Chapter - 23 : [Hidden Rewards]

(Continuation…)

(Rai's POV)

.

"Well, it's my last solo night, I guess."(Rai)

I mused aloud, contemplating my situation.

"It's been exactly [100] Days since I got my memories of my previous life."(Rai)

I muttered, the memory of that mysterious and transformative event flooding back.

I let my thoughts wander, retracing the steps from the ambush on the train to the surreal experience of being suspended in the empty void of space.

Followed by the journey to Alchemoria and, eventually, the return to our Xantrinia kingdom in a heavy shroud of silence.

"And the Progression I made was something I never expected."(Rai)

I continued, my thoughts traveling to the countless hours spent on the training field, the sweat-soaked days, and the persistent effort poured into honing my skills.

"So why don't I check up on this?

-With a casual shrug, I thought aloud.

"Skills."(Rai)

My fingers danced over the interface, accessing the system's data to assess my growth and achievements.

◤────────────────────────◥

◆[System Note : '{Y.Exp}' is a short abbreviation of '{Years of Experience}']

◆[System Note : Complete {Missions} to gain additional {Y.Exp}]

∇───[Host Skills]───∇

➣[Death Aura]➥ {⚿:LOCKED}

•--•

➣[Archery]➥ {Y.Exp-[❲3⟯➠❲6❳]}

•--•

➣[Martial Arts]➥ {Y.Exp-[❲2⟯}

•--•

➣[Horsemanship]➥ {Y.Exp-⟮2⟯➠❲5❳}

➣[Stealth and Subterfuge]➥ {Y.Exp-⟮2⟯}

•--•

➣[Hunting and Tracking]➥ {Y.Exp-⟮2⟯➠❲4❳}

➣[Writing and Illustration]➥ {Y.Exp-⟮3⟯➠❲5❳}

∇───────────────∇

◣────────────────────────◢

"Missions."(Rai)

I muttered, making another window popup beside the Skills.

◤────────────────────────◥

◆[System Note : Another Mission will be provided once the Host completes any.]

∇───[Missions]───∇

#[1]-|Shoot Ten-Thousand[:10000] Bullseye|

☑Competed

☑[Hidden Rewards Accepted]

➠{3-Y.Exp} in [Archery]

➥[Bonus Reward] of {2-Y.Exp} in [Writing and Illustration]

•--•

#[2]-|Reach {5-Y.Exp} or above in every Skill the Host Possess|

➥Reward : {ꗃ:UNLOCK}–[Death Aura]

•--•

#[3]-|Tame Twenty-Five Horses|

☑Competed

☑[Rewards Accepted]

➠{3-Y.Exp} in [Horsemanship]

➥[Bonus Reward] of {2-Y.Exp} in [Hunting and Tracking]

•--•

#[4]-|Win Hundred Duals|

➠Reward : {3-Y.Exp} in [Martial Arts]

➥Progression ➠ [83-Duals]

∇───────────────∇

◣────────────────────────◢

"Maybe I could even unlock the Special Skill-[Death Aura] in less than a year."(Rai)

I wondered, a sense of optimism creeping into my thoughts.

The initial estimate of a year to unlock [Death Aura] suddenly felt like it could be trimmed down to a mere six months.

This shift was a welcome one, showing the progress I'd made and the potential for more to come.

Recalling the period after the battle and the injury I sustained during the assassin attack, I remembered the frustrating ordeal of being unable to use my bow for more than three days.

I couldn't reach the daily quota I initially set, which I used to complete before my injury.

But despite the setback, I continued with whatever practice I could manage.

Then, another interruption came to my training in the form of a journey back to my Kingdom, a two-day train ride that completely halted my Archery practice.

Luckily, by the time I reached my home(:Palace), my injury had fully healed, and I took it upon myself to make up for lost time without taking any breaks.

This time, I have no restrictions.

I could go as long as I wanted, and no one would bother me even if I passed out, except for the SCOLDINGS I would receive from my Sister.

[Archery] ➥ {Y.Exp-❲3⟯}➠{Y.Exp-❲6❳]}

In the span of seven more days, I completed the Mission given by the System, gaining {Y.Exp-❲3⟯} in [Archery], bringing my total experience to {Y.Exp-❲6⟯}.

Before I go on, explain the things that I am now capable of doing with the added Y.Exp-❲3⟯ in Archery.

Something I never expected happened and truly caught me off guard.

[Writing and Illustration] ➥ {Y.Exp-⟮3⟯➠{Y.Exp-⟮5⟯}

-That I also received something like a [Hidden Reward] for completing the Mission.

I gained {Y.Exp-❲2⟯}, in [Writing and Illustration], making it {Y.Exp-⟮5⟯}.

This [Hidden Reward] function was the main factor behind the uncalculated accelerated progress I made, which was not expected.

