Let me be clear that this world does not really have magic. At least in the conventional sense. There is no teleportation, fireball or great spiral ball. But what we do have are fortification or enhancements as you can call it. We can sort of strengthen the physical item that we wield. There are a few exceptions though which you will find out more upon reading. So, let me tell you that my story of 35 years has barely scratch what this world has to offer. There is always hidden treasure or secrets to be found for sure. So, my dear daughter, your adventure will be different than mine and I cannot wait to hear your story one day.
I awoke from the call of the jikentette. Give or take, it should be before dawn when they usually make the call. I rose from my futon and to my surprise, grandfather was already sitting at the main sliding door entrance. He wore a different kind of robe than his usual wear. This one looks easier to walk in. And his katana was already tied to his hip.
"Freshen up boy, it is quite a distance we need to walk today," he said.
I obliged and proceeded to splash my face with the cold water from the well. Believe me when I say cold water will definitely wake you up differently as compared to hot shower that you people take. I got ready and tied a wooden sword at my hip.
"Let's go, we'll have breakfast when we reached the first stop," said grandfather as he rose. I just nodded my head and followed along. I had no idea where we were going or what we were even supposed to do but when grandfather ask me to follow, I must follow.
We reached the first stop when the sun was up. It was a fork on the road that leads to different locations. An arrow signboard points to different direction. The arrow pointed straight ahead is written "City Of Pines". That is where I will have to go next year. Hopefully I can reach the city walls before winter comes. The other two arrows were written "Gosling's Farm" while the other was "Forbidden Forest" with the word DANGEROUS! DO NOT APPROACH! hastily scratched at the bottom.
Woah, hold up. Why is that warning pointing to where our hut is? Is the forest itself dangerous or is grandfather the dangerous person? Or perhaps was it grandfather who scratched the warning himself? As I pondered on that thought, grandfather gestured us to stop.
"Let's stop here for a break. To the shades, boy," he said as he pointed towards the shadow of some trees by the side of the road. We both sat under the cooling shade where he took out some bamboo leaves wrapping. Unwrapping them reveals some onigiri inside.
"Wow, been a while since I had this," I muttered while being surprised by what I was presented.
"Eat two and leave the remaining for our journey back" he said while he took out his own onigiri wrappings and began munching.
"Where are we going exactly, Ojii-san?" I braved the question wondering whether I'll get an answer.
"We are going to the open field heading towards the city. There is a monster hunting quest that was requested of me to eliminate," said grandfather as he smiled at me.
"Monster hunting? Aren't there soldiers or mercenaries from the city? What about the guilds?" I questioned with a bedazzled look.
If grandfather must dispose of the monster himself, then what is the purpose of having soldiers or even the guilds? Not to mention that he is old and frail now. Probably in his eighties.
"Ahh you see, this particular monster is extremely dangerous and common soldiers or even guild members will have a hard time in eliminate it without having an army of men. This monster in particular will need at least a thousand men to bring down. And that is if you managed to pierce its thick hide," he said as he made a sarcastic face while stroking his chin.
I made a blank expression. Was that even a real thing or just some made up nonsense to impress a 10-year-old boy? Guess I'll know what we're facing by the end of the day. If it's just some damn slime or a snail, then I'll do a surprise smack on grandfather with my wooden sword.
We departed towards the direction of the city and reached the intended destination by around late noon. The sun was up high in the sky at this point. We stood at the side of a cliff. We were overlooking towards an open field grassland filled with semi-tall grasses with white tips. It is certainly breath-taking with how the grasses move with the winds and not to mention the smell of grasses itself. There is something calming about it which almost makes me want to say, "Winds howling". That is, if not for the giant creature that is fighting with the soldiers right now!
Now I'm going to make things clear. A creature with four legs and wings with a majestic head is a dragon. A two-legged lizard looking creature with claws at the tip of the wing is a wyvern or some other lizard creature. There is no two-ways about it. This is definitely a dragon! But damn is it beautiful to look at. The green scales that grow evenly, its hide that looks like it can take on a hundred cannon shots without even making a dent, everything about this mythical being just screams beauty. The soldiers are definitely struggling to get their bearings even though they were trying to distract the dragon while their portable cannons fired. I counted 10 of them but only 3 remained while the other 7 was a pile of wreckage.
