《Eternal Regressor [LITRPG, Time Loop , Progression]》 Prologue: Time Time. It is the one thread that binds all existence, from the lowliest creature scrabbling in the dirt to the immortals who dwell beyond mortal comprehension. Time shapes the rise and fall of empires, weaves through moments of love and despair, and orchestrates the inevitable entropy of all things. But for those who stand at the precipice of eternity, time isn''t merely a resource¡ªit''s a currency. A merciless, unyielding master that brooks no defiance. Even the gods themselves tremble before time. They hoard artifacts to extend their dominion, hunt secrets to slow its relentless march, and amass power to defy its inexorable grasp. They wage devastating wars, weave schemes in shadow, and forge intricate systems¡ªrules¡ªbinding mortals into grand games where time serves as both the sweetest reward and the cruelest punishment. Yet no matter their might, the clock ticks on. Unceasing. Unforgiving. For humanity, everything changed the day the First Gate manifested. It began with a fracture in reality itself¡ªa violent tear in the fabric of the sky, pulsing with otherworldly light. They named it a Dungeon Gate, a breach between worlds that should never have touched. Through those gates poured pure chaos. Monsters¡ªaberrations twisted beyond recognition, born from humanity''s darkest nightmares¡ªflooded into cities, leaving only ash and devastation in their wake. Nations crumbled. Metropolises burned. Humanity stood at the precipice of extinction, staring into the abyss. But where darkness falls deepest, hope burns brightest. From the ashes of the old world emerged the Hunters¡ªchosen warriors marked by the System, an enigmatic force that governed the dungeons. Blessed with supernatural power, extraordinary skills, and the ability to grow stronger with each monster slain, Hunters became humanity''s last line of defense. Gates transformed into battlegrounds. Dungeons became vast treasuries of power. And death... death became just another occupational hazard in a world gone mad.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. In the sprawling megacity of Auren, the boundary between life and death was measured in cold, stark ranks. Hunters were classified by their strength: from F-Rank, the weakest who could barely handle a goblin raid, to S-Rank, living legends who could lay waste to entire dungeon floors with terrifying ease. But such power extracted a terrible price. Every dungeon conquered demanded payment¡ªin blood, in sacrifice, and above all, in precious time. For each Hunter who emerged victorious, countless others vanished into the darkness, their names erased from memory. Yet the survivors couldn''t resist the dungeons'' siren call¡ªthese otherworldly spaces where the weak could ascend to strength, where the destitute could claim riches, and where the forgotten could carve their names into legend. But dungeons were more than mere opportunities¡ªthey were ticking time bombs planted in the heart of civilization. Every gate possessed a timer. When it reached zero... the horrors contained within would surge forth, unstoppable. And no Hunter, regardless of their power, could halt a Dungeon Break. Auren City never truly slept. Crystal spires pierced the clouds, their surfaces alive with holographic displays showcasing famous Hunters mid-battle. Surveillance drones swarmed through neon-lit skies, broadcasting live raids to billions of viewers worldwide. The city pulsed with life¡ªa frenzied fusion of raw ambition, quiet desperation, and naked greed. Hunters banded together in powerful guilds, while mega-corporations bankrolled expeditions into the most dangerous depths. In shadowy corners, black markets thrived on forbidden dungeon artifacts and dangerous knowledge. Yet behind the dazzling facade, beneath the thunderous cheers and strobing screens, lurked an unspoken truth: The System showed no mercy. For every triumphant success story, thousands of dreams lay shattered¡ªHunters whose spirits were crushed, whose bodies were broken, whose lives guttered out in forgotten corners of nameless dungeons. Still, humanity pressed forward. Because in a world where power meant everything, even the faintest glimmer of hope was worth any price. Deep beneath Auren''s towering megastructures, far from the garish neon and surging crowds, the entrance to Blackspire Dungeon yawned wide¡ªan absolute void ringed by reinforced barriers and heavily armed guards. It was among the city''s oldest dungeons, a place where countless lives had been devoured and legends were forged in blood and darkness. Hunters of every rank gathered before its maw¡ªsome radiating determination, others barely masking their terror. They were a mixed lot: bright-eyed rookies, battle-scarred veterans, and those who clung to their equipment with white-knuckled desperation. Some sought riches. Others craved glory. But some... some entered because fate had left them no other path. As the countdown clock blazed crimson against the smog-choked sky, one truth weighed heavy as steel: Time waits for no one. Except for the one who made time kneel. Chapter 1 : Death Comes in Threes (Or More) I''m going to die. Kael felt the weight of that certainty settle into his bones as the Manticore''s crystalline claws tore through the air. His breath came in ragged gasps, the cheap leather armor¡ªmarked with the stigma of E-rank certification¡ªshredding like paper beneath the beast''s monstrous assault. White-hot pain lanced through his chest as he staggered backward, his blood painting the ancient dungeon stones in cruel, abstract patterns. His steel sword¡ªthree months of copper coins and desperate saving reduced to useless metal¡ªclattered against the ground. [Critical Wound Detected] [HP: 12/642] [Status: Near Death] [Warning: Death Imminent] This isn''t how E-rank dungeon dives are supposed to go, Kael thought dimly as darkness crept into his vision. The Blackspire Dungeon was supposed to be safe¡ªas safe as any gate-spawned hell could be. Behind him, his teammates'' hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor, their retreat a final confirmation of his worth. No one wastes time or resources saving the lowest-ranked member of a clearing party. The Manticore''s crystalline fangs found his throat. [HP: 0/642] [Status: Dead] [The Nameless One observes with curiosity.] [System Notification: Loop Activated] [Error: Unable to display loop data] The notification flickered across Kael''s vision like a broken hologram, the message corrupted and glitching. He couldn''t make sense of the words before everything went black. Kael jerked awake in his bed, sweat-soaked sheets tangled around him. Pale sunlight filtered through cracked windows, illuminating the same musty apartment he could barely afford on an E-rank Hunter''s wages. The same apartment he''d been stuck in since that day five years ago, when he''d first awakened as a [Swordsman] and thought his dreams were finally within reach. "What... the hell was that?" He pressed a trembling hand to his throat, finding only smooth skin where monster fangs had torn through flesh. "Felt so real..." His status window flickered to life, the System''s blue interface as mockingly pristine as ever: [Kael Tercel] [Rank: E] [Class: Swordsman] [Level: 12] [HP: 642/642] He remembered his awakening day with painful clarity. The way azure light had enveloped him, how his heart had raced when [Swordsman] appeared above his head like a promise of greatness. He''d thought it was destiny. After all, wasn''t that how all the stories went? A commoner awakens with a prestigious class, becomes the strongest Hunter, saves the world from the gates that threaten to destroy everything? What a cosmic joke. Five years of relentless training had taught him otherwise. His [Sword Energy] was barely enough to illuminate a dark room, let alone cut through monster hide. His [Basic Swordsmanship] skill hadn''t progressed past level 2, despite countless hours of practice until his hands bled. While other awakened climbed the ranks, their names blazing across Auren''s holographic billboards, Kael remained firmly at the bottom¡ªwatching S-rank Hunters soar through the neon-lit sky while he struggled to afford equipment that wasn''t obviously secondhand.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "Just a nightmare," he muttered, climbing out of bed. "Has to be." Three hours later, the Manticore''s crystalline tail caught him mid-dodge, spikes punching through his chest with surgical precision. His last thought before death was, Huh, this feels familiar. He woke up again. Same bed. Same cracked window. Same worthless stats mocking his existence. "Hey, you look like shit," his guildmate Marcus commented as they gathered for the dungeon dive. Marcus, with his C-rank [Spearman] class and actual talent, always seemed to find Kael''s struggles darkly amusing. "Everything okay?" "Just... had a weird dream," Kael muttered, adjusting his worn leather armor. "Two of them, actually. Felt real." "Maybe you should see a healer¡ª" Marcus started. The Manticore''s claws found him again. This time, Kael had enough time to think, Oh come on, at least let me dodge ONCE¡ª Fourth morning. Same bed. Same window. Different Kael. "No. Absolutely not." He scrambled out of bed, threw on clothes, and ran for the city gates. The guards actually laughed when they saw him sprinting past, their augmented armor gleaming under Auren''s eternal neon glow. "Running from another debt collector, E-rank?" one called out, the derision in his voice all too familiar. He made it halfway before an invisible force yanked him backward through the smog-filled air. "Contract''s binding," the Guild enforcer drawled, her telekinesis field shimmering like heat waves. "The dungeon needs clearing, and E-ranks don''t get to pick their assignments." "You don''t understand," Kael babbled, struggling against the invisible bonds. "I''ve died there three times already! The Manticore keeps¡ª" "Right. And I''m the Sword Saint''s illegitimate child." The enforcer''s telekinesis dragged him toward the dungeon entrance. "Get moving, E-rank. Maybe if you''re lucky, you''ll get a different class after leveling up." I already have the class I wanted, Kael thought bitterly. Fat lot of good it did me. He remembered being sixteen, watching the Sword Saint''s exhibition match on a crystal screen in the town square. The way the legendary Hunter had moved like wind given form, his blade leaving trails of golden light that cut through reality itself. That day, Kael had promised himself he''d become just like that¡ªa hero who could protect others from the horrors that poured through the gates. Instead, he got... this. An E-rank nobody who couldn''t even properly channel sword energy. A joke among his peers. The expendable one they sent in first because no one cared if he died. Fifth morning. Same bed. Same window. Kael stared at the ceiling, counting the cracks he''d memorized over five years of crushing mediocrity. "I''m losing my mind," he whispered to the empty room. [The Nameless One observes.] The notification flickered in his vision for just a moment¡ªthere and gone like summer lightning. Kael sat up slowly, a hysterical laugh bubbling in his throat. "Oh," he said, thinking of all his failed attempts to become someone worthy of the [Swordsman] class. Of all the times he''d watched real talents soar past him, their names lighting up the night sky while his remained in darkness. Of the pitying looks from the Guild instructors who''d stopped bothering to correct his form. "Oh, this is so much worse than going crazy." Behind him, somewhere in the shadows, ancient laughter echoed. It reminded him of the day he''d first awakened his class¡ªfull of promise and potential, right before reality came crashing down. The true nightmare was just beginning. And somewhere, in the depths of his mind, a traitorous voice whispered: Maybe this time, I''ll finally get it right. [Welcome to the Loop, Failed Swordsman.] Kael looked at his status window one more time, at the class he''d dreamed of since childhood, and laughed until tears came. The sound echoed off the walls of his tiny apartment, a perfect harmony with the distant wail of dungeon sirens. Time to die. Again. And maybe, just maybe, learn why a god had taken interest in his