problems of the nobles and power struggles?! And also participate in wars?! He's not even from a noble house, how can he join the royal military academy?!"
There was no hesitation in her voice, as though she had been expecting this discussion from the beginning.
Adrian smiled faintly, but didn't seem surprised by her response. He leaned back in his seat on the carriage and said in a calm yet confident tone:
"He will have my full support, both as the heir to the Valmyr Duchy and as the General and military commander of the Northern Region."
The atmosphere inside the carriage shifted completely. My father, who had been laughing just moments ago, became silent, and my mother continued to glare at Adrian without saying a word. As for me… I wasn't quite sure how I felt about all of this.
My mother didn't let the conversation end there; she continued, her tone firm:
"I would prefer my son to join the magical academy."
Adrian raised an eyebrow in surprise, as though her words didn't make sense to him:
"And what do you think he'll become after graduation? A scholar? An adventurer? Or will he end up as a teacher there?"
Before my mother could respond, a feminine voice interrupted from outside the carriage. Adrian turned toward the opposite window where Lieutenant Luciana appeared, speaking in a formal tone:
"General, we can rest here now."
Adrian cast a quick glance outside the carriage, then nodded in approval. Everyone began disembarking.
As soon as my feet touched the ground, I found myself tilting my head back to the sky, inhaling the refreshing air after hours of travel. Around me, the officers began setting up the tents, and their performance was impressive.
The tents were no ordinary ones; they were massive and decorated in royal red with golden trim, featuring the golden lion crest of the Falmyr family at their center. I had never seen such luxury in a camp before.
When I entered one of the tents, I was surprised to find it was not just a tent but rather akin to a luxurious room! Comfortable beds, plush sofas, and even some decorations on the fabric walls.
After the tents were set up, the soldiers lit a fire in the center of the camp and began preparing the food. I sat with my father and mother, and beside us were General Adrian, Colonel Kaedric Vos, and Colonel Valerian.
Meanwhile, Captain Raynar and Lieutenant Luciana remained standing in a state of alert, carefully surveying the area, ready for any emergencies.
As we sat around the fire, General Adrian broke the silence with a surprising question:
"Can you enhance your body with mana, young one?"
I paused for a moment, thinking of my response, then spoke in a calm voice:
"Yes, I can enhance my body with a bit of mana... with a weapon."
My mother and father looked at me in clear surprise. They hadn't known this information until now, but they didn't interrupt the conversation; they just remained silent.
Adrian raised an eyebrow with interest, then asked me curiously:
"Oh? And what weapon can you use?"
I didn't need much time to think before answering:
"The sword."
In my past life, I was the greatest sword wielder; no one could match my skill. I also used daggers with expertise, but the sword was an extension of my body and soul.
[My mother gave a faint smile, as if remembering something, then said:]
"He's been obsessed with swords since birth. He almost killed himself several times when he tried playing with his father's sword... but of course, he never learned how to use a sword before."
Adrian let out a soft chuckle, then said in a sarcastic tone:
"Hmm... we'll see if he can now. Haha!"
[He snapped his fingers suddenly, and the ground shimmered slightly, then two swords appeared before him—one long, the other a bit shorter.]
My mother raised an eyebrow in clear shock, then placed her hand gently on my back, as if trying to prevent me from doing anything reckless. Adrian then turned to my father and asked in a calm tone, yet with an implicit challenge:
"It's fine to test the boy, right, Garen?"
My father hesitated for a moment, but after a brief pause, he said in a voice laced with concern:
"No problem..."
My mother looked at him with clear worry, but he exchanged glances with her, as if saying, "I trust my old friend."
[Adrian glanced to the side, then spoke in a steady voice:]
"Lieutenant Luciana, come here."
The lieutenant didn't hesitate. She quickly approached, saying firmly:
"Your command, General!"
He gestured to the long sword he had summoned, then said:
"I want you to test this boy."
[She turned to me with a condescending look, laced with some mockery, then said in a sarcastic tone:]
"As you command, my lord."
Before she began, Adrian smiled and said to her:
"Go easy on him, he's only five years old."
[He handed her the long sword, while he passed me the shorter one. I gripped it with my small fingers and weighed it in my hand. It was incredibly light... as if it weren't a real sword, but just a piece of metal with no soul.]