"Fire!" said the soldier in command. The cannons hit the dragon dead-on. Yet all it did was pushed the dragon a couple of inches backwards before it rushed towards the cannon's position.
Smash! Well, there goes the last 3 cannons with the swipe of the dragon's tail. And yet it still looked unscathed despite seeing several cannon balls hitting the dragon. Talk about insane durability to tank cannon shots like its nothing. And grandfather is supposed to fight this?! I mean, I know grandfather is strong but still, this a dragon we're talking about.
"Stay here, boy. Under no circumstances will you move from this spot. Understood?" my grandfather said while looking at me with a stern look.
"Yes sir!", I replied immediately.
"Keep your eyes opened and see the world that you're about to venture into. It is a wide world filled with mysteries and adventures waiting for you. I have the utmost faith that you will make a name for yourself one day. You are your father's son after all." he said with a warm smile. He then jumped down the cliff that we stood on.
"Wha?" I could not even finish my sentence.
The cliff's height is about 30 metres in height, yet he just jumped?! He descended rapidly and made a roll upon landing while using his right hand to stop his momentum. Was that, a superhero landing? This frail looking old man just jumped off the cliff like it was nothing yet here I am at thirty-five with random aches all across my body just because I stretched too hard.
He rushed towards the dragon while holding the katana at his hip. From where I stood, I am about 500 metres from where the dragon is. He almost reached the dragon, and I could hear him shouted "Move back!". All the soldiers retreated immediately after hearing his shout. Many were limping while some were just lying on the ground. It's probably the afterlife for them.
Now, what is to come will probably be a badass scene if it ever gets animated. Keep in mind this is an old man fighting a dragon. Not some old Shinigami with years of fighting experience.
The dragon faced my grandfather and tilted its head. Probably wondering why an old man is here in the first place. My grandfather began to unsheathe his katana. The dragon immediately crouched low baring its fangs as though understanding the threat that is to come. This dragon fought off close to a hundred soldiers with cannons and yet now it is getting serious against grandfather?
Grandfather held the katana above his head horizontally in one-hand. A heartbeat later, a blinding yellow flash was released by the katana. Was it due to the reflection of the sun? All I know is that even from where I stood, I still had to squint my eyes against the flash. The soldiers were definitely blinded from the close proximity and so is the dragon. Instantly, grandfather vanished during the flash with a streaked of blood that followed.
I panicked. Was grandfather squashed beneath one of its huge front legs? But to my relief, it was the dragon that was bleeding from its underbelly. It spread its wings attempting to fly but a heartbeat later, there goes the left wing. Sliced cleanly with a searing mark on its wound along with steams rising from it. It looks as though the dragon is being cooked alive. Grandfather was nowhere to be seen among the chaos. I can see the dragon is starting to panic as it started thrashing its tail and smashing its legs around. More blood can be seen coming from the dragon as time passes. Ten heartbeats in total. Just ten and the battle was over.
The dragon lay flat on the ground with grandfather standing on top of it. Such a magnificent scene with the sun shining on his bald head trying to reflect back to its owner. The dragon's body started to disintegrate, and it seems as though its soul is being absorbed by grandfather. Any moment now I can see him screaming at the top of his lungs with a "FUS RO DAH!".
No wait, that did not happen. My imagination went wild for a moment there. You cannot blame a 10-year-old to be in disbelief when your senile old grandfather single-handedly decimated a dragon to smithereens.
He hopped down and called me over with a hand-wave. I have to look for an alternative route to descend. No way am I jumping down a 30 metre cliff otherwise I won't be here re-telling the story. I ran as fast as I could with my short legs and eventually reached the carcass of the dragon. The soldiers were all in awe at the sight of the dead dragon and my grandfather. Many bowed in respect while the soldier in command kowtowed to my grandfather while repeating "Thank you for saving my men. Thank you, thank you". Even I bowed to grandfather upon gaining his attention.
"Ojii-san, never will I look at you the same way again. You have my utmost respect," I said while bowing to him.
"Ahh, it was nothing. It was just a green dragon after all which was the weakest of its kind. The letter had me worried when there was no mentioned of its type. I'm certain you will be able to beat it someday. On that I have faith," he smiled with a warm expression.
