TGSA 13

Chapter 13

Maybe it was just my imagination, but it seemed like the judgment was taking longer than usual.

Perhaps it takes more time when your comprehension is low.

Could I really reproduce Annerize’s abilities with only 60% comprehension?

A moment later… a message appeared.

[Judgment: Success]

Success.

Seeing that word, I clenched my fist tightly.

[You have acquired the main abilities of the character ‘Annerize Grainger’.]

[Successfully acquired Partisan Judgment Swordsmanship (S-rank), but you already possess many abilities.]

[Successfully acquired Signian Purification Swordsmanship (A-rank), but you already possess many abilities.]

[Successfully acquired Lichtenaur Sword Technique (A-rank), but you already possess many abilities.]

[You cannot acquire any more abilities because you already possess many.]

[You can delete some of your current abilities to acquire new ones.]

Partisan Judgment Swordsmanship and Signian Purification Swordsmanship are both graduate-level sword techniques that require a substantial amount of magical power.

Since I couldn’t wield them in my current state, the only ability I needed to acquire was the remaining one.

“Delete the C-rank Yusburg Sword Technique and acquire the A-rank Lichtenaur Sword Technique.”

As soon as I thought it, a response came immediately.

[Deletion of Yusburg Sword Technique (C-rank) is complete.]

[Successfully acquired Lichtenaur Sword Technique (A-rank).]

[You cannot attempt ‘Ability Reproduction’ for the next 12 days.]

For twelve days, I couldn’t attempt “Ability Reproduction.”

This was the penalty for replacing an ability.

It was similar to the penalties described for other artifacts in the novel.

“This is why you can’t just replace abilities recklessly.”

You should only replace them when absolutely necessary; otherwise, you could face trouble at a crucial moment.

“Now, I won’t be able to use Ability Reproduction for 12 days, but there are two weeks until the competition, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”

This was also one of the reasons I needed to copy Annerize’s abilities quickly.

If I delayed to improve my comprehension, I wouldn’t be able to use Ability Reproduction again until after the competition.

“Hmm…”

“…!”

Annerize let out a groan on the bed.

I was startled, thinking she had woken up, but she was just shifting her body.

“Ugh… what’s the big deal about not having a lover…”

“…”

I glanced at Annerize talking in her sleep and quietly slipped out of the dormitory room.

I tried to make as little noise as possible so she wouldn’t wake up.

“Phew…”

After stepping outside the academy building, I exhaled deeply.

With this, I had successfully completed the quest to acquire the Sword Technique from Annerize.

“What are you doing?”

“…!”

Suddenly, a voice came from behind.

Serine was walking toward me from the training ground.

“Do you have some business at the academy?”

“Nothing much.”

It would be troublesome if she pressed me about why I entered a dormitory with only Annerize in it, so I quickly changed the topic.

“How’s the preparation for the competition going?”

“Um, it’s going okay.”

“That’s good.”

“Shouldn’t you, as the representative of Black Class 6, be in charge? I don’t understand why you’re leaving it to us.”

Serine seemed slightly displeased.

But she didn’t say anything like she was going to quit.

“Anyway, I’ll do my best to unify the students. In the meantime, you can focus on personal training or strategizing as you like.”

“Alright, I’ll leave it to you.”

She had a responsible personality.

She rarely refused a request and always did her best to fulfill her role.

Knowing Serine Bastian’s character, I could trust her with Black Class 6.

“And one more thing.”

“What is it?”

Serine gave me a sharp look and said,

“Next time you need to ask me for something, don’t go through Chloe. Speak to me directly.”

“…”

“Even if we’re not close… as long as it’s related to Black Class 6, I’ll cooperate as much as possible.”

With that, she turned and walked away, seemingly relieved to have said what she wanted, her steps light.

[The abilities currently acquired through ‘Ability Reproduction’ are as follows.]

• Bastian Knight Swordsmanship (A-rank)

• Yusburg Swordsmanship (A-rank)

• Lorellian Practical Swordsmanship (C-rank)

• Lichtenaur Sword Technique (A-rank)

• Eastern Magic Practice Method (B-rank)

I checked the abilities I had acquired while heading north.

