Activating Special Ability.
How much time had passed?
”…”
I barely managed to open my eyes, and the summoning room’s gray brick walls came into view. Thankfully, it seemed the initiation ceremony hadn’t started yet. If I closed my eyes again, I might just fall into a deep sleep, so I forced myself to lift my head into the air.
As expected, a message floated in the air, waiting for me to acknowledge it. Even lying down, I could read it without much trouble, so I rested my head back on the floor and began to read.
“You have sustained an impact beyond your body’s capacity. Your stamina has permanently decreased by 10 points.”
“Congratulations. You have burned away all impurities and waste within your body. Your vitality surges, and your magical flow has significantly increased. Stamina increases by 2 points, and magic by 6 points permanently.”
“Eternal Flame. A fire spirit has settled in your heart. Synchronization with the fire spirit is currently at 100%.”
I was reading through the messages absentmindedly when the one about my stamina dropping hit me like a splash of cold water. As I bit my lip, processing the subsequent messages, Seraph’s voice drifted into my ears.
“User Kim Su-hyun. Are you conscious? How is your body? User Kim Su-hyun!”
At least my hearing was back. Just as I was about to snap back at the voice that kept interrupting my thoughts, I realized something.
”───. ───. ───.”
‘What… why does it sound like air escaping?’
No voice came out. Or rather, it did, but only as a hoarse whisper. My voice was completely gone. Despite my frustration, all I could manage was a breathy rasp.
‘I’ll just have to wait until my body recovers.’
With a deep sigh, I summoned my status window. I planned to review the information mixed with special abilities until I felt better.
< Player Status >
Name: Kim Su-hyun (Year 0)
Class: Sword Specialist (Secret, Master)
Nation: -
Clan: -
True Name & Nationality: One who must prove their worth, Prospective User · Republic of Korea
Sex: Male (23)
Height & Weight: 181.5cm · 75.5kg
Alignment: Lawful · Chaos
(Before) [Strength 94] [Endurance 92] [Agility 98] [Stamina 78] [Magic 90] [Luck 88]
(After) [Strength 94] [Endurance 92] [Agility 98] [Stamina 70] [Magic 96] [Luck 88]
(Remaining Attribute Points: 0)
< Achievements (0) >
< Unique Abilities (1/1) >
(Description: An eye beyond the ordinary, linked to one’s intuition. It transcends mere sight, allowing insight into all phenomena with higher-order thinking. Originally capable of perceiving phenomena beyond the present dimension, it was forcibly activated by an unknown power, resulting in a two-rank penalty. However, the pure fire energy of the fire spirit has boosted it by one rank. Essentially, nothing can deceive Kim Su-hyun’s eyes.)
< Special Abilities (1/1) >
The pinnacle of swordsmanship where the sword and the wielder become one. Every action with the sword receives positive bonuses. Although the user hasn’t reached the ultimate level of swordsmanship, years of experience and numerous achievements have granted a two-rank bonus.
< Potential Abilities (4/4) >
(Description: Surpassing the limits of close-quarters combat, achieving the highest level attainable by a human. In melee combat, the user is unmatched. Years of experience and job bonuses have granted a one-rank bonus.)
(Description: Refuses to give up in battle, does not accept defeat. This will allows combat even when critically injured, though combat effectiveness is reduced.)
(Description: The ability to see beyond appearances, perceiving the inner nature of things. This mental discipline allows the user to remain calm under S-rank or lower mental corruption spells.)
(Description: The blessing of Athena, goddess of war and peace, activates only on the battlefield. It grants the user a wide view of the battlefield and the ability to locate allies in danger. The divine blessing also reduces damage from magical events, applying the user’s luck and ability rank.)
After reviewing my status, I felt a mix of satisfaction and regret. The random abilities, Melee Combat and Unyielding, were beyond my control, but they weren’t bad, and their ranks were decent. Familiarity with previously used abilities was comforting.
The unexpected and frustrating issue was the decrease in stamina. Stamina is the foundation that supports all other attributes.
With 70 points in stamina, I could still perform as intended, but the reduced stamina was a concern. It’s like having a car with excellent design but an unreliable engine. If the engine overheats, there’s a risk of breakdown or explosion. Seraph and I had both been half-right in our predictions.
The stamina issue lingered in my mind, but there was no immediate solution. I couldn’t predict how many points I could gather in the future, but I needed to accumulate as many as possible.
‘Even though it’s Year 0, I’ve summoned a body with 10 years of experience… training won’t be easy.’
It was something I couldn’t resolve immediately. I decided to push the complex thoughts aside and focus on recovering my body. Seraph’s gaze was growing more intense. Given my current abilities, wanting more might be greedy.
How much time had passed? It felt like about 20 minutes, but I wanted to know for sure. Seraph would keep track, but after receiving all the special abilities, we had fallen silent. I closed my eyes, resigned to whatever would come.
As time passed, my body cooled. Not that I was dying, but the heat from the fire spirit was dissipating. As the internal heat subsided, my senses returned to normal.
I had reviewed my status window. In the remaining time, I calmly observed my body’s interior.
There were drawbacks, but I was alive, so the plan was a success. Having overcome a difficult hurdle, the rewards were immense. I had purged all impurities and waste, and unblocked my energy pathways.
Unexpectedly, even the tiny energy points at my fingertips and toes were cleared. My vitality was circulating faster, and the flow and efficiency of my magic had improved significantly. In battles against users of similar rank, these subtle differences could be decisive, giving me several aces up my sleeve.
“Whew.”
Feeling my senses returning, I sent magic through my body. It flowed smoothly to my extremities. Encouraged, I moved my right arm slightly, noticing how much lighter my body felt. Though my joints still ached, it was a vast improvement from when I couldn’t feel anything.
Finally, I sat up with a groan and looked directly at Seraph. She maintained a calm gaze, watching me without much emotion. My clothes were in tatters, but I felt no embarrassment. After all, the woman before me was an angel, not a potential romantic interest.
I shrugged and tapped my left wrist with my right hand, signaling for the time.
“It’s time to enter the initiation ceremony. Prepare yourself.”
Seraph’s voice was cold and dry. She was clearly upset. The image of her anxiously pacing earlier flashed through my mind.
’…’
I decided to let it go. I didn’t want to engage in a pointless argument. I had already gained everything I could.
“Ready. Send me in.”
“User Kim Soo-hyun, are you feeling alright?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Then I’ll initiate the transfer immediately. Time is of the essence, so once you’re in the preparation room, I suggest you act swiftly.”
“Yes, yes.” Kim Soo-hyun replied with a hint of indifference, causing Seraph to furrow her elegant brow. But she quickly raised her delicate fingers and snapped them lightly.
Snap!
With the sound of her fingers meeting, my body began to fade, as if being erased.
“A word of advice: never let your guard down, no matter where you are. I hope you pass the rite of passage safely and that we meet again. I wish you the best of luck, User Kim Soo-hyun.”
“Seraph, enough with the lectures. Next time we meet, keep your mouth shut.”
As I teased her, a familiar mechanical hum filled the air. Without panic, I glanced down to see my legs already more than two-thirds vanished. Watching this, I slowly closed my eyes.
A restart after ten years. A new future awaits. A future to be forged, where no one is lost, and no one despairs—a future shaped by Kim Soo-hyun. The thought filled me with an inexplicable sense of excitement.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Removed references to Kim Soo-hyun’s physical condition.
Corrected typos and adjusted the narrative flow.