Chapter 3: Magic Boi

"Magic Knights?" Marco curiously asked. While Kelly and the others wonder what's up with the kid's shallow knowledge, but just decided to let it be.

"You don't know? Heck every kids these days want to become a Magic Knight, but basically Magic Knights are our kingdom's protector. It's an honorable job that everyone dreamt of at least once in their lives." Kelly introduced it short and concisely, as he has been entertaining the kid for a while now.

"That's pretty amazing." Marco comments on the honorable profession. 'Magic Knights are the protectors huh? They probably serve as the kingdom's military unit...'

Seeing Marco deep in thought again, Marshall asked, "So kid, you interested in being a Magic Knight? The assessment is very hard, sigh. I even tried out many times but still nothing."

"Oh, Marshall you want to be a Magic Knight?"

"Sigh... Yep, like he said so it's a job everyone dreamt of at least once in their lives." Marshall had revealed a melancholic expression. But expressed his acceptance to his circumstances.

"Don't worry about it you're good at hunting now, so keep at it." Marco looked at him, and said some consoling words. Though it just made Marshall stare at him.

'What the hell is up with this kid? Lost in the forest, He doesn't know much about this place, and he is also very mature for his age...' Marshall thought about it, and recalled his interactions in the short time he spent with Marco.

'Oh shit! I guess I'm becoming suspicious out here.' Marco immediately realizes the effect of his remark to Marshall's plight. He looked around... and yep the others probably thought, the same thing as Marshall.

This interaction made Marshall and company have a change in their impression of Marco. Marshall just expressed appreciation for Marco, drank with the rest, and went home.

They then discussed plans for tomorrow, and went to their respective quarters. Marco went to his temporary room in Ali's cottage in thought, 'How about that... Information really do come around in Taverns... Sigh I'm gonna have to wait for a while to get my grimoire huh... But I can sense mana though...' Marco recalled what he learned from Kelly and Marshall before thinking about magic. His understanding of grimoires were low, but he had a deep impression of mana.

He then tried to experiment with it. He sat in a lotus position, and meditated to sense mana in the surroundings. Soon he sensed mana inside his body, flowing all over his body parts. He took a deep breath before concentrating on the mana inside his stomach. Nothing changed for a while before adjusting his breathing and focusing on it again. He began his process of adjusting his breathing, focusing, repeat until something changes.

A few hours later something happened, the mana in his stomach slightly moved. Seeing this change Marco immediately felt energized and ecstatic, he then continued to do it. A while later, he could now control the mana to go around his body. First he made it flow to his heart, his limbs, the head before going back to the stomach.

Marco opened his eyes, and released a turbid breath. He could feel strength coursing through his body. He then threw a straight punch, as the air whistled. 'I'll be damned, I can actually punch like a heavyweight pro boxer with a body of a child.' Marco clenched his fist as he thought about the punch he threw. He felt exhilarated, and didn't feel sleepy at all. He then continued his self-created breathing exercise, or hehe... a self-created cultivation technique, baby!

...

"Hey wake up!" Marco opened his eyes as Ali shouted though the door while banging on it.

"I'm awake!"

"Good! Marshall said to eat some snacks, we're hunting for our breakfast, and after that we build your house." Ali stopped making a ruckus, and left headed for Marshall and company.

"Alright!" Marco took a deep breath as he felt energized due to his mana exercise. He then recollected his experience last night. 'I actually created a cultivation technique hehe. But it's still in the initial stages and the system is not yet complete. My technique is just making the body stronger by exposing it to mana, by controlling, and distributing natural mana into my body. Not only does it strengthen my body, it can also increase my mana reserve.' Marco decided to check his progress when hunting. He donned a leather hooded cloak, underneath is a white shirt, and gray pants given by the hunters, and some greaves.

"Looking Good kiddo!" Hans just complimented him, while the others just gave a thumbs up. Marco just smirked, as he was excited to try out the effects of his first magic activity.

After eating some nut snacks, they headed off in the forest to look for food. While looking out for prey, Marco talked to them, and extracted information about the forest, animals in the vicinity, and other villages in the surroundings. 'From what they said, I can imagine a mental map of the forest with simple landmarks, as for animals... the most common are boars, wolves, and bears... all predators huh. As for villages... sigh, my base village is actually the most thriving out of all villages in the Forsaken Realm. There's also the Common Realm and Noble Realm in this kingdom... expected of a monarchy to divide the classes.' While deep in thought, he hears sounds of snorting.

"Hmm? Heard a boar that way." Marco immediately notifies the team. All of them nod and rushed at the pointed direction. While heading to the boar, Marco asked Marshall, "Marshall, you can create iron tools right? Can you create one for me?"

"Hmm... with my mana I could spare some and make you a dagger." Marshall nodded as he was also concerned for Marco's safety in while hunting. Giving him a weapon to protect himself was a good idea. "Iron Creation: Dagger!" Marshall brought out his grimoire and used his magic. After a glow, a dagger appeared, he then handed it to Marco.

"Careful with it kiddo, I've been watchin', and I think you're not like any other kid so I trust you with this." Marshall looked Marco at his eye and expressed his trust in him. Marco nodded as he took the dagger, it looked as any normal dagger, the blade had a pointy tip made for stabbing, a small round guard, and a dark hilt.