failures. Chapter 2 : The Fifteenth Times the Charm Kael jolted awake, his chest constricting as the now-familiar wave of d¨¦j¨¤ vu washed over him. The same bed creaked beneath him, the same dingy room pressed in from all sides. The same flickering holo-ads from the street below painted his walls in shifting neon shadows. The same cracked mirror stood sentinel across from him, reflecting a face that had died fourteen times. The same loop. The same cycle of failure. The same cosmic joke. Kael stared at his reflection in the fractured glass, counting silently. One, two, three... Fourteen deaths. Fourteen failures. Each one carved into his memory with crystalline clarity. The Manticore had claimed seven lives, its crystalline claws and fangs finding new ways to tear him apart each time. Random "accidents" had claimed three more when he tried to flee the city¡ªcrushed by a malfunctioning cargo hauler, impaled by falling debris from a low-rank dungeon break, suffocated in a sudden pressurization failure in the underground transit. The Guild enforcer''s "gentle" telekinetic restraint had snapped his neck twice when he''d fought too hard against capture. A desperate attempt to buy black market equipment had ended with a knife in his back, his would-be savior more interested in his meager savings than his wild tales. And just yesterday, he''d actually managed to slip past everyone only to stumble into a wandering B-rank Chaos Serpent that had somehow breached Auren''s defense grid. "Fifteen," he whispered to his splintered reflection. "Lucky number fifteen." His status window flickered to life, unchanged and unchanging, the System''s interface as coldly efficient as ever: [Kael Tercel] [Rank: E] [Class: Swordsman] [Level: 12] [HP: 642/642] [Energy: 128/128] But something else had changed. Something fundamental about his existence had shifted over those fourteen deaths. The [Nameless One] might have trapped him in this temporal prison, but it had made one critical mistake: it had given him time. Endless, repeating time. "Let''s see what we''ve learned," he muttered, closing his eyes to focus. The knowledge was there, different from his System-granted skills. Deeper. More visceral. Written in muscle and bone rather than status windows and skill trees. [Basic Swordsmanship] was still pathetically low at level 2, but the movements felt more natural now. His muscles remembered strikes and parries he''d technically never performed in this timeline. The [Emergency Dash] technique he''d gained while fleeing the Manticore on loop thirteen wasn''t listed in his skills anymore, but his body knew the mana circulation pattern. He just needed to rebuild the magical circuits, force his pitiful energy reserves to remember what they''d learned through death after death. Most importantly, he understood the rules of his prison now. Rule One: The loop always started with his awakening in bed and ended with his death. No exceptions, no extensions. Rule Two: He couldn''t escape the dungeon dive. The System itself seemed to conspire against any attempt, orchestrating increasingly creative fatal "accidents" to force compliance. Rule Three: Skills and techniques could be learned faster with each loop, muscle memory persisting even when the skills themselves reset. The System might forget, but his body remembered.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Rule Four: The Crystalline Manticore had to die. Everything else was just preparation. "Time to be systematic about this," Kael said, pulling on his worn leather armor, the E-rank certification mark glowing dully in the pre-dawn light. He''d spent fourteen loops panicking, running, or dying in increasingly stupid ways. Loop fifteen would be different. The guild hall was exactly as he remembered¡ªa towering structure of steel and hardlight constructs, its halls filled with the constant chatter of quest notifications and status updates. Marcus''s patronizing smile, the enforcer''s suspicious glare, the other E-ranks clustering together for warmth against the cold shoulder of the higher ranks. But this time, Kael saw something else: opportunities. "Hey Marcus," he called out, forcing casualness into his voice. "Want to make a bet?" The C-rank [Spearman] raised an eyebrow, his well-maintained armor making Kael''s look like literal garbage in comparison. "What kind of bet?" "I bet I can predict exactly how this dive goes. Every monster, every trap, every detail." Kael smiled, the memories of fourteen deaths burning behind his eyes. "If I''m right, you loan me your backup spear. If I''m wrong, I''ll clean your equipment for a month." Marcus laughed, the sound echoing off the guild hall''s crystalline walls. "Deal. Easy month of free maintenance." Kael spent the next ten minutes describing the Blackspire''s layout in perfect detail, watching Marcus''s face shift from amusement to confusion to shocked disbelief. The trap locations, the crystal formations that could be used as cover, even the exact number of lesser crystal beasts they''d encounter before reaching the Manticore''s chamber. He described the way the dungeon''s mana currents shifted just before each ambush, the subtle variations in crystal growth that marked safe passages. "How did you¡ª" Marcus started, his earlier condescension replaced by something closer to fear. "Spear," Kael interrupted, hand extended. "I''ll need it for training before we head in." The weight of a C-rank weapon felt different. Better balance, enhanced materials, actual mana conductivity instead of the bare minimum required for System recognition. Kael gave it a few experimental thrusts, muscle memory from fourteen deaths guiding his movements through forms he''d never officially learned. "You''ve got two hours before the dive," the enforcer announced, her telekinesis field crackling with barely contained power. "Make them count." Kael intended to. He found an empty training yard and began to move, recreating every death, every failed dodge, every missed opportunity. His body remembered what his status window didn''t, and this time he had proper equipment to work with. He pushed his pathetic energy reserves to their limit, forcing his circuits to remember patterns they''d learned through death. [Spear Mastery Level 1 Obtained] [Energy Control has improved slightly] [Body Enhancement has improved slightly] He ignored the notifications. The skills would reset with his next death anyway. What mattered was burning the movements into his muscles, preparing for what was coming. Each repetition was a promise¡ªto himself, to his dream of becoming a true [Swordsman], to the memory of watching the Sword Saint cut through reality itself. The Manticore was a D-rank boss designed to test promising E-ranks before they advanced. Kael was an E-rank nobody with garbage stats and years of wasted potential. But he had something the monster didn''t: "Time." "Ready?" Marcus asked two hours later, looking concerned at how hard Kael was breathing, at the way his hands shook from energy depletion. Kael thought of all his deaths, of the pain and fear and frustration. Of the [Nameless One''s] ancient laughter. Of five years of failure and mediocrity. Of watching real talents soar while he remained earthbound. He grinned, all teeth and desperate determination. "Not even close. But let''s go die anyway." The loop''s true challenge was just beginning. [The Nameless One observes with growing interest.] [Loop Fifteen: Active] [Status: In Progress] [Death Counter: 14] [Anomaly Detected in Subject''s Energy Patterns] [Further Observation Required] Time to make fifteen count. This time, he might even survive long enough to learn why a god had chosen to trap the weakest [Swordsman] in Auren in an endless cycle of death. But first, he had a Manticore to kill. Chapter 3: I Understand It Now Kael hit the ground hard enough to knock the air from his lungs. His ribs screamed in protest, but at least they weren''t shattered this time. The Crystalline Manticore''s tail swept overhead, missing him by inches ¨C a dodge that would have been impossible just one loop ago. "Got you now!" He thrust Marcus''s spear forward, catching the beast in its crystalline shoulder. The weapon''s superior craftsmanship showed as it actually penetrated the monster''s hide, something his standard-issue sword had never managed. Then the Manticore grew. The crystalline plates across its body split and reformed, expanding outward as its muscle mass doubled. The creature''s eyes, previously a dull amber, blazed with inner fire. The beast''s transformation sent status notifications cascading across Kael''s vision, each one more alarming than the last. [Warning: Target Power Level Exceeding Parameters] [Warning: Significant Threat Level Increase Detected] [Warning: E-Rank Hunter Status Insufficient For Current Encounter] [Recommendation: Retreat Immediately] "Oh, you have got to be kidding me," Kael managed before a crystalline paw the size of a wagon wheel smashed him into oblivion. He woke up staring at the familiar ceiling of his room, a grim satisfaction settling in despite the phantom pain still echoing through his newly reconstructed body. The pre-dawn light filtered through his window, painting Auren''s ever-present smog in shades of neon purple and gold. "Progress," he muttered, sitting up. "Finally, some actual progress. Managed to dodge that tail strike, landed a real hit..." His expression darkened. "Who knew the damn thing could transform? No way it''s officially ranked as ''D.'' That was at least low C-rank power. Someone in Dungeon Assessment is getting fired. You know, if I ever live long enough to file a complaint." Kael swung his legs off the bed, mind racing. "One dodge, one counter-attack. Not nearly enough. Need to be faster, stronger." He glanced at his status window with what had become a habitual grimace: [Kael Tercel] [Rank: E] [Class: Swordsman] [Level: 12] [HP: 642/642] [Energy: 128/128] [Title: The Nameless One''s Entertainment] [Status: Surprisingly Not Dead (Temporarily)] He was pretty sure that last part was new. Either that or he was finally cracking under the strain of repeated deaths. Both seemed equally possible at this point. "The spear technique is definitely the right path," he mused, beginning his now-routine pre-death exercises. "My sword would be useless against those crystal plates even if I had actual talent with it. Can''t have [Mana Slash] when your mana control is better suited to lighting birthday candles. But these stats..." He clenched his fist. "Two hours until I have to be at the guild hall. Time to make them count." He dropped to the floor and began doing pushups, analyzing his previous death with the detached interest of someone who''d turned dying into a scientific study. "The transformation seems to trigger after the first real damage. Need to be ready for the speed increase. Need to build up my own speed and strength just to survive long enough to learn its patterns. Also need to figure out who thought putting a transforming crystal death cat in an E-rank dungeon was a good idea." An hour of brutal exercises later, his muscles burned, but he could feel the difference. Subtle changes that wouldn''t show in his stats but might mean the difference between death and... well, slightly delayed death. At this point, he''d take whatever progress he could get.