Sword God in a World of Magic

Alex slowly stepped out of the forest, dragging a severed head behind him.

The Frozen Lake Stag's antlers had lost all their color by now.

Obviously, Alex's masochistic and power-hungry side couldn't let go of so much Mana.

Alex slowly stepped towards the village, a couple hundred meters away. Right now, Alex could finally see the villagers doing their business. They were tending to some farms while others cooked on the streets for the entire village.

Alex watched the village from a distance.

'Everyone is working together. Some people are tending to the crops. Some are cooking for everyone. Some are out gathering Ice Wood.'

'I've never seen anything like that on Earth. Sure, I've seen scenes like that in documentaries and movies, but not in real life.'

Alex silently watched the village.

'It has a kind of purity and innocence to it.'

After a bit, a boy noticed Alex. After looking at Alex with wide eyes, he walked up to a grown woman and pointed at Alex while pulling on her skirt.

The woman looked at Alex, and her eyes widened.

'Great,' Alex thought. 'Guess the villagers will all leave again.'

However, surprisingly, the villagers didn't retreat. Instead, they all called each other and pointed towards Alex, or, more accurately, towards the head of the Frozen Lake Stag.

Alex could see some shock and surprise in their eyes.

'Well, at least they're not scared anymore,' Alex thought. 'Might as well give them a display.'

Alex lifted the head and held it above himself.

The villagers continued to look at Alex while talking in hushed voices.

After a couple of seconds, Alex felt a bit awkward and lowered the head.

'Weren't they supposed to break out into a cheer or something?' Alex thought awkwardly.

Alex released a sigh.

'Well, real life doesn't work like that, I guess. They're probably all just happy and surprised. Who would expect a huge group of adults to loudly break out into a cheer?'

Alex continued walking towards the village, and the villagers didn't retreat.

When Alex came close to them, some of them walked up to him.

"Well done, young man!" one of the men said with a bright smile. "That beast has been a problem for a long time!"

"Yes, thank you for taking care of it," another man said with a respectful nod.

and Alex nodded back

answered. "Where's the

as he pushed

seen, the Frozen

knew that the Frozen Lake Stag wouldn't be a problem for you. After all, you already took down a High-Grade Ice Spear Bear. The Ice Spear Bear has an equally powerful

a bit worried for you. I hadn't

explained. "However, the fight

eyes widened

the head in Alex's hand and

glow coming from its antlers?" he

to take care of," Alex said. "My body accidentally absorbed

Elder's eyes widened

other villagers and pulled Alex away with his

had almost attacked the Elder out of instinct when

pulled Alex into his house and closed

he released

tone. "There are ways to take advantage of someone's affinity. If an enemy knows about your

Frozen Lake Stag getting impaled

shot a lot of pure Ice

arm would absorb all the Ice Mana and fill

would be able to quickly recover from any injury,

Mana force him to injure himself at

Frozen Lake Stag had filled Alex with Ice Mana while running away and

Stag wouldn't injure Alex,

the Frozen Lake Stag would have gotten a perfect opportunity to finish Alex. After all, Alex could

evade something like those Ice

group of bandits threw some kind of bomb filled with Ice Mana

or need

would give them a perfect opportunity to

his eyes as he realized all of

wouldn't have come up with all of these scenarios in an instant, but Alex

didn't know it yet, but his experience with battle was vastly superior to nearly every other warrior in

me, Elder,"

nodded solemnly. It was good that the young man realized

had seen too many young geniuses die

you dealt with the surplus of Mana? A Mana Overload is usually a death sentence,"

at the Elder

nearly killed myself several

Elder's eyes widened

a while, the

Elder released

words, the Elder's eyes had

as a talented, friendly youngster. Alex was very talented in the Elder's mind, and the Elder knew that Alex would go far. Alex had also offered to help the villagers instead of

the Elder realized how naïve he

Why naïve?

how did a genius become a

having a