A month had passed since Alistair began his training. Now, the day had come for him to leave the forest behind. He wished he could stay longer, but his food supplies were running low. With Meera’s formation keeping animals away, it would be difficult to sustain himself here indefinitely.

As Alistair fastened his gambeson, Ameera’s voice interrupted him.

-Why are we leaving now? I thought you still had some food left.-

“Barely any,” he replied. “It’s not wise to wait until you’ve run out completely before replenishing your supply. Always keep some set aside for emergencies.”

-Like mana?- Ameera asked.

“Like mana,” Alistair agreed.

He finished securing the gambeson and took a moment to observe how well it fit him now. With a satisfied nod, he retrieved his black leather armor from his inventory.

-I still can’t believe you managed to grow this much in just a month.-

“Yeah, it surprised me too. I expected to grow fast, but not this fast. I have to thank the system for that.”

-How tall are you right now?-

Alistair began putting on the leather armor set.

“Should be around 180 cm (5’11”). Quite tall for a normal adult male, but still small for awakened warriors. At least compared to the Roettger warriors.”

When he finished donning the leather armor, it no longer looked awkward on him as it had before; now, it fit him perfectly, as if it had been made for him. With his noticeably developed muscles and increased height, he now looked like a proper warrior.

-You Roettger boys are all big, huh?-

“Yup. Hey, why was I only that big?”

-Hmm? What do you mean?-

“I always knew that with training, not only do you get stronger, but you also get bigger. I was big before, but I wasn’t that big. Albert was much bigger than me, and even he wasn’t the largest in the Roettger house. That’s always bothered me.”

-Oh, that. Hmm, so you weren’t the largest one. I bet you were the heaviest, though. Right?-

“Yeah, I was really heavy, even for my size. How do you know that?”

-The size difference comes down to variations in vessels. Training lets you absorb mana into your body, which makes it stronger. But different bodies react differently to mana. You probably have a very receptive body.

-For someone with a less receptive body, the mana they absorb still makes them stronger, but not as much as it does for you. Once their body has grown as strong as it can with the mana provided, it starts to grow bigger instead, until it’s capable of absorbing more mana to grow stronger again.

-Because your body is highly receptive to mana, combined with your crazy mana attunement, I’m honestly surprised you managed to grow to that size at all.-

“Hmmm. If that’s the case, then why was I already bigger than normal as a teenager?”

-Probably because your body wasn’t used to mana back then. It takes around five years for a body to fully adapt to mana. For most people, that wouldn’t cause much change, but since your body absorbs mana faster than normal—and I’m guessing you kept up a training regimen—it probably caused you to grow bigger early on. Let me guess—you stopped growing around 19, didn’t you? Then you stayed that way until you started growing again much later.-

“Huh, yeah, that’s exactly what happened. I started growing again years after I stopped being a hero.”

Alistair finished his preparations and took one last look around the area.

-What is it? Are you feeling sad because we’re leaving this place?-

“Nope, I’m actually quite glad. The whole no-animals thing was nice for a few days, but after that, it just got really creepy. At least I’m stronger now.”

-Yeah, you’re not an initiate anymore, right? How does it feel? Graduating from initiate to adept. Does it feel like the first time? When you went from initiate to adept?-

“I wouldn’t know,” Alistair said, starting to walk east. “The first time, I awakened to level 12, I was never an initiate.”

-…Show off. I wouldn’t do that often if I were you—girls don’t like show-offs.-

Her response elicited a hearty laugh from Alistair.

“Ha ha ha ha. Actually, girls love boys who know how to show off,” he said, still walking.

-What?! No way!-

“Yes way. I’ve never been humble a day in my life, and girls always flocked to me.” A wide grin spread across his face.

-Ugh, whatever. Just keep walking, would you?-

____________________________________

After walking for a while, Alistair suddenly stopped and glanced back.

“Was that it? I felt something just now.” He placed a hand over his chest. “It was like crossing a barrier—almost like stepping out of water, but much subtler.”

-Yes. I think we just crossed the formation boundary.-

Alistair scanned his surroundings. The sound of birds and other animals reached his ears now, a stark contrast to the silence from before. He turned again toward the path he had come from, marveling at the formation’s capabilities. But the thought didn’t linger long; he brushed it aside and continued walking.

-So, where are we going again?-

“Well, according to the map left by the other admin, there are some smaller villages and a small town nearby, all about the same distance from here. But on the map Kotan left, there’s only the town marked, along with instructions on how to reach the capital city.”

-Capital city of what?-

“We’re supposed to be in the kingdom of Crilia.”

-Is it one of the kingdoms that attacked you?-

“Yep. And I’m guessing it’s also the kingdom Kotan used as his base of operations.”

-So, I assume we’re not going there, then.-

“Nope. We’re not going to the capital, but we will head to that small town.”

-Wait, why? Don’t you think he might have set a trap there?-

“There’s a risk of that, yes. But it doesn’t change the fact that we need to resupply. And wherever we decide to go eventually, we’ll still need some form of transportation.”

