Xia Nan was a farmer. His real job was tending to golden wheat fields.
The so-called "adventures" that only existed in the tales of bards and the gossip of old men at the village entrance? Those had nothing to do with him.
But now, as a member of the "Bottom of the Barrel" party, sitting in this makeshift camp, it was clear he had something special.
According to his memories, it all started five years ago—when he was just thirteen.
Back then, a down-and-out bard had stayed at his house for a night.
Aside from performing little tricks for the village children—opening young Xia Nan's eyes to a world of magic—the bard had left behind something else.
Thanks to Xia Nan's mother, whose legendary stinginess was known far and wide, the bard had no choice but to leave behind a page from a skill book as "payment" before departing.
Calling it a book was a stretch.
From its appearance, it was merely half a page detailing some kind of training technique.
But no matter what, it was still once part of an actual skill book.
The entire family treated it as a priceless treasure.
Even the youngest daughter, Beatrice, who was only seven at the time, practiced with it for a while.
Unfortunately, whether it was because the page was just nonsense the bard had scribbled to get away or because none of them had the talent for it, no one in the family made any real progress.
After half a year, with the king increasing taxes and farmwork becoming busier, the whole thing was forgotten.
But Xia Nan was stubborn.
The bard's tricks had left too deep an impression on him.
So even during the exhausting autumn harvest, when his body ached from backbreaking labor, he would still force himself to train.
Every night, after a full day of work, he would drag himself to the fields, wielding a crude wooden sword he had spent three days carving.
Day after day. Year after year.
He had broken countless wooden swords.
And yet, for reasons unknown, he never skipped a single day.
As if swinging that sword had become a part of his very existence.
Then, three months ago—
On an afternoon like any other, Xia Nan was practicing as usual, hacking at a straw dummy on the field's edge.
Then it happened.
A strange sensation surged through him.
A force he had never felt before.
It rose from his legs—firmly planted in the dirt—flowing upwards through his core, chest, arms…
And finally, into the wooden sword in his hands.
In that instant, his entire strength and focus twisted into a single thread—
And burst forth.
Whirr—
The wooden sword snapped.
Stray pieces of straw scattered in the air.
The straw dummy—cleanly sliced in two—fell apart.
A flawless cut.
[Whirlwind Slash]
That was the moment he knew its name.
Xia Nan had mastered a skill that only knights were supposed to wield.
After that, everything else happened naturally.
His family was just an average farming household—owning a mill and a few small fields.
They had three sons and a daughter.
And as fate would have it, the two older brothers were already at the age to marry and start their own families.
Naturally, disputes over their meager inheritance began.
From dividing the mill's earnings to who got to use the kitchen first—
Petty arguments and conflicts filled every inch of their little wooden house.
Watching the two older brothers he respected argue over something as small as a candle, Xia Nan began to question everything.
Then he realized—
In two years, when it was his turn to start a family, wouldn't he be trapped in this same cycle?
Doubt crept into his heart.
And just as he was considering his future, he unlocked [Whirlwind Slash].
Fueled by youthful recklessness and the urge to escape, he registered at the local Adventurers' Guild.
That was how he ended up joining the "Bottom of the Barrel" party.
"Sigh…"
Thinking back on how reckless his past self had been, Xia Nan couldn't help but sigh.
When he had transmigrated into this world, his "past self" was already a member of this party.
By the time he finished processing his new memories, he was already deep in the Misty Woods with the team.
There was no turning back.
At this point, there was no use complaining.
Lowering his head, he wiped his sword blade with a cloth.
Speaking of which—his two older brothers, despite their constant arguments, were actually quite good to him.
This one-handed sword was something they had pooled their savings to buy for him.
The former Xia Nan had cherished it deeply, maintaining it meticulously.
Even though it was already at the end of its lifespan, its blade remained sharp.
Maybe… it could last a few more battles?
"Hey, kid?"
The voice of their party leader, Maji, snapped Xia Nan out of his thoughts.
Maji must have mistaken his silence for fear, so he offered some reassurance:
"No need to be scared, it's just a few goblins."
"Those little pests? Even the stray dogs in town could take down two or three of them."
Xia Nan didn't respond.
He simply grinned at the hunter, signaling that he was fine.
Was he nervous?
Of course.
After all, this was his first real adventure.
The battle history of his one-handed sword belonged to its previous owners—not him.
And the fact that it had changed so many hands…
Meant its past owners likely didn't end well.
A chill ran down his spine.
A cold breeze brushed against the back of Xia Nan's neck.
He shivered.
The Misty Woods…
True to its name, a faint mist always lingered in the air.
Even at high noon, sunlight barely pierced through.
Now that the sun had set, the thin moonlight blended seamlessly with the fog.
Visibility was awful.
Even sitting by the campfire, he could only make out the vague outlines of nearby bushes.
"First time in the Misty Woods, farm boy?"
A teasing voice came from across the camp.
Xia Nan looked over—five or six meters away, the gnome Elki was grinning at him.
"You been here often?" Xia Nan asked.
"Of course!"
Elki's chest puffed up with pride.
"You wouldn't believe it, but I have a distant cousin who worked as an assistant to a real Archmage for two years! A proper spellcaster, registered with the Mage Association!"
"Wait… don't tell me you've never heard of the Hawthorne Royal Academy?"
"Let me tell you—"
His voice cut off.
Xia Nan had actually been interested in hearing more.
Having just transmigrated, he was eager to learn anything about magic.
But today, he wouldn't get to hear more about the Hawthorne Royal Academy.
Because, just a second ago—
Xia Nan saw it.
A crude wooden club, studded with rusty nails, emerged from the fog behind Elki's head.
And swung down.
Hard.
Metal spikes tore through soft flesh.
Blood—mixed with something thick and white—splattered.
Like a smashed watermelon, Elki's head burst open.
A sharp, wet crack rang out.
And then—
"AMBUSH!!"