Days passed quietly after Leon's trip to the city.
The morning sun, the familiar scent of soil, the laughter of his sister all of it slowly became normal to him.
At first, he thought he would never get used to it this simple, peaceful life. But soon, he found himself moving with the rhythm of their daily routine as if he had lived it for years.
He helped in the fields during the day, carried water from the well, chopped wood when needed, and did small repairs around the house. When he finished his chores, he spent his free time on something else training.
Every day, once work was done, he'd head behind the barn to do push-ups, squats, and basic stretches. His father and brother laughed at him the first few times, calling him strange for "exercising after work," but he didn't care.
He needed to get stronger.
And soon enough, the results began to show.
His system window would flash from time to time — [Body System: Level Up] — followed by the faint warmth that spread through his limbs. Strength, endurance, vitality, agility all of them increased little by little.
He could feel it too. His body moved smoother now, his muscles firmer, his breathing steadier.
When he caught his reflection in the water barrel one morning, he almost didn't recognize himself.
His face had sharpened slightly, his shoulders looked broader, and he seemed just a bit taller.
"Leon?" his sister called, stepping beside him. She blinked, tilting her head.
"…You look different. Taller, maybe?"
Leon smiled faintly. "Do I?"
She frowned suspiciously. "You're not secretly eating all the food at night, are you?"
He laughed. "No. I just work hard."
"Mm-hm." She crossed her arms, unconvinced, but eventually smiled. "Well, it suits you. Keep it up."
Her words, though casual, made something stir inside him a small spark of pride.
A few days later, while helping his father repair a fence, his brother came up, waving lazily.
"Leon! You busy tomorrow?"
"Not really. Why?"
"Come with me to the village. Gotta deliver some sacks to the mill. Could use an extra pair of hands."
Leon shrugged. "Sure."
The next day, after loading the cart, the two of them headed off. The trip wasn't long just an hour or so but the air buzzed with life when they arrived. The village was lively, filled with chatter and the sound of tools clanging. Children ran about, and vendors shouted near the square.
While his brother went to unload the sacks, Leon wandered nearby, taking in the view. He liked seeing people like this smiling, laughing, working together. It was the kind of peace he never had before.
But after a while, he noticed something.
His brother wasn't just delivering he was talking. No, flirting.
A small group of women surrounded him near the well, all giggling as he spoke animatedly. Leon blinked, unsure whether to laugh or feel secondhand embarrassment.
"…Right. He's one of those guys," Leon muttered under his breath, shaking his head.
He quietly turned around and slipped away.
He didn't want to be a third wheel or rather, a third victim of that atmosphere.
He wandered through the village until he reached a quieter side street, where wooden houses stood close together. Just as he was about to leave, a voice called out behind him.
"Well, look who we have here," someone sneered.
Leon turned. Three boys stood there, roughly his age maybe a bit older. Their clothes were simple but dirty, and their smirks carried the kind of confidence that only came from picking fights they thought they could win.
One of them stepped forward, arms crossed. "Leon, the farmer's son. Haven't seen you around much. What's the matter? Too busy hiding behind your fields?"
Leon frowned. Great… bullies.
He didn't recognize them personally, but his body or rather, the memories buried deep in it did. The tone, the stance, the mocking words.
The old Leon must have known them well.
"I don't have time for this," Leon said simply, turning away.
That, apparently, was the wrong answer.
"What was that?" one of them shouted, grabbing Leon's shoulder. "You think you can just walk away?"
The other two moved closer, one of them throwing a punch fast, but not fast enough.
Leon sidestepped easily, feeling the air brush past his cheek. Another tried to grab him, but he twisted out of reach.
Their movements were clumsy, wild just like kids trying to act tough.
In contrast, his own body felt light and sharp, every sense heightened by days of training.
When the next punch came, Leon caught the attacker's wrist and pushed — not too hard, but enough to throw the boy off balance. He stumbled, falling onto the dirt road. The other two froze, surprised.
Leon sighed. "I told you. I don't have time for this."
But when one of them lunged again, Leon's patience snapped. He moved before he even thought about it a quick step, a twist, and a strike to the gut. The boy fell, groaning.
The last one hesitated, then backed away.
"Now," Leon said calmly, brushing dirt off his hands, "say sorry and bow."
"What—?"
"Bow," Leon repeated, eyes narrowing.
They stared at him in disbelief, but the look in his eyes made them flinch. One by one, the three of them lowered their heads, mumbling apologies.
Leon nodded. "Good. Now go."
As they ran off, he let out a small laugh. "Guess leveling up really does make a difference."
When he returned to the cart, his brother was still surrounded this time by even more women.
Leon just stared at him for a moment before sighing. "Unbelievable."
"Hey, Leon!" his brother called, spotting him. "Done looking around?"
"Yeah. I'll wait by the wagon."
"Suit yourself!" his brother replied, laughing as the women giggled again.
Leon shook his head and walked away. He waited patiently until his brother finally finished his "business" and climbed up with a grin.
"You left me too soon," his brother said teasingly.
"Right," Leon muttered. "Didn't want to steal your spotlight."
His brother laughed heartily. "That's my little brother!"
The road back home was filled with their laughter, the wagon rattling under the fading sunlight.
When they arrived, their sister noticed the faint dirt marks on Leon's clothes.
"What happened to you?"
"Nothing," Leon said with a small grin. "Just… handled some trouble."
She raised an eyebrow but didn't press.
That night, as Leon lay in bed, the familiar system windows glowed faintly in his mind.
[Body System: Level Up]
[Stats Increased]
He smiled faintly, eyes closing as sleep claimed him.
Slowly but surely, he thought, I'm getting there.