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. At the guild hall, the same scene played out like a well-rehearsed dance. The bet, the shocked faces, the borrowed spear. But this time, when Kael began practicing, something clicked into place. [Spear Mastery Level 3 Obtained] [Skill Obtained: Dash] [Achievement Unlocked: Multi-class Crisis] [System Note: Are you sure about this career path?] He paused mid-thrust, surprised. "Didn''t get [Dash] until much later last time. The physical conditioning must have helped." He chose to ignore the System''s apparent concern about his life choices. "Impossible," Marcus muttered from where he and the enforcer had been watching. "He has the [Swordsman] class. How is he picking up spear forms that quickly?" The enforcer''s eyes narrowed. "He''s different from this morning. Stronger. More focused." She crossed her arms. "Something''s not right here. No one improves this fast without¡ª" She glanced at her wrist terminal. "¡ªsome kind of temporal anomaly or divine intervention." Kael nearly dropped the spear. Was she actually...? No. Just a coincidence. Had to be. He ignored them, continuing his practice. The spear felt more natural with each repetition, his muscles remembering deaths that technically hadn''t happened yet. The [Dash] skill would be crucial ¨C he''d need every bit of mobility he could get once the Manticore transformed into its "surprise, I''m actually a raid boss" form. "Time''s up," the enforcer called. "Everyone, form up!" The battle unfolded exactly as before ¨C right up until the Manticore opened its maw and unleashed a beam of crystalline energy that turned Kael into very surprised cosmic dust. [Death by: Crystal Death Ray] [System Note: That''s a new one!] [Achievement Unlocked: Creative Death #17] Kael''s eyes snapped open, his hands clenched into fists. "A BEAM ATTACK? Are you SERIOUS?" He sat up, anger radiating from every movement. "A D-rank monster in an E-rank dungeon that can not only transform but has a BEAM ATTACK? What''s next, is it going to pull out a sword and start quoting philosophy?" He grabbed his journal ¨C a habit he''d started a few loops ago ¨C and began furiously writing. As the phantom sensation of being atomized faded, his anger gave way to analytical focus. The paper was probably unnecessary since it would reset with each loop, but something about the act of writing helped him think. "Seventeen deaths. Let''s make them mean something." His quill scratched across the page as he mapped out his observations: Move Set: Kael paused, his earlier rage giving way to intense focus. "Wait. That''s... that''s it. Four moves. Seventeen deaths and I''ve never seen it do anything else." He leaned back, mind racing. "The beam has that throat glow tell. The claw dash always starts with its right paw. The tail sweep has that crystalline chime..." He jumped up, pacing as the pieces fell into place. "And when it transforms, it gets stronger but slower. I''ve been running away when I should be pressing the advantage!" His status window flickered to life, still mockingly unchanged: [Kael Tercel] [Rank: E] [Class: Swordsman] [Level: 12] [HP: 642/642] [Title: Pattern Recognition Specialist] [Achievement: Died More Times Than Most S-Ranks] But for the first time, those stats didn''t seem like an insurmountable obstacle. "It''s not about getting stronger," he whispered, a determined smile forming. "It''s about knowing the dance." He immediately grimaced. "I''m never saying that ever again. Too clich¨¦. Even for someone stuck in a time loop." He glanced at the predawn light filtering through his window. Two hours until the guild hall. Two hours to prepare for loop nineteen. "You seeing this, you nameless bastard?" Kael called out to the empty room. "Finally figured out your pet''s little tricks. Hope you''re enjoying the show." [The Nameless One observes.] [Indeed. Though I wonder if you''ve truly seen all its tricks, little swordsman. Your determination is... refreshing.] Kael''s eye twitched at the response. "Oh, fantastic. Now you''re actually talking to me? Going to give me some cryptic advice while you''re at it? Maybe a riddle? A prophecy about my destiny?" [Simply enjoying the show. Though I do hope it has more surprises for you. These loops have been... entertaining.] "Glad I could provide some amusement," Kael muttered, starting his pre-guild training routine. "Just you wait. Loop nineteen is going to be a different story entirely. Might even survive long enough to file that complaint about dungeon classifications." [The Nameless One observes.] [Loop Eighteen: Complete] [Death Counter: 17] [Pattern Recognition: Achieved] [Status: Increasingly Entertaining] [Note: Subject''s Sarcasm Levels Reaching Critical Mass] As Kael prepared for his nineteenth death, he couldn''t shake the feeling that somewhere, somehow, a god was eating divine popcorn while watching his repeated failures. At least he was getting better at dying with style. Chapter 4: "The Dance" The spear thrust caught the Manticore just below its crystal-plated shoulder, the C-rank weapon''s enhanced mana conductivity allowing it to pierce where countless other attempts had failed. For a split second, Kael saw his own shocked expression reflected in the beast''s crystalline hide, distorted across a thousand geometric facets. "I actually injured¡ª" The Manticore''s paw turned him into paste before he could finish the thought. [Death by: Premature Celebration] [Achievement Unlocked: Almost Had It]
Kael''s eyes snapped open, a wild grin spreading across his face despite the phantom pain still echoing through his reconstructed body. "I actually injured it! Before the transformation!" His status window flickered to life, the same mockingly static display he''d seen eighteen times before: [Kael Tercel] [Rank: E] [Class: Swordsman] [Level: 12] [HP: 642/642] [Energy: 128/128] [Title: Persistent Beyond Reason] [Status: Temporarily Alive] But as he stared at the unchanged numbers, something fundamental clicked in his mind. "The window doesn''t show everything," he muttered, flexing his arms. "Each loop, my body remembers. The exercises, the movements, the pain... it''s not just about learning the patterns. The System might reset, but muscle memory persists." He dropped to the floor and began his routine with newfound purpose. Pushups, squats, core work ¨C exercises he''d performed across seventeen deaths. This time, though, he paid attention to how his body responded, how it anticipated each movement with an efficiency that shouldn''t be possible after just one morning''s training. ''Just as I thought,'' he realized as his muscles burned with familiar effort. ''The body treats each exercise as regular training, compressing weeks of physical conditioning into what others see as hours. Even when I die and reset, that foundation remains. If I were to work out and die for another hundred loops...'' The implications made him pause mid-pushup, sweat dripping onto the worn floorboards. "I could build strength almost inhumanly fast. Each death adding to the foundation..." He laughed, the sound bordering on manic. "The Nameless One''s cosmic joke might actually be the greatest training program ever invented." Two hours until the guild hall. He made every minute count, pushing his body to limits that only death could reset.
"Marcus, want to make a bet?" The familiar scene played out in the Crystal Ascendancy''s towering guild hall, but as Kael gripped the borrowed spear, he noticed something profoundly different. His muscles, worked to exhaustion and reformed through seventeen deaths, responded with an unexpected precision that bordered on prescience. [Spear Mastery Level 4 Obtained] [Skill: Dash Level 2] [Skill Obtained: Combat Prediction] [Achievement Unlocked: Accidental Prodigy] Kael paused mid-sequence, surprised by the last two notifications. "That''s new. And slightly concerning." He began moving through forms, each motion flowing naturally into the next like water finding its path. The spear felt less like a weapon and more like an extension of his will, guided by muscle memory accumulated across multiple lifetimes. As he practiced, whispered conversation reached his enhanced senses¡ªanother gift from repeated deaths. "Impossible," Marcus muttered to Enforcer Lee, his voice tight with disbelief. "Isn''t Kael a [Swordsman]? But his footwork... his precision with the spear... This can''t be his first time wielding one. The mana flow through the weapon is almost perfect."Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. "It is his first time," Lee replied, her sharp eyes narrowed beneath her augmented visor. "But you''re right ¨C his talent with the spear is... unusual. I''ve never seen someone adapt to a new weapon this quickly, even accounting for natural aptitude. His energy pathways are restructuring themselves in real-time." "I''ve been teaching spearmanship for eight years," Marcus said, professional pride warring with amazement. "It took me a month to achieve that level of form manipulation. He''s done it in hours." A pause filled with implications. "After this dungeon raid, would it be possible to recommend him for a class change quest through the guild? Seems like a waste to keep him locked into [Swordsman] if this is his true calling." "I''ll look into it after the dungeon," Lee replied thoughtfully, her telekinetic field flickering with interest. "Though something tells me this raid might be more interesting than usual. His mana signature is... fluctuating in ways I''ve never seen." Kael pretended not to hear them, but their words made him reflect as he executed another perfect thrust. "They''re right," he thought, examining the spear in his hands. "Even with the advantage of the loops, this progression is extremely rapid. Could it be that I had some innate talent with the spear all along? That I''d spent five years forcing myself down the wrong path?" [Title Obtained: Swordsman Who Should Have Been A Spearman] [Effect: STR +3, SPD +4, Spear Proficiency +10%] [Note: Some warriors find their true calling through death and rebirth...] [ System Observation: Have you considered a career change?] The notification almost made him stumble. But it made perfect sense ¨C his body had been learning across seventeen deaths, building a foundation of muscle memory that no status window could properly reflect. Each failure had been teaching him, not just about the Manticore''s patterns, but about his own true nature as a warrior. He moved through another sequence, feeling how his enhanced muscles responded to the spear''s weight. The weapon felt like a natural extension of his body now, nothing like the awkward tool it had been just seventeen deaths ago. Every movement channeled mana with an efficiency his sword techniques had never achieved. "Time''s up!" Lee called out, her enforcer''s badge pulsing with authorized command energy. "Everyone, form up!" As Kael moved to join his team, he couldn''t help but smile. His stats might still show him as a weak E-rank, but his body told a different story. Seventeen deaths of exercise, of practice, of learning ¨C all compressed into what others perceived as a single morning of impossible progress. "Alright, you crystalline bastard," he muttered as they entered the dungeon''s ancient corridors. "Let''s dance. And this time, I might even survive long enough to finish a sentence." The familiar passages passed by exactly as he''d predicted. Three lesser crystal beasts, two trapped corridors, one false wall that had crushed him during escape attempt number four. His perfect knowledge unnerved his teammates, but he barely noticed their concerned glances. His mind was entirely focused on what waited ahead. The Manticore''s chamber doors loomed before them, their crystalline surface reflecting the team''s anxious expressions. "Remember," he said to his team, authority born from seventeen deaths bleeding into his voice, "when it transforms, fall back. Don''t try to be heroes. This thing''s been badly misclassified." "When it what?" someone asked, but Kael was already moving. The massive doors swung open, revealing the Crystalline Manticore in all its deadly beauty. Amber eyes locked onto Kael immediately, recognition impossible but somehow present. Right paw tensing. Mana gathering. Claw dash incoming. Kael activated [Dash], sliding under the attack with millimeters to spare. The Manticore''s crystalline claws whistled overhead as he came up in a roll, his body moving through motions practiced across multiple lifetimes. Tail sweep tell ¨C that crystalline chime! He was already moving before the tail struck, using the spear''s shaft to vault over the sweeping crystal appendage. His teammates gasped as he seemed to dance through the air, his movements impossibly precise. "Now for the real test," Kael muttered, settling into a thrust stance perfected through death after death. "Let''s see if I''ve got the timing right..." The Manticore''s throat began to glow, mana crystals forming the deadly beam attack that had atomized him three loops ago. Perfect. Kael charged forward instead of back, catching the beast off guard. His spear struck true, piercing the crystalline hide just as the beam attack was charging. The borrowed C-rank weapon hummed with perfectly channeled mana, its superior craftsmanship finally matched by his hard-earned