Leon Greyrat: The Second Son - Mushoku Tensei OC

— Leon Greyrat —

I formed three stone bullets, changing the shape to be conical and sharp, and with a blast of compressed air, they were sent flying towards an assailant each as I ran forward.

The air blowing my hair back, I brought my sword to my side, letting the touki infuse into the blade as I struck forward, the tip tracing through the air faster than the speed of sound.

The assassins all cut down the stone bullets, but before they could react, my blade dug into the left swordsman's side.

Remembering the feeling of when I killed the monsters, the way skin and flesh felt being cut, I continued the path of my swing, bisecting the man and creating a curtain of blood.

The momentum of my swing carried my sword toward the leader, weaving through the air as the edge approached his neck.

Clang!

Only to be blocked by his sword.

It wouldn't be that easy, after all.

Sensing an incoming attack, I crouched my body as I let the leader's sword slide harmlessly above my head, before sending out my blade to stop another attack. 

But instead of blocking a weapon, I was surprised to feel my blade run through flesh, embedding itself into an assassin's stomach.

"Gah!"

What? Why would he do that?

In my state of momentary confusion, the assassin grabbed onto my sword with one hand and brought down his dagger toward my neck, forcing me to leap back without my sword.

Damn… it was a trap.

That's the North God style for you. 

Not only were they unconventional, but with the wide range of styles and dojos, there was no way to know all the possible techniques.

Now back in front of Eris, I stomped my left foot, transforming the ground under their feet into mud that quickly buried them up to their knees.

"Fucking shit!" the leader shouted. "You think this is the end!?"

The leader then ripped out my sword from his comrade, killing him in the process, before throwing it toward me.

Right, he was a North God swordsman, after all. 

And considering our quick exchange… likely Advanced rank, the same as me.

But while I was a good swordsman, rank-wise, I was an even better magician.

Forming a physical barrier with my hand, the sword shattered on impact, harmlessly bursting into a shower of metal. 

Meanwhile, with my left hand, I formed a small fireball, the regularly red flames burning bright purple from the power and heat.

According to Roxy, one of the first lessons they teach you in Ranoa is to never use fire magic in a city, as with the lack of control once you launch the spell, it could quickly lead to disaster in such an enclosed and populated space, not even mentioning how most houses were built of wood.

Too bad I didn't go to Ranoa.

"Bye."

Flicking my wrist, the fireball launched forward like a bullet, and just before the leader could cut the spell in half with his sword, I willed it to explode.

Boom!

After the echoing blast, no death cries nor whimpers were heard, rather, there were only the sounds of quietly smouldering flames and the charred corpse of the leader smacking into the wall with a sickening squelch.

Releasing a small sigh, I turned back to Eris, ignoring my still-racing heartbeat.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

That seemed to break her out of her daze, as she looks up at me with the same eyes she had after I killed those monsters. 

Though I could see a hint of relief there too.

"O-Of course I am! I was just… surprised, is all… Hmph! Needing to use dirty tricks like a surprise attack… No wonder you beat them so easily," she huffed, turning to face away from me.

Smiling, I lightly patted her head as I began to sheathe my sword-

Oh… right, it broke.

I… hope Paul doesn't mind too much. 

I still had the smaller one in my bag, after all.

Hmm… I should probably start wearing that on me as a backup plan, huh?

Anyway, while it may have looked easy, it was still a fairly close battle.

Not in the technique, nor the stamina sense, but rather… with just one misstep… one small mistake, and I'd be dead, and Eris would be carted off to who knows where.

I wonder… without that 'enlightenment' from my spar I had against Paul… would I have died today?

Maybe… either way, I needed to get stronger.

"Eris!" Ghislaine yelled, landing in front of us with her sword drawn.

Looking back at the signs of battle in the alley, and the three corpses that were strewn about, the tension left her body as she then sheathed her sword.

"Well done, Leon. Did you get cut anywhere?" she asked.

I shook my head. "No. I was careful about poisoned blades, as they were North God swordsmen."

"I see… the alarm was a malfunction, but considering this… it was likely intentional. Anyway, let's head back. You can report to me there."

Along the way, with my heartbeat returning to normal and the adrenaline draining from my system, I found myself with a realization.

I had just killed people.