Grandfather put too way too much faith in this 10-year-old. But on this day, I found out how weak I am in this world. I need to get much MUCH stronger just to stay alive and not become some dragon's poop. Only 1 year left of serious training before I am to travel to the city alone and hopefully get selected to join a guild.
Will I die before reaching the city? Will there be another dragon on my way? I shudder to think of the possibilities.
"Let's go home, boy. The soldiers will handle the dragon's body," grandfather said.
"Isn't a dragon's body valuable? I'm certain almost every part of the dragon is worth a lot. Isn't the fang used for weapons while the hide for armour?" I questioned grandfather as he did not seem to bother to collect a trophy or something after all the hard-work he just did. Giving away free money while we are drinking soups and stews all the time just doesn't make sense.
"The soldiers know who I am and they will deposit the funds into my account. There's nothing to worry about my boy. I am sure the soldiers know who called me for help and they certainly will not steal anything. Am I right lads?" he said while turning his head towards the soldiers. The soldier in command rushed to grandfather and immediately kowtowed in front of him.
"We will certainly not be doing anything illegal! You saved us from certain death! If any of my soldiers steal anything, I will personally execute him and prostrate myself to your grandfather offering my life!" the soldier shouted as sweats started to streak down his forehead and neck.
"See? Nothing to worry about. Let's go home," uttered grandfather in a soft tone. I nodded as we began our journey back home.
"Ojii-san, when we reached home, can you train me how to survive in this world? I don't know how much more I can learn in a year's time. I'm worried I might not make it," I said while muttering. I seems to be shivering in my voice as I spoke.
"What do you think I have been teaching you all these years? What you have been training was not something a 10-year-old should have been learning. But if you inclined so, I will begin giving you intense training for the remaining year. You better be ready, boy," grandfather smirked as he said that.
"I am ready, Ojii-san. Please continue to teach me," I said in certainty while bowing to him. Hence began my insane training for a year. Did I regret it? Maybe a tad bit.
***
"Alright my little pumpkin, time for breakfast before mom starts scolding us," I said to my daughter as she was so drawn into my stories. Not sure why such a young girl would be so keen on hearing her father's story so much. I bet it is my wife's tactic to keep her busy so as to not disturb her. Hey, I don't mind helping out in parenting in any shape or form possible. I do not want to see my wife's angry or sad face any longer. I have seen it too many times to be honest.
We headed back in. The smell of fresh bread and soup was permeating the living room. This world does not have rice to enjoy with a main dish. Rice is hard and crunchy here as compared to the soft, fluffy and sticky rice that you all have. Usually used as a side dish or garnish since it does not fit a normal meal.
I reheated the kettle by the fireplace making sure there is sufficient amount of water for the three of us. I headed into the kitchen after making sure my daughter was seated at the table. Ahh, there she is. My lovely wife.
Too bad all you guys can see are just her silhouette. Where is the fun in giving away the surprise so early. I gave her a peck on the cheek and carried the tray of food that she has prepared to the dining table. I set the dishes while waited for her to be seated. No eating until everyone is at the table. After she was seated, we said a small prayer and began eating (too bad she is blocked by the flower vase).
We chit chatted while we ate. Mostly about small topics like the weather, any upcoming quest by the guild and what we'll need for the upcoming months. Of course, my daughter is disinterested with these topics all the while nudging me to continue the story. But I told her I will only continue after breakfast and when she finished her study work.
Yes, we have schools in this point of time. It is not purely educational like what all you people study, as the main focus in this world is mostly real-world skills (both theoretical and practical) as well as swordsmanship. I figured it was good for her to learn things that both me and my wife are not too knowledgeable in.
Evening time approaches. My wife and I had both finished our daily sword practice and were busy preparing for dinner. Life these days are much laxer than my younger days. Used to be me taking on small quests from the guild to earn enough for the month. Nowadays, it is usually only me that receives special quests from the guild as I am already the highest rank possible before the Guildmaster. My wife is the same rank too, but she barely takes on any job nowadays. Taking on the liberty of caring for our daughter.
Hey, I do my part too but like every head of the household, you still got to provide for the family. We finished dinner and as usual I will have to indulge my daughter with story-time. This is way before bedtime mind you but since we don't have TV's or smartphone like you guys, there's nothing fun in watching wood getting burn at the fireplace. So, we sat at the wooden couch with cushions made of dockette feathers and I continued my story.
