Unintended Training
"Hmm... I need to keep this sensation alive somehow."
I quickly raised my sword and poured every ounce of my will into its tip. At that moment, a hazy, smoke-like aura began to rise from the blade, clear and vivid to my senses.
"Whoa! I did it on purpose! Rainy! Can you see this?"
I pointed the sword toward the tree that seemed to hold some special power and asked urgently.
(Huh? That smoky thing at the end?)
"Yeah! 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 really like that."
(I don't know! I see it! I see it!)
[Heh heh, you two. Acting like you've never seen Astea before.]
"...... Astea?"
[That's what we called what you just manifested in the world I came from. Are you saying no one in this world can handle it?]
"Uh... well, I did hear about one person who reached the level of Sword Aura. They say he can cleave massive monsters in a single strike and cut through things that shouldn't even be visible."
At my words, the orb bobbed up and down rapidly, showing clear excitement.
[Mm-mm! The one you mentioned must have reached the realm of Beyatra. To think this world has a swordsman of that caliber. I'd love to have a conversation with them someday.]
"Beyatra..."
[More importantly, there's something I'm curious about, my disciple. Have you ever been pushed to your absolute limit?]
The Master's question came out of nowhere, but I gave it serious thought.
"Limit... What kind of limit are we talking about?"
[I'm asking if you've ever endured a moment so unbearable that you thought you couldn't go on. It seems like there's something about you I don't know.]
"Ah... If it's that kind of experience, then yes. Though it feels distant now, like a dream."
The orb flashed with light, clearly intrigued.
[When was that? What exactly did you go through?]
"That was... before I woke up here."
Before Yeonhee's summoning spell brought me back. There had been a time when I was curled up like an insect in some corner of this space, unable to do anything. Even now, it amazed me that I hadn't gone mad. Maybe the strict judgment of Composure was built on that experience. A trait that always protected me whenever I felt like I was about to break.
Looking back, if I hadn't been reborn as a skeleton soldier, I probably wouldn't have survived it.
"There was such a period."
After hearing my story, the Master reacted with visible shock, his orb trembling.
[Hooh— So you underwent unintentional wall-facing training! During that time, was your sense of self still intact?]
"Of course. It was so vivid I thought I was losing my mind."
Trapped in pitch-black space, fixed in one posture, enduring what felt like an eternity with no sound reaching me—it had been hell.
"Seriously! I had forgotten about it, and now thanks to you it's all coming back! How are you going to take responsibility for this, Master?!"
[Hmm— If you've overcome it, it shouldn't be a painful memory anymore. So, how long did you endure that training?]
After a moment of hesitation, I gave him my answer. The moment he heard it, he shot upward in shock.
[Y-you little rascal!! Are you mocking your master?!]
"It's the truth..."
[How is that possible? Is it really true? My disciple... How did you endure such a long time in that state? How can you even speak now? You should have lost your sense of self as your mind wore away. Even beings who have reached godhood, gazing down from that distant place, couldn't endure it. Heh heh... It's a miracle you didn't become a terrifying monster.]
"Was it really that bad? Well, it was hard enough to want to die. I probably spent my entire life wishing for death."
Of course, the time I mentioned wasn't exact. At some point I'd stopped counting the days. It was just my rough estimate, but maybe I'd overshot.
Both the orb and the tree froze in place, falling into silence at once.
[......]
(......)
"...... Ah! Seriously, why are you both suddenly going quiet?!"
I shouted in embarrassment, but they only looked at me with pity.
"I shouldn't have said anything. Tch... I was planning to carry it alone for the rest of my life, but I let my guard down."
Still, what had allowed me to endure that horrific environment were the memories of my past life—strangely vivid at the time, though now faded like mist. Being able to replay my entire life over and over had kept me sane. And faintly, I also remembered the feeling that someone was desperately trying to hold my sense of self together. That gratitude and pity had made me want to keep going too.
[I see. So that's how it was. That's why you became a skeleton soldier... Wait, then?!]
The Master, who had been muttering to himself, suddenly told me to remove my armor.
"Huh? No, this thing's stuck to my body. I can only move the thorns a little."
[Ahem— Then give me one of those thorns.]
"Why do you need it? Don't tell me you have some weird fetish?"
[What? What are you talking about, disciple?]
"Ah, nothing. Just saying whatever. One moment—"
I handed over the largest thorn growing from my body while wondering how the tiny orb would carry something the size of a fist. Then a small pocket dimension opened behind the Master and instantly sucked the thorn inside.
"Whoa— Master has a subspace too? Also, it's really small?"
[Yours is just abnormally large, isn't it?]
"Uh... I guess? Anyway! Thanks to you, we made real progress today! Thank you, Master."
[Ahem—! Of course you'd improve when I'm the one teaching you, you fool!]
The Master brushed off my thanks, but the way he bounced around in every direction made it look like he was squirming with embarrassment. He had a strangely cute side. I gave him another respectful bow as he prepared to leave, and he watched me quietly before disappearing into the darkness.
