Vyn stepped into the skill library, his stomach rumbling with hunger. Despite the gnawing sensation, his determination shone brighter, pushing his physical discomfort to the back of his mind.
He approached the library attendant with purpose, handing over four coins to secure a one-day pass. He remembered the last time he had been here, it had only cost him three coins, thanks to a first-timer's discount.
Once he received the jade pass, Vyn didn't waste a moment. He made his way straight to the second floor, known as the D rank floor. His goal was clear, he needed to master a powerful sword technique.
Previously, his lack of magical abilities and connection to world energy had barred him from learning advanced sword techniques, which all required the user to channel magic through their blade. But things were different now. With the boundless light he had acquired, those once out-of-reach techniques felt tantalizingly close.
With a brisk pace, Vyn navigated to the sword section, his eyes darting across the spines of countless books that lined the shelves. He paused only briefly, his gaze sharp and focused. Reaching out, he selected a skill book bound in a vibrant red cover. The title "Eclipse Edge" gleamed back at him.
This wasn't a random choice. "Eclipse Edge" was a skill Vyn had attempted to master when he first arrived in Ravencrest. Back then, he had been desperate to find ways to stimulate his ability to harness world energy or magic. He had hoped that by learning sword skills infused with world energy, perhaps a miracle would occur. Yet, despite his efforts, success had eluded him.
Those countless hours practicing "Eclipse Edge" and other skills had seemed like a futile endeavor at the time. Unable to utilize the techniques, Vyn had often felt a pang of frustration. If only he had been born with the ability to use world energy, he sometimes thought, he might have been on his way to becoming a master swordsman. His understanding of the sword arts was vast and deep, forged through intense effort and dedication.
Vyn let out a deep chuckle as he reflected on the hard times he had endured. It was a moment of realization for him; perhaps it was finally time for all his hard work to pay off. Despite the setbacks, he hadn't given up, and now, armed with new powers, he was ready to turn his past failures into stepping stones.
With a renewed sense of purpose, he made his way to the reading area and settled down with the skill book, "Eclipse Edge." Although he was already familiar with this technique among others, he wanted to brush up on every detail, no nuance was too small. Time flew by as he absorbed the contents of the book, and in less than an hour, he had revisited every page and refreshed his memory.
Placing the book back on the shelf, Vyn strode confidently toward the training room. He selected a room and set the system to focus on attack training, specifically sword skills. As he made his selection, the room transformed dramatically. Its layout shifted into a complex formation, and several dummies, resembling humans, emerged from the walls.
Vyn recalled his previous encounter with these dummies when he had tested a basic fireball spell, amplified unexpectedly by the Boundless Light. The dummies had disintegrated with such ease that it left him questioning their durability.
Determined to challenge himself further this time, Vyn adjusted the training difficulty to a higher setting from the room's control panel. A nearly invisible barrier formed around the dummies, visible only by the faint ripples it sent through the air. He then picked one of the swords from the training room's arsenal and assumed a ready stance.
Following the intricate steps outlined in the "Eclipse Edge" manual, Vyn focused, channeling his spiritual energy to its utmost limits. The sword in his hands vibrated intensely, almost threatening to escape his grasp. Tightening his hold, he continued to channel the technique through the blade. Suddenly, with a resonant clang, a brilliant streak of light erupted from the edge of his sword, illuminating the room with its power.
[Host has learned a new skill: Luminous Edge Lv1]
The system's voice chimed melodiously, announcing Vyn's newfound ability.
Suddenly, a radiant glow burst forth, enveloping the steel of his sword in a dazzling light. Holding the luminescent sword aloft, Vyn felt a rush of exhilaration—a surge of power so intense it threatened to overwhelm him. This sensation, the sheer magnitude of energy coursing through him, was what he had dreamt of his entire life: to wield extraordinary power, to truly master it.
Vyn's emotions teetered on the edge of control as he gazed up at his sword, now pulsing with potent energy. His expression hardened into a mask of determination. Eyes fixed on the training dummies arrayed before him, he charged forward with purpose.
Closing the distance swiftly, he raised his sword high and then brought it down with monumental force. The frustrations and disappointments of the past two years—the times he felt powerless and defeated—fueled his strike.
The impact of his sword against the barrier was cataclysmic. A loud, resounding vibration echoed through the training room, its walls trembling with the force of the blow. The sophisticated formations within the room sprang into action, humming as they absorbed the shockwave from Vyn's attack.
The room seemed to pulse with life, echoing the fierce determination of a warrior reborn with newfound power.
After the dust cleared, Vyn stared wide-eyed at the chaos his attack had unleashed. The once whole test dummies now lay in pieces, each half sliced as cleanly as if a sharp blade had passed through them. Not even the sturdy protective barrier had been able to withstand the onslaught.
Vyn caught his breath, the cold air stinging his lungs. Each time he used the Boundless Light, he couldn't shake off a mix of shock and awe. The power seemed to defy the very laws of this world, enhancing even the simplest attacks to unimaginable levels.
A mere fireball, under its influence, grew in might beyond what was normally possible.
It puzzled Vyn deeply. The laws of this world, shaped by an unyielding will, were supposed to be fixed and unbreakable. How, then, could the Boundless Light not just challenge, but exceed these rules? The thought was as baffling as it was thrilling.
Looking around at the wreckage from his recent attack, Vyn realized the training room's defenses couldn't keep up with his growing strength. The setup, even after several enhancements, was too frail. A nagging curiosity about the true potential of his power gnawed at him, but with such weak opponents, how could he possibly gauge it accurately?
Determined, Vyn cranked up the training's difficulty to its maximum. The control panel indicated that this new setting paralleled the strength of the mightiest D-rank boss monsters. As he watched, a fresh batch of test dummies appeared, and the barrier thickened, darkened, and even began to emit a faint, ominous aura.
With a strong, determined expression, Vyn focused all his inner strength and unleashed the Luminous Edge technique upon the practice dummies. The air crackled with energy as his attack surged forward, mimicking the earlier scene with a burst of light and a powerful vibration. However, as the dust settled, Vyn was stunned to find the dummies still standing, with only faint ripples visible on the protective barrier surrounding them.
His eyes widened in disbelief. Despite his two years of training on this battlefield, where he had watched countless guild members and rivals execute various sword techniques with envy, he knew the potency of his attack surpassed the norm. Yet, to see the barrier withstand it with such resilience indicated a level of strength akin to the mightiest of boss monsters.
Boss monsters came in many forms, each presenting unique challenges. Among the most formidable were those specializing in defense. Vyn likened the barrier before him to one such defensive behemoth, a daunting obstacle that typically required coordinated teamwork to overcome.
Realizing that his current attack fell short, Vyn calculated that he needed to increase its power at least fivefold to breach the barrier.
With unwavering resolve, he pushed his spiritual energy to its limits, his heart pounding in his chest. Unable to contain his determination, he let out a primal scream that echoed across the training grounds.