Overlord: Wrong World, Can I Change It?

Chapter 8: When I Grow Up, I'll Be an Adventurer

- Two years later 

Ah… what a beautiful day…

Yeah, I probably say that too often. Probably a coping mechanism.

The "Ki Lord" class is more of a framework than a class. Like a sandbox that lets you build whatever you can imagine. Sounds awesome, right? Well… it is, but there's a catch.

For all the time I've poured into it—training, meditating, experimenting—I've unlocked a laughably low number of actual skills.

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[New Active Skill Unlocked — Advanced Class: Ki Lord]

– Ki Boost: Enhances the user's physical strength and reaction speed for a short period. The boost scales with the amount of Ki consumed.

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Ah yes, the classic "power-up" move.

All I had to do was channel Ki throughout my body and keep it moving until the system went, "Yeah, okay, fine, that's a skill now."

I unlocked this one about two hours after getting Ki Burst. The process was simple: I just let the energy flow through my body, filling every corner until it became second nature. It's handy. It's strong… very strong.

But—yeah, there's a but—it's also a massive waste of energy.

I mean, dump all my Ki into this for what—five seconds of 10% strength? That's not a power-up. That's a caffeine shot before passing out.

Emergency-use only. Like, glass-break-in-case-of-dragon-emergency kind of deal.

That said, in a life-or-death moment, even a 10% boost might be enough to dodge, strike, or survive.

Short bursts seem to be a common trait with Ki-based skills. Probably because the energy is drawn from a hybrid of mana and life force. The system doesn't like that mix.

So I got clever. I started splitting the Ki, reshaping it to suit individual areas. Not a huge change, right?

Well, the system accepted it. No crash. No rejection. Just a quiet ding.

It took hours. It hurt like hell. But the result?

Like popping open a cold beer after a 12-hour forge shift. Perfection.

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[New Active Skill Unlocked — Advanced Class: Ki Lord]– Ki Body Enchantment: Allows the user to enhance individual parts of their body. The boost scales with Ki consumed. Divided into:• Mind – Enhances clarity, reaction speed, and cognitive function• Arms – Increases upper-body strength and speed• Legs – Increases lower-body power and speed

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Now this one? I'm proud of this one.

It's modular. Customizable. And the Mind buff? Feels like I just woke up from the best nap of my life and drank six espressos.

Too bad it's also the most Ki-hungry of the bunch. Maintaining it at full output drains me faster than Dad's forge drains wood in winter.

And let's not forget the side effects. Straining Ki this way wears down the body. Fast. My muscles ache, my breathing shortens, and if I push too far… well, I've seen stars. Not the metaphorical kind.

And now we come to my most painful experiment yet.

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[New Active Skill Unlocked — Advanced Class: Ki Lord]– Ki Steps: Allows the user to make an instantaneous dash. Speed and distance scale with Ki consumed.

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Simple. Elegant. In theory, brilliant.

In practice? Recoil like getting kicked by a horse.

The first time I used it, I barely moved half a meter and collapsed. My legs screamed bloody murder. Turns out, instant dashes mess with inertia. Who knew?

Still, with control and practice, this one might save my life one day. It's fast, flashy, and energy-efficient—if I don't mind feeling like I just sprinted uphill carrying bricks.

And finally, the crown jewel of my misery:

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[New Active Skill Unlocked — Advanced Class: Ki Lord]– Ki Barrier: Generates a protective barrier around the user that blocks incoming energy-based attacks. Size and durability depend on Ki consumed.

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This one nearly broke me.

And that's saying something. I survived the stats exam at Zurich Polytechnic. That was psychological torture with a calculator.

Creating a shield out of Ki meant expelling energy not in an attack, but as a stationary, stable field. I had to learn how to spread the energy evenly, keep it spinning, hold the shape...

Controlling it was like sculpting jelly during an earthquake.

But when it worked? Oh, when it clicked...

Like finding the last puzzle piece under the couch. Satisfying doesn't even begin to cover it.

No, seriously, the real problem is something else: mana.

My internal control has improved, sure. I used to think I was getting close. Turns out, after two years of training, I still can't expel it from my body. Not even a spark. Zero progress.

And I think I've finally figured out the issue.

