A month since my grandfather started
training me
And I'm not exaggerating when I say I've seen death, passed beyond it, and then shook its hand every morning.
Every day starts before sunrise, before the mansion even opens its eyes. I run ten miles nonstop. At first, I used to stumble, fall, pant like I was fleeing a ghost… But now? I run in silence. The pain is no longer new — it's become my friend. A part of me.
—
When my grandfather saw that I no longer collapsed under exhaustion, he handed me a rare artifact that increases gravity. I started carrying double my actual weight. Running... became a new hell.
And when I return? No rest. Brutal physical training awaits me: squats, push-ups, balance, weightlifting — all under the effect of doubled gravity.
And finally, there's him... my grandfather, standing with his sword, as if he's been waiting since the beginning of time. His eyes show no mercy.
"Attack me with all you've got." He says that — every single time. And I… do. I attack him with everything in me. All my rage, all my skill, all the exhaustion of the past days. He hits me, knocks me down, resets me to square one… then does it all over again.
—
The month passed like that. No techniques, no spells, no rest. Raw training. Primal combat. Sweat, blood, and pain.
But today… something different happened.
Suddenly, he tossed me a small booklet and said without looking: "Open it."
The moment my hand touched the cover, I heard the sound. That sound my heart could never mistake:
Ding! [Daily training completed successfully.] [Reward: 5 Destiny Points.] [New Sword Technique recognized: ★★★★★ Mirage Blade Technique.]
I looked up at him, but he wasn't surprised. He merely gestured for me to read.
In his usual dry tone, he said:
"Officially, this is a 4-star technique… but its true strength touches the fifth star. The only reason for the lower rank is how hellishly hard it is to master."
He paused, then added:
"I created it myself. It's built on illusion, deception, and mental misdirection. When activated, the sword is enveloped in a nearly invisible aura… distorting the opponent's perception.
It makes them see strikes that aren't there, feel pain that wasn't inflicted, and lose themselves in a deadly confusion between reality and illusion."
He paused again, then said seriously:
"Those who face this technique don't die from the wounds… they die from doubt and fear."
I nodded in awe. This style of combat… fits me in a terrifying way.
My grandfather continued:
"From House De Verge, only four people have ever mastered it…
in the last five hundred years. You… have the purest bloodline in centuries. I believe you'll master it before entering the Royal Academy."
I stared into his eyes. "I'll master it. Before the academy." I said that with absolute certainty, gripping the booklet tightly.
He gave me a rare smile, then turned away.
"Now, continue your training. At the end of each month… I'll test you." Then he added with a quiet but heavy tone: "And when I see you're ready… you'll leave, as promised."
He left in silence.
—
As for me, I stayed standing in the training field, staring at the booklet as if it were treasure. But that alone wasn't enough.
My eyes slid over to my rank indicator… E-. Yes, that's where I stand now. But I started at F — just one month ago. Now? I'm at E-, and progressing fast.
If I continue at this pace, I'll reach E+ in two months. And then… my grandfather will let me leave.
I still have about five months before the Royal Academy starts. If I use them wisely… I'll reach at least Rank D.
And if that happens, I'll enter the Academy with something even the hero doesn't have: Experience.
—
But before that… there's something I must do. I'm heading to the library, once again. This will be the twenty-sixth time. A whole month searching for that book:
"Twilight Blade Art."
A 6-star technique, a sword art based on speed and precision… A perfect match for me.
In the original story, the hero finds it buried under an old path in the ancient library. But he doesn't use it right away — because he becomes the headmaster's student and inherits his blade style instead.
But now? I'm here. And I'm searching for it. And I will find it — before Aiden does.
If there's someone who deserves this art… it's me.
—
I wandered the library, as I do every evening… The old shelves, the faint scent of ancient paper, and the complete silence had all become familiar.
But today, something different caught my eye.
There was a book — tattered, covered in a light layer of dust, resting on a low shelf in a shadowy corner. It had no visible title, no golden embellishments as I was used to. But it… called to me.
I approached without thinking. And the moment I reached for it… it lit up. Not a normal light, but a strange flicker… a dark hue, like rotting brown. As if the light itself was ancient… decaying.
Then came the dizziness. The shelves spun around me. The floor tilted. My head… grew light. I couldn't even scream. I collapsed.
And in the moment my consciousness faded, I heard the voice… That unmistakable voice:
Ding! [Missing Fate Element discovered…] [Hidden Sword Path unlocked – "Blade of Ruin"]
—
Then… I woke up.
