Chapter 6: To persevere is to learn, to bleed is to grow
Rael curiously watched his Sensei hammering away with precision at a weapon in the forge. The heat of the fire danced around the man. Each strike of the hammer on the metal echoed like thunder, filling the place's silence.
'Is this man really real or just something created by the Tower? And if he is real, why would he be in a place like this?' Rael wondered.
He suddenly felt strange calling this man Sensei, but somehow, it wasn't bad.
“Sensei, can you explain this floor to me? I thought I'd have to face monsters, but this is a bit different.” Rael asked, breaking the rhythm of the hammer.
“The Tower determines your challenge. Never trust your expectations. As for this floor… you could say it’s my hobby.”
“Hobby?” Rael was confused.
“Yes. It's a floor granted to me as a hobby, and here, I don't have to worry about anything. No problems from the outside world can affect me, no disturbances. But in return, I have to fulfill certain obligations.” He replied as he looked at the weapon in the forge.
“I see...” Rael murmured as he watched the forging process. “So this is all real.”
“Yes, but this body you're seeing isn't my real self. This 'me' is just a manifestation, more precisely, an avatar. Anyway, we need to start your training.”
Rael was curious about his Sensei's first statement, but his anxiety increased when he heard about the training.
“What should I do, Sensei?”
“Right now, you're just a powerless mortal. If you keep this up, your days are numbered. First, you will strengthen your weak body and learn to use Eternium.” He said as he approached Rael.
“Boy, I want to clarify this before we start. This training won't be light, you'll bleed, your bones will break, but it's necessary. If you want to give up, I'll let you leave the floor alive and return to your normal life. But if you want to continue, I hope you won't give up until the end.”
The man said to Rael. His eyes looked a little different as he said these words as if there was a glimmer of hope in them.
Rael hesitated for a moment, but the memories of his past, his grandmother in the hospital bed... all the hardships they had been through together.
'Promise me you'll move on, Rael.' The promise he'd made to his grandmother.
He clenched his fists.
“I'm ready.”
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【1st Person, Sakura】
“Eternium?” I questioned as I sat down. Sensei and I were sitting in the center of the library.
“Exactly. Eternium is a fundamental mystical energy that permeates existence. Manipulating Eternium allows you to manipulate aspects of reality and overcome the laws of physics.”
I listened closely as Sensei explained everything. I had never felt so focused in my entire life.
"Those who master Eternium are called Weavers—individuals who shape reality by turning 'what is not' into 'what is.' They make lies... truths.”
“What do you mean by that, Sensei?” I was confused about the meaning of the last statement.
“Weavers turn thoughts and lies into reality and truth. Watch this.”
Sensei snapped his fingers, and suddenly, several fireballs appeared around him.
“Incredible! It's just like in the movies.” I felt delighted. I approached the fireballs, but Sensei stopped me.
“These fireballs didn't exist until now; they only existed in my thoughts. And using Eternium, I brought them into reality.”
The Sensei snapped her fingers again, and the scenery distorted. The library disappeared, and I found myself in a vast open field, a great green plain.
The Sensei shot the fireballs at the nearby rocks.
*BOOM!*
The large rocks were destroyed without a trace.
'Incredible...'
“There are several types of mystical energy, but all of them are basically 'by-products' of Eternium.”
The Sensei stood up, walking over to me.
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“Different beings have different affinities with these energies. And there are also those beings who have acquired abilities through genetic mutations or pacts.”
Sensei stood in front of me.
“So, my little one. Are you ready to become a Weaver? Because once you start, there's no turning back…”
The Sensei looked at me with menacing eyes, as if she would kill me if I gave up before the training was over.
I swallowed, my nervousness attacking. But deep down, I also felt... excited about it.
“I... accept.”
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【Rael Pov】
“Ahh!” I groaned in pain as I felt my muscles breaking down. The Sensei gave me physical exercises to strengthen my body. At this very moment, I'm already doing the hundred-sixth push-up.
The Sensei also explained to me how the Eternium works. Maybe that's what the awakened humans of my world use, but I'm not sure.
