The continent of Eldoria is a vast world, divided into many different lands, where not only humans live but also ancient races such as Elf, Dwarf, Beastkin, and countless other magical creatures. The peace between the races is just a thin shell, hiding the conspiracies and conflicts that rumble in the dark.
In the flow of history that spans thousands of years, the battle 200 years ago was the most important milestone. At that time, the Dark Dragon Dargoth, the ruler of darkness, led his army to spread terror throughout Eldoria with the aim of conquering this land to serve him. Wherever he went, wherever he set foot, only ashes and ruins remained. Then in the darkness of that destruction, when the heart was left with only the echo of nothingness, a Hero appeared, leading humanity and other races to fight against Dragoth. No one knew who the hero was or where he came from. The power he possessed was always worshiped and praised by the people.
The war lasted for many years, finally ending when the Hero and his comrades successfully sealed him in the "Abyssal Pit", a forbidden land located at the edge of the world, where no one dared to set foot. But the price to pay was too high—the Hero sacrificed himself. And then, when the land gradually took shape, the hero was built a statue and praised by the people. Over time, the world fell into peace again. That legend only remained in history books and was gradually forgotten by the following generations.
Later, when the kingdoms gradually expanded and prospered, academies training warriors and mages increased in number. The people no longer believed in that legend, considering it a made-up story to tell about the most fierce era of the Eldoria continent.
Venwood Village, Solmaria Kingdom.
Far away from the bustling cities.
"That hero defeated the Black Dragon Dragoth and brought peace to the continent of Eldoria....And so, the Hero fell, but it is believed that his soul still exists somewhere, waiting for a worthy successor....that''s the end of the story!"
A young woman with black eyes and soft brown hair. Her voice gently rang out, telling the old legend. Her gentle eyes looked at the small child beside her and slowly closed the book.
"Mom! When I grow up, I also want to become a strong adventurer like that hero!!"
The innocent little boy, lying in his mother''s arms, obediently listened to his mother tell the story, his sparkling blue eyes opened wide, his small hands clenched tightly. A strong feeling welled up in his heart—admiration, admiration.
The mother laughed, her eyes shining with love, and patted his head.
"A hero is not only the strongest, but also the one with a kind heart, who knows how to protect the people he loves. Can you do it?"
He nodded repeatedly, his eyes filled with determination. He did not understand the world outside, but a burning desire was already burning in his heart.
"Good boy, as long as you never give up, I believe you will do it one day, Hagan. Now let''s go to sleep, remember to take good care of your little sister!"
The mother patted the heads of her son and daughter who had fallen asleep before and walked out of the room. She returned to her own bedroom.
A while later.
Dawn had just broken over the Eldorian sky, the sunlight dyeing the endless barley fields around the village of Venwood golden. The warm rays of light shone down, sparkling the dew drops on the leaves and the rustic thatched roofs. The morning air was fresh, carrying the sweet scent of flowers.
The stone-paved road leading to the center of the village was bustling with people. Farmers carried hoes to the fields, blacksmiths wiped the sweat from their foreheads as they continued their work in the red-hot forges. The sound of hammers hitting metal rang out steadily, mixed with the cheerful laughter of children playing by the small stream.
The market in the middle of the village was bustling from early morning. Stalls were set up close together, selling all kinds of fresh food that had just been caught, meat from the nearby forest, succulent vegetables, and even eye-catching red wild berries. Merchants from neighboring regions also gathered here, bringing with them rare items such as exquisite textiles, medicinal herbs, and even sparkling magic crystals.
In another corner of the village, young warriors and adventurers were training in an open space. The clanging of wooden swords and the shouts of instructions from veteran trainers rang out. Some people were experimenting with simple magic, occasionally sparking with sparks or magical light in the air.
Further towards the edge of the village, the shady canopy of ancient trees covered the small paths leading into the forest. Chocobos, popular riding birds, preened their feathers in their cages, occasionally making their characteristic calls. Several horse-drawn carriages loaded with goods rolled down the main road, ready to be sent to the nearby large city.
In the deep blue sky, clusters of white clouds drifted lazily. A few giant eagles, mounts of magic knights, flew through the wind, leaving long shadows on the ground.
Venwood Village, although it was just a small village in the vast continent of Eldoria, still carried within it a vibrant life and peaceful beauty.
On the outskirts of the village, going straight towards the hills, there was a vast grassland, in the center of which was a house, surrounded by a wooden fence surrounding the land of the house, which was quite large. There were also livestock raised there, but it was true that such a large land without livestock would be a waste. In front of the house was a part of the yard, there was a boy who didn''t look too big. That was me.
(I am Hagan Reinhard, I am 13 years old this year, currently studying at a training academy in the village and because it is in the village, its scale is not large. My family consists of my father Tyran Reinhard who is an adventurer, my mother Talia and my younger sister Evelyn, she is now 11 years old, yes I miss her very much.
Because she is currently studying at the Royal Magic Academy, Solmaria Kingdom. She is very cute, always following behind me and always calling me big brother. She has shown talent in magic since she was young so she was accepted into the academy as a young trainee, to be honest I am a bit jealous.
