Mushoku Tensei: Ragnarök

The journey to the village was turning out to be more entertaining than I'd expected.

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The three demon kids had decided my shoulders and head were the perfect mode of transportation. Karu and Teku were perched on my shoulders, while Mira had claimed the prime real estate on top of my head, her small hands gripping my horns for balance.

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"You're really tall even when you're small!" Karu announced, swinging his legs against my back.

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"This is small?" I gestured to my two-meter frame.

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"Yeah! Before you were HUGE!" Mira said from her perch, spreading her arms wide to demonstrate just how massive I'd been.

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The desert heat was getting to everyone. I could feel the kids getting restless and tired. Their excited chatter was starting to fade, replaced by the kind of quiet whimpering that meant they were hungry and thirsty but trying to be brave about it.

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"Hey," I said, reaching down and picking up some smooth pebbles from the ground. "Anyone want to try something new?"

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"What's that?" Mira asked, leaning forward to peer down at my hands.

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"Just watch."

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I held the pebbles in my palm and concentrated, feeling that familiar sensation as I transformed them. The gray stones shimmered and changed, becoming colorful, translucent spheres that caught the sunlight like tiny gems.

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The kids went dead silent.

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"What... what are those?" Karu whispered, like I'd just performed actual magic.

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"They were rocks," Teku said, sounding completely baffled. "How did rocks become... those things?"

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"It's called candy," I said, popping one in my mouth. "It's sweet."

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Mira carefully reached down from my head to take one of the colorful spheres, examining it like it might explode.

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"It smells... different," she said cautiously.

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"Good different?"

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She took a tiny, experimental bite.

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Her eyes went impossibly wide.

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"IT TASTES LIKE HAPPINESS!" she shrieked, nearly falling off my head in excitement before catching herself by gripping my horns tighter.

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Karu and Teku immediately demanded their own, and soon all three kids were making the most adorable sounds of pure joy I'd ever heard.

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"What is this feeling in my mouth?" Karu asked around his candy, his face scrunched up in confused delight.

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"Why does eating this make me want to smile?" Teku added.

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Behind us, I heard Ruijerd's footsteps stop entirely.

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"How are you doing that?" he called out, genuine amazement in his voice.

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I shrugged, making more candies from another handful of pebbles. "I don't know. It's just something I can do."

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"But how can such a thing be done? I've never seen anything like this."

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"Honestly? I have no idea how it works. I'm just winging it."

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I handed some candy to Kishirika and offered a piece to Ruijerd, who took it with obvious curiosity.

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"This One has been enjoying treats for months now," Kishirika said with obvious amusement at everyone's shock, popping the candy into her mouth with practiced ease.

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Ruijerd bit into his piece, his crimson eyes widening slightly at the unfamiliar sweetness.

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"This is... remarkable," he said quietly, examining the candy like he was trying to solve a puzzle.

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The kids were chattering excitedly about the new flavors, comparing colors and textures, completely fascinated by this alien concept of sweetness.

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"Hey Sigurd," Karu said, "can you get big again? I want to see how high up everything looks from way up there."

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"Yeah! Big! Big!" Teku and Mira chimed in.

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I glanced at Ruijerd, who shrugged. "The village is still some distance away. As long as you're careful..."

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"Alright, but hold on tight."

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I began growing, feeling my bones stretch and my muscles expand as I returned to my full seven-meter height. The kids squealed with delight as they rose higher and higher above the desert floor. Mira's grip tightened on my horns as she found herself suddenly much higher than before.

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"This is the best day ever!" Mira shouted, her voice filled with pure excitement.

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"Look! I can see everything! There's a lizard! There's some rocks! There's... more rocks!"

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"Apparently these parts aren't exactly known for scenic diversity," I said, chuckling at their enthusiasm.

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That's when Mira had an idea that made my day infinitely more interesting.

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"Sigurd! You have wings! Can you fly? Can we fly?!"

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I felt my grin stretch across my face. "Want to find out?"

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The excited screams that followed could probably be heard from the next continent.

