Since I had some time before Yor Forger would knock on my door, I decided to check the prompts I had missed.
[You have experienced Absolute Strength]
[You have not faltered in the face of an Absolute Being--. Your Talent [Sword] requests to break through the limitations imposed by the First Trial even further]
[Note: To ensure Fairness, Your Talent [Sword] will not be able to level up]
[Your Talent [Sword] is furious. It vehemently asks Fairness to reconsider]
[Note: ...To ensure Fairness, your Sword's Awakening will be increased by 5%]
[Your Talent [Sword] is satisfied. It will accept the conditions]
[Your Growth Skill [Strength] has taken a peek at an immense level of strength. As such, some of its limitations have been lifted]
[Your Talent [Body] has come into contact with Demonic Energy. It has stored what it could before the Demon, Luna Azentine, released its hold on you]
[Do you wish to absorb the Demonic Energy?]
[Note: To Ensure Fairness, the consequences of this action will be properly displayed to you]
The Sword Awakening spiked to 5.1% in an instant, but oddly, I felt no discernible difference. I chalked it up to the percentage being too small to have a noticeable impact.
Now, the prompts left me astounded, but it was the direct question that truly caught me off guard. As I focused my will on it, the prompt changed slightly.
[Do you wish to absorb the Demonic Energy?]
[
Available Responses
Yes:
Your Strength will increase by 500%.
Your resistance against Demonic Energy will increase by 100%.
You will develop a Weakness against Holy Energy(300% Damage).
All your Talents and Skills will level up tremendously.
You will be able to unlock [Demonic Energy].
Your Path will be more aligned to a Demon's.
You will be able to instinctively feel Luna Azentine's location.
No:
The Demonic Energy will be decomposed into neutral energy.
Your Skill [Perfect Human Body] in combination with your Talents, will make sure you benefit greatly from it
Your Strength will increase by 50%.
Your Art [Sky Sword Art] will be able to level up.
Your Talents [Movement], [Determination] and [Intuition] will level up.
Your Skills [Run], [Jump], [Adaptive Evasion], [Sixth Sense], [Observe], [Slash].... will level up.
Choose Later:
You can postpone this decision for 20 days. Every Day, 5% of the Demonic Energy will be lost.
]
Honestly, the allure of the "Yes" option is undeniable, but there's a catch that sends shivers down my spine.
Your Path will be more aligned to a Demon's...
Hell no.
The more I stare at that ominous sentence, the more it feels like I'd be sealing my own fate choosing it, my [Sixth Sense] almost wailing in despair.
It was too uncomfortable.
And what's with the whole idea that absorbing Demonic Energy will be a walk in the park, offering only these benefits? It strikes me as oddly suspicious.
Boosting my strength by a whopping 500% sounds like a wild ride.
If my strength was a modest 50, this would thrust me into a body capable of wielding a strength equivalent to 300. Wrap your head around that.
Even entertaining the notion I'd be able to wield that level of strength immediately, I have no idea how someone 6 times stronger than me fights. It's like asking a kid to suddenly fight with a world champion's strength. Sure, the strength is there, but to be able to wield it correctly? That's another pair of hands.
And let's not forget the high-risk, high-reward nature of this choice. The stakes are steep, and the penalty is nothing to scoff at.
300% more damage from Holy Energy...
Choosing to align with Demonic Energy might be a recipe for disaster, especially if the next Trials involve worlds with Holy Magic. If there are demons like Luna, there could be Angels with equal power. What if a formidable Angel decides to defy Fairness and comes after me, thinking I'm a threat?
It's too risky to pick a side without knowing the full picture. This isn't some DxD scenario with a predictable plot between Demons and Angels. I can't assume they follow the mythologies I'm familiar with.
Going with the "Choose Later" option is just a bad move; I didn't even consider it. So, the only sensible choice left was to say No.
Sure, the boons weren't as extravagant as the Yes option, but at least I could be free of worries.
After making my decision, the other two options faded away, leaving only the one I chose glowing before me.
[The process of decomposing Demonic Energy into Neutral Energy will take 10 days]
[9:23:59:43]
[9:23:59:42]
.
.
.
[Even if you die, the process will not be halted]
...Good. With that, I could press on more important matters.
---
Honestly, facing Yor Forger after witnessing Luna's overwhelming strength felt... different.
Even though I was still on the losing side, I could see a path where, after absorbing the Neutral Energy decomposed from Demonic Energy, letting the Growth Skill [Strength] work its magic, and honing my Sky Sword Art, which was on the verge of leveling up...
She might not be able to kill me in the next loop.
Thinking ahead to the next loop, I'd have to attempt awakening the Sword Talent again. The first time barely nudged its bar by 0.1%. Could I make a bit more progress this time?