I confirmed that the C-rank Yusburg Sword Technique had been replaced with the A-rank Lichtenaur Sword Technique.

“Swordsmanship-type abilities are displayed at the top, martial arts techniques like sword techniques next, and miscellaneous abilities like magic practice methods at the bottom.”

As I walked, checking the fully filled skill slots, I soon reached the northern part of the island.

Looking up at the rugged terrain, I saw the spot where I had slipped earlier.

The dizzying memory of falling made me tense.

“I was lucky not to get hurt last time.”

I couldn’t climb that rocky mountain with the C-rank Yusburg Sword Technique.

But what about the A-rank Lichtenaur Sword Technique?

“The Lichtenaur Sword Technique is originally a martial art that requires extensive study at the academy.”

The academy teaches techniques that cannot be learned outside. One of them is the Lichtenaur Sword Technique.

Since it must be practiced repeatedly at the academy’s special training facility, it cannot be properly mastered elsewhere.

“In the novel, it was only learned after a long time.”

It is normally a skill learned after passing the exam and being promoted.

But thanks to Annerize, I could learn it immediately after entering the academy, at a high A-rank level of proficiency.

“Then… let’s test it.”

I looked around to ensure no one was watching.

Taking a deep breath, I gazed at the rocky mountain.

“Here goes.”

Boom!

I pushed off the ground and leaped.

Just a light push, yet I soared much higher than before.

“…!”

Fear struck me instantly.

I had jumped too high in a single bound.

But soon, laughter escaped my mouth.

“Haha…!”

I landed on the rocks.

It was the same spot I had slipped earlier, but I could stand firmly without any problem.

Immediately, I jumped again.

“This is it…!”

Whoosh, whoosh!

I felt exhilaration with every leap through the air.

The Lichtenaur Sword Technique within me guided how to jump and maintain balance.

I jumped in a trance, and soon, there was nowhere left to leap.

“…!”

From the top I reached in less than a minute, I looked down.

If I hadn’t regained my senses at the top, I might have flown off the cliff while in a trance.

“Did I… reach here in a single bound?”

In the novel, the protagonist Akandel also trains on this rocky mountain.

But reaching the top comes much later.

I had climbed it less than a week after entering the academy.

“This is… the Lichtenaur Sword Academy skill.”

A martial art that could never be mastered outside the academy.

I could now use it freely.

Coming down from the top took only three steps.

Normally, I would think it crazy, but with the Lichtenaur Sword Technique, there was no problem.

“Truly astonishing power.”

The A-rank Lichtenaur Sword Technique was incomparable to the C-rank Yusburg Sword Technique.

With this, I could move freely even in the competition area.

“But this isn’t the end.”

Right.

I had not yet unleashed the full power of the Lichtenaur Sword Technique.

“Only by using magic can its true power be realized.”

As discussed in the last academic session, using magic enhances physical abilities.

If I had used the Lichtenaur Sword Technique with enough magical power, I could have climbed the mountain even faster.

“If it were Annerize, she could reach the top in an instant.”

The Lichtenaur Sword Technique can be used without magic, but it works best with magical power.

I was already excited to see how effective it would be with an elixir.

“And… one more thing.”

The Lichtenaur Sword Technique is primarily a movement skill.

It’s not designed for attacking.

But I could use it offensively.

“When I fought Serine, I already combined swordsmanship techniques.”

At that time, I combined Bastian Knight Swordsmanship and Lorellian Practical Swordsmanship to defeat Serine.

Combining sword techniques was something only highly enlightened swordsmen in the novel could do, but I could naturally do it as the creator of this world.

“Therefore, combining swordsmanship with the Lichtenaur Sword Technique should also be possible.”

I could combine the Lichtenaur Sword Technique with the swordsmanship I had mastered.

By combining a movement technique with swordsmanship, I could evolve it into a new offensive skill.

I could already predict the kind of skill that would be born.

“With this… I will defeat Rufus Ignias of Red Class 1.”

The competition would be in two weeks.

On that day, I would astonish the world.