But this wasn't the world I knew.
I stood in a glowing white void that stretched endlessly. The horizon itself seemed made of still light. No sky… no real ground. Just silence, wrapping the place like a cloak.
In front of me… five doors. Four of them glowed in the colors of the basic elements: Red for fire, blue for water, green for wind, and brown for earth.
The fifth… Was black with a tinge of dark brown — as if it devoured the light around it.
Before I could move, I heard a voice behind me. I turned sharply, my hand instinctively reaching for my sword… which wasn't there.
Floating beside me… was a small fairy, barely the size of my palm. Her wings fluttered gently, like autumn leaves.
She spoke in a soft but confident voice: "Hello, Luca… or should I call you Lucas?"
I froze. How does she know that?! That name… I haven't uttered it since the fusion. Even the system hasn't mentioned it.
"Don't panic," she continued, as if reading my thoughts. "You're in my domain now. Here, there are no secrets."
She smiled, a playful tone in her voice: "I've read your memories… You've lived quite the interesting life. That's why… I know exactly who you are."
She said it like it was the most natural thing in the world — as if revealing the deepest secret was like mentioning the weather.
I narrowed my eyes cautiously and asked: "What are you?"
She chuckled softly, placing her hand over her chest in mock pride: "Oh! Where are my manners? I forgot to introduce myself."
"I'm Rose. A fairy left behind by my master… to find a worthy heir to his blade art."
I studied her, then turned my eyes toward the five doors.
"So this… is your domain?" I said slowly. "And I'm about to be tested, aren't I?"
She fluttered closer, her hands behind her back: "Smart, just as I expected," she said with light sarcasm, like this was all a game to her.
"I like to think so," I replied, staring at the fifth door — the one that devoured everything around it. Then I whispered, almost to myself: "Let's see… if I really am the heir you're looking for."
"Aren't you going to explain the nature of this trial?" I asked, eyes narrowing.
Rose smiled simply: "It's quite straightforward… You must master the Element of Ruin."
I froze in place. "Ruin?"
"Yes." She floated a little higher, spinning slowly around me. "A rare element, not found naturally. It's created only by merging the four base elements: fire, water, wind, and earth."
I looked at her, doubtful: "Isn't that… impossible?"
But she didn't laugh. She didn't even blink.
"No. It's possible. My master achieved it himself."
A chill ran down my spine. If what she's saying is true… then this blade art transcends what we thought possible.
She pointed toward the four glowing doors: "First, you must master the four basic elements… to the highest degree. Then, begin trying to fuse them — one drop at a time — until you create the seed of Ruin."
"And fortunately…" she said with a confident smile, "those doors you see… are elemental affinity chambers. Each one will help you go deeper into its element."
I took a deep breath.
"And the time?" I asked, suddenly worried about the outside world. "How long will I be here?"
She answered: "Don't worry. Time flows differently here. One full year in here… is just a single minute in the real world."
My eyes widened in shock. "A year?!"
"And you'll remain here until you either master the Element of Ruin… or die."
"Simple, isn't it?"
"Simple, my ass."
She hovered in front of me, staring close into my eyes: "I believe you've got a real chance… the first true candidate in ten thousand years… to succeed in this trial."
—
[Quest] [Master the Element of Ruin] Reward: 500 Destiny Points
[Master the Blade of Ruin Technique] Reward: 1,000 Destiny Points
—
Blade of Ruin
Name: Blade of Ruin
Rank: ★★★★★★ (6-star sword art)
Element: Ruin (Fusion element)
Origin: A forbidden sword style, created by an ancient swordsman who mastered the fusion of all four basic elements.
Description: A sword technique that utilizes the destructive nature of the fusion element known as Ruin — formed by perfectly combining fire, water, wind, and earth into a chaotic singular force: entropy-charged electricity.
When activated, the user's blade is wrapped in a stormy aura pulsing with unstable elemental energy. Every strike is unpredictable, explosive, and capable of bypassing traditional defenses. It doesn't just cut flesh — it disables mana circuits, shatters magical structures, and triggers elemental backlash inside the target's body.
Effects:
Each strike deals damage from multiple elements simultaneously.
Causes "Mana Disruption" upon hit, making it difficult for enemies to cast spells or activate auras.
Chance to trigger "Ruin Pulse" — an unstable mana explosion around the target.
Extremely difficult to master due to the precise control required over all elemental flows and fusion timing.