Chapters 3 through 12 of the light novel introduce the protagonist, River, a young boy with the unique skill "Wisdom" and the talent "Effort." River is intelligent and mature for his age, driven by a desire to become the world's strongest to prevent his childhood friend and love interest, Anna, from being forced into a life as a Dragon Knight. Anna, possessing the talent "Dragon Knight," is kind, gentle, and dislikes conflict, but is determined to fulfill her destiny. River's father, Aden, is a legendary Swordsaint who now runs a dojo, while his mother, Shisha, is a popular baker.
The narrative begins with River and Anna, both twelve years old, visiting a temple to receive their divine talents. Anna, hoping for a sweet-related talent like "Patissier," is shocked and overwhelmed when she is revealed to be a Dragon Knight, a rare and powerful talent requiring immense kindness and martial prowess. River, in contrast, receives the talent "Effort," which is met with ridicule from the other children, as it's unheard of and seemingly useless. However, River sees potential in his talent, believing it can be maximized with his "Wisdom" skill, which allows him to acquire knowledge.
Returning home, River makes pancakes for Anna, who is still processing her new talent. He then uses "Wisdom" to investigate "Effort," discovering it grants the ability to endure any hardship but offers no growth compensation and is incredibly rare. River believes this lack of recognition is a mistake and that he can overcome its limitations. His father, Aden, a Swordsaint who achieved his rank through sheer effort despite his "Swordsman" talent, encourages River to forge his own path, not relying on divine talents.
The next day, River faces immediate prejudice at his father's dojo. Carlo, a rival with the "High-Class Swordsman" talent, manipulates the situation, forcing River into a mock battle within three days, with the condition that he must leave the dojo if he loses. River accepts, dedicating himself to intense training. He begins exploring magic, but his past trauma with mana depletion makes him hesitant. Through rigorous, painful practice to increase his mana, he unexpectedly acquires the skill "Super Mana Recovery." He then discovers that his "Effort" talent allows "Wisdom" to reveal skill acquisition conditions.
Using this newfound advantage, River rapidly acquires "Body Reinforcement" and "Mana Operation" skills, and then "Mana Circulation" and "Imitation" by practicing his father's movements. He uses "Imitation" to defeat Carlo in their mock battle, surprising everyone and earning grudging respect from some of the other students. River decides to leave his hometown to seek environments where he can further hone his abilities, aiming to become strong enough to protect Anna.
He travels towards the labyrinth city of Fraypara, a hub for adventurers. Along the way, he encounters a group of adventurers battling an Orc. Despite the danger, River intervenes, his enhanced physical abilities from his acquired skills allowing him to defeat the Orc with a single blow, astonishing the adventurers. He then learns from his father that he has already achieved the equivalent of a High-Class Swordsman through his skills and that his father has developed a new skill, "Oni Transformation," which he helps River acquire through an intense trial involving a low-oxygen, mana-draining environment. Upon acquiring "Oni Transformation," River's father declares he has nothing more to teach him regarding swordsmanship, encouraging him to find his own path to strength. River resolves to become the world's strongest and sets off on his journey.
