Chapter 20: Return [1]
[The total time spent is 192.5 hours. Return?]
[Time-law Integration is detected. Spend 200,000 exp to enhance the time-laws and fix the Time Ratio to 1:0(In Reality) upon return?]
[Notice! The fix will only apply if you return on a Time-law integrated place.]
Right now, I am lying in my new bed. It was supposed to be me returning to my 'Reality', but these notices popped up.
Wait, 192.5 hours? How is that possible?
It's been two weeks since I started training. Even though I trained for 2 weeks, only 216.5 hours(9 days) had passed?
I'm quite confused, until I realized it. My master had probably altered the Time Ratio of this place.. As a Deity-Realm Combatant, maybe he can do this easily.
In this world, there are many things that could slow down time. The Time Chamber is a good example of them.
Then, does this mean that its now set to 1:1000 Ratio? Since I spent a week during the Brain Worm incident, then the rest is me spending my time here..
Plus, it only applies in Reality. If I'm in reality, only an instant passes in the other world. If I'm in the other world, the Time Ratio of 1:1000 (1000 being the other world) will pass.
Then, It seems like I would stay for another half a year before returning..
Since I can return anytime, I didn't mind much. Still, I do miss my family though.
I kept thinking that this is for the upcoming calamity that would appear in my own world until I fell asleep.
****
210 days later..
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
4 swords came at me consecutively, 2 on my front and 2 on my back.
Sensing them, I stepped backwards, clashing with the sword on my southwest first.
Clang!
I used my sword vertically to block it. Seeing the sword on my right coming, I ducked and rolled, avoiding it.
The other 2 projections, seeing that I am just getting up, used that opportunity to thrust and cut at me at the same time. I sensed them, and used speed burst on my leg to leap.
The two swords that are supposed to come after me clashed together.
"Stop."
As my master had said that, the projections disappeared.
"You've really grown well in the past half a year. Who would've expected that you didn't even master the basics before?"
My master suddenly said. It's all true though.
I grew a lot during this past half year..
After the first guard swordsmanship training, I realized something. Even if I have the Understanding, I would still be fucked up if my mentality isn't up to it.
Yes, Mental Aspects. The Process of Sharpening isn't only present on Sword Mastery; rather, all forms of weapon masteries are included.
If you swing a sword until you're tired daily, your biggest gain wouldn't be the grasping of techniques. It's the growth of the mental aspects.
Even my master, a Deity-Realm Combatant, once said during a training:
"Remember this. Before you even clash with others physically, you are already fighting with your mentality. The one who loses there will surely be defeated physically too."
Meaning, a fight consists of 80% Mental Fight and 20% Physical Fight. That's also the difference that I've sensed between a trained B Rank and me from before.
That's why, I've decided. I wouldn't upgrade my Sword Mastery as much as I could. But this doesn't mean that I won't take advantage of my [Panel].
Increasing my stats steadily, gaining the "Understanding" of many things, and so on.
I also upgraded my [Dagger Mastery] as well. Training for my [Sword Mastery] is enough. With this, I've done a Process of Sharpening not only for the sword, but also for the different weapons.
The growth of my Mental Aspects are the one that mattered at all, so there's no need to repeat a useless training.
"You praise me too much, master."
Even though it's been more than half a year, I still didn't get used to it. Come to think of it..
Every time me and my master talked, its all about my training, things about sword, swords, and so on.
He really is called a [Sword Fanatic].. Oh wait, I just noticed something as well..
I came to like my training. No joke. The harder it is, the better.
Yikes. Will I turn into a masochist thanks to this world?! Still..
Being a training masochist might not be bad, I guess.
"You now even have a death intuition similar to your [Sixth Sense] trait.."
My master's words snapped me back from my thoughts. Right. I told master of my [Sixth Sense] trait. Since I wouldn't be able to explain why I came to that battlefield without telling this, I just told him of my trait.
This is also the time that I realized that hiding my [Panel] for the sake of me not being mistaken as a "Protagonist" is nonsense.
Rather, I wanted to hide it because I won't be able to carry the responsibilities that came along with that title. I already have a problem back on my reality, and I can't carry anymore than that. Maybe I'll be able to help this world if my strength becomes absolute.
Still, I've hidden my [Panel]. Revealing my [Sixth Sense] trait is the last.
"Ah, right. You truly don't me to dispel the Time acceleration that I casted in this world? Are you sure you want to spend 50 years of your youthful life here?"
My master asked me all of a sudden. Back then, when my 30th day of training ended, my master told me of the time acceleration.
He then asked me whether I'll be willing to stay here or not. 8 months then passed.
"Yes, master."
I said that with determination. To be honest, I just found out that training is really fun. Sensing you improving everyday is really fun to me.
"Sigh.. I didn't expect that you would have the same dedication to the sword as me."
Eh? It's for a different reason though, but it's all fine. I wanted to improve my Swordsmanship as well..
"Seeing that you are so determined, I will entrust my techniques to you."
What? Techniques?
"Don't be blinded by it though. I'll just give it to you first. Polishing your basics takes precedence."
No no, master. I can learn new things thanks to my current exp!
[Exp: 505,000]
6 months have passed, and my master brought me a zerg who looked like a giant centipede at that time.
Since I said that I needed myself to take the last hit, I was left with a half-dead zerg who's only one slash away from getting killed.
Thanks to that, my Exp rose to 2M. An absurd amount. Since I earned so much exp, I finally raised my Strength, Agility, and Stamina to A- Rank, the same rank as my Vessel!
Turns out, the reason why my techniques were so unstable before is that my stats are not in sync.
Since the container of Aura is called "Physical Vessel", it had something to do with my body. After I upgraded it to the same rank as my Vessel, it's now in sync again. It's much more stable and can endure a more powerful output.
I also upgraded my [Dagger Mastery] to level 4.
[Dagger Mastery (LV4)]
-Represents your understanding towards all types of daggers. The higher the level, the better you can use a dagger.
-Increases the damage of a dagger by 125%.
(Basic attacks and techniques)
That's the general effect of a weapon Mastery. A broad understanding of daggers. even if you only trained with a single type of dagger, you'll be able to use any types just as proficiently as the dagger that you trained with.
Anyways, my master used the light orb technique that he did last time to impart hos techniques.
[Detecting chunk of knowledge. 4 techniques detected.]
[Comprehending <Infinite Sword Phantoms> at Initiate-Level Mastery costs 5M Exp. Continue?]
[Comprehending <Sword of Destruction> at Initiate-Level Mastery costs 5M Exp. Continue?]
[Comprehending <Dance of the Sword God> at Initiate-Level Mastery costs 5M Exp. Continue?]
[Comprehending <36-Heavenly Constellation Steps> at Initiate-Level Mastery costs 5M Exp. Continue?]
Shit, 5M Exp each? How strong are these techniques?!
Even if I didn't gain any "Understanding", I have the knowledge. And there's only one thing that i could say:
It's fucking insane.