I am not so lucky. From the time I was born until now, I have never once revealed any hidden potential or magical power. The only thing I can say here is that my thinking sometimes seems more mature than my age age, is it called luck. Haha
Up until now, the only magic I can do is...)
"Heal"
He put his hand on the wound and chanted the incantation, the small wound was immediately healed.
"And...Fireball!!!"
When he shouted the incantation loudly, a spark appeared on his hand, he shot it towards a nearby tree branch, burning it to ashes.
He was practicing in his yard, looking quite diligent.
(I can only use those two basic spells and since my mana isn''t that much, it''s obvious that I can''t use them much.
Fortunately, I read a book before, which said: In addition to magic, there''s also a type of power called "qi", which can be used as a physical strengthening power. Utilizing the original power means absorbing the power of nature and converting it into qi and putting it into the body, this is a type of body strengthening power that can be used to strengthen weapons, helping us increase speed and damage when causing... because it has been lost for a long time, up until now I have very little information about it, in fact, very few people know about it and use it as a type of power, almost all rely on magic to serve combat.
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Few people can use it, but that doesn''t mean there aren''t any...)
He held his wooden weapon up, closed his eyes, regulated his breathing, the air currents around him seemed to gather and surround him before entering his body. He opened his eyes and his whole body seemed to be surrounded by a small golden light.
He rushed forward and slashed at the tree in front of him. The slashes after being strengthened gradually became stronger, the marks on the tree trunk seemed to be deeper than usual.
(Well, I can only do that much now, I only realized recently, it is quite suitable for people who like close-range speed combat like me.)
"Are you still practicing!? Come in and eat, son, your father is about to come back, if there is anything bothering you, ask your father to show you, tomorrow your father is free!."
Talia stuck her head out, speaking towards him, her gentle tone made him forget the fatigue after practice.
"Yes!" Hagan called back to his mother.
Reinhard Family Dinner
The sunset cast a warm orange glow over the Reinhard family''s small wooden house. In the simple kitchen, the aroma of stew spread, mixed with the sound of bowls and chopsticks clinking together. The whole family sat around the dining table, enjoying dinner after a long day.
Tyran Reinhard, a man with a muscular body, put down his bowl, looked at his son with warm eyes.
"Hagan, how was your training today?" – He asked, his voice calm but full of concern.
Hagan, who was chewing a piece of meat, quickly swallowed it and excitedly replied:
"Today I tried to chop a hundred times as you taught me! But I still feel very weak..." – He lowered his head, his voice a bit disappointed.
Talia smiled gently, reaching out to put more food into her son''s bowl:
"The important thing is that you persevere, Hagan. Every day, you will improve! Oh, right, why don''t you try learning magic, it will be more useful in combat!"
"Yes, but magic is not suitable for me, I don''t have the talent like Evelyn, my mana is limited so I can only use it when necessary, instead I want to focus on physical arts." He shook his head and replied.
Tyran laughed loudly, nodding his head in satisfaction. Then, he turned to his wife:
"Today has been a long day. At the border checkpoint, I heard that some monsters appeared near the northern forest, but fortunately, nothing serious."
Talia frowned slightly in worry:
"Monsters are appearing closer and closer to the village... I hope everything is fine."
Tyran patted his wife''s hand, reassuring her:
"Don''t worry, we''ve already dealt with it. If there''s anything unusual, I''ll check it myself."
Hagan clenched his fist, his eyes shining with determination:
"One day, I also want to help protect the village like you!"
Tyran smiled, nodding his head in satisfaction:
"Then tomorrow, after finishing the field work, we''ll practice together. Okay? I''ll teach you swordsmanship."
Hagan immediately nodded:
"Yes!"
Talia just shook her head and smiled lightly, looking at her small family gathered together in the warmth of the peaceful evening...
(Swordsmanship, hmmmm it seems to be a type of weapon that is almost very popular, my father is a typical example, he is also a dual sword user. Assassins will use small swords or knives as weapons, whether they are tankers or fighters, I mostly only see them using swords.
I am different, I don''t seem to be very interested in swords, I have a little experience with swords taught by my father, instead I am quite interested in spear techniques, to be exact, I am quite talented in using it. Only when using spears can I use 100% of my abilities.
Although about using spears, I haven''t told anyone yet, I simply don''t want my old man to feel disappointed because there is no one to inherit that dual sword skill, Haizzz bored, I can only figure it out myself and secretly I''m just secretly practicing spear techniques.)
"That reminds me, tomorrow is the day of the ability test to see if you''re qualified to register as a rookie adventurer. Wow! Tomorrow will be crowded, our current batch is even larger than the previous batch. So there will probably be a lot of strong people coming. So today I have to go to bed early." Hagan thought for a while and spoke.
After eating, Hagan helped his mother clean up, his father took the opportunity to take a bath and rest with his wife.
Although he said so, because it was still early, he asked his family to go to the village to play, but in reality he ran into the forest, to the place where he often practiced alone, there were training tools that he had prepared in advance. First, he picked up his wooden sword, then began to practice.
