Chapter 4: Sword Master's Might [Bonus Chapter]

Chapter 4: Sword Master's Might

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"Hey, wake up! Has your soul left your body?" Tryllo was shaking Kalon's limp form like he was a jelly, back and forth. But Kalon didn't respond. Tryllo couldn't fathom how someone could sleep so deeply, completely ignoring the rough handling from someone his size.

Squidshark, meanwhile, sat facing the iron bars, his eyes scanning the battlefield beyond to ensure no harm came their way. He hadn't dared press the red buzzer, not after witnessing the terrifying creatures battling it out in the arena.

Tryllo sighed and muttered, "If it wasn't for Kalon suggesting we delay our entry, we might've been shredded by now. But seriously, is he in a coma or something? Not even flinching while I'm shaking him this hard..."

"Leave him be," Squidshark grunted, his gaze not leaving the chaos outside. "The third round is over, and the fifth has already started. He'll wake up when it's time."

Tryllo tightened his grip on Kalon's arm, shaking him even harder. "Are you sure? He looks pale—wait, is he getting paler?"

"Of course, he's pale! He's human, and you're about to snap him in half," Squidshark said, glancing back in irritation. "Let him rest. If he hadn't stopped us from entering the earlier rounds, we'd either be dead or limping away like those fools out there."

Tryllo grumbled but complied, dropping Kalon like a sack of potatoes. The human's head hit the cold metal wall with a loud thud. Tryllo winced and glanced at the dent left behind. "Oops."

Upstairs, Lero Ro had been sipping tea while observing the game from his vantage point. The Crown Game arena below looked like a battlefield, but his focus was interrupted by a peculiar sound.

THUD!

Lero Ro's finely-tuned ears caught the noise, and he froze mid-sip. His face went through several stages of emotion:

Confusion: "What in the Tower was that?"

Concern: "Did someone detonate a bomb down there?"

Realization: "Wait, that sounded like... a head??"

Unable to leave his post to investigate, Lero Ro muttered under his breath, "If that wall's dented, I don't want to imagine what happened to the head responsible. Note to self: check for headbutting maniacs in the next test."

Hours later, Kalon stirred, his senses returning slowly. A shadow loomed over him, blocking the dim light from the arena. After spending what felt like a century in the system space, reality felt surreal, as if he were in some vampire movie waking from an eternal slumber. Every muscle ached.

[Host's body is being optimized to meet the requirements to wield the Sword Master title.]

Kalon groaned as a tingling sensation spread through his limbs. His muscles swelled, and his physique expanded, brimming with an immeasurable power he'd never felt before. In the system space, he had practiced endlessly without feeling anything, but now, every nerve screamed as his body caught up with the changes.

Blinking into focus, Kalon finally recognized Tryllo and Squidshark standing over him.

"What... happened?" Kalon rasped, rubbing his temple.

"You've been sleeping like the dead," Tryllo said, his tail swinging in an uncharacteristic show of cheer. "But the Crown Game's over—no winners! The next test is postponed for three days."

"Lucky for us," Squidshark added, offering Kalon a hand. "Thanks to you, we stayed out of that mess. You saved us from injuries or worse."

Kalon took Squidshark's hand, rising unsteadily to his feet. The arena was eerily quiet now, the other Regulars having left to recover or treat their injuries. Kalon, however, had no such concerns. He'd known the outcome of the game, and it was why he'd been so willing to stay in the system space.

'System,' Kalon thought, his mind sharp now, 'Do you have a status display that shows my stats?'

[Status]

Name: Kalon

Titles: Transmigrator, Sword Master

Strength: 100

Agility: 100

Defense: 100

Speed: 100

(Peak human stats: 10)

Skills: Triple Sword Formation (Sublime)

Kalon's jaw dropped. His stats had surpassed human limits by a huge margin. How would he stack up against monsters like Anak, Androssi, or even Baam?

As he followed his companions out of the room, Kalon's thoughts were interrupted by an unsettling sensation. He felt a piercing gaze locked onto him.

Looking up, his eyes met Lero Ro's, who was watching from above, an inscrutable expression on his face.

Kalon frowned slightly. He didn't yet realize that the changes in his stats had also transformed his outward appearance.