The Next Morning
The next morning,
the academy's grand plaza was adorned with banners and magical screens,
as crowds of students, instructors, and international media gathered.
Five students stood upon the stage.
Applause.
Lights.
Lenses capturing every angle.
But one name was missing.
Kim Suho.
He stood among the crowd,
holding a piece of bread filled with light meat,
chewing calmly,
his eyes following the stage with a small smile—
devoid of desire.
They seem fine,
he thought.
He felt no lack.
No envy.
No urge to step onto the stage.
When the official ceremony ended,
everyone moved toward the grand event hall.
The Banquet
The hall was luxurious.
Soft music.
Intertwined laughter.
Conversations about the future—families, achievements, ambitions.
Reinhardt stood beside his fiancée, laughing with quiet nobility.
Kevin was loudly arguing with a group of students about food,
having lost the debate from the start since he shouted more than he thought.
As for Suho…
He sat at a side table,
away from the lights,
a glass of water before him,
his back against the wall.
The two girls entered.
Aileen first,
Shuang-Yu after her, silent as always.
"You're here,"
Aileen said as she sat down.
"Everyone's asking about you."
Suho shrugged.
"I didn't disappear."
"I just didn't go where the noise gathers."
Shuang-Yu looked at him.
"You refused the commendation."
She said it without it being a question.
"Yes."
"Why?"
He answered with simple honesty:
"I don't like spotlights."
"My own satisfaction is enough."
"And my peace… away from kids our age fighting over applause."
Aileen fell silent for a moment, then smiled faintly.
"You really are strange."
"I've heard that a lot."
His gaze suddenly shifted to Shuang-Yu.
He noticed a faint redness on her cheeks.
"Shuang…"
"Why is your face red?"
"Are you feeling hot?"
She froze.
"S-Shut up, idiot!"
She said quickly, then turned her face away.
A brief silence followed.
Aileen glanced at her—
not an aggressive look,
but one carrying a trace of light jealousy.
The scene slowly faded…
into night.
The Dream
Suho was asleep.
Then—
He saw himself…
sitting upon a radiant throne.
Behind him,
great melted swords
were embedded into a single wall,
like the complete history of countless wars.
He was older.
Around thirty-eight.
Wearing medieval attire,
his features mature—yet extinguished,
as if dead.
His eyes were deep… terrifying.
Before him stretched a vast hall,
filled with crowds.
There was no cheering.
No love.
Only fear—
rooted deeply.
He woke up suddenly.
Sat on the bed,
breathing heavily.
"What was that…?"
"And why did I know my age in the dream?"
Silence.
Then he stood.
The Tower – Personal Trials
Suho entered the Tower in silence.
First Trial: Mirror of Will
A white chamber.
A massive mirror.
From it emerged…
a copy of himself.
It did not attack.
It asked:
"If you become strong… who will you disappoint?"
He did not answer.
He shattered the mirror with a single strike
and moved on.
Second Trial: Path of the Broken Sword
A field filled with shattered blades.
He had to defeat an illusory opponent…
with a damaged sword.
He did not compensate with power,
but with balance.
He used his hybrid sword art—
and it did not take long.
Third Trial: Silence of the Shadow
A dark space.
Voices whispering his name.
He did not attack.
He sat down.
Breathed.
Circulated mana.
When his heart calmed…
the voices vanished.
Rewards
A system window appeared:
Level: 30
+60 stat points
New skill: Aura Anchoring
Rare item: Mantle of Silent Heart
(Enhances mental clarity during combat)
Medium Mana Stone ×3
Suho sat down.
Distributed his points,
then began circulating mana.
"The dungeon trial…"
"Gave me a real leap."
Final Reflection
He sat alone, staring at his hand.
"That Drake…"
"I didn't feel it was a monster."
"But a human… a tyrant."
He paused.
"And this dark energy inside me…"
"It isn't pure evil."
"It's something deeper."
He closed his eyes.
"Who was I in that dream?"
"And what path am I walking toward?"
There was no answer.
But his heart…
was calm.
And for now,
that was enough.
System Window – Skill
Name: Aura Anchoring
Type: Passive / Internal
Rank: Rare
Level: 1 / 5
Description:
Aura Anchoring is an advanced internal skill that stabilizes the user's aura around both body and mind simultaneously.
It ensures smoother mana flow and reduces dispersion, granting mental and physical stability even in environments saturated with corrupted or unstable mana.
It acts as a foundational anchor that prevents collapse, panic, or loss of combat rhythm.
Effects:
Significantly increases mental stability during combat
Reduces the impact of hostile auras and spiritual pressure
Slightly improves mana control
Reduces chances of hesitation or loss of consciousness when facing high-rank entities
Conditional Effect:
When focus drops or mana is depleted to dangerous levels,
the skill automatically activates at maximum efficiency for a brief moment,
granting the user a moment of absolute clarity that prevents total collapse.
Limitations:
Does not directly increase offensive power
Effectiveness depends on mental discipline and inner calm
Loses effectiveness when consumed by rage or extreme emotion
System Note:
This skill is rare among young combatants and usually appears in those whose mental maturity exceeds their age.
A stabilized aura does not create the strong—
it prevents them from falling.
