Birthday [part 1]

The day was hot and the sun was barely visible, while a child could be seen concentrating on a book, flipping through the pages in a flash.

From this, one might deduce that he was flipping through to find something interesting to read, but that wasn't the case.

In fact, that child was me, Schadet Oporitorco, and I was flipping through the pages because I already knew most of the content, and even the rest of the book was predictable to me.

This meant that the level of knowledge in my head surpassed the level of the books.

"Good, this was the last book, I have finally formed my Core of Knowledge."

After spending a lot of time reading and understanding, I had finally managed to lay the foundation for my knowledge, where I had learned many things on different subjects.

So, after finishing forming and creating it, I decided to put aside the study of various disciplines and focus only on runes for the upcoming times, making changes to the program I had created.

Thus, after eating and taking care of all my basic needs, I went to meet someone.

Knock Knock

So, I looked up from the book just in time to hear the light knock on the door. With a smile, I stood up and headed to the entrance.

"Welcome, Fúwén dàshī," I said respectfully, making a slight bow as a greeting. "It is an honor to have you here. Please, come in and make yourself comfortable."

This person is a runic master specialized in support runes sent by the family after I had learned and understood the basics of runes.

Fúwén dàshī entered with a calm step, emanating an aura of tranquility and wisdom.

His attentive gaze scanned the environment before resting on me with a gentle smile.

As soon as I saw him, the first thing that stood out was his rather ordinary appearance.

Indeed, the man had a balanced and reassuring look, with normal features that didn't stand out for excessive hardness or delicacy, with brown hair cut in a tidy and practical manner, framing an expressive and open face.

His skin was of a natural tone, neither too pale nor particularly tanned, conveying an air of health and vitality.

His brown eyes, clear and attentive, seemed to reflect an acute mind and a thoughtful character.

While his nose was proportionate to the rest of his face, and his lips were medium, often curved in a sincere and welcoming smile.

"It is a pleasure to be here," he replied warmly. "I have heard a lot about you and your progress in the world of runes. Your family has also told me that you have understood the basics of them but lack practice. So, they sent me here to help you improve and hone your skills in this regard."

Hearing this, I nodded. What the family had said about me was true; in fact, only a few days before, there was a person who had been commissioned by the family to verify this.

"Now that you have studied the basics of them, you want to learn to create real runes, right?"

Hearing this, I nodded.

Fúwén dàshī smiled, pleased with the enthusiasm I showed, and nodded.

"Exactly, it's time to move on to the practice of runes. First of all, we will focus on understanding the symbols and their meanings, as well as the correct execution of the engravings."

Then, with patience and precision, Fúwén dàshī began to illustrate the fundamental concepts of runes, explaining the meaning of each symbol and their practical application.

Attentively, I listened and absorbed his every word, eager to learn as much as possible.

And after spending several hours immersed in the study of runes, Fúwén dàshī noticed that I was beginning to understand and apply the concepts with greater confidence.

"You seem to have great potential," said the master with an encouraging smile. "Keep it up, and soon you will be able to create and use runes with mastery."

I smiled, grateful for the encouraging words, and immersed myself even more in the study of runes.

And this continued until it was 10 PM.

In fact, once that time arrived, Fúwén dàshī left, saying he would return next time.

Hearing this, I was slightly confused because I thought he would come back tomorrow, but I didn't have time to think about that.

At that point, I had to go and take care of the construction of the training hall.

So I thought: "I'll think about it later" and then ran to the training hall.

Once there, the sun was shining high in the sky as Kim Song and I immediately got to work as usual, working hard on the construction of the outer walls.

The site was buzzing with activity, with the rhythmic sound of the mallet hitting the bricks and the rustle of the trowel spreading the mortar.

With my experience in construction, I was focused on the precise placement of each brick. The level was my guide, ensuring that each row was perfectly horizontal. The trowel and the float were an extension of my hands, moving gracefully as I distributed the mortar with confidence and precision.

