But let's briefly return to the Sword Awakening.
Over the course of these 3 years, I've only managed to increase it by .5% every 180 days. However, during this time, I had 6 more chances to continue pulling on it, for a total of 3% increase.
It was only during my final attempt, when the Sword Awakening reached 10%, that things began to change.
Each time I pulled the sword, I received the usual prompts indicating that my Skills and Talents would be strengthened, and that my Sword had more freedom to interfere.
However, I could never directly feel its impact.
Apart from a vague sense that my Magical Power had grown sharper or that some of my Talents resembled characteristics of a Sword, there was no real, noticeable difference.
But when my Sword Awakening reached 10%...
[Your Sword Awakening has surpassed a certain threshold]
[As a True Swordsman one-tenth of the way to reach the Awakened Swordsman class, your Talent [Sword] will now be able to directly exert its own Authority]
[Note: This is the third form of Authority granted to you]
[Your Talent [Sword] greets you]
[Your Talent [Sword] states it will use the Authority in the most efficient way to increase your strength]
[Your Sword's Authority is looking at the Authorities of Mana and Limits]
[The Authority of Mana bows to the Authority of the Sword]
[The Authority of Limits bows to the Authority of the Sword]
[The Authority of the Sword has spoken. It will allow the other authorities to form bridges]
[A connection will be formed...]
I remained within my consciousness, observing as the sword lodged in the earth emitted a brilliant cerulean light, casting its glow in all directions and bathing the surroundings in its hue.
However, the spectacle didn't conclude there.
Suddenly, two orbs of light materialized out of thin air. One shimmered with a vivid blue hue, while the other radiated a vibrant yellow. They hovered in the air for a moment, as if taking in the sight, before slowly drifting towards the sword.
As they approached, they began to orbit it in a mesmerizing dance, their colors blending and swirling together in a dazzling display of light.
It was like watching a miniature solar system being born right before my eyes.
I had a feeling if I tried to understand the principles behind what's happening, I wouldn't end up well, so I decided to give up on that.
In sheer awe and curiosity, I gulped as I observed minute lines of light connecting the two orbs, weaving a delicate web of energy that pulsed with a palpable power.
To complete the circuit, a thicker line of light manifested on the hilt of the sword, effectively 'connecting' all the Authorities together.
[The connection has been established]
[Your Authorities of Mana and Limits have grown exponentially stronger]
[Your Talent [Sword] has grown exponentially stronger]
[Your control over Mana has exponentially increased]
[Your Magic will cost half the Mana to cast]
[Your [Magic Circles] will be able to store multiple spells at once]
[Your [Perfect Mana Pathways] will be able to hold 500% more Mana than before]
[The Absolute Limit of the Second Trial has been raised]
.
.
.
[All the Talents related to them will be exponentially strengthened]
[All the Skills related to them will be exponentially strengthened]
[The Cooldown of all Skills related to them will be halved]
[Your Talent [Mana] has leveled up]
[Your Talent [Mana] has leveled up]
.
.
.
[Your Authority of the Sword has used up its power. To ensure fairness, it will not be allowed to act again unless you surpass another threshold]
[In contrast, it will grow more difficult to keep awakening the Sword in the future]
I didn't even finish reading the prompt as I saw chains materialize out of thin air, shimmering with an eerie, otherworldly glow.
They seemed to come from every direction, weaving through the air like serpents before converging on the sword, their links clinking together ominously.
In an instant, the chains wrapped around it, binding the sword tightly and holding it in place like a prisoner.
I moved to stop that from happening if I could, but a red prompt materialized in front of me, blocking my path.
[Your Talent [Sword] refuses your help]
I let out a sigh, realizing that these chains were something I couldn't go against.
Well, no matter.
Once I'm strong enough, I'll tear those chains out of you, even if it's the last thing I do.
Whether the sword has its own sense of self or not, it doesn't matter at all.
Once again, thanks for all you've done. I will be sure to use the opportunity you've created for me.
---
That is how my Sword Awakening went, and why it's one of the aspects which increased my strength the most out of the several things I did.
Well, though that certainly takes the prize on that, it's not like I did nothing in those 3 years.
After regaining my hearing, which took a considerable amount of time, I redirected my focus toward other aspects, particularly physical training itself.
Since conventional training methods were no longer effective, I needed to find a way to push myself further.
That's when an idea struck me.
I realized that if I could design accessories capable of adjusting their weight, I could achieve my goal of intensifying my workouts.
Initially, understanding how to alter the weight of an object posed a challenge, but through trial and error, I eventually reached a satisfying conclusion.
The most straightforward approach involves placing Magic Circles on the item, which then absorb Mana from the surroundings, filling the object with magical energy. Subsequently, by utilizing Weight Adjustment Magic, the object's weight can be increased.
However, the challenge lies in the execution.
Unlike the conventional method of expelling Mana outward in the form of a Spell or Skill, this technique involves modifying the inherent properties of an object.
Using another Magic Circle to convert the stored Mana into a spell is inconvenient due to the inefficiency of the process.
The Magic Circle will struggle to gather all the Mana and cast the spell before it disperses, resulting in high consumption for meager results.
However, the game-changing prompt stating that my Magic Circles can store multiple spells simultaneously comes to the rescue.
Instead of the conventional approach of storing Mana in the object and then casting Magic, a single Magic Circle now efficiently draws Mana from the atmosphere while simultaneously casting the spell.
This innovation effectively eliminates the problems associated with the previous method.
With this advancement, I successfully created the First Generation Set of Training Accessories.
---
Author's Note:
Can't wait for the Awakened Swordsman class.
How many Trials do you think it's gonna take?
Akira's next status update is gonna be wild.
Small note: Although the overall time skip has been mentioned to be 3 years, it's actually a little more than that. 3 years and 3 months.