Your Strength +1

A sudden notification appears in front of Rimba who has been hitting the dummy swinging the rod like a bat instead of magic catalyst repeatedly for around 1 hour.

"(Oh? The training actually can increase my stats too? Nice. I wonder if I can keep raising my Strength or other stats if I keep training, it would be better if I can also learn some skills.)"

Encouraged by the stats increase, Rimba become more motivated in hitting the dummy. He faintly feel that his strike become stronger, he now have 10% more Strength compared with when he started after all. Rimba feels less hesitant hitting the dummy, unlike in the military training where he have to spar with other cadets for their close-quarter combat training. He doesn't have to worry hurting another person. He remembered on his first close-quarter combat training sparring session he was beaten soundly although he fought better because he was hesitant to hit his opponent seriously. Once he revealed a gap, his opponent retaliated with strikes that hurt as hell forcing him to endure pain and eventually losing out.

Your Vitality +1

Your Constitution +1

Another notification popped up after another hour. Rimba took a glance and glad that other stats are also can be increased through training. He become more pumped up.

Your Agility +1

1 hour later and another notification popped up. Rimba ignore the notification and continue hitting the dummy when he saw Ethan is walking to the weapon crate and put his wooden sword down. Rimba also stopped and come over to Ethan.

"Are you done? Will you going back to the orphanage now?" Rimba asked.

"Yes, I need to go back and get some buckets of water for the orphanage." Ethan asnwered.

"Are you coming with me?" Ethan asked back.

"Yes, I can also help you getting some water." Rimba replied and also put his rod to the weapon crate.

"Let me ask sir Olaf first if I can leave with you." RImba then proceed to Olaf who already finished his own training earlier and watching them from his chair in front of the hut.

"Sir, can I go visit the orphanage? I will come back here later to continue my training." Rimba asked politely.

"Go. I still need to observe you, but I will allow you to walk around in this village. Just make sure you come back in the evening, I can't let you staying at other places yet and we don't have any inn here. You will stay with me for now." Olaf give his permission, but still remind Rimba that he is still under his supervision.

"Thank you sir, I will be back in the evening. I was wondering where to stay, but you just solved for me." Rimba responded and make a small bow before leaving with Ethan.

Along the way to the orphanage, Ethan points out some building to Rimba, explaining what kind of building each and mention whose place it is. Rimba is grateful, at least no he have basic understanding of the village. Suram village only have one main road straight from the southern gate where Rimba coming from to the northern gate, the village chief house is in the center of the village on the left side of the road facing eastward, sandwiched between the general store and the apothecary. Across the road is the smithy, the training field is in the northeastern part of the village. In each gate there is also a wooden tower for the militia to stay during night watch.

The orphanage itself is in the southwestern part of the village, so Rimba actually passed by it when he first going to the training field. The building looks old, but still in a good condition, there is a well in front of the building, Rimba guessed Ethan will take the water from there. There is also a pile of firewood beside the building, an woodcutter axe stuck in a big stump. Rimba saw some children who also present when he questioned by the Village Chief in front of the gate.

"Wait here, Rimba. I will inform the others of your visit." Ethan speak when they arrive in front of the orphanage and went inside. The children are coming over cautiously.

"He-hel-hello sir, are you co-coming over to give us the Sawit's Curse?" A timid boy, the only boy from all the children coming over and seems less than 10 suddenly ask Rimba, before hiding behind an older girl.

"Huh? No, I am not. Who told you that? I'm just a traveller passing by and will stay here for a bit." Rimba was amused and answered, while also curious how come he was seen as someone who will curse people.

"Th-thank God. Ellie told me that, she said you was doing ceremony for the curse in front of the gate earlier." The boy seems less wary, but he still hiding behind the other kid, while pointed out to another girl.

"What? No, I didn't say that Adam. I only told you what the people said to me. Why are you only point at me? Lucy and Beth are also told you that. Don't you two act innocent, especially you Beth." The girl whose name Ellie is flustered when Adam suddenly pointed her out. She glared at the girl who let Adam hid behind her, Rimba guessed that must be Beth. So other girl is Lucy.

"What is this commotion?" Ethan coming out from the building. Alongside him is a middle aged lady, a boy, and two girls.

"Nothing, Ellie just making Adam scared." Beth quickly explaining. She reminds Rimba of Ham, who also like to play pranks and then act innocent.

"No, I didn't!" Ellie complained and glared at Beth.

"Now, now, quiet down children. We have a guest. Let's go inside and talk while having tea. Ellie and Beth, you two should make the tea for everyone." The middle aged lady cut the quarrel between Beth and Ellie, then gestured at Rimba to come inside.