Kim Song, my mentor and director, watched my every move with expert eyes.

"Use the hammer and chisel to refine the edges," he advised, pointing to where the bricks were sticking out too much. His voice was calm but authoritative, and his words were wise and considered.

The circular saw roared as I cut the bricks to the right size, and the tape measure was always at hand to measure twice and cut once.

The leveling line was stretched between two poles, a guideline that ensured the perfect alignment of the bricks.

With each brick laid, the structure took shape. The bucket was always full of fresh mortar, ready to be applied.

Despite the fatigue and sweat, there was a sense of satisfaction in seeing the progress we were making.

When the sun was on the horizon and the sky had darkened, with various celestial bodies visible, we stopped to admire our work.

The outer walls were now 1/4 complete.

It had been hard work, but under Kim Song's guidance, I managed to make great strides.

With a satisfied smile, Kim Song started to give a passionate speech, where in the end, we promised to continue with the same spirit next time.

It was clear that, despite the tough day, our hard work and expert guidance had led to a tangible and promising result.

This was much more than I initially expected.

This was possible only because over time I had become stronger and more experienced in construction, allowing me to exponentially increase the work pace.

So I ran back home and started my training in martial forms.

Dawn was just painting the sky with pink and orange when I positioned myself on the training field. The ground was cold under my bare feet, but my body was already warmed up by the daily routine.

The nanny, with her imposing and reassuring presence, watched me intently.

It had been a while since I had started my intensive training, and now it was time to demonstrate my progress.

I began with the first martial form, stability and power.

I felt my feet sink into the ground, like roots penetrating deep into the earth.

Each movement was precise, my bones flexed and aligned perfectly.

My punch unleashed immense power, and the ground beneath me trembled slightly from the impact. The nanny nodded, satisfied.

Then, I moved to the second form, speed and explosiveness.

My body moved with surprising speed, my muscles contracted and relaxed with perfect synchronization.

Each movement was a flash, each attack a burst of pure energy.

My actions were precise to the millimeter, and the nanny watched me with an expression of respectful admiration.

Next, I moved to the third form, endurance and stamina. My breathing was controlled, my blood pulsed vigorously.

I was an unstoppable machine, capable of maintaining a constant and powerful rhythm for hours.

My skin glistened with sweat, but there was no sign of fatigue in my movements.

The nanny smiled, recognizing my determination and effort.

Finally, I focused on the fourth form, recoverability and flexibility. My body bent and flexed in ways that defied logic and common sense.

Each movement was fluid, as if my bones had become liquid.

I felt energy flowing through me, healing and strengthening every fiber of my being.

The nanny watched with wide eyes, astonished by my skill.

When I finished, silence reigned in the training field.

The nanny approached, her eyes shining with pride.

"You really have an extraordinary martial talent, I hope you won't waste it," she said with a voice full of respect.

"You have reached the level of Circle of Perfection in all four martial forms of the Ryushin family."

Then she paused before continuing:

"Next time, I will teach you a footwork technique."

I smiled, my heart swelling with satisfaction.

I had worked hard, every day had been a struggle, but I had finally reached my goal.

Now, the four martial forms were not just techniques learned, but an integral part of myself that constituted solid foundations for learning real martial arts.

[You have reached the level of Circle of Perfection in the 4 martial forms of the Ryushin family]

The System notification flashed before my eyes, a further recognition of my progress.

But I knew this was just the beginning.

With my dedication and continuous training, I could push myself even further, and eventually improve them to create a completely new and modified version, going beyond the current Circle of Perfection, and creating new martial forms.

Recognizing this, with renewed determination, I prepared for another hard day, following my newly modified program.

Then, however, I remembered the words of the nanny, Kim Song, and Fúwén dàshī, where they all used the word "next time."

So, without thinking too much, I asked the nanny:

"What do you mean by 'next time'? Won't it be tomorrow?"