Today had been going smoothly. In the afternoon, I finally received the notification:

  *Sword Skill has reached level fifteen. Evolution paths are opening...*

  As I heard the words in my mind, I focused on pushing them aside—just like my grandmother taught me. The words disappeared from view, but I can still feel them deep in my consciousness. If I need to read them again, I can easily bring them forward and make a decision.

  “I’m just two levels away from getting Quick Step to level fifteen. I’ll focus on that skill.”

  After a while of training, it reached level fourteen. I felt the same sensation of no progress, no matter how much I used the skill. It's time to sit and reflect.

  My brothers both used different elements for their movement abilities—each tailored for different situations and uses.

  Ritmo would freeze the ground and slide to another spot when his opponent got too close. It was a life-saving skill, but he could only use it a few times.

  Sers used his ability to dash forward toward his target, electricity giving his steps explosive acceleration—more aligned with my own fighting style.

  Though I have slightly less range, I do have a larger mana pool by comparison, allowing me to use the skill a few more times.

  Am I still focused on sword combat?

  Lately, I’ve been using magic much more. Maybe I got swept up in the excitement of learning something completely new. How do I imagine myself fighting in the future?

  It took me some time to visualize myself in a real fight using magic—it’s still a technically new concept to me. But after a few minutes of reflection, I came up with a convincing answer: A swordsman wielding two short swords. In my mental projection, I’m using Cinquedas. I want to be a speed-based swordsman who also uses magic constantly during battle, giving me a wide arsenal of techniques.

  That’s it. I’ve decided. I’ll be both a swordsman and a mage. It might take double—or even triple—the time to master both paths, but honestly, right now, I have plenty of time to spare.

  “It’s time to train.”

  I begin practicing by trying to infuse electric mana into my feet. It doesn’t go as smoothly as I hoped, but little by little, it’s working. I lose stability at times when accelerating or landing—I can’t control the exact amount of mana for the chosen distance. Sometimes I use too much, other times too little.

  The hours feel like minutes. I can’t use mana with every attempt because the skill drains much more than expected. During mana recharge periods, I try using the skill like I did at the beginning, to gain better understanding.

  Time flew by. I’ve now trained past my dinner hour by thirty minutes.

  I’ve decided to stay until I level it up to fifteen. I feel the next level is close—another thirty minutes should do it.

  And I was right. After twenty more minutes of training and resting, it finally reached level fifteen. I stored the notifications deep in my mind and headed to dinner.

  Now I can perform the skill in half the time. It still consumes too much mana to use dozens of times in a row, but I’ve increased its usage rate by 10% after measuring the right amount.

  I no longer mess up the distance as often, and I’ve nearly solved the problem of losing balance when starting. I can’t say the same for landing, though.

  Lying in bed, I fall asleep before I even notice.

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

  When I open my eyes again, it’s nearly time to train with Grandma.

  “Today, I’ll surprise Grandma.” It’s always fun to see her surprised face, though it happens less often than I’d like.

  We arrive almost at the same time to the training room.

  Already seated, she must’ve sensed something unusual—she’s staring at me like, “Go on, ask.”

  “I can’t hide anything from you, Grandma.”

  “You’re very obvious sometimes, little one. Your smiling face shows your excitement to tell me something new.”

  “Get ready, Grandma! I reached level fifteen in two more skills yesterday.” Her eyes widened slightly before returning to her usual calm smile almost instantly.

  “It’s no fun if you’re not surprised, Grandma.”

  “Oh, I am surprised. Based on my calculations, you were supposed to level up one or two skills either this week or the next. I didn’t think it would only take you two days.”

  I strike a proud pose, puffing out my chest. My childish display makes her chuckle.

  “Tell me, which skills reached level fifteen? I assume sword skill is one of them.”

  “Yes, and the other is Quick Step. I received the notifications yesterday—I saved them to read with you.”

  “Hurry then. The more time we take, the less we have to train ‘Enhanced Senses.’”

  Without wasting more time, I focus on the notifications. They appear clearly in my mind: *Sword Skill has reached level fifteen. Evolution paths are opening…*

  *Enhanced Sword Skill, Dual Sword Skill, Sword Boost, Sharp Sword Boost.*

  “I received those four variations, Grandma. Any recommendations?”

  “We can discard the first two—they’re the basic variations for sword mastery. I’m more interested in the last two. They’re quite similar. As far as I know, the difference lies in their defensive aspect.”

  “Defensive? Both seem like offensive skills to me.” I didn’t mean to contradict her—I just don’t share her perspective.

  “Yes, they’re both offensive. But think of it this way: Sharp Sword Boost will give you sharper, more slicing attacks—but you’ll lose some ability to defend against blunt strikes. Imagine a hit from a giant hammer or a massive sword. With a slicing-focused skill, it’s harder to block. But if you’re fighting monsters with tough defenses, the sharpness helps you defeat them more quickly.”

  “I get your point. Though both are offensive and have normal defensive potential, there are moments where each could shine.”

  “Exactly, Maki. Sword Boost is like a 6 in offense and a 4 in defense, while Sharp Sword Boost is a 7 in offense and 3 in defense. The difference might not seem big—but it’s there.”

  “Which one do you recommend, Grandma?” Choosing on my own would take a while. I have no defensive skills, and for now, I’m not lacking offensive power.

  “In your case, I’d go with Sword Boost. I haven’t seen you practice any defensive skills so far. Your focus has been entirely on offense. But being strong offensively won’t help if you're as fragile as paper.”

  “Understood, Grandma. Let’s check the next skill.”

  *Quick Step has reached level fifteen. Evolution paths are opening…*

  *Swift Step and Lightning Step.*

  “Only two variations?"

  "Don’t feel down, Maki. You haven’t explored enough movement types or flexibility in your Quick Step training.”

  That makes sense. I used to try injecting mana at the start, then stopped after discovering my affinities. I never tried anything too creative—not even my ice affinity, only electricity.

  “One’s the classic version with pure mana. The other uses electric mana. Not much to think about—go with the affinity-based one. They’re usually more useful for fighters.”

  “Then I’ll go with that, Grandma.”

  *Sword Skill has evolved into Sword Boost.*

  *Quick Step has evolved into Lightning Step.*

  “Thanks for your advice, Grandma.”

  “They’re not just mine, Maki. I talk to your parents every day about your skill progress. They’re very proud of you, even if it saddens them they can’t help directly. Some of this advice comes from them.”

  “Please tell them thank you—and that I love them both very much.” Even though they haven’t seen me much lately due to problems in both villages, they’re always keeping track of me. Always doing their best for my well-being. I’ll never stop being grateful for becoming part of a family full of love.

  “I’ll deliver your message. Now, it’s time to train, Maki. The only Rank 1 skill left is Enhanced Senses. You’ll level it up soon enough.”