skill. The transformation began instantly. Crystal plates split and reformed as the creature grew to twice its size, raw power radiating from its enhanced form. The chamber''s mana density tripled as the beast''s true nature emerged. But Kael was smiling. Because now he could see it ¨C the slight delay in its movements, the fractional decrease in speed that came with all that extra mass. The perfect opportunities hidden within its overwhelming power. Exactly what he''d been dying to learn. "Everybody back!" he shouted, readying his spear as his muscles sang with the memory of seventeen deaths. "Time for round two!" [The Nameless One observes with growing fascination.] [Loop Nineteen: Active] [Death Counter: 17] [Status: Evolution in Progress] [Note: The failed swordsman becomes something new...] [Warning: Pattern Deviation Detected] [The little spearman begins to understand... but understanding brings its own dangers...] And in the shadows of Kael''s mind, the Nameless One''s ancient laughter echoed with something that might have been approval. Time to find out if eighteen deaths were enough to win. Chapter 5: "Weak Point" The Crystalline Manticore roared, crystal shards cascading from its rapidly mutating body like deadly rain. Its amber eyes locked onto Kael with an ancient malice that had frozen countless hunters in place. But after seventeen deaths, Kael had learned not to flinch. If anything, the familiar sight made him grip the Crystal Ascendancy''s borrowed spear tighter, the weapon feeling more like an old friend than the awkward tool it had been just hours¡ªand seventeen deaths¡ªago. [Skill: Combat Prediction Activated] The familiar notification appeared in his vision as the Manticore''s transformation reached its final stage, exactly as he''d seen before. Crystal plates fused into jagged armor along its back, each segment reflecting the chamber''s dim light like a fractured mirror. Its tail, once merely deadly, elongated into a gleaming, razor-edged spear that hummed with concentrated mana. Raw power pulsed in its throat, promising the same devastation that had atomized him three loops ago. "Keep moving!" Kael called out, his voice carrying an authority that surprised even him. Through the corner of his eye, he caught glimpses of his teammates'' confused expressions. To them, he was just an E-rank who''d somehow convinced Marcus to wager his prized spear this morning. They couldn''t know about the seventeen deaths that had forged his newfound confidence, or the countless hours of practice compressed into what they perceived as mere minutes. "Isn''t he supposed to be a [Swordsman]?" someone whispered, echoing the earlier confusion from the practice hall. "How''s he handling that spear like a veteran?" Enforcer Lee''s sharp eyes narrowed from her position near the wall, her augmented visor likely picking up the impossible changes in his mana pathways. "Focus on the fight. Questions later." The Manticore lunged, crystal claws carving deep grooves into stone that Kael had memorized across multiple deaths. He was already moving, Combat Prediction guiding his steps with a precision born from failure after failure. The beast''s tail whistled toward him¡ªa move that had bisected him in loop twelve¡ªbut this time he deflected it with a practiced twist of the spear, muscle memory from seventeen deaths flowing through his reformed body. [Title Effect Activated: Swordsman Who Should Have Been A Spearman] "That stance..." Marcus muttered from his position by the pillars. "I''ve never seen him move like this. It''s like watching a completely different warrior." The Manticore pressed forward, each attack deadlier than the last, but Kael matched it step for step. His teammates stood transfixed, watching the E-Rank who could barely swing a sword yesterday now dancing with a C-rank monster like they''d been locked in this deadly waltz for years. In a way, they had been. "I thought he trained with a sword for five years," one of the archers whispered. "How''s he better with a spear after one morning?" Marcus coughed awkwardly, his earlier confidence wavering. "About that spear... I didn''t exactly lose it in a bet. He knew exactly which weapon to ask for..." The Manticore''s wings unfurled suddenly, massive sheets of crystal catching light in a display that had blinded Kael in loop seven. One powerful beat lifted it skyward, and Kael turned to see his team still standing there, mesmerized by the deadly spectacle.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "What are you doing?" he shouted, genuine fear coloring his voice. He''d watched them die in loop nine. Never again. "Move!" [Skill: Dash Level 2 Activated] He surged forward as the beast unleashed its mana beam, the skill carrying him clear of the molten trench carved into the cavern floor. Heat seared the air around him, but seventeen deaths had taught him exactly where to step, how to move, when to breathe. "Has he reached level 20?" someone called to Lee. "A reawakening?" "No," she answered, her augmented vision studying Kael''s movements with professional fascination. "But that spear work... it''s like he''s fought this battle a hundred times. His mana pathways are adapting in real-time." The Manticore''s tail caught him with a glancing blow¡ªa mistake born from overconfidence¡ªsending him sliding across stone. Blood filled his mouth as he pushed himself up, reminding him that even with all his accumulated experience, his body was still fundamentally mortal. Each death had taught him something new, but his flesh felt every hit just as keenly as the first time. [Combat Prediction] flared a warning of the beast''s next move. He rolled left as crystal claws shattered the ground where he''d been standing. The others finally snapped out of their daze, arrows finding marks in the monster''s armor just as they had in his most successful attempts. "Natural talent with a spear," Lee murmured, her telekinetic field flickering with intensity. "Who would have thought? The guild records showed no aptitude..." The Manticore circled overhead, studying them with predatory intelligence that Kael had learned to respect through death after death. He recognized that calculating look¡ªseventeen times before. He knew exactly what came next. [Skill: Dash Level 2 Activated] "Marcus!" he shouted, already moving. "Left wing joint! Third crystal plate from the shoulder!" The archer''s shot struck true, followed by a volley from the others. The beast crashed down with earth-shaking force, exactly as planned. Kael didn''t hesitate. Combat Prediction guided his spear to the exact weak point he''d died seventeen times to find. He drove the weapon deep between crystal plates, feeling it sink into flesh in a way his sword never had. The Manticore roared in agony, its tail lashing out in retaliation. The impact caught him squarely¡ªa rookie mistake, but one he''d accepted as necessary. As he flew backward, he saw the familiar glow building in its throat. There was no surviving what came next¡ªhe''d learned that much at least. But this time, as the killing light gathered, Kael smiled through bloodied teeth. He stared into those ancient amber eyes, seeing his own fractured reflection in the crystalline hide one final time. "Found it," he whispered, satisfaction filling his voice despite the pain. "Your weak point... right there behind the third plate, where the crystal meets flesh. See you again, you crystalline bastard. And next time? Next time we end this shit, once and for all." The light consumed him. His eyes opened to the familiar ceiling of his apartment, notifications already appearing: [The Nameless One watches with growing intrigue.] [Loop Twenty: Active] [Skill: Combat Prediction Ready] [Title: Swordsman Who Should Have Been A Spearman Active] [Note: Evolution continues...] Kael sat up slowly, muscles remembering exercises performed across nineteen deaths. His mind was already planning the next attempt, visualizing the perfect thrust that would end this cycle of death and rebirth. "Time to go get that spear from Marcus again," he murmured, dropping to the floor to begin his morning routine. "And this time... this time we finish what we started. After all¡ª" he grinned, feeling strength built across multiple lifetimes flowing through his reformed body, "¡ªI''ve got a class change quest to earn." In the shadows of his mind, the Nameless One''s ancient laughter echoed with what might have been pride. Twenty deaths to win. One final dance to prove worthy of it. Chapter 6: A Different Tomorrow Kael''s eyes snapped open before the notifications fully materialized. He was already moving, muscle memory driving him from the bed before his mind fully processed the familiar ceiling. The notifications flickered at the edge of his vision: [Loop Nineteen: Active] [The Nameless One watches with interest] [Combat Prediction: Ready] [Title: Swordsman Who Has Talent With The Spear Active] His lips curved into a slight smile as he pulled on his boots. Eighteen deaths had taught him efficiency ¨C no wasted movements, no hesitation. He''d memorized the exact location of every loose floorboard, every creaky step between his quarters and Marcus''s tent. The pre-dawn air bit at his skin as he slipped through the camp. Different this time ¨C he''d woken earlier, giving himself an extra hour to prepare. The weight of previous failures pressed against his shoulders, but there was something else too: certainty. He''d found it last time, in that final moment before the light took him. The weak point that had eluded him through eighteen brutal deaths. "Marcus, want to make a bet?" The spear lay wrapped in oiled cloth exactly where it had been eighteen times before. But this time, when Marcus handed it over, there was something different in his expression ¨C a glimmer of recognition, perhaps, or destiny. [Skill: Combat Prediction hummed to life] "Watch the fight today," Kael said softly. "You''ll understand why it had to be me." He left Marcus standing in the doorway, questions unasked on his lips. The next hour was spent in precise preparation. He''d learned from each death, each failure teaching him another piece of the puzzle. The creature''s crystal armor had weak points ¨C hairline fractures that appeared in specific patterns during its transformation. Eighteen deaths had mapped them all. Ms. Lee found him practicing forms with the spear as the sun crested the horizon. She watched silently, her sharp eyes catching every nuance of movement that shouldn''t have been possible for a simple E Rank.Stolen novel; please report. "You''re different today," she said finally. Kael paused mid-form, the spear balanced perfectly. "Today is different," he replied. It was the truth, even if she couldn''t understand why. The cavern, when they reached it, felt smaller than before. Eighteen deaths had made every shadow familiar, every stone a marker in his mental map. The Crystalline Manticore''s roar echoed right on schedule, crystal shards cascading from its mutating form. But this time, Kael didn''t wait for it to finish transforming. Combat Prediction flared to life as he moved, Marcus''s spear singing through the air. The beast''s amber eyes widened in surprise ¨C the first time he''d seen that expression in nineteen encounters. "Now!" he shouted, and arrows flew. His team, still confused by the E Rank''s sudden expertise, nonetheless responded to the authority in his voice. The arrows struck precisely where he needed them, creating the fracture patterns he''d died eighteen times to understand. The Manticore''s tail lashed out, but Kael was already moving. Each step placed him exactly where he needed to be, Combat Prediction and hard-won experience guiding him through the deadly dance. The crystal plates shifted, began to fuse ¨C but this time, he knew exactly where to strike. Marcus''s spear found its mark, slipping between the third and fourth plates just as they began to merge. The beast''s roar of pain was different this time ¨C higher, more desperate. Crystalline armor crackled, fracture lines spreading from the point of impact. "Impossible," someone whispered behind him. "How did he know?" The Manticore''s throat began to glow, but Kael smiled. He''d seen this nineteen times now, and finally, finally, he knew exactly what to do. The spear twisted, pressed deeper, found the vital point