 Two directly, and one indirectly, as he was finished off by his comrade.

And… I didn't care at all.

"Ghislaine… am I a bad person?" I asked.

Eris turned toward me. "What? What are you talking about?"

Ghislaine, meanwhile, simply raised her eyebrow, urging me to continue.

"I killed today… for the first time, and… I don't feel any different. Is that wrong?" I asked.

Ghislaine simply shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, and I don't think it matters. You did your job in protecting Miss Eris, and you would do the same for those you love, so you should be proud."

"Right… be proud, huh?" I muttered.

Eris, meanwhile, decided to come close and grab my arm. "Don't make such a pathetic face! You… saved me, right? Isn't that all that matters?"

Smirking at her childish words, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders.

Right. I saved her, so I should just put these thoughts behind me.

Not like bearing guilt would change much anyway, and I would have to do the same if it happened again.

"Thanks, Eris," I said.

"Hmph!"

Although she acted so dismissive, she continued to hold my arm as we made our way toward the castle. 

I think her little vacation was quite beneficial, for more than just her swordsmanship.

Entering the manor, Ghislaine then went to report the incident to Sauros and Philip as Eris and I went to our respective rooms, and not a minute after organizing my things, I was called down by a maid to Philips office.

Haa… I needed a nap.

— Leon Greyrat —

"-And that's the basics of it," I said, finalizing my explanation of the fight.

Philip leaned back in his chair, bringing his hand to his chin in thought. "So it was a kidnapping attempt… and probably not for ransom either."

"Those damn ingrates! Trying to lay a hand on my granddaughter! How dare they!" Sauros seethed. "Philip! Who is this scoundrel!"

So loud…

"Someone tripped the alarm while knowing that Ghislaine was escorting the two and setting up a trap at the precise moment… the leader of the operation, or at least a cornerstone of it, was definitely an employee of the manor," Philip said.

"What!?" Sauros shouted, "Then find them and execute them for their crimes! No, execute their entire family!"

"It's not so simple, Father," Philip answered smoothly. "Not only would we need to find who is the insider, but also the mastermind behind them. There's no use in someone from the manor taking Eris unless they were under someone's employ. But… I wonder who… and what for…"

"Hmph! So weak-minded! But I suppose I'll let you play these stupid games!" Sauros then turned to me. "Boy! You saved my Eri! I thank you for that!"

I simply bowed my head. "No need, Lord Sauros. It is in my job description, after all."

"Indeed, but it is still admirable to stand tall in such a situation! You said your sword was destroyed, yes? I shall buy you a new one as a reward!" Sauros shouted.

"I thank you for your kindness," I said with a smile.

Giving me one last approving huff, the man then stomped out of the room.

Shaking his head, Philip then looked toward me. "Leon. We have next to no information on this new enemy, and an enemy like that is the most dangerous."

I nodded at his words.

They were right, after all. 

An opponent is much more dangerous when you least expected them and knew nothing of their motives and abilities.

Well… unless it was one of the Seven Great Powers.

In that case, you were screwed even if you knew.

"It will have to wait for the situation to cool down, as it would be too obvious if it was done right after this, but we'll have to set up a trap to see who's behind this in the estate, and catch whoever is backing them as well. I will be using you for this if that is alright," he said.

"As long as it doesn't bring harm to my family, and I am not being sacrificed, I am fine with anything," I answered.

This was my job, after all.

It's about time I actually perform some duties befitting a guard.

"Good. I'll keep that in mind," Philip said cheerfully. "You can be excused now."

Motioning for me to leave, I was about to get up before stopping myself.

I was confused about something…

"Master Philip… what exactly is the 'alarm' that you were talking about?" I asked.

"Ah. They are simply these," he then pulled out a rod from his pocket.

"By blowing into it, it creates a sound that only beastfolk can hear. And at large distances at that. This is also one of the reasons we employ primarily beastfolk, other than Father holding a fondness for the race," he explained.

So… a dog whistle?

"…I see. Why doesn't Eris have one, if I may ask?"

"Ah. She used to, but she would blow it whenever she wanted Ghislaine to be with her rather than being used only for emergencies, so we had to take it away from her," he said with a shrug.

…I see. That certainly fits the Young Miss.