Spells in this world use magic circles to activate. That's probably the missing piece. I've got the energy—the battery's full—but I'm missing the charger. The part that transforms and regulates the mana. Without that, I'm just sitting here with a tank full of fuel and no engine.

Tragically, no solution in sight.

And you'd think, in two whole years, at least one decent mage would've wandered by for me to copy, right?

Nope.

Not a single one.

Apparently, I've reincarnated into the one corner of the world where magic users are rarer than functioning politicians.

Outside of my class grinding, life in the village was calm. Too calm, honestly. Like the silence before the storm kind of calm.

I turned six. Which, apparently, means I now get "a little more freedom." Yay, adulthood.

To everyone else, I was just that quiet, awkward kid with a carved wooden fox named Tikki. They had no clue that I could now probably take down a grown adult without even trying.

My parents noticed I was more active and didn't get tired as easily. Thank the gods they just assumed it was youthful energy.

But they chalked it up to youthful energy.

Thank the gods.

It never crossed their minds that their son might already be a Level 2.

-That evening

"Lucy, dinner's ready! Go get your father," came Mom's voice from the kitchen. "On it, Mom."

I slipped on my shoes and headed to the forge—a squat, stone building behind the house that practically breathed fire.

I opened the heavy door.

Dad was there, naturally. Shirtless, sweaty, beer in hand. Standing beside him was Gilo, the village chief—also with a beer, of course.

Gilo was… a character.

Kind-hearted to a fault, a man in his fifties with a thick gray mustache, bald head, and round belly. He looked exactly like the kind of guy who'd run a medieval village in the middle of nowhere. Similar to the poster child for "peasant NPC with big heart."

When they saw me, both turned toward the door.

"Mom says dinner's ready," I said to my father. Then I turned to Gilo with a polite nod.

"Good evening, sir. I hope I'm not interrupting anything serious. If I am, I'll excuse myself."

Before my father could respond, Gilo chuckled and stepped forward.

"Hold on there, Lucien…" He turned to my dad, squinting at him.

"Is this really your kid?"

My father groaned. "Why does everyone keep asking that?"

"Because he looks like the son of a minor noble, not a village blacksmith." Gilo looked back at me and smirked. "Good thing he takes after his mother and not this old grump."

"Hey, I'm thirty-six, you bastard." Sadly, Gilo is a bastard—born of a woman with a questionable reputation. But he owns it.

Sometimes, he even insists we call him that.

At his age, I guess insults just roll off his back.

"Language, Erob. Your kid's right here," he said, pointing at me.

I couldn't help myself.

I tilted my head innocently. "Hey, what does 'bastard' mean?"

My father froze.

Gilo scratched his mustache and laughed.

"Dad?"

"Uh… grown-up talk."

"Well then, I'll just ask Mom later," I said innocently. "Anyway, I'm starving. I'll be waiting."

As I turned to leave, my father gently grabbed my shoulder. I could've dodged it—but I didn't.

He knelt down to my level.

"Come on, Lucy… you know better than that. Let's keep it our little secret, yeah?"

I smiled. "Okay, Dad."

And I gave him a hug.

I glanced back at Gilo, who was still grinning. Our eyes met.

I gave him a playful smile.

"Dad, we should go. Mom's gonna kill us if we're late."

"Yeah, probably. Gilo, we'll catch up later."

The village chief stretched and headed out.

"Bah. See you around, Erob. And you too, Lucy." 

He ruffled my hair on the way out.

I watched him leave, muttering under my breath,

"If he touches my hair again, he's dead."

"What was that, son?" asked my father.

"Nothing. Let's go."

Dinner was simple: rye bread and old chicken stew with herbs from Mom's collection. Probably half medicinal, but hey—it tasted amazing.

As I ate, I caught Dad watching me.

"Dad?"

He cleared his throat.

"Lucien… how'd you feel about working with me in the forge? Learn the trade. Could be fun."

"He's six!" snapped Mom. "Let him enjoy being a kid."

"I just want to spend time with him. That's all."

"But still—"

The argument started again. Time to end it.

"Can I say something?"

Both turned to look at me. Serious. Expectant.

"Mom. Dad." I put down my spoon.

"I don't want to learn the family trade. I don't even like the smell of iron."

My dad's jaw slackened.

"I want to be…" I smiled.

"…an adventurer."