Something Wrong with the System

"An eagle should spread its wings and soar through the nine heavens. Little Arro, this is your first time going out. A fledgling eagle spreading its wings cannot be stopped."

As she spoke, Nicole rubbed her eyes with little sobs, utterly reluctant to part with him.

Father David, however, wore a somewhat fake expression of sorrow. He gently patted Nicole's back, turning his face away as though he could not bear to look directly at Arro—or perhaps feared exposing the upturned smile at the corners of his mouth.

"Mother, Father, I'm only planning to take a walk by the door. Please don't be so dramatic!"

Little Arro wore a deadpan expression.

"Dear Nicole, how about we go have a candlelit dinner? We haven't properly rested in the past year."

Mother Nicole nestled against Father's chest and sweetly reminded him:

"Dear David, but it's still noon!"

"Dear Nicole."

David gazed tenderly at the woman in his arms, a gentle smile on his lips. His refined face was filled with sincerity, and his whole body seemed to radiate a faint golden glow.

"As long as I'm with you, any time can be a candlelit dinner."

Nicole's eyes shimmered dreamily. Resting against David's chest, she gave a sweet hum.

"Mhm!"

Seeing the two of them acting as though no one else existed, Little Arro instantly had a cross-shaped vein pop up on his forehead.

Mother was usually very dependable, but whenever she appeared together with Father, Father's style would assimilate her completely. No wonder she had ultimately been tricked into coming home with him.

With a livid face, Little Arro tossed out a "So fake," then turned and left.

Just as Little Arro had said, he did not intend to go far. He merely wanted to find an empty spot and calmly inspect the system.

Personal Attributes:

Strength: 0.1

Agility: 0.1

Nerve Reflex: 0.3

Endurance: 0.3

Constitution: 0.2

Personal Martial Skills: None

Remaining Skill Points: 0

Personal Level: LV0: 0/10

Personal Martial Arts Mission: Novice Mission investigating...

Looking at that string of ellipses, Little Arro's eyebrows furrowed even tighter.

It had been nearly two months since he had learned to walk, yet the system had been stuck on "investigating" all this time. Was it investigating or not? At least give him an answer!

Even if I have to die, let me die knowing whether it's investigating or not!

Investigating...

Watching the system endlessly repeat "investigating," Little Arro could not help sighing. How he wished this were the system's answer to him!

When you issued my initial Main Mission, weren't you working perfectly fine?

Why did you freeze up just from issuing a Novice Mission?

What, then?

Is a Novice Mission harder than a Main Mission?

Hey, hey!

If this keeps up, the best period for growth after my rebirth will pass. How am I supposed to surpass those true geniuses in the future?

Don't freeze on me, System. You're my cheat ability, damn it!

Investigating...

Trash system!

Little Arro turned to look at the Castle behind him, but his parents were nowhere to be seen. They had presumably gone to enjoy their "candlelit dinner."

His gaze deepened as he could not help recalling the Supernatural Event he had witnessed a few months ago.

Unfortunately, Ms. Fana had left before he learned this world's language. Afterward, no matter how Little Arro questioned David about that matter, David always avoided discussing it.

Still, if the mountain would not come to him, he would go to the mountain.

Could a living man let himself be suffocated by his own piss?

Little Arro had long decided on his target.

Every day, several people wearing armor and carrying weapons came and went outside the Castle. After receiving letters sent out from the Castle, they would immediately depart. Sometimes, however, they would remain behind to train in the Open Space outside.

In Little Arro's view, since they dared to wear armor as clothing, they were obviously no ordinary people. If he could obtain the cultivation technique they practiced, there was a good chance it would stimulate the Martial Arts System and activate it properly.

On his chubby little legs, Little Arro steadily walked toward the Open Space nearby.

The ground in the Open Space was lower than elsewhere. Only after stepping onto it did Little Arro realize that it had been compacted solid by countless footsteps.

At that moment, there were not only three armored men on the flat ground, but also several Guards from the Castle. A large group of brawny men trained and shouted on their own, the sounds of banging and clanging filling the air with fervor.

However, when they saw Little Arro approaching, they reminded one another and all stopped.