Let me be clear that this world does not really have magic. At least in the conventional sense. There is no teleportation, fireball or great spiral ball. But what we do have are fortification or enhancements as you can call it. We can sort of strengthen the physical item that we wield. There are a few exceptions though which you will find out more upon reading. So, let me tell you that my story of 35 years has barely scratch what this world has to offer. There is always hidden treasure or secrets to be found for sure. So, my dear daughter, your adventure will be different than mine and I cannot wait to hear your story one day.
I awoke from the call of the jikentette. Give or take, it should be before dawn when they usually make the call. I rose from my futon and to my surprise, grandfather was already sitting at the main sliding door entrance. He wore a different kind of robe than his usual wear. This one looks easier to walk in. And his katana was already tied to his hip.
"Freshen up boy, it is quite a distance we need to walk today," he said.
I obliged and proceeded to splash my face with the cold water from the well. Believe me when I say cold water will definitely wake you up differently as compared to hot shower that you people take. I got ready and tied a wooden sword at my hip.
"Let's go, we'll have breakfast when we reached the first stop," said grandfather as he rose. I just nodded my head and followed along. I had no idea where we were going or what we were even supposed to do but when grandfather ask me to follow, I must follow.
We reached the first stop when the sun was up. It was a fork on the road that leads to different locations. An arrow signboard points to different direction. The arrow pointed straight ahead is written "City Of Pines". That is where I will have to go next year. Hopefully I can reach the city walls before winter comes. The other two arrows were written "Gosling's Farm" while the other was "Forbidden Forest" with the word DANGEROUS! DO NOT APPROACH! hastily scratched at the bottom.
Woah, hold up. Why is that warning pointing to where our hut is? Is the forest itself dangerous or is grandfather the dangerous person? Or perhaps was it grandfather who scratched the warning himself? As I pondered on that thought, grandfather gestured us to stop.
"Let's stop here for a break. To the shades, boy," he said as he pointed towards the shadow of some trees by the side of the road. We both sat under the cooling shade where he took out some bamboo leaves wrapping. Unwrapping them reveals some onigiri inside.
"Wow, been a while since I had this," I muttered while being surprised by what I was presented.
"Eat two and leave the remaining for our journey back" he said while he took out his own onigiri wrappings and began munching.
"Where are we going exactly, Ojii-san?" I braved the question wondering whether I'll get an answer.
"We are going to the open field heading towards the city. There is a monster hunting quest that was requested of me to eliminate," said grandfather as he smiled at me.
"Monster hunting? Aren't there soldiers or mercenaries from the city? What about the guilds?" I questioned with a bedazzled look.
If grandfather must dispose of the monster himself, then what is the purpose of having soldiers or even the guilds? Not to mention that he is old and frail now. Probably in his eighties.
"Ahh you see, this particular monster is extremely dangerous and common soldiers or even guild members will have a hard time in eliminate it without having an army of men. This monster in particular will need at least a thousand men to bring down. And that is if you managed to pierce its thick hide," he said as he made a sarcastic face while stroking his chin.
I made a blank expression. Was that even a real thing or just some made up nonsense to impress a 10-year-old boy? Guess I'll know what we're facing by the end of the day. If it's just some damn slime or a snail, then I'll do a surprise smack on grandfather with my wooden sword.
We departed towards the direction of the city and reached the intended destination by around late noon. The sun was up high in the sky at this point. We stood at the side of a cliff. We were overlooking towards an open field grassland filled with semi-tall grasses with white tips. It is certainly breath-taking with how the grasses move with the winds and not to mention the smell of grasses itself. There is something calming about it which almost makes me want to say, "Winds howling". That is, if not for the giant creature that is fighting with the soldiers right now!
Now I'm going to make things clear. A creature with four legs and wings with a majestic head is a dragon. A two-legged lizard looking creature with claws at the tip of the wing is a wyvern or some other lizard creature. There is no two-ways about it. This is definitely a dragon! But damn is it beautiful to look at. The green scales that grow evenly, its hide that looks like it can take on a hundred cannon shots without even making a dent, everything about this mythical being just screams beauty. The soldiers are definitely struggling to get their bearings even though they were trying to distract the dragon while their portable cannons fired. I counted 10 of them but only 3 remained while the other 7 was a pile of wreckage.
