Adam woke up early. His sleep was not peaceful; his body rested inside the hut, but his soul remained caught between two worlds. The sound of the cold wind slipping through the wooden gaps and the memories of the Earth he came from were enough to keep him awake for most of the night.
Pedro was sleeping on an uneven pile of straw, while Ana curled up beside him under a thin blanket that barely protected her from the morning chill.
Adam didn't want to wake them up immediately. He sat by the door of the hut and began drawing lines in the dirt with his fingers. They were not random lines, but more like a map of his thoughts, his questions, and his dreams for the future.
"The Gift... what are its limits? Can I turn ordinary people into legends? And is there a price for this?"
An hour passed, and with the first rays of the sun slipping through the cracks, he spoke in a low yet firm voice:
"Get up."
Pedro opened his eyes first, followed by Ana, who rose slowly. Fatigue still showed on their faces, but in their eyes, there was a glimmer of something new… a spark of hope.
Adam took the remaining dates and bread from yesterday and placed them in front of them.
"Eat what you can, because today… we take the first step in changing your fate. No rest from now on."
He led them to an open area behind a row of abandoned huts. The ground was dry, scattered with stones, and some withered grass grew at the edges.
"This will be our training ground," he said confidently.
Pedro looked at him skeptically:
"Training for what? No swords, no armor… no skills."
Adam smiled mysteriously:
"We begin with the simplest thing… your bodies."
They began running, then jumping, doing push-ups, and finally climbing a collapsed wall. Their bodies weren't ready, but Adam wasn't asking for the impossible—he was pushing them to the limit of their capabilities.
After an hour, Ana collapsed on the ground, breathing heavily, and Pedro sat, panting, sweat dripping from his forehead.
"This isn't making us knights…" Pedro muttered.
Adam approached them, squatted down in front of them, and said seriously:
"But it's making something more important… willpower."
Then he stood up and raised his hand in front of them.
"Now… it's time for the most important part."
He extended his hand towards Pedro first:
"Scan."
Name: Pedro
Age: 16 / Expected: 70
Gift: Green
Level: None
Strength: 3
Speed: 2
Endurance: 3
Skill: Strength
Then he turned to Ana and repeated:
Name: Ana
Age: 14 / Expected: 70
Gift: Green
Level: None
Strength: 2
Speed: 3
Endurance: 2
Skill: Speed
"Activate the Gift."
Adam felt a hidden link form between him and them, and (+) symbols appeared next to some of their stats, but their gift and skill remained unchanged.
"Only two points… one for each of them. But they don't affect the skill or gift? Perhaps because my reputation points are still low…"
Adam chose a "Strength" point for Pedro and a "Speed" point for Ana.
Pedro: Strength 4
Ana: Speed 4
As soon as the points were activated, both Pedro and Ana felt a warmth spreading through their bodies.
"This… is amazing," Pedro muttered.
"What do you feel?" Adam asked.
"I feel… stronger. I can stand longer, run faster."
Adam turned to Ana and asked calmly:
"And you?"
"My body feels lighter… my movements faster. I've never felt this before."
Adam looked at them, and for the first time, he felt that the seed he planted was beginning to sprout.
"This is just the beginning… and I will make you the foundation of my kingdom."
Then, in a firmer tone, he said:
"From tomorrow, we raise the intensity. I will reward only those who work hard… and only those who deserve my strength will get it. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Master!" they both responded in unison.
Adam smiled when he saw the determination in their eyes.
"Good… take a break and adapt to your new strength."
Ana bowed her head in respect, and Pedro smiled faintly.
Adam didn't have the strength yet… but he had something more important:
**Vision.**
He left them in the training area and returned to the hut. He sat against the wall and closed his eyes for a moment.
"The next stage… teaching them how to use their skills."
He remembered what he had read in the library:
Skills come in two types: those that are acquired through training, and those that are innate, born with a person. The latter are rare… but they are the strongest.
"Ana has Speed, and Pedro has Strength… but how are they activated? Do they need a shock? A critical situation?"
When he returned to the training area, he found Ana moving nimbly between the stones, and Pedro was striking a rock with his fist, watching the dust scatter around it.
"You both seem better." Adam said as he approached.
Pedro smiled and replied:
"My bones are tougher… my muscles heavier, but they don't hurt."
Ana said, standing firmly on a high rock:
"I can jump higher than I thought."
Adam nodded:
"Next stage… learning to control your skills."
He looked at Pedro first:
"Your Strength skill… is not just a punch; it's an internal energy that bursts at the right moment. If you use it without focus, you'll break your own bones."
Then he turned to Ana:
"Speed… means being ahead of the moment. It means moving before your opponent blinks. Being a shadow before the sound."
"How do we activate them?" Pedro asked.
Adam smiled… a faint smile that looked terrifying in their eyes.
"It's simple… I'll force you to do it."
"Pedro, come."
He picked up a sturdy stick from the ground and said:
"Your training is easy… I'll hit you, and you won't move until you activate your skill."
"But… I don't know how!" Pedro said.
"Then learn quickly."
And Adam began to strike.
It wasn't a vengeful beating, but a test. Pedro gritted his teeth and endured, knowing the pain was temporary, but strength was forever.
The training continued for ten minutes until Pedro collapsed to the ground, exhausted.
"Take a break now. Ana… your turn."
Ana froze for a moment, having witnessed how Adam treated her brother, but she didn't back down.
"I'm ready."
Adam looked at her and said:
"Opposite of Pedro… you will dodge my strikes."
"Understood."
"Good… let's begin."