— Information on the Six-Faced World —

Ancient History

Until 20,000 years ago, the world was split into seven smaller worlds, each with its own god ruling over it. This was called the Ancient Age of the Gods. These worlds were separated by barriers, and only the gods and those strong enough to cross these barriers knew of the other worlds. The seven worlds and their respective gods were:

The World of Humans - Human God

The World of Demons - Demon God

The World of Dragons - Dragon God

The World of Beasts - Beast God

The Ocean World - Sea God

The Sky World - Sky God

The Barren World - Barren God

— Leon Greyrat —

"Keep up the pace, Leon!"

Side-stepping Ghislaine's strike, I twirled on my feet, flashing my sword out for a counterattack.

We exchanged a flurry of strikes, with each clash sending a shock down my arm as I attempted to parry her attacks to the side.

Feeling the pace of the exchange slowly shift to Ghislaine's advantage as the pressure became too much to handle, I leaped back to reset.

"Did you forget the point of the Sword God Style? It's to end the fight in one movement, not an exchange of blows," she instructed.

Right. A single movement…

Crouching down, I brought my sword to my side as I let the touki flow across my body, like a blanket of unbridled power.

In the few months since reaching my enlightenment, I had noticed something about touki. 

Something that was right there in front of me the whole time.

You couldn't control it.

Or at least, I couldn't… not yet.

Mana danced to my will as long as I had sufficient understanding, focus, and image… touki, on the other hand, needed to be guided.

Guided by focus, will, and determination, truly fitting the definition of 'Fighting Spirit'.

My grip tightening on the handle, I pressed my feet deeper into the ground, letting the cool air flow into my lungs.

The tension in my body gathered like a compressed spring, and with the edge of the sword angled to better cut through the air… I released.

Shooting forward, I swung my sword with as much speed as possible for an ultimate strike.

Time seemed to slow, and colour warped in an undulating spectrum before my vision… faded.

But in the next moment, it returned, and I found myself sprawled across the snowy training ground, my wooden sword reduced to splinters as only the handle remained held in my hand.

"Leon. Are you okay?" Ghislaine asked from above, crouching over me.

Blinking the stars out of my eyes, I quickly cast some healing magic on my wrist, where there was a throbbing pain, before slowly getting to my feet.

"No, I'm… fine. What happened?" I asked.

Ghislaine smirked. "You did not perform the Longsword of Silence just now."

I didn't?

"While not fully mastered, that was the Longsword of Light," she continued. 

…What?

Longsword of Light, the ultimate technique of the Sword God Style.

It is said that when performed properly, the tip of the sword could reach the speed of light, though I had my reservations about that, knowing the physics behind such speeds.

If I had to guess, I think the sword reaching the speed of light was reserved for when the first Sword God created the style, if at all.

It was still pretty fast, though.

But for Ghislaine to say that I used that technique rather than the Longsword of Silence…

Does that mean-?

"Congratulations, Leon," she said, placing a hand on my head, "You are now a Sword Saint, and last time I checked, the youngest one to ever exist."

"Sword Saint…?" I said breathlessly.

I then looked down at my hand, which had grown much bigger since arriving here.

What used to be the soft and squishy hands of a boy were now covered in callouses and scars from healed scrapes and blisters, and clenching it into a fist, I watched as my hands revealed their muscle definition. 

They looked like Paul's. 

The hands of a man… or at least those of someone strong.

Getting up, I then walked over to the side and took my sword from under my towel before unsheathing it, revealing the silver blade as it glinted under the sunlight.

Sauros, true to his word, got me another sword not two days after the one Paul gave me broke. 

It was a one-handed, single-edged sabre, making it more similar to Ghislaine's sword than my old one, which had been more of an arming sword.

Setting my stance, I unleashed a flurry of strikes, letting my feet dance across the ground as my blade cut through the air.

Stopping my movement, I then looked back down at my sword.

"I'm a Sword Saint, huh?" I said to Ghislaine. "I don't feel that much different, though."

She shook her head. "Perhaps, for now, it may seem that way, but the difference between a complete Longsword of Light and a Longsword of Silence is night and day. With some more training, you'll quickly come to understand your new level of strength."

"Right… I still have a long way to go," I said.

Placing my sword back in its sheath, I then walked toward the barracks to get another practice sword.

