“Congratulations, Blood Soldier N 06 08499, for passing the first level of the Initial Stage Aspect Trial.”

“You have cleared the Trial perfectly.”

“Time taken to defeat your opponent: Two seconds.”

“Moves made to defeat your opponent: One.”

“Aspects used: One.”

“Records broken: None.”

“Perfect clearance of Trials: One.”

“Blood Soldier N 06 08499, you have been rewarded with ten Blood Coins.”

“Do you wish to continue with the Trials, or do you wish to leave the Trial Space?”

“Reminder: Regardless of how many Trials you challenge, you will have to pay ten Blood Coins every time you enter the Initial Stage Trial Space.”

Alnea sighed in relief, as he let go of his cheerful Aspect, allowing it to return back to its Aspect Well. Defeating the Blood Shadow may have seemed easy, but that was because the Blood Shadow itself was too weak. A first level Initial Stage Blood Shadow was barely a little stronger than a Peak Seed Ranked Wanderer. Even against such an opponent, he had to be on his toes at every moment…

And that was the case when there was only Blood Shadow. From his experience in the Martial Style Trials, and from what the girls had said, he knew that not only were the Blood Shadows going to be stronger, but he would also have to deal with one more Blood Shadow with every increase in the level of the Trials. There was nothing he could do though, except face the Trials one by one. Or maybe he could…

“I passed the Trials on my own.”

“Did you break any records?”

“…Speak human language, please.”

“…It’s not that hard.”

“For you. After you set a new record, breaking it has become impossible.”

“So, you admit that you cannot beat me,” Yuri said, deliberately adding a hint of laughter and amusement in her words. But only for a moment. “…Did you figure out the key to the Trials?”

“…Almost.”

“…This is important, Alnea. I did not say anything earlier because I knew that breaking records in the first Trial was impossible. But things will be different from the second Trial onwards. If you know the key to the Trials, then breaking the records will not be too hard. But only if you know the key to the Trials. If not, then let alone breaking records, you might even end up losing the perfect clearance rewards.”

“…I almost have the idea. I just need to confirm it in the second trial.”

“…Fine. But only this once. If have still not figured out the key after the second trial, then you will stop being stubborn.”

“…Alright.”

“And make sure you get a perfect clearance.”

“I will.”

Gaining perfect clearance of the trials in itself was not too hard. Gaining a perfect clearance while also breaking a record… If the key to the Martial Style Trials was proficiency in Martial Styles, then logically, the key to the Aspect Trials should be proficiency in usage of Aspects. But that logic would only hold up if his assumptions were correct. Proficiency… fighting skills… using Aspects without relying on Martial Styles… without relying on the concepts of Martial Styles…

In the first place, Aspects themselves were inextricably linked with all sorts of concepts. Be it protecting his Heart, or helping him guard against his enemies, each of his Aspects came with their own concepts. The role of Martial Styles was to bind those concepts together, allowing him to use multiple Aspects at the same time. To ensure that his Aspects would not clash with each other.

He was allowed to use only one Aspect though, so there was no risk of his Aspects clashing with each other, eliminating the need for Martial Styles. In that case, not using Martial Styles should not mean refraining from using the concept of his Aspects… probably. Having experienced what brute forcing his way with his Aspect felt like, he was almost sure that he had understood the key to the Aspect Trials. Almost.

There was still a chance that he was wrong, but it was risk he was willing to take. Even if he was wrong, he could make up for his mistakes from the third level of the Trials. If he was right though… Suppressing the image of an amazed Yuri and shocked Cecilia to the bottom of his Heart, Alnea tore himself away from his fantasies, and chose to begin the trial.

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“Defeat two second level Initial Stage Blood Shadows.”

“Powers outside of the path of Warriors are forbidden.”

“Usage of Martial Styles is forbidden.”

“Usage of weapons, other than those formed by your Aspects, is forbidden.”

“You can use only one Aspect.”

“Using more than one Aspect will disqualify you from the trial.”

“Perfect clearance condition: Defeating the Blood Shadows without getting injured.”

“Record one: Defeating the Blood Shadows in three seconds.”

“Record two: Defeating the Blood Shadows in one move.”

“Record three: Defeating the Blood Shadows without using any Aspects.”

…Another set of unreasonable records.

“Your Trial will begin at the count of sixty.”

Defeating two Blood Shadows in less than three seconds was not too hard.

