(Ray's POV)

⌈Huff,Huff....⌋ (Ray)

I'm running in the streets of town. Well, streets wouldn't be the right word to describe it. I'm running in the desolate alleys of the town outside of the slums. This Border town, a part of the Raian Kingdom, is, as the name implies, on the border the Kingdom shares with the Seiren Kingdom. Klan got separated from me some time ago and I'm looking for him. I just had a fierce fight with someone I had seen before. And if my hunch is right, the guards could be in big trouble. When I turn the corner, I see Klan. He is kneeling on the ground supporting himself with his sword. And in front of him is a man completely covered in black. A black hooded overcoat, black leather pants, black gloves with a black mask.

⌈KLAN!⌋ (Ray)

At my shout, the hooded man looked in my direction, and using this chance, Klan swings his sword in a horizontal swing.

clang

However, only the sound of metal clashing resounds. The hooded man managed to stop Klan's sword with curved sword held in his right hand. He looked at Klan as if he was some annoying insect, and kicked his hand. The man's one handed sword was freed. And in the next instant, he swing it.

fwuuush~ thud

The sword traced a beautiful curve with a clear resounding sound, indicating that the man had considerable experience with the sword. However, I had no time to admire the perfection of the swing. It's because the target of his swing was Klan. Or to be specific Klan's neck. The sword came to a stop, and I, too, halted. My breath stopped, I watched as Klan's head slid off of his body and fell on the ground with a thud.

In the open area present in between the alleys of the slums, there was currently the sound of wood colliding with wood. The woods were small in size, shaped like a dagger. And four of these wooden daggers were being swung around in between a circle of kids. The kids were watching this show with sparkling eyes. Two people were swinging two of these wooden daggers each. One was a boy of around five-six years of age with black hair and dark golden eyes, and the other was a boy of around thirteen years of age with brown hair and brown eyes. Yes, the two swinging the wooden daggers were Ray and Klaude. They were currently having a practice bout. After Ray had begun working with them, one day Klaude suddenly comes up to Ray and asks,

"Where did you get your dagger from?" (Klaude)

Although Ray was surprised, he answered Klaude with a cautious voice,

"Someone gave it to me.... I won't give it to you." (Ray)

Seeing that Ray was cautious of him, Klaude clarified things.

"No, no. I was not asking to take it from you. I was just wondering whether you knew how to use it because I myself use two daggers." (Klaude)

"No. I don't know how to use it." (Ray)

"I see." (Klaude)

Hearing his answer, Klaude began to walk away, when he heard a hesitant voice,

"K - Klaude,... Can you teach me... how to use it?" (Ray)

Klaude looked back and saw that Ray was looking at him with both uncertainty and hope. For a while, he observed Ray, and then,

"...Alright. I'll teach you if I have time at night. But don't expect too much, as I'm only self taught." (Klaude)

And thus, Ray began to learn how to use daggers from Klaude at night. He will learn about three nights a week from Klaude, and on the other four nights, he will practice it himself. Since Klaude used two daggers, but Ray only had one, he brought Ray two wooden sticks the size of dagger. And Ray began to earnestly practice with them. He practised so much that in a year (365 days or 12 months) he had grown enough to match Klaude in a head on match without using skills. Klaude was surprised with this. And now, he was having a match with Klaude.

Although, Ray was facing him, he was certainly being overwhelmed by Klaude's speed and strength.

⌈Move your arms faster! Speed is the primary requirement of a dagger user!⌋ (Klaude)

⌈Yes!⌋ (Ray)

Ray tried to increase his speed, but to no avail. He had been pushed to his limit, therefore, he tried to use a different approach. He jumped back from Klaude, and positioned himself to rush towards him. Klaude, seeing as Ray had moved back from being pushed to his limit, gave him some breathing space.

⌈What? Is that all you managed to accomplish?⌋ (Klaude)

Seeing Klaude taunt him, blood rushed to Ray's head. He positioned himself to rush at him. And the next moment, grabbing both daggers in backhand grip, he started running. Klaude readied his stance to face Ray, but something unexpected happened. As ray was only two or three steps away from him, he suddenly vanished. No, his speed suddenly increased to a point that Ray was not able to pay proper attention to him. In the next instant, Ray appeared holding a wooden dagger beneath Klaude's neck, pointing it's tip so that it can pierce his jaw from below.

⌈I lost, huh.⌋ (Klaude)

⌈Heh.⌋ (Ray)

Ray had a smug smile on his face, as he stepped away from Klaude, but next instant, Klan jumped up, shouting.

⌈No! He used a skill! It's against the rules!⌋ (Klan)

At the same time as that, an announcement echoed out in Ray's head.

>

>

>

>

Flustered that it really was the effect of a skill, Ray tried to justify himself.