Little Arro was simply too young. In terms of height alone, he did not even reach these Guards' knees. If he were struck by a stone kicked up during someone's training, none of them could bear the responsibility.

"Greetings, Young Master Arro."

Little Arro gave a slight nod in response to the Guards' greeting. He looked over the armored men, picked out a kind-faced young man, and walked straight toward him.

Seeing Little Arro approach, the young man bent at the waist in greeting and said sonorously, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Young Master Arro."

The young man had merely bent over, yet his burly body blocked out the entire sky like a collapsing mountain. The light before Little Arro immediately dimmed.

"Huh?"

Little Arro secretly swallowed, forced out a stiff smile, tilted his adorable little head, and pretended to be puzzled. "You know me too?"

"Of course, Young Master Arro."

Looking at the little one before him, the young man could barely suppress his excitement. With a kind smile on his face, he thought, I know you even better than you imagine.

The letters sent from the Castle each day were not sealed. Reading what was written in them during their return journeys was one of the few pleasures they had.

Therefore, they all knew what time Little Arro woke up every day, when he ate, and what he learned that day.

It could roughly be understood as a text livestream from another world.

Other than never having Witnessed Little Arro in person, they could be said to have fully witnessed every day of his growth. These dedicated letter carriers were all Little Arro's "livestream fans."

For that very reason, they had long regarded Little Arro as one of their juniors.

"But I don't know you, sir. What should I call you?"

Little Arro blinked, making full use of his advantage in age.

Kabir replied excitedly, "Kabir Diala, Young Master Arro. You can just call me Kabir."

Little Arro found Kabir's attitude rather strange. He did not know this was the emotion of a fan meeting a real idol, so he could only continue at his own pace and guide the conversation with an admiring tone.

"Mr. Cabir, you're amazing!"

"You can actually wear such huge armor!"

Hearing Little Arro's words, Kabir broke into a brilliant smile. He straightened his shoulders and proudly declared, "Of course. I'm a Sain!"

"Sain?"

Little Arro was a little confused. When Mother taught him to speak, she had pointed at the Guards in the Castle and told him to call them "Mr. Sain." In his understanding, the word meant Guard.

He did not know that this pronunciation represented "knight."

So this man meant—

I'm a Guard?

You're proud because you're a Guard?

"Are you the same as those 'knight' gentlemen?"

Little Arro pointed at the Guards around them who were not wearing armor. The Guards, who had been secretly eavesdropping on their conversation, could not help putting on solemn expressions and quietly straightening their chests.

Kabir swept his gaze around them and said disdainfully, "They... strictly speaking, are not yet 'knights.'"

The Guards stiffened. Though embarrassed and somewhat indignant, they each lowered their heads and did not dare refute him to his face.

Little Arro noticed it too. After all, to him, all these Guards were "giants," and every movement they made was far too obvious.

Strictly speaking, they were not yet Guards?

What? Were there ranks among Guards too?

Little Arro could not quite figure out the hierarchy of their positions, but that was not his purpose right now. So he skipped around and said admiringly, "I want to be as amazing as you too!"

"Mr. Cabir, can you teach me?"

"Teach you?"

Kabir's expression gradually froze. He knew Little Arro's identity. Without permission, how could he dare make such a decision on his own? Besides...

"You're too young. Your body has not developed yet, so you cannot undergo knight training."

The essence of knighthood was to awaken one's Life Seed. However, without a powerful physique to support it, the moment one awakened that life potential would also be the moment of death.

It was like the Adrenal Gland. When stimulated, it made the heart race, the pupils dilate, and the breathing quicken, allowing one to unleash strength Beyond Limit.

But excessive stimulation led to death.

Little Arro unwillingly pressed on, "Can you teach me a way to practice while sitting, one that isn't training?"

Internal cultivation, do you understand? I mean internal cultivation!

Kabir gently shook his head. Looking fondly at the little bean before him, he said, "Knights have no such training method. We only train our strength! As long as we possess enough strength, we will be swift as lightning, we will be unrivaled, and we will be invincible in battle!"

"As for foundations? Our foundation is training our muscles!"