Updated Status Window
Name: Kim Suho
Title: —
Age: 17
Class: Magic Swordsman
Level: 30
Stats
Strength: 82 ▲ (+30)
Endurance: 95
Speed: 102
Mana: 140 ▲ (+30)
Intelligence: 50
Physical State
Fatigue: Low
Injuries: None
Mental Stability: High
Mana Contamination: Minimal (Dormant)
Skills
Shadow Steps – Active – Rare
Short-range instant movement via disruption of visual rhythm.
Void Cleave – Offensive – Very Rare
Compresses mana into an ultra-dense point, releasing it to tear space in a straight line.
Aura Anchoring – Passive/Internal – Rare
Stabilizes combat aura and mental focus.
Hybrid Sword Art – Combat Style – Intermediate
Balanced fusion of two opposing styles without loss of rhythm.
System Note:
The sudden increase in strength and mana is the result of surpassing previous physical limits during a high-risk battle.
A deep dormant energy remains unclassified.
(The system windows and trials seemed as if they were tailored specifically for him—though Suho did not notice.)
Conversation with the System
Dormant energy… unclassified?
No need to rush.
Suho walked slowly through the Tower City, not because he had nowhere to go, but because he no longer trusted his inner rhythm.
Everything felt… wrong.
The recent trials made no sense.
No strategy.
No calculations.
No reliance on experience.
Pure chaos—yet it worked.
Instinct alone guided him through combat, leading him to discoveries he didn't even know how to seek.
Sudden enlightenment, appearing precisely when he should have collapsed.
It only deepened his confusion.
He entered Hans' Tavern as usual, sat in his familiar corner, staring at his cup without drinking.
It wasn't thirst—
it was an attempt to calm his thoughts.
Then suddenly,
without reason or warning—
A thought crossed his mind.
He didn't know where it came from.
Not inspiration.
Not revelation.
Just a whim.
Yet… he acted.
"System… can you communicate, somehow?"
No response.
He smiled faintly in self-mockery.
"I know you can talk to me… I must be losing my mind."
The words were spoken casually, almost jokingly.
The next moment—
Something appeared for the first time.
[Tower System is reacting]
[Hidden truth detected]
[Tower System activating special intelligence]
[Exclusive communication enabled]
Suho froze.
Not fear—
pure, heavy astonishment.
The question escaped his lips before he could think.
"System… who am I?"
A brief silence followed.
Very brief—
yet endless.
The system screen trembled,
as if afraid.
(Suho did not realize this.)
Then the words appeared.
[You are… you.]
Three words.
No more.
Enough to ignite countless questions—
yet strangely, his calm did not break.
He looked back at his cup.
Breathed deeply.
"Alright, System… return to normal."
[Exclusive interaction terminated]
Everything vanished, as if it never existed.
Suho thought for a moment, then decided.
He would tell no one.
At least—not yet.
His behavior might seem calm, but his condition had been abnormal since the gate test.
The others hadn't experienced what he had.
They wouldn't understand, even if he tried to explain.
He left the tavern and continued wandering the city.
Under the Moon
After some time, he reached a rocky slope where a quiet waterfall flowed.
Water whispered softly.
The full moon bathed the place in tranquil light.
A massive man sat beside a large rock.
Suho approached.
"Hello."
The man replied calmly,
"Greetings, young one."
"May I sit?"
The man nodded silently.
A brief silence followed.
Then Suho spoke.
"Forgive the question, but… what is sword intent? What does it mean?"
The man opened one eye slightly.
"Why ask me? I don't wield a sword."
Suho smiled faintly.
"Forgive me, but your build, your muscles, your hair—
faded red mixed with white—
you look like a great warrior.
And also… I can feel it."
The man opened his eyes fully this time, intrigued.
"And where did you hear of sword intent?"
"I only read about it in a Chinese story.
But for some reason… I feel I can sense it.
I don't understand it, nor do I truly know it.
Ridiculous, isn't it?"
The man breathed slowly.
"Do not reveal your secrets to strangers."
Suho replied,
"I don't think you'll harm me.
Our meeting isn't coincidence.
Your presence alone says so."
The man paused, then spoke quietly.
"Sword arts are forms.
Sometimes to beautify the blade,
sometimes to turn it into a beast.
They may be balanced…
or raging."
He continued:
"But the meaning of the sword
is only complete when its wielder forges it himself.
When he finds meaning in his blade."
"Its symbolism is one thing,
its law another.
It stands above all laws—
only religion surpasses it."
"As for its intent…
leave that to time.
It will show it to you."
The words were brief.
They might sound shallow or empty to some.
But Suho understood.
The simple is deep—
and the deep is simple.
He stood, drew his sword,
and knelt before the man, performing a knight's vow in silent pride.
"I will not forget this kindness as long as I live."
He took his leave and departed.
The man watched his back fade away and thought quietly:
Are there still ones like him in this generation?
End of the Day
Suho returned to the academy the same way he left—silently.
Entered his room.
Opened his bag.
Three pills.
Energy pills purchased from the Tower shop.
Each supposedly contained ten years' worth.
He examined them briefly.
"Alright… let's try."
He sat down and circulated mana.
He felt it.
It worked.
He smiled calmly.
"The investment wasn't wasted."
He closed his eyes.
The day ended.
Simple calm…
Yet deep within,
his mind was in turmoil.