However, for me at that time, I was filled with many questions as there wasn't any information about this.

Was this hidden reward triggered under specific conditions?

Would I get it every time I completed a mission?

I wasn't sure of anything, but I accepted the rewards as the system remained silent on the matter.

And also, it is not the first time this System has done something like this. After all, the [Special Skill] was given to me in a similar fashion.

The mystery surrounding this feature did not dissuade me, rather, it motivated me to commit myself even more enthusiastically to the next Mission.

The next mission is to-|Tame Twenty-Five Horses|.

Interestingly, this mission clarified some of my uncertainties.

It recognized the effort I had already invested.

The System accounted for the one horse I had previously tamed before the mission started, a subtle acknowledgement of my past efforts.

Still, the challenge of taming the remaining twenty four horses was no easy feat.

So I got to work right away.

I bought all twenty-four new, not fully grown horses, arranged a perfect shelter(:stable) and a long backyard for free room and taming purposes.

My daily routine for the coming days was fixed as I began to approach them.

It is a gradual process of bonding through walks, grooming, spending time with each horse, establishing trust through gentle care, and consistent feeding.

The routine was both physically and mentally demanding, often pushing me to my limits and occasionally resulting in awkward and embarrassing moments.

Well, I also added my previously tamed horse into the group, which was really a good decision as the remaining could watch that I was not harming it, allowing it to serve as an example.

With the already-existing {2-Y.Exp} I possess, I am not a noob who doesn't even know how to treat or touch a horse, which helped me avoid many beginner mistakes.

I also once again need to hold off on my Archery practice or do it somewhere else, as I noticed the fear of sharp objects in a couple of horses.

Yeah, though the horses were young, not fully grown ones, most of them were fine with sharp objects, except for two.

Though I respected their unease in a world where horses are used in battle, they cannot survive for long with an inability to handle sharp objects.

So I had to put a lot of effort into making them adapt to sharp objects and adjust my approach accordingly.

Around the 30-day mark, my persistence paid off.

All twenty four horses began responding to my commands, reflecting the bond we had forged, and most importantly, both horses became adapted to sharp objects.

Well, I expected them to take more days, but I was satisfied with them as my hard work paid off.

Maybe they felt my genuine care.

Ironically, I began to enjoy this routine, finding peace and stress relief among the horses.

In the following twenty days, my Mission was also completed, making a total of fifty days.

Despite my success, I continued my interactions with the horses until my departure, but after my Mission was completed, I also allowed a few Knights, servants, and mostly Elza to interact with the horses, gradually making them comfortable around other people.

Someone had to look after them when I went to the Military academy, right?

[Horsemanship]➥ {Y.Exp-⟮2⟯➠❲5❳}

Completing the Mission, I received {Y.Exp-❲3⟯} in [Horsemanship], bringing my total experience to {Y.Exp-❲5⟯}.

Similarly, I also got a [Hidden Reward] of {Y.Exp-⟮2⟯} in [Hunting and Tracking], making it {Y.Exp-⟮4⟯}.

This time, I accepted both rewards without much pondering.

And then there's the current mission that's giving me quite a bit of trouble.

|Win Hundred Duals|.

This is undoubtedly the most challenging(:bothering) Mission the System has thrown my way, but then again, it's not like I've undertaken many missions before.

As of now, I've only completed two.

The reward for this mission is tantalizingly promising.

{3-Y.Exp} in [Martial Arts].

Though I am not into close combat, it is a Skill that could significantly boost my prowess(:defense), and don't forget the [Hidden Rewards] I might end up with.

Yet, the difficulty lies not so much in achieving victory in these duels, but rather in finding suitable opponents.

The System is quite selective when it comes to acknowledging a dual as legitimate.

Many times, it hasn't deemed my opponent worthy enough, nullifying the dual.

This has left me with no choice but to seek out opponents in a rather unconventional way

By participating in the Knight training camp in our Xantrinia Kingdom.

This camp is where aspiring young individuals gather with dreams of becoming Knights of the Kingdom.

It's practically the only place I can reliably find opponents willing to engage in a duel.

And so for the next twenty five days, I found myself in the midst of these aspiring Knights, honing my skills and completing these duals.

This way, I've managed to make significant progress, having won a total of [83] duals.

This translates to roughly 80 percent completion of the Mission.

However, the remaining [17] duals still stand uncompleted, casting a shadow of doubt on when I'll have the chance to complete it.

"The coming days are definitely going to be tiring…"(Rai)

I muttered and closed the blue window screen with a firm click.

As uncertainty looms, I decide to call it a day.

With my next movements undecided, I head to bed, readying myself for a long and tough day ahead.

.

(To be continued…)

★─────⇌•★•⇋─────★

Chapter words : 1590

Total words : 32.68K