---
With these thoughts in mind, I fought Yor Forger, died, and came back for my 8th loop.
Once again, I kept training my Sky Sword Technique until the countdown hit the 0 mark, and I was not surprised by the sudden stream of prompts.
[Your Strength has severely increased. Your Growth Skill [Strength] has absorbed part of the Energy to allow a faster growth in the future]
[Your Skill [Perfect Human Body] has absorbed the Neutral Energy coursing through your body. It will perfectly direct it so that its effect can be maximized]
[Your Talent [Movement] has been selected]
[Your Talent [Movement] has leveled up]
[Your Talent [Movement] has leveled up]
[Your Talent [Movement] has leveled up]
.
.
.
[Your associated Skills [Run], [Jump], [Adaptive Evasion] and [Sky Footwork] will level up]
[Your Skill [Run] has leveled up]
[Your Skill [Run] has leveled up]
[Your Skill [Jump] has leveled up]
[Your Skill [Jump] has leveled up]
.
.
.
[Your Skill [Sky Sword Technique] has been influenced. It will level up]
[Your Skill [Sky Sword Technique] has leveled up]
[Your Skill [Sky Sword Technique] has leveled up]
.
.
.
[Your Talent [Determination] has been selected]
[Your Talent [Determination] has leveled up]
[Your Talent [Determination] has leveled up]
[Your Talent [Determination] has leveled up]
.
.
.
The prompts kept going for a long time, but I knew what I had to do as another panel appeared in front of me
[Status: Healthy
Level: 100(105)
Combat Prowess: Medium
Martial Arts: Karate(Lv.1)
Sword Arts: Sky Art(Sky Footwork(Lv. 18), Sky Sword Technique(Lv. 15))
Active Skills: Cooking(Lv.8), Slash(Lv.14), Adaptive Evasion(Lv.16), Turtle Shell(Lv.5), Mirage Veil(Lv.3), Overload(Lv.9)
Passive Skills: Run(Lv.17), Jump(Lv.17), Photographic Memory(Lv.14), Sixth Sense(Lv.21), Observe(Lv.21), Perfect Human Body(Lv.21)
Growth Skill: Strength
Talent: Sword(Lv. 21), Movement(Lv.17), Wisdom(Lv.19), Intuition(Lv.17), Body(Lv.21), Determination(Lv.21)
Awakening: Sword(5.1%)
You have 14(19) unused Skill Points]
Squeezing my hand into a fist, the difference was palpable. Even with just a 50% boost, the surge in strength was enormous.
Considering all the skill and talent level-ups I gained, it was quite the harvest. Strange as it feels, maybe I should offer a begrudging thanks to Luna for being so rough with me...
Okay, that sounds weird.
Shaking off these odd thoughts, I resolved to test my newfound strength until it was time to delve back into the recesses of my consciousness.
---
I had hoped for some substantial progress when I entered my consciousness again, given my significant increase in strength over the past 180 days. However, reality slapped me with disappointment.
[You have managed to pull the Sword out by 4 cm]
[All your Talents and Skills will be slightly strengthened]
[Your Talent [Sword] will have more freedom to interfere with your growth to maximize it]
.
.
.
That was it. I got some additional boost to my skills and talents thanks to the sudden 5% awakening, but I was still sad...
My % was now at 5.3%
How long is this going to take? I feel like crying, but there are no tears left...
---
Author's Note:
Hi, everyone!
I decided that since the loops 9-11th are actually quite uneventful, as they're literally waste days required for the Growth Skill to just passively make Akira stronger, I decided to skip them. You can also piece together the rest from what is written on the novel, so that's it for the First Trial!
I am excited for the second Trial!!!
(Before we end the volume, I will also release the last Status of Akira in the First Trial, along with pseudo Statuses of Fiona Frost, Yor Forger, and Loid Forger!! They do not have one, but I kinda ended up making it for this Trial, so I don't want to let them sit in my notes forever)
For patrons(Whom I will never stop saying I am incredibly thankful to), there is already a special chapter available called Luna Azentine - History of a Fallen Human.
It depicts Luna's life within the trials, why she was so aggressive towards the MC, and replies to other questions left unanswered during the conversation the two had.
They are able to read it in advance as it's the first concrete 'benefit' I'd like to give them. You all have to wait just a little more as I finish preparing all the specials!
Also, on my Patreon for everyone to see, Luna's pics! (I will actually post a few more when I have time)
Anyway, the last 2 hints for the Second Trial are!
Hint 9: It's not Marvel. But in the future, I plan to have MC have a really nice time in that world
Final Hint, 10: The main girls of this show are named after the Greek alphabet!
Special Thanks goes to:
Haise_Sasaki1
Seems like you were right, after all.