Six years had passed.
May woke up and yawned before getting out of bed. He glanced at himself in the mirror—a young boy with curly, bright hair and striking red eyes.
"Not bad," he smiled.
"My mom says my eyes are from my father, but everything else is from her. I look like her in almost every way—except for the eyes."
"I've spent a lot of time with her. She's caring, loves books and music. Sometimes she's a bit clingy and shy."
"And then there's Paul. He's your typical knight—kind, respectful, joyful, and funny. But he's almost always training. I watch him sometimes. His sword swings sound like they're slicing through the very air."
"He's unbelievably strong. Once, I saw him cut a boulder in half with a single strike."
"I want to be that strong too."
"There's also Rosa. She's quiet but attentive. She has a sweet tooth and absolutely loves shopping—even if it's not for herself."
"Then there's Rosa's mom—the head maid. She doesn't like my mother or me. She never says it, but her expressions say enough."
"The head butler is the opposite. Reliable, composed. A man of few words, but they matter."
"And Paul's knight companion—he's… how can I put it? Nonchalant. Yes, that's it. But incredibly talented with both the sword and bow."
"I've also been learning about this world."
The Eastern Continent is home to:
Lockstar Kingdom (north): 7 cities
Elven Kingdom (center): 5 cities
Estia Empire (south): 9 cities
The Church Capital (near Estia): One massive city
The Western Continent includes:
Dwarven Alliance (mid-east): 8 cities
Luxious Empire (mid-west): 12 cities
Kingdom of Evergarden (south coast): 3 cities
Kingdom of Fallen Grace (far eastern mountains): 3 cities
"There's also a colossal World Tree in the Elven Kingdom… but I can't see it. I live in Bastion, one of the cities of the Luxious Empire."
Suddenly, a knock came at the door.
"It's me, May—Rose. May I come in?"
"Yes."
She stepped in. "Good morning. How are you today?"
"I'm fine."
"That's good to hear." She placed food and juice on the table.
May ate, then said, "I'll visit Father at the training grounds after."
"Alright. I'll prepare your bath and clothes."
It was still morning when they arrived. Paul always trained from early morning until midday. May watched him swing his sword, then approached.
"Good morning."
"Good morning, May."
Paul was used to May watching him train.
After a while, he asked, "Are you interested in the art of combat?"
May nodded, eyes gleaming.
"Then let me explain the basics," Paul said, continuing his practice.
"There are two primary paths of combat: physical and magical."
"First, physical.""You fight using weapons or your bare hands. But strength alone isn't enough. You must train your body—and eventually, you'll reach the point of Body Reformation. That's when your current body is destroyed and a new one is forged."
"The process takes 24 hours. It's excruciatingly painful. If you lose focus, even for a moment—you die."
May thought to himself,"I see. High risk, high reward."
Body Ranks:
Dormant (starting point)
Enlightened: 5x stronger, +25 years life expectancy
Master: 10x stronger than Enlightened, +50 years
Grandmaster: 20x stronger than Master, +100 years
Sage: 50x stronger than Grandmaster, +200 years
"Then there's sorcery.""It's more complex, and I don't know much. But once you reach Enlightenment, you gain an Essence Core—your inner source of essence. You can use it to cast spells, divided by tiers."
"Runes are advanced magic—spells carved into objects or people. They activate magical effects, but creating them requires extreme skill."
"If you're interested, I can find you a teacher."
"Yes! I want to learn swordsmanship, archery, and sorcery!" May said excitedly.
"Alright. I'll train you once you turn 13."
"Thank you!"
Back in his room, May grabbed a book and pen.
"I need a training plan—something to prepare my body and mind for reformation."
Core Objectives:
Build foundational strength, agility, and endurance.
Strengthen mental resilience and tolerance for pain.
Prepare body and nerves for the agony of reformation.
Train sustainably—no injury, no burnout.
Year 1 – Age 7: "Make It a Game"
Plan:
Move daily—jump, crawl, run, swing.
Practice sword swings while counting.
Meditate 5 minutes: inhale 5, exhale 5.
Do chores without complaining.
Write one thing I'm thankful for each week.
Why:
To make training feel normal—and fun. I want habits before hardship.
Reflection:
At first, I only trained because Paul watched. Now I do it alone. That means it's mine now.
Year 2 – Age 8: "Train Like a Cub, Think Like a Wolf"
Plan:
Add light weights: pull logs, carry water.
Run longer distances.
Cold showers twice a week.
Meditate 10 minutes.
Stay calm when annoyed.
Build and climb small obstacles.
Why:
My body's still growing. I don't want to break anything—just test myself. The cold is the first real enemy.
Reflection:
I screamed during my first cold shower. Now I laugh. The cold didn't change—I did.
Year 3 – Age 9: "Invite the Pain In"
Plan:
Spar 3x per week, even when tired.
Hold horse stance until legs tremble.
One silent day per month.
Candle meditation, eyes open.
Walk barefoot on sharp rocks.
Why:
I need to stop avoiding discomfort. Silence teaches what shouting never could.
Reflection:
Sometimes I'm proud of the pain. Not because it hurts—but because I stayed.
Year 4 – Age 10: "Break Myself a Little, Then Heal Stronger"
Plan:
Solo night in the forest, no fire unless earned.
Carry heavy stones uphill twice a week.
1-minute sword drills, 10 rounds, no rest.
Cold dips post-training.
Meditate 20 minutes, no matter the distraction.
Start fasted training (1x/week).
Why:
This year is about fear—darkness, cold, and solitude. I want to meet them, not run.
Reflection:
That night alone changed me. I wanted to run. I didn't. That was the day I became… sharper.
Year 5 – Age 11: "Become the Flame"
Plan:
Train without food or sleep monthly.
24-hour silent movement day.
Shirtless snow meditation.
Pain drills: ice holds, strain positions, planks to failure.
Spar under distraction and insult.
Why:
"Pain is not the enemy. Panic is." If I control the moment, I control everything.
Reflection:
I fell during a death drill—and laughed. That's when I knew I was almost ready.
Year 6 – Age 12: "Reform Me"
Final Plan:
24-hour trial: no food, sleep, or speech—only silence, cold, and movement.
Two-on-one sparring with live wooden weapons.
Meditate daily imagining my body breaking and rebuilding.
Weekly 18–24 hour fasts.
Emotional strike tests: betrayal, fear, sorrow. Stay calm.
Final Week: Total isolation. Prepare.
Why:
This year, I stop enduring pain and become its equal. My mind stays clear even if my body breaks.
Reflection:
Soon, my bones will twist and my flesh will scream. But I've already screamed in silence. I know what comes next.
May stood outside the reformation chamber. His adoptive parents stood behind him. He looked older now—almost a teenager. But his tall, lean frame showed the body of someone who had trained all his life.
He looked back at them briefly.
"I'm going."
"Remember your training," Paul said.
Paul originally planned to wait until May turned 13 to begin serious training. But May had trained on his own with such relentless focus and discipline, Paul couldn't help but guide him.
"A genius," Paul thought.
"He used psychology, medicine, and books to create a system that would prepare him to endure reformation… at 13. If he survives this, I'll train him to reach heights even I can't imagine."
"But the world will be in uproar if they find out. He'll be the youngest in history to reach Enlightenment. I'll keep it secret… for now."
He noticed Ana's worried expression and held her close.
"He'll be okay. He's special."
May entered the chamber and lay on the bed, body relaxed.
✍️ Final Page (Age 13)
When the pain begins, I'll close my eyes and breathe.
I've trained for this—one second at a time.
I am May.
I wrote my path.
Now, I walk it.