he''d glimpsed in his final moments last time. The light in the beast''s throat sputtered, died. For the first time in nineteen loops, Kael watched the Crystalline Manticore fall. Its massive form crashed to the cavern floor, crystal armor shattering into a thousand glittering shards. The familiar light didn''t come to claim him this time. [Loop Complete: The Nameless One nods in approval] [Title Earned: Spearman Who Mastered Death] [Skill: Combat Prediction has evolved] Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he turned to face his stunned teammates. His body ached from wounds he''d learned to accept as necessary sacrifices, but he was alive. Tomorrow, for the first time in nineteen days, would be different. "How?" Marcus asked, his voice barely a whisper. "How did you know exactly where to strike?" Kael leaned on the spear, letting himself feel every bruise, every cut ¨C proof that this time, this nineteenth time, he''d survived. "Sometimes," he said with a small smile, "you just have to die eighteen times to get it right." They didn''t understand ¨C couldn''t understand ¨C but that didn''t matter anymore. The loop was broken. Tomorrow would come, and with it, new challenges, new deaths, new victories. For the first time in nineteen days, Kael looked forward to sunset. Chapter 7: Victory and Letting Go The familiar notifications flickered in Kael''s vision as the Crystalline Manticore crashed to the ground, its shattered form dissolving into motes of light: [Crystalline Manticore has been defeated!] [Experience gained: 6,400] [Level Up! Level 13 achieved!] [Level Up! Level 14 achieved!] [Level Up! Level 15 achieved!] [Level Up! Level 16 achieved!] [Level Up! Level 17 achieved!] [Level Up! Level 18 achieved!] [Level Up! Level 19 achieved!] [Level Up! Level 20 achieved!] He staggered, leaning heavily on Marcus''s borrowed spear as the rush of power coursed through him. Eight levels. Eight bursts of pure energy flooding his pathways, restructuring his very being. His teammates stared in stunned silence, their expressions a mix of awe and disbelief. [Level 20 Milestone Reached] [Class Evolution Available] [ Please select from the following options:] Kael''s breath caught in his throat. Five years. Five years of dreaming of this moment, of imagining how it would feel to finally evolve his [Swordsman] class into something greater. He''d spent countless nights visualizing the moment he''d become a [Swordmaster], following in the footsteps of the legends who''d inspired him. But now, standing amid the crystalline wreckage of his greatest victory, spear in hand and nineteen deaths'' worth of truth burning in his muscles, he felt only a profound sense of clarity. "I''ve been chasing the wrong dream," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the gentle chiming of settling crystal shards. Marcus stepped forward, his expression concerned. "Kael? You okay?" Kael looked down at the spear in his hands ¨C the weapon that had finally led him to victory after nineteen brutal deaths. Every muscle in his body hummed with the memory of those failures, of the countless repetitions that had slowly revealed his true nature as a warrior. "Yeah," he said softly. "For the first time in five years, I really am." The selection window pulsed gently, waiting for his choice. Kael closed his eyes, remembering that day in the town square. The Sword Saint''s golden blade cutting through reality itself, the dream that had driven him forward through years of frustration and failure.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. "Thank you," he whispered to that memory, to the boy who''d looked up at those screens with such burning hope. "But it''s time to let go." His hand moved with the same certainty that had guided the spear through the Manticore''s weak point. [Warrior] pulsed beneath his touch. [Class Evolution Confirmed] [Class: Warrior] [Previous skills and abilities will be adjusted accordingly] [New skill trees unlocked] [Bonus stat points available: 40] The rush of power was different this time ¨C not the refined stream he''d always imagined would come with becoming a [Swordmaster], but something rawer, more primal. His muscles burned as they rebuilt themselves, his entire frame adjusting to better channel the strength he''d earned through death after death. "You''re not taking [Swordmaster]?" Marcus asked, genuine surprise in his voice. "But you''ve been working toward that for..." "Five years," Kael finished, a small smile touching his lips. "Five years of trying to force myself down a path that was never meant for me." He gave the borrowed spear an experimental spin, feeling how naturally it moved with him now. "Sometimes the hardest part of growing stronger isn''t learning what you can do ¨C it''s accepting what you can''t." He turned to face his still-stunned teammates, the weight of nineteen deaths and one perfect victory settling into his bones. "I''m done pretending to be something I''m not. Time to start being who I actually am." [The Nameless One observes with satisfaction] [Loop Complete] [Title Earned: One Who Chose His Own Path] [Note: Growth often requires letting go] As the notifications faded, Kael felt lighter somehow. The burden of that childhood dream, of trying to live up to an impossible standard, melted away like morning frost. Ahead lay a new path ¨C one carved not by childhood fantasies, but by hard-won truth purchased with blood and determination. "Marcus," he said, starting to hand the spear back. "About your weapon..." The C-rank [Spearman] shook his head, a knowing smile on his face. "Keep it. Something tells me you''ll put it to better use than I ever could." Enforcer Lee''s sharp eyes studied him with professional interest. "A [Warrior] with spear specialization... Unconventional, but after what we just witnessed?" She nodded approvingly. "I think you''ve earned the right to break convention." Kael gripped the spear ¨C his spear now ¨C and felt the rightness of it settle into his soul. Nineteen deaths had stripped away his illusions, burned through his desperate clinging to a dream that had never truly been his. What remained was simpler, clearer, true. He wasn''t the Sword Saint''s successor. He would never cut through reality with a blade of golden light. But he had found something else ¨C something uniquely his own, forged in the crucible of repeated failure and desperate determination. "Time to see what a [Warrior] who died nineteen times to master the spear can really do," he murmured, already feeling his new class''s power beginning to flow. The forty stat points beckoned, promising strength he''d earned through blood and persistence. But that could wait. For now, he simply stood in the cavern where he''d died nineteen times, holding the weapon that had finally led him to victory, and let himself feel the profound rightness of choosing his own path. Sometimes the greatest victories come not from achieving your dreams, but from finding the courage to let them go. [Status: Evolution Complete] [The Nameless One''s Game: Concluded] [Note: True strength lies in knowing yourself] [Achievement Unlocked: Nineteen Deaths to Victory] As Kael stood in the cavern''s gentle crystal light, a sobering thought crossed his mind: "What would have happened if I hadn''t asked Marcus for that spear?" He gripped the weapon tighter, feeling its familiar weight. Nineteen deaths, and it all hinged on that one desperate gamble. Sometimes the smallest choices made all the difference. Chapter 8: The Gift Kael collapsed onto his bed, muscles screaming from the day''s events. The spear leaned against his wall, catching neon light from his window. His new [Warrior] certification felt strange after five years as a [Swordsman]. [Choose Your Core Skill] [Available Options:] Core skills weren''t just techniques¡ªthey were crystallizations of a hunter''s essence. Some families passed them down through bloodlines, but most were unique, born from individual talent and experience. "[Combat Instinct]," he said firmly. After nineteen deaths, trusting his instincts felt natural. [Core Skill Selected: Combat Instinct] [Skill Integration Beginning...] As the power settled into his circuits, the shadows in his apartment deepened. The neon lights outside dimmed, reality holding its breath. [The Nameless One is satisfied with your growth] [Two gifts await the one who survived nineteen deaths] The darkness gathered into a single point. From its depths emerged three crystalline shards, each no larger than his palm, and an ancient tome bound in metallic scales. [Behold: Three Fragments of Forgotten Time] [Effect: Bearer may retain three skills and masteries through death] [Behold: Codex of Mana Reformation] [Effect: Allows reconstruction of damaged mana pathways] [Note: Your current pathways are... insufficient] The crystals rotated slowly, each facet showing reflections of his deaths. The book''s pages rustled with ancient knowledge. "Who... what are you?" Kael whispered. The shadows offered no response, but Kael''s mind raced. Throughout the loops, he''d wondered about the Nameless One''s nature. At first, he''d assumed it was just another petty god, enjoying his suffering for entertainment. But the careful orchestration of his deaths, the lessons learned, and now these gifts...The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. What kind of being could manipulate time itself without drawing divine attention? Even the most powerful gods left traces when they bent reality. Yet the Nameless One had looped time nineteen times without anyone noticing¡ªexcept perhaps Lee, who''d attributed it to simple divine interference. This wasn''t just power. This was something beyond even godhood. Kael opened his inventory and stored two of the crystals and the book. The third crystal pulsed in his palm as he focused on his [Spear Mastery]. [Skill Anchored: Spear Mastery] [Temporal Anomaly Detected] [Error: Unable to Process Paradox] [Title Earned: Time''s Aberration] "This is insane," he whispered, staring at the crystal that now hummed in harmony with his very being. The exhaustion of the day finally caught up with him. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Kael allowed himself to truly relax. No more fear of death resetting his progress. No more desperate scramble to survive. Just the soft embrace of his bed and the quiet hum of the city outside his window. [Status Window] Name: Kael Class: Warrior (Former Swordsman) Level: 20 Unspent Stat Points: 40 Current Stats: Sleep came easily, deeper and more peaceful than any rest he''d known since the loops began. His dreams were no longer haunted by his deaths but filled with the quiet certainty of survival. Morning came with the soft glow of dawn filtering through his window. Kael''s eyes opened slowly, his body feeling refreshed in a way that spoke of true recovery rather than just the absence of fatigue. The crystal''s warmth still pulsed against his chest where he''d worn it on a chain while sleeping. He began his morning routine, a habit carved into his being through nineteen iterations of life. His reflection in the bathroom mirror showed the results of those countless loops¡ªbroad shoulders and defined muscles that hadn''t been there when this all began. The Warrior class enhancement had accelerated his physical development, but it was the countless battles, deaths, and rebirths that had truly forged his body. [Status Window Open] Kael studied his unspent stat points carefully. After everything he''d learned, after dying nineteen times, he knew exactly how to allocate them. Agility had saved his life more times than he could count¡ªthe ability to dodge had proven more valuable than the toughness to take a hit. "Twenty points to Agility," he commanded. [Agility increased to 55] "Ten points to Strength." [Strength increased to 58] The remaining points he distributed with careful consideration: five to Vitality, three to Intelligence, and two to Mana. Each choice was weighted by lessons learned in blood and pain. [Final Stats: As he moved through his training forms, his spear cutting silver arcs through the morning air, Kael felt the difference. His [Combat Instinct] core skill wove seamlessly with his enhanced agility, making each movement flow into the next with predatory grace. His body, honed through death and rebirth, moved with