Chapter 3-System and Training

One month later of doing Saitama's exercise, his body is strong enough. He had also been increasing the intensity of exercise that his small body could handle.

During these days, his cousins visited their house. He recognized one of them being Yale from the original canon. Sure enough, he likes to talk about girls while he is still young. Ernst just follows and talks them casually. They still call him 'Weakling Ernst' ever since his weak body before.

Couple of months past and Ernst turns six years old. With his strong body and good mentality, he is ready for training with his family guards.

He looks like an eight years kid because he looked taller compare with kids of his age.

During the past year, aside from training and reading books. He had tried to do other things such killing insects, angering their servants, hurting himself and many others.

Why is he doing this? Simple reason. Ernst wants to know if he can activate the item gifted by God. He has tried many things, but it did not work. Maybe the time is not right, and it will be activated when the least expected.

"Sigh."

"No need to be sad. Just train myself like any others. At least, I know what will happen in this world." He thought after failing to activate the third gift from God many times.

Walking to the training grounds, the guards bow and respectfully greets him when he enters the training ground.

Ernst looked at them and he was shocked. Not the guards, but the one hundred plus transparent attribute bubbles on the ground.

(Strength +6)

(Speed +5)

(Defense +12)

(Constitution +1)

(Perception +0.5)

(Battle Qi +2)

He blinked hard, and those bubbles are still there. The guards seem not noticed them.

"Is this my Golden Finger? Is this the item God gifted me?"

Ernst looked at those bubbles and is very excited. Seeing the attribute bubbles, he immediately remembers reading a novel that picking up attributes can make the protagonist increase his strength quickly.

Ernst tried if he can mentally pick up the transparent attribute bubbles, if not, he will pick them manually. To his surprise, it works. He can pick the bubbles mentally.

As soon it was picked up, the bubble disappears. His vision suddenly become blurred, a transparent panel jumped out.

[Strength]: 31

[Speed]: 18

[Defense]: 62

[Constitution]: 46

[Perception]: 14

[Basic Qi]: 30

[Battle Qi]: 50

Staring at the transparent panel, Ernst heart beat faster and faster, as if popping from his throat. "This is too exciting." He thought happily. It seems he won a lottery jackpot.

"Thank you, God, for the gift."

He composed himself and think, the transparent attribute bubbles seemed to be excess experience by the guards during their training.

He plans needs to be upgraded. "I will think about it later when I return to my room."

Ernst's family Chief of the Guard's name is Douglas, an 8th rank warrior. He looks menacing with a large scar on his face, which is scary, and a body similar to a bear.

According to his father, he is very kind to them but strict to the guards. However, he is very brutal to enemies. He got his scar for protecting his father during their business travel.

Douglas approached Ernst with a smile and bowed. "Young master, are you ready for today's training?"

Ernst looks to him and said confidently. "Of course, Uncle Douglas, I'm always ready."

He looked at Ernst and nod gently, contrary to his scary face. Douglas then begins to talk. "Young master, before we start, I would like to talk about our warrior training. The warrior path training is common for commoners; ordinary men could form battle Qi from childhood. The basic Qi could be gathered from 'Qi Building Stance'. The 'Qi Building Stance' was the simplest yet most effective way of exercising one's body."

"This was based on the experiences of a generation of forefathers. When a warrior practices battle Qi, the battle Qi is stored in a fist sized location beneath the navel. A person's ability to practice battle Qi is based on the extent of their training. If the warrior's body is too weak, even if he gains access to 'Battle Qi Manual' their bodies won't hold much battle Qi. To hold more battle Qi, you need a strong body."

"Young master, we are very lucky in this household because we have access to 'Battle Qi Manual'. We can progress fast, unlike warriors who don't and stays at 1st rank all their life."

Ernst remembers, in the original canon, those graduates who train with Linley at Wushan Township. None of them are 2nd rank. So is this the reason.

Douglas continued talking. "Young master, let me tell you the warrior ranks. They are divided from 1st rank to 9th rank, and above them are Saint-level warriors. A 1st rank warrior can lift a 100 kilogram stone with one hand. A 2nd rank warrior can throw a 100 kilogram with one hand. The further you go, the stronger your body becomes."

Ernst asked. "Uncle Douglas, is there a Saint-level warrior in our household?"

Douglas looked at him seriously, think a little bit of then talk. "We don't have any Saint-level warrior in our household, even the main family don't have one."

