*Swish*

*Huff!*

Inflicting another wound on my imaginary opponent, I swung the Torchlight decrepitly before falling to my knees.

“13,423!” Powerful yet a bit croaky, I sent out one last roar to vanish in the nothingness like the thousands that echoed earlier.

Drenched in sweat while holding the Torchlight’s hilt with my quivering arms, I let myself fall onto the ground as my tired body wouldn’t stand even for an extra second.

Took a bored glance at the never-changing white sky for a split second before closing my eyes and letting my exhausted body rest as my chest heaved with each breath. Reaching to my ears, by not allowing silence to prevail in this place, my heart’s everlasting beats echoed through the void as if it was revolting against this lifeless place. They weren’t so powerful yet were enough to be heard because of the ultraquiet environment of the Hub.

As for my body, it was only a matter of time before it got back to its normal state. After all, like me, my body also adapted to this lifestyle.

Recalling my last death, “Hmm, how much time has it been...?” I muttered to myself. Days? A week? No, weeks. Yes, it must have been weeks. At least within my distorted time sense limits, it ought to be around this much time. For this whole time, I’ve been training, swinging the Torchlight, running like a madman, mastering on some moves, cultivating my body in this godforsaken place. And, of course, it would be rude not to mention the vital place of whispers echoing now and then in my head when they see fit. Thankfully, cultivation is here to help me suppress the whispers. At least they delay me from going crazy. Against all the odds, just like that, time flew by in a blink.

Sounds fun, right?

Alas, it’s not.

[DOES THE PLAYER WANTS TO GO TO THE NEXT TRIAL?]

“*Sigh* I wish I had a system that would make me strong without having to do anything, without effort.” I cursed the fate I had.

Still, I also had understood that neither I had the luck to live effortlessly nor the reality was that lenient against me. But after all, dreaming doesn't cost money, right? So now and then, I’d think about what if I had a different life. Would I still end up here? What would happen if that thief hadn’t killed me?

Brushing away all the unnecessary thoughts, “I’m plunging in thoughts again. *Sigh* Even if I wail about my fate for thousands of years, it won’t change anything.” I used some motivation on myself with the truth to move again. Still suffering from the effects of pushing my body to its limit, I levered myself up, getting support from the Torchlight.

“System, show me some progress,” I commanded wearily.

Right after my demand, panels popped up.

[CONFIRMED]

(PATH OF SWORD- 0,4% > 0,5%)

[STRENGTH: 162 [+18] : 180]

[AGILITY: 162 [+17] : 169]

[TRAINING REWARDS: +2 STR +2 AGI]

[INTELLIGENCE : 93 [+3] : 96] [MP: 960/960]

[INNER ENERGY: 83 [+17] : 100] [Qi: 1,000/1000]

[VITALITY : 103 [+4] : 107] [HP: 1,070]

[MARTIAL BODY (PASSIVE) (RANK-1) (8) (2%)]

- Current buff: +15 STR +15 AGI +17 IN

[SPELLS:

[Fireball - (Rank-1) - (Level 2) - (Mastery: 22%]

[Conjure Flames - (Rank-1) - (Level 2) - (Mastery: 25%]

[Burning Veins - (Rank-1) - (Level 2) - (Mastery: 23%]

[TECHNIQUES:

[Rising Novice Cultivation Technique (RANK-1)]

[Long Claw Technique (Rank-1) - (Level 2) - (Mastery: 16%)] : Claw Sharpness (150)

[STR: 150>160] [AGI: 146>160] [VIT: 99>103]

[Violet Sun Martial Arts (Rank-1) - (Mastery: MAX)] : +10 STR +14 AGI +4 VIT

[TRAINING REWARDS] : +2 STR +2 AGI

(Author is here! I directly added the Violet Sun Martial Arts buffs to Leon’s stats.)

“Eh, at least it’s worth all the effort,” I yawned in a spiritless voice. I was drained from all the training and wanted to check my progress before sleeping. Though my body doesn’t need sleep or food to fulfill its energy needment, my mind is still shackled by mortality’s limits.

“*Yawn* I better head to bed.” I looked down at the ground only to be greeted by the smooth, white ground.

Locked on the ground, my eyes narrowed annoyedly as a threatening aura leaked from my body. If the hate meter were something real and near me, it would have blown up from the cold pressure I was directing to the ground.

“... I need a bed as soon as possible,” I reminded myself once again and took another note on my unreal notepad: if I ever can be freed of here one day, I will go and find the softest bed of all time and have a good sleep on it.

...

...

...

...

