Isabel's First Victory

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Outside the Image Room.

"...Me, you know."

Isabel hugged her knees, her voice sinking low.

"Am I... actually weak?"

Image Room's lowest difficulty: 1-1.

Just goblins or wild dogs at best.

But.

Having dispatched Uruk with a single Magic Art and been hailed as the pinnacle of talent, Isabel was now tasting the greatest frustration of her life.

About ten minutes earlier.

"It's just some puny goblin, huh?"

Hit by a goblin thrower's stone.

"Wha—what?!"

Her thigh bitten by a wild dog.

"...N-no, huff, this can't... fl..."

Charged by a wild boar.

Seven fresh and varied deaths in total.

Even though they were holograms, Isabel had rolled across the floor dodging attacks and was drenched in sweat.

"This... this is."

In disbelief, she muttered with a dazed expression.

"This is cheating..."

"...That's Isabel for you."

"Stay still! Don't move! Let me try again!"

Isabel reactivated the Image Room, but soon twisted her ankle and fell flat on her butt.

"Ow!"

Her face still burned with competitive fire.

Zien shook his head, as if he'd seen something he shouldn't.

'This isn't even a stamina issue anymore...'

Isabel had the worst coordination he'd ever seen.

Not just any lack of coordination—the absolute worst Zien had witnessed. Previously, her mana-enhanced physical boosts had sharpened all her senses, masking it completely.

'Without reinforcement, it's pathetic.'

Seeing her so dejected tugged at Zien's heartstrings.

"The Image Room... let's just call it quits, Isabel."

"...Knew you'd say that. You've given up on me, haven't you?"

Thirty challenges.

Thirty failures.

Body and mind in tatters, Isabel muttered gloomily.

"Died to goblins how many times? Makes sense. Speared, axed... smashed by rocks."

Thirty deaths to the weakest foes had crushed her self-esteem.

"Whew~ At least it's a relief. If I'd charged into a gate clueless, I'd have died like a dog. Maybe quit being a Saber and learn cooking? I wanted to be a chef as a kid—"

As Isabel moved to abandon her historic talent, Zien hurriedly intervened.

'Well... anyone would end up like that after thirty deaths on stage 1.'

But for someone always called a genius? It must've hit harder. What she needed now was immediate encouragement. Zien soothed her.

"No way. Who's talking about quitting? I just thought of a better training method."

She glanced up.

Isabel lifted her head slightly from her knees.

"...A better training method?"

"You know about Zone 1, right?"

"Of course."

Isabel nodded. The commonly called "Goo" or Zone 1 was the backdrop for the virtual gate exam at Everline Lake Park.

'Tough with the terms and quests.'

A familiar place for ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Zien.

Zone 1's culture and tech were diverse and efficient. The best, in his mind? Martial arts.

"Zone 1 has countless martial arts. Among them is something called mixed martial arts."

"Martial arts? That's in Zone 4 and 3 too."

Zien shook his head at her lukewarm response.

'That kind of brawling is too far from Isabel.'

'Impossible with her motor skills.'

But Zone 1's martial arts were designed for simplicity.

"Zone 1's martial arts will suit you best."

This was Zien's compromise.

'Stamina can build slowly after the event.'

For now, teach her practical strikes and self-defense. Even without mana, she might pass 1-1.

"Alright then. Shall we start with martial arts basics?"

A few days passed.

"Kiyah!"

Image Room 1-3 difficulty.

Isabel facing off against three goblins.

Opponents she'd normally dispatch with a flick, but her expression was deadly serious.

"Don't tense up. Just like before..."

"Kik!"

The goblin swung its axe.

But even with the weapon, its natural short reach fell short.

"Hah!"

160cm vs. 90cm height difference.

With a kiai, Isabel's pale leg snapped a clean middle kick into the goblin's shoulder.

Thwack!

A solid hit loaded with her body weight.

"Ki-ek!"

As the lead goblin staggered, the spear-wielding one targeted Isabel.

Whoosh!

A crude stone spear slicing air.

Isabel tilted her head to dodge, then closed into the spear's range.

Grab.

