As soon as I return from the soulscape I enter meditation to try the first idea for a new procedure. I gather all my demonic power and wrap it around my core and hold it there. I am hoping the core will absorb it naturally and progress.

Unfortunately, all the demonic power evaporates without the core absorbing any of it. So that idea is a wash, so I meditate to refill my demonic power so I can try the other method. I start by taking a small amount of demonic power and trying to shape it into a small drill.

Willpower has increased by +1!

'This stat seems really easy to raise! Or maybe it is just because it is so low?'

My second idea is to drill a small hole in the core and then channel the remaining demonic power into it. It takes me several tries to be able to form the drill and spin it without the power escaping my control. Once I manage to control it, drilling into the core is fairly easy, and then pushing power in through the hole shows immediate results.

Core Upgrade Progress: 30% +10 DP

Of course as soon as I run out of demonic power the hole closes, so I will need to drill a new hole each time. But this method is far more effective and now I am convinced I can get to rank three with a little work. Now to try out my other idea, for my sword training.

I stand up and draw Blitz and start practicing the slash form. The difference is I am working on getting the movement down and trying to meditate at the same time. If I can regain my demonic power while practicing with the sword I will be able to use my time much more efficiently.

It takes me a few days to figure out how to concentrate on both things at once, and at first I can only recover about ten demonic power an hour. I should get better at it with practice, this way I can practice slash until my power is full then work on my core.

Core Upgrade Progress: 40% +10 DP

Willpower has increased by +1!

To my surprise learning how to meditate while practicing the sword actually improves my rate of learning the slash form. It makes me remember that a lot of anime and manga have a mental state associated with sword masters. Right now at that rate it takes me almost sixty hours to refill my power, but that is also practice in mental control so I will put up with it.

After a week...

*DING*

Congratulations! Skill Sword Basics has progressed to level 7!

Sword Basics

Level 7

Str +7

You do 35% extra damage with swords.

Core Upgrade Progress: 50% +10 DP

Willpower has increased by +2!

Halfway to rank three, yet I am nowhere near mastering the slash form. Depending on how much harder it becomes to work on my core after hitting rank three I may be able to aim for rank four before I master the slash form. I think I will start working on some crafts once I am rank three though, I still need to make a skeleton after all.

After a month....

Core Upgrade Progress: 60% +10 DP

Core Upgrade Progress: 70% +10 DP

Willpower has increased by +2!

Core Upgrade Progress: 80% +10 DP

'Progress on my core is getting harder and harder, now each percent takes days.'

To take a bit of a break I decide to start working on some scrimshaw, but I run into a problem. None of my tools can even scratch the drake bone. So I take two of the drake's claws and use one to carve the other, it is a slow process.

Eventually I manage to carve a very crude set of tools and immediately turn around and use them to carve a slightly better set. I repeat the process ten times over the next week before I am able to make a good set of tools.

*DING*

Congratulations! Skill Expert Scrimshaw has progressed to level 12!

Expert Scrimshaw

Level 12

Agi +14 Int +7

You can craft expert level bone items.

'Well, that means my other projects should turn out better. Now should I make Myria's bow first or the skeleton?'

After a minute's thought I decide to make the bow first, I don't want to make the skeleton until after I hit rank three. I am having enough problems working on my core without permanently losing demonic power to make the skeleton. In fact that will probably be the last thing I do before I leave.

So for the next three weeks I split my time between working on my core and practicing the slash form. With breaks here and there spent working on Myria's new bow. After three weeks my core has only improved by eight percent, but I am recovering twenty demonic power per hour of sword practice.

I feel I am getting really close to understanding something about the sword, but I have no idea what it is. All I can really do is keep trying to improve, keeping my motivation up is actually the hardest part. There are plenty of times when I just want to give up, but I like this world too much.

To keep going I just have to remind myself that this is the fantasy world I have always dreamed of being in. Yeah, my life here may suck at times and there are a lot of hard things I have to deal with. But despite all that, this was my one true wish in my old life.

To give up now would waste everything I have accomplished up until this point. Besides I really can't die without fulfilling my promise to that trash king that I will be the last thing he sees. This thought sometimes motivates me even better than thoughts of my friends, I guess I am a bad person.