Overlord: Wrong World, Can I Change It?

It has been six months since Tina's now-infamous marriage proposal. That incident is still the reigning champion for Most Traumatizing Dinner Conversation of both my lives.

My day always starts before sunrise. The first thing I do is train with ki and mana. After that, I eat breakfast with my parents: eggs, roasted root vegetables, and, on lucky days, a slice of bread with jam if Dad is generous. If he is not, Tina always finds a way to sneak some to me. Next come sword drills, practicing until my arms ache. When that is done, I help in the forge, working with fire and iron, repeating the same movements until midday. In the afternoon, I either spar with someone or practice my footwork. After all of that, I eat dinner, collapse into bed, and then get up and do the same thing again the next day.

Every single day.

I am not sure this is healthy for a seven-year-old. If there is a medical textbook on muscle fatigue, I think I am living through every case study. The weird thing is that I can feel myself getting better. Maybe not stronger, but sharper. More efficient.

Compared to the village kids, I am basically a sword-wielding demon. They are still tripping over sticks and giving themselves black eyes. The bravest of them started challenging me right after Tina moved in. Maybe they wanted to impress her. Maybe they just wanted to prove they mattered. Either way, I flattened them. We kept it to fistfights, no swords, but I still got "the look" from Dad when one poor soul walked away with a sprained wrist and a wailing parent. 

After that, my sparring career with the local talent ended. Dad has a way of staring at me that says, "I am not angry, just profoundly disappointed" and that is somehow worse than being yelled at.

Still, training is finally satisfying. Not because of the system, or numbers, or stats. Just raw, honest work. No cheats. No min-maxing. No speedruns. Actual progress.

Even the System seems to notice.

[Class conditions met. Acquire Common Class: Warrior?]

[Decline]

[Class conditions met. Acquire Common Class: Swordsman?]

[Decline]

It is tempting. It really is. But I am not interested in being 'common'. Not in this world. Mediocrity gets you killed. The system may be a buggy, passive-aggressive mess, but sometimes it rewards creativity. I saw it with [Ki Lord]. If I keep pushing, something better will unlock. If I settle now, I will regret it for the rest of my life.

Today, something actually broke the routine. Real adventurers arrived in the village. There were four of them, just back from clearing out a wolf den near the forest. They seemed like decent people, or at least the kind who would not stab you for your boots. In this world, that is already something.

Their group stood out immediately. They are called "Red Oak" and are an Iron-rank adventurer party from the Empire. 

Carter was their swordsman. He was lean, sharp-eyed, and had a smile that balanced between friendly and dangerous. 

The twins, Eric and Ekir, were both archers who spent as much energy teasing each other as aiming at targets. 

Then there was Vitla, who completed the group. He was a giant of a man, broad-shouldered, always carrying his shield and spear. He had that effortless strength you see in people who grew up working the land. 

They set up camp in an abandoned house at the edge of the village with Gilo's approval. Gilo was practical as always. He understood the value of extra hands, especially with wolves around.

I spent almost an hour overthinking how to approach them. Should I act casual? Should I invent an excuse? In the end, I remembered the oldest trick in the isekai handbook. I am just a kid. No one expects much from a child, and sometimes that is the ultimate advantage.

I went to their door and knocked. Carter opened it and sized me up, part curious, part cautious. I introduced myself and asked if I could watch them train, or maybe even spar a little. Carter grinned and nodded. He called the others over, and before I even picked up a wooden sword, Eric and Ekir were already making bets about how long I would last.

The spar started simply. Carter circled around me, studying my stance. His posture was relaxed but every movement was controlled. He tested me with quick, light strikes, checking my guard, trying to see if I would flinch. I met each one with careful parries, making sure not to use any real strength. This was not about winning, it was about learning.

Every moment became a dance of movement and distance. Carter kept trying to bait me, waiting for an opening. I focused on my footwork and breathing, keeping my eyes on his shoulders instead of his blade. Whenever he changed rhythm, I adapted, but he was relentless. After a few minutes, I realized I was slowly losing ground. Carter shifted tactics with a sudden burst of speed, feinting high and sweeping low. My reaction was just a hair too slow. He tapped my side with the flat of his blade, a clear point, and the match was his. He gave me a quick nod, the kind you give an opponent who put up a decent fight.

In the background, the twins were loud, throwing out advice and teasing each other more than either of us. Vitla stood watching, arms crossed, judging the match as if it were a cooking contest.

After Carter's clean win, I could not help myself. I tried to sound upbeat as I asked, "That was actually fun! So, tell me, do you know how to use Martial Arts too?" Honestly, being a kid is exhausting. It is not much, but it is honest work.

Carter looked at me for a second, then grinned. "Of course I know how. You cannot call yourself a real adventurer if you are not strong." Then he ruffled my hair like I was a puppy.

We went back to sparring, both of us a little more relaxed this time. Carter clearly had the upper hand, but now it felt less like a test and more like a lesson. Each exchange taught me something new, from reading his footwork to adjusting my stance. It was the kind of practice I rarely got, and I did my best to soak up every second.

