Chapter 57 — First Training Session
Chapter 57 — First Training Session
Translation: GodTL
For a moment, I was so mesmerized by the breathtaking scenery—rarely seen in the real world—that I forgot this place had been explicitly remodeled for my training.
This wasn't a tourist destination.
"By any chance, will the training proceed in a similar way as before?"
"It'll be slightly different. Mind training for mastering Dragon Words, and sparring to draw out the latent Dragon power within you. That much remains the same as before, but one additional method will be introduced."
"What is it?"
When I asked about the new training method, Rokan smiled in a way I couldn't decipher before answering.
"This was the very place where you first properly wielded Dragon Words, wasn't it?"
"Yes. Back then, I really thought I was going to die."
The memories were still vivid.
The excruciating pain so severe that death seemed preferable, the euphoria of using Dragon Words for the first time, and the aftermath that left me suffering for days—all of it came flooding back as Rokan spoke.
...It wasn't a pleasant feeling.
The pain had far outweighed the euphoria, incomparably so.
"Therefore, we'll be adding a new training regimen modeled after that experience. That eccentric bastard went through the trouble of designing it for his precious successor, who dreams of becoming a Dragon in a human body. It'd be rude not to make use of it."
"That may be so, but..."
Was he telling me to endure that horrifying agony all over again?
And every time I trained, no less?
But Rokan seemed convinced this was the most efficient way to grow stronger in the shortest time possible.
Even I had to admit that, so far, this method seemed like the best option.
Still, the thought of experiencing that pain more than once...
That nightmare was something I'd rather not relive even once.
Unconsciously, my face must have twisted at the memory.
"Don't worry. It won't be exactly the same as last time. I don't have some sadistic hobby of inflicting pain for no reason."
His voice was gentle as he reassured me.
"I have no intention of pushing you that hard. I've modified the existing magic circle, so the difficulty can be adjusted precisely. You won't feel pain like before."
Though Rokan's words were meant to comfort me, something about them felt unsettling.
In other words... he was saying he'd push me right up to the brink of unconsciousness, no matter what?
"..."
I knew it had to be done.
But the terror etched into me from that time made it impossible not to worry.
"You're being dramatic. For Sia's sake, shouldn't you be willing to leap into a pit of fire?"
"Yes, of course!"
Right. I was afraid, but I had no choice but to steel myself and push through.
At the very least, it wouldn't be as bad as last time, and if things got truly dangerous, Rokan would step in to help.
I drew my sword from the Subspace.
Then, as a way to steady my resolve before the training began, I lightly traced my fingers over the ring Sia had gifted me.
"I'm ready."
"Good. Let's start off lightly for now. I'll observe you first and adjust the difficulty in real time to suit your level."
To begin the training, Rokan retrieved a Crystal Orb from the Subspace and infused it with mana.
Then, one by one, the phantom soldiers I had seen before began materializing across the empty plains.
At the same time—though I had half-expected it—Wyverns gradually emerged from the air.
The scene was eerily similar to what I had witnessed back then.
And judging by how closely their numbers matched my memory, it seemed the environment had been replicated perfectly.
"...Lord Rokan, didn't you say we'd start off lightly?"
"It only looks overwhelming because of the numbers. You'll manage."
Though the difficulty was supposedly lower than before, the vividness of my memories made my body stiffen with fear.
Yes, I had wielded Dragon Words against them for the first time back then—but the overwhelming terror and pain I had experienced had far eclipsed any euphoria.
This was probably... a form of PTSD.
'But.'
Only by overcoming and mastering that fear could I hope to reach the heights I aspired to.
Though the situation appeared similar to that time on the surface, everything now was fundamentally different from back then.
So, I would face this battle without fear.
With a sword emitting a faint gray aura, I charged forward without the slightest hesitation and began my dance of blades.
At first, as Rokan had said, it was manageable—everything felt easier compared to before.
The aura at the tip of my sword gradually intensified, and the soldiers fell like withered leaves in autumn, unable to mount any counterattack.
Then, at some point—
The aura began extending from my sword without my conscious control.
Sword auras shot from the blade's edge, striking the wyverns in midair.
There was a world of difference between merely condensing sword aura on a blade and being able to project that aura toward an enemy.
Swordsmen, by the nature of their discipline, were inherently vulnerable in long-range combat. But if one could not only generate aura but also release it, that limitation could be partially overcome.
Back in my academy days, one professor had said that swordsmen could be categorized based on whether they could project sword aura or not.
This alone was proof of how drastically I had progressed.
What had once been an advanced technique I couldn't even imagine wielding—now, without realizing it, I had reached the point where I could execute it with my own hands.
Even among B-rank swordsmen, I knew only a handful could use this technique.
Though the power of my projected sword aura was still weak, the mere fact that I had succeeded in manifesting it was significant in itself.
When I glanced back, Rokan was watching my training with a satisfied smile.
"You're doing well. The energy I sense from you, the aura condensed on your blade—it's clear just how much you've grown."
They say even whales dance when praised.
Well then, shall I dance with my sword a little more properly now?
For an ordinary Hunter, practicing proper control over sword aura would be the priority—but my focus was different.
That's that, and this is this.
[Freeze.]
