45 Plan of Attack

How exactly does one become stronger when the physical body cannot improve? Obviously, you get yourself some weaponry and armor. Anything to help.

Full suit with a cool helmet? That would work. Mecha? Awesome! Magical sword that can destroy the world with a slash? Why not!

Yeah, I'm in a forest. So far there is one place I can think of where I could get weapons. And that would be the old dwarf. How do I reach there? No idea!

How do I avoid the ghost to even search for the guy? No idea! Can that be useful in my situation? Definitely not!

Then again would a sword really help me? Are ghosts even vulnerable to metal? Logic would say that if he has a way to harm me I should have a way to harm him back! But logic also stipulates that ghosts exist only in fiction.

So yeah, who knows. If I don't rely on any external means to power up, I need to change my basic specs. I already said that my stats are fixed? Yes, but what about my skills.

To put things into perspective right now all my skills are like F rank. What if I can steadily increase my mastery over time? With S rank swordsmanship I could use a branch to defeat any opponent! Or not.

Honestly, this is something I always enjoyed about fantasy fiction. All the stories with a system in them. Where you just gotta do the same dumb action over and over to become strong. You know grinding for XP wand whatnot.

Could you imagine becoming strong without actually thinking about the how or why? The dream! Even professional athletes have a strict training regimen. Possible to become a hero by mindlessly swinging a sword a few thousand times? Sign me up for sure!

Point is, I don't have any similar cheat. At all. I can use magic. That much is a given. Nature magic, but it's not very efficient against the ghost. Creation magic I guess with the dummy thing, but I doubt it could help me. After all, I would need a good medium to enchant in the first place.

What would I do here? Add a spirit to a tree? It would be too slow. Plus the ghost can pass through it.

Add a spirit to a rock? Well having a rock as a pet might be good for the morale. This isn't going to work.

I know I can mute with a magic formation. Do I have time to create such a thing? Nope, he is only giving me 10 seconds.

What about more basic skills? He said that I was slow. I can always get more used to the environment. Right now I am getting slowed by the various obstacles on my way.

He said I wasn't aware enough. I guess it would help a lot if I somehow managed to detect him sooner. Then I could change direction faster. It would save me a lot of time overall. This is good, also very hard to actually train.

Finally, he said something about being perseverant. That one is going to be the hardest. But it's fine! This is just temporary! I need to keep going until either I finish my training or Yggdrasil wakes up.

I'm sure he would run to my rescue! Well, besides the fact that he is a tree you know. Trees don't usually have that ability.

Then again, I really doubt he's a normal one either. The ability to talk and use magic is a slight giveaway. Well, the humongous size gives a slight hint too haha. Anyway, I'm here for the long run.

What should I … Ah, there is the ghost again. Thus starts another session of torture. Seriously thinking while running is hard. But so is thinking while getting lapidated.

It kinda reminds me of the time I was a student. There was this one guy in my class that was the loudest. No matter what he did. Chewing, talking, breathing, existing. How does one be loud by existing? It still remains a mystery to this day.

Anyway, we used to have some end of year's exams. Sitting next to him would raise the difficulty level by a few thousand times. What I am living right now is almost as bad. How can literal torture be less distracting than that student? Still a mystery. Now that I think about it for all I know that dude wasn't human.

So, I am thinking about various plans as my flesh gets cut and regenerates. The best direction to run to. The best posture to avoid obstacles. The best way to detect the ghost approaching. The best hiding spots I could try. The best way to make a diversion somehow.

I think, and I consider, and I guess. All the variables. All the outcomes. How it would all play out. Most of the time these mental scenarios end up as one mental image. This mental image spells the words: YOU DIED!

Yes. That one we would see in games. The reason? The ghost is simply out of my league. He can seemingly lock onto my position instantly. He is super fast. He can fly. He can pass through physical objects. He is also way stronger than I am.

I am akin to an ant trying to challenge a god. Spoiler the ant gets squashed. Over and over. Because that ant can regenerate. Also, because the god is a sadist.

So yeah, that's pretty much it. They say self-reflection leads to enlightenment. I can safely say, this is bullshit! I have done nothing but that!

No matter if I am running or straight suffering! At all times I have a small hamster running into my head. No, not literally. I'm referring to my thoughts running wild. All with plans, all bound to fail.

I feel like a fish in water right now! Except that I'm a small pond fish. And the water I'm in is the wide sea. It is painful and it is salty. Possibly from the many tears I have shed.

*Sigh*

Still, this little fish will keep struggling. Imma become a fucking Ku-Peng and fly the fuck away! Just watch me!

****(POV)

I can see him constantly thinking of new plans. Figuring out how to overcome this trial.

His tenacity is extremely impressive. Even with all my efforts to torture him. He never gives up.

He never stops trying to improve.

I finally understand why Yggdrasil chose him.

He was right to do so.

I can't wait to see the heights he will reach!