a precision that would have seemed impossible when his journey began. The morning sun caught the crystal hanging from his neck, sending fragments of light dancing across his apartment walls. Each flash seemed to carry echoes of his past deaths, but now they felt less like trauma and more like hard-won wisdom. He was no longer just surviving¡ªhe was evolving. Chapter 9: Rank Evaluation Time. For most, it flowed like a river. Unstoppable. Unchanging. But Kael had died enough times to know better. Golden sunlight streamed through his window. A welcome change from nineteen pre-dawn awakenings. His muscles ached pleasantly. Not the phantom echoes of death that had haunted him through countless loops. Just real, honest pain. The spear gleamed against his wall. Morning light caught its edge. Rainbow patterns danced across his ceiling. A reminder of victory bought with blood and persistence. His hand drifted to the crystal at his neck. Its familiar warmth pulsed in sync with his [Spear Mastery]. One skill anchored against the chaos of rebirth. Some called the ranking system absolute. From F to S, measuring humanity''s worth in cold, stark letters. A brutal hierarchy where power meant everything. Where the weak perished and the strong ascended. Kael knew better now. He''d seen how fragile those rankings could be. Nineteen deaths had taught him that lesson. Each one etched in blood and pain. The Codex of Mana Reformation sat innocently on his bedside table. Its metallic scales caught the light like living things. Another gift from the being that had watched him die again and again. [Status Window] The familiar blue interface materialized before his eyes. Cold numbers that supposedly defined his worth. Name: Kael Class: Warrior (Former Swordsman) Level: 20 Current Stats: Strength: 58 Agility: 55 Vitality: 35 Intelligence: 18 Mana: 25 The numbers felt hollow. How could they measure the weight of nineteen deaths? The lessons learned in blood and darkness? The moment when spear met crystal met flesh in perfect harmony? He reached for the Codex. Its scaled binding cool against his fingers. Ancient power thrummed beneath its surface. Pain exploded behind his eyes. Runes twisted across pages that should have been incomprehensible. Knowledge that should have taken years forcing itself into his mind. [Skill Obtained: Ancient Script Translation] [Warning: Initial comprehension may cause temporal displacement symptoms] [The Nameless One observes with amusement] A knock interrupted the torrent of forbidden knowledge. An envelope slid under his door. The Guild''s seal gleamed official and cold.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. RANK EVALUATION NOTICE Candidate: Kael Current Level: 20 Class: Warrior (Former Swordsman) Current Rank: E Evaluation Date: Three days hence Special Note: Evaluation requested by Guild Leadership Lee''s precise handwriting decorated the attached note. Clinical. Professional. Yet he could sense the underlying curiosity. "After your performance against the Manticore, the Guild leadership is particularly interested in your evaluation. The beast was initially classified as D-rank. Post-battle analysis suggests C-rank characteristics. Combined with your advanced class evolution, this warrants immediate rank reassessment. Don''t be late." Another knock. Lee herself entered this time. Her augmented visor whirred and clicked. Standard procedure for assessing potential threats. But something was different. Her visor''s displays remained dark. Whatever changes the Codex was working in him slipped past her enhanced perception. Like he existed in a blind spot of reality itself. "You''ve... grown since I last saw you," she said carefully. Her eyes narrowed behind the visor''s gleaming surface. He didn''t comment on it. Just nodded. "The evolution process can do that." "The Guild''s excited to see what rank you achieve. We don''t often see someone jump straight to an advanced class at your level." Excitement. As if ranks could measure the cost of his evolution. She left him alone with his thoughts. With the evaluation notice that seemed to mock him from his desk. Sure, he''d defeated a C-rank monster. But only after nineteen failures. Only with Marco''s shields protecting him. Sarah''s support magic creating openings. Tom''s arrows forcing the beast to move predictably. Without them, he might still be trapped in that endless loop. A prisoner of his own weakness. Even with his new class and the spear mastery, he couldn''t delude himself. He was probably high D-rank at best. The Codex pulsed with power in his hands. The crystal at his neck hummed in response. His newly restructured mana pathways tingled with potential. Three days. Three days to understand ancient knowledge that defied comprehension. Three days to reform pathways shaped by years of mediocre training. Three days to become something more than just another Hunter clawing for scraps of power. "I have a lot of work to do," he whispered to the empty room. [Status: In Transformation] [Warning: Traditional Power Assessment Methods May No Longer Apply] [Note: The dance continues...] Time flowed on. But this time, Kael would make it bow to his will. Or at least that''s what he thought until he tripped over his own feet trying to test his new mana pathways. [Status Update: Face has successfully merged with floor] [The Nameless One is definitely laughing at you] [Cause of Death #20: Gravity remains undefeated] He blinked as the familiar resurrection light faded. The Codex sat innocently on his bedside table, exactly where it had been twenty seconds ago. The morning sunlight was just starting to stream through his window again. "Really?" he muttered to the empty room. "nineteen deaths against a C-rank Manticore, and number twenty is from tripping over my own feet?" [The Nameless One suggests walking before attempting to reconstruct fundamental laws of mana] [Warning: Floor appears to be winning this encounter] [Status: Pride Damaged - Critical Hit] Kael stared at the envelope that would soon slide under his door. At least no one would ever know about this particular death. Some advantages to being the only one who remembered, he supposed. [Status: Ready to try again] [Warning: Floor eagerly awaits rematch] [Note: Perhaps start with sitting down...] He glanced at his status window again. Twenty deaths and counting. At this rate, the floor might rank up before he did. The Nameless One''s laughter echoed in his mind. Even cosmic entities, it seemed, could appreciate a good pratfall. Chapter 10 : The Floor Strikes Back [Status: Morning. Again.] [Warning: Pride still recovering from previous encounter with floor] [The Nameless One suggests coffee might help] Kael stared at his ceiling, counting the familiar cracks. Four deaths since his last conversation with Lee. All from attempting to restructure his mana pathways. At least the floor had stopped winning ¨C he''d graduated to exploding practice dummies and one particularly memorable incident involving a chair that he''d sworn never to speak of again. [Status: Chair incident sealed in temporal vault] [Warning: The Nameless One archives all particularly amusing failures] [Note: For posterity, obviously] "I don''t understand," he muttered, glaring at the Codex. "The pathways shouldn''t be this difficult to reshape. They''re just... channels, right?" The ancient tome''s pages fluttered without wind. Crystalline script danced across its surface, forming words that made his eyes water. In his mind, the amused presence of the Nameless One stirred. [Your pathways aren''t particularly damaged, young one. Just... poorly developed. Like trying to route a river through a child''s sand castle.] Kael frowned. "I''ve been training since I was twelve. How could they be underdeveloped?" [You put your heart and sword into swordsmanship when your natural affinity lay elsewhere. Imagine trying to write with your off-hand for years. The muscles develop, but wrong. You created pathways, but they''re about as elegant as a drunk giant''s attempt at needlework.] "That''s... oddly specific." [I''m very old. You see some things. Like that chair incident. That was new even for me.] "We agreed never to speak of that." [I''m an ancient cosmic entity. I live for this kind of entertainment.] The crystal at his neck pulsed warmly, almost like it was laughing. Even his spear seemed to gleam with barely suppressed mirth. Betrayed by his own equipment. Wonderful. "So how do I fix it?" [First, understand the basics. Your mana pathways are like rivers - they need to flow naturally. You''ve been trying to force them into sword-shaped channels when they want to spiral like a spear''s thrust.] "And that''s why I keep exploding?" [Among other reasons. Would you like the list alphabetically or by level of spectacular failure?] [First, stop trying to brute force it. Meditation. Careful manipulation. Gradual...] Kael was already reaching for his mana core. [Or you could ignore me completely and die again. That works too.] Five seconds later, he blinked away resurrection light. The amusement of the Nameless One filled his mind. [Death #25: Attempted to reroute mana pathway through spleen] [Note: Spleens generally prefer not to be mana conduits] [The Nameless One suggests anatomy lessons might be beneficial] "I thought I was connecting it to my heart!" [Your internal geography needs work. Also, please don''t route mana through your heart. You have exactly one of those.] "Now you tell me." [I tried. You were too busy discovering new and exciting ways to explode.] Kael slumped back onto his bed. The evaluation loomed closer with each resurrection. At this rate, he''d set a record for most deaths by self-inflicted mana restructuring. Probably not the kind of ranking the Guild was hoping for. [You''re thinking too much like a swordsman still. All force and determination. Spears are different. They''re about precision. Flow. Finding the perfect point where...] "If you say ''be like water'' I''m throwing the Codex across the room." [Please. I''m ancient cosmic wisdom. I have better metaphors than that.] A pause. [Be like wind.] "That''s it. The Codex is going airborne." [Several have tried. Did I mention the last one spontaneously turned into a duck?]This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Kael''s hands, already reaching for the book, froze. "You''re joking." [Am I though? Are you really willing to risk it? Duck-hood is very inconvenient for spear wielding.] [Now, shall we try this again? Without the exploding? The chair incident was amusing, but I believe we''ve thoroughly explored that particular method of failure.] "You''re never going to let that go, are you?" [I am timeless. I forget nothing. Especially not chair-related deaths. Now focus. Feel your mana. Don''t force it. Guide it. Like coaxing a cat, not ordering a dog.] "I''m more of a dog person." [That explains so much about your technique.] But Kael closed his eyes, trying to sense his mana flow without immediately trying to wrestle it into submission. The familiar currents felt different now. Less like a raging river, more like... well, a drunk giant''s attempt at needlework was surprisingly accurate. [Better. Now imagine thread. Fine, silvery thread. You''re not forcing it through new channels. You''re weaving it. Delicate. Precise.] "I''ve never sewn anything in my life." [Congratulations. You''ve found yet another way your education was lacking. Would you prefer a metaphor involving hitting things very hard? Since that seems to be your area of expertise.] Kael ignored the cosmic sass and focused. Thread. Weaving. Not forcing. The mana shifted, less resistant now that he wasn''t trying to bulldoze it into new configurations. [Good. Now don''t...] He pushed just a little harder. [Status: Resurrection in progress] [Cause of Death #26: Apparently "don''t" meant "don''t"] [The Nameless One would like to point out that cosmic wisdom is usually worth listening to] "I almost had it that time!" [You almost had another meeting with the floor. Speaking of which, it says hello. You two have become quite close lately.] But something had clicked. That moment before everything went wrong ¨C he''d felt it. The way the mana could flow naturally if he''d just stop trying to force it into the shapes he thought it should take. [Status: Baseline mana pathway restructuring