45-45 The Boy Without Talent (1/2)

A strange child suddenly appears at Sig's training center in King's Landing.

Please let me train as a swordsman.

It was a young boy, no more than a year old.

A child like this had never visited the training center before.

”Training?　You?　Do you have a permit from the Adventurer's Guild?

I do. I just got it.

...... Sure, it's got a guild official's stamp on it... but a kid like you ......?　I'm not sure what to make of it.

The training center for adventurers in King's Landing has an unspoken rule of ”no one is rejected”. The guild officials determine eligibility, and the instructors at the training center teach according to their judgment.

The process is simple enough.

But still...

What are the guild officials thinking, sending us a kid like this out of the blue?

There may be a reason for this, but there's no way a child like this can endure training that would make even a grown man scream.

In the event that you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

I'm not going to treat you any differently just because you're a child... That's what this place is for. The training is tough. Are you prepared to endure it?

”Yes, I am.

The boy looked Sig straight in the eye and said.

But then Sig thought.

He's probably going to drop out of training soon.

Three days would be good.

With that in mind, Sig instructed his men on the training menu and started training the boy...

However, the child didn't give up on the training even after three days or a week.

In the training of [swordsman], swords are wielded from morning to night, but this boy showed no signs of stopping even when his hands were peeling and covered in blood. On the contrary, he continues to swing his sword desperately, as if the muscles in his arm are about to tear.

Those who were not ready would quit after the first day, but ten days had already passed.

At that point, Sig changed his mind about the boy.

Apparently, this boy was ready.

How far will this boy follow him?

He was a little curious.

So, with Sig watching over him, the boy followed him through the training without fail.

There are no trainees who stay until this point unless they have something special to do.

The purpose of this training center is to put the body and mind in an extreme state in order to acquire [skills], and to continue doing so involves a great deal of pain.

He swings his sword day and night, bouncing off flying balls and weapons, gritting his teeth and continuing to do so even if the bones in his hand shatter, training to unite himself with his sword in a kind of madness.

This boy has stepped into such a realm.

Not long ago, he had never even held a sword.

It's rare for someone to be able to swing a sword so mindlessly from a young age.

This boy might be really promising.

As Sig began to think about this, he suddenly realized something strange.

This boy has yet to acquire any [skill] other than [Parii], which is the easiest to learn.

How is this possible?

In my experience, if you've come this far, and if you're this young, the rate of [Skill] expression should not be low.

It would not be surprising if he had already acquired something.

It may take a little longer for this boy.

But he will eventually acquire it.

And when he does, he'll be stronger by leaps and bounds.

He's got great eyesight, after all.

Once, he asked me to show him, and I reluctantly showed him the [Thousand Swords] skill.

Anyway, ordinary people can't see it.

The [Thousand Swords] is a technique that is difficult to control, and even difficult for the user to catch.

In the first place, there is no point in showing it to him, since he will end up seeing nothing.

Even though I thought so, I showed it to the boy as a playful response to his request.

When Sig heard the boy's impression of the technique, he was astonished.

This boy's eyes could see everything.

Everything was speeding up by the grace of [Skill], and he was following with his eyes the movements that even he could not catch.

On the contrary, he could see every single move clearly.

In addition, he pointed out a habit of movement that even Sig was not aware of.

It gave me goosebumps.

Sig could see the outstanding qualities of this boy, and felt that he had found a bud worthy of his life's work.

It would be a dream come true for him to grow up to be a swordsman on par with himself... he thought to himself.

Sig began to secretly have high hopes for this boy.

It was exciting to think that he might have found a great talent.

However... as the training continued, something unexpected happened.

No matter how hard he tried, the boy did not develop any useful [skills] for the swordsman position.

No, it couldn't be.

I thought it was a misunderstanding or an oversight.

But no.

No matter how many times he checked, he still hadn't acquired anything.

Sig was getting impatient now.

If he could acquire even one thing...

If there was even one [skill] he could use, this boy would take it.

That's how much effort, that's how much study this boy can put in.

That was the most valuable quality of all.

There's always some talent in this boy.

He'll get it.

So I continued my training.

By now, the training had reached the most difficult part.

This boy has come so far.

How could he have gone this far and nothing happened?

Sig had been watching the training as if he were praying.

But... no matter how hard he tried, it just didn't work.

No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't acquire a single skill that could be called useful.

With this, I can't make it as a [Swordsman].

If I had to deal with weak demons, I could probably still fight them in a reasonable manner.

But when it comes to facing a real threat... I can't go on like this.

You'll lose your life soon enough.

She's big, strong-willed. Good eyes. And yet...

Unfortunately, he lacks the gift of the sword.

The God of Swords doesn't love her.

That's what I had to decide.

”You should go your separate way.

That was Sig's decision after much anguish.

”There's nothing more I can teach you here. Go somewhere else.

But...!

The boy persisted.

Of course.

He'd spent three months of his life training and now he was being told he had no talent.

This was my own fault as the instructor.

But I couldn't let him continue to do meaningless things.

I am not qualified for this.

As a swordsman, you are of no use to your fellow swordsmen if all you do is swing a sword without any skills. Anything more will only waste your time. Just give up and move on.