A voice suddenly piped up from the crowd beside them. "And there's the Knight's Breathing Technique."

Kabir turned and explained, "The Knight's Breathing Technique exists precisely to train the muscles more effectively."

"Knight's Breathing Technique? What does 'Breathing' mean?" Little Arro hurriedly asked.

Little Arro now understood that "Sain" meant Guard.

But this was the first time he had heard the word "Breathing." Judging from the suffix "technique," whatever they were talking about might very well be useful to him.

Kabir took a breath, then slowly let it out. Lowering his head, he explained, "That is 'breathing.' The Knight's Breathing Technique teaches you how to 'breathe' in a way that better trains your muscles and awakens the Life Seed."

Oh!

So it meant a breathing method!

"Sain"—Guard. "Breathing"—breathing. Together with the suffix "technique."

What they were talking about translated to—

"Guard Breathing Technique"?

A guide on how to become a successful Guard?

That name sounded so weak!

"Can you teach me? I want to learn too!"

Strong or weak, he would ask for it first. Maybe learning it would activate the system?

Kabir hesitated. He enjoyed teaching others and was willing to show himself off before Little Arro, but he knew his limits. Without approval from above, how could he dare overstep his authority?

Noticing Kabir's hesitation, Little Arro understood his concern after a brief moment of thought. After all, the thing was called the "Guard Breathing Technique." His family likely possessed something better.

But his family would not teach him either. No matter how he asked, they avoided the subject. What was he supposed to do?

Let nature take its course?

Wouldn't that waste the advantage of reincarnation?

Pretending not to understand, Little Arro waited for Kabir's answer. When Kabir remained silent for a long while, he gradually lowered his little head, blinking with a disappointed and despondent look. Yet he still bowed politely.

"If it's very precious... then forget it."

"Mr. Cabir, thank you for explaining it to me!"

Naturally, Little Arro had faked that expression. He was simply too young; he could not use any methods of coercion or temptation.

Therefore, his age was his only "weapon."

"Precious? No, it isn't a matter of it being precious."

"Then... why?"

Little Arro raised his head and tried hard to open his eyes wider, making himself look even more innocent, naïve, and adorable.

"This..."

Kabir did not know how to explain it. After all, the Family Head had issued a strict order that all matters related to wizards had to be concealed from Little Arro until he was three years old.

Kabir glanced up at the Castle beside them and suddenly thought of a solution. Reaching into his armor, he pulled out an old book.

He nostalgically stroked the book's smooth cover, then looked up and said:

"Young Sir Arro, I have A Book called the Knight's Breathing Technique here. How about I Give To you? If you want to learn it, hand it to Madam Nicole and have her teach you to read. What do you think?"

Since it was a book mostly composed of writing, even giving it to a child barely over one year old would not cause any major problems. Besides, it would be Madam Nicole teaching him the words.

This could both spark Little Arro's interest in learning to read.

It would also leave the question of whether to teach him the Knight's Breathing Technique to Madam Nicole.

Of course, to ensure safety, Kabir still planned to set off later and report everything that had happened today to Lord Pachez Gana, leaving nothing to chance!

Little Arro jumped up happily, snatched the old book, and nodded in delight. "That's great! Thank you!"

Kabir looked at his now-empty palm and sighed softly, strangely feeling both reluctant and uneasy.

This copy of the Knight's Breathing Technique held no ordinary meaning for Kabir.

Otherwise, after memorizing all its contents, he would not have kept it on his person.

"Mr. Cabir, if there's something I don't understand, can I still ask you?"

Little Arro knew that asking this might be a little excessive, but he had finally found someone willing to pay attention to him. It would be too much of a waste not to get more wool from such a fine sheep.

Seeing the expectation and determination in the little bean's eyes, Kabir suddenly became dazed, as though he had seen himself from many years ago.

Had he looked like that back then too?

"You can," Kabir nodded solemnly.

Perhaps this was an opportunity for him. That was what he thought, but he did not hide anything and said directly, "If possible, as long as you need it, many people would be willing to teach you. After all... there may be benefits in it."

"But this is your book, isn't it?"

Kabir was slightly stunned, then could not help laughing. He nodded. "Of course."