“…Ten.”

But defeating two Blood Shadows with just one Aspect, and without any Martial Styles…

“Nine.”

As for the other records…

“Eight.”

Defeating the Blood Shadows without even making a move…

“Seven.”

How was Yuri so sure that he could break these records?

“Six.”

…Forget it.

“Five.”

A trial was just a trial.

“Four.”

It would be best if he could break the records.

“Three.”

If not, he could at least test out his ideas.

“Two.”

At the same time, he could also exercise his control over his Aspect…

“One.”

All things considered, even the worst case scenario would not be entirely unacceptable. But that was only if he gave his best in the trial. So, once again suppressing all his excess thoughts to the bottom of his Heart, Alnea concentrated on the Blood Shadows taking form in front of his eyes. One to his left, and one to his right. One dark as night, and one shining in a blood red light. Two different Aspects…

Instead of rushing towards the Blood Shadows, as he had done in the previous trial, Alnea stood his ground. He did not even urge his Aspects, waiting for the Blood Shadows to make the first move. And they did not disappoint him. Wrapping themselves in the light of their Aspects, they rushed towards him. Literally.

The Blood Shadows were so fast, that Alnea almost failed to react to their movements for a moment. Not because they were faster than him, but because their movements were far faster than the Blood Shadows he had faced in the Martial Style Trials. Physically enhancing Aspects then, Alnea noted, as he jumped back to avoid the relentless assault of the Blood Shadows.

Thankfully, the Blood Shadows were also restricted from using Martial Styles. Still, their cooperation was just as good as ever. Coupled with their enhanced strength and speed, dealing with them was much harder than it was in the Martial Style Trials. Or maybe not, Alnea noted once again, dodging a blood red fist from his left, while watching the black Blood Shadow shift its position, trying to box him out once again.

To be sure, Alnea decided to observe the Blood Shadows for a more rounds. And just as he had expected, no matter how he moved, or dodged their attacks, the Blood Shadows never attacked him all at once. Or rather, they never got the chance to attack him at once. It was as if their main focus was not to defeat him, but to corner him… To force him into a desperate situation… To guide him… Even in the Martial Style Trials…

The attack patterns, which had seemed so strange and mechanical to him before, were not so strange anymore. With a grin on his face, Alnea rolled towards his left to dodge a black fist coming for his head, before quickly urging his Aspect. Not the one he had used in the previous trial, but still one that could take the from of a sword. Just one with a little lower strength, one which he could control more easily.

It was, after all, a sword overflowing with his emotions. A sword, that responded to his calls, just as it responded to his memories. It was not the sword closest to the core of his Heart, but of the ten types of swords he could command, it was the least aggressive sword. Still, it was a sword, nonetheless. A sword that resonated with his Heart. And a sword that could kill just as easily as the other swords did, if he so wished it.

Soothing his sword, drowning in its silverish blue hue, Alnea extended it out his right hand without even confirming the position of his enemies. Be it the attack patterns that he had predicted, or the call of his sword, both of them were telling him where his enemies were. The sound of his sword parting the inexistent flesh of the Blood Shadows and the tremors passing through his sword on the other hand, told him that his trust was not blind. But…

Of the two tremors he felt, one was more prominent than the other. A result that made him frown for a fraction of a moment. The second tremor… Gritting his teeth, Alnea poured more Oren into the sword in his hand, urging it to increase in length. And it did increase in length, even if not as much as he had expected it to. The resistance it was facing…

Fortunately, the change in his sword, small as it was, was enough to defeat the Blood Shadows. With the sound of glasses shattering into pieces, the Blood Shadows shattered into countless tiny shards, dissipating into the white world, urging the darkness within the white world to come forth once again, and reveal the fruits of his gamble.

“Congratulations, Blood Soldier N 06 08499, for passing the second level of the Initial Stage Aspect Trial.”

“You have cleared the Trial perfectly.”

“Time taken to defeat your opponent: Thirty two seconds.”

“Moves made to defeat your opponent: One.”

“Aspects used: One.”

“Records broken: None.”

“Perfect clearance of Trials: Two.”

“Blood Soldier N 06 08499, you have been rewarded with twenty Blood Coins.”

“Do you wish to continue with the Trials, or do you wish to leave the Trial Space?”

“Reminder: Regardless of how many Trials you challenge, you will have to pay ten Blood Coins every time you enter the Initial Stage Trial Space.”