I’m not sure but I think this old man is not simple as he looks. There were so many strong people in the crowd. Why did he invite a kid like me? This is way too suspicious..

I followed him and after a few moments, we arrived in a two floor bricked house that has a BAT MERCENARY written on the both side of the brown door. I was a bit hesitant at first but well I don’t think they could catch up to me. I still have my trump card after all.

The old man bends his back that seems had some sort of back pain. “Young master, may I know your name?” He said while smiling at me. I don’t know but this gramps didn’t seem a bad guy. And Should I hide my background? I have a feeling that I can learn a lot from this old man.

“I am called Lee, gramps! How about you?” I said in an excited manner while grinning at him.

“Everyone just calling me Old man, I think calling me Gramps is fine.” He said and patted my head. He went near the door, “Please come in young master Lee. ”

...

I didn’t imagine that a few people could be this chaotic. All the chairs and tables were disorganized. Someone was just poking his nose, the other one drinking some alcoholic drinks while the remaining two was.. I don’t know they seem fighting but not serious or maybe I’m wrong.

What the hell did I get into?

“Sigh, these kids.. Hey, we have a guest, can you please stop your madness for a moment?” Gramps said in a lifeless voice. I think I know the reason of this old man’s gray hair and wrinkles.

“Oh, a kid?”

“Is that your grandson or something like that old man?”

“What an adorable boy!” A young babe said, if I’m not mistaken she looks somewhere in her twenties. She quickly ran to me and hugged me. Well, it’s quite enjoyable her chest was.. Let’s just say my type of size.

“Lucky bastard! Hey, Joan! I’m adorable too! You can do that to me too! Hey!” The young man that was drinking booze earlier said. I smirked at him while he gnashed his teeth as he looked at me. He was definitely annoyed. I never thought that teasing a jealous man was that fun.

“This boy will be our newest member! Please welcome Lee.” The old man said while the four weirdos were just looking at the old man in disbelief. “Hey clap your hands, do you think I’m joking?” Gramps continued after a long pause.

“Haha, Old man are you finally lost it? Do you think we need a kid?” The man that was poking his nose earlier said. His bald head and face were full of slit scars. Also, a noticeable two long large silver sheathed sword was hanging on his back.

“Eh? I think it’s fine I can protect this.. Adorable boy!” The babe said that was called Joan and hugged me again. I'm kinda feeling a bit suffocated tho.

“These idiots.. Old man, I think you have a good reason, what’s his rank?” The teenager boy said that arguing with Joan earlier. His built was a bit slim, a short trimmed brown hair and a strong jawline that was quite apparent. He kinda has that smart guy vibe.

“Finally a good good question! Ethan!” The old man said in quite loud, “But.. I don’t know his rank yet..”

“What! Just as I thought! You finally lost it old man!” The scarred man shouted and laughed hard.

“Oh.. Interesting, you don’t know this kid rank but you still insisting on joining him?” Ethan said and looked at the old man. They both smiled and not a good smile but more likely an evil looking smile.

“Haha! As expected from Ethan! Let’s go to the basement, shall we? We’re going to measure his rank,” The old man said. The trio that was quite noisy became silent all of a sudden.

…

While walking through their basement, my thought was should I pretend that I’m not that strong? Or should I impress them? When I saw these guys, I knew that they’re abnormally strong. And it looks like it will be fun on joining them. Let’s just say I will just impress them a bit.

…

“Oh, we’re here,” The old man said. We arrived in quite plain but spacious room. I think it looks like some kind of arena. Anyway, at least it looks neat. ”Let’s start!” The old man shouted. He removes his simple brown looking shirt. And I’m quite impressed by his body. I thought he was a bit fat but I think he’s more abnormal than these abnormals. I don’t know but I felt like I’m in the king’s presence. His body was full of thick muscles that look like no signs of aging.

What really amazed me was his spear. It was the same as my sword. It pop-out out of nowhere. His spear blade was in golden color while the shaft of it was in deep dark brown.

“Summon your spirit sword.” He said in a young voice. Just as I thought, he knew that I can also summon a weapon. How come that summoning your spirit sword can affect your voice?

I summoned Nozarashi. I saw the eyes of old man sparkled and an evil looking smile appeared on his lips. While the four abnormals reaction were just.. I don’t know it’s hard to tell but it’s either they’re amazed or they don’t really care.

…

I used the flash steps and immediately went behind the old man’s back. As I slashed down my sword, his body became a blur. My sword just pierces through nothingness, I didn’t hit him. But I’m amazed how sturdy the walls and grounds were. My Nozarashi’s damage was just a bit of scratch.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

The old man appeared quite far away on my left side while still smiling at me. I don’t know but he’s pissing me off. Instead of using my left hand, I also used my right hand as well. I used the flash step again and immediately appeared right in front of him. But I was baffled, he didn’t run nor evade. He only used the tip of his spear to block my full force attack. A crying scream could be heard and a large shockwave leaves a circular crater on the surface of the sturdy ground.

I am really amazed. He’s just an old man, I know in the animes that I watched most of the old man there were quite strong. It’s just in reality the old man should be weak like I was back in the earth. I never knew that the old man in this world might be stronger than I thought.

I used the byakugan to see what the old man’s mana status or should I say chakra or some kind of energy? And I’m quite dumbfounded on what I saw. The old man’s mana core was bigger than anything that I saw in this world and strangely dyed with golden color.

