NOVEL NEXT chapter 33
part 33
At best, a training where only goblins or wild dogs appear.
But…
Having defeated the demon with a single magic device, Isabelle, once hailed as the strongest talent, was feeling the greatest frustration of her life.
About 10 minutes ago.
＊ ＊ ＊
“Anyway, it’s just a gob, huh?”
Struck by a goblin thrower’s stone.
[You have suffered a fatal injury.]
[Training will be terminated.]
“Huh, what?”
Bitten on the thigh by a wild dog.
[You have suffered a fatal injury.]
[You have suffered a fatal….]
“……No, gasp, no, it can’t be……”
[Training will be termi….]
She was rammed by a wild boar.
Seven different novel deaths.
Though it was a hologram, Isabelle, who had rolled on the ground to avoid attacks, was drenched in sweat.
“This, this is.”
In disbelief, Isabelle muttered with a despondent face.
“This is a scam…”
“…That’s Isabelle.”
“Stay still! Don’t move! Let’s try again!”
Isabelle, having restarted the image room, soon stumbled and fell flat on her backside.
“Ugh!”
Her face still ablaze with competitive spirit.
Jien shook his head as if he had seen something unbearable.
‘This is no longer a matter of physical strength…’
Isabelle was clumsy.
Not just any clumsy, but the clumsiest Jien had ever seen. Previously, her senses were heightened by using mana for physical enhancement, so it didn’t show, but…
“No enhancements, how tragic.”
Somehow, seeing Isabelle’s defeated look, Jian felt a pang of sympathy.
“Let’s just… give up on the image room… Isabelle.”
“…I knew you’d say that. You’ve given up on me, haven’t you?”
30 attempts.
30 failures.
Isabelle, battered in body and spirit, muttered with a gloomy face.
“Died so many times at the hands of goblins. It’s understandable. Stabbed by spears, chopped by axes… hit by stones.”
After 30 deaths to the weakest foes, Isabelle’s self-esteem had hit rock bottom.
“Still, it’s a relief. If I had entered the gate without knowing any better, I would’ve been done for, right? Maybe now… I should quit being a Saber and learn cooking? I dreamed of being a chef when I was younger…”
As Isabelle considered giving up her exceptional talent, Jian urgently dissuaded her.
“Indeed… anyone would be in this state after dying 30 times at level one.”
But for her, who was always called a genius, it must have been so much worse. What she needed now was encouragement. Jian comforted Isabelle.
“No, don’t talk about giving up. I’ve thought of a better training method.”
Peeking.
Isabelle slightly lifted her head that had been buried in her knees.
“…A better training method?”
“You know about Zone 1?”
“Of course, I do.”
Isabelle nodded. Commonly referred to as ‘the zone,’ Zone 1 was the setting for the virtual gate test at Everline Lake Park.
‘The terms and quests were tough.’
But for Jian, it was a familiar place.
The culture and technology of Zone 1 were diverse and efficient. Among them, Jian thought of martial arts.
“There are countless types of martial arts in Zone 1. Among them is something called mixed martial arts.”
“Martial arts? But that’s in Zone 4 and Zone 3 as well.”
At Isabelle’s indifferent response, Jian shook his head.
[Zone 4]
Commonly known as ‘Xenia,’ it emphasizes a fighting style that uses steel gauntlets to swing fists with power.
‘Such fighting is far from Isabelle.’
[Zone 3]
…
Commonly known as ‘Martial World’, it subdued opponents with internal strength and sophisticated martial arts.
‘With that level of physical coordination, it’s absolutely impossible.’
However, the combat techniques of Zone 1 are designed to be learned as simply as possible.
“The combat techniques of Zone 1 will suit you best.”
This was Jian’s own compromise.
‘After the event is over, I can slowly train my physical strength.’
If she’s taught just the practical striking techniques and self-defense skills, she might even pass the 1-1 Image Room without mana.
“Now then. Shall we talk about the basics of fighting?”
＊ ＊ ＊
Days passed.
“Kirut!”
Image Room level 1-3 difficulty.
Three goblins faced off against Isabelle.
