Chapter 94: A Blade in Every Hand
Morning came with the sharp clang of hammers and the chatter of builders. Borin's teams had already cleared the land east of the village, where stakes and ropes marked what would become the village's official training grounds.
Caelen arrived with Garin and Zira, their boots crunching over the leveled soil. Several goblins, elves, and even a few humans were stretching or testing old wooden swords nearby. They looked nervous but excited.
"Alright," Caelen said, raising his voice. "We're building a proper place to train—so we can defend ourselves, hunt better, and survive."
He looked around.
"No more just winging it. We'll train by rank. Bronze, Copper, Iron, Silver... You know the cards. You level up, you move up. You train, you get stronger."
Zira stepped forward. "I'll be teaching sword basics. Garin's offering spear training. And Dorgrim's already making training dummies. Anyone who wants to join can."
Garin smiled, holding up a spear. "I'll be starting drills today. It's okay if you're a beginner. You'll get better. That's the point."
The villagers nodded, murmuring among themselves.
Caelen added, "I've seen it happen—training increases your skill levels now. That's how this world works. Use a bow? Get a bow skill. Fight with a sword? You'll become a swordsman."