What really amazed me was how he defended my attack. He only used a strand of his mana to block my full force attack. I’m quite doubtful if I can really win on this old man even if I remove my eye patch. I know it to myself that, I can’t win. At least, not for now.

My sword suddenly vanished in thin air, “Gramps, I can’t win. You’re too strong. That attack was my strongest. Did I pass your exam?” I said and sighed. I saw the old man’s reaction was quite in shocked. After a few moments, Old man’s spear was disappeared and his majestic aura also disappeared without any trace. He looks like a weak old man again.

“Lee, was that you're all? You don’t look tired at all.. Why do you think you can’t win? And your eyes? It suddenly became white.. And your sword? I’m sure it’s a spirit sword but it’s different than others Including mine. ” Gramps said in his usual old hoax voice as he slowly walked to my direction.

“You don’t believe me, gramps? That was my strongest attack.. And you just block it effortlessly,” I said as I scratched the back of my head. “My eyes became white? I don’t know that I could do that..” I continued. I lied but I think it’s not quite obvious. Gramps seems to believe what I said. I’m not sure if this world also believes that most of the kids around my age wouldn’t lie.

...

I left their mercenary house after our little duel. They told me that they will have a little meeting but I needed to go back tomorrow evening. I guess they’re not really that impressed.

Curiously, I went to the red light district. Even what world you’re into I think there are still similarities. Different partners kissing some even went overboard on dark alleys as I passed by. If I’m not mistaken most of the men were either knights or nobles and from the looks of it the women here were quite high quality. All them were quite a beauty.

As I passing, some of them stopped and threw a curious glance at me. I guess they’re thinking that what the heck a kid doing here, late at night. Honestly, I feel a bit envy, I wanted to enter and try some.. but my technically age is not allowed.

It’s almost midnight but I felt wide awake. Instead of going to the direction of my house, I visited the famous lake of wishes.

A crystal clear water in the middle of an oblong crater that surrounded by perfectly trimmed purple grasses while it’s reflecting the perfect night sky. The moonlight on the lake was giving it an enhanced bright that illuminated the area. The lake looked like some sort of god made art.

Strangely, besides from me, there’s no one around. I went near the lake and played a bit of water on my feet. And of course, ate some midnight snack, a few fries.

I pondered things on what happened today, I made a mistake again. Earlier, I didn’t notice Mira still remained in the classroom. My acting was a failure. And the old man, I didn’t notice that he was a dangerous fellow. Fortunately, he is not a bad guy or else I might be dead by now.

I need to sense the surrounding in great detail to avoid this kind of mistakes again. Sigh, I learned haki but not on the level that I can sense people around me or intimidate them using only my sheer will. My haki was on the level that I could harden my skin just a little bit.

As I looked at the lake, someone was telling me that I should swim. I know that it was forbidden but I just feel magnetized. I know it was a wrong doing but it’s just a little training. I want to try something out.

I removed all my clothes and immediately dived down deep. I’m grateful that I didn’t eat the devil fruit yet.

In the deep dark area of the lake, I meditated while trying hard to feel the area around me. After some time, I sensed some fish but it only lasted a few seconds. I couldn’t capture their movements perfectly.

I don’t know how much time had passed and how come that I could hold my breath underwater for such a long time. I know there’s something strange in this water.

…

Kenbunshoku Haki or observation haki, A type of haki that can sense others. Akin to a sixth sense it feels like a perfect eye. At the moment, I could sense how the fishes in the lake differ to each other; their size, their type, and their aura. It’s just that I don’t know what they really look like. If I’m going to fight the old man again, I’m sure he will fight me seriously but I still doubt if I can really win.

Fighting with kenpachi’s sword was always hard. The energy that I manifest is hard to control, I might kill innocent people someday. Thus, if I can learn Haoshoku haki or emperor’s haki that would be great. I can knock them out unconscious just by exerting my will power to them. When I summoned kenpachi’s sword I feel like I’m another person, I don’t want to defeat my enemy but killed them. That was my mindset when using kenpachi’s sword, my bloodlust was anomalously strong.

I know that it should be impossible to learn it. But I will try anyway it’s not that I will lose something. Maybe, I will get some insights.

“Exerting the will..” I muttered and it sounds bubbly.

...

Visualizing every fight that I saw, from movies, animes and lastly the fight with the old man. I fight them using my mind, not just once but countless times.

After thousands of year, I mastered the observation, armament and emperor’s haki.

I’m not satisfied yet, I want to be strong in this dimension as I can. I’m not sure if this kind of training will really affect me in the real real world. In this dimension my regenerative is unmatched, I didn’t even feel hunger at all.

I know that in the real world the time still remained or else my body should die from hunger.

My next training was more on a sword. I can learn the proper way of the sword but I don’t want that. I want to have my own sword style signature that I learned from my own countless battles experience.

A simple slash that as quick as lightning but as heavy like a boundless sea.

An indomitable will.

A perfect combination of my existing abilities.

A reaction that can evade like a smooth-sailing wind.

A control that perfectly efficient. No wasted movements.

That was my wished and goal on the lake of wishes. And trained them for seems like millions of years in an endless room that was full of strongest characters.

I didn’t feel bored at all. I faced the strongest characters even tho they’re not talking, their battle prowess was not far away from the one that I watched.

Everyday, I fought them, they’ve defeated me countless times. Even so, I didn’t surrender I know that was the path to gain the indomitable will.

The war between me and them seems to be eternal.

After defeating them all at once, the room was suddenly filled with countless cracks and finally, I am awakened underwater. And just like that, my little training came to an end.