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I spread my wings and launched into the air. Below, I could see Kishirika sitting cross-legged on a rock, watching with obvious amusement, while Ruijerd stood with his arms crossed, his expression somewhere between concerned and impressed.

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I kept my flight gentle, circling in wide loops above them rather than going anywhere specific. The desert spread out below us like a brown and orange tapestry, dotted with rock formations and the occasional hardy plant.

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"WE'RE FLYING! WE'RE ACTUALLY FLYING!" Karu yelled, throwing his arms out like he was trying to embrace the whole sky.

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"Don't let go!" Mira warned her companions, though she was laughing too hard to sound serious. Her knuckles were white where she gripped my horns.

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"This is amazing! Can we go higher? Can we go faster?"

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"Let's not get too crazy," I said, though I couldn't resist picking up the pace a little, diving and climbing in gentle swoops that made the kids scream with joy.

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I could see Ruijerd shaking his head below, though there was a small smile on his face. Kishirika was clapping like she was watching a show.

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After a few more loops, I decided that was probably enough excitement for one day. I landed gracefully near my companions, the kids still giggling and talking over each other about the experience.

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"That was incredible!" Teku said, his eyes still wide with wonder.

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"I wish we could do it again!" Mira said wistfully, finally releasing her death grip on my horns.

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"Maybe someday," I said, gently lowering myself so they could climb down. "But first, let's get you home."

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Once they were safely on the ground, I began shrinking back down to my two-meter height. No point in announcing our arrival to the entire village by showing up as a seven-meter giant.

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"Practical," Ruijerd noted approvingly.

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"I try to think ahead sometimes."

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"This One is impressed by the entertainment value," Kishirika added with a grin.

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"I should stay back when we reach the village," Ruijerd said quietly, his expression growing more serious. "Superd have... a reputation. It would be better if I didn't enter the village."

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"Your reputation or their prejudice?" I asked.

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"Does it matter? The result is the same." He gestured toward the village in the distance. "Take the children home. I'll wait here."

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As we approached the village, I could hear voices - excited, relieved voices calling out names.

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"Karu! Teku! Mira!"

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Three figures came running out of the village - two women and a man, all with mixed demon features. They looked exhausted, their faces drawn with worry that was now melting into pure relief.

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The reunion was everything you'd expect and more.

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The mothers swept their children into fierce hugs, tears streaming down their faces as they checked for injuries and held them like they never planned to let go again.

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"We thought... when you wandered off and those men were in the area disappeared... we thought we'd lost you," one mother sobbed, her voice breaking.

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"A big man saved us!" little Mira announced proudly, pointing at me. "And he can fly! And he makes rocks into candy!"

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The adults looked up at me then, gratitude mixing with curiosity in their expressions. I could see them taking in the children's obvious comfort around me - the way they still clustered close, the trust in their voices when they spoke about me.

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"Thank you," the father said simply, his voice rough with emotion. "I don't know how to... what you've done..."

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"Anyone would have done the same," I said, feeling awkward under their intense gratitude.

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Other villagers were gathering now, drawn by the commotion. An older demon with graying hair and the bearing of authority approached, his weathered face creased with relief.

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"You brought our children home," the village chief said, his voice steady but I could see his hands trembling slightly.

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"They were in trouble. We helped."

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The chief studied me for a long moment, his expression thoughtful as he watched the way the children still stayed close to me, their easy comfort speaking volumes.

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"Actually," I said, "I do have a request. Could I borrow some crates and sacks? As many as you can spare?"

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The chief looked confused. "What for?"

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"You'll see. I'll bring them back."

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"This One is curious to see their faces," Kishirika said with a mischievous smile.

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The villagers brought me containers - wooden crates, burlap sacks, woven baskets. Their expressions were puzzled but trusting.

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"I'll be right back," I promised, gathering the containers and heading back toward the desert.

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Once out of sight, I shifted to my larger form and began collecting materials - rocks, sand, boulders, anything I could find.

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Then I transformed them.

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Rocks became fresh bread. Sand became rice and vegetables. Boulders became cuts of meat.

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I filled every container until I had enough food to feed the village for weeks.

