Kian Goldmaul POV

  Today is cardio day, the kind of exhausting, soul-draining workout that makes you quietly resent your life choices, all for the sake of building endurance.

  Non-stop running until my legs started trembling and threatening to give out, rope jumping until my legs burn, high-to-low planks that leave my arms shaking uncontrollably… although a few exercises are still off-limits because I'm too short to perform them properly. It's frustrating, but I make do with what I can.

  Mid-set, Niko suddenly asks, "You're six this year, yes?"

  I nod while gasping for air. "Yeah… I turned six a month ago," I manage, briefly pausing just long enough to catch my breath.

  "Did I allow you to stop?" His face is stern.

  I immediately resume the crunches. "24… 25… 26…"

  "Since you're six, you should be starting elementary school like a normal kid."

  Huh? Damn it. I really don't want to go through school again like I did in my past life. I'm an adult mentally, you know! Well… not like he knows that.

  He pauses for a moment, then sighs. "Or at least, that's what you should've been doing if you and your parents were normal. You'll be registered as home-taught by a Mage Master throughout your elementary years, until you're twelve. After that, the academy."

  Home-taught? That's a relief. Way better than being stuck in a classroom all day. And especially better than being constantly bothered and annoyed by kids my age, and that's honestly the main reason I don't have any friends.

  My parents think it's because I'm too smart for my age, that I find other kids boring or impossible to relate to. They're not entirely wrong… just missing the real reason.

  Niko waits until I finish counting the last crunch. "Six years old. You're growing fast," he says, pausing thoughtfully, "faster than any kid I've seen."

  I sit down on the ground, my chest heaving, and look up at him. "Is that a bad thing?"

  He shrugs. "Probably not, at least for you. Though a normal childhood might've been better. But from what I've seen, that would likely just bore you."

  Then he adds, almost casually, "For now, you're skilled enough for more than sparring and this boring training."

  Other things?

  Niko looks at me for a few seconds, studying my expression. "Do you want to go hunting in the nearby forest? Rabbits, to start. You can decline, though. Even if you agree, convincing your father might be a little challenging."

  Hunting? It's not like I've never gone hunting before. I did, in my past life, with friends… back when things were simpler.

  My parents died in a car crash when I was twenty-three. Single child. No siblings. No girlfriend. At least I already had a job by then, I could fend for myself.

  At least until the earthquake took me too.

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  Could my death really have been just an accident…?

  "What do you say? You've been quiet for ten seconds now," Niko says, snapping me back to the present.

  Right. Hunting.

  "Yeah, sure! I do want to go hunting."

  Time might reveal whether my death was really an accident or not. Thinking about it now won't change anything.

  Niko nods. "Alright. You'll be using your bow for this." After that, he sighs deeply. "Now comes the hard part. Let's cut today's training short."

  …

  …

  …

  Back inside, Niko talked with my father for a good ten minutes, probably arguing through every possible safety rule and precaution.

  I waited in the living room, sitting on the couch while watching some colorful animated movie, barely paying attention to it.

  Finally, they walked in together. Niko gave a short nod. "He agreed," he said, pointing his thumb toward my father.

  I perked up immediately, doing my best not to grin.

  Father ruffled my hair. "I'll keep an eye from a distance. Niko convinced me that fewer people means more real tension and better learning."

  "You can decline if you want," Niko added, though his tone made it clear he already knew my answer.

  "No way," I replied instantly. "I'm in."

  Niko responded almost immediately, as if he'd expected nothing else. "Alright. I'll have to establish some rules first."

  He paused, looking at me with that gaze of his—the kind that always made me feel like he was measuring not just my skills, but me as a person.

  "You have to stay by my side at all times. That forest doesn't have anything that can threaten an adult, but you're a child, so we need to be extra careful. I remember when I was your age, my own teacher was still only teaching the basics, let alone going out to hunt."

  I nodded, feeling a strange mix of excitement and that familiar, heavy weight from my past life.

  Hunting isn't new to me, but doing it in a child's body felt different, more fragile, more vulnerable, like relearning the world all over again. Well, I did relearn the world.

  "Secondly, you'll be using your bow the entire time," Niko continued calmly. "We'll start with normal rabbits, and if that goes well, maybe a mutated one. Nothing too dangerous, just enough to build your confidence step by step."

  He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It's not about the kill right away. It's about respecting the process, understanding the animal's life. On my first hunt, I missed on purpose a few times just to feel the weight of it. Helps you appreciate what you're taking. I still remember when my teacher found out and punished me for it."

  "Thirdly, I'll handle the hunting for the first day so you can get used to the sight. You'll hunt on the second day instead. First day, you just watch. I know it's tempting to jump in, but rushing can lead to mistakes, and I want you to feel safe out there."

  "That should be it for now. We'll go the day after tomorrow. Your father will provide a hunting bow—he's already working on one that's just your size, balanced properly for a kid like you."

  Niko nodded to my father. "Well then, I'll be going now. I'll check the forest too, just in case. You never know what could go wrong, but I'll make sure it's clear for him."

  He turned and left the house, his steps steady and unhurried, just like always.

  Father sighed quietly, looking at me with that mix of pride and worry only a parent can have. "You resemble Zephyr more than me in this aspect. I'm worried what would happen if you ever meet that old guy.

  He's brilliant, but reckless in his youth, and still reckless."

  …

  …

  …

  Two days later, we stood in the backyard—me, Father, and Niko.

  I was dressed in camouflage clothes with thin armor underneath, holding my bow tightly. The fabric felt soft against my skin, unfamiliar but oddly reassuring.

  Niko wore casual camouflage clothes as well, a sword hanging at his waist and an advanced-looking bow strapped to his back.

  Father spoke first, his voice gentle but firm. "Well then, I'll open a portal. There should be no danger, but still be careful and don't leave Niko's side. I trust him, but you're my son."

  He nodded, and a portal opened in front of us, its surface rippling softly.

  Niko and I stepped through. It closed a few seconds later behind us, leaving us alone in the forest.

  "Well then, let's go," Niko said. "Like I said, I'll do the hunting today—two or three rabbits should do. I won't use any magic or reinforcement besides what's needed to locate them. We'll take it slow, one step at a time."

  He paused, standing motionlessly before speaking. "Alright. This way."

  Then he started walking deeper into the forest, and I followed right beside him, my grip tightening around my bow.

  Chapter end