"Yay, tea!" Adam and Lucy cheered, those two are the youngest. While Beth is sulking and Ellie seems relieved.

Once inside, Rimba is invited to sit together with everyone at the dining table. On his right is the other boy who come out together with the middle aged lady. He seems curious of Rimba. Left of Rimba is Lucy, she also seems curious. The middle aged lady is sit in the main chair. While waiting for the tea, the middle aged lady started the conversation.

"Hello Rimba, my name is Sarah. I run this orphanage here. I have heard about your story and name from Ethan." The middle aged lady, Sarah, introducing herself. She have a long blond hair, flowing beautifully to her hips. She seems to be in her early 30s, with beautiful face and gentle blue eyes.

"You already know Ethan, so I will introduce the others. The boy on your right is Gustav, he is my son. His father is working as a royal guard in the capital and rarely coming back nowadays. I don't like the bustling capital, if you're wondering why I am here, and I am also originally from here." Sarah introduced the boy beside Rimba. He got his mother blond hair, kept short, with a dark green eyes.

"The one on your left is Lucy, you already met her outside, along with her little brother Adam. Those two are the youngest kid we have here. Lucy is 10, while Adam is 8. Please be more understanding with them, they both lost their parents when they are very small." Sarah continuing her introduction. Adam still looks timid, with a short brown hair and bright eyes. While Lucy with a braided brown hair and intelligent eyes gives a curious child vibe, she looks very active as opposed to her brother.

"The two girls beside me are Natalia and Gwen, both are 15 this year." Sarah introduced the two other girls. Natalia on her right is a beautiful girl with the same blond hair and bright blue eyes. People might mistaken her as Sarah daughter. Gwen, on the other hand, seems like the tomboy type. She have a short bright red hair, and wild vibe. At this moment, the tea are arriving. Beth and Ellie took their seat.

"The last two are Beth, 12 and Ellie,13. You also met them earlier outside." Sarah introduced the last two orphans who just joined then in the table. Beth have a long black hair tied into a ponytail, she seems the serious type. While Ellie have a silver hair, and looks like the mischievous type. Ellie somehow remind Rimba of Siska.

"Hello everyone, and thank you Sarah for welcoming me and introduce everyone. As you heard from Ethan and Sarah, my name is Rimba. I'm just a traveller who passing by and decide to stay in this village for a while. I will be seeing you often. Ethan might already told you, but I am also an orphan." Rimba greet everyone and give a brief introduction.

They continued talking for a while, with Lucy mostly asking Rimba about his "ritual". Finishing their tea, everyone then disperse and doing their chores before evening come. Rimba helped Ethan to get water as he mentioned before, then saying goodbye to everyone because he need to stay with Olaf. But not before promising the little ones that he will come again.

Back in the training field, Rimba didn't see Olaf. He guessed that Olaf might inside the hut, so he just picked the rod again and back to doing his training. He checked that he still have more than 16 hours left on his daily gaming session period, so he decided to keep training. "(Might as well spent my time in-game training, I can't leave anyway. I also can raise my stats in preparation for when I left this village.)"

Your Strength +1

Your Dexterity +1

Your Constitution +1

Similar notifications keep appearing in front of Rimba, he has been hitting the dummy for 4 hours non-stop. Olaf also doesn't come out at all. So Rimba just keep hitting the dummy.

Your stamina is less than 20%

Entering Tired status, physical abilities are weakened by 50%, remaining stamina consumed faster

Please eat and rest to recover your stamina

Another notification appear that looks different than the previous ones. Rimba suddenly feels that his body become sluggish, the rod seems heavier in his hands. He stopped hitting the dummy and sit down, trying to adapt with the sudden change.

"(Damn, this can be dangerous when I fighting. Luckily I experience this, now I know that I have to keep an eye on my stamina during actions.)" Rimba feel lucky that he experience the Tired status during training, he can imagine getting beaten when he suddenly become sluggish during fights. He pulls out 1 jerky from his inventory to eat, and noticed his stamina recovered by 3. Enough to get his stamina above 20% but not that much to allow him continue training right away.

"(I don't want to waste my time by sleeping in-game, I wonder if I can join the nightwatch to spend some time and recover my stamina?)" Arang contemplate his options, then decide if he visit the tower it means he is still under direct supervision by the militia on nightwatch duty and Olaf won't punish him. He also can be helpful to the village and the militia by joining the nightwatch. Accepting his own reasoning, Rimba went to the northern tower.