[ Current Age: 4 years old. ]

("Gadi and Milim have been here for almost a year now. I gotta admit, the guy's a great teacher. He's always patting himself on the back, but his lessons are actually pretty damn engaging. I mean, I can use Sword Arts up to the Advanced class now without breaking a sweat. Not bad, huh? All in all, I'd say Gadi's been a real asset to our little community.")

Out in the fields, Archibald and Gadi performed their usual daily lessons.

His steady practice slowly paid off. With every lesson he got better and more adept to any skill, under any Sword Art he learnt. Although he has yet to specialize in any of the four arts of the sword yet.

In essence, his lessons were as smoothe as butter.

At the time being Gadi was showing him a technique. One ideal for cleaving solid objects with even the bluntest of swords. And for this display, he made use of the usual wooden sword.

It was a Cerulean-class (3rd ranked) Sword Skill. Under the bracket of Thunder God Arts.

Technique name :: [Burst of Sound] Gadiʼs preparation motion was his blade being placed forward, moments after, he took a powerful dash forward. The manner with which he moved displaced sound momentarily which led to the trembling of the earth. And as he appeared before the boulder it took the single movement of his armament to rip it in two.

"Whaaaa?!" Archibald was amazed. All he saw was Gadi moving like a blurry gray streak, and the momentary displacement of his foot at the last minute. Done to acquire a more suitable position to strike the boulder.

It was one of the quickest moves he'd seen.

("Holy shiaaat! That's definitely awesome! Maybe I'll go for the Thunder God Art, speed seems to be the best way to win a fight... Hm, or maybe it isn't... I haven't actually been in a serious fight before so I can't definitely say for sure.")

Gadi placed the weapon atop his shoulder, "It's a simple dash and slash, pretty easy.." maybe for him, the same couldn't be said of Archibald. Then again, he was yet to make his attempt.

"Woah, you're so awesome Gadi.." there was some familiarity between them now, before now he mostly called Gadi in a formal manner -- "Sir." But as of recent Gadi deemed him worthy of referring to him more casually. They'd gotten to know each other much better.

He did it again, "Oh please, you praise me too much Archie boy.." Gadi couldn't help but inflate his ego whenever the opportunity presented itself. He began his monologue that always took minutes before he arrived at an end.

"My nose was chisled by the gods themselves, My body sculpted in the golden light of heavenly artists... I have the cheeks of a Norse god and the lips, of an Amazonian prince."

...

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After five minutes, they could finally return back to their lesson.

"Okay, you're turn Archie.."

("Okay Archie-dono! You can do this, get this one right and you'll be an expert at Cerulean-class Sword Skills! The ladies will be all over you!")

The young lad assumed a focused countenance, a tight grip on his sword, while his legs grasped the earth. He closed his eyes and took a quick sprint for the designated boulder. The distance between him and the target was covered relatively easy, proof of his increased speed.

But on impact, nothing particularly fantastic happened. Actually it was the exact opposite.

The entire body of Archibald vibrated. Striking the boulder with the wooden sword sent vibrations across his body. Rather than a dash and slash, what he performed was a hippity-hop and wham; an onomatopoeic representation of a forceful blow.

"Did I get it?" Archibald spoke, feeling slightly dizzy.

"What?! No of course you didn't! Preparation Motion matters a lot kid! If you don't get the first step right it throws off your entire action!" Gadi complained, but not bitterly. It was more ridiculous the way he just abruptly exploded after seeing Archibald fail something for the first time.

He scratched his head slowly, "But I'm still only four... you don't expect me to win it all do you...?"

Gadi had a tendency of forgetting Archibald was ultimately still a child.

Some human sword practicioners didn't even pass the rank of Savant even after years of devoted training. But, it came relatively easy for him, he was indeed the prodigy his parents said he was. Merely thinking about it put a smile on Gadi's face.

"Yeah, you're alright kid.." he pat the head of Archibald before ruffling his crimson red hair.

("I've got a long way to go, dammit! Now I wish I was in one of those System novels where the protagonist is reincarnated with some overpowered ability. The closest I've come to being a protagonist were in my numerous Dating Sims..")

...

Much later, Gadi helped the townspeople chop down some trees.

The trees in the Berkyl Region were especially hard to fell, so it required the help of a more physical endowed individual. A prime specimen being Gadi.

"Wow, he's so strong..", "And handsome too!", "What a capable man!" the women who watched him do his work praised him. He didn't need their money, all he needed was their praises. Nothing Gadi cherished more than that.

As bullets of sweat rolled down his toned muscles, he whipped his hair back and forth, "Oh ladies, please don't... I know my beauty is blinding, absolutely resplendent and something only existing on a more godly plane of existence.." he dramatically genuflected, "...but don't get trapped by my charms! I beg of you!"

Of the time he'd spent here, Gadi had already slept with about five women. It was better he worried about commiting to anyone that could potentially get pregnant, than his supposedly gracious countenance.

"We love you Gadi!" three women uttered emphatically.

Quickly approaching one who wore spectacles, he gently touched her chin and pulled her face closer to his.

"There's something beautiful in yours eyes.." and when he said these words she was completely flustered, her face turned red instantly. She was flummoxed by his words and devilish charms.

"She's so lucky..", "I wish he'd treat me like that.", "This is so unfair!" the other women girned without end.

Gadi pushed the lady away, before completing his sentence, "Oh wait, it was simply my reflection! Does my beauty know no bounds?! Curse the gods for blessing me with such pulchritude!"

The lady fell face flat on the grass and it was almost like Gadi had forgotten about her. He looked at himself in the small mirror he kept in his pocket at all times. It was kept with the thought to constantly remind himself how beautiful he was.

...

While he carried out his display full of pride; haughtiness and arrogance, Milim and Archibald watched him from the house.

Their facial expression was massive proof of how much shock they were in. So much shock, they could potentially turn pale. They'd expected this of Gadi, but everytime they believed they'd seen or heard it all, he surprised them again.

"Sometimes I wonder how your father can be so strong Milim.." Archibald uttered. As much of a perverted scumbag as Gadi was, Archibald could closely relate. He was the same through and through.

Milim was much more open to speaking with them now than before, but she still spoke with little vigor, "Well papa's always been strong... He told me he joined the Holy Knights when he was seventeen.." she was always proud to speak about her father.

("Gadi? Yeah no. He lied to you definitely. There's nothing holy about this guy, I wonder between me and him... who they wouldn't let cross the thresholds of a Church.")

Archibald abruptly balled his fist out of frustration. Teardrops rolled down his eyes, but he did his utmost best to hold it in.

("Still... this bastard has slept with more women in a month than I have in forty-eight years of my life dammit! It's not fair!")

"Archie?! Are you okay?!" Milim was visibly worried. His sudden tears came to her as astonishing.

When Archibald stared at her he wore a forced smile, as he whimpered with a runny nose. Water pooled out of his eyes like a waterfall and he expressed mirth still, "It's fine... I just... It's fine."

The sun slowly set on their small village. The sticks of the outer territory.