The sun had barely crested the horizon when the sharp clang of a bell split the quiet morning. Alex stirred from his thin blanket, every muscle screaming in protest. His arms felt heavy, raw blisters burned on his palms, and his shoulders throbbed with dull aches. He tried to lift himself, only to wince as pain lanced down his sides.
The vow from the night before echoed faintly in his mind: I'll live on. I promise.
The System's faint blue glow still hovered at the edge of his vision.
[Passive Effect: Endurance Growth active.]
[Training fatigue reduced by 10%.]
It was a small blessing, but even so, it was barely enough.
Around him, the camp was already alive with movement. Children groaned and pulled themselves upright. Some rubbed sleep from their eyes; others sprang to their feet with eager grins, ready to show off again. The smell of smoke and baked bread drifted through the morning air, but Alex's stomach twisted too tightly to crave food.
"Up, whelps!" Captain Renald's voice thundered across the yard. His boots crunched against gravel as he strode between tents, his armor catching the rising light. "Today we separate the weak from the worthless. Fall in line!"
The children scrambled, forming ragged lines in the courtyard. Alex forced his trembling legs to move, dragging himself into place at the edge of the group. He gripped his wooden sword, already slick with sweat despite the chill.
Renald's sharp eyes swept across them. "Yesterday you swung at the air. Today you face each other. Learn quickly: your enemies won't be shadows. They'll hit back."
Murmurs spread through the children half excitement, half nerves. Alex swallowed hard, his pulse hammering. Sparring? Already? His arms barely worked.
"Pairs of two," Renald barked. "Face your partner. Wooden swords only. First to land three clean strikes wins."
The children quickly shuffled into pairs. Friends gravitated to each other, whispering encouragement. Some of the bigger boys jostled, boasting about who would win.
Alex found himself left out until one of the older boys stepped forward. He was taller, broader, with a smirk that promised trouble. Alex recognized him the same boy who mocked him yesterday.
"Well, look at this," the boy sneered, spinning his wooden blade lazily. "Guess I get to be the one to break the twig."
Snickers came from a few others nearby.
Alex clenched his jaw. He lowered his eyes, adjusting his stance the way his father had taught him. Feet firm. Knees bent. Sword raised.
Renald lifted a hand. "Begin!"
The older boy lunged immediately, swinging with reckless strength. Alex barely raised his blade in time. The impact rattled his arms to the bone, nearly tearing the sword from his grip. He staggered back, breath catching.
[Minor Damage Taken.]
[Resilience +1.]
The boy laughed. "That all you got? Stand still so I can finish this quick!"
He swung again. Alex shifted clumsily aside, remembering Kaelen's advice during drills: Don't block everything. Move your feet. The blow still clipped his shoulder, sending him stumbling.
[HP –2.]
[Resilience +1.]
Laughter rippled through the watching children. Even some of the younger ones giggled.
"Pathetic."
"He can't even hold a sword."
"Bet he cries before it's over."
Alex's chest tightened, but he grit his teeth and held his stance. His breathing fell into the rhythm his father had taught him. Inhale, exhale. Sword follows breath.
The boy charged for the third time, swinging wildly at his side. Alex twisted his hips, letting the weight of his body carry the sword downward.
Weighted Slash.
The blades clashed. Alex's strike wasn't strong, but it deflected enough force that he stayed on his feet.
[Ding!]
[Skill Progression: Weighted Slash +12 EXP.]
[Basic Swordsmanship Proficiency: 31% → 39%.]
The System's glow flared. Alex's heart jumped. It worked again!
But his opponent only sneered and shoved forward, kicking Alex's shin. Pain shot up his leg. He fell hard, the sword slipping from his fingers.
"Three!" the boy crowed, planting his foot on Alex's chest. "Guess I win."
Renald's voice cut across the yard. "Match over. Next pair."
The captain's gaze lingered briefly on Alex, but he said nothing. The older boy strutted back to his friends, who jeered and cheered, clapping him on the back.
Alex lay there for a moment, the sky spinning above him. His chest heaved. Humiliation burned hotter than the pain.
[New Trait Progression: Silent Endurance.]
[+1 Mental Fortitude.]
[Temporary Charisma –1.]
His hands curled into fists. Slowly, he forced himself up, retrieving his sword. His knees trembled, but he didn't cry. Not in front of them.
Not ever again.
The rest of the morning dragged on with more drills. Sparring pairs rotated, and though Alex avoided another fight, the whispers never stopped. Every mistake drew snickers. Every slip of his blade brought mutters of "half-blood" or "weakling."
Selara, the healer, eventually passed by, pressing salve into his torn palms. Her eyes softened when she looked at him, but Alex only lowered his head and muttered a thank you.
By midday, when the bell rang to signal the end of training, most children laughed and chatted as they filed off to eat. Alex lingered behind, lowering himself onto a log at the edge of the yard. His sword lay across his knees, stained with dust and his own blood.
The System chimed faintly.
[Daily Training Summary:]
— Basic Swordsmanship: +27 EXP.
— Resilience: +2.
— Silent Endurance: progressing.
[Side Quest Progress: "Hide in Plain Sight." 3% → 6%.]
Alex stared at the glowing words until they faded. He wanted to laugh, but the sound caught in his throat. To everyone else, he was nothing but a joke. But the System saw him. It measured every breath, every bruise, every step forward.
He wasn't worthless. Not truly.
He pressed his forehead against the wooden hilt, whispering so no one else could hear:
"I'll keep going. No matter what."
That night, as the other children drifted to sleep, Alex slipped outside the tents. The moonlight washed the training yard in silver. His arms ached, his palms still stung, but he picked up the wooden sword again.
Inhale. Exhale. Swing.
One. Two. Three.
Each cut was clumsy, each swing weaker than the last, but he kept going. His breath turned ragged, his vision blurred, but he forced his body to move.
The System pulsed faintly.
[Quest Triggered: "Endure the Day."]
Objective: Complete 300 swings in secret.
Reward: +15 EXP.
Alex's lips trembled into the faintest smile. For the first time that day, he wasn't being laughed at. No one mocked him here. It was only him, his sword, and the silent voice of the System.
And that was enough.
By the time exhaustion dragged him to his knees, he had swung 312 times. His arms shook violently, his palms bleeding anew, but the System glowed warmly.
[Quest Complete: "Endure the Day."]
Reward: +15 EXP.
[Basic Swordsmanship Proficiency: 39% → 45%.]
[Passive Effect Unlocked: Pain Tolerance (Minor).]
Physical pain slightly reduced.
Alex collapsed onto the dirt, gasping for breath. He tilted his head back, staring at the stars.
The laughter of the others still echoed in his mind, sharp as knives. But now, beneath it, another voice whispered a quiet, steady promise.
"You are growing."
Alex's eyes closed, a tear slipping free at last. Not of weakness. Not of defeat. But of stubborn, fragile hope.
He would endure. He would grow.
And one day, those who mocked him would see.