Chapter 42
After finishing a proper meal—not just the rice balls the kids ate at the training ground—Ruine showered with hot water and returned to his quarters.
“Phew, what a long day.”
Flop!
He collapsed onto the soft bed, staring at the ceiling, and then, for the first time in a while, called out a familiar word.
“Status Window.”
At the same time—
<Status Window>
Name: Ruine Laingraim
True Name: None
Titles: Hunter of the Forest (Common), Recognized by the Sword Spirit (Rare), One Who Walks the Path of the Sword (Special)
Traits: Perfect (Body), Sword Spirit (Spirit), Mana Insensitivity (Greatly Weakened)
Abilities:
[Unique]
???
Heaven’s Seamless Perfection (3★)
[Special]
Unity of Body and Mind (3★)
Insight of Interpretation (1★)
[General]
Swordsmanship (Intermediate–Modified)
Press for more details.
Other than the addition of “Swordsmanship” in the general abilities and some new titles, nothing else had changed.
But—
‘The system said some points were added… but they’re not showing here.’
He remembered hearing that notification for the first time last night, but when he checked, he hadn’t found anything unusual.
‘Something’s definitely there… tch.’
Since Heaven’s Seamless Perfection still held many secrets, Ruine thought he needed to dig deeper to master it.
‘Wait. What if I try using Insight of Interpretation on this?’
That ability had revealed hidden details about people, objects, and techniques before.
Now, Ruine decided to use it on Heaven’s Seamless Perfection.
And then—
His vision turned gray. The instant he touched the translucent hologram floating before him—
Ding!
Analyzing Status Window with Insight of Interpretation.
The familiar alert made Ruine focus even more.
Ding!
Hidden elements of <Status Window> detected.
Secondary information unlocked.
“What, hidden elements? Secondary information unlocked?”
He couldn’t help but shout at the unexpected news.
Ding!
New information has been updated.
The translucent hologram began to change.
<Status Window Information>
Name: Ruine Laingraim
True Name: None
Race: Human
Titles: Hunter of the Forest (Common), Recognized by the Sword Spirit (Rare), One Who Walks the Path of the Sword (Special)
Traits: Perfect (Body), Sword Spirit (Spirit), Mana Insensitivity (Greatly Weakened)
Current Abilities: ???, Heaven’s Seamless Perfection, Unity of Body and Mind, Insight of Interpretation, Swordsmanship (Intermediate–Modified)
Potential Abilities: (Unable to Interpret), (Unable to Interpret), (Unable to Interpret), (Unable to Interpret), (Unable to Interpret)
Stats:
Strength: 16 (+5)
Agility: 12 (+5)
Stamina: 20 (+15)
Energy: 10 (+5)
Willpower: 30 (+5)
Perception: 50 (+5)
Control: 17 (+5)
Current Status:
Health: 98%
Energy: 94%
Fatigue: 12%
Due to Unity of Body and Mind, Health and Willpower are linked.
Due to Perfect (Body), all stats gain +5 bonus points.
Potential abilities cannot be clearly identified.
Higher fatigue slows health and energy recovery.
Press for more details.
“What the hell…?”
Ruine muttered in a low voice, rereading the information with wide eyes.
‘Everything else looks similar…’
The format was neater. But now it even displayed Potential Abilities—though they couldn’t yet be interpreted.
What truly drew Ruine’s attention, however, was below that—
‘It quantified my abilities?’
Vague qualities like strength, agility, and willpower were now expressed as numbers.
‘What is this…’
He pressed his lips together, staring at the screen with mixed emotions swirling inside.
He couldn’t tell the limits of those numbers, but with Heaven’s Seamless Perfection he could now track his growth in real time.
And then—
Insight of Interpretation has revealed hidden information of <Status Window>.
As Insight improves, new data may be unlocked.
Ruine tilted his head after reading the note at the bottom.
‘If I improve Insight, more information updates? Wait… does that mean—’
He paused.
‘Could I one day see other people’s stats as numbers too?’
Then—
“Holy crap, that’s broken!”
He shot up from the bed, shouting, eyes blazing with excitement.
