Chapter 5: Our Young Master Has Changed (1)

Anyone who knew even a little about Aiden Stroke, the second son of the grand duke’s family, gave him the same evaluation.

“A tiger’s son is a tiger cub.”

“Top in the principality for laziness and arrogance.”

“Trash without a speck of dignity befitting his status.”

Considering Aiden’s usual behavior, even this was quite polite.

He would exercise violence without hesitation on anyone who offended him, so everyone avoided getting involved, and upon spotting a woman with outstanding beauty, he would approach without pause and harass her. 

Using his status as the grand duke’s son, he committed petty crimes routinely, and it was an open secret that he frequented illegal gambling dens where black money flowed endlessly.

Recently, rumors even started that he was involved in distributing prohibited drugs, so no more needs to be said about Aiden’s reputation.

In short, he was the shame of the grand duke’s family.

But lately, strange rumors began circulating around the Stroke mansion.

After an unexpected accident injuring his head, Aiden suddenly stopped his wastrel acts upon rising from bed and began diligently training to become a knight with a sincere attitude.

Some who heard this sneered, saying the shabby pig was doing something unfitting. Mockery that he’d get bored in three days and return to the gambling den was extra.

Two weeks passed.

Contrary to everyone’s expectations, Aiden was still frequenting the training ground.

“Huff, huff…”

I was running in the training yard.

Just 10 minutes of jogging, yet it felt like I could pass out any moment.

I never knew before possession since I’d never been fat, but this flabby pig’s body was dull beyond imagination, heavy, and uncomfortable. 

Even setting aside the lack of basic stamina, the heat and sweat filling my whole body was unbearably unpleasant.

But compared to two weeks ago when I first possessed this body, the situation was much better.

When I first started exercising, overdoing it a bit caused breathing difficulties. 

If Linia, watching from the side, hadn’t given emergency aid, I might have collapsed and died.

“Ha, ha…”

Having completed today’s exercise quota, I collapsed onto the floor. 

Linia rushed over and briskly handed me something.

“Young master, here’s the water bottle.”

I took it and gulped it down. Inside wasn’t water but an extract ground from premium elixir Yin-Yang Grass and various herbs. 

I recalled the recipe from the novel and combined it myself.

Bitter elixir, but to me now, it felt incredibly sweet.

[Mana has increased by 1.]

[Due to the mysterious elixir’s effect, potential level has increased by 1.]

“Haha…”

Cracked laughter leaked out upon seeing the messages. Potential level up by one, and mana—the hardest to raise excluding divinity—up by one.

I emptied the Yin-Yang extract into my mouth without leaving a drop, then heaved my heavy body to a corner of the training yard. 

After personal exercise, watching the sparring of training knights had been my routine for the past two weeks.

Clang! Clang!

Two knights in the center showcased flashy sword forms, competing skills. 

Movements fast enough to daze the mind. 

But I could see at a glance the intent, habits, and weaknesses in their sword paths.

Normally impossible, but a recently acquired trait made this absurdity possible.

<Aiden Stroke>

[Level: 3/34]

[Stamina: 02] [Strength: 02] [Agility: 01]

[Mana: 08][Mind: 04][Senses: 04]

[Divinity: 00]

[Traits: Swordsmanship Genius (A), Magic Prodigy (B), Spirit Affinity·Weak (C), Overweight (-)]

[Skills: Northern Basic Swordsmanship (D)]

[Description: 14 years old, human race. The infamous second son of the grand duke’s family, notorious throughout the principality.]

Compared to two weeks ago, minor progress.

First, consuming heavenly elixir Yin-Yang Grass like water raised potential level by 2, and exercising desperately while under the effect raised three stats by 1 each in two weeks.

The most notable change is this.

Swordsmanship Genius (A)

• Maximizes overall understanding and proficiency growth rate in swordsmanship.

An upper-compatible trait that absorbed the original Aiden’s Swordsmanship Talent (C).

I nearly fainted when this came out in the first draw.

Breaking 0.1% hellish probability, this trait was break-even even via A-grade selection ticket. Pinpointing it for 10p was an incalculable profit.

The trait’s effect was that immense.

With Swordsmanship Genius’s eye, watching official knights’ spars made their swordsmanship look full of flaws. 

And ways to fix those flaws popped up in my head one after another.

[Northern Basic Swordsmanship (D) has reached ‘Expert’ stage. Effects greatly increase.]

“Crazy. Proficiency stage up again.”

Skill proficiency has 4 stages total; ‘Expert’ is the 3rd. Reaching this just by watching spars—A-grade trait’s power is terrifying.

Body itching, I gripped a wooden sword.

Then an ideal sword path drew before my eyes. Extremely fluid yet rigid.

“Uwaaah!”

But I dropped the wooden sword before properly executing.

This pig’s body was too stiff, insensitive, and heavy to reproduce the ideal movement just envisioned.

Despite perfectly understanding and acquiring the Northern Basic Swordsmanship (D) used by the knights through watching, I couldn’t embody it.

All because of this flesh. Need to eliminate the minus trait Overweight (-) ASAP.

“Young master, are you okay?”

“…It’s nothing.”

Linia approached and supported me, collapsed unsightly. Murmurs from around.