"We spotted it! Good thing we bought some herbs from Kelly, look forward to it boys!" Hans said his plans for a breakfast dish excitedly. They soon saw the boar, only to freeze as this was no ordinary boar. It's size was twice the normal boar, and it had wind flowing around it's body.

"Shit...!" They grit their teeth as they knew they're gonna have to put more effort into hunting this time. The four hunters immediately pulls out their grimoire while Marco stays back to a distance where its safe, yet he can provide support whenever necessary.

Marshall already equipped his signature scythe in anticipation for the battle. Without further ado Ali and Hans immediately casted their attacks.

"Quagmire!" Hans casted his usual spell, while Ali casted "Mud wall!" In a short amount of time the boar was immobilized, by being stuck in the quagmire, and being walled of by mud.

The boar shrieked, making the hunters dizzy, as this was different from the usual shriek of a boar. While it tried to break free, Marshall already recovered, and made his move. He appeared behind the boar he struck its leg, incapacitating it. The boar shrieked as the wind around it's body rushed toward Marshall hurling him away from the boar, he tumbled in the air as a tree caught him, he coughed blood as that gave him some damage.

"Shit!" The rest widened their eyes, to the severity of the situation. Although it was not the first time they fought a magic boar stronger than the average, it was a first for them for a wind type one. But with their experience, they recovered and immediately made a counter-move. Ali and Chris used their spells, "Mud wall" and "Water Stream" to blind the boar. While Hans carried Marshall toward Marco.

"Take care of him for a while." Marco looked at the weakened Marshall before he shooked his head.

"Hmm, no I'm gonna replace him." Which made Hans and Marshall incredulously stare at Marco, as if he was talking corpse. Before they could speak, Marco already moved toward the boar and spoke, "I've seen how you guys hunt. Your magic is good at trapping, while Marshall is good in attacking. I'll be the attacker now, but don't worry I'll make sure to hit it where it hurts."

"...He-" Hans still didn't believe Marco so he called him, but cut off when Marshall patted his shoulder and looked at him, "Don't worry I trust him.". Marshall chuckled as he thought about Marco's confident demeanor. He already accepted he was different from other kids, but still found it incredulous. "Sigh... Alright." Hans looked at Marshall and shook his head, as he accepted it.

Soon Chris, and Ali saw Marco approaching. Before they could ask what he doing there, Marco already rushed up to the blinded Boar. He immediately went for the eye, and stabbed it with his Dagger. The boar shrieked as the wind around it went for Marco, hurling him away. 'Shit!' Just as he was adjusting his balance a mud wall appeared to his trajectory.

'Nice!' Marco grinned and stepped on the mud wall, and went back toward the boar. This time it knows where Marco is, so it prepared to send another wind blast. Suddenly a water stream broke its attention on Marco, it then looked for it's new attacker, forgetting about Marco. This was Marco's needed opportunity, he immediately dashes toward the other eye and stabs it, though this time Marco used his breathing exercise to strengthen arm strength.

Splat!

Blood splashed at Marco as the stabbed eyeball explodes from his magic stab. A lasting shriek was produced by the boar yet again, though it was the last one. It then dropped to the ground, without any life present in it.

"Huff... Huff... HAHA! that was exciting!" Marco dropped to the ground as well due to expending too much energy. Breathing deeply, he closed his eyes and savored the experience of hunting in this new world. He recalled and reviewed his thoughts, and actions before, during, and after fighting the boar. 'Fuck, haha I actually forgot it was team fight, I didn't tell Chris, and Ali about anything I just rushed in but they still provided support, I lucked out on good teammates there.'

While Marco praised his teammates. They felt all kinds of emotions right now, feelings like joy and relief for successfully killing the boar, and anger because Marco just threw himself toward the boar.

"What the hell kid!" Ali shouted at Marco who was laying on the ground. "Holy shit! that was some good moves you got kid!" Chris was just impressed at him.

"Hehe... You guys are not bad as well." Marco looks at them while giving a thumbs up. Hans and Marshall just looked at him and the boar several times his size, speechless. They looked at each other and smiled, "HAHA! You didn't disappoint kiddo!" Marshall said to Marco as he held on to Hans.

"Ali get the cart and pack it up. Good job boys!" With that, they set off and had cooked the ribs with the herbs Hans bought. While the other parts were sold off to Kelly. Hans' cooking was top notch as he prepared the smoked ribs, smashed potatoes, and grape juice for breakfast. He didn't know the nutritional value, but felt it was alright.

"Damn, Hans that was a good one!" Marshall patted his bulging stomach, indicating he was full. "You're welcome." Hans just shrugged the compliment off. "Tsk, anyways Marco what you did earlier was very incredible. I said that you were different from other kids, but damn the difference between you and other kids are like day and night. Keep it up kid!" The rest recalled the events earlier and nodded to Marshall's words.

"Thanks... For trusting me." Marco expressed his genuine gratitude, and appreciation. Although he could've managed, and survived alone, but meeting them was really made his experience smooth sailing.

"No problem, kid. Now let's get started on your house!" Marshall patted Marco on his shoulder and announced planned activity for the day. It was building Marco's house!