9 Retraining
Joan went outside of their house after a little nap, the sky was still dark, and the sun has yet to rise. Outside, their horse was neighing as he approached it. Not wanting him to approach any further.
The moon was still shining in the dark of the night, its shine illuminated their backyard, fireflies flutter around and the sounds of crickets fill the chilly night air. Just ahead of their yard, the wheat on the wheat field swayed and danced in the melody of the crickets and the breeze, the gentle dim light of the moon giving them an ethereal gold shine.
Stars glittered from the skies and the clouds moved slowly as it was carried by the wind.
He went to their backyard and was still in his ripped clothes.
He forgot to change it before sleeping since he got too preoccupied with cultivating the elements. He took his ripped clothes off and revealed his frail physique, his body was thin, his body didn't have any ounce of fat or even muscle on it which made his ribcage almost visible from his skin.
"I have to eat well if I want my muscles to develop and to grow taller. It would be bad if I show up in the entrance exam looking too frail like this"
He clenched his hands and noticed that his fingertips were purplish in color.
In his thoughts, he realized that he got it when he clipped the wooden swords that the bullies used to attack him and destroyed them. Making his hands swollen.
"I need to train myself more. It is a burden to Joan's body to make advanced skills. I might destroy my body if I overexert it. I don't know if I can defeat stronger enemies with this,"
With him knowing all the skills of the job class in this world, the only problem was mana consumption.
He focused on cultivating his mana well while sitting on the ground.
He warmed up first and stretched his body for the exercise. Making his body prepared for the training he will take. After several minutes of stretching, he warmed up his body and was prepared for the start.
He touched the ground did some push-ups, as he exercises, he also cultivates. Doing two things at a time, building up physical endurance and strength as well as strengthening his mana.
After a short while of doing push-ups, his strength was barely able to make it to one hundred.
Joan's body has such limits, so he proceeded to the next exercise. Sit-ups after his push-ups while cultivating.
It was what he discovered in his past life, but it consumes almost all his focus. Making half of his brain to cultivate and half to exercise and do normal tasks.
He finished exercising and went to practicing his Fighter skills. He launched kicks and punches in the air and was beginning to perspire.
Sadly, he didn't have the money to buy weights which can further improve his speed and strength.
He was attacking the air and his mana was nearing the bottleneck. It only made him smile while doing it.
With the progress he will make, he will break through to the second stage of the earth realm. He simulated axe kick and roundhouse kick as well as a hard fist and gentle fist.
He managed to regain what it feels like and thus made him happy. It was the feeling that he wanted to regain the most in the past.
The youthful body of a kid which he didn't achieve as he was cursed in the past. If he will cast rebirth again, it will be a success as he has no curse at the time.
He felt that he was on the bottleneck of the second stage and so he focused himself.
He sits in the lotus position and pours out all his focus to it. He managed to break through and exhaled a great amount of air.
"I still can't multi-task when I will break through. Maybe I will train my focus harder with this,"
He made it to the second stage, and it made him happy. He was smiling as he felt nostalgic for the feeling of breaking through.
He was at the peak stage of the past and can execute any skill of any job class.
He went inside and drank water. Lighting up the candle and burned some charcoal.
Heating the grilled meat while the surroundings were still dark. He twisted and turned the meat left and right at the moment it was heated.
After some observation, their home was like a home of a poor villager in medieval Europe.
A home of villager struggling every day just fill their tummy. Webs were in the ceiling and the wooden roof was darkened after the soot carbonized it.
There were garlic and onions that was hanged on the ceiling in the dirty kitchen and the hanging meat was safe from rats. It was the main reason that they didn't die of poisoning since then.
Joan puts the grilled meat and prepares a vinegar for the meat to dip into. He sliced the meat afterwards and ate a chunk of meat while its flavor plays inside his mouth.
After eating the heated food with the vinegar, he went to their chicken coop. Collecting their eggs for breakfast then fed them up with some cracked corn.
He boiled it with water and then let it cool down for a moment. He also fed the horse with dried hay and water.
Almost being kicked after he went to its back. Luckily, he evaded it in hair's breathe. Thanks to his fast reaction speed, he has survived unscathed. Alive and breathing.
With the breakfast prepared, he went to sweep their backyard and made some makeshift arrows. Preparing to meet the young ones to train them. As for his plan, he wanted to create a hunting party for the village to have meat to feed them up.
The other kids were still young, and it was his responsibility to train them to feed themselves.
As an old soul like him, he has trained far more than his memories can remember and he wants to share his knowledge with them. He was not planning for taking in some students yet as it will be giving away some precious treasure for them.
At least knowing them first having a good valiant heart then teach them if they pass for the standard.
One of them was the attitude of a good person.
He finished preparing the arrows and his father woke up after he heard him sweeping the ground with their broomstick.
He ate meat, filling his stomach with the food. Drinking a cup of water afterwards and went outside where Joan was, in their firing range.
He heated a kettle of water then poured a spoon of coffee into his cup. Walking by the door side where Joan was seen outside in the firing range.
His father observes him with his practice as a habit of his and saw that it was all bullseyes. Firing another dozens of arrows but not making a miss.
He almost coughed as he saw him do it. He then saw him ran sideways and fired it at the target.
Another bullseye, but he didn't stop there. He ran and rolled to the ground then fired. Not missing any arrow to the target.
This time around, he coughed hard. It was a first that he saw him do it perfectly without a miss. It seemed like he became a master himself.
He went inside and ended his coughing. Joan can only sigh as he noticed him. He went to grab the arrows from the target and then prepared to wash.
He went to the well and washed in the cold water. The sun was rising, and he can see the sky become bluer.
He went inside with chilling breath and shivering feet. It was not so long ago that he felt so cold. He went inside and put on some clothes.
Making him a proper villager, contrary to his past tattered shirt.
He poured the hot water from the kettle into his cup and poured some coffee powder inside.
Mixing it with his wooden spoon and drank it while it's hot. They didn't have the luxury to buy sugar and they treated it as a treasure.
He drank it while watching the sun go up and put on his hunting robes and weapons.
He tucked the bow on his shoulders and his quiver of arrows to his waist for speed firing.
"I will go now, Dad! I will teach the other kids how to do it," Joan said then left.
"Okay son, take care!" said his dad while waving goodbye at him.
His mother soon woke up after he left.
