That day, Nox came home later than usual. When he arrived, he found his wife and son talking in the living room, which was very rare since his son had been too reserved before.
"Change isn't so bad," he thought with a smile.
He took a few seconds to contemplate the scene before revealing his presence.
Tilda had slightly sensed her husband's presence before he revealed himself. Even though she was a healer, due to her somewhat special lineage, she was no less powerful than a warrior. She turned her head toward the direction from which her husband had just appeared.
"How do you manage to sense me every time I come in? Even if I don't completely erase my presence, this is excessive… Can't you let yourself be surprised once in a while, like before…?" he said, pouting, forgetting his son was there.
"What are you talking about? Don't you see your son is right here?" Tilda asked, blushing.
It was rare for Nox to tease his wife. But today he was happy to see his family more lively and happier than before. Nothing was worth more than having a happy family—even the fatigue he had accumulated all day had vanished.
Carried away by his emotions and feelings, he decided to tease his wife. Tilda was a very serious woman most of the time, but when she became embarrassed, she was unrecognizable. It was very amusing to watch. Nox found her very cute in those moments and was looking forward to her reaction.
"Déon, my dear son, did today's training go well? Daddy has a gift for you," he said with a big smile, moving closer and then lifting Déon up like a baby once he reached him.
Déon had never seen his father so expressive. Normally, he was a simple and reserved man, but today, for some reason, his attitude had changed. Déon had trouble reacting and adapting to this situation. Not once in his previous world had he felt such family warmth.
After putting him down, Nox took a ring from his pocket and handed it to him.
"Tadaa, here's your gift. It's a dimensional ring. This ring creates a dimension in which you can store any kind of object except living beings," he explained, glancing at his wife.
"I haven't forgotten you, my dear wife. Turn around," he asked with a mischievous smile.
After she turned around, Nox approached his wife and placed a necklace around her neck. Tilda was very surprised by the gift Nox had given her. The necklace was white in color, with runes engraved on it.
But what surprised her the most wasn't the beauty of the necklace—it was what it was. The necklace Nox had just given her was… an A-rank item.
"So, do you like it?" Nox asked, but Tilda's expression grew serious.
"Yes, but…" she replied casually, but Nox quickly reassured her.
Nox knew why his wife was hesitant about the gift. Giving her an A-rank necklace meant that he had closed a portal of the same rank. And since they had arrived in this village, she didn't want him risking his life anymore, even if he was the village chief.
"And what about me? Don't I deserve a gift? Not even a hug?" Nox asked, staring at them.
Tilda didn't know what to think about her husband's behavior—but she realized this was exactly what she loved about him.
"I love him so much," she thought before she and Déon went to give him a hug together.
Nox would give anything to protect the happiness he felt at that moment forever. He felt that something was spreading in the shadows somewhere on the continent. Normally, A-rank portals were nothing to him, but lately, they had been opening more and more frequently around their village—it was becoming worrying.
No matter what kind of threat would fall upon them, he would protect his family; he was capable of it. But even so, he had to find a way to make them stronger. His wife was powerful enough that one might doubt she was a healer. However, his son…
After their family moment, Déon wondered if the atmosphere was right to ask his father for some clarification about the Sword of Truth technique.
"Déon, are you alright?" Nox and Tilda asked in unison, noticing their son's absent expression.
"Hmmm… Today I read the manual of the Forgotten Truth, but I didn't understand much," Déon replied, embarrassed.
Nox and Tilda exchanged a brief look, visibly a bit relieved. In the past, when Déon made that kind of expression, it meant he had a problem, and it was hard to make him talk because of his personality.
Confirming that it wasn't really a problem, Nox spoke to try to shed light for his son.
"Hmmm… It's not surprising you didn't understand much. This technique can't really be understood by a child. If I gave it to you at the start, it was so you could realize how difficult weapon mastery is.
I thought you'd give up at the first obstacle, but now, seeing your determined face, it seems I was wrong."
Déon already suspected it. The techniques his parents had entrusted him with were too destructive, especially the Forgotten Truth, to be given to a twelve-year-old boy.
Either his parents wanted to make him give up until he abandoned, or they trusted him to succeed. It seemed they had intended to make him quit but ended up having their expectations surpassed.
Déon was already looking forward to seeing his parents' faces if he managed to master this technique in record time.
Nox was about to tell the origin of this technique and the responsibilities that came with learning it. But seeing the radiant, determined face of his son, he realized he was too young to be dragged into such matters…
Even if, by some chance, he ended up exceeding expectations and becoming strong by mastering this technique, the choice of which path to take would always belong to him.
After sorting out his thoughts and sitting comfortably, Nox began his explanation.
"To put it simply, each stage of the Forgotten Truth technique represents the practitioner's degree of enlightenment.
To master the first stage, the Formless Sword, you must reach what is called sword comprehension—being able to understand the very essence of the sword.
A user who reaches the first stage can perceive countless links or paths connecting his sword to specific points—all synonymous with weaknesses in the opponent.
The Formless Sword seeks and forces until it finds weaknesses, even the slightest ones in the opponent's defense, in order to defeat them in the simplest way possible.
The fewer weaknesses an opponent has, the fewer links will be perceived. In this state, the Formless Sword adapts to all situations, combining speed and precision."
Déon was amazed, while at the same time imagining how long it would take him. Understanding the essence of a sword didn't seem easy at all. But he was sure he would manage, one way or another.
"As for the second stage: Obliteration—it requires the level of sword unification. Obliteration is the very manifestation of destruction. In this state, the user has the same destructive power as an S-rank guardian.
As for the third stage, Truth—the details are still unknown, but it requires reaching the will of the sword. At this level, you can infuse your will into the sword and enter the world of infinite possibilities. Only the creator of this technique has reached this level, and he is suspected to be SS rank."
"So, do you understand what you need to do?" Nox asked, concluding his explanation.
"Yes, it's much clearer now. Father, who is the creator of this technique?" Déon finally asked. Ever since he had seen it, he wondered if it was his father who had invented it or if his family had an even more incredible history.
"Hmmm… Your great-grandfather. The less you know, the safer you'll be. When you become stronger… maybe," Nox replied quietly, glancing at his wife.
Noticing the atmosphere was starting to change, Tilda intervened.
"And the archer technique—it's simpler to understand and powerful at the same time, right?" she asked Déon, curious about his thoughts.
"Yes, it was really very understandable," he said, smiling at his mother while she was setting the table for dinner.
The second manual, which contained archer techniques, was easier to understand. Déon knew what he had to do to progress.
The first movement, Shadowless, required blending with nature. Not simple from the name, but in practice, it wasn't that complicated either.
As for the second movement, it involved infusing mana into an arrow before shooting it, then making it explode once it reached its target. It was simple but devastating—the higher the mana density in the arrow, the greater the explosion.
In a house where a middle-aged woman lived alone, a man suddenly appeared out of nowhere through the shadows.
"Madame Jeanne, a C-rank portal has just opened. Shall we call…?"
Before the man could finish speaking, Madame Jeanne interrupted him.
"No, take the men from your squad and deal with it. He'll be furious if we disturb him at this hour. Unlike us, he still has a family," she replied before the man vanished as suddenly as he had appeared.