The wind blew gently outside.
Eiden stood in the backyard again, holding a wooden stick.
He was five now.
His arms were still small, but stronger than before.
He swung the stick slowly. One step forward. Slash. Turn. Slash again.
It was not perfect. But each move was better than yesterday.
---
Inside the house, his parents watched from the window.
"He's always so focused," his mother said softly.
His father smiled. "Maybe he'll be a hunter one day."
Eiden heard them.
He lowered his stick and looked up at the sky.
"No," he whispered. "I won't be a hunter. I'll be something more."
---
Later that day, a letter came in the mail.
It was from the City Education Office.
"Dear Valtz Family,
Your child, Eiden Valtz, is selected for the upcoming Aptitude Test next month.
This test will decide his path: Sword School or Magic School."
His parents were excited.
"Oh! This is big!" his father said. "What do you want to choose, Eiden?"
Eiden looked down at the letter.
His heart was calm.
He already knew.
"I'll choose the sword," he said.
His mother blinked. "Really? But you always read magic books."
Eiden smiled. "Sword feels right."
He didn't want the world to know his magic just yet.
---
That night, Eiden sat on the rooftop.
The stars were bright.
He opened his hand.
A small blue light sparkled on his palm—just for a second.
It faded quickly, but he felt it.
The mana was growing.
His body was learning.
"Soon," he whispered, "I'll be ready."
"But first, I must hide."
"No one must know I was once Arkanos."
---
In the morning, his father brought a wooden sword from town.
"It's just a toy, but maybe you can train with this," he said.
Eiden took the sword gently.
He bowed.
"Thank you, Father."
Then he went outside to practice.
---
He remembered sword styles from his past life.
He never used swords himself, but he studied them.
Warriors came to him to enchant their blades.
He watched them move.
He learned the rhythm of battle.
Now, he used that knowledge.
Step. Swing. Breathe.
The wooden sword cut through the air with a soft sound.
---
Some kids walked by the fence.
They saw him training.
One of them laughed.
"Look! He's pretending to be a swordsman!"
"Yeah, with a toy sword! What a joke!"
Eiden ignored them.
He kept training.
He didn't care about their words.
In his heart, he had already faced gods and death.
Children's laughter could not hurt him.
---
The next day, his parents took him to the city.
A large building stood at the center: the Aptitude Test Hall.
Many kids lined up outside with their parents.
Some wore fancy clothes.
Some held real weapons.
All of them looked nervous.
Eiden stood silently beside his mother.
A man in a black coat checked their names.
"Eiden Valtz. Age five. You may enter."
Eiden nodded and stepped inside.
---
Inside the hall, the test began.
First was the magic crystal.
A big purple gem stood on a pedestal.
"Place your hand on the crystal," the instructor said.
Eiden hesitated.
If he used real mana, they'd notice.
So, he touched the crystal lightly, holding his power back.
The crystal glowed faintly.
The instructor wrote something down.
"Low magic potential."
Eiden smiled inside.
Perfect.
---
Next was the sword test.
A dummy stood in front of him.
"Try to hit the target three times," the instructor said.
Eiden took a wooden sword.
He closed his eyes.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Then—he moved.
One.
Two.
Three.
Each strike was clean, smooth, fast.
The instructor's eyes widened.
"…That form…?"
---
After the tests, the parents gathered for the results.
"Magic School: 70% of applicants."
"Sword School: 20%."
"Rejected: 10%."
"Eiden Valtz—Sword School."
His mother blinked. "Sword School? Really?"
His father scratched his head. "I didn't expect that."
Eiden stood quietly.
But his eyes shined.
Just a little.
---
That night, alone in his room, Eiden looked at his reflection in the mirror.
His voice was soft.
"I've taken the first step."
"Now… the path begins."