Sword God in a World of Magic

Alex hadn't expected a no for an answer.

"Then why did you ask about my coat?" he asked.

"To gauge your strength," the man said. "So, did you take out the Pest Cat yourself?"

Alex nodded. "I took out several. They are not my opponent."

This took the man by surprise.

He knew that Alex was strong since he was able to wield such a heavy sword in one hand, but he hadn't known how strong Alex was.

"They are not your opponents?" he asked. "What Stage are you?"

"Stage?" Alex asked, but then he remembered the Duke's words. "I should be in the Late First Realm."

"Late Soldier Stage?!" the man asked in shock. "And you're 15?!"

"Soldier Stage?" Alex asked in confusion. "I thought the First Realm was called Apprentice."

"That's for Mages only," the man said. "The First Realm for warriors is the Soldier Stage. That's because nearly all soldiers are in that Stage."

"Oh, okay," Alex said. "And yes, I'm at the Late Soldier Stage then."

The man looked far more surprised than Alex had assumed.

"Is that high?" he asked.

"Are you from a noble household?" the man asked in shock.

Alex snorted. "Do I look like I'm from a noble household?" he asked.

The man looked at Alex.

"So, is it strong?" Alex asked.

"Warriors in the Late Soldier Stage are generally considered elite warriors," the man answered. "They worked for years for their power."

"Elite soldiers?" Alex asked in surprise, "but the guards I met at that mountain were all more powerful than me."

"You can't compare normal soldiers to the soldiers working directly under the Duke," the man said. "The men under the Duke are all in the General Stage. That's the equivalent to the Adept Realm for Mages."

"Oh," Alex commented. "By the way, how do you know all these things?"

"When I was young, I worked as a smith in Warrior's Paradise," the man said.

'Knew it!' Alex thought. The guy just looked far too much like a smith.

"Back to the topic," the man said. "You said that Pest Cats are not your opponents, right?"

Alex nodded.

"Could you elaborate on your power? How would the fight go down?"

don't jump me from several different

transformed in

one Pest Cat had already nearly spelled his doom. If he hadn't been

been able to fight one

it easy

and the subsequent strengthening

could break a Pest

body was far stronger than a Pest Cat's

man heard of Alex's power, he was

man quickly

that powerful, we might have a lucrative job

that, he

What job?"

and gestured towards

speak with

Alex said with a smile as he followed behind the

the village, he could see curious eyes

were still wary of

bad experiences with

was as courageous

minute, the two of them arrived in front of

any different from any other house

house, it was made

on the door. "Elder, I

Wood Pest?' Alex repeated in his

some seconds, the door opened, and

man was probably in his fifties or sixties, but he looked like he was in his

seemed to not have much strength in his body anymore. The man also used a long cane in

the old man, he became a

Mana was swirling around the old

Was he a Mage?

comparison, the old man felt like an old weed while Duke Whirlwind

this old man only pulled in a bit of

gap was just too

a Mage?"

words, but

he had expected

that Alex was pulling in

confident?" the old man

"No," Alex answered.

smith was

man only smiled a

said.

be confident in defeating an enemy I don't even know?' Alex

old smith waited outside while Alex entered the old

was very simple and quaint. It looked like a cozy house

man gestured to a chair,

it over the fire, and while the