Chapter 43 [Hidden Title '60 Million Swings' Acquired!]

The counter right in front of my eyes hit exactly 60,000,000 and stopped. Then, the translucent window I'd been waiting for finally popped up, announcing that I'd acquired the hidden title.

"Hoo..."

The moment I saw it, pain surged through my legs, arms, and every part of my body like a tidal wave. I collapsed right there on the spot.

I had no idea how many hours I'd been swinging like this. At first, I'd only meant to try it for a bit, but once the hidden title was on the line, I got greedy despite not even knowing what effect it would give. I just kept going obsessively until I hit it.

Honestly, even I know it. No one who's even halfway sane could do this. Hell, even crazy people couldn't swing a sword over ten million times in a single day.

The only reason it was possible was because I'd been diligently training my magic all this time, I think. Sure, the sword fit me perfectly, but from the middle onward, it started getting heavier. I cast auxiliary spells to lighten its weight and make my arm muscles move more smoothly. Without that, it probably wouldn't have been doable.

Clap-clap— Clap-clap-clap—

As I sat there lost in those thoughts, sudden applause rang out from somewhere.

Clap-clap-clap! Clap-clap-clap!

It spread throughout the entire training ground. Startled, I whipped around to see a huge crowd had gathered without me noticing— all of them sitting there watching me swing my sword like it was some show.

No way...!

Okay, fine, the seniors who came for autographs, whatever. But why were all these people sitting around like it was a picnic, just staring at me?!

A wave of embarrassment crashed over me. Training grounds are supposed to be places ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠where you ignore everyone else and focus on your own practice, right?

I hadn't even taken over the whole space. I'd stuck to a corner, imagining a straw dummy in front of me and pounding away at it relentlessly.

"Theo! You worked so hard!"

"Theo, great job."

And when did these two show up? Estelle and Iris came rushing over, pulling out fancy-looking handkerchiefs to wipe the sweat from my face.

"That was incredible. How could you swing for so long? And in the middle, you were using auxiliary magic so effortlessly—I was seriously moved...!"

Estelle clasped her hands together like she was praying to a god, leaving me flustered.

No, I only planned to do it until those seniors showed up for autographs, but they didn't come, so I just kept going...

I checked my phone to see how much time had passed— exactly 6 hours since I started.

"Whoa."

Even I was shocked. Back at Duncan Uncle's training spot, I'd swung for up to 3 hours, but 6? That was a new record.

"Um, so, about that autograph... can we get it now...?"

The seniors who'd asked earlier started creeping out one by one, which was just ridiculous.

If you'd come over, I would've stopped and signed right away! Who leaves someone swinging for hours like that?!

"Ah, sure. It's not really an autograph, just my name..."

I'm no celebrity; I don't have a signature or anything. And I never plan to make one... Well, your name is basically your signature, right?

But why ask me when Iris and Estelle are right here? I thought it was because they weren't around earlier, but these guys are weird.

"Whoa...! Awesome, gotta brag to my classmates!"

"Gotta come to the training ground more often, hehe...!"

I had no clue why the seniors were so thrilled after getting their names signed, but anyway, it was time for me to head back.

"Whew, looks like I overdid it. My hands and feet aren't moving right."

"Of course you did. Come here. I'll use healing magic on you."

"Huh? No, I'm fine. Really, you don't have to—"

Estelle ignored me, sidling up and casting her healing magic anyway. Maybe because it involved holy power flowing into me, but it felt incredibly warm.

"Your muscles are pretty damaged. I healed you overall, but you should rest completely today."

Estelle smiled warmly as she spoke, looking every bit the saintess she was.

"Uh, yeah, thanks, Estelle."

"No problem. Protecting you is my job, after all."

"Haha, you don't need to go that far."

Honestly, I'd rather see her dancing around happily with Iris than playing bodyguard.

"For the first time, I thought it would've been nice if I had holy power too."

"Huh? Iris? Out of nowhere? Why holy power?"

"No, just... I'm only good at swordsmanship."

"Only swordsmanship? There are tons of people who can't even do that, you know."

"I like that you're good at swordsmanship, Iris. We can spar together and improve."

Of course, give it a little time, and she'd outpace me completely, but still.

"Hearing that makes me want to train my swordsmanship even harder!"

Iris's face lit up like she'd heard exactly what she wanted. These girls rely way too much on their favorite friends— that's their problem. It was the same in the game. They'd always shower Lina with support, saying stuff like they'd protect her or that they loved her, enough to make anyone think the three of them were dating.

"Anyway, shall we head back?"

"Yes! I'll escort you to the dorm comfortably!"

Estelle started preparing a teleport spell, but I grabbed her hand in a panic.

"Ah, Estelle! Can I try it from now on? I wanna practice teleport magic too."

"H-Hot...! Y-Yes, of course...!"

I kept holding her hand as I looked at her, and she suddenly realized it, yanking away.

"S-Sorry...!"

"No, it's fine. See you tomorrow, then. And thanks to everyone else for watching...?"

I even bowed to the still-gawking crowd before setting the dorm coordinates and casting the teleport spell myself.

The nausea was way less than before, so yeah— from now on, I could handle teleports with my own magic.

But man, it feels like my magic is growing even though I'm barely doing anything with it.

"Eh, passive growth is ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a good thing."

Wonder how far I teleported. The training ground's about 500 meters from the dorm, so... today alone, that's at least ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠1km.

"You Can Teleport This Far!" seems like a beginner title compared to 50 Million Swings— just 2km total. A few more round trips to the training ground, and I'd max it.

But does this have a hidden mission too...? Eh, whatever. I'll do it and see.

To cut a long story short, "You Can Teleport This Far!" had a hidden title too, naturally.

It didn't require much more—just another 1km—and I snagged the hidden "[Hidden] You Can Even Reach Here?"

Plus, the promotion that was supposed to happen automatically upon getting the title... since I had a hidden one, it turned into "Hidden promotion complete!"

Whoa! Hidden promotion?!

Okay, everything else might be whatever, but this? I can actually get hyped for this, right? It's a hidden promotion.

Now we're talking— ditch the village bumpkin crap and get something epic like World Guardian Hero! Or at least the protagonists' best bro!

My heart started pounding hard.

"No, no. Don't get your hopes up. I've been disappointed so many times after expecting big things before...!"

I tried to calm myself, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠but it wasn't easy.

"But still...!"

Whew, calm down, please, just calm down...!

This is gonna be some trash reward, total garbage...!

Yeah, it's probably "[Hidden] Fucking Amazing Village Person" or some shit! Just slapping "Hidden" on it doesn't make it a hidden job, idiot!

No, no, wait. I haven't checked yet, so calm down and... let's take a look...

Whew, okay...

"Status window."

And with that, the status window appeared right in front of me.