Preparation

Paul got up, saying with some emotion, "Roa, you've grown up. You should have a better teacher. In a few days, I'll ask an old friend of mine to teach you swordsmanship."

Roa knew immediately who Paul was referring to: the Sword King, Ghislaine.

It seemed Eris's storyline was about to begin.

However, thinking of Eris's terrible temper, Roa honestly felt a headache coming on.

She wasn't like Roxy, who had such a good temper; her attitude towards strangers was practically unreasonable.

While Roa was lost in thought, Paul suddenly asked, "Roa, can you tell me how you dodged that attack?"

Paul was genuinely confused. By all rights, the boy absolutely shouldn't have been able to avoid that slash, but the evidence was right in front of him, leaving Paul utterly bewildered.

Roa couldn't explain the skill in words, so he simply said, "Intuition, I guess. I sensed how Father would move and dodged in advance."

A wry smile touched Paul's lips. "Your talent, child, is terrifyingly immense. If my teacher saw you, he'd probably be eager to take you as a disciple."

After a moment of reflection, Paul turned to Rudeus, who was standing by blankly, and said, "Rudeus, come train."

Rudeus subconsciously swallowed, forcing a strained smile. He knew his father's foul temper well; after taking a loss from Roa, he would surely find someone else to take it out on.

But he was no match for Paul. He probably couldn't even beat him with Magic.

Unsurprisingly, amidst Paul's loud scolding, Rudeus was thoroughly thrashed and ultimately defeated by Paul's sword.

Paul said, somewhat exasperated, "Kid, can't you learn from your big brother? The difference in skill is just too obvious."

Rudeus collapsed onto the ground, his face expressionless. "Father, there might only be one prodigy like Roa in this world."

Paul sighed and waved his hand helplessly. "Prepare yourselves for the next few days."

Rudeus asked curiously, "What for? Prepare for what?"

Paul grabbed Rudeus and patted the dirt off him. "You two are going on a trip. And while you're at it, earn some tuition for your Zenith. Our family has some assets, but it's definitely not enough to support two people at school, let alone three."

He then looked at Roa and said, "You'll learn swordsmanship from Ghislaine. Once you've learned all her techniques, go find the Sword God to study."

The Sword God, one of the Seven Great Powers, possessed terrifying strength.

The Sixth Great Power: "Sword God."

The Sixth Great Power was the only human among the Seven Great Powers. Like the "War God," the "Sword God" didn't have a fixed name. The main reason for this was the short lifespan of humans, meaning there weren't many individuals who held the title of "Sword God." They were individuals who, with human bodies, had reached the pinnacle of the world's strongest, which spoke volumes about their power.

Honestly, humans weren't particularly strong. They lacked the longevity of the Long-eared tribe, the peculiar traits of the Demon Tribe, or the powerful, imposing physiques of the Dragon Tribe. Humans could be considered mediocre.

However, every so often, exceptionally talented young individuals would emerge.

The Sword God was a representative of those young generations.

To successfully earn the honorific "Sword God" basically meant their strength was the peak combat power of the human race in that era.

Roa nodded in understanding. Indeed, if he wanted to defeat the Dragon God, he needed to grow stronger quickly in reality.

With that thought, Roa shifted his perspective to his other self in Sword Art Online.

"Has it begun? I hope you won't disappoint me," the young man murmured.

He opened his status panel.

[Characters: Roa Grayrat]

[Age: 10]

[Strength: E-]

[Agility: E+]

[Stamina: E]

[Intelligence: B+]

[Talents: Pure Body (Stage 1), Fool (Stage 1), Greedy Sword Heart (Level 1)]

[Skills: Advanced Magic Knowledge, Sword God Style Swordsmanship (Advanced), Grand Thunderstorm Cumulonimbus (Water Saint level), Magic Sword, Magic Seed]

[Evaluation: You now possess the preliminary qualifications to venture into the world.]

These were Roa's current stats.

Honestly, he was quite satisfied with his current strength. He had reached this point through sheer hard work, and his body hadn't even fully developed yet, leaving much more potential to be tapped.

But his current strength was still insufficient; he needed more power.

With his current self alone, he couldn't become an "Enlightened Being."

Roa's definition of an "Enlightened Being": cool, powerful, and controlling everything from behind the scenes.

Yes, you could think of him as an upgraded version of Ainz.

Roa continued to train himself, simultaneously exploring new ways to use his Magic Power.

Time flew by. Two days weren't long, and they passed in the blink of an eye.

On this day, Paul solemnly called Rudeus and Roa into the living room.

Paul surveyed the two of them, his stern face softening slightly. But upon seeing Rudeus, his expression tightened unconsciously.

Rudeus found himself speechless at this realization.

After a moment of thought, Paul spoke, "Rudeus, Roa, you two should leave today."

Roa nodded calmly, he was prepared. Everything in the room had already been packed into a bundle, ready to go at a moment's notice.

Rudeus felt a pang of reluctance, as Paul had said their journey would likely be a long one.

He wouldn't be able to see Zenith for a while. He tried to ask Paul if he could take Zenith with them.

Paul gave him a look as if he were an idiot, which made Rudeus feel extremely embarrassed.

Roa, however, felt nothing. Traveling far from home was necessary. Even if Paul hadn't said anything, Roa would have embarked on a new journey.

The Ten-Mile Slope Sword God was indeed satisfying, but there was a wider world outside. Even the projections were working hard, so how could he afford to slack off?

The weather was clear and the sun was shining. Today, the sound of rustling horse hooves could be heard. A burly Beast Tribe warrior, covered in muscles, dismounted from the carriage. She had a cold expression, a hideous scar across her face, and wore an eyepatch. Her features were regular, and she exuded the aura of a big sister, currently giving off a fierce and aloof impression. She wore extremely revealing leather armor, and her body was covered in countless scars.

She dismounted from the carriage with a cold demeanor and saw only Roa and Rudeus. She looked around strangely and asked, "Where's Paul?"

Zenith explained to Ghislaine from the side, "Paul is inside with his other two daughters. These are my two children; Paul wants them to follow you and learn."