"I will win! This is my final strike!"
BOOM!
A violent explosion erupted as Art forced his opponent to absorb far more energy than it could handle. The overload tore the construct apart in a massive burst of power.
"Hah… I won," Art muttered breathlessly, before his legs gave out and everything went black.
Four hours later, he slowly opened his eyes.
He was still inside the simulation room, but the space had completely changed. Instead of the usual cold training arena, he now lay in what looked like a luxurious, incredibly comfortable recovery chamber.
"Is this still the system room…?" he murmured, confused.
"Yes," the System replied in its calm, neutral voice. "After you passed out, I adjusted the environment for maximum mental recovery. Also, time inside here flows at a 2:1 ratio compared to the outside world. You've been here for six hours total four of them unconscious but only three hours have passed outside."
"No wonder I feel so refreshed…" Art sat up, stretching his body. "Still, I learned something important. Battle experience makes a huge difference in how combat flows. And having solid information beforehand can be a massive advantage, even against stronger opponents."
Without realizing it, Art was already shaping the kind of fighter he wanted to become someone who valued intelligence, hid his weaknesses, and gathered every piece of useful information he could.
"You performed well for a beginner," the System said. "However, once you reach Level 10, you will be limited to only four simulation runs. They consume a significant amount of mental energy."
"Understood," Art nodded firmly. "Then I'll hit Level 10 as fast as possible and get my first spirit ring. After that, I can use those four simulations to prepare properly."
The System continued, "Once you reach Level 20, you will receive another set of four simulation attempts."
Art clenched his fists, his eyes burning with determination. He had to strengthen his spiritual power without sacrificing its quality.
"Hmm… lunch is still about two hours away. I'll use this time to train my body so it can better handle the power I build through meditation. My White Aura Hunt needs to get stronger."
Lunchtime arrived.
Art returned from the river carrying several fresh fish he had caught. Even though the river was quite far from the village, the exercise had been worth it.
"I'll grill these for me and Uncle Jack," he thought.
Just as he was about to start the fire, Uncle Jack arrived home with a warm smile.
"Planning to grill fish for lunch? Let me help you this time, Art."
After enjoying the delicious grilled fish together, Art asked curiously, "Uncle, do you still have that old book about spiritual entities you bought years ago?"
"Ah, that one? Sure, I'll look for it after I finish the farm work this evening."
"Thanks, Uncle Jack!"
After lunch, Art continued his physical training on the mountain near the village until the sun began to set. The sky burned crimson as he finished his last set. His muscles screamed in protest, but his spirit felt more alive than ever. Every breath seemed to pull in the energy around him.
When he finally returned home under the starlight, smoke was already rising from the chimney.
"Art, I found that book about spirit creatures!" Uncle Jack called out. "I left it on the bookshelf. But take a bath first I've already heated the water for you."
"Thanks, Uncle! I'll read it after I clean up."
After dinner, Art soaked in the warm bath. Steam rose around him while moonlight bathed Saint Village in a peaceful glow.
"A warm bath after training really hits different…" he sighed lazily. "Though cold water would've been more refreshing."
Once he was clean and relaxed, Art finally opened the book he hadn't touched in three years. Uncle Jack had kept it in surprisingly good condition.
"I didn't notice before, but this book actually has two sections," he muttered. "Left side for Spirit Beasts, right side for Spirit Plants. It's only a basic introduction though mostly covering creatures from the Spirit Forest near Notting City. Not much detail on their characteristics… but there are a few exceptions. Like the Moonlight Vine it has excellent healing properties for both internal and external injuries."
After reading for a while, Art began practicing White Aura Hunt. He had become so used to it that he could maintain the state even without sitting in a proper meditation pose. Before he knew it, he had fallen asleep while still holding the technique.
The next morning, as usual, his body clock woke him up at exactly 4 AM.
Art quickly made his bed and dashed toward the small forest near the lake at the edge of the village. Today, he wanted to train his energy control inspired by a scene he once saw in an anime. He started with the basics: trying to stick a leaf to his forehead using spirit energy to sharpen his focus.
But reality quickly reminded him how difficult it actually was.
"Oof—?!"
It wasn't nearly as easy as it looked in his memories. He had no teacher, no guidance he was figuring everything out on his own.
"Tch… I won't give up. This is just a small obstacle on a very long road," Art muttered, his eyes blazing with renewed determination.
Hours passed. The sun climbed high in the sky, but little by little, he was starting to grasp the trick — wrapping the leaf with a thin, controlled layer of spirit energy.
Still… he was using way too much power.
"Hah… just a little more… I'm almost there!"
TO BE CONTINUED…