Normally, she would dispatch such foes with a mere gesture, but her expression was unusually solemn.
“Don’t be nervous. Just like before…”
“Kieyap!”
A goblin swung its axe.
But even armed, its inherently short reach failed to connect.
“Haep!”
A height difference of 160cm to 90cm.
With a shout, Isabelle’s white leg swept up and kicked the goblin’s shoulder.
Thwack!
A clean middle kick, weighted with her body mass.
“Kieek!”
As the lead goblin staggered, another with a spear aimed for Isabelle.
Whoosh!
A crude stone spear cut through the air.
Isabelle twisted her head, dodging the spear, then pushed forward into the spear’s range.
Thud.
Isabelle grabbed the goblin’s wrist and tripped it over her leg, slamming it to the ground. It was the self-defense technique from Zone 1 that Ji-en had taught her.
Thud!
“Argh!”
It was nothing compared to fighting with magical tools, but hand-to-hand combat was a basic precaution. Ji-en watched Isabelle on his phone screen and smiled contentedly.
‘Good. You’ve improved a lot.’
It was impossible for Isabelle to brawl with the martial world’s sabers, but her athletic reflexes and stamina had increased. That was a positive sign.
‘Besides, if they got past Isabelle’s long-range attacks, they wouldn’t be unscathed.’
Even if they approached in tatters, if Isabelle used physical enhancement to attempt martial arts, the opponent would struggle to cope.
‘Now Isabelle is sorted. What’s left is me.’
Swoosh.
The door of the image room opened with a deflating cola sound.
“Ha, ha! Hey, did you see? Did you see!”
Having cleared three goblins, Isabelle called out to Ji-en with a joyful face. She was so out of breath that she was panting through her mouth.
“Huff, huff… I did it. I really did it…”
Isabelle’s voice settled calmly as the hardships she endured flashed by like a lantern parade. And it was the same for Ji-en. Watching her training all along, Ji-en felt a twinge at the tip of his nose.
“Yes, Isabelle. You did it.”
“Did I really… beat the goblins?”
“All three of them.”
“I can’t believe it. It’s thanks to you.”
“No, it’s because you learned quickly.”
Three hologram goblins.
The epic mana and supreme swordsmanship praised their own feat and acknowledged each other. It was a rare, heartwarming scene.
“Uh…”
Embarrassed by her own state, Isabelle turned her gaze towards the door.
“Should I… go drink some water?”
As the exhausted Isabelle left the training room, Ji-en’s eyes narrowed.
‘The remaining time is just right. Let’s go find the buried item.’
Ji-en didn’t need to train the basics like swordsmanship, like Chris did. He was unparalleled in that aspect.
Rather, thanks to his swordsmanship, he had reached a level where he could defeat a third-class saber even without magical devices.
‘But…’
Jien’s mana was still at level two. Just as Chris’s magical devices became two through training and potions, stigmata and magical tools grow with the owner’s mana.
But Jien’s magical tools and stigmata were from a past life.
Level two mana.
The body of a 17-year-old boy who had just treated residual mana. However, the stigma he possessed was the Black Fragrance of the hero Evan.
As a result, Jien was unable to use magical devices. He somehow managed to get by in the Tower with the help of Isabel’s artifact, the Squirrel.
But it was impossible to aim for first place in the Battle Survival without magical devices.
‘I need to raise my mana.’
Jien turned on the app on his phone and took a picture of the stigma.
Click.
——
Stigma: Black Fragrance
Registration Code: A-96N
Magical Tool: Sword of Injustice (Black Fragrance)
Magical Device: Anti-Magic, ■■■, ■■■…
Synchronization Rate: 97%
Skills (4/5)
1- Sensory Maximization
*Accelerates your thoughts.
2- Moon Sword
*Infuses the sword with vital energy.
3- ■■■■■ -Error
4- ■■■■■ -Error
5-
——
The Moon Sword skill and the Anti-Magic device, reclaimed from a past life.
‘I don’t know the conditions, but if I just become stronger, I’ll be able to reclaim the rest of the skills someday.’
Jien had already found hints on how to become stronger from the memories of his past life.
“Fail…”