Chapter Five: Preparations

Hughes lay in bed, unable to sleep as his father’s words echoed incessantly in his mind.

“A wizard—I must become a wizard. Perhaps then I’ll find a way back,” he mused, drifting off into slumber.

At dawn, deep within the castle woods, Hughes was roused by Earl Clay, who summoned him to the trees, intent on personally assessing his son’s training.

Father and son stood face to face, swords at the ready. Hughes’s gaze grew grave; this was his first battle in this world, and he could not afford to be careless. Though his opponent was his own father and would not strike mercilessly, Hughes knew he would suffer if he let his guard down.

Earl Clay, watching Hughes settle into a combat stance, nodded in approval.

“Hughes, remember this well: even if you wish to become a wizard, you must understand that survival is paramount. Without absolute strength, whether wizard or knight, only those who live are victorious.”

With those words, the earl drew his sword and readied himself to attack.

“Chip, scan my father’s physical data.”

“Beep. Clay Bruch: Strength 4.7, Agility 4.1, Constitution 4.3. Status: Healthy.”

“Beep. Host’s abilities are significantly inferior. Activating combat assistance.”

Hughes surged forward, brandishing his sword, the blade shimmering with faint light. With his strength of 3.1, the sword sliced through the air with a faint whistle as he swung it at Earl Clay.

Clang! Earl Clay parried Hughes’s strike with a horizontal block.

Hughes recoiled rapidly; the force of their swords clashing made his arms tremble, and the blade almost slipped from his grasp.

“Chip, initiate combat simulation. Locate the optimal strategy to defeat the target.”

“Beep. Mission established. Combat assistance engaged. Simulating scenarios.”

Images of his surroundings flashed before Hughes’s eyes.

He launched a fierce attack at his father, every muscle tensed, each strike delivered with full force.

“Beep. Anticipated attack location detected. Optimal evasion: thrust sword diagonally upward at a forty-degree angle.”

“Hah!” Hughes activated the basic knight’s breathing technique, channeling all his strength into his arms and knocking aside Earl Clay’s sword.

Still, the earl’s sword grazed Hughes’s shoulder, drawing blood.

The scent of iron wafted through the air.

Earl Clay pushed off with both feet, lunging at Hughes.

“Beep. Host, jump back.”

Hughes leapt backward, dodging the attack, and thrust his sword forward, whistling through the air.

Earl Clay’s expression shifted; steadying himself, he realized Hughes’s sword had nearly struck him. He also noticed that, despite being weaker and slower, Hughes seemed to anticipate his every move.

Straight thrusts, diagonal stabs, shifting slashes—Hughes’s footwork grew swifter. He knew he could never defeat Earl Clay through sheer force; instead, he relied on the chip’s guidance to exploit every opening.

The chip’s prompts echoed relentlessly in Hughes’s mind as he became wholly immersed in battle. His basic swordsmanship grew increasingly fluid, his blade moving like a stream, swift and unhesitating. He wielded his strength to its fullest.

The clash of swords intensified, each strike precise, the blade slicing through the air like a hurricane at his ear.

Earl Clay’s alarm grew as he found himself forced into defense, his strength suppressed by Hughes’s relentless assault. From the moment Hughes closed the distance, the earl had been on the back foot.

Hughes dared not let his concentration waver; Earl Clay’s strength of 4.7 was no trifling matter.

“Hah!” the earl roared, muscles bulging. With a downward blow, he spun, channeling raw power to send Hughes flying.

Hughes landed hard, sitting on the ground, breathless, a trace of blood at his lips.

“Chip, display my physical status,” Hughes commanded, his chest burning with pain.

“Beep. Hughes Bruch: Strength 2.5, Agility 2.6, Constitution 2.6. Status: Minor blood loss, attributes reduced.”

“That’s enough,” Earl Clay said, sheathing his sword. “If not for my overwhelming advantage in strength, I might not have bested you. Well done.”

“Rest up, then come to my room,” he added, turning back to the castle.

Hughes slumped on the ground. The bleeding had stopped; he stood and dusted himself off, heading inside.

He entered his father’s room to find Earl Clay seated with eyes closed, lost in thought, a cloth pouch in hand.

“Father,” Hughes called softly.

“Oh, you’re here. Sit down.”

“Here, take this. Keep it safe and tell no one,” the earl instructed gravely.

Hughes took the pouch, already guessing its contents. Opening it, he found several black, crystal-like stones.

“Beep. Unknown energy detected. Absorption can enhance cellular activity. Absorb?”

“No, not yet,” Hughes replied hastily. Absorbing them now would be troublesome; he couldn’t possibly explain it away.

“Prepare yourself these next few days. In three days, I’ll send you to Soto City for the test. There will be many participants—be cautious.”

“Father, if you leave, what about the castle?”

“Your Uncle Lair will be here. He’s more than capable.”

“Yes, Father. I’ll take my leave and not disturb your rest.”

Hughes withdrew and returned to his room, examining the magic stones and pulling out the Ring of Shadows.

“Chip, analyze the energy in the magic stones. Is it useful for the ring?”

“Beep. Detected: unknown energy in the ring can be activated by the stones. Analysis shows this energy has a developmental effect on the host’s brain. Absorb and convert?”

“How many stones are needed?”

“Beep. Three stones required.”

“Not too many. Begin conversion,” Hughes ordered, holding three stones.

“Beep. Conversion started.”

The stones in his hand crumbled to powder, a strange energy gathering in his palm. Hughes brought out the ring; the energy was instantly absorbed, and the entire ring glowed with a dark purple light that surged into his body, rushing from his chest to his brain.

“Ah!” As the energy entered his mind, a stabbing pain erupted.

“Damn it! What is this?” The pain intensified, his consciousness fading.

When Hughes awoke, night had fallen. He sat up, massaging his throbbing forehead.

“What on earth was that? That pain was unbearable. Chip, display my physical data.”

“Beep. Hughes Bruch: Strength 3.4, Agility 3.2, Constitution 3.2, Mental Power 1.5. Status: Healthy. (Note: During host’s unconsciousness, strength increased by 0.2, agility by 0.4, constitution by 0.1. Mental power unlocked.)”

“My attributes increased so much, almost evenly. And this mental power—what’s that? I didn’t have it before.”

“Beep. Preliminary analysis: In this world, wizards enhance their mental power to grow stronger. (Note: Insufficient data on wizards. Please acquire more information.)”

“Wizards and mental power… In Earth’s novels, is this like telekinesis?”

“No…” Hughes gradually perceived the mental power’s effects. His mind felt exceptionally clear, his understanding of swordsmanship deepened, and despite the late hour, he could see everything in his room.

“So this is mental power. But why didn’t I have it before? Surely everyone has at least a trace of it.”

“Beep. Host’s mental power was previously unawakened and could not be displayed.”

“So the energy in this ring awakened my mental power? I’m growing ever more curious about the world of wizards,” Hughes mused, stroking his chin as he gazed at the ring.

“Chip, is there any residual energy in the ring?”

“Beep. No energy detected.”

“Oh well.” Hughes was a bit disappointed.

“So I was overthinking it—the energy was spent in a single use. I wonder if the Ring of Shadows will still recognize me. If it requires more energy for verification, that could be a problem.”