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When I returned, the entire village had gathered to watch. Their faces were a mixture of curiosity and barely contained hope.

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I opened the first crate, revealing fresh bread inside.

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The silence was deafening.

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Several people gasped. One woman covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes wide with disbelief.

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I opened more containers, showing vegetables and meat.

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"Where did all this come from?" the chief asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

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"I made it," I said simply.

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The silence stretched longer. Then one of the mothers started crying - not from sadness, but from overwhelming relief. Others began to tear up as well, the reality of what they were seeing finally sinking in.

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"There's enough here to feed everyone for..." the chief trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.

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"A while," I agreed.

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That's when the gratitude hit me like a wave. People pressing forward to thank me, to touch the food like they couldn't believe it was real. Hands reached out to shake mine, voices called out blessings.

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"Thank you," the chief said, his voice cracking with emotion. "This is... this is a miracle."

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I reached into my pocket and pulled out more candies for the children.

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"For the kids," I said, handing out the colorful sweets.

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Their reactions were just as wonderful as before - pure joy at experiencing sweetness. The adults watched in amazement as their children laughed and marveled over something so simple.

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I was starting to feel overwhelmed by all the attention. These people were looking at me like I was some kind of hero, their faces glowing with gratitude and hope.

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"We should go," I said to Kishirika.

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"Leaving so soon?" she asked with a knowing smile. "This One thought you might want to enjoy the praise longer."

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"Shut up," I muttered, my face heating up.

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We made our way back to where Ruijerd was waiting, followed by half the village calling out thanks and blessings.

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"How did it go?" Ruijerd asked, though the answer was probably obvious from the sounds behind us.

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"Job's done," I said quickly.

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"He went above and beyond!" Kishirika announced cheerfully. "Provided enough food to feed the entire village for months!"

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Ruijerd looked at me with something like respect. "That was well done. True strength isn't just about fighting - it's about protecting those who cannot protect themselves."

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"Yeah, well," I said, starting to walk away so they wouldn't see how much his approval meant to me, "we should get moving."

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"Look at him being all shy about doing good deeds!" Kishirika called out.

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"I said shut up!"

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But as we walked away from the village, I couldn't help glancing back one more time. Those kids had acted like I'd handed them pieces of the sun over some simple candy.

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"You're unusually quiet," Kishirika observed after a while.

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"Just thinking."

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"Dangerous habit," she replied with a smirk.

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I snorted. "Yeah, well, don't get used to it."

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* * * *

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[Three weeks ago...]

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Right after we left the Village, and since we had no food problems thanks to me. Ruijerd picked an area for us to stay in and start my training.

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"Alright, let's see what you can do," Ruijerd said, taking a combat stance.

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I cracked my knuckles and grinned. "Fair warning - I've never actually had formal training, so this might get interesting."

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"Show me what interesting looks like."

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I threw what I thought was a decent punch. Ruijerd sidestepped it effortlessly and struck the back of my knee with enough force to buckle my leg, sending me stumbling forward.

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"Huh. That was embarrassing." I turned around, rubbing my knee even though it didn't really hurt. "Did you just make me lose my balance that easily?"

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"Your stance is completely wrong. Try again."

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This time I tried a more aggressive approach, swinging harder. Ruijerd ducked under it, hooked his leg behind mine, and I found myself flat on my back staring at the sky.

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"Okay, that's definitely not supposed to happen." I sat up, brushing sand off my bare chest. "In my defense, the ground seemed much further away a second ago."

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"This One finds this most entertaining!" Kishirika called out.

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"Glad my suffering amuses you, your majesty." I got back to my feet. "Round three?"

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Ruijerd's next combination was a thing of beauty - three quick strikes that I couldn't even track properly, followed by another sweep that put me right back on the ground.

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"You know, I'm starting to see a pattern here," I said, still lying in the sand. "And that pattern is me becoming very familiar with this particular patch of desert."

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"You're relying entirely on strength," Ruijerd explained. "But strength without skill is just wild swinging."

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"Hey, wild swinging has gotten me this far in life." I rolled to my feet. "Besides, it's got a certain... unpredictable charm to it."