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

Alistair suddenly stopped in his tracks. His gaze fixed ahead on a line of trees at the roadside. Slowly, he began scanning his surroundings.

-Well, it still doesn’t change the fact that it might be dangerous.-

“I have a plan for that. Ameera, I need you to be quiet now,” Alistair said, lowering his voice. He continued walking along the road.

-What? What’s happening?-

“We’re not alone. Now, silence,” Alistair whispered. He kept moving, his steps steady.

After about 20 meters, two figures emerged from the trees, blocking his path. Alistair stopped and studied them carefully.

One of the men was lean, wearing an incomplete set of leather armor—missing a chest piece and a left bracer. Alistair dismissed him almost immediately.

The other, however, was different. He was an awakened, taller, and more heavily armored, with a seasoned appearance marked by scars across his body. Alistair could feel his strength, sensing that this man was at least a level or two above him.

Both men had swords drawn, their stances tense and hostile. Their gazes locked onto Alistair, sharp and calculating, like predators sizing up their prey.

“What do you think, Jack? Is that him?” the smaller man asked, glancing at his companion.

“Hmm. Right age, and the armor matches,” Jack replied, his tone gruff. “But no spear, no weapon at all. And he’s too tall.”

-Alistair! This is a trap. Run!-

Ameera’s rising anxiety pressed against Alistair’s thoughts, but he didn’t respond. He showed no outward reaction, his face calm as he focused on steadying his breathing.

“Oh, come on! I know that, but look at the armor. How many people do you think can afford to walk around in top-of-the-line Bourdon armor?” the smaller man shot back, his voice growing louder.

Alistair glanced down at his armor briefly. “A flashy, branded set, huh?” he murmured to himself. “Thanks, Kotan.” His lips twitched into a faint smirk. He made a mental note to repay Kotan for the “generous gift.”

Alistair lifted his head and addressed the two men. “Good day, gentlemen. Might I inquire as to the nature of your business with me?” he asked, his tone calm and polite as he walked slowly toward them.

“Umm, Jack?” The smaller man, Tom, blinked in surprise, clearly unsettled by Alistair’s formal manner of speaking.

“Shut up, Tom,” Jack snapped, narrowing his eyes at Alistair. He studied him for a moment before sneering. “Hmph. What kind of noble travels alone, without an escort or even a horse? Tom, grab him. Judging by that armor, he might know something about the boy.”

Tom’s face lit up at Jack’s command. He turned toward Alistair, who was still approaching, his smirk widening as he raised his sword.

“Oi! You! Stop right there!” Tom shouted, his voice laced with arrogance. “If you want to live, get your hands up!”

Alistair stopped in his tracks and slowly raised both hands. The gesture seemed to invigorate Tom, whose smirk widened as he closed the distance. Just as Tom’s blade neared Alistair’s chestplate, Alistair made his move.

He stepped forward sharply, slipping to the right of the blade while seizing it with his left hand. With a firm pull, he disrupted Tom’s balance, sending him stumbling forward. Without hesitation, Alistair drove a powerful punch into Tom’s throat with his right hand. The impact landed with a sickening crunch, leaving Tom choking as he crumpled to the ground.

Alistair didn’t pause. He yanked the sword from Tom’s grip, transferring it to his right hand as he sprinted toward Jack.

“Bastard! What the fuck do you think you’re doing?!” Jack roared, his face flushing red with fury. He charged at Alistair, his movements aggressive and unrestrained.

As Alistair closed the gap, Jack raised his blade, gripping it with both hands in preparation for a heavy, crushing strike. Alistair adjusted his stance, holding his newly acquired sword horizontally above his head in a defensive posture. Jack sneered, interpreting the move as a futile defense, and brought his weapon down in a vicious arc, aiming to shatter both Alistair’s blade and his skull.

The moment Jack’s sword descended, Alistair released his grip on his blade entirely, sidestepping and twisting his body into a spin. Jack’s strike met nothing but air as Alistair’s rotation brought his right foot around, connecting with Jack’s temple in a decisive, bone-rattling kick. Jack staggered, his momentum faltering as the force of the strike sent him reeling.

Jack didn’t know what hit him. By the time the sword struck the ground, he had already blacked out for a moment. When he started to regain consciousness, he found himself on his back, Alistair straddling him and slowly pressing the blade through a gap in his armor toward his heart.

“Wa… wait,” Jack pleaded weakly, his voice trembling.

Schlurk.

The blade slid in without resistance. Jack’s eyes widened in shock, his mouth hanging open as his pupils rolled back. His body shuddered once before going limp.

Alistair rose, pulling the sword free, and retrieved Jack’s weapon as well. Without a glance back, he began walking toward Tom, who lay sprawled on the ground, clutching his throat. Tom’s breaths were shallow and ragged, each one accompanied by a wet, choking rasp. Blood bubbled at his lips as his wide, panic-filled eyes darted around.