"Fire!" said the soldier in command. The cannons hit the dragon dead-on. Yet all it did was pushed the dragon a couple of inches backwards before it rushed towards the cannon's position.
Smash! Well, there goes the last 3 cannons with the swipe of the dragon's tail. And yet it still looked unscathed despite seeing several cannon balls hitting the dragon. Talk about insane durability to tank cannon shots like its nothing. And grandfather is supposed to fight this?! I mean, I know grandfather is strong but still, this a dragon we're talking about.
"Stay here, boy. Under no circumstances will you move from this spot. Understood?" my grandfather said while looking at me with a stern look.
"Yes sir!", I replied immediately.
"Keep your eyes opened and see the world that you're about to venture into. It is a wide world filled with mysteries and adventures waiting for you. I have the utmost faith that you will make a name for yourself one day. You are your father's son after all." he said with a warm smile. He then jumped down the cliff that we stood on.
"Wha?" I could not even finish my sentence.
The cliff's height is about 30 metres in height, yet he just jumped?! He descended rapidly and made a roll upon landing while using his right hand to stop his momentum. Was that, a superhero landing? This frail looking old man just jumped off the cliff like it was nothing yet here I am at thirty-five with random aches all across my body just because I stretched too hard.
He rushed towards the dragon while holding the katana at his hip. From where I stood, I am about 500 metres from where the dragon is. He almost reached the dragon, and I could hear him shouted "Move back!". All the soldiers retreated immediately after hearing his shout. Many were limping while some were just lying on the ground. It's probably the afterlife for them.
Now, what is to come will probably be a badass scene if it ever gets animated. Keep in mind this is an old man fighting a dragon. Not some old Shinigami with years of fighting experience.
The dragon faced my grandfather and tilted its head. Probably wondering why an old man is here in the first place. My grandfather began to unsheathe his katana. The dragon immediately crouched low baring its fangs as though understanding the threat that is to come. This dragon fought off close to a hundred soldiers with cannons and yet now it is getting serious against grandfather?
Grandfather held the katana above his head horizontally in one-hand. A heartbeat later, a blinding yellow flash was released by the katana. Was it due to the reflection of the sun? All I know is that even from where I stood, I still had to squint my eyes against the flash. The soldiers were definitely blinded from the close proximity and so is the dragon. Instantly, grandfather vanished during the flash with a streaked of blood that followed.
I panicked. Was grandfather squashed beneath one of its huge front legs? But to my relief, it was the dragon that was bleeding from its underbelly. It spread its wings attempting to fly but a heartbeat later, there goes the left wing. Sliced cleanly with a searing mark on its wound along with steams rising from it. It looks as though the dragon is being cooked alive. Grandfather was nowhere to be seen among the chaos. I can see the dragon is starting to panic as it started thrashing its tail and smashing its legs around. More blood can be seen coming from the dragon as time passes. Ten heartbeats in total. Just ten and the battle was over.
The dragon lay flat on the ground with grandfather standing on top of it. Such a magnificent scene with the sun shining on his bald head trying to reflect back to its owner. The dragon's body started to disintegrate, and it seems as though its soul is being absorbed by grandfather. Any moment now I can see him screaming at the top of his lungs with a "FUS RO DAH!".
No wait, that did not happen. My imagination went wild for a moment there. You cannot blame a 10-year-old to be in disbelief when your senile old grandfather single-handedly decimated a dragon to smithereens.
He hopped down and called me over with a hand-wave. I have to look for an alternative route to descend. No way am I jumping down a 30 metre cliff otherwise I won't be here re-telling the story. I ran as fast as I could with my short legs and eventually reached the carcass of the dragon. The soldiers were all in awe at the sight of the dead dragon and my grandfather. Many bowed in respect while the soldier in command kowtowed to my grandfather while repeating "Thank you for saving my men. Thank you, thank you". Even I bowed to grandfather upon gaining his attention.
"Ojii-san, never will I look at you the same way again. You have my utmost respect," I said while bowing to him.
"Ahh, it was nothing. It was just a green dragon after all which was the weakest of its kind. The letter had me worried when there was no mentioned of its type. I'm certain you will be able to beat it someday. On that I have faith," he smiled with a warm expression.