Feeling the battle-warmed energy of my sword and the faint but unmistakable presence of a Dragon's power within me—
I attempted Dragon Words on the enemies spread out before me.
It would've been perfect if it had worked, but unfortunately, the Dragon Words failed to take hold.
Before using them, I had worried, What if my Dragon Words take effect and cause a rift in this space? So, unlike before, I had aimed to freeze the enemies instead.
Seems like I worried for nothing.
Perhaps I had grown too complacent, intoxicated by my recent progress and Rokan's praise.
"You still seem to have plenty of energy to spare. In that case—"
Rokan stroked the Crystal Orb—
And in an instant, a brief flash of light flickered across the soldiers and wyverns before vanishing.
"Let's raise the difficulty further."
"Haa... haa..."
Once the training ended—
I collapsed on the spot, gasping for breath.
There had been a time before when I sparred with Rokan, swinging my sword nonstop for an hour—this felt exactly like that.
No, perhaps this was even worse.
First. Even when struck by the system-generated monsters, the pain wasn't completely nullified.
Rokan had adjusted the magic circle here, but every hit still carried a faint sting.
Though not excruciating, the accumulated pain had built up until my body screamed that it couldn't take any more.
And second.
Rokan had truly pushed me right to the brink of collapse.
From behind, he monitored my training in real time, meticulously adjusting the difficulty—keeping me in a state where I was on the verge of collapse but never quite fell.
Ugh... I can't breathe...
Exhausted to the point of near-depletion, I recovered by drinking the potion Rokan handed me.
"This was your first session in the new training grounds. I'd like to hear your thoughts."
"I thought I'd already experienced hell before... I had no idea there was an even more painful hell beyond that."
I had initially thought we'd start with some light warm-up exercises, but I never expected the training to be this intense right from the beginning.
If we continue training like this, I might see results faster than anticipated.
Though honestly, it was so grueling I could've sworn out loud.
"It's not just that it was difficult—I actually had high hopes, so I'm a bit disappointed."
"Are you referring to Dragon Words?"
"Yes."
There was precedent, after all. Both the Hunter Association and Rokan himself had confirmed that my growth rate was abnormally rapid. And most importantly, hadn't Rokan said this place was the optimal environment for wielding Dragon Words?
So I'd thought that, even by sheer chance, I might have managed to use them at least once.
"You can't expect to be full after the first spoonful. From what I saw, you didn't do too badly. Now then, let me give you some feedback on today's training."
Rokan, seated on the bench, patted the spot beside him, signaling for me to sit.
"Today, we should start with what needs improvement. Tell me—what do you think was the most crucial reason you failed to wield Dragon Words today?"
"Could you give me a moment, please?"
What had I lacked today?
Searching for the answer, I sank into thought.
The way he phrased it made it seem like I'd overlooked something specific. I had felt a vague sense of dissatisfaction, but I couldn't quite pinpoint what it was.
Saying something like, Last time, I could use Dragon Words because I had my restraints removed and could tap into my full strength—that just sounded like an excuse.
Even after combing through my memories of the past two hours of training, nothing clear came to mind.
When I still couldn't grasp it, Rokan subtly dropped a hint.
"Fundamentals."
"Ah!"
A single word—but the moment I heard it, something clicked.
"I was so focused on other things that I neglected the basics, just as you said. And the most fundamental of all fundamentals would be... willpower, right?"
The thing considered the most foundational above all else.
A burning, unyielding will.
Now that I thought about it, I hadn't truly felt that today.
Maybe, without realizing it, I'd grown complacent—partly because the environment was ideal for Dragon Words, and partly because of my recent achievements.
And most crucially, unlike last time when I'd successfully wielded Dragon Words, this time I wasn't driven by the desperate will to survive and escape.
There was no room for excuses.
"...Now that I realize it, I feel ashamed."
My head bowed on its own from sheer embarrassment.
Both Rokan and Sia were giving their all to help me achieve my goal, yet here I was, thinking too lightly of it.
Even if the environment and circumstances had changed, I should have carried the same desperation as before.
"Good. As long as you understand, that's enough. Just don't make the same mistake again."
Rokan gave my back a light pat.
"That doesn't mean you did poorly, though. Your control was decent, and your modulation of power was generally solid. It's also commendable that you didn't recklessly force out a stronger Dragon Words than you could handle."
He went on to point out both my strengths and the areas where I could improve.
"Thank you."
"Well then, since you've rested enough, let's wrap up today's training with some mental exercises—consider it a cooldown."
Wait, more training?
Given how intense today's session had been, I'd assumed we were done. But contrary to my expectations, the training wasn't over yet.
Well, what could I do?
I'd taken a potion and rested enough—might as well go through with it.
After the break, I followed Rokan's guidance and finished the day with some light mental training.
"Ugh... I'm exhausted."
"You did well. Today's training was harsher than usual, but you kept up admirably."
"Thank you for your hard work today."
I was so tired that I'd probably collapse the moment I got home.
If my body weren't so drained, I would've stayed longer to enjoy the scenery before leaving, but I didn't even have the energy for that.
I was so drowsy I wouldn't have been surprised if I'd dozed off right then and there—
But Rokan's next words were enough to jolt me awake.
"Min-jun. After listening to you earlier, I gave it some thought—and I've decided it really would be best if I formed the guild."