He noticed Alistair approaching only for a brief second before Alistair swung one of the swords, the sharp edge slicing cleanly through his neck. Tom’s suffering ended instantly as his head fell to the ground.

Alistair exhaled deeply, closing his eyes as he tilted his head toward the sky. His grip on the swords loosened slightly as he stood in silence for a moment, the battlefield quiet once more.

-Alistair… Ameera’s voice trembled, full of distress. If she had a body, she would likely be sobbing.

“Not yet, honey,” Alistair muttered under his breath. He opened his eyes and turned to look back the way he had come. “Oh, I dropped something,” he said aloud, starting to walk back.

After only a few steps, Alistair suddenly hurled the sword in his right hand toward the top of a nearby tree.

Shunk!

The blade struck something hidden among the branches, and a figure tumbled to the ground below. Without hesitation, Alistair sprinted toward it.

It was a person—another awakened, Alistair noted. The man wore leather armor, and a bow lay discarded beside him. A ranger, Alistair deduced. His sword had pierced the man’s right leg.

Alistair scanned the fallen ranger, noting the pair of knives secured to the man’s belt. With precise movements, he used his sword to sever the belt, retrieved it with both knives still sheathed, and then flung it away from the ranger.

The man was pale. Beyond the gushing wound on his leg, the sheer presence of the figure looming over him left him visibly shaken.

“Wait, wait, wait! Please, wait! The battle is over—I’m not a threat. Please spare me! You can take all my coins,” he stammered, desperation clear in his voice.

Alistair stared at the man in silence for a moment before speaking. “What were you three doing here? You were waiting for me, weren’t you? I want to know more about that.”

The question seemed to jolt the man. He hesitated, gulping hard before continuing. “Look, kiddo, I’d love to answer any questions you’ve got, but… we’re just a bunch of robbers. The plan was… was to take everything you had and let you go on your way,” he explained, his eyes pleading.

Alistair studied him for a while, his expression unreadable, before he spoke again. “Ameera, I’m going to cut off the connection for a while, okay?”

-...Okay.-

Alistair severed his connection to Ameera. The man on the ground blinked in confusion, glancing around.

“Hey, kiddo. Who are you talking to?” he asked, his voice tinged with unease.

Alistair crouched down beside him, moving slowly, deliberately. His voice dropped to a near-whisper, chilling in its calmness.

“I’m going to ask you again. If you don’t answer me, I will hurt you. Why were you men waiting for me?”

The man was drenched in sweat now, trembling as he realized Alistair wasn’t bluffing. Yet fear of his boss loomed large in his mind. He had seen it before—how the boss dealt with failure, or worse, perceived betrayal. The punishments were gruesome and unforgettable. Gritting his teeth, he repeated his answer.

“I told you already! We were just robbing you!”

Alistair exhaled heavily, shaking his head in disappointment. Without warning, he drove the sword into the man’s left shoulder, the blade piercing clean through and pinning him to the ground.

“Argh!” the man cried out, his voice cracking. Before he could fully process the searing pain, Alistair grabbed the handle of the sword lodged in his leg. With a firm pull, he dragged the blade to the side, slicing through flesh and bone in one sickening motion.

“Hmmph!” The man’s scream caught in his throat, his wide, terrified eyes fixed on Alistair. To him, Alistair looked as calm as if he were butchering livestock.

“AAARGH!” The delayed agony finally hit, and the man’s voice erupted into a tortured scream, echoing in the air. The screams lasted for several moments before fading into pitiful sobs.

Alistair crouched down, observing the man with cold detachment. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and measured, chilling in its simplicity.

“Let’s make one thing clear. I have the rest of the day, and you’ve got plenty of body parts for me to work with. What happens next is entirely up to you.”

Fortunately, no one else passed through that road that day. If they had, they would have heard the intermittent screams echoing from the woods. After half an hour, Alistair emerged from between the trees.

He carried a waterskin, using it to clean the blood from his hands and armor. When he was satisfied he couldn’t clean it further, he restored his connection to Ameera.

“Hey. Are you alright?”

-…Yes, I’m fine. I apologize for acting like that before.-

“Nah, it’s fine. It’s your first time experiencing something like that in person. Honestly, you handled it pretty well,” Alistair replied, his voice as gentle as he could manage.

-…Really? Thanks. That last guy, is he…-

“He’s dead. Don’t ask me how.”

-I wasn’t going to. Did he tell you anything?-

“Yes. He was part of a group based in Lordton—the small town. They got a commission about a month ago from a noble to intercept and kill a boy traveling this road. They were told he’d be short, wearing branded black leather armor, and carrying a black spear. And also answered to Alistair."

-Kotan.-

“Kotan,” Alistair echoed.

-So, now what? We can’t go to the town where there’s a group of people looking for you, right?-

“Actually, that’s exactly what we’re going to do,” Alistair replied confidently.

-Wait, what? They’ll be looking for you!-

“Technically, they’ll be looking for Alistair,” he said, a sly smile spreading across his face. “But not Ronan.”