Evening.
The Stone Mill Village square.
The bonfire had not yet been lit, but the afterglow of the setting sun dyed the entire square in a warm orange-red.
The youths and some of the young adults had arrived one after another, each occupying a spot to begin their pre-training warm-ups or review yesterday's movements.
Matthew entered the square, carrying his 【Worn Standard One-Handed Sword】.
Instead of immediately looking for an open space to practice as usual, his gaze swept around, and he walked straight toward the shaded area at the edge of the square where Instructor Calm usually stood or rested.
His actions immediately caught the attention of several people.
A few youths practicing spear thrusts stopped their movements, their eyes following Matthew's back.
But soon, they lowered their heads again and continued their practice, without much surprise or resentment on their faces.
“He's going to Instructor Calm again,” someone muttered in a low voice, a hint of habitual understanding in his tone, and even a faint sense of “it should be so.”
“He has the ability, and the instructor is willing to teach him. We just need to practice our own well,” the person next to him replied, his voice calm.
After this period of time, especially after witnessing Instructor Calm's unusual personal guidance for Matthew and Matthew's own visible progress, which far exceeded that of ordinary people, the mindsets of the youths and even some of the young adults on the square had already changed.
The initial surprise, incomprehension, and even a hint of hidden jealousy had gradually faded and transformed in the face of the widening gap day after day.
When the gap was still within catch-up range, it might breed resentment and competition.
But when the gap widened to an unreachable degree, especially when this “talent” was clearly linked to the future safety of the village, what remained in the hearts of the ordinary villagers was mostly a complex mixture of relief and envy.
They were glad that the village had produced such a “promising sprout” who was valued by Instructor Calm and expected to grow rapidly.
Under the shadow of the looming monster threat, having one more strong person meant one more layer of security for the entire village.
In a sense, Matthew's strength was also a blessing for Stone Mill Village.
Therefore, when Matthew walked toward Instructor Calm once more, it only drew momentary attention on the square before the noise of training resumed.
Matthew could feel the change in the surrounding gazes, from the initial probing and questioning to the current calm acceptance and even implicit expectation.
There were not many waves in his heart; he was only more determined to become stronger.
Coming before Instructor Calm, he bowed respectfully.
“Instructor.”
Instructor Calm's grey eyes glanced at him, nodding slightly in response.
Matthew then reported what had happened early this morning.
After listening, Calm had no expression on his face. He calmly reminded, “I see. It seems the activity range of those green-skinned bastards has expanded outward again. Be careful, don't go too deep when checking the traps, and move quickly.”
“Yes, Instructor,” Matthew replied, feeling slightly more at ease.
“In a few days, prepare yourself to go for a patrol along the edge of the forest with us,” Calm said, his gaze fixed on Matthew's expression. Seeing a hint of joy on Matthew's face, he nodded secretly.
“Understood, Instructor, I will be ready!” Matthew agreed immediately upon hearing this.
He had no reason to refuse. Acting together with Instructor Calm, even if it was just patrolling the outer edge of the forest, he would surely learn many things that were difficult to grasp on his own.
It could be more precise scouting skills, direct observation of goblin activity patterns, or even real combat responses when encountering small groups of enemies.
These were valuable experiences that he could not figure out on his own.
As for safety, Matthew was not worried either.
Instructor Calm was recognized as the strongest in Stone Mill Village. If even his side was unsafe, Matthew might really have to consider moving elsewhere.
Just as Matthew was lost in thought, Calm called out to the young adults' side:
“Fabian!”
A stocky, dark-skinned man in his early twenties turned his head at the sound, sweat from training covering his face.
“Instructor,” Fabian replied, jogging over.
Taking advantage of this time, Calm turned to Matthew and said, “You lack his strength, but when it comes to technique, he is probably inferior to you. For the next period, you will spar with him to adapt to actual combat.”
‘His technique is inferior to mine?’ Matthew was slightly surprised to hear this, but on second thought, he understood.
Fabian was older than him and had participated in village training longer, so his strength was naturally greater—this was the accumulation of time.
As for technique...
This was not just a gap in practice time, but also a matter of “talent” or “comprehension.”
Matthew not only had modern thinking but also a cheat system to help him, so it was normal for him to catch up.
By now, Fabian had run up to them. His gaze swept over Matthew, then he looked at Instructor Calm, waiting for instructions.
Instructor Calm pointed at Matthew with his single arm and said to Fabian, “Starting tonight, you will spar with Matthew.”
Hearing this, Fabian sized up Matthew once more, pursed his lips, and finally agreed.
“Go to that open space over there,” Instructor Calm waved his hand.
Matthew and Fabian walked toward a relatively open area on one side of the square as instructed.
Many gazes around them were drawn over again, especially from the young adults' side. Many slowed down their movements, watching with interest and whispering in low voices.
“Fabian sparring with Matthew, isn't that a bit of a bully?”
“Instructor Calm must have his reasons for doing this.”
“Fabian... has a lot of farm work at home, so he doesn't come to village training very regularly. If we're talking about technique and dedication, he might not necessarily match Matthew.”
The two stood still, a few paces apart.
At this moment, Matthew had no time to care about others' opinions.
After a month of nutritional supplements, his body had long moved away from its initial “skin and bones.” Although his build was still on the slender side, his muscle lines were already clearly visible, and his arms and shoulders had become much sturdier.
However, when he actually stood facing Fabian, an invisible pressure still rushed over him.
Fabian's build was stockier, his shoulders broader, and his arms thicker. Standing there, he was like a solid wall.
“This is still the first 'battle' across my two lives.”
Matthew took a deep breath, suppressing a hint of nervousness in his heart. He gripped the sword in his hand tightly and assumed the starting stance of 【Basic Swordsmanship】.
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