TRPG 04

Chapter 4

The level I had reached in my previous life was High Master.

I wouldn’t be able to recover that level instantly, but at the very least, it would be best to quickly graduate from my current state as a Low Beginner.

Only then would I be able to do more things.

‘What I’m lacking right now is physical ability.’

Thanks to not neglecting training as a trainee holy knight, my body was fairly well conditioned—but still only at the level of a trainee.

Normally, I would have obtained the Paladin Trait, and benefited from its effects, but this time I had chosen the Sacred Body Trait instead. That meant I needed another way to improve my physical abilities.

And I had to do it before anyone realized that I hadn’t chosen the Paladin Trait.

Simple physical training wasn’t enough.

Not that it was useless—but the efficiency was far too low for the time invested.

I needed something faster. Something more reliable.

Fortunately, such a method existed.

‘Advance to the next stage.’

Moving from Low Beginner to Low Adept would improve my physical ability to some degree—but that alone wasn’t enough.

What I wanted was a Trait.

More specifically, a trait that enhanced physical ability even more than the Paladin Trait.

And luckily, I knew of exactly such a trait—and how to obtain it.

‘The Titan Breathing Method.’

Lena, my companion and mentor in my previous life, was the head of the Titan family. She taught us swordsmanship, aura techniques, and many other things—including the Titan family’s secret art, the Titan Breathing Method.

— It’s a family secret. Is it really okay to teach us so casually?

— The world’s on the verge of ending. Who cares about secrets? Besides, I’m the head of the family. If I say it’s fine, it’s fine.

— …That’s true.

— And strictly speaking, it’s not even that much of a secret.

— What do you mean?

— The Titan Breathing Method has already spread around more than people think.

— Really?

Using her authority as the family head, Lena taught us the Titan Breathing Method. As expected of a technique from a transcendent lineage, its effects were extraordinary.

Simply controlling one’s breathing allowed the user to exert far greater strength than usual. More importantly, its recovery ability was exceptional.

Even injuries severe enough to leave scars when healed with holy magic could be completely recovered—though it took time.

That alone made the Titan Breathing Method invaluable.

But Lena always sounded regretful.

— If you had learned this before undergoing body reconstruction, you might’ve gained the Giant Strength Physique.

The Titan family descended from giants, the progenitors of aura and martial arts.

Their bloodline possessed monstrous physical strength, thanks to a natural trait called Giant God Physique.

The Titan Breathing Method was originally created for those who failed to awaken this trait when forming their first core. Through training, even non-Titans could acquire a downgraded version known as Giant Strength Physique.

However, once someone had already undergone body reconstruction, the giant factor became sealed, making it impossible to acquire the trait.

Unfortunately, by the time we learned the breathing method, all of us—including me—had already undergone body reconstruction.

‘But this time, it’s different.’

In my previous life, I had learned the Church’s Sacred Refinement Technique first and obtained the Sacred Body Trait, undergoing reconstruction before learning the Titan Breathing Method.

But now, I hadn’t yet acquired the Sacred Body Trait.

Which meant—

I could obtain the Giant Strength Physique.

A top-tier physical trait second only to the true Giant God Physique.

‘This is absolutely worth trying.’

Excited by the chance to obtain a trait I had once been forced to give up, I began training in the Titan Breathing Method while the other trainees practiced holy arts and purification techniques.

‘Inhale…’

‘Exhale…’

‘Inhale…’

‘Exhale…’

I carefully regulated my breathing, recalling every word Lena had taught me.

— You idiot! How many times do I have to say it? You’re not just breathing—focus your senses throughout your whole body!

—

— No, you moron! I didn’t say stop breathing!

—

— Ugh, forget it! Teaching a blockhead like you was my mistake!

—

— Oh? You’re giving up? Go on, then—get yourself killed by a random monster!

—

— What, you talking back? You need strength before you can rebel, idiot!

Crack.

They say a teacher’s grace is as vast as the ocean—apparently, it even transcended time.

‘When I meet her again, I’m definitely punching her at least once.’

Such was the blessing of her “motivation.”

* * *

“One more time—confirm your numbers.”

“…Instructor James Joyce, plus four trainee holy knights.”

“Purpose of visit?”

“…Graduation examination.”

“Confirmed.”

A week had passed since I began training the Titan Breathing Method.

I hadn’t yet obtained the Giant Strength Physique, but I could feel definite effects.

And so, the day of the graduation exam arrived.

We boarded a ship and crossed the lake to Overlake.

The first thing the trainees did after stepping onto the dock was—

“Ugh—!”

“Blegh—!”

“Urgh—!”

They vomited.

“I heard magic ships cause motion sickness, but this is…!”

“This is way worse than I expected!”

“I can’t—blegh!”

The magic-powered ship moved without oars, but its jerky motion caused extreme seasickness.

The instructor, used to riding it, was fine—but for first-timers, it was unbearable.

And I was no exception.

‘Wasn’t the improved model introduced three years later?’

The newer magic ships had fixed this issue, but the Underlake Temple wouldn’t adopt them for another three years.

Which meant I’d have to endure this hell for a while longer.

‘I should get Emily to give me one later.’

Magic ships were produced by the Mage Tower.

If I ever went on an external mission, I’d make sure to stop by and convince Emily to hand one over.

With that thought, I stood up and looked around.

Overlake.

A canyon city filled with demonic energy leaking from deep underground.

Nestled between steep cliffs, the city was perpetually shrouded in shadow, even at noon. The thick miasma only made the atmosphere more ominous.

The trainees felt it immediately.

“This is… Overlake?”

“Ugh… I feel sick just being here.”

“It’s creepy…”

Even at the outer docks, the oppressive atmosphere was unmistakable.

“Feeling better?”

The instructor approached and handed something out.

“This is…?”

“A holy steel sword. You can’t take the exam with training weapons, so these are temporary.”

Training swords were little more than blunt metal sticks—not suitable for real combat.

So the instructor issued proper weapons for the test.

“Final reminder. The exam is conducted individually. You must defeat at least five monsters within 30 minutes and return to the dock to pass.”

That meant one monster every five minutes.

On paper, it sounded reasonable—but factoring in travel time and searching, it was tight.

“Anna Arin. Step forward.”

“Yes!”

As soon as the dock clock struck the hour, Anna began her test.

Thirty minutes passed.

She didn’t return.

Five minutes later, she finally appeared—slung over the shoulder of a substitute instructor.

“She defeated the monsters, but ran out of holy power and got cursed on the way back.”

“What kind of curse?”

“Wandering curse.”

Unable to find her way back, she exceeded the time limit and had to be retrieved.

“Why is she unconscious?”

“Oh, I knocked her out.”

“…Why?”

“Easier to carry.”

“….”

The instructor sighed deeply and recorded her failure.

“Next. Elias Elmore.”

“…Yes!”

Visibly shaken, Elias began his exam.

He returned after twenty minutes—earlier than expected—but was also unconscious, slung over the instructor’s shoulder with one arm bandaged.

“Ambushed by another monster. Too injured to continue.”

“And unconscious…?”

“Again, me.”

“…Please stop doing that.”

The instructor rubbed his temples.

“Next. Frederick Felix.”

“….”

“Frederick!”

“Y-Yes!”

Terrified after watching the others fail, Frederick began his test.

This time, he returned on his own.

“No injuries. No curse.”

“H-How about it? Did I pass?”

Unfortunately—

“Time exceeded by five minutes. Failed.”

He had taken thirty-five minutes.

“…Ah…”

Frederick slumped in despair.

Then the instructor called the final name.

“Next—Roizen Harper.”