[W-what’s wrong with you all of a sudden, Ruine?]
The sword spirit, startled by his behavior, asked.
“Just stay quiet, I’m busy right now.”
[What?]
Ignoring the sword spirit’s exasperation, Ruine started using Insight of Interpretation on everything around him.
The next day.
“Run.”
With Instructor Harken’s cold order, the endless running resumed.
Then—
“Ten thousand swings. Anyone who doesn’t finish before sunset gets no food.”
The afternoon training continued with perfect sword swings.
“Three years of this? Please, no.”
“I can’t take it anymore…”
“Forget it. Let’s just starve to death.”
While most trainees were half-giving up—
“Ruine, finished running first!”
“Ruine, completed all ten thousand swings!”
The instructors’ clear voices rang out. Once again, Ruine Laingraim finished first.
But—
‘No notification this time?’
Frowning slightly, Ruine remembered the last system alert.
‘It mentioned my first limit break… hmm. So I’ll need harsher training next time?’
He reasoned that simply doing the same routine wasn’t enough for another breakthrough.
“Seron, finished all ten thousand!”
Another instructor shouted from afar.
“Well done. You may leave.”
But Ruine shook his head lightly. Then—
Whoosh!
He lifted his wooden sword again.
“Ruine? Training’s over. You should rest.”
“I’m going to keep going.”
“…What?”
The instructor stared at him in shock.
“Feels like it’s not enough. I plan to keep going till the end.”
“…Is that so?”
Smiling faintly, Instructor Piker, who was responsible for Ruine, raised his own sword.
“Then I’ll join you.”
“…Sir?”
“If my trainee keeps training, how can I leave work early?”
Ruine nodded, and the two began swinging together.
Swish, crack!
Their movements soon caught everyone’s eyes.
“Wait, didn’t they finish already?”
“Why’s he still swinging?”
“Why’s the instructor doing it too?”
As curiosity spread—
“….”
Unlike before, Seron wasn’t lying exhausted on the ground. Sitting upright, he stared with burning eyes. Then—
“Seron? You finished already. Rest.”
His instructor spoke kindly, but Seron shook his head firmly, looking at his wooden sword.
“Please start counting again, Instructor.”
“…What?”
The instructor gaped. Seron murmured quietly:
“…I don’t want to lose anymore.”
Swish!
Despite his weary arms, Seron forced himself to lift his sword again—driven only by the desire not to be defeated.
“Tch.”
Instructor Arnold shook his head, exasperated. Then, glancing at Ruine and Piker swinging together, he sighed.
“…Guess I can’t slack off either.”
He raised his sword.
“Hey, Seron.”
“…Instructor?”
“Count your own swings.”
Crack!
“…Sir?”
“What are you waiting for? Didn’t you say you don’t want to lose?”
“…Yes, sir!”
Seron smiled faintly for the first time as he resumed swinging.
Bang!
Seeing Seron and Arnold join in, Ruine noticed the change immediately.
[That kid’s kind of cute.]
Even the sword spirit seemed impressed.
‘You like him?’
[No! He’s just pathetic. Getting wrecked after only ten thousand swings? Bah! Back in my day—]
As the sword spirit launched into another rant, Ruine chuckled.
‘Back in your day, Master? By the way, were you the one swinging, or were you being swung?’
[RUINE, YOU BRAT!!]
The spirit’s furious shouting echoed, but Ruine ignored it, smiling as he looked toward Seron.
‘Might have to speed up the training schedule.’
He refocused and began swinging again.
Swish!
Only aiming for another breakthrough.
And as Ruine and Seron swung their swords with renewed resolve—
“The atmosphere’s finally set.”
Instructor Bechel muttered with satisfaction.
“…You think so?”
“Yes. When the top two trainees push each other, the rest naturally follow. Plus, with Piker and Arnold joining, the effect will multiply.”
Chief Instructor Harken nodded. Indeed, the attitude of the leading trainees could shape the entire class. Ruine and Seron were off to a good start.
However—
“…We’ll need to move the schedule forward a bit.”
“…Sir?”
“There’s something.”
Harken smiled faintly, leaving Bechel puzzled.
