Baby Steps

Ludwig sighed, leaning back against the simple chair in his dorm room. His mind swirled with thoughts about the quests he had been given, each of them feeling impossibly distant and difficult to achieve. None were straightforward, and certainly none were fast to complete. He needed to grow stronger, gather experience, and most importantly, he needed EXP to level up.

Without leveling up, he'd remain stuck, too weak to achieve anything significant. Higher levels meant more stats, more stats meant stronger abilities—and with that, survival. It was the same principle in every MMORPG he had ever played. But in this world, it wasn't as simple as running into a forest and killing low-level monsters for experience. There were no monsters in sight.

At least, not until Ludwig peered out his window.

In the courtyard below, something unexpected caught his eye. Hundreds of students filled the open training area, but instead of performing magical incantations or working with arcane artifacts, they were wielding swords. They stood in rows, their blades glinting in the setting sun as they followed the commands of an instructor. Each swing of their swords was executed with precision, the sound of metal cutting through the air in unison.

Ludwig furrowed his brow in confusion. Wasn't this an academy for magic? Why were they training with swords?

He couldn't help but be intrigued. Something stirred deep inside him—a primal urge, one he hadn't felt in a long time. It wasn't connected to Necros, or any divine influence. It was something personal, something that had always been there. Every boy grows up dreaming of wielding a sword, of fighting against impossible odds. Ludwig had once dreamed of the same thing.

Without really thinking, he reached for a stick that had been left leaning against the corner of his room. He gripped it, watching the students below as they performed their drills. Slowly, he imitated their movements. Swinging the stick downward in slow, deliberate motions, he tried to follow the same pattern they used, feeling the weight of the action as though it were a real sword.

He swung again. And again. Each time, he felt his focus narrowing, his body following the rhythm of the movement.

Then, without warning, something appeared in his vision.

[Necro's Blessing has activated.]

You have learned [Trace].

Trace—an ability that allows you to follow and mimic certain motions to increase your learning potential.

[Trace] is currently at the [Novice] level. You can only trace basic movements.

Ludwig blinked in surprise as the faint outline of a blue line appeared in the air before him, stretching from above his head and down toward the floor. It was like an afterimage of the perfect sword swing, a guiding path for his movements. He immediately understood what he needed to do.

With renewed determination, Ludwig swung his makeshift sword, this time making sure to follow the ethereal line exactly.

[Ding!]

Congratulations! You have learned [Basic Swordsmanship]!

An update appeared in his quest log, followed by another notification:

[Update to Black Tower Academy's Quest!]

Additional reward for completing three years of study in the Academy: [Job Change: Skeleton Swordsman]!

Ludwig paused, his hands gripping the stick tightly. He reread the notification, thinking it over. "So," he murmured to himself, "if I follow the mage path, I'll become a Skeleton Mage. But if I focus on swordsmanship…I'll get a melee class instead. Which one's better?"

He didn't have an immediate answer. The world of magic was still new to him, and while he'd always been drawn to the idea of wielding spells, something about the physicality of swordsmanship resonated with him. But was it practical? He had no idea how the balance between magic and melee worked in this world.

Unable to decide, Ludwig shrugged. Why not both? For now, he would train his body and mind in tandem. There was no need to choose just yet.

He continued swinging his stick, following the guiding blue line of his new skill. Each swing brought another notification:

[Good Swing]

[Decent Swing]

[Miss]

Ludwig quickly realized that the notifications were tied to how well he followed the Trace ability. If his swing was too fast or too slow, it would result in a "miss." If he didn't quite follow the line, it would be labeled "decent." But when he struck the balance—following the line perfectly at the right speed—he earned a "good swing." The system was precise, and Ludwig found it strangely satisfying to try and master the pattern.

"There's got to be a higher stage," Ludwig muttered to himself. He trusted in his judgment and kept practicing, determined to find that next level of mastery.

Hours passed.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the training area outside grew quiet, the students gradually dispersing as their session ended. But Ludwig didn't stop. Long after the last of the students had left, he remained in his room, swinging his stick in the darkness, determined to improve.

Finally, after what felt like countless repetitions, a new notification appeared in front of him:

[+1 Strength]

[+1 Stamina]

Since you're an undead class, all stamina bonus points are converted into strength!

Ludwig grinned, feeling a rush of satisfaction. Despite his initial status as a level one skeleton, he was making real progress. His body—or rather, his bones—were becoming stronger through sheer persistence.

By the time he finally stopped, Ludwig had gained a total of five strength points, with five more bonus points from the stamina conversions. He wiped the sweat from his brow out of habit, even though his body didn't produce any. Old instincts were hard to shake.

He pulled up his status screen to review his progress:

---

[Status Screen: Ludwig Heart]

Race: Skeleton

Level: 1

Health: 100/100

Stamina: Infinite

Mana: 100/100

Intelligence: 23

Strength: 22

Dexterity: 10

Vigor: 10

Luck: 15

Class: Skeleton Grunt

Title: –

Skills: [Trace], [Basic Undead Summon Sigil]

Passives: [Basic Swordsmanship], [Undead Resolve]

Overt Genius: Increased proficiency in all sorts of masteries.

----

Ludwig studied the screen, recognizing where he stood in the grand scheme of things. He was still weak by most standards, but he was growing, little by little. The fact that he could gain stats through training—even as a skeleton—was something he hadn't expected. It was a strange realization, but one he welcomed.

His gaze drifted to the book notes he had been given earlier in class. Since he didn't need to sleep, he figured there was no harm in reading. "Might as well start studying," he muttered. How bad could it be?

Ludwig flipped open the notes, his eyes scanning the intricate diagrams and explanations scribbled throughout the pages. At first glance, it seemed overwhelming, but he was determined to make sense of it. After all, if he wanted to keep up in this world, he'd need to excel both physically and mentally.

And with that, he began his night-long study session, his mind sharp and alert. This was just the beginning.