‘Hmm… I have to somehow keep this alive, right?’
I quickly raised my sword and poured all my strength into its tip to not forget this sensation.
At that moment, it distinctly felt like a misty, smoky substance was slowly rising from the tip of the sword.
‘Oh! I consciously created it!! Rainy! Can you see this?’
I pointed my sword at a tree that seemed to harbor a special ability and urgently asked.
(Huh? Is that smoky thing at the tip?)
‘Oh! You can see it too?’
(If I can see it, does that mean something amazing is happening? I can totally see it!!)
‘No, it’s not like that.’
(I don’t care! I see it! I see it!)
[Hehe, you guys are making a fuss like you’ve never seen Asteya (आsteya) before.]
‘…… Asteya?’
[What you just manifested is what we called in the world I lived in. Isn’t there anyone in this world who can handle this?]
‘Umm… Well, I heard about someone I know who reached the realm of Sword Energy (劍罡). They say that person can split a giant monster in one blow and has the power to cut the unseen.’
Upon hearing this, the orb moved quickly up and down, showing a somewhat stirred reaction.
[Hmm! The person you mentioned must have reached the realm of Be’yatra (भИवतरा). I can’t believe there’s such a knight in this world. I’d like to have a chat with them.]
‘Be’yatra…’
[That aside, I have one thing I’m curious about. My disciple, have you ever found yourself in an extreme situation?]
The Master’s question was a bit unexpected, but I thought deeply about it.
‘Extreme… How hard are we talking about here?’
[I’m asking if you’ve ever endured a moment that was so painful you could hardly stand it. You seem to have something I don’t know about.]
‘Ah… I have had such experiences, but they feel distant like a dream.’
When I said this, the orb sparkled with light, showing interest.
[When was that? What happened to you?]
‘That… happened before I woke up here.’
Before waking up by Yeon-hee’s spell.
There was a time when I curled up like a bug, unable to do anything in this space, and it’s still amazing to think I didn’t go insane back then.
Perhaps the harsh judgment of [Calmness] was based on that experience. It’s a trait that has always protected me whenever I felt like I might break.
Thinking back, if I hadn’t been reborn as a Skeleton Soldier, I might not have been able to endure it.
‘There was such a time.’
Hearing my story, the Master responded with surprise, watching the orb shake.
[Hoho— You inadvertently underwent wall-facing training! You must have maintained your self-awareness back then, right?]
‘Of course! It was so clear that I thought I was going to lose it!’
Trapped in a fixed position in a pitch-black space, enduring what felt like eons without hearing any sound—it was a time akin to hell.
‘Oh geez! I had forgotten about that, and now I remember! What are you going to do about it, Master!’
[Hmm— As long as you overcame it, you can’t consider it a painful memory anymore. So, how much did you train in that state?]
After a moment’s thought, I answered the Master, who immediately gasped and jumped into the air.
[You little rascal!! Are you teasing your Master!!]
‘I’m being serious here…’
[No way? Really? My disciple… how did you endure for such a long time in that state? How can you speak now? Your mind should have worn down to the point of losing yourself.
Even those beings who look upon us from that distant place could hardly endure it.
Hehe, indeed. Not becoming a horrible monster is something I can call a miracle.]
‘Is it that extreme? Well, it was pretty hard to the point of wishing I could die, and thinking about it is part of the life I’ve lived.’
Of course, the period I mentioned wasn’t precise. At some point, I just stopped counting. I just guessed it felt like that, but maybe I went too far?
Listening to me, the orb and the tree both froze, falling into silence.
[……]
(……)
‘…… Ah! Seriously, why are you both suddenly silent like that?!’
Feeling awkward, I shouted but they didn’t stop looking at me with pity.
‘I shouldn’t have said anything. Tch… I was planning to carry this burden alone for life, but I got careless.’
But the fact that I was able to endure in that terrible environment was because the memories of my past life, which are now hazy like fog, were incredibly clear back then. I could reflect on my past life multiple times.
And another dim memory… it felt like someone was desperately trying to hold onto my existence. That made me grateful and a bit sad, so I also tried my best to hang on.
[So that’s how it was. So you became a Skeleton Soldier… Wait, then?!]
But while quietly muttering something, the Master suddenly said to take off my armor, as if he remembered something.
‘What? No, this is stuck to my body and I can’t take it off. I can only move the thorns a bit.’
[Cough— Then just give me one of those thorns.]
‘No, what are you going to do with that? You aren’t into something weird, are you?’
[Huh? What do you mean, my disciple?]
‘Ah, it’s nothing. Just saying. Just a moment—’
As I handed him the largest thorn that had sprouted from my body, I was curious about how the little orb would carry such a large thorn.
Suddenly, a small space opened behind the Master, and my thorn was sucked in instantly.
‘Wow— Master, you can also use space? By the way, that’s incredibly small, isn’t it?’
[Isn’t your thing also absurdly large?]
‘Umm… Is it? Well, anyway! Thanks to you, there’s been meaningful progress today! Thank you, Master.’
[Cough—! Of course there would be progress when I’m teaching you, you brat!]
The Master brushed off my gratitude, but he seemed to be bouncing around in embarrassment like he was struggling.
