The Back Alleys' People (3)

After that, there was no time to investigate anything.

Every morning was hellish training, practicing tactics with Edith as sparring, sparring with Robert in real combat, training mana adaptation and learning how to utilize traits...

After training, the body was completely exhausted, so I ate breakfast and passed out.

In that state, to keep Kane's daily routine, I had to wake up before lunch.

Doing errands for the villagers and saving the money, buying hair accessories for Mor and Mote, walking around the streets listening to rumors to gauge how dangerous it was...

“George uncle, here. I got it from Thomas uncle's place.”

“It's a bit far, that far?”

“The fruit was in the best condition.”

“You can trust me with errands. Here it is.”

But the money from errands was only a few coins, yet I was diligently walking around the streets listening to the rumors.

“The bread shop worker Ann hasn't come to work for days, and she's in the back alleys...”

“Speaking of which, Emily also said she met a bandit with a knife...”

“Lately it's been quiet, but this time again...”

While having tea on the streets and lounging lazily, waiting in the shade, these voices come.

And sometimes while running errands, the path was blocked.

“Constable, can we not pass this way?”

“Sorry. There's an ongoing investigation. Could you turn back?”

“Ah... okay. Take care.”

“...For now, don't wander the back alleys.”

Rumors of disappearances, bandits, and worse, serial killings spreading in the back alleys of Britannica.

Despite this, the only thing I could do was train.

If I don't get stronger myself, I can't do anything.

Pushing like crazy for 3 hours a day, repeating it all week.

Since resting a day means falling behind, Robert kept increasing the difficulty.

“Connection still unnatural, Kane. Always prepare to defend while attacking.”

“Gyaak!”

Even blocking with weapons, the wrist aches from the relentless attacks.

But it wasn't just me.

“The defensive transition is still slow. After swinging the attack, predict the opponent's moves. That's how you can fight in seconds.”

“Ugh!”

Edith was also repeating the same, charging while taking hits.

So, two months passed.

'I really feel like I'm going to die.'

Except the first day, every training ended with full consciousness.

It felt like passing out would be better, but Robert only pushed to the point of slightly exceeding limits.

'Then I have to run errands again.'

Kane's life was too busy for a shut-in gamer like Kim San, feeling the need for clones desperately.

But to survive, I had to.

“Today's training is over. Both of you focus on recovery.”

“Th-thank you...”

With the declaration, both collapsed on the floor.

It was so hard I couldn't even walk back to the shelter.

“Ah, I really want to rest...”

“Me too...”

It would be happy if I could just rest for one day.

Leaving the sharp Robert behind, we lay exhausted on the field.

“How is it so hard every day? That doesn't make sense.”

“As you grow, the physical training gets harder, and the difficulty increases accordingly.”

“I don't have the energy to say anything. I'm the fool for expecting that from Kane. Sigh.”

“Did you hear the same conversation yesterday?”

“I thought you'd give a different answer today.”

“No way.”

Lying powerlessly, looking at the sky, smiling.

Edith was giggling too, but we both knew she ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠had no strength left to laugh.

After a few minutes lying there gazing at the sun, a huge shadow covered our bodies.

“You're lying down again today. You guys okay?”

“Eric oppa. I feel like I'm dying...”

No energy to speak, I gave a thumbs up to Eric.

“Robert seems to be training you harshly.”

Eric, the top performer among the poorhouse orphans.

'Operator list. Eric.'

'Not trained like us, but this good... Must have trained steadily alone. Operator list, Kane.'

Compared to the first day, much improved, but still inferior to Eric.

'Not a scratch after a hundred hits.'

Seeing Eric's defense way higher than my attack power, I laugh bitterly.

Probably damage only up to min attack, rest nullified.

'Why am I the only one without a title?'

Not 1 star, but ? star, being discriminated?

I want to have titles like Goliath, Dragon, Knight of the Wolf... If actor, maybe Method, Masquerade would shine?

“Shall I carry you two to the shelter?”

“Yes.”

“Please, oppa.”

“Got it. Focus on recovery.”

Carrying them with a smile on his shoulders.

Even if couldn't, combined weight 90kg, but steps light.

This is a person who trains alone?

“Here. Rest a bit. I'm going to work now.”

“Take care, oppa.”

“See you later, oppa.”

“Get some rest.”

After carefully placing them at the shelter, Eric left saying he had to go to work.

Edith immediately fell asleep upon lying at the shelter, and I pondered while looking at the operator list.

'Edith's trait has changed.'

I noticed Edith's trait appeared during today's sparring.

Originally, the trait to obtain was the back alleys survival method.

[1st Trait. Back Alleys Survival ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Method.

When deployed, +10% natural recovery speed of cost, if not taking damage for 4 sec, recover 4% max HP per second.]

It was a trait that should be learned for scouting after training in Robert's way.

But what is shown in the status now...

[1st Trait. Dragon Blood

Recover 1 mana on attack and being hit.]

Why did I get a trait fitting the name of the Dragon.

It changed to a trait that suits [Knight].

I didn't think the opposite could happen if the original trait and skill disappear.

'If it's a change that appears in the growth process.'

Then the next 2nd skill, Twin Dragon Strike, might change.

[2nd Skill. Twin Dragon Strike

Auto activate

Initial mana 0

Mana cost 7

Next attack power increases to 135%, and 1 additional attack. Obtains cost 3. 1 charge possible.]

Edith's 2nd skill for scout, Twin Dragon Strike.

It seems to fit well with current trait, but considering efficiency loss from 1 charge, and being close range, hard to obtain cost, it might become a junk character.

'No, it's not a game. Can't think game-like... It's a change caused by me.'

The cause of physical and mental change in Edith is probably me.

If I have to narrow it down, about 3 things.

First, Kane's survival.

From the story not appearing, Kane in this body probably died from Nightmare Fever.

Second, change in training direction.

Focused on combat more than survival method, so the dragon's blood awakened as more advantageous in combat than survival.

Third, frequent use of Dragon's Roar.

This ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠seems the biggest factor. Frequent use of Dragon's Roar made the sense of mana excessive, unconsciously feeling the need for mana.

'Good thing is good, but not being able to predict the future is vague.'

For Edith, Marigold, Eric.

It's good that their performance improves, but [Scout Edith] lost the ability to use her traits and skills.

If the skills I mainly ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠use suddenly become unusable, what other troubles would there be?

I have to think about it, but since it won't change by resting my eyes, I drank the Healing Water as usual to recover health.

Mist accumulated with each breath, and in the shelter, water mist slowly descended.

Now, when I wake up, eat lunch, run errands again...

'I hope nothing happens.'

Eyes slowly closing, falling asleep.

***

“Yo, Kane.”

“Huh.”

Woke from sleep to Edith's voice.

Is it already lunch?

Rubbing eyes, looking ahead, fog is visible.

'Must have been the shelter?'

Waving hand through the fog-like air, it clings stubbornly.

Breathing feels stuffy with heavy humidity.

I intuitively knew it wasn't the mist from Healing Water.

And the window that appeared in front of my eyes lets me know where I am now.