32 5th - 6th Loop
Thus began my fifth loop.
With my experience growing every loop, I was slowly getting better, stronger, faster.
That is when I realized something.
Although the strengthening of the growth skill was incredibly small and not noticeable in a short amount of time, this subtle growth was its own marvel.
I pondered once again about the boundaries of this world, especially as my Body Talent seemed to be maxed out. Would my strength hit a ceiling too? Even as I could now shatter a wall with a few well-aimed punches, I felt no such thing.
And that's not the case for strength alone.
The surge in my skill levels had heightened my Sixth Sense to a point where it was practically a clairvoyant. I could sense trouble brewing hours or, at times, days before it unfolded—foreboding hanging in the air like an ominous prelude.
For that reason, there was no surprise when Anna showed up on the day of my death. It was like clockwork.
But that's not the plotline I'm diving into this loop.
With my strength hitting a noticeable high, it was time to sharpen the edges of my Sky Sword Art.
You'd think being the architect behind this art, I'd ace every move effortlessly. Turns out, not quite. Amidst my various talents, a truth hit me square in the face.
Skills grow when you haven't maxed out on proficiency. Sky footwork's cruising at level 15, but the sword technique's lagging behind at 8. Now, I'm not sure if skills can level up without SP or without calling in talents to form bridges, but relying solely on my growth vibe, I doubled down on the sword training.
And I was not disappointed.
[Your Talent [Sword] has acknowledged your growth. The Skill [Sky Sword Technique] will level up]
So, after weeks of hammering away, my sword technique crawled up just one level. Not exactly an earthquake, but hey, progress is progress.
The thing is, that incremental climb wasn't just about the level. It was about getting cozy with my blade, understanding every nook and cranny of my Sky Sword Art. Valuable stuff for the growth chart.
So, here I am, hitting the 30-day mark in this fifth loop. Like clockwork, Anna swings by.
This time, I made it my mission to sniff out any hint of her being an esper. Nada. Not a blip. Even with Anya close enough to bump elbows, I felt nothing unusual.
If I didn't know she had the power to read a person's mind, I would never have known.
Does that mean esper mojo is invisible to me, or is it because I'm running on empty mana? Beats me.
I mulled over it while my doubts increased with each passing loop. But, truth be told, I couldn't spare a minute to confirm if she's really an esper.
And why the sudden Sherlock act anyway? Curiosity's a sly beast, I suppose.
---
Since I was strong enough to not be 'painlessly killed', each time I looped, I had to go through a huge amount of pain.
Although I have what you would call a strong mentality, it started gnawing at me.
I'd catch myself wondering why the heck I'm enduring this, how I'm not flipping my lid.
Was the System still the one at fault?
"...You better wake up soon, companion"
Words slipped from my lips as I drew my sword, slicing through the air with the moves of my Sky Sword Technique. Gotta keep swinging, keep pushing.
I remember reading a book in my previous world, saying humans are hardwired for company. Lone-wolfing it? Not in our DNA. We crave chatter, someone to share the ride with and keep our humanity intact.
Only now could I truly understand that.
But, even if the clock ticks off decades, I couldn't care less.
As long as I can awaken my sword, I will be able to effectively communicate with it.
It's the only one who would be able to understand what I was going through, who could tell me a single reason to keep fighting in these absurd trials...
Until then, I will be alone on this journey, but that's fine. I must do it...
With my 6th loop already here, I had time to ponder such things while I kept training my body in some way or another.
Once again, 30 days slipped by in the blink of an eye as I saw Anna appear in front of me, parroting the same lines for the sixth time.
Ugh... comforting someone else's getting old.
Yet, here I go, same script, like a broken record. Brush her off and move on. Loop after loop. Rinse, repeat.
---
This time, the fight went different from usual.
I probably had already hundreds of exchanges with her, and each time, there would be a moment where either of us gained the upper hand, and she somehow cornered me, with a fatal blow or a non-fatal blow which would incapacitate me.
But, the thing is, there was a card I hadn't played yet.
Ignore the weapon, go straight for the kill or defeat in one shot.
Curious outcome.
Yep, still ended up biting the dust. But this time, I managed to carve a nasty gash from her gut to her leg, bypassing the usual hand or finger I took with me.
The blood pool spoke volumes. Seemed way more effective.
Although she did not die, she would probably not be able to keep her job as an assassin either.
---
Waking up in my 7th loop, a chuckle slipped out. Of course, I could not use this to actually defeat Yor.
It's an implicit condition, but defeating her meant I did not have to die shortly after.
Or at least, that's be one of the conditions in my book to get a higher Rating.
Tutorial, class quests—they shower rewards based on my Rating, and I was aiming, for this Trial, to get the highest possible.
With promised rewards like the Growth Skill I got from the class quest, I'm sure anyone would be tempted.
Can't bail on those goodies. So, I'm scheming to take her down without a single blood drop on my part, making her face the reality that there was no other option but to die under my sword.
---
Author's Note:
Many of you have tried guessing which world the Second Trial will take place in.
And yes, someone did guess it already.
Hint 3: It's not HP. That world is too big for it to be the Second Trial. CRUCIO!!!!
Hint 4: It's not DxD. Although the magic in DxD is good, there are beings which are way too high-level.