Sig dared to shun the boy coldly and kicked him out of the swordsman training school.

This boy has real talent.

But that's why there must be a different path for him.

I'm not sure what to do.

I'm not sure.

When the kid showed up at the [warrior] training center, Dundargu folded his arms and frowned.

I'm not sure if you're really going to join our training, ......?

According to what I heard, the boy had been kicked out of the [Swordsman] training camp.

I had heard from Sig that he was recently ”taking care of a child”.

He also said that the training at [Swordsman] was not good, so he might head there eventually.

I had certainly heard such things.

But when I actually saw him, he was really nothing but a child.

Are you sure this guy is okay?

Are you sure you want to train with us?

That was my first impression.

By all appearances, the boy did not have a physique suitable for the training center for warriors, where strong men gather.

The role of a warrior is to act as a ”shield” for their comrades.

Compared to those who usually come to visit, this boy was as small as a blimp.

But no matter who you are, if the guild officials approve, you can't refuse to accept.

It can't be helped. After a little experience, they'll give up and leave on their own.

So I decided to let them participate in the training, but...

But... This is a surprise.

Contrary to my expectation, the child came along with the harsh training.

Training that would make a grown man run for cover.

No... his body couldn't keep up.

But he was desperately trying to keep up with the training, almost as if he were dying.

(Is there such a man?)

Dundargu couldn't believe it.

But he had to admit.

This boy is strong.

Not in body.

He's strong in spirit.

He can just keep going forward, without regard for his own pain, and without any consideration for self-preservation.

You could call it an extraordinary bravery that is on a par with insanity.

It was something that the [warrior] profession required above all else.

Dundargu shuddered at the attitude of the boy who kept coming forward no matter how badly he was hurt.

Wasn't that the kind of person he had been looking for?

Someone with a literal ”indomitable” spirit, someone who could be his single hand.

Incredibly, the boy was able to complete the most difficult training.

It's the first time since the training center began.

And rightly so.

It was never designed to be completed.

If the king wants the best, it will happen naturally.

Of course, I can't make something that no one can break through, so I set a standard of what I can clear.

But I didn't think there would be anyone who could clear such a standard.

And yet... this boy overcame it.

He went through a grueling ordeal that could only be described as hell.

And yet...

Something more unexpected happened.

”How is this possible?

This boy, no matter how hard he tried, could not develop any proper skills, even though he put his body through such a hellish process.

Even Dundargu, an exceptionally optimistic man, was astonished at this time.

If a man can work this hard, why don't you give him at least one thing?

In this way, he was dissatisfied with neither God nor fate.

The maximum training period of three months flew by.

When the deadline came, the boy still wanted to continue his training.

This was the first time this had happened.

Dundargu was unsure.

The training period would end today, but he could still invite the boy to join the Warrior Corps, of which he was the leader.

However, if the boy were to become a warrior without acquiring any skills...

This boy... will probably be the first to die.

This daredevil and brave boy will definitely be reckless and die defending his friends.

Dundargu shook his head.

No... no.

Even if you force yourself to continue like this, you will soon lose your life.

I'm sorry, but you're not suited to be a warrior. Now go.

And with that, Dundargu kicked the boy out of his life.

If he can make it this far, there must be some other way.

I'll be back.

A country bumpkin.

Countryman.

A redneck.

He smells like a hick.

I'm sure you'll agree.

”Let me take the training.

Are you sure you want to do this?　I don't mind. Then take this and throw it over there.

Mianne immediately picked up a pebble that had fallen at her feet and handed it to the boy, who looked confused.

...... Where is that place?

”There. Throw it at that.

That wooden stick?　It looks pretty far away. Do I hit it?

Yeah. What else is there?　Come on, get on with it. If you don't like it, you can leave.

Mianne had a very short temper.

The boy took the stone and threw it away.

As the stone flew into the sky, Mianne thought idly.

Okay, if it misses, I'll send this kid away.

This was the usual method Mianne used to turn away people she didn't like, people she didn't think had a chance, people she didn't feel like teaching .......

If you somehow feel uncomfortable with it, you can call it training, impose a trial with absurd conditions, and if it fails, turn it away, saying, ”You're not suitable for us.

I was not told that this was wrong.

It is because the content of the training is left up to the director of the training center.

If it is wrong, then it is wrong to impose such a job on me.

Mianne had always thought so.

The moment she saw this child, she thought.

This guy must be a pain in the ass.

I can smell that kind of person.

Let's just send him away.

So I'll use the usual guy as an excuse to send him away.

That's what I thought.

But contrary to Mianne's expectations, the pebble hit a thin tree branch with a thud.

One more time.

Mianne immediately gave her a second chance.

There is no second chance.

Once you've hit it, you can't help it.

But if I let him try again, I'm sure he'll fail, and then I'll send him away.

That's what Mianne thought.

”If I guess, will you let me train?

”Yes. Yes, if I can guess.

This could not be true.

Normally, it is impossible to throw a stone at such a distance and hit that thin twig.

Well, there's always a chance, at least once.

But next time, it will definitely miss.

Then send her away immediately.