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He demonstrated his point by easily deflecting my next attack and using my own momentum to send me stumbling past him. I managed to stay upright this time, but barely.

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"There. You stayed on your feet."

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"Progress!" I turned back toward him with a grin. "At this rate, I'll be able to fight properly by... well, eventually."

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"Your recovery time is impressive though," Ruijerd noted as he landed a clean hit to my ribs. I felt it, but it was more like someone tapping me with a stick than any real damage. "Most people would be down for several minutes after some of these hits."

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"Yeah, I bounce back pretty well. I'm like a really talkative training dummy." I tried to grab him, which he slipped out of so smoothly I ended up grasping air. "A training dummy with apparently terrible reflexes."

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"Focus on your footwork."

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"My feet are working fine. It's the part where I try to actually hit you that seems to be the problem." I swung again, and Ruijerd simply moved out of the way. "Okay, that's just showing off."

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By the end of that first session, I'd been knocked down about fifteen times, swept off my feet another ten, and hadn't landed a single meaningful hit. But somehow, I was having fun.

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"Not bad for a first day," Ruijerd said.

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"Not bad? I spent more time on the ground than standing up. I'm pretty sure I've tasted half the sand in this entire formation."

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"You didn't give up. That means you're determined."

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"Well, stubborn is definitely one of my better qualities. That and my winning personality."

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* * * *

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[Present...]

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It has been three weeks since we started our training, and I can confidently say I am giving Ruijerd a run for his money.

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"Again," Ruijerd said, breathing harder than usual after our latest exchange.

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I rolled my shoulders, barely winded despite hours of sparring. "You're getting tired. That's new and mildly concerning."

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"And you're getting better," he admitted, wiping sweat from his brow. "Much faster than I expected."

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"I'd like to think it's natural talent finally showing itself, but we both know it's probably just stubbornness and dumb luck." I stretched my neck. "Though I have to admit, staying upright for entire minutes at a time feels pretty good."

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It was true though. What had started as Ruijerd completely dominating our fights had evolved into something more interesting. My body seemed to instinctively adapt to whatever he threw at me. When he focused on striking, I'd start incorporating more grappling. When he tried to use his speed advantage, I'd shift to forcing distance between us, making him work to close the gap again.

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"Your fighting style is... unusual," Ruijerd said, circling me cautiously. "You keep changing approaches mid-combat."

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"Just going with what feels right. Plus, if I don't know what I'm doing, how can you possibly predict it?"

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"Most fighters stick to what they know. You seem to create new techniques on the spot."

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"Desperation breeds creativity, I guess." I launched into another exchange, flowing seamlessly from a straight punch into a knee strike, then immediately pivoting into an elbow that Ruijerd barely managed to avoid. "Though I'm still not entirely sure what I just did there."

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Even that near-miss sent him skidding back several feet from the air pressure alone.

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"Careful with those," he said, checking his arm where the wind from my elbow had passed. "Even your missed attacks have enough force behind them to cause damage."

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"Sorry. I'm still figuring out the whole 'not accidentally destroying things' aspect of having ridiculous strength." I flexed my fingers experimentally. "It's like trying to pet a butterfly when your hands are made of hammers."

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It was the truth. My casual strikes were apparently strong enough to send Ruijerd tumbling if they connected solidly, and I could see him having to put serious effort into avoiding my attacks entirely rather than trying to deflect them. Meanwhile, his hits barely registered beyond the initial impact.

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"How are you doing that?" Ruijerd asked after I smoothly transitioned from a boxing combination into a series of kicks, then immediately shifted to what looked like grappling techniques. "That's not one fighting style - that's four different approaches blended together."

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"Honestly? No clue. My brain just keeps going 'hey, what if we tried this instead?' and then my body does something completely different from what we were doing five seconds ago."

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"Instinctive," he repeated, shaking his head. "Most warriors spend years mastering a single style. You're combining techniques you've never formally learned."

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"This One has been watching with great interest!" Kishirika called from her perch. "Sigurd's fighting keeps changing every few minutes! Very entertaining!"