"We're done for today," Ghislaine said, grabbing my shoulder. "But Leon… what do you think of going to the Sword Sanctum?"

"…The Sword Sanctum?" I said.

The Sword Sanctum, or the Holy Land of Swords, was a town located in the northwest of the Central Continent, and as its name might imply, it's where the home of the Sword God Style is located.

It was a harsh place to live, and it was said to be covered in snow all year round, a fact that Ghislaine vehemently hated about the place. 

While the people there were mostly uneducated, every single person living in the Sword Sanctum, even the townsfolk, were skilled swordsmen.

There were many dojos in the town, but for the main Sword God Style dojo, which was the centrepiece of the land, only those at the rank of Sword Saint and above were allowed to enter, hence Ghislaine's offer.

"No," I said, shaking my head. "I don't want to go there. At least not yet."

"Why?" she asked. 

Not in an aggressive or demanding tone, but simply out of curiosity.

"It takes nearly a season just to get there, right? And that's not even counting the time I would be training… I don't want to be so far away from my family for so long," I answered. "Plus, I want to make a good impression on my cute sisters."

"I see… I'm sure you would be accepted, though. My teacher may even take you personally under his wing, considering your potential," she said.

While being trained by a Sword God was surely a tantalizing offer, I still didn't feel like accepting it.

"No. Besides, from what you've told me, the ranks after Saint are fairly meaningless. Mostly about prestige than strength," I said.

"I agree. But staying at the Sanctum would still grow your skills," she said.

"Yeah, but then, what would Eris do without me? You too, for that matter," I teased.

Eris was currently doing her etiquette class with her teacher, Edna, but she was sure to be excited about my new rank.

Or maybe she'd be pissed.

You couldn't tell with that girl, but at least she had been acting much nicer to me since her kidnapping attempt, so I was hoping it was the former.

"Hmph. How cheeky."

Ghislaine then lightly pinched my cheek.

As we begin walking back inside, I then asked Ghislaine a question I've had since hearing about the ranks of the Sword God Style.

"Big Sis? The title of Sword God is taken by beating the current Sword God in a fight, right?" I asked.

"Yes," she nodded. "What of it?"

"What would happen if someone duelled the Sword God and won, but they were worse at the Sword God Style and used magic or other styles? Like if the Water God beat him. What would happen then?" I asked.

She shrugged. "That has happened before. The Sword Sanctum was taken by the Water God style after the leader won a duel a hundred years ago or so, before being taken back by the Sword God style years later. But neither of those swordsmen called themselves both the Water and Sword God. As for your question, my teacher likely wouldn't care, but anyone not dedicated to the style wouldn't want to be the leader of the style, so they would probably refuse the title."

I guess that's true… but then, was the title of 'Sword God' that important?

I mean, even if I was strong enough to take over the style, I wouldn't want to bother with the trouble, just like Ghislaine said.

So yeah… while ranks were cool and all, that was all they were. 

A name. A title.

I would have to remember that, and not let my new title as a Sword Saint get to my head.

There were many dangerous people in this world, after all, and even as a Sword Saint, I would be useless if someone stabbed me in my sleep.

— Leon Greyrat —

It has been a few months since I had become a Sword Saint, and with the coming of a new year, I was now nine years old.

In my pursuit of strength, I had begun practising with moulding magic into my swordsmanship and general fighting style during this time to… some success.

I was able to coat my blade in fire for increased power, as well as generating wind magic for aid in manoeuvring, but keeping up with magic, swordsmanship, touki, and the general flow of battle all at once was a bit too much for me right now.

It sometimes felt like I was back to sparring for the first time against Paul, where every fight ended up with me being quickly overwhelmed. 

But due to that feeling, I also knew that I would be able to improve with constant practice, so I just had to keep pushing forward.

I had also become an Advanced-rank North God swordsman, according to Ghislaine.

This happened due to a mix of my constant training in the style, my increased understanding of touki, as well as my experience against those North God kidnappers.

Anyway, while the new rank didn't come with any special techniques like the Longsword of Silence, it did open up a new world of adaptability in my fighting style, acting almost like a glue that held all my abilities together.

And I wasn't the only one growing stronger as time passed.

"Hyat!"

"Keep going, Eris!"

