The crisp morning air filled Alden's lungs as he exhaled slowly, stretching his body. The academy grounds were quiet at this hour, most students still buried under their blankets. Not him, though.
With his new training weights strapped to his limbs, he dashed through the academy's outer training track, each step sinking slightly into the ground. His increased stats meant he could push himself harder, but it also meant he needed to constantly adapt to his growing strength.
"Damn… my agility's improving, but my body still feels a little off after all these power-ups."
Shiranui, the newly hatched Celestial Nine-Tailed fox, rested lazily on his shoulder, watching his struggles with mild amusement.
[Hah. Perhaps you should have been born a tortoise instead.]
Alden scoffed, increasing his pace. "Says the fox who slept for centuries."
As he finished his third lap, he finally came to a stop, catching his breath. The increase in mana circulation from his purification potion had expanded his stamina pool, but it still wasn't enough.
A glance at his smartwatch showed the time. Still early.
"Alright, time to check my progress."
He opened his Status Window and examined the new numbers.
---
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[Status Window]
Name: Alden Blackwood
Race: Human
Rank: E
Mana Capacity: E+
Affinities: None
Physique: Enhanced (Due to Purification)
---
Basic Stats
Strength: E+
Agility: E+
Intelligence: C
Mana: E+
Stamina: E
---
Skills
Eclipse vision
Illusions & Mind Control – Can trap enemies in illusions or briefly control weak minds.
Enhanced Perception – Slows down movements and improves reaction speed.
Mana Manipulation (bigenner) – Allows precise control over mana circulation.
Stealth (Basic) – Reduces presence and sound of movement.
Voidstep (Trait)
Ability: Allows the user to phase through objects and enter a personal pocket dimension. They can teleport by stepping through space itself.
---
Weapon Arts
Five Forms of the Crimson Moon (5-Star) [1/5 Unlocked]
First Form: Lunar Severance – A devastating single slash that cuts through mana defenses.
Shadow Fang Dagger Art (3-Star) [5% Proficiency]
A fast, deceptive dagger art specialized in speed and misdirection.
Phantom Edge Sword (2-Star) [35% Proficiency]
A technique focused on precise, unpredictable slashes.
Swift Blade Style (2-Star) [30% Proficiency]
A quick, balanced sword art designed for rapid attacks.
Shadow Step Footwork (2-Star) [45% Proficiency]
A movement technique that allows the user to weave through attacks effortlessly. (Copied using Sharingan from other students.)
---
Alden stared at the numbers, deep in thought. His weapon art proficiency was improving, but the real challenge would be unlocking the next form of the Crimson Moon style.
"If I want to be stronger, I can't just rely on my Eclipse vision copying ability. I need true mastery."
The problem was, higher-rank techniques had exponentially harder mastery requirements. Low-rank arts, like 1-star or 2-star techniques, could be picked up in weeks, but 4-star and above? That took years.
Unless he found shortcuts.
Shiranui yawned. [What's with the serious face?]
"Just thinking about how hard it is to level up weapon arts," Alden muttered.
[Of course it is. Power should not come easily. Otherwise, what would separate the strong from the weak?]
"Spoken like a true fox-god."
---
Alden clenched his fists. His goal was clear.
Breakthrough to D-Rank as soon as possible.
Unlock the second form of Crimson Moon.
Master Shadow Fang Dagger Art before acquiring more techniques.
And most importantly—
Find out what the hell was up with Shiranui's existence.
Because if this Celestial Nine-Tails wasn't part of the game's original lore… then something was changing. And that meant the future was no longer predictable.
He smirked, stretching one last time before heading toward the academy building.
Time to train.