We took a few steps forward, each standing ten paces apart. Luciana raised her sword slightly, then looked at me again with the same mocking smile:
"Can you protect yourself, little one?"
I looked at her indifferently, then spoke calmly:
"Maybe."
I saw her eyebrows raise slightly, as if she hadn't expected such a confident response, but she quickly ignored it and readied herself for the attack.
Luciana stood firm, holding her sword with both hands in front of her, her right foot in a ready stance, slightly ahead of the left, indicating she was prepared for any sudden movements.
As for me, I enhanced my body, limbs, and weapon with mana, drawing the sword with my right hand while placing my left hand in front of me as if holding a dagger. I pulled my right foot back significantly, adopting a stance I had perfected in my previous life. This stance was considered two steps toward readiness, as I always moved backward first before lunging forward, like a tiger stretching before an attack.
I noticed the looks of astonishment from those around me, especially on my mother's and the general's faces, due to my unusual stance that they weren't accustomed to.
With a swift motion, Luciana lunged forward, bringing her sword down from above, aiming for my head. But I took a large step back, then surged forward with surprising speed, swinging my sword in a horizontal motion, targeting her left foot.
However, she wasn't caught off guard. She leaped over me, attempting to slow my advance. Using her acrobatic speed, she tried to strike my head from above with her sword, but I had already changed the direction of my strike at the perfect moment. In a flash, I used a technique I had learned in my past life and moved behind her before her feet could even touch the ground. Then, I swung my sword in a powerful overhead strike from below to above.
Luciana blocked the strike with a swift movement, causing my sword to bounce back slightly, but she took a step back to maintain a greater distance.
Then, with a tone of mild surprise, she said, "You have some skill, little one."
"It seems I won't go easy on you anymore," Luciana said with a light laugh, and it was clear from the tone of her voice that she was ready for a new challenge.
Suddenly, she charged at me again, attempting to use the same technique as before. But as I surged forward, I felt my weak legs in this small body. I suddenly collapsed face-first. It seemed I hadn't gotten used to this new body yet, as the movements I could perform with ease in my previous life weren't as fluid here.
I had developed this technique in my previous life, which relied on feinting the movement using my feet. I would move quickly to the left with my right foot, then fake the direction with my left foot. After that, I would enhance my right foot with mana and smash the ground beneath me to propel myself forward.
Unfortunately, I fell to the ground before I could execute the movement. I hit the floor face-first, feeling as though I had lost all my balance.
I quickly got back up, feeling my muscles contract from the exertion, and saw Luciana charging at me again. In a split second, my body slid beneath hers as I regained my balance swiftly. I grabbed my sword once more and attacked her with a horizontal swing, aiming for her right foot.
"Being short is a disadvantage; you're only about 120 or 130 centimeters tall!" I thought to myself, but I couldn't control that thought in the heat of battle.
But Luciana quickly spun around and expertly blocked my strike, then took a step back, cautiously preparing for her next move.
Luciana said in a stern tone, "It seems I really can't go easy on you, little one."
Then, with a more serious, sharper voice, she declared, "Military Combat Art, First Form – Sword Dash!"
In an instant, she lunged forward, her sword striking horizontally at my stomach. The attack was so fast that I couldn't react in time. After her sword hit my body, it felt as though time itself had frozen, while everyone around me was in a state of panic.
I saw the expression on my father's face—he had drawn his sword and was trying to rush toward me to save me. My mother's face was filled with clear fear, while General Adrian was also trying to reach me swiftly.
Then, all I saw was a blurry scene before I crashed into the side of the mountain, and darkness surrounded my vision as I lost consciousness.
I slowly opened my eyes to find my head resting in my mother's lap, and the feeling that overwhelmed me was a mix of comfort and reassurance, while General Adrian was breaking some kind of strange stone above my head. My body felt as though it was being recharged with new energy, as if a storm of refreshment swept through me, lighting me up with a touch of tranquility.
While I was in a semi-comatose state, I saw my father angrily scolding Luciana. His face was so furious that his eyes seemed to be burning with rage. Then, he clasped his hands together and struck her across the face with all his might, causing her to fall to the ground. "Are you crazy?!" he yelled. "How can you use military arts on a five-year-old child?"
