Ch.101101. Preparing for the Exchange Competition

Gilbert, having somehow wrapped up the Brynhild affair, felt the need to check his status before diving into the main scenario. He hadn’t yet objectively assessed his growth after clearing the Sigurd Clan invasion scenario and receiving the rewards.

While he could subjectively feel his dramatic improvement, Gilbert needed numerical confirmation with the assistance of the game system. Even though he couldn’t grow his character like in a game since this was reality, it would be foolish not to utilize the excellent guides of status and skill windows.

Gilbert first opened his status window to check his growth.

<Status Window>

Name: Gilbert Lion Heart

Gender: Male (20)

Titles: Hero of the Academy (+)

5th Grade Knight

Saga Singer (+)

Fame: 20K

Possessions: Medal of Honor (2)+

5th Grade Knight

Abilities

[Combat Power]: [85]

[Physical]: [93]

[Control]: [100]

[Magic Power]: [50]

[Authority]: [60](+20)

[Leadership]: [70](+30)

His abilities had become more impressive than he’d realized. His Combat Power had increased by 5, likely due to his Winter Sword achievements, and his Magic Power had risen by a remarkable 20 points through consistent training.

His Control ability remained unchanged at the theoretical maximum of 100, but what surprised him most was his Physical ability, which he thought couldn’t increase further, had risen by 3 points to reach the monstrous value of 93.

A Physical ability exceeding 90 was extremely rare in Tactical Combat, with only a handful of named characters possessing such a stat. As far as he knew, among those currently at Demeia Academy, only Headmaster Lucas, Sword Saint Briana, and Brynhild with her strong Sigurd bloodline had Physical abilities over 90.

Even Seraphina, who was currently difficult to face, didn’t exceed 90 in Physical ability. Gilbert’s 93 was truly in the realm of the superhuman.

Gilbert briefly pondered why his Physical ability had increased as he closed the status window. Various hypotheses crossed his mind, but one seemed most plausible.

With a certain conviction, he opened his skill window.

<Skill Window>

1. 3D Maneuver (+)

2. Hundred Beasts (+)

3. Winter Sword (+)

5. Limit Break (+)

6. Limit Break (+)

Though the skill window appeared simple, Gilbert felt quite the opposite as he checked the list. It was a skill list that made his heart swell with satisfaction just by looking at it.

After admiring the skill list for a moment, he opened the detailed information for the newly acquired Hundred Beasts skill.

<Hundred Beasts>

Grade: Legendary (Growth Type)

Description: The lion’s heart cultivates a sturdy body, and the dragon’s magic power builds a robust spirit. This is the king of all beasts passed down through tradition. It marks the beginning of the Hundred Beasts without deficiency.

Effects:

– Greatly increases body durability.

– Greatly increases physical stamina.

– Greatly increases mana recovery speed.

– Mana within the body becomes extremely compressed, awakening the magic power core.

– Momentary magic power output increases tremendously.

– Awakens super regeneration ability.

– This is a growth-type skill.

The Hundred Beasts skill, formed by fusing the Lion Heart and Nemea skills, was obtainable when Lion Heart’s hidden abilities were unlocked.

Unlocking Lion Heart required several conditions: acquiring the Nemea skill, entering the hidden route “Saga Singer,” and using Limit Break. It was a hidden skill that even veteran players rarely obtained because it required growing both Lion Heart’s grade and the Nemea skill to certain levels for successful fusion.

But as always, difficulty of acquisition was proportional to performance. The Hundred Beasts skill was as exceptional in performance as it was difficult to obtain.

With a base grade of Legendary and being a growth-type skill, filling its proficiency to the maximum would grant one of the few Mythical skills in Tactical Combat.

Of course, raising its proficiency wasn’t possible through normal methods. Since it was fused with the power of sagas, it was impossible to grow without accumulating saga power.

After all, myths are created through accumulated traditions, so the skill was designed to prevent proficiency from increasing through conventional methods.

While it would be difficult to accumulate saga power right now, having already completed the Saga Singer achievement meant it wasn’t impossible when the opportunity arose.

Moreover, even without increased proficiency, it was already Legendary grade. The greatly enhanced effects from what used to be split between Lion Heart and Nemea spoke for themselves.

