The clang of steel against steel echoed through the courtyard, sharp and unrelenting. The boy who had once been William of another world now stood with sweat dripping down his brow, his dark hair plastered against his face. His arms trembled as he raised the blunted training sword once more. Across from him, Alfred, as ever, was a wall of calm precision.
"You're thinking too much," Alfred barked, twisting his wrist and nearly knocking the practice blade from William's hand. "Your opponent won't wait while you plan your next clever move. He'll gut you."
William gritted his teeth and lunged. His form was tighter than it had been months ago, his feet planted more firmly, but Alfred still deflected him with insulting ease. A twist of the wrist, a tap to William's ribs, and the boy stumbled back with a sharp hiss.
Ding!
[System Notice: Swordsmanship (Beginner) EXP +12]
[Progress: 87% to Intermediate]
The glowing blue prompt in his vision gave him a grim sort of satisfaction. Every bruise had its price, and he was slowly, painstakingly paying it.
...
..
The first year after his reincarnation was nothing but sweat and blood in the courtyard. Alfred showed him no mercy, no matter his age. If William moved too slow, Alfred punished him with a stinging strike. If his stance faltered, Alfred knocked him flat on his back. At first, William hated it — cursed it. But the System made the difference.
Every failure fed him progress. Every repetition sharpened his skill. Where another child would break under Alfred's regime, William adapted.
By the second year, he could at least hold his own. Alfred still bested him, but William landed blows that were not simply luck. His agility grew, his stamina hardened. The bruises became badges of pride.
On the eve of his twelfth nameday, the System revealed something new.
[System Update Unlocked: Shop]
William's eyes widened as he stared into the shimmering menu that unfolded before him. It was like a catalogue of power, waiting for his hand.
Weapons: Blades, bows, spears — some simple, others glimmering with enchantments.
Skills: Sword techniques, stealth, even martial stances.
Abilities: A wide variety of powers drawn from anime, movies, and other worlds.
Consumables: Potions, tonics, even temporary boosts.
And the currency? System Coins, earned through quests and milestones.
He grinned like a wolf. "Now we're talking."
But Alfred noticed the sudden smirk tugging at William's lips during training. His voice cut sharp.
"Wipe that look off your face."
William barely heard him. His mind was elsewhere, already wandering through the glowing panels of the System Shop. He imagined blades, abilities, even powers that could change his fate.
Then his eyes landed on the balance.
[System Coins: 36]
His mood plummeted instantly.
"…Well, that kills the excitement," he muttered under his breath.
...
..
Swordplay was not the only crucible shaping him. Alfred ensured the boy did not neglect his mind. At dawn, William sparred. By midday, he sat in the solar with Maester Othryn, an aging man with a hawk's nose and endless patience.
"House Targaryen rules from King's Landing," the maester droned one afternoon, laying out maps across the oak table. "But do not forget the truth: dragons won them their throne. Steel alone would never have bent the Seven Kingdoms."
William leaned forward, to be honest hearing about the history of this world was really entertaining. Plus, if he was to survive here, he needed more than muscle. He needed knowledge.
And when he faltered, the System rewarded his persistence even in study.
[Quest Complete: Attend a full lesson with the Maester without distraction]
[Reward: +1 Intelligence]
The blue window made him smirk. "Even homework grinds me stats…"
Othryn raised a brow. "You find amusement in history, my lord?"
William coughed. "Something like that."
When Elric finally left, William leaned back, staring at the carved beams of the ceiling. His muscles ached from Alfred's drills, his head from Elric's lectures. But in some strange way, both pains felt… necessary.
The System confirmed it.
[Bonus Objective Completion: Two Quests Completed in One Day.]
[Reward: +5 System Coins.]
William's eyes widened. "Wait… I can stack rewards?"
The glowing number shifted.
[System Coins: 41]
A grin spread across his face. Not much, but it was a start.
...
..
Three years passed in this rhythm of steel and scrolls. On a cold morning, William found himself once again crossing blades with Alfred. His breath misted in the air, his muscles burned, but his stance was steady.
Alfred came at him swift, the edge of his wooden sword hissing through the air. William pivoted, redirecting the strike, then lunged in with a counter aimed at Alfred's shoulder. For the first time, Alfred blinked.
The butler deflected it, but his eyes narrowed. "Better."
William pressed, strikes flowing like a rhythm drilled into his bones. Alfred blocked, but the old swordsman had to work harder now. And when William finally went down — which he always did — he was laughing, blood on his lip, sword still clutched tight.
Ding!
[System Notice: Swordsmanship leveled up to Intermediate]
[New Skill Acquired: Quick Slash]
That night, Alfred poured the boy a cup of watered wine, a rare gesture. He placed it before him with care.
"You have steel in you now," Alfred said, his tone low, his eyes measuring. "When I first began your training, I thought you would break. But you did not. You endured."
William swallowed the wine, every word sweeter than the drink itself.
"From this day forward," Alfred continued, "I will not hold back against you. You are no longer a boy to be coddled. You are an heir who must sharpen his edge — for this world will not forgive weakness."
The System chimed in confirmation:
[Quest Complete: Gain Alfred's True Acknowledgment]
[Reward: Skill Unlock – Sword Mastery Growth (Passive)]
William felt the warmth spread not just from the wine, but from the certainty that this was only the beginning.
He looked to Alfred, his bruised knuckles wrapped tight around his sword hilt. "Then let's get back to work."
And Alfred, for the first time, smiled.