Ernst already knows this information about warrior path from the original canon, but hearing it from a live person is more interesting than reading it in the novel.

He asked the Chief of the Guards. "Uncle Douglas, who is the best, the second and third in swordsmanship in our household?"

Douglas looks at him respectfully and said. "Young master, it's your father who is the best swordsman in our household, while I'm only second to him. Another one is Roger, who always stay with your father when they travel."

"So that's it. That's why his father arranged him to train with Uncle Douglas."

Ernst's look at him and said. "Uncle Douglas, please start my training. The harder the training, the better."

Douglas laughed hard after hearing this. "Young master, let's start with the basics. You will join with the guards training 'Qi Building Stance' to build your foundation. When you have the basic foundation, we will teach you punching and kicking skills. After that, you will fight with the guards to gain battle experience."

After finishing the discussion with Douglas, Ernst starts his painstaking training.

In the afternoon, Ernst meets his mother in the study room. She looks happy seeing him. "How's your warrior training, little darling?" Sarah asked.

He sat on the chair, then said. "It's alright mother. Though it's tiring, but very rewarding."

"Nice to hear that, sweetie." Sarah composed herself and looked at him.

"Since you asked me to train you to become a magus. I will do it. Before we start, allow me to tell you that training magic needs natural talent and magic aptitude. If you don't have this, we will stop it right now. I know you have a good magic aptitude because you are my son."

Ernst smiled back at her mother. Earlier, after he entered the room, he already picked up the transparent attribute bubbles at the ground showing:

(Perception +4)

(Spiritual energy +15)

(Earth Elemental Essence Affinity +12)

"It seems I'm the only one who can see these bubbles." Ernst thought himself.

He also noticed the transparent bubbles showing 'Elemental Essence Affinity' and 'Spiritual Energy.' With a quick thought, he immediately understood that he can have as many elemental essence affinity as the number of elements. Ernst is very pleased, but also scared.

"Since there is a magic aptitude test coming in two years, people will know that I have many elemental essence affinities. No! This must not happen. For now, I will only pick up Earth elemental essence affinity before the magic aptitude test. When I enter Ernst Institute, I will pick up many elemental essence affinities as I can. Yes! That's the plan for now." Ernst smiles like an idiot as he thought of his plans but remembering his mother is still taking to him, he hurriedly composes himself.

Sarah saw his son smiles like an idiot then become serious again. She shook her head and control herself not to laugh. She begins to talk again. "Now little darling, before we test your elemental essence affinity. I'll tell you the ranking of magus. They are rank from 1st to 9th rank. Above them is Saint-level Grand Magus. 1st and 2nd rank is called Junior Magus. 3rd and 4th rank is called Intermediate Magus. 5th and 6th ranks are called Senior Magus. From 7th to 9th rank, each has his own title.7th rank Magi are called Senior Magus at this point. 8th rank 8 Magi are called Master Magus. And lastly, 9th rank Magi are called Arch Magus."

Sarah smiled at him and said. "Are you following me so far, little darling?"

"Of course mother."

Ernst saw his mother put down a crystal ball on the table.

"Little darling, place your hand atop the crystal ball, and we will test your elemental essence affinity."

He puts his little hand on top of the crystal ball.

Instantly!

The crystal ball suddenly burst with light like a sun. Earthen rays of light brightened the crystal ball.

Seeing the sun like brightness, his mother smiled happily.

Ernst's mother read the results of the test excitedly. "Little darling. You have an exceptional affinity for earth element essence, like your mother."

"Hahahaha."

He also laughed. He was so happy to know that he has the exceptional affinity for earth element essence.

Sarah just looked at her happy son playfully and told him. "Don't be happy too soon, little darling. There is the second part of the test that is the spiritual essence test, which the most important. Sadly, we don't have magic formation here to test your spiritual essence."

Her mother makes herself imposing, looks at her son and instructs him. "Little darling, you will train in the back garden and meditate for two hours every day and absorb elemental essence. For your second test, wait until you become eight years old, and we will go to the Radiant Church Cathedral."

Ernst understands her mother. Hug and kiss her and goes to the back garden to meditate.

Early morning.

Ernst is doing 'Qi Building Stance' with their family guards. With his little body, he performs and gritted his teeth and the training well. Ernst thought. "No pain, no gain."

After the basic warrior training in the morning, he wandered around the training ground to pick up attribute bubbles.

In the afternoon, he meditates to absorb elemental essence and listen to his mother's teaching about magic.