What Gilbert particularly noted were the new effects: the awakening of the magic power core and super regeneration ability.

Gaining a magic power core, which normally forms only after reaching a certain level in mana cultivation, and super regeneration that could recover even permanent ability losses from using Limit Break, was extremely encouraging.

Super regeneration was especially useful and efficient in this world rather than in a game. As long as one was still breathing, even severe injuries could be recovered, essentially providing an extra life.

Having achieved results beyond his expectations, Gilbert confirmed that Limit Break was as he knew it and closed the skill window.

The saying “feeling full without eating” must have been coined for situations like this.

After confirming his satisfactory growth, he lay on the bed grinning, then suddenly opened the scenario window.

He saw that the main scenarios and sub-scenarios he had already cleared were grayed out.

However, there was one sub-scenario that remained ungrayed: “Seeker of the Sword.”

This sub-scenario, forcibly accepted after visiting Briana and Gwendolyn’s forge, was one that Gilbert had never seen before, despite having completed all achievements in Tactical Combat.

Since there was an achievement for clearing all main and sub-scenarios, the existence of a hidden scenario he didn’t know about didn’t make sense.

While he wasn’t naively thinking this world was a game, the overall flow followed Tactical Combat’s structure, which raised questions.

Was this an anomaly created because the game had become reality?

Come to think of it, Briana being alive when she was destined to die in the game was already an anomaly.

This was further proof that this wasn’t a game with fixed scripts and unchangeable endings.

Thinking rationally, this “Seeker of the Sword” sub-scenario was clearly related to Briana. The name itself suggested a connection to her, the Empire’s undisputed Sword Saint.

And there were clues for clearing it. With the exchange meeting and the Four Seasons Weapon Arts succession coming up, “Seeker of the Sword” would likely progress alongside them.

Though it was just Gilbert’s speculation, “Seeker of the Sword” might be determined by his level of Winter Sword mastery when clearing the Four Seasons Weapon Arts succession.

Speaking of which, what was his Winter Sword mastery level?

The Four Seasons Weapon Arts was registered as a skill but differed from other skills with displayed grades.

This cruel game, despite its mecha theme, stubbornly made the Four Seasons Weapon Arts grade dependent on user proficiency.

It wasn’t simply about increasing techniques through repetition. Deep understanding of swordsmanship itself and the Winter Sword was required to advance to the next level.

When the Four Seasons Weapon Arts was first discovered, players complained loudly about such a skill.

In modern society, martial weapons had long been relegated to sports or hobbies. How many people would learn a weapon skill step by step just to use it in a game?

Of course, in a world of countless people, such madmen occasionally existed.

And Gilbert was one of those madmen.

His obsessive determination to complete all achievements produced extraordinary results.

The result was Gilbert himself as he was now.

***

During Demeia Academy’s break period, Ian had been extremely busy.

Guided by the artificial spirit he had obtained—by chance or, as he put it, inevitable fate—during the academy attack, he had been diligently traveling throughout the Empire.

Though he had no time to relax, he had achieved remarkable growth because of it.

“With this, defeating him won’t be difficult…!”

Ian clenched his fist tightly.

Pure magic power filled his body, and his overflowing vitality was almost uncontrollable.

If the Gilbert from the competition were standing before him now, he felt he could defeat him before taking a single breath.

No, it wasn’t just a hypothesis.

He had definitely become stronger than Gilbert.

Of course, not everything about this schedule was positive. While he had been pursuing growth, Gilbert had once again spread his name throughout the Empire.

Rumor had it that he had established friendly relations with the Sigurd clan?

If it had been him, he would have swept them all away and conquered them—Gilbert was too soft.

It seemed the protagonist was fundamentally different from him, or perhaps it was now his turn to emerge onto the world stage.

With rumors of the exchange meeting beginning, that stage might be the moment for the true protagonist to make his appearance.

Ian grinned and called out to his soul partner.

“Fresia. This is our chance.”

[You mean it’s our turn to step up? Don’t worry. As long as I’m here, Ian has nothing to worry about.]

He smiled brightly again at the buzzing, glowing artificial spirit Fresia.