Grandfather put too way too much faith in this 10-year-old. But on this day, I found out how weak I am in this world. I need to get much MUCH stronger just to stay alive and not become some dragon's poop. Only 1 year left of serious training before I am to travel to the city alone and hopefully get selected to join a guild.
Will I die before reaching the city? Will there be another dragon on my way? I shudder to think of the possibilities.
"Let's go home, boy. The soldiers will handle the dragon's body," grandfather said.
"Isn't a dragon's body valuable? I'm certain almost every part of the dragon is worth a lot. Isn't the fang used for weapons while the hide for armour?" I questioned grandfather as he did not seem to bother to collect a trophy or something after all the hard-work he just did. Giving away free money while we are drinking soups and stews all the time just doesn't make sense.
"The soldiers know who I am and they will deposit the funds into my account. There's nothing to worry about my boy. I am sure the soldiers know who called me for help and they certainly will not steal anything. Am I right lads?" he said while turning his head towards the soldiers. The soldier in command rushed to grandfather and immediately kowtowed in front of him.
"We will certainly not be doing anything illegal! You saved us from certain death! If any of my soldiers steal anything, I will personally execute him and prostrate myself to your grandfather offering my life!" the soldier shouted as sweats started to streak down his forehead and neck.
"See? Nothing to worry about. Let's go home," uttered grandfather in a soft tone. I nodded as we began our journey back home.
"Ojii-san, when we reached home, can you train me how to survive in this world? I don't know how much more I can learn in a year's time. I'm worried I might not make it," I said while muttering. I seems to be shivering in my voice as I spoke.
"What do you think I have been teaching you all these years? What you have been training was not something a 10-year-old should have been learning. But if you inclined so, I will begin giving you intense training for the remaining year. You better be ready, boy," grandfather smirked as he said that.
"I am ready, Ojii-san. Please continue to teach me," I said in certainty while bowing to him. Hence began my insane training for a year. Did I regret it? Maybe a tad bit.
***
"Alright my little pumpkin, time for breakfast before mom starts scolding us," I said to my daughter as she was so drawn into my stories. Not sure why such a young girl would be so keen on hearing her father's story so much. I bet it is my wife's tactic to keep her busy so as to not disturb her. Hey, I don't mind helping out in parenting in any shape or form possible. I do not want to see my wife's angry or sad face any longer. I have seen it too many times to be honest.
We headed back in. The smell of fresh bread and soup was permeating the living room. This world does not have rice to enjoy with a main dish. Rice is hard and crunchy here as compared to the soft, fluffy and sticky rice that you all have. Usually used as a side dish or garnish since it does not fit a normal meal.
I reheated the kettle by the fireplace making sure there is sufficient amount of water for the three of us. I headed into the kitchen after making sure my daughter was seated at the table. Ahh, there she is. My lovely wife.
Too bad all you guys can see are just her silhouette. Where is the fun in giving away the surprise so early. I gave her a peck on the cheek and carried the tray of food that she has prepared to the dining table. I set the dishes while waited for her to be seated. No eating until everyone is at the table. After she was seated, we said a small prayer and began eating (too bad she is blocked by the flower vase).
We chit chatted while we ate. Mostly about small topics like the weather, any upcoming quest by the guild and what we'll need for the upcoming months. Of course, my daughter is disinterested with these topics all the while nudging me to continue the story. But I told her I will only continue after breakfast and when she finished her study work.
Yes, we have schools in this point of time. It is not purely educational like what all you people study, as the main focus in this world is mostly real-world skills (both theoretical and practical) as well as swordsmanship. I figured it was good for her to learn things that both me and my wife are not too knowledgeable in.
Evening time approaches. My wife and I had both finished our daily sword practice and were busy preparing for dinner. Life these days are much laxer than my younger days. Used to be me taking on small quests from the guild to earn enough for the month. Nowadays, it is usually only me that receives special quests from the guild as I am already the highest rank possible before the Guildmaster. My wife is the same rank too, but she barely takes on any job nowadays. Taking on the liberty of caring for our daughter.
Hey, I do my part too but like every head of the household, you still got to provide for the family. We finished dinner and as usual I will have to indulge my daughter with story-time. This is way before bedtime mind you but since we don't have TV's or smartphone like you guys, there's nothing fun in watching wood getting burn at the fireplace. So, we sat at the wooden couch with cushions made of dockette feathers and I continued my story.