As we continued, Carter picked up the pace, weaving subtle martial arts techniques into his attacks. I noticed the moment his speed increased, he was using something like" Ability Boost". Still, I stuck to the basics: position, distance, and timing. I avoided going for full hits, always holding back just enough to keep things safe. 

Carter, meanwhile, corrected me during the fight, quietly giving me tips or nudging me into better positions. I listened carefully. I kept my eyes locked on him, never switching to offense, always staying on the defensive. 

I had my reasons: I did not want to trigger the restrictions of my [Hermit] class. As far as I knew, self-defense was allowed, but I was not about to test the limits. For me, the spar was less about winning and more about watching Carter's use of martial arts and learning everything I could from it.

After several rounds, Carter stopped and lowered his sword. He studied me for a moment and said, "You have a fighter's eyes."

"Thanks," I answered, only half-serious. Then I could not resist adding, "By the way, your pants are open."

He immediately checked, only to find they were closed. He shot me a glare. I started laughing and stuck out my tongue. The twins burst into laughter as well, and even Vitla let out a deep, rumbling chuckle.

The mood lightened after the match. Everyone came over, passing around water and tossing out jokes. Eric and Ekir immediately started arguing about archery, each claiming to be the better shot, and both getting louder with every sentence. Vitla handed me his spear for fun. It was so heavy I almost toppled over, and he had to grab my shoulder to keep me upright.

The adventurers stayed in the village that evening. Around the fire, they shared practical advice about grappling, spotting traps, and what to do if a wolf charges.

My mind, however, was elsewhere, constantly analyzing everything I had just seen: martial arts, up close and personal. Thankfully, I have [Control], because these techniques are hellish to learn. After watching several users, I realized these techniques vary wildly from person to person. There is definitely training involved, but so much of it seems instinctive.

They use life force. It does not feel like energy in the classic sense, it's more like a key that unlocks and upgrades the body's functions. I suspect it has some connection to Ki. The process is exhausting. Really exhausting.

From what I understand, the number of martial techniques you can use is probably tied to your HP. It works a bit like Ki, but it only drains real stamina, never magical energy or life force.

It brings to mind the anime fight between Cocytus and Brain. For Brain, trying to use so many martial arts at once must feel like forcing your life energy into several different channels, each demanding something unique from you all at once. The strain has to be overwhelming, a constant drain on both mind and body. Honestly, just thinking about it makes me tired.

It struck me that martial arts are like a language. You can copy the words, but until you find your own accent, you are only repeating sounds. Carter demonstrated techniques like "Evasion" and "Fortress," and I realized how much I still had to learn.

That night, as I watched them laugh and share stories, I felt something shift inside me. Maybe it was not quite envy, but it was close. I truly want to see the world, to have the chance to grow stronger, to survive and maybe, if I am lucky, to actually live.

But this is not the right moment. I need to wait a little longer. The world is not going anywhere, and if I set out before achieving real results with my training, it would be suicide.

After all of that, I just went home and collapsed into bed.

Morning came too quickly. The party got ready to leave. Carter handed me a worn old headband. "For sweat, and for luck. You'll need both," he said. I thanked him, though I could not help but think the headband probably smelled terrible.

Vitla ruffled my hair again, calling me "little fox." The twins waved, still arguing, but both were smiling.

As we were saying our goodbyes and they were still complimenting my sword skills, I heard a voice or maybe just felt a presence, calling me.

"Lucyyyy!!"

I turned to see Tina running toward me, basket in hand.

"Who's that girl?" Carter asked.

"Tina," I replied, already bracing myself.

The others started making comments, giving me amused looks. Carter asked if she was my girlfriend.

"Absolutely n..." I began, but before I could finish, Tina had arrived.

"Hello everyone! I'm Tina, Lucien's future wife. Thank you for helping him!" She bowed politely.

All four adventurers stared at me. My mind went blank. Then everyone started talking and laughing again. Eric and Ekir came over, each put a hand on my shoulder, and gave me a thumbs up.

After a bit of chaos and laughter, we finally said our last goodbyes. They made me promise to invite them to my wedding, which Tina immediately agreed to… as long as they brought a gift.

Honestly, I am not sure what to do anymore.

As they left, the village felt a little quieter, but my world seemed larger. Today I learned more than just swordplay and Martial Arts; I gained valuable information and a clearer sense of purpose. I am seriously considering going to the capital one day to study, gather knowledge, and grow.

But today is still not that day. Besides, my mind keeps circling around one weird detail: after all this time, not a single magic caster has ever shown up in this place. I honestly do not know what to make of that. Of course, right as I am thinking about it, a familiar and fateful little voice interrupts my thoughts.

"By the way, your father told me to come get you. He has already started working, and he says that if you do not show up right away, you are going to be in trouble."

And so, it begins again.

Routine returned. Training, chores, drills.