While she was still a long way from reaching the Advanced rank, Eris was steadily getting stronger with each passing day. 

It seemed that the kidnapping scare had sparked her passion for the sword, as before, while it was simply something interesting, now, she was training seriously. Aiming to get stronger with a fire in her heart.

"That's enough!"

As Ghislaine then began to lecture Eris about her mistakes and ways to improve, I made my way over to the edge of the training ground and put on my leather jacket, which had a white fur trim.

This jacket was a sign that one had reached the Saint rank in the Sword God style and was to be given to the pupil by their teacher, which in my case, was Ghislaine.

It was similar to how an apprentice magician would receive a wand from their master after casting their first spell and becoming a Beginner rank magician.

Speaking of… I needed to pick that up today too.

"Make sure you two clean up, okay?" I said to them. "We're going into the city for today's lessons."

Eris' lips curled into a wide smile as she quickly got to her feet.

"Yes!"

At least she was excited.

— Eris Boreas Greyrat —

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"To check if there are any interesting books," Leon responded.

Going into the store, the stuffy smell that reminded me of the library entered my nose.

I used to hate such a smell, but recently I found that it wasn't too bad. 

If anything, it just reminded me of… no, never mind.

As he leisurely perused the shelves, Leon eventually spoke to me, "Are you planning on getting anything today? I only planned on having you guys navigate through the city with written directions, so until your etiquette lessons, it's free time for you. Though… I do want to stop somewhere before going back."

He then took a book off the shelf and lightly flipped through it before placing it back on the shelf.

"You have quite a bit of money saved up by now, right? Unless you've been spending it without me looking," he said.

"Hmph! I'm not that stupid! A-Anyway, is there not anything interesting here?" I asked.

I knew from how much he visited the library in his downtime that Leon loved books, and I knew he wanted to buy some for his siblings. 

But weirdly, he had yet to buy one the entire time he was here.

Was there really nothing interesting?

But he was looking through that last one quite eagerly…

"Hmm? No, there are a few intriguing ones. Like this one on the monsters of the Millis Continent. It's just a tad over my budget, is all," he shrugged.

"Over your budget? What does that mean?"

I always hated it when he used complicated words.

"It's too expensive. I'm sending money back to my family, remember? Five gold coins… I would have to save for a few months to get this," he said.

Five gold coins? That was nothing!

"Why is that-!?" I shouted.

"Shh," he said, putting his finger on my lips.

To my embarrassment, I didn't snap back at him, and instead relayed my question in a quieter tone. "Why is that out of your budget?"

"I send home around eight silver coins per month, so it will take a while to save up enough, even with my current savings," he explained.

"Wait, how much do you earn?" I asked.

He was always quite secretive when it came to money, so despite teaching me for a year, I still didn't know how much he made.

Well, maybe not secretive. I just never asked.

"One gold coin per month," he answered.

One gold coin!?

But Father gave me two gold coins per month! And I didn't even do anything!

"That's too little!" I exclaimed.

He shook his head. "No. It's actually quite fair. Well, at least when I agreed to it. Big Sis, how much do you make?"

"Five gold coins per month," Ghislaine answered.

"See? She is a Sword King, and acts as both the manor's guard and our swordsmanship instructor," he said. "Considering I was only an Advanced-rank swordsman when I came here, a young boy, and also receiving her teaching on top of that, one gold coin is more than fair."

Grr… I didn't really understand what he was saying, but I knew that I still didn't like it!

I would definitely ask for Grandfather to increase his pay when we got home!

"T-Then let me pay for it! I have money saved up, after all!" I said.

I had only bought a few small things, like meat skewers, and all of those were with Leon.

I didn't really like spending money with him, though, since every time I did, he would turn it into an annoying lesson.

He turned to me with a smirk. "And did you bring it with you?"

My face turned red as I reached into my pockets.

No… I forgot to bring my money with me.

"Besides, I wouldn't have accepted anyway. That money should be used for you. As for the book… well, Rudeus doesn't need it. And as a gift, part of the importance is that it's from me. Do you understand?" he said.

"No! I don't!" I exclaimed.

"Hmm… you said that your mother gave you a stuffed animal a while ago, right?"

I nodded my head.

Of course, I remember. 