⌈H-Hey! It's not my fault. The skill just suddenly appeared!⌋ (Ray)

⌈That's not our problem. The fact is you won by using the skill! This is totally cheating!⌋ (Klan)

Seeing that a dispute was breaking out, Klaude intercepted in between.

⌈Alright, that's enough. Klan, sometimes the skill just appears by itself. And if it appears during action, it's not easy to stop it's activation.⌋ (Klaude)

Hearing Klaude's words, Klan stepped back grumbling with dissatisfaction.

⌈Alright Ray. Now you've mastered the use of dagger to a satisfying degree. It's up to you to practice now and develop your own techniques. By the way, can you tell me what your status is presently.⌋ (Klaude)

⌈Alright.⌋ (Ray)

Receiving Klaude's request, Ray focused on his status.

Name: Ray

Level: 2→3

HP: 13→15+1 ; VIT: 7→8+1

Race: Human

Age: 6

Class: Undecided

Subclass: Undecided

STR: 7→9+2+1 DEF: 4→6+1 AGI: 14→16+4+1+1 DEX: 7→9+2+1 MP: 3→4+1 INT: 3→4+1 MIND: 3→4+1 END: 20→23+5+1

Skills:

Acquired Skills:

Increased Physical Strength Lv 2 Increased Agility Lv 4 Increased Endurance Lv 5 Storage Expansion Lv 1 Dagger Arts Lv 2 Parrying Lv 1 Flash Lv 1

Inherent Skills:

Kienetic Vision Lv 3 Magic Perception Lv 1

Unique skills:

Growth

Gifts: None

⌈And that's my status.⌋ (Ray)

Hearing his answer, Klaude was looking at him wide eyed. Seeing this, ray got a feeling of iffiness.

⌈Um, what's the matter?⌋ (Ray)

⌈What's the matter, you ask? What kind of monster are you? Do you know how ridiculous your status is?⌋ (Klaude)

⌈Hey, I'm perfectly normal. Besides, what's so monstrous about my status?⌋ (Ray)

⌈Well, first of all, your strength is way higher than your age. You know, even Klan only has his strength at 7. And then your agility and endurance are above 20. You know, a normal human soldier will have his strength, agility and endurance at an average of 20. And then, even though you do not use even a bit of magic, your Magical power, intelligence and mind are also at five, which at your age would be considered the signs of a genius. You can understand what I mean, right?⌋ (Klaude)

Having this explained to his face, even Ray got confused and inadvertently asked back,

⌈So, what's the deal here?⌋ (Ray)

⌈Well, I think first of all, it's because of that unique skill of yours, it's name screams it's a buff skill. Then, there are those skills with increased stat in their name. They provide bonus to stat each time the skill levels up or you level up. And you have those at a good level, especially your increased endurance, it's level five. At the level of a somewhat experienced adventurer.⌋ (Klaude)

Hearing that he was above others and one of his skill was at the level of an experienced adventurer, Ray felt very happy and had a smile on his face.

⌈Hey, don't lose focus and challenge someone you can't win against. I'm going to discuss some matter with boss. There is some tension going on in work. You all go to sleep.⌋ (Klaude)

Klaude went away saying this, and all the kids, tired of the day's work, went to sleep. But their sleep was short lived, as Klaude came back running a look of panic on his face and started shouting.

⌈Hey! All of you, get up!⌋ (Klaude)

Hearing the shout, all the kids woke up and saw that Klaude was in a state of panic.

⌈W-What happened big brother?! Why are you in a hurry?!⌋ (Klan)

⌈Boss has been arrested by soldiers! Hurry and escape!⌋ (Klaude)

Hearing this, the kids were in shock, but they were not given enough time to think things through. From where Klaude came running, several soldiers came running as well.

⌈Arrest them! Make sure no one escapes!⌋ (Soldier)

One soldier shouted and others followed his orders. All the kids ran to get away, Klaude tried to stop one of them.

⌈Big Brother!⌋ (Klan)

⌈Klaude!⌋ (Ray)

⌈Don't stop! Run away! This is an order from your big brother!⌋ (Klaude)

Hearing this, Klan and Ray hesitated to help him. Klaude was like an amiable big brother to all of them. Especially for Klan and Ray as they spent a great deal of time with them, and he taught Ray how to use dagger too. But seeing the intensity in his voice as he gave the order they hesitated to jump into the fray to help him.

⌈Didn't you two hear?! I said, run away!⌋ (Klaude)

Hearing his order again, both Ray and Klan ground their teeth and started running in the opposite direction from which the soldiers were coming. Behind them, they could hear the sound of metal clashing and the shouting of children and soldiers as they ran like cat and mice, but they did not look back and continued running.