Hagan stood in the middle of a large open space, which had been cleared of weeds to make a practice area. The ground under his feet was dry, with old marks from many years of continuous trampling and practice. Around him was a green lawn that stretched to the edge of the forest, the blades of grass swaying in the gentle breeze of the sunset.
Nearby, old and cracked wooden figures stood silently, having endured countless attacks during training sessions. Some had marks Some were slashed deeply, others were dented by powerful stabs. Yet they stood firm, continuing to serve as mindless opponents for those who wanted to practice their fighting skills.
Further away, the dense canopy of the forest surrounded the training ground like a natural wall. The evening light filtered through the gaps between the leaves, creating patches of light on the ground. The wind blew, rustling the leaves, blending with the chirping of birds before nightfall.
This space was all too familiar to Hagan. This was where he had spent countless hours practicing, honing each movement. To many, this was just an ordinary empty lot, but to him, it was the beginning of his dream, where he had fallen and stood up again, where drops of sweat mixed with the strong desire in his heart.
Sweat rolled down his forehead, Hagan clenched the hilt of his wooden sword, took a deep breath before continuing his training.
"I have to be stronger... At least strong enough to be able to freely move around this village, that was my original goal."
He swung his sword, each powerful slash cutting through the air, but it still felt like it was not enough.
"Father was an adventurer. He traveled everywhere, faced monsters and did countless quests until he met mother and settled here. I want to become an adventurer too, I want to be like him. I want to explore this vast world, I want to see more things, and... become stronger."
Hagan paused, adjusting his posture. He recalled the books he had read, the records of the outside world, of distant lands, of majestic kingdoms and dungeons that contained treasures and deadly dangers.
Hagan picked up his wooden spear and took a deep breath, feeling the cool air of the sunset, then slowly tightened the wooden spear in his hand. He closed his eyes, trying to recall every word in the book on spearmanship he had read last night.
"The spear is a weapon of speed and agility. A fatal stab is faster than any slash. A good warrior must not only rely on strength, but also understand how to control his center of gravity and utilize his entire body when attacking."
Opening his eyes, Hagan began to move. He stood firmly on the ground, his legs slightly bent to maintain his balance. According to what he had read, a low center of gravity would help him be more stable when attacking.
He tightened his grip on the spear shaft, put strength into his arm, and thrust forward, a basic yet powerful thrust. The air was torn apart, creating a slight whistling sound. Hagan took a step back, rotating the spear in an arc, performing a horizontal sweep.
"This feels... still a bit stiff."
Hagan frowned, adjusting his posture. The book mentioned using the entire body to generate force, instead of just relying on the arm. He took a deep breath, then tried again.
This time, he rotated his hips at the same time as the sweep, allowing the spear to draw a stronger arc. The difference was immediately evident, the spearhead glided faster, lighter yet still powerful.
"That''s right, it should be like this!"
Hagan continued to practice, trying to feel its weight every time he swung the spear, adjusting the path to make it as smooth as possible. He didn''t want to just know spear technique, but also deeply understand how to use it.
"If I want to become a good adventurer, I have to master both spear and sword techniques. Even though the spear has the advantage in range, what if the enemy gets close? I can''t let myself be passive just because I lack close combat skills."
That thought urged him to continue training. Sweat dripped down his forehead, his breathing became rapid, but Hagan''s eyes still shone with determination. He knew that the path to becoming a strong adventurer was not easy.
But that was the path he had chosen.
"Never stop trying. Never stop. Every slash, every drop of sweat brings me closer to my goal!"
He was panting, but his eyes still burned with determination. One day, he would leave this small village and carve his name into history as a true adventurer. At least he dared to think so
The sun had already set behind the mountains, the orange sunset of the evening had now changed color. It was also the time for Hagan to finish his practice and return home before it was too late. He also didn''t want to come home too late and get scolded by his mother because that must be hell, even his old man was afraid of her, she must be the most powerful woman in the house.
The space became quieter when the sun disappeared completely. The moon rose, emitting a gentle light, illuminating the entire land. Darkness began to creep into every corner, but it was not gloomy but carried a peaceful beauty. Fireflies also began to appear, flickering in the grass like small gems glowing in the dark night.
Hagan stood in the middle of that space, taking a deep breath. The night air carried a bit of chill, but it was extremely pleasant. He felt the pulse of the world, an eternal cycle between day and night, between light and darkness. And somewhere deep inside, he knew that he was just a small part of that flow, someone who was searching for his own path in this vast world.
Hagan clenched the wooden spear in his hand, sweat beading on his forehead, his breathing still gradually stabilizing after a long training session. He raised his head to look at the night sky that had just fallen, the twinkling stars reflecting in his determined eyes.
"I don''t have natural abilities, I don''t have powerful magic like Evelyn, nor am I from a noble family or anything..."
He tightened his grip on the spear hilt.
"But that doesn''t matter. One day, I will leave my mark on this world."
Hagan took a deep breath, then swung his spear forward. A gentle breeze blew by, carrying the chill of the night, but in his heart, a smoldering fire was still burning brightly.
"Because... this is my story, and only I can write its ending!"