I treasure that gift dearly, both as a gift from Mother and from Leon.

"Right. And it's important to you, no? I know you brought it to my house, at least," he teased.

"W-Why are you sneaking into my things!" I shouted, striking out my fist to punch his arm.

Catching my fist, he brought his finger to my lips again.

"Quiet. We're in a small shop, so don't be annoying." I nodded my head with a glare. "Anyway, how would you feel about that stuffed animal if one of the maids got it for you? Or some random noble? You wouldn't care about it as much, would you?"

I shook my head.

No, I really only cared about it because it was from… oh, I see.

"It's like that. It holds value as a gift because it's from me rather than the gift itself," he said, turning back to the shelf.

As he continued, I kept thinking about how he sent most of his money home.

Why did he do that? 

His family had a nice house, all things considered.

So, with my curiosity growing, I decided to ask him, "Why are you working so hard anyway? Isn't your family comfortable?"

He nodded his head. "Yeah, our family is probably fine to continue living as is, and they even have enough savings to send Rudy to Ranoa, but… I want my sisters to have that chance too. Not necessarily having a life of luxury like a noble, but a comfortable life where they aren't constrained by money."

To let them live comfortably… that does sound like a Leon thing to say.

He really loved his family, huh? 

Even though he wasn't birthed from Zenith, that didn't affect how close they were at all.

But if he, who was not related to them by blood, could treat them as family… does that mean he could do the same with me as well?

It must be nice… to have him as family…

"And," he continued, "I like teaching you too, of course."

My eyes met his, and inexplicably, I felt myself wanting to run away.

Not because it was boring, but rather, because of an intense wave of annoyance mixed with something else I didn't know.

But luckily, I was able to keep myself in line, just barely, and turned around with a huff instead.

Anyway… he said that gifts were meant to have meaning, right? 

I suppose I would get him something nice for his next birthday.

"Anyway, I have a few ideas for things to get here. It's just a matter of saving up for a few months." 

Closing the book he was reading through, he then motioned for us to leave. "Here, I want to take you two somewhere."

He then led us down the street toward an old shop, or at least, the front of it, before he told us to wait.

I hated waiting, but considering he asked so politely, I decided to abide by his request.

"Sorry for the wait. I had to put the final touches on them," Leon said as he exited the store.

In his hand were two sticks with a red gem at the tip of each.

What the heck?

"According to my magic teacher, it is a custom to present the apprentice a wand after they cast their first spell," he said, handing them to Ghislaine and me. "I know you two are swordswomen before magicians, so just think of it as a gift holding sentimental value rather than practical."

Holding the wand in my hand with care, I was surprised when Ghislaine dropped to her knee beside me.

"I humbly accept, Leon."

S-Should I do the same?

No! That would be way too embarrassing! And improper too!

Leon, meanwhile, just made a sour face. "Don't do that, Big Sis. You don't make me act like that under you with swordsmanship."

She stood back up. "You're right. But still… I thank you for this."

Seeing how much she seemed to appreciate the gesture, I held the wand closer to my chest.

"Yeah. Anyway, sorry it's a little late, I wanted it to have something from me rather than me buying everything," he said with a shrug.

Both Ghislaine and I looked at him, confused.

"Huh? Oh, right. Eris, do you recognize the magic stone on yours?" he asked.

Magic stone?

I know the maids often handled them to refill the few magical implements we have at the manor, but the only other magic stone I've seen in person was…

"Yep. That's from the Terminator Boar back in Buena Village. I, uh, hope you like it," he said, scratching behind his ear.

What… what was this?

This annoyance… this warmth…

I wanted to turn away on reflex to vent out these annoying feelings that were bubbling to the surface, but just barely… I was able to hold myself back. 

Even if I was stupid and arrogant to emotions… I knew I shouldn't act that way after he did something so nice for me.

"I-I like it… thanks, Leon," I mumbled.

His lips curled into a beaming smile. "Good! Now let's head back to the manor."

Leon… he made me feel annoyed, but weirdly enough, most of the time the annoyance felt… good.

It was confusing, and because of that, it was even more annoying.

But, oddly enough… I felt the urge to make him feel the same thing with me.

Yes… that's right.

While I didn't know many things, I did know one thing…

I wanted to annoy Leon.