As Mianne thought about this, the boy picked up the pebble and threw it at the target again as he was told.

But when Mianne saw the boy throwing the stone, she thought, ”Oh no.

He'll hit it again. He'll hit it again.

Mianne was sure of it.

The boy read the wind, looked at the target, adjusted the trajectory of the stone with just the right amount of force, and threw the stone from his hand.

Oh no. It's going to hit me.

As Mianne was thinking of an excuse, she saw the stone hit the tip of a thin tree branch.

”Is this what you want?

”Not good at all. It's not good at all!

Mianne was annoyed, but decided to let the boy undergo training as a [hunter].

It can't be helped, a promise is a promise, and it's not nice to not keep it.

That's right.

From now on, I'll leave all the troublesome things about this boy to my subordinates.

That way, I won't have to go through any trouble myself.

I want to use my bow.

For now, just let him throw stones...

He instructed his subordinates to do so, and a week passed.

I thought he would get sick of it and quit soon, but he was still there and said something like that to me.

”...... No. Absolutely not.

You've broken so many bows, what are you talking about?

If you let him have it, he'll immediately grip the limb, cut the string, and it won't do any good. ...... What kind of grip do you really have?

I'll do better next time, please ......!　Please!

No, no, no. You're the reason we don't have enough bows for training!　In fact, you even snapped my treasured bow that I brought along to try out. ...... Ugh. ...... There's nothing stronger than that in existence!　You should only throw stones.

And the boy did as he was told and continued to throw stones.

A few days later, when Mianne visited the training center on a whim, while many trainees were shooting at the target with bows, the boy was the only one throwing stones at the target.

This was the first time that Mianne looked at the boy closely and observed him.

After observing him, she realized that there was something wrong with the boy.

He was precisely hitting the target of the training center, which was placed at a distance he could barely reach with his bow, with only the strength of his shoulders.

Mianne, who is usually not interested in other people, became a little more interested.

”...... Who taught you that?

”This?　No, I didn't learn it from anyone. I learned it from nature, from catching birds.

Oh, birds. What kind?

The kind that falls out of the sky for hares.

Yeah. You were shooting at them?

Of course. You have to hit it to catch it.

What a ridiculous story, Mianne thought.

In this kingdom's ecosystem, the only birds that come to catch mountain rabbits, as the boy said, are the thunderbirds.

Because they come from the sky to hunt their prey as fast as lightning, they are called [thunderbirds].

It is difficult for ordinary people to even follow them with their eyes, and it is quite difficult for skilled people to shoot them down, even with a good bow.

Well, I can do it even if I don't look at it.

But it is difficult for most of us.

And this guy was able to do it by just throwing stones.

And that was before I acquired the skill of stone throwing.

What the hell is this guy?

I can not say anything.

Mianne thought.

(What's the point of this guy being here at the training center?

Why doesn't he just keep throwing rocks for the rest of his life?

Then she looked at the target that the boy was throwing stones at and was dismayed again.

Looking at it, he saw that the ”special target” that his men had prepared for the boy had countless holes in it.

At first, the boy used the same wooden target as the other trainees, but it was quickly filled with holes and destroyed by the stones thrown by the boy, and it was quickly replaced by another one by the troubled men.

After that, it was no longer cruelly destroyed.

But... I've never heard of it.

A pebble thrown from a barely visible distance shot through a large unbreakable steel shield (・・・・).

I knew this kid was crazy. It's crazy.

Certainly, he has no talent for using a bow.

The only skill he has acquired is [throwing stones].

But isn't that enough?

It's much more powerful than a bad bow.

Why don't we just let him throw rocks from morning till night?

He'll get tired of it and leave.

That's what Mianne thought and kept thinking for three months.

During that time, she kept on overcoming the unreasonable demands made by Mianne, and she stayed at the training center without giving up.

I told you.　I told you, you don't need a bow.

You have hopelessly poor taste in handling delicate tools.

You'll only break it if you hold it!　You can't teach me to use a bow!

But...

You can just keep throwing rocks at it... that's enough.

Get the hell out of here. You're in my way even if you stay here.

Mianne kicked the boy, who was still clinging to the gate of the [hunter] training center, roughly out of the way.

If you're better at hitting the target than you are, you're in the way.

Besides, there is nothing to teach this boy.

This boy is obsessed with acquiring [skills] and becoming an adventurer, but I'm sure he can manage his life without such a title.

You're a real pain in the ass.

Why don't you just do what you want?

You'll be able to get a lot more than that.

I'm not sure.

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”Let me take the [bandit] training.

”Trained”?　A kid like you?　Oh, so you're the knoll.

Yeah. I want to be trained.

All right. Follow me.

Karou had heard about this boy.

He knew exactly who he was.

There's no need for useless questions and answers now.

Immediately, the training of the [bandit] began.

The training for the bandits is very simple.

Training to eliminate signs.

Training in detecting signs.

Training to approach the target without sound.

Training to find, disarm, and avoid traps and devices.

You repeat these basic drills and gradually increase the difficulty (level).

If you do this, you will usually acquire the [skills] necessary for the [bandit] position after a few rounds.