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"See? I'm providing quality entertainment. That's got to count for something in the grand scheme of combat mastery."

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Ruijerd nodded thoughtfully. "She's right. When we started, you fought like a brawler - all power, no technique. Then you began incorporating throws and joint locks. Now you're mixing in kicks and what looks like weapon forms, even without weapons."

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"Is that weird? Please tell me it's the good kind of weird and not the 'should probably be studied by confused scholars' kind of weird."

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"It's remarkable. And somewhat terrifying." He took his stance again. "Most opponents become predictable once you understand their style. You seem to develop new styles mid-fight."

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"That's because I get bored easily. If I'm not surprising myself, then what's the point?"

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Our next exchange proved his point. I started with what looked like straightforward punches, but as Ruijerd began to read the pattern, I seamlessly shifted into a completely different rhythm, incorporating spinning attacks and low sweeps that caught him off guard.

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"There," he said, breathing hard as we separated. "You just changed your entire approach because you sensed I was adapting to the previous one."

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"Did I? I thought I was just getting creative because the first thing wasn't working anymore."

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"You did. And that sensing ability of yours is growing stronger too." He studied me intently. "You're reacting to attacks before I fully commit to them, tracking movement well beyond normal sight range. It's like you can feel intentions."

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"That explains why I keep moving before you actually strike. I thought I was just getting really good at reading your body."

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He wasn't wrong about that. My Observation Haki had expanded significantly over the past few weeks. I could sense everything within about three hundred meters now, and more strangely, I was picking up what felt like emotional auras from people - Ruijerd's steady determination, Kishirika's chaotic amusement.

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"Is there something wrong with your eyes?" Ruijerd asked suddenly.

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I touched my blindfold, grinning. "Got special eyes. But keeping them covered helps train my other senses. Also, they're kind of intense and I don't have perfect control over them yet."

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What I didn't mention was that one of their abilities let me see through things, and it sometimes activated on its own. 'Already had that awkward experience with Kishirika - saw way more royal anatomy than any loyal subject should ever witness. Really don't need to accidentally see through Ruijerd during training. Some mental images you just can't scrub out, and I'm pretty sure that would make sparring sessions permanently awkward for both of us.'

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"Your progress is unprecedented," Ruijerd said as we settled down for the evening. "Three weeks ago, you had raw power but no technique. Now you're developing an adaptive fighting style that would take most warriors years to master."

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"Still feels like I'm making it up as I go along, just with slightly better results now."

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"Perhaps. But you're 'making it up' at a level that's frankly intimidating." He rolled his shoulder where one of my lighter hits had connected earlier. "Your strength is overwhelming, your natural toughness makes you nearly impossible to injure, and now you're developing combat instincts that let you adapt faster than I can counter."

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"This One agrees!" Kishirika chimed in. "Very impressive growth! This One particularly enjoyed watching Ruijerd get sent rolling from that 'light tap' earlier!"

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"It wasn't that hard a hit," I protested. "That was barely a gentle pat by my standards."

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"You launched me fifteen feet," Ruijerd said dryly. "And you called it a 'casual punch.'"

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"Okay, fair point. My casual is apparently everyone else's 'please don't kill me.' I'm still working on the whole... not doing that."

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Despite the overwhelming physical advantages, I was grateful for what Ruijerd was teaching me. Raw power was great, but learning to use it with skill and precision was invaluable. And his five hundred years of combat experience provided lessons I never could have figured out on my own.

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"Tomorrow we'll work on weapon training," Ruijerd said. "If you can adapt this quickly to hand-to-hand combat, I'm curious to see how you handle armed fighting."

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"This One anticipates great entertainment!" Kishirika announced.

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"Just try not to break anything important," I muttered, already wondering whatever new challenges tomorrow would bring. "And by important, I mean Ruijerd."

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END OF CHAPTER

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• Author Note:

Finally managed to patch something up, being sick really sucks, you're coughing and sneezing nonstop, your throat hurt, your nose keep leaking, you're body especially the head is burning hot from fever, and you feel really dead tired even without doing anything. I pray that y'all are healthy and safe.