We arrived in a small clearing in the forest that was located behind my town. It was the perfect area to train and hone skills, not just because of its secluded nature. Still, the land was flat, and the ground was moderately soft, so even if I did fall back, I wouldn't get to hurt. I was not a stranger to pain, but it did make me feel a lot better. My dad tossed a small wooden stick at me. It was incredibly light and easy to grip. Before Lorena was born, my dad was a professional hunter. His combat skills made him an A-class hunter. He was truly a genius in swordsmanship and martial arts.

"Ready to spar, kiddo?" He asked me, grabbing another stick and holding it in front of his face.

"Mhm!" I said, positioning the pole in front of my face like my father instructed.

I hadn't been training for a long time, but I already understood the techniques. I wasn't perfect yet, but at least I knew what I needed to improve upon. I already was pretty good at bearing the pain of the swings of the stick when they impacted me. Even if I was but a mere toddler, my dad did not hesitate to go hard on me.

I pushed off with my foot and charged at my dad; stick gripped tightly in my small hands. I swung at my dad, but he blocked it with ease. He tried to strike back, but my reflexes kicked in, and I jumped off to the side, preparing to launch another attack.

My body was still a bit hard to control, but it was a big upgrade from what I had in my past life. I had better awareness and even more strength. You would think that I would be even just a bit stronger in the past when I was 16 years old, but no. My arms and legs were constantly battered and broken, and it wasn't like I could afford healthcare anyway, so over time, my health deteriorated along with my muscles and strength. I was a cripple, unable to stand up to anyone.

We went at it for a while. My dad would yell at me to fix my posture, or amidst the 'battle' would give me tips to use. I made sure to note these things and use them to improve my performance.

My dad swung at my stomach. I couldn't doge this one; it was simply impossible. I squeezed my eyes shut and prepared for the force of the impact against my soft stomach. The wooden stick hit my gut, but rather than sending me stumbling backward out of breath. The stick broke in half and splintered on the ground.

My dad and I stared at each other, dumbfounded.

"How..." My dad questioned, still clutching the broken piece of wood in his hand.

"Well, maybe it was just flimsy," I suggested.

I myself was still confused. I had been getting whacked during training, and I would tell that these training poles were of the best quality, but this is the first time one broke, against my soft, unprotected stomach no less.

"No, no... That's not possible. I used these when I was a kid for training just like this. These poles were made from the timber from The Stronghold Tree, and as its name suggests, it's the sturdiest wood you can find."

I looked up at my dad, who still had a puzzled look in his eyes.

"Did you... enhance your body with mana?" My dad asked, staring into my eyes.

"I... I dont know. I've only really read about mana in books, but isn't it rare for someone to be able to use magic at all?"

I stared down at my stomach. There was a hole in my black shirt where the splintered wood had ripped it, but other than my clothes being torn, I was completely fine.