What's more, I hadn't realized it before, but my body had already become significantly stronger just by becoming a Trailblazer.
“Well done, you're improving fast. This floor has a mechanism to help refine your body and speed up your progress.” The Sensei spoke and threw another weight on my back. Yes, one more.
'Damn.' I was almost at my limit.
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Then, after a seemingly infinite amount of time, I finally fell to the ground, unable to get up again.
'That was 187.’ I thought as I breathed heavily. ‘Only 813 more, and I'll have a thousand. No big deal.’
“Get some rest. We'll start the next training session soon.”
“Eh?! Isn't that enough for today?” I asked as I gasped.
“No. You'll need more than that if you want to complete the challenge. You'll recover faster than usual here, so this is just the beginning.”
I sighed, resigned, and mentally prepared myself for the next one.
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“We'll train your posture and technique; I'll also teach you about swords and martial arts. Get ready.”
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Over the next few hours, I had to learn how to hold a sword, throw a punch, maintain posture, balance, and focus.
Sensei is highly demanding. For every mistake I made, he made me repeat the exercise dozens of times. In some cases, I had to face direct blows, and I was able to understand our differences fully.
Even though Sensei was restricting his power to match my level, I never managed to hit him once.
-
After several hours...
*Slash*
I swung my sword, trying to hit Sensei, but it still lacked precision. He blocked the attack with his sword. I tried to change my position to launch the next attack, but it still wasn't perfect; it was hard for me to concentrate on several things at once.
"Your body and mind are out of sync. Every swing you take is fighting against itself.” Sensei seized the moment and launched an attack on me.
I desperately tried to defend myself by putting my sword forward.
*Clang!*
I was thrown backward and fell to the ground. Feeling my arm tremble from the shock. I couldn't get up anymore; I was too tired.
“You’re fighting with brute force. A sword is not a hammer. It’s an extension of you. You'll never strike your target until your mind and body align.”
Sensei approached me with a tray of food.
I had no idea where he'd gotten the food; it seemed like he'd created it out of thin air.
“On this floor, you won't feel hungry or thirsty. However, I imagine you'd like something to eat.” He said after handing me the tray.
I didn't really feel hungry, but the food looked delicious... so I can't waste it, right?
“Thank you, Sensei.” I thanked him with a smile.
“Your training is over for today. Get some sleep, and we'll start right after you wake up.”
“Oh,” I replied, nodding as I devoured my food.
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【Sakura Pov】
“Haah!” I concentrated my mind as hard as I could, trying to gather the Eternium circulating in the room and fire off a sphere of energy, but nothing happened...
I needed to visualize the desired effect, understand it, and then 'turn it into truth.' But no matter how hard I try, it doesn't work.
'Ah, Sakura. Did you really think you were going to make it?'
'It's embarrassing the way she acts, like a child.'
'You don't have the talent. You'd better give up.'
'How ironic, your parents don't seem to support you.'
'You'll never be better than your sisters.'
'No, no, no...'
“It's not working!” I shouted and slammed my hand on the table. My thoughts—those phrases, those memories—were suffocating me.
I'd been trying for hours and hours, but nothing seemed to work.
“Maybe this isn't for me...”
Sensei stopped sipping his tea and stared at me.
“There are people who dedicate their entire lives to this. Months, years, decades, centuries, or even millennia, to achieve a simple effect.” Sensei said as his fingers moved through the air, and a bed suddenly appeared in the library.
“And you want to give up after a few hours?” His eyes emitted a terrifying glint, but it disappeared simultaneously.
*sigh*
“Lie down and rest. We'll continue as soon as you wake up.”
I was discouraged... but I didn't want to give up yet.
I lay down on the bed and fell asleep a few seconds later. My mental fatigue consumed me in an instant.
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The woman watched Sakura fall into the dream world and sighed. As she approached, she saw that Sakura was shivering and mumbling incomprehensible things.
Then she created a blanket and wrapped her up.
“How do you want others to believe in you if you don't even believe in yourself?” She muttered as she calmed Sakura down from her nightmares.
“Rest well, little one.” Her voice was softer than the darkness in her eyes, but it carried a weight of unspoken care.