Thinking he had a surprisingly cute side, I again offered a formal salute as he was about to leave.
He quietly watched me as I bowed, and then disappeared into the darkness.
‘Guess I’ll see you again in three days.’
(… Wow! This is fun! Kya-haha!)
When the orb vanished again, ‘Rainy’ burst into laughter, copying my movements using the branches.
(This technique called ‘Bran’ that we learned this time was particularly fun!)
‘Oh, that one? It was indeed intriguing. Absolute Evasion? Can that really happen?’
From today, I started learning a technique called ‘Bran,’ which supposedly allows one to evade any attack.
In the world where the Master lived, it means ‘nothingness,’ but it was not just about evasion.
‘I must… The timing is incredibly difficult to pull off.’
One involves fully understanding and accepting one’s own strength and nature.
Another involves fully comprehending and accepting the strength and nature of the attacking opponent.
The ultimate goal is to manifest an empty will at the moment those two meet, creating a state of nothingness (Bran).
‘Saying it is easy… I can’t even seem to do one thing. What the heck is empty will? Man, these geniuses are something else.’
For now, the Master said once I get somewhat used to the timing he provided, he would teach it to me in earnest.
That timing requires capturing an utterly extreme moment when the opponent’s power is focused on me, making it feel like a near miracle.
(Il-wol will definitely pull it off! Yaaah! Yip! He does it like that! Don’t you think it’ll work eventually?)
‘I guess by practicing, it might happen one day… some day…’
For me, who doesn’t have much time, it didn’t resonate deeply.
But as Rainy said, there was no choice but to do it. I also needed to focus more.
According to the Master, although my talent with the sword is humble, my concentration is commendable.
(Om nom nom- Chomp- Chomp-)
Rainy suddenly paused our conversation as if recalling something, then hurriedly began to absorb the mana flowing from me.
I gazed at the flow of mana being sucked into Rainy.
‘The quality of mana has definitely improved. It was a faint blue color, but now it has become much denser.’
I leaned against the trunk of the tree to let Rainy consume more.
(Ah…! You startled me.)
‘Huh? Isn’t it easier to absorb if you’re closer?’
(Ung… Well, that’s true.)
Was it perhaps a bit burdensome being that close? Rainy hesitated for a moment, then coughed a few times and resumed sucking my mana.
‘Seems Yeon-hee is not here yet. I probably have another hour or so.’
I entered meditation while leaning against the tree.
I replayed the things I learned today in my mind, recalled the moments I had been criticized. And with strong will, I engraved them again.
Buuuuum—
Then, at some point, everything quieted down, and a vast white space unfolded endlessly, leaving only me and Rainy.
Huh? Rainy?
(Wow…… it feels nostalgic…)
‘?! Can you see this space?’
(Yes! A white space… I’m sure I’ve experienced this place before.)
‘Hmm… To think I could share what I’m feeling… Is it because you’re absorbing my mana?’
(Well? Who cares! I just love watching you concentrate! The mana becomes tastier!)
‘…… Okay. I’ll focus a bit more.’
I concentrated on my existence, narrowing the scope in that expanded space.
Although I received much criticism and scolding today from the Master, it was still a day where I received many praises compared to the first day.
‘He said a lot of the cloudiness was gone. I didn’t expect something as immense to follow from having my first intimacy with Yeon-hee.’
Having entered the dark space, I looked at the message that came late to me.
– The threads that constitute your being become much cleaner. When [Camouflage] is activated, attractiveness greatly increases.
– When [Camouflage] is activated, the drop rate of stats is reduced by 40.
– The drop rate of magic recovery speed during Mana Exhaust is reduced by 20%.
‘I don’t know if having intimacy just once warrants such rewards, but anyway, this is amazing… Especially the third one. Isn’t it on par with rewards earned by reaching enlightenment?’
Using skills repeatedly increases mana consumption, which doesn’t show much in short battles but burdens greatly in long engagements. Ultimately, it leads to Mana Exhaust.
This is an unavoidable fate for hunters exploring fierce battlefields.
However, this reward has considerably reduced that burden.
‘Still, I understand the other things, but the increasing attractiveness is just ridiculous.’
Of course, it’s a welcome change that I might appear more attractive to Yeon-hee. But it was an absurd reward.
‘Well… the clarity of the aura means my soul has become purer. So, it’s understandable for attractiveness to increase.’
I forced myself to agree and started concentrating again in the white room.
Perhaps once I had absorbed enough mana, Rainy, who had been watching me intently, cautiously spoke up.
(Nyah! That was delicious! Hey, Skeleton, can I come here every day?)
‘…… If my Master permits it?’
(Huh… No! Please don’t mention me to your Master.)
‘Hmm? Why?’
(I don’t know… Just feels that way! It’s strange! Hoho-!)
Even without Rainy’s request, if I’m summoned again, I would ask Yeon-hee for the chance to come here regularly. To release my summoning so I can come here every day.
‘I was just kidding, but this place indeed seems efficient for training.’
Thinking that, I plunged deeper into meditation, and after a while,
Crash──!
Without having a proper farewell to ‘Rainy,’ I was swallowed back into the door.
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