achieved] [Warning: Please consult cosmic wisdom before attempting advanced modifications] [Note: The floor is somewhat disappointed] Kael opened his eyes, grinning. "I did it!" [Adequate. For a beginner. Now we can start the real training.] His grin faded. "What do you mean ''real training''?" [Did you think basic pathway restructuring was the hard part? How adorably naive.] The spear gleamed ominously. The crystal''s warmth took on a distinctly amused quality. Even the practice dummy seemed to be backing away. [Status: Ready for advanced training] [Warning: Medical facilities on standby] [The Nameless One suggests writing a will] Kael hesitated, a thought suddenly occurring to him. "Why are you helping me? Why give me this power?" [What do you mean? This is purely for entertainment. I was merely bored, that''s all.] "You know, for such an old cosmic entity, you really suck at lying." Kael grinned. "Do you get that from the other gods?" A pause. [What do you mean? This is truly entertaining, but to answer your question ¨C no, I have not, because I don''t talk to those... "gods."] The way the Nameless One said "gods" carried centuries of disdain. "Why not?" Kael asked, genuinely curious now. "The Olympians, the Norse and the others..." [They''re full of themselves.] The presence in his mind darkened. [Humanity is meant to be our responsibility, not our battery. As gods, it is their duty to protect and provide. But all they do is use humanity, gain power from worship. How far divinity has fallen.] Kael blinked, processing this. "How old are you, to be talking about gods like they''re mere children?" [What do you mean? I''m not that old.] "When were you born then?" Silence stretched between them. Finally: [I... do not remember.] The weight of that statement hung in the air. Kael sat up straighter. "You''re not answering my question. Why did you pick me? Who are you, really?" The Nameless One''s presence shifted, almost uncomfortable. [I cannot tell you who I am. But I will give you a short answer about why I chose you. The rest... you''ll have to discover for yourself.] Kael waited as the ancient entity seemed to gather its thoughts. [Your motivation. Your drive. You were primarily an orphan ¨C no parents, no family. Yet you never gave up on your dream to become a swordsman.] A ripple of what might have been affection colored the entity''s words. [Honestly, at first it was funny watching you. But you kept trying, even when you lacked talent. To struggle, to train... that sort of determination, you don''t see it much these days.] "So you chose me because I amused you and was stubborn?" [I chose you because you reminded me of... something. Someone. Perhaps myself, though that was so long ago I can barely recall.] Kael looked at the evaluation notice again, then at his spear, the crystal, and finally the Codex. "And now?" [Now? Now we see if I chose correctly. Though I must say...] The amusement returned to the Nameless One''s presence. [The chair incident does make me question my judgment occasionally.] "We agreed never to speak of that again!" [No, YOU agreed. I made no such promises. Now, shall we continue? These mana pathways won''t restructure themselves.] Kael sighed, but couldn''t quite hide his smile. "Fine. But no more commentary about the chair." [I make no promises. The floor, however, would like to schedule a rematch.] "Let''s just get back to training." [As you wish. Though I do have some delightful stories about your previous lives'' encounters with furniture...] "Focus. Training. Now." [Spoilsport. Very well ¨C let''s see if we can avoid death number twenty-seven for at least five minutes.] The crystal pulsed warmly as Kael closed his eyes, ready to try again. Maybe the Nameless One had chosen him for his determination. Or maybe it really was just cosmic entertainment. Either way, he had work to do. [Status: Training resumed] [Warning: Furniture in vicinity taking defensive positions] [Note: The Nameless One starts recording... just in case] Chapter 10: Ancient Knowledge [Status: Pre-dawn] [Warning: Subject attempting advanced mana manipulation] [The Nameless One suggests having medical supplies ready] The Codex hummed beneath Kael''s fingers, its metallic scales warm to the touch. After finally getting his basic mana pathways restructured properly, he''d expected things to get easier. He really should have known better by now. [Ancient knowledge requires patience] [Warning: Subject historically lacking in aforementioned quality] [The Nameless One prepares to witness interesting failure] "I don''t understand," Kael muttered, staring at the flowing script that somehow made his eyes water and his brain itch simultaneously. "If my pathways are fixed, why can''t I channel more power?" [Because you''re trying to pour an ocean through a drinking straw.] The Nameless One''s presence filled his small apartment with the weight of ancient amusement. [Your pathways are properly structured now, yes. But they''re still narrow. Underdeveloped. Like muscles that need training.] Kael frowned at the Codex''s pages. "So how do I develop them?" [Carefully. Unless you enjoy exploding.] "That was one time!" [Would you like me to list all twenty-seven explosions chronologically or by level of property damage?] The crystal at his neck pulsed warmly, almost like it was laughing. Even his spear seemed to gleam with barely suppressed mirth. [Now, focus. The Codex contains patterns. Ancient forms of mana manipulation that predate your current... limited understanding.] The scripts on the page shifted, forming intricate designs that made Kael''s newly restructured pathways hum in recognition. [These are the foundations of true power. The patterns gods themselves once had to learn, back when they were young and actually bothered to study.] "Wait." Kael looked up from the book. "Gods had to learn? I thought they were just... naturally powerful." A sensation like a cosmic snort. [Gods, demons, ancient beings ¨C we all started somewhere. Well, except me. I think. It''s been a while.] "How long is a while?" [Time is relative. Also largely optional in my case. Now stop stalling and focus on the patterns.]Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Kael returned his attention to the Codex. The scripts had formed into something that looked almost like a spiral, but moving in impossible directions. [This is a basic amplification pattern. It teaches your pathways to handle more power without rupturing.] "And if I get it wrong?" [Remember explosion number twelve?] "Right. Careful it is." He reached out with his mana, trying to trace the pattern. His newly structured pathways responded smoothly, power flowing in elegant spirals rather than the clumsy channels of before. [Better. Though you might want to...] The spiral wobbled. [Ah. Too late.] Reality hiccupped. [Status: Resurrection in progress] [Cause of Death #28: Forgot to account for mana feedback] [The Nameless One suggests reading the whole pattern next time] Kael blinked away resurrection light, the Codex sitting innocently where it had been moments before. "What did I miss?" [Only the part about stabilization. A minor detail. Unless you enjoy having your mana pathways briefly exist in seventeen different dimensions.] "That can happen?" [Death twenty-eight says yes.] But something had clicked during that brief moment before explosion. The way the pattern had started to take hold, the feeling of his pathways expanding ever so slightly... [You felt it, didn''t you? The potential.] "Yeah." Kael studied the pattern again, seeing it with new understanding. "It''s like... the pattern isn''t just showing me how to move mana. It''s teaching my pathways how to grow." [Now you''re beginning to understand. These aren''t just techniques to memorize. They''re keys to evolution.] The scripts shifted again, forming new patterns that made his mind spin. [Each pattern you master expands your capabilities. Not just in power, but in understanding. The ancients knew that true strength comes from...] "If you say ''understanding yourself'' I''m throwing the Codex again." [I was going to say ''not exploding,'' but your suggestion works too. And I wouldn''t recommend throwing the Codex. The last one who tried that had an interesting conversation with gravity.] "Did they survive?" [Eventually. Once they figured out how to exist in normal space-time again.] Kael carefully set the Codex down on his desk. "Right. Back to the patterns." [Wise choice. Now, let''s try this again. With less dimensional displacement this time.] The morning sun began to peek through his window as Kael immersed himself in ancient knowledge. His pathways hummed with potential, growing stronger with each careful attempt. And in the depths of his consciousness, something old enough to remember when gods were young watched with growing satisfaction. [Status: Training progressing] [Warning: Local reality adapting to increased mana density] [The Nameless One notes subject''s improving survival rate] Tomorrow would bring new challenges. But for now, Kael focused on the patterns, letting ancient wisdom reshape his understanding one careful step at a time. [Final Status: Basic amplification pattern stable] [Note: Subject showing surprising aptitude] [The Nameless One prepares more interesting lessons] [Warning: Medical supplies may need restocking] Chapter 11 : Ancient Patterns and Hidden Curses [Status: Dawn] [Warning: Subject exhibiting unusual mana signatures] [The Nameless One noting peculiarities] "I DID IT!" Kael leapt from his seated position, pumping his fist in the air. The morning sunlight caught the residual mana shimmer around him, creating a brief rainbow effect. [Finally. Watching you fail was becoming tedious.] "Hey, I deserve some credit here!" Kael grinned, still riding the high of success. "A little ''good job'' wouldn''t kill you." [You would have received congratulations had you succeeded eight loops ago.] "Whatever, oldie. So what rank would you say I''m at now?" A sensation of ancient irritation rippled through the room. [First, mortal, I''m not ''old.'' Second, you''re approximately at a low B-rank by your mortal measurements.] "WHAT?" Kael''s jubilation deflated instantly. "That''s it? I thought I''d at least hit A-rank after all this!" [First, lower your expectations. Second, mortal, this entire process was merely correcting your horrifically configured mana circuits and improving their flow. Most C or B-rank practitioners accomplished this basic milestone ages ago.] But something nagged at the ancient entity''s consciousness. Even accounting for improper training, the boy''s circuits shouldn''t have been quite so... underdeveloped. [Get into lotus position. We''re doing another exercise.] "What, more practice already?" [You could call it that.] Kael complied, settling into the meditative pose. As he channeled his mana, The Nameless One''s presence focused intently.