"I'll see you again in three days."
(Waaah!! That was fun! Kyahaha!)
The moment the orb vanished, Rainy burst into laughter she'd been holding back and mimicked my movements with her branches.
(The technique called 'Bran' was especially interesting!)
"Ah, that one? It was fascinating. Absolute evasion? Does something like that actually work?"
Starting today, I'd begun learning Bran from the Master—a technique that supposedly let you evade and redirect any attack. It meant "nothingness" in the world he'd come from, and its purpose wasn't just evasion.
"Huu... The timing is ridiculously difficult."
One part was fully understanding and accepting my own power and nature. Another was fully understanding and accepting the power and nature of the incoming attack. The ultimate goal was to manifest a hollow will the moment those two met in a state of nothingness—Bran.
"Easier said than done... Nothing about this feels possible. What even is a hollow will? Seriously... geniuses."
The Master said he'd teach me the actual technique once I got somewhat used to the timing. That timing required capturing the single extreme instant when the opponent's power focused entirely on me, which felt closer to a miracle than anything else.
(Ilwol will definitely do it! Yaap! Yap! Like this! If you keep trying, it'll work, right?)
"If you keep trying... Maybe someday it'll work. Someday..."
With so little time left, those words didn't really resonate. But there was no other way except to do as Rainy said. And I needed to focus even more. The Master had said that while my talent with the sword was mediocre, my concentration was at least passable.
(Omnyomnyom— Chuuup— Chuuup—)
Rainy suddenly stopped talking and began sucking up the mana flowing from my body. I quietly watched the flow of mana being drawn into her.
"The quality of my mana has definitely improved. It used to be a murky blue, but the concentration is much thicker now."
I leaned against the tree trunk so Rainy could absorb even more.
(Ah...! You startled me.)
"Huh? Isn't it easier to absorb if I'm closer?"
(U-uh... Well, yeah, it is.)
Maybe being pressed right up against her was a little overwhelming. Rainy hesitated for a moment, coughed a few times, then resumed sucking up my mana.
"Looks like Yeonhee isn't ready yet. We probably have another hour or two."
Leaning against the tree, I entered meditation. I replayed everything I'd learned today, went over the moments I'd been corrected, and engraved them once more with strong will.
Buuuuung—
Then, at some point, the surroundings grew quiet and an endless white space unfolded. Only Rainy and I remained there...
Huh? Rainy?
(Wow...... It feels strangely nostalgic...)
"?! You can see this space too?"
(Yeah! This white space... I've definitely been here before.)
"Hmm... Even so, being able to share what I'm feeling... Is it because you're eating my mana?"
(Who knows? Hohot— Who cares! I like watching you concentrate! The mana tastes even sweeter too!)
"...... Alright. I'll focus a bit more."
I narrowed my focus as much as possible within the expanded space, concentrating solely on my own existence. Though the Master had scolded me a lot today, it was also the day I'd received the most praise since the first.
"He said the turbid energy had decreased significantly. I didn't expect that possessing Yeonhee's first time would bring such an enormous effect."
After entering the Dark Space, I checked the message that had appeared belatedly.
- The texture composing your existence has become significantly purer.
- When Mimicry is activated, charm increases greatly.
- When Mimicry is activated, the stat reduction is reduced to 40.
- The reduction in mana recovery speed while mana exhausted is decreased by 20%.
"I don't know if sleeping with someone once deserves this kind of reward, but either way, it's huge... Especially the third one. That's basically the level of reward you get for reaching enlightenment."
The more you chain skills, the greater the mana consumption becomes. In short battles it wasn't noticeable, but in prolonged fights it became a serious burden, eventually leading to mana exhaustion. It was an unavoidable fate for hunters who navigated brutal battlefields. But with this reward, that burden would be considerably lightened.
"Still, the other effects make sense, but charm increasing is just ridiculous."
Of course, becoming more attractive to Yeonhee was something I welcomed, but it was a completely unexpected reward.
"Well... Removing the turbid energy means the soul has become clearer. I guess it makes sense that charm would rise too."
I accepted it and began focusing again within the white space. Having absorbed plenty of mana, Rainy, who had been staring at me, spoke carefully.
(Nyaha! That was delicious! Hey, skeleton, can I come here every day? Huh?)
"...... Only if the Master allows it?"
(Huk... No. Don't tell your master about me, just in case.)
"Hm? Why?"
(Huh? Well... Why, I wonder? I just feel that way! Weird, right? Hohot—!)
Even without Rainy's request, once I was summoned again I'd look for the right moment to ask Yeonhee. To deactivate the summoning so I could come here every day.
"It was just something I said, but this place does seem to have good training efficiency."
With that thought, I sank deeper into meditation. After some time had passed—
Clunk——!
Without even properly saying goodbye to Rainy, I was swallowed by the door once more.
* * *