30 Return
Night fell, casting a blanket of darkness over the land. Desmond, after taking a refreshing shower and enjoying a satisfying meal, retreated to his room to continue watching the recording repeatedly.
After countless viewings, Desmond reached a conclusion, "It seems I require a skilled instructor to teach me advanced sword techniques. Father is always occupied with his duties, only able to impart basic techniques."
"Hmm, if possible, I should seek a mentor for magic as well. I yearn to broaden my repertoire of spells."
Weighing the pros and cons of apprenticeship, Desmond finally resolved to discuss the matter with the family's diligent butler, who handled the affairs of the household, the following day.
As he gazed at the moon, shining resplendently in the night sky, thoughts of his absent parents filled Desmond's mind. It had been far too long since he had seen his father and mother.
"I hope they are safe and well." After lingering for a while, entranced by the moon's luminous glow, Desmond resumed his customary routine, dedicating the night to meditation before finally surrendering to slumber.
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The next day, Desmond awoke and proceeded to Alice's room, as was his routine.
Knocking on Alice's door, he received no response. After a brief wait, he contemplated, "Perhaps she has ventured out for some shopping."
With that assumption, he made his way to the courtyard to engage in swordplay and magic practice.
The backyard served as Desmond's regular training ground, necessitating a passage through the back door of the kitchen each time.
Upon arriving in the dining room, Desmond spotted Alice, engaged in the art of cooking, with a servant by her side, offering assistance.
"Ah, there you are, good morning-" Desmond's words were cut short as he noticed the seriousness etched on Alice's face.
A mischievous notion crept into his mind. Slowly and stealthily, Desmond approached Alice from behind. The servant, noticing Desmond's presence, intended to extend a greeting, but was promptly silenced by Desmond's gesture.
Leaning in, Desmond playfully blew into Alice's ear. She, engrossed in her reading of a recipe book, shrieked and leaped in surprise.
Alice swiftly turned around, her eyes falling upon Desmond. "Desmond!" she exclaimed, clutching the book tightly to her chest.
"Hehe, it seems your mood is improving," Desmond remarked playfully.
Alice, still recalling the events of the previous day, blushed deeply and threw the recipe book at Desmond in frustration.
With the reflexes of a seasoned swordsman, Desmond effortlessly evaded the airborne book, observing Alice's lowered head.
Ouch! I may have gone too far. Desmond swiftly made his way to the back door, his movements quickening.
As he reached the door, he spoke, "Keep up the good work, sis. I'll be the first to taste your culinary creations, hehe." With that, Desmond closed the back door behind him.
Alice, initially planning to teach Desmond a lesson using her ice magic, reconsidered upon hearing his words.
"Hmph, why am I always the one being teased, even though I'm older?" Alice grumbled, leaving the servant by her side in awe of her young master's skills.
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Desmond arrived in the backyard, greeted by the radiant sunshine and the melodious chirping of birds, their vibrant tunes harmonizing with the eternal blue of the sky.
Inhaling deeply, Desmond withdrew his wooden sword, preparing to swing it with purpose.
"I should train with a target." Inspired by Alice's recent encounter, Desmond had modified his daily training regimen to expedite his strength gains.
Due to the considerable distance between the forest and Desmond's backyard, he relied on Body Enchantment to swiftly traverse the space.
Upon reaching the forest, Desmond surveyed his surroundings before turning his gaze back to the yard.
"It's quite a distance, but it's perfect for practice."
He selected the outermost tree as his target, determined to fell it with his wooden sword.
*Clack* *Clack* Gradually, shallow marks began to adorn the trunk of the tree. "Seems like it will take me quite some time to reach the rank of swordsman," Desmond mused, realizing that his current strength of 7.04 was akin to that of an unclassed adult.
He examined the thin slash on the tree, running his fingers over it to gauge its depth. "Hmm, this cut is far too narrow. The outcome is quite different from that of a real sword."
"Alright, let's give it another shot!"
Utilizing Body Enchantment once again, Desmond swung his sword with renewed vigor. *Creak*
Smoke emanated from the slender gashes, catching Desmond's attention. He reached out to touch the cut, but recoiled in pain. "Ach, it's hot!" He withdrew his hand, patiently waiting for the smoke to dissipate.
After a few seconds, the smoke vanished, revealing a significantly deeper wound.
"Wow, I never expected the effect of body enchantment to be this remarkable. I'll try a few more times before I delve into my magic practice." Desmond allowed a few minutes for the enchantment's effects to subside before resuming his sword swings, this time maintaining a relentless rhythm.
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*Clack* *Clack* Beads of sweat continued to trickle down his body. With one final swing, Desmond propelled himself backward.
He opened and closed his mouth repeatedly, his breaths coming in rapid bursts, his heart pounding in his chest.
Drawing in a deep, steadying breath, he exhaled slowly.
As he rose to his feet, he surveyed the condition of the tree. What had once been a solitary, deep slash had now transformed into a canvas of scars. Numerous profound sword slashes marred its surface.
Desmond flinched. "I knew it. Even with strength, without accuracy, it won't make much of a difference."
"I think that's enough for now. It's time to try my hand at magic training." Desmond then selected a fresh tree as his new target.
"System, could you guide me once more?" When Desmond initially learned magic, he attempted to mimic every incantation his parents had taught him. However, his efforts proved futile. Despite diligently following the given instructions, he had never achieved success. He couldn't help but wonder if it was due to a lack of talent or if his parents simply couldn't teach him effectively.
However, when it came to Alice, Desmond was unaware of how she had acquired her magical abilities. By the time he was born, Alice had already displayed her proficiency in magic.
This fact frustrated Desmond, but a glimmer of hope arose when the system informed him of an alternative method of learning. Now, whenever he desired to cast a spell, all he had to do was command the system to do it. However, this still required the expenditure of energy. Once unleashed, a spell could not be undone, necessitating the severance of the energy flow.
When Desmond's parents discovered that he could cast spells without the need for incantations, they were astounded and hailed him as a prodigy.
Returning to the present, Desmond focused his attention on his target as usual, and *Boom* a basketball-sized fireball erupted from his hand.
"Piece of cake! Now, let's try dual casting."
He extended his arms forward, envisioning himself capable of releasing a stream of fire from both hands.
Energy coalesced in Desmond's palms, transforming into flames directed straight at the tree.
"Wow, it seems like magic comes naturally to me." Flames continued to emit from his hand, trained on the tree. He then ceased the flow of energy, causing the fire to recede slowly before vanishing completely.
"Excellent. Now, let's head back and sample Alice's dish." Desmond glanced at the tree, now ablaze. "Oops, there's just one more thing."
Energy gathered once more in his palm, and gradually water emerged, gushing from his hand and dousing the flames that engulfed the tree. "Done!"
With that, Desmond made his way back to his backyard, utilizing Body Enchantment to swiftly return. Little did he realize that an average person required three weeks to a month to master a single spell within a single element. Only a true genius could achieve proficiency in a spell spanning multiple elements within a time frame of less than three weeks.