She seized the goblin's wrist, hooked its leg, and slammed it down. Zone 1 self-defense, as taught by Zien.

Thud!

"Kr-ek!"

Not comparable to Magic Tool combat, but martial arts provided baseline Saber readiness. Zien smiled satisfactorily at Isabel on his phone screen.

'Good. She's improved a lot.'

Impossible for her to match martial Saber pros, but her coordination and stamina had grown. Positive signs.

'Plus, if she closes past her ranged attacks unscathed—which she wouldn't be.'

If she struggled in close and then used body reinforcement for martial arts, the enemy would struggle too.

'Now Isabel's sorted. My turn.'

Hiss.

The Image Room door opened with a deflating cola sound.

"Hah, haa! You saw that? You saw?!"

Having cleared three goblins, Isabel beamed at Zien. Breathing hard through her mouth.

"Hoo, haa... I did it. I did it..."

Her past struggles flashed by like a montage, her voice softening. Zien felt the same, having watched her train. His nose tingled.

"Yeah, Isabel. You did it."

"I really beat goblins... goblins."

"Three of them, even."

"Can't believe it. Thanks to you."

"No, you learned fast."

Three hologram goblins.

Historic mana and supreme swordsmanship—they praised each other's feat, a rare heartwarming sight.

"...Uh."

Embarrassed by her state, Isabel averted her eyes to the door.

"...Gonna grab some water?"

As the exhausted Isabel left the training room, Zien's eyes narrowed.

'Perfect timing left. Time to fetch that hidden item.'

Zien didn't need sword basics like Chris. His were peerless.

Swordsmanship alone let him beat 3rd-rank Sabers without a Magic Tool.

'But.'

Zien's mana was still 2nd-rank. Like Chris gaining a second Magic Tool via training and potions, Stigmata and Magic Tools grow with their owner's mana.

But Zien's Stigma and Magic Tool were from his past life.

2nd-rank mana.

A 17-year-old boy's body, residual mana cured. Yet the Stigma was hero Evan Crowe's—Black Fragrance.

Result: Zien couldn't use his Magic Tool. He'd scraped by in the mage tower with Isabel's artifact squirrel's help.

But no 1st place in Battle Survival without it.

'Need more mana.'

Zien opened his phone app and snapped his Stigma.

Click.

Moon Sword skill and Anti-Magic Magic Art reclaimed from his past life.

'Don't know the conditions, but get stronger and the rest will unlock eventually.'

Zien had already found his path to strength in past-life memories.

"...Fail..."

This train station, built from crystal golem byproducts, resembled a glass artwork.

But not just for beauty. The crystals harvested from golems boasted hardness surpassing steel.

"So this is the heart of transportation."

The massive investment earned it the nickname "Heart of Transit" without shame.

A spectacle of over ten thousand people heading to their destinations.

Press.

Zien hit call, and it connected soon after.

"Nice voice you've got."

"I did."

The other end was Broom of Extermination's guild master, Bluma.

"Sorry, not today."

Zien played along with her cheeky tone.

"You haven't forgotten the contract, right?"

"I want to clear the Crystal Cave your guild manages."

In short, no cleaning fee. The Crystal Cave was far from the city, deep in the mountains—no reason for the government to bother. Of course, Zien's goal wasn't cleaning.

"It's just a field trip anyway. No need for rewards."

"Second rejection already."

Bluma smacked her lips regretfully.

Checking the board, Zien asked Bluma one last thing.

"So, Crystal Cave access approved?"

His persistent questioning gave Bluma pause.

A low-risk 2nd-rank dungeon. The Crystal Cave had been deserted even before manifesting. Bluma couldn't shake the "why?"

She trailed off.

'Making her sweat.'

Zien's eyes narrowed. As Bluma suspected, he had urgent reason to enter the Crystal Cave.

'Fail.'

Fail Elquenes.

Aquamarine-haired comrade and friend from his past life. In the Crystal Cave lay a gate reward from 100 years ago—Zien and Fail's prize from a 6th-rank gate.

"No worries."

Sure enough, the train to Barusa—for Broom of Extermination—pulled in.

"Won't take long. Knew you'd approve."

With brazen words, Zien boarded the train.