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. [Hmm...] The entity''s attention pierced deeper, past the surface flow of Kael''s mana. There, buried beneath layers of energy, something dark pulsed. Something that shouldn''t be there. [Status: Anomaly detected] [Warning: Divine-level curse detected] [The Nameless One contemplating entertainment value] "Something wrong?" Kael asked, noticing the extended silence. [Hmm. No, nothing wrong. Just... interesting.] The ancient entity observed the writhing darkness buried in Kael''s circuits. A masterpiece of divine spite, really ¨C a curse designed to slowly devour mana and erode talent, eventually leaving its victim a hollow shell. But this was no ordinary divine curse. The complexity, the precision of its consumption... whoever crafted this wasn''t just some minor deity with a grudge. [This level of vindictiveness... they must have truly hated you, or feared what you might become.] The Nameless One''s consciousness brushed against the curse''s structure. Could it be they knew? No, impossible. None of those children should remember... [Tell me, mortal. How would you feel about a quest?] Kael opened his eyes. "A quest?" [To increase your talent.] "Wait, that''s possible?" Kael straightened. "I thought talent was just... what you were born with." [Of course it''s possible. How do you think divine backers and their apostles progress so quickly? The backer shares energy, removes limitations...] "So I could get stronger faster?" Kael''s eyes lit up. The Nameless One''s presence rippled with amusement. It could simply remove the curse, but where would the entertainment be in that? Besides, watching this particular god''s reaction to having their curse systematically dismantled piece by piece would be far more satisfying. [Much faster. Though you''ll have to work for it.] "I''m in." Kael didn''t even hesitate. "What''s first?" [Status: Quest system initializing] [Warning: Subject showing dangerous levels of enthusiasm] [The Nameless One preparing appropriate challenges] The morning light strengthened, catching the eager gleam in Kael''s eyes. In the depths of his circuits, the curse pulsed, unaware that its days were numbered. And in the spaces between reality, something ancient enough to remember when gods were young settled in to enjoy the show. [Final Status: Entertainment value optimal] [Note: Divine curse detected] [The Nameless One looking forward to future developments] [Warning: Local reality should brace for impact] Chapter 12 - Training Day [Status: Mid-morning] [Warning: Subject attempting advanced spear techniques] [The Nameless One preparing resurrection protocols] The training dummy never stood a chance. Kael''s spear moved like liquid silver, each thrust precise and deadly. His newly restructured mana pathways hummed with power, responding instantly to his will. No more forcing energy through reluctant channels ¨C now it flowed naturally, enhancing every movement. "This is..." He paused, watching mana spiral along his spear''s length. "Is this what increased talent feels like?" [Perhaps. Though talent is such a limited way of viewing power.] The Nameless One''s presence rippled with something that might have been amusement. Or satisfaction. Sometimes it was hard to tell with cosmic entities. [Continue the basic forms. Each successful completion increases your... talent.] Kael settled into the first stance, eager to strengthen his capabilities. The spear felt alive in his hands, and as he began the practice sequence, energy surged through his pathways. But something felt... off. Like there was resistance where there shouldn''t be. [Interesting.] "What? Am I doing it wrong?" [No, no. The talent enhancement is simply... encountering interference. Try channeling more power.] Kael complied, pushing more mana into his spear. The weapon''s glow intensified, but that strange sensation persisted. It was like trying to fill a bucket with a hole in it. [As expected. The process of increasing talent often meets... resistance.] "Is that normal?" [Let''s focus on your improvement instead. Watch.] The crystal at his neck warmed suddenly, and his spear felt different. Lighter. More responsive. Like a barrier he hadn''t even known existed had been temporarily lifted.Stolen story; please report. [Consider this a taste of your potential. A preview of what our talent enhancement quest can achieve.] Kael shifted his grip on the spear, marveling at the difference. His mana flowed freely now, enhancing every movement. The weapon became an extension of his will. "This is incredible. I can really achieve this level of talent?" [And more. Though I suggest starting slow unless you want another resurrection.] Kael ignored the warning and began the basic forms again. This time, each movement flowed perfectly into the next. His mana spiraled along the spear''s length, leaving trails of light in its wake. The training dummy didn''t just fall ¨C it disintegrated. [Status: First successful spear technique] [Warning: Training equipment casualties rising] [The Nameless One calculating equipment replacement costs] "I never imagined talent enhancement could be this dramatic." Kael stared at the destroyed dummy. "Why doesn''t everyone do this?" The ancient entity''s presence shifted, almost uncomfortably. [Such methods are... selective. Not everyone has the potential for this particular path of enhancement.] "Lucky me, I guess?" [Indeed. Though ''luck'' might not be the most accurate term.] Kael looked at his spear, still glowing with power. "How much stronger can I get?" [That depends on how well you complete the quest. For now, focus on mastering this temporary enhancement. The rest will come with time.] "And the quest specifics?" [Will be revealed when you''re ready. Now, shall we continue? These dummies won''t destroy themselves.] "Actually, at this rate, they might." [True. Perhaps we should work on control before we bankrupt you with equipment costs.] Kael settled into his stance again, excited by the prospect of further enhancement. Whatever method The Nameless One was using to increase his talent, it was clearly effective. Two days until the evaluation ¨C time to see just how much he could improve. [Status: Training resuming] [Warning: Local reality adjusting to increased power output] [The Nameless One reviewing resurrection insurance policy] "One thing though..." [Yes?] "Just how many times am I going to die learning this?" [That depends entirely on how often you ignore my instructions.] "I don''t ignore them! I just... creatively interpret them sometimes." [Ah yes. Like when you ''creatively interpreted'' my warning about mana overload and exploded so spectacularly we had to restart the loop.] "That was one time!" [Would you like a numerical count of your explosive interpretations?] Kael rolled his eyes and focused on his spear again. The weapon hummed with power, ready to continue training. Whatever came next, at least dying was becoming somewhat routine. [Final Status: Entertainment value exceeding expectations] [Warning: Subject showing promising progress] [The Nameless One preparing next phase] [Note: Local reality should definitely brace for impact] Chapter 12: Rank [Status: Morning of Evaluation Day] Kael stared at his reflection, adjusting the spear strapped across his back. Today was it. After all the training, the deaths, the revelations - time to see what it had amounted to. The Hunter Association''s evaluation center loomed before him, its modern architecture a sharp contrast to the Guild''s traditional buildings. A steady stream of hunters flowed through its doors, some seeking their first ranking, others hoping to prove their growth. "Next!" The receptionist''s voice cut through the crowded lobby. "Guild-recommended evaluations, window three!" Kael moved toward the separate line, his Guild recommendation notice held ready. As he passed the general queue, a voice rose above the murmur of conversation. "This is bullshit!" A muscular man in expensive combat gear slammed his fist on the counter. "I''ve been waiting for three hours! Why do these nobodies get to skip ahead?" The receptionist remained professionally calm. "Sir, Guild-recommended evaluations have priority due to verified combat achievements. Please return to your position." "Combat achievements?" The man''s face reddened. "Look at this kid! What achievements could he possibly have?" Kael felt the man''s glare as he handed his papers to the window three receptionist. He''d faced down a Crystalline Manticore nineteen times - one angry hunter barely registered. "Guild recommendation... and a C-rank Manticore confirmation?" The receptionist noted, eyebrows rising slightly. "Proceed to Evaluation Chamber Five." "A C-rank?" The angry man''s voice rose higher. "That''s obviously fake! This scrawny brat couldn''t-" "Why do dumbasses always make the most noise?" Kael muttered, just loud enough to carry. The man''s face purpled. "What did you say?" "Sir," a security officer stepped forward, "please maintain proper conduct or you''ll be escorted out." Kael followed the guide through pristine white corridors. The evaluation chamber doors slid open with a soft hiss, revealing a massive space divided into distinct testing zones. Other candidates were already there - three others with Guild recommendations. They nodded in professional acknowledgment, recognizing fellow hunters who''d earned their place. The observation booth above hummed to life. A tired-looking evaluator appeared behind the glass, clearly expecting another routine day. "Candidate Kael," the evaluator''s voice filled the chamber. "Step forward for power assessment." The reinforced training dummy stood ready, its surface gleaming with sensor arrays. "Begin with unarmed strikes." Kael''s first punch connected solidly, years of training behind its power. The sensors registered decent numbers - nothing extraordinary, but respectable for his level.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "Proceed to weapon testing." Drawing his spear, Kael felt his reconstructured pathways respond. The weapon moved in a perfect arc, striking with precision that made the evaluator sit up straighter. The sensor readings jumped significantly higher than his unarmed strikes. "Repeat that," the evaluator ordered, double-checking the readings. Kael complied. Again, his spear strikes registered far above what his basic stats would suggest possible. "Interesting discrepancy," the evaluator muttered. "Proceed to agility assessment." The laser grid activated. "Maintain evasion for sixty seconds. Difficulty will increase progressively." Kael''s [Combat Instinct] kicked in as the beams began their dance. He flowed through the patterns smoothly, each movement precise and economical. No wasted energy, no flashy displays - just the pure efficiency of someone who had learned exactly how much effort survival required. When the final second ticked away, he''d avoided every beam - impressive, but not impossibly so. "Final test - mana capability assessment. Display your maximum output." This was where things got complicated. Kael reached for his power, letting it flow through his reformed pathways. The readings started steady, then began to fluctuate wildly - spiking high one moment, dropping low the next. Kael pushed harder, trying to stabilize his output. The sensors began to whine, their readings jumping erratically. As Kael struggled to maintain control, something shifted within his pathways. It felt like trying to pour water through a constantly changing maze - the power was there, but its flow became increasingly unpredictable. The evaluator frowned at the erratic readings. "Hold position. We''re calling in a specialist." Ten minutes later, an elderly mage entered the chamber, his robes marked with the Association''s insignia. "Unusual readings," the mage commented, activating a crystalline monocle. "Let me see... ah." His eyebrows rose as he studied Kael''s mana pathways. "Most peculiar. Your pathways show signs of recent reconstruction, but there''s something else... an interference pattern I''ve never seen before." "Is that significant?" the evaluator asked. "Quite. His base mana capacity is moderate, but there''s something affecting its flow - enhancing it in some ways, restricting it in others. Almost like..." The mage trailed off, adjusting his monocle. "Young man, how did you reconstruct your pathways?" "Training," Kael answered simply. No need to mention deaths or ancient entities. The mage hummed thoughtfully. "Well, this complicates the ranking process. Physical capabilities are clear enough - high C-rank overall, with spear mastery approaching B+ rank. But these mana readings..." "Assign rank based on consistent performance," the evaluator decided. "Mana anomalies noted but not factored into final grade." They conferred briefly, then the evaluator turned back to the mic. "Candidate Kael, your evaluation results: Overall C+ rank, with special notation for spear proficiency at C-rank level. Mana assessment inconclusive due to anomalous readings." Kael nodded, accepting the rank. He knew his true capabilities - and more importantly, he knew how much room he had to grow. [Status: Rank Assigned] [Note: Divine curse continues to mask true potential] [The Nameless One finds bureaucracy amusing] The angry man from earlier was entering as Kael left, still grumbling about preferential treatment. Kael just smiled slightly. Let him think what he wanted - Kael had died enough times to know that ranks were just the beginning. Besides, he had more training to do. And somewhere deep inside, a divine curse still waited to be unraveled. [Final Status: C+ Rank Achieved] [Warning: Subject''s true capabilities remain obscured] [The Nameless One preparing next phase]