After hearing what my mother instructed, I began to examine my body carefully.
Yea… it was still weak.
That much was obvious.
But that first swing I made earlier… that wasn't my limit.
Even I could feel it.
So I tightened my grip on the wooden sword again and focused.
I recalled everything my mother had said.
Feet. Hips. Core. Balance.
Then I swung again.
This time, I didn't rely only on my arms.
I pushed strength into my feet, grounding myself firmly into the floor. I controlled my center of gravity, aligning it with the sword's trajectory.
The moment I swung—
I felt it.
The strike carried more weight.
More force.
More stability.
It was still not perfect… but it was already better than before.
Still… not enough.
So I continued.
Again.
And again.
I adjusted my posture repeatedly, trying to synchronize my entire body with each movement. At first, it felt unnatural—like my body was resisting the flow.
But slowly… it began to respond.
One swing became ten.
Ten became twenty.
By the time I reached fifty strikes, I finally started to understand it.
How the body and sword were supposed to move as one.
It was exhausting.
But it was also… exciting.
This was the first time I had ever held a sword in my life.
And yet I could already feel improvement.
My mother had been watching silently the entire time.
She didn't interrupt.
She didn't praise.
She simply observed.
Waiting until I finished.
When I finally stopped, slightly out of breath, she spoke.
"Good."
Her voice was calm.
"If you want to become a true swordsman, you must treat your sword as an extension of your body—not a tool."
I listened carefully.
She continued, her tone turning more serious.
"And Gray… what do you expect from your sword without intent?"
"It becomes nothing more than decoration."
"A sword without purpose has no meaning, no matter how much you swing it."
Her gaze sharpened slightly.
"I know you are still young… but you must begin forming your intent now."
Her words sank deep into me.
I fell into thought.
Why did I want power?
At first… I had no answer.
But then memories of this world surfaced.
Greed.
Violence.
Strength deciding everything.
People harming others just because they could.
I had already seen enough of the dark side of this world.
And slowly… something inside me settled.
A reason formed.
A resolve.
I lifted my head.
"My resolve… is to become stronger," I said.
"To protect myself."
"To protect the people I care about."
"And to eliminate anyone who threatens them."
My voice was steady.
Firm.
Unshaken.
Silence followed.
Amy looked at me quietly.
Even Selena, standing at the edge of the training ground, paused slightly.
My mother studied me for a moment.
I could see a faint surprise in her eyes.
Not shock… but recognition.
She had not expected such a direct answer from me.
Especially not one so decisive.
But then she relaxed slightly.
"Good," she said at last.
"That is a proper resolve."
"In this world, there is no mercy."
"It is either you kill… or you are killed."
Her tone softened just slightly at the end.
"This topic is too early for you right now. When you grow older, you will understand it fully."
Then she clapped once.
"Resume training."
⸻
Amy had also been training beside me, though her attention kept drifting toward me.
When she heard my words, a small smile appeared on her face.
Not mocking.
Not teasing.
Something softer.
She was happy.
Because she understood me.
Just like her.
I didn't reject killing intent.
And neither did she.
In this world… that mattered.
But before I could think further, Mother spoke again.
"Gray. Continue swinging."
"Many repetitions. I will correct your form as you go."
I nodded immediately.
"Yes, Mom."
And I resumed training.
⸻
This time, I swung continuously under her supervision.
Every movement was corrected instantly.
"Your shoulder is too tense."
"Your stance is uneven."
"Your grip is too tight."
"You are relying on arm strength again."
Each correction forced me to reset and try again.
It was frustrating.
But also necessary.
I tried correcting everything immediately—but it wasn't possible.
Some mistakes took multiple attempts to fix.
But strangely…
The more mistakes I corrected…
The more motivated I became.
Each improvement felt like a step forward.
A small victory.
A foundation being built.
Meanwhile, my mother gave a quiet order to Selena.
"Correct his movement if I miss anything."
Then she turned to Amy.
"And assist her training."
Selena nodded.
"Yes, Matriarch."
And just like that, the training split into two directions.
I focused on my sword.
Amy trained under Selena's guidance.
The training ground became quiet except for the sound of steel cutting air.
⸻
After some time, my mother finally raised her hand.
"Rest."
We both stopped immediately.
My arms were slightly sore, my breathing heavier than before.
Amy, however, still looked energetic.
As we rested, she immediately started bickering with me.
"You're slow."
"No I'm not," I replied instantly.
"You were shaking after 50 swings," she said with a smirk.
"That's because I'm training properly," I shot back.
"And I'm naturally talented," she added proudly.
I frowned.
"That just means you're annoying."
Our argument escalated quickly, as always.
But instead of stopping us, my mother simply watched.
A small smile appeared on her face.
She didn't interrupt.
She didn't scold.
She just… watched.
It had been a long time since she had seen something like this.
A normal family moment.
⸻
After resting, we resumed training again briefly.
But eventually, the atmosphere relaxed.
We began talking instead.
Training.
Awakening.
Future expectations.
Then suddenly, I had an idea.
I turned to my mother.
"Mom… I need to learn how to cook."
Silence.
Amy froze.
Even Selena blinked slightly.
My mother tilted her head.
"…What kind of stunt are you planning this time, son?" she asked, amused.
I shook my head quickly.
"No, I'm serious."
"I need it. It's useful. It's an extra skill."
She studied me carefully for a moment.
Then sighed.
"…You are really serious."
"Yes."
Amy immediately jumped in.
"If Gray is learning, I want to help too!"
She puffed her chest proudly.
"I can do anything!"
I looked at her and smiled slightly.
"Then you can be my taste tester."
Amy froze.
Then she looked horrified.
"Why are you trying to kill your sister so young?!"
"But I sacrifice myself for you anyway…"
She dramatically wiped imaginary tears.
I turned away with a huff.
"Fine then. Don't eat it."
"I'll eat everything myself."
Amy immediately panicked.
"No wait—!"
And just like that, she burst into laughter again.
I couldn't help but laugh too.
⸻
After the small chaos ended, training resumed briefly.
Eventually, my mother called for Selena.
"You will continue their training in the future," she said.
"I have work to return to."
She looked at us both.
"I have already spent more time than usual today."
We immediately understood.
So we walked toward her.
And both of us hugged her.
Without hesitation.
She froze slightly… then gently placed her hands on our heads.
A rare softness appeared in her expression.
Then she smiled.
A real smile.
Not the cold matriarch.
Not the ruler.
Just a mother.
⸻
And then she left.
We stood there for a moment, watching her disappear into the mansion.
Only then did I realize…
This day… had become something I never wanted to lose.
And tomorrow…
Training would begin for real.