Luciana answered with intense nervousness, trying to compose herself, "I did it because you said he hadn't trained, and in the middle of the fight, I felt the advantage was slipping away from me."
My father was about to strike her again, but General Adrian quickly intervened, trying to calm him down. Then, he said in a firm voice, "You will be punished, Lieutenant, when we return to camp."
My mother, with her face as calm as water, was watching me closely. She spoke softly, "Where did you learn to fight like that, my dear?"
Everyone had sat down, and all eyes were on me, as if they were waiting for an answer from an ordinary child. But how could they think I could be ordinary when I was the strongest warrior king in my time? This seemed strange!
I answered with my childish voice, my eyes reflecting innocence, "Of course, from watching my father, Mother."
General Adrian asked with a tone of surprise mixed with curiosity, "But what was the move you made when you suddenly appeared behind the Lieutenant?"
I answered with a childlike innocent smile, as if I were explaining something very simple: "It's really easy. I use my right foot to feint like I'm going left, then, quickly, I use my left foot to feint like I'm going right. And at the decisive moment, I enhance my right foot with mana and rush forward quickly."
I looked at the faces of those present: my parents, the general, and the senior officers. Their eyes were filled with astonishment and disbelief, as if they couldn't believe what they had just heard. I thought to myself, with an increasing sense of worry: "Damn! Is what I said really that strange? Is it possible that I'm saying this while I'm only five years old? Do they think I'm weird? I hope they don't take me to strange labs! Save me, gods!"
The night passed quietly as Captain Raynar tried to imitate the move I performed, falling several times. The moments were filled with anticipation as everyone watched him. Luciana stood in place, observing the atmosphere, and remained silent.
Luciana said softly, her eyes filled with regret, "I'm really sorry, Elian."
I answered with a childish smile, as if I held no grudges, "Haha, it's fine."
Then I returned to my watch duty, while my father spoke to General Adrian, his voice full of inquiry, "But why are you moving with such a small number to the conflict zones, Adrian?"
General Adrian replied calmly, as if weighing every word, "I don't want to draw attention, and I want my movement to be swift."
I looked at him, then shifted my gaze to the luxurious tents that gently illuminated the night, and thought to myself, "What if I wanted to draw attention?"
After a while, we returned to the carriages and resumed our journey. The days passed, and I reached the age of six. Everyone celebrated my birthday with me, but I didn't find a birthday cake – haha! I simply thanked everyone and we continued on our way.
However, Lieutenant Luciana, in a moment filled with warmth, gave me her personal dagger as a precious gift. I hugged her and thanked her just like any normal child would do on such occasions.
I continued learning more about magic, as General Adrian told me, "A mage relies on the elemental alignment of their elements; if the elements are in harmony, fire becomes explosive or burning, water becomes flexible and flowing, earth becomes solid and sturdy, and the wind becomes sharp and fast like a blade." This was a strange concept for me because in my previous world, cosmic energy didn't work this way. It was all about how you used it. For example, concentrating energy into one point could turn into fire, and that was just one example.
Some people prefer training to use only one element, whether it's fire, water, or wind, while others learn and use all forms. However, the common thread among everyone was that we used cosmic energy to enhance our bodies and our weapons, or even to create energy-based weapons. This was a very advanced level, and no one else could do it except for me.
After a brief moment of thought, I opened my book about this continent, hoping to find answers to my questions regarding these strange phenomena. Suddenly, I heard Captain Raynar raising his voice, shouting loudly: "We're under attack... we're under aaaaattack!" In an instant, General and my father leapt out of the carriages and drew their weapons quickly.
Then, a commanding voice cut through the air: "Submit to my will, water!" In a flash, I saw a massive water barrier forming in front of us, enveloping my mother and me, as if nature itself had stepped in to protect us. This was the work of Colonel Valerian.
Arrows were flying from every direction. My father and the general displayed unparalleled combat prowess. We were climbing up the mountain, with arrows raining down on us from above, and everyone was showing fierce determination in defense. The problem was that we couldn't see the enemy, and there was no option to retreat down the mountain.
When the storm of arrows finally calmed down, I stopped for a moment, stunned by what I saw, and my thoughts screamed, "What the hell is going on?!" We were trapped from above and below... we were truly trapped...