Through my eyelids, illuminating my dark adjusted eyes uncomfortably, the light woke me up to another day. It was one of the rare sleep that I had seen no nightmares. Maybe my mind was too exhausted to show me them. I have no idea and don’t intend to puzzle my brain on this matter, as all I care about is the excellent sleep I had.

Also, some other things were keeping my mind occupied. When I made the [ARCANA] level two, I planned to buy the new spells after completing the waves. But, I had already failed on that mission, and keeping one or two additional skills in my pocket will be to my advantage. After all, the more tricks I possess, the better chances I have to stay alive.

Making my decision up, “System, open the spell store!” I commanded.

[SPELL STORE] [CURRENT GOLD: 2800]

[Hell’s Grasp (Rank-2) - (Level 1) - 1600 GOLD]: The player creates a magic circle underneath his opponents. If the opponents can’t run in time, the spell’s effect will stop them. The spell can hold the enemy for an utmost of one hour. It can be broken by the opponent if the opponent’s strength is greater than the grasp’s. Outside factors can affect it too.

- Grasp Strength: 80

- Created by: Releus

- Consumes 150 MP

[Explosive Traps (Rank-2) - (Level 1) - 1600 GOLD]: The player casts an invisible magic circle on an object. If something comes into contact with the magic circle, the magic circle explodes and deals damage. The spell will remain active for two hours; then, it will delete itself.

- Time Limit: Two Hours

- Explosion Damage: 200 Fire Damage

- Created by: Ozahl

- Consumes 150 MP

[Warmth (Rank-2) - (Level 1) - 1600 GOLD]: Upon casting, it will allow you to keep your body temperature constant for a particular time. It can only be cast on living creatures.

- Works between these temperatures: -20°C and 0°C

- Stays active for three hours.

- Created by: Shael

- Consumes 100 MP

Looking at the panels sharply, I started reading the descriptions to make my choice. This time I had three options, too. I guess each arcana rank comprises three spells. However, this is not the right time to think about these things.

“Let’s look...” I murmured while starting to read the first one. It took me just a few seconds to read before having an opinion about them.

Placed my hand under my chin while thinking.

“Hmm, the first one is to restrain my foe from moving; it can give me an advantage in a fight. The second is sneaky and deadly, as I can use it in many ways. Lastly, as for the third, it is a survival skill that can be useful in trials’ harsh environments,” I thought loudly.

Removing my hand from my chin, “In a way, they all are good and useful... But, what I need is in only one of them.”

“System, give me explosive traps,” I commanded.

[-1600 GOLD] [CURRENT GOLD: 1200]

[CONFIRMED]

[(Explosive Traps) HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE SPELLS SECTION]

Immediately after the last panel appeared, a new understanding flowed into my mind while filling it with knowledge about the spell. Words, shapes, symbols, and how to activate this new weapon had found a new home in my brain.

To test this new spell, I opened my palm while raising my arm to point at a random place on the ground before a whisper came out of my mouth.

“Explosive traps”

[-150 MP] [MP: 810/960]

Where I was pointing with my hand, a magic circle appeared instantly for a second before gradually disappearing until it completely vanished from my eyesight with no evidence left behind. Though I couldn't see it, I could still feel its location with some kind of connection between me and the trap. It seems that it was for the user not to get exploded by his own spell.

I got a rusted sword from my inventory in order to test its power with my eyes. Since I don't use them and they are just dead weight that takes up a place in the inventory, I would generally use them as a test object for my spells.

My arm muscles stretched while lifting the sword, and without losing any more time, I threw the sword at the magic circle.

*BOOM!*

As soon as the sword's blade came into contact with the magic circle, it quickly illuminated for a split second before revealing its location and exploding as strong as a hand grenade. Under the power of the explosion, the sword instantly broke into multiple parts while most of it was annihilated, becoming useless.

If there were a human in the place of that sword, that person wouldn't even know his death reason before going the other side. This is like carrying a hidden landmine with me that I could place wherever and whenever I want.

Waiting for my MP to be fulled again, I spend my time equipping my armor. The time to conquer that damned waves had come, and I was heart already yearning to try my progress' fruits on my foes.

After wearing my armor set altogether, as a last touch, I gird the sheathed Torchlight on my waist before grasping its hilt tightly.

[DOES THE PLAYER WANTS TO GO TO THE NEXT TRIAL?]

Tightening my grip around the Torchlight's hilt even more, saying, "Yes," with an unwavering voice, I made my choice.

[TRIAL-73 IS STARTING NOW…]

-CHAPTER 37 END-