“With zero experience, swinging a sword first—how could it go well. More foolish than rumors.”

“Shh! He’ll hear.”

Glancing, some family knights sent subtle sneers my way.

Fine, let’s see if you say the same later.

Finishing today’s training, gulping Yin-Yang extract in my room, a visitor came. A sturdy young man; from his training uniform, a knight under the family.

“What’s the matter?”

“Greetings. From today, I am Linfred Milner, assigned to teach the young master swordsmanship and energy heart method.”

So, the sword instructor Foden attached separately.

<Linfred Milner>

[Level: 20/22]

[Stamina: 11] [Strength: 12] [Agility: 10]

[Mana: 06] [Mind: 04][ Senses: 06]

[Divinity: 00]

[Traits: Swordsmanship Talent (C), Educator (C)]

[Skills: Stroke Swordsmanship (B), Stroke Energy Heart Method (B), Northern Advanced Swordsmanship (C), Mercenary Basic Self-Defense (D)]

[Description: 29 years old, human race. Elite of the Stroke Knight Order.]

Not in the original. 

But sheet specs show an outstanding knight. 

Just having Stroke Swordsmanship and Energy Heart Method in skills proves it. 

Only true elites with talent and loyalty learn those outside direct kin.

I asked him.

“Teach me? But with this fat body, even basic swordsmanship is hard. That’s why running the yard daily to build stamina.”

“His Excellency sent me to systematically train that basic stamina first.”

No reason to refuse help. From that day, Linfred accompanied to the yard.

And hell began.

“Keep running.”

“Your jogging slowed compared to before.”

“With that spirit, how will you enter Stroke’s secret swordsmanship?”

Honorifics in words only; cold tone to rigid posture—pure tiger instructor. 

I ran the yard nearly sobbing under Linfred’s sharp gaze.

“Huff, huff…”

Breath up to my chin.

Linfred pushed me to the limit daily. 

After training, no exaggeration, no strength left to lift a fork. 

He judged my condition so accurately that faking even slightly got me yard laps.

Next day, next, and next—same routine.

Felt like flirting with death daily.

But I didn’t rebel against Linfred.

Reason simple.

[Stamina increased by 1.]

Following his guidance improved my body remarkably day by day.

A month passed, accustomed even to muscle pain.

I looked in the mirror.

“At least more human now.”

Mirror still showed a chubby pig. Minus trait Overweight (-) remained, and honestly, still severely obese.

But compared to possession right after, when kicking might roll it away, improvement was insulting to compare.

“Body nearing normal, so time to learn one energy heart method.”

Superhuman strength of knights.

Two underlying elements.

First, the skill ‘energy heart method’ converting mana in the body to practical ‘energy’. Commonly shortened to ‘heart method’.

Second, special martial arts designed to efficiently operate that energy. 

Such skills collectively called ‘arts’. Rarely used term; usually swordsmanship or sword art for swords, spearmanship or spear art for spears. 

Like ‘Murekan Swordsmanship’ or ‘Hundred Rending Spear Art’.

All heart methods generate different energy properties, and must research matching arts to fully exert power. 

Thus ‘heart method’ and ‘arts’ interdependent, two sides of one.

Relationship reminiscent of inner energy and moves in wuxia.

Reca Chronicles worldview’s heart methods originate from far eastern continent—author likely influenced by wuxia.

I opened a drawer, took out an old book. Cover: ‘Brandish School Energy Heart Method Introductory Book’.

“First step in my growth plan.”

I know the skill learnable from this book. One character’s heart method in original.

Brandish Harmony Heart Method (C)

Mediocre performance among C-grade heart methods, not highly preferred. 

Thanks, introductory book easy to get in black market for a few coins—good for me.

Reason for getting this cheap one despite B-grade Stroke family secret: Analyzing novel thoroughly, I know this bargain heart method’s true value.

Itself featureless and bland, but mastering this first among many heart methods builds foundation to harmonize various energies in body.

Simply, allows learning opposing attribute heart methods like light-dark or fire-water simultaneously.

Also, fusing more heart methods raises harmony heart method’s grade vertically.

In novel, ‘Julian Connelly’ masters this to S-grade, one of Continent’s Twelve Heroes.

He collected arts from places, wove into ever-changing swordsmanship; enabling it was stability from harmony heart method’s energy operation. 

Many prodigies failed imitating his swordsmanship without knowing heart method secret.

I immediately started learning harmony heart method.

Gulp gulp!

[Consuming Processed Yin-Yang Tea (A) dramatically increases mana control temporarily.]

“Whew…”

Confirmed message, exhaled once.

Adjusted breathing per introductory tips, slowly flowed thick mana into meridians.

Felt unfamiliar sensation as modern person, closed eyes.

Blocked senses maximally, focused all nerves on rotating alien energy. 

Felt mana flow circulating body via blood. 

Repeated rotations purified it, gradually changing to harmony-property energy.

How much time passed.

[Skill, 『Brandish Harmony Heart Method (C)』 acquired.]

I stared at the message dazedly.

“…Success on first day.”

Thanks to Yin-Yang tea doping plus Magic Prodigy (B) trait experience, succeeded despite lowly start. Expected some trial-error, but too smooth—almost unsettling.

“Good luck.”