Chương 8: Progress and Puzzles

I walked through the barracks, passing the kitchen and mess hall. After collecting my dinner, I felt the full weight of exhaustion settle into my bones. It had been three days since I started training, and I realized how magical this world was. I was training for two hours every morning and evening, though I still couldn't last the full duration, and I'd added another hour to an hour and a half of agility drills in between.

If someone in my old world had jumped straight into this routine, they'd probably end up with torn muscles or permanent injuries. Yet I was improving My initial limit of an hour and a half during training had stretched to nearly one hour and forty minutes. Even more importantly, my recovery time was shortening. On the first day, I could barely walk after training and needed three to four hours just to move around. Now, two hours of rest was enough to get me back on my feet.

Sure, I still woke up sore each morning, but it was the good kind of sore. The kind that whispered: You're getting stronger. Honestly, I regretted that my father hadn't sent me to a more martial-focused school. Being trained only as a scribe felt like a waste in a world where strength could mean the difference between life and death. As I was lost in thought, I spotted Ben. Without hesitation, I walked up and greeted him with a salute, mindful of proper form.

"At ease. Come, sit. You can share the dinner table with me," Ben said casually.

"Thank you, sir." He tore into a chunk of bread and glanced my way.

"So, how's your training going?"

"Good, sir. I'm still weaker than the city guard trainees, but I'm improving every day."

"Good. Remember, this isn't your permanent post. Some of those trainees are already close to sixteen or have awakened. We leave for Stonegate City the day after tomorrow." I blinked.

"That soon?"

"Yeah. Final supply drop comes in tomorrow. We move out the next morning. Make the most of your last day here."

"Yes, sir. Sir… do you mind if I ask a few questions?"

"Sure, go ahead." The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"I haven't seen the other recruits you mentioned, or any of your teammates except Sergeant Cole." Ben chuckled.

"Oh, that. Nothing secret, everyone's just busy. Some are making supply runs to nearby villages for the front. Others are guarding prisoners. The ones with criminal records won't be officially inducted until they're marked and oathed in Stonegate."

"Oh. How big is the team?"

"You'll find out soon enough. For now, focus on your training."

"Sorry, sir. I was just… worried, especially with criminals traveling the road." Ben smiled faintly.

"Don't worry. Sergeant Cole is here for that exact reason. He's not just a town guard sergeant, he's a vanguard unit officer in the Royal Army. Low Tier 3."

"Oh…" I said, surprised. I hadn't expected that. Ben patted my shoulder before standing up.

"Good luck with the rest of your training." As he walked away, I sat there a bit puzzled. If Sergeant Cole belonged to an elite unit, what was he doing here? What about Ben? What unit was he in? Who was his sergeant? How exactly did levels and tiers affect military rank? Did they influence noble titles too? Hopefully, I'd find the answers in Stonegate City. After dinner, I returned to my usual corner near the barracks wall, where I'd been doing my meditation and agility drills.

The soreness in my body had dulled, and my head felt clearer. Curious, I decided to open my status panel again. NAME: Edward CLASS: Unawakened AFFINITY: N/A HP: 65 / 65 HP Regen: 5/day MP: N/A CONSTITUTION: 6. 5 STRENGTH: 6. 2 AGILITY: 6. 2 General Skills Writing (15) Reading (10) Math (25) Running (7) Meditation (2) Unarmed Combat (1) I blinked. Then blinked again. My Constitution, Strength, and Agility had all ticked up slightly. Not a huge change, but progress was progress.

Even more surprising was my Math skill. It had jumped from 5 to 25. Right… integration, probability, and advanced arithmetic from my old world. Of course. That knowledge had to count for something. Running was now at 7, no surprise, considering all the laps and footwork. I'd also gained Meditation, sitting at level 2. Makes sense, given how often I used it to recover and focus. But something else caught my eye. Negotiating was gone. I remembered it from earlier. Just level 1, sure, but it was there. Now? Vanished.

It seemed my memories were still jumbled, because suddenly a new one surfaced. Before Class Awakening, you are only allowed six General Skills. Apparently, one had been replaced. But how was it decided which ones stayed or disappeared? Was it automatic? Based on use? Value? Was there a way to lock them in before Awakening? I needed to find a book, or someone who knew more. I regretted how little I understood and how unprepared I was to survive on my own.

I leaned back against the wall, fingers tracing the edge of the stone absently. I should've paid more attention in magic class. Should've pushed myself to understand how this system actually functioned. Back then, all I cared about was reading and writing, enough to pass exams, enough to please my father. He always wanted me to become a scribe. And truth be told, I wanted that too. My dream was simple: reach Tier 2, get a stable job, maybe copy books in a noble house library someday. That was it.

But that version of me? That dream? It wouldn't survive here.