A year of Progress

It's been quite some time ever since Ash resumed his training after his first life and death battle and he's been progressing and strengthening himself at a constant and fast pace.

He was oddly too motivated and would often daze around lost in his own thought.

Although, it was unclear what his motivation was about why he's been working too hard on training even when Erethel herself scolded him and tells him not to push himself too hard and just enjoy his life at the same time.

Nevertheless, every time she scolds him or tells him about it, she would just always smile at him and let him be since she can see that Ash is happy. For her, Ash's happiness is her happiness.

Aside from his regular training regime through the daily quest that has been increasing every week, he was also actively hunting and fighting monsters from all throughout the entire Seolo Forest.

During the first month, he constantly and rigorously fought and trained from day-in to day-out which would sometimes cause him to end up unconscious due to exhaustion and get carried back home by Alfia and would be cared for then by his wife.

Due to his daily training and the rewards he previously got from the battle that night, he was able to level up his system to level one and unlock the rest of its functions in just less than a month.

This allowed him to be more efficient not only in hunting beasts to eat but also in slaying the monsters nesting and roaming within the forest.

With the system level up, he took advantage of the map range that has been upgraded by a hundred meters more and the appraisal function that allowed him to identify monsters and to some extent, their level of strength.

During those times, he not only continued to strengthen his overall physical capabilities but was also able to progress and increase his swordsmanship proficiency to the 'Novice' stage of the early stage mastery realm.

Two more stages and he would be able to complete the early stage weapon mastery realm quest.

His progress on his swordsmanship was of course hasten due to the sword technique he purchased from the system shop.

Out of all the sword techniques that were available in the shop at that time, he chose to buy and train what he thought was the most optimal one due to his current situation, the sword breathing technique from the demon slayer anime series.

He already knew that the technique is all about enhancing and unlocking one's physical and mental capabilities further beyond the norm through a breathing pattern.

Even to the point that mastering the technique would result in unlocking one's maximum hidden potential and would gain supernatural strength, speed, perception, and etcetera for a period of time.

However, he didn't choose to buy the existing breathing techniques known from the anime series where the technique originated from but instead created his own.

He took out the Combat ability creation ticket which he acquired as one of the rewards from his first life and death fight with monsters.

He made use of it and gave his input to Wise upon knowing that the system can assist him with the creation of his own technique.

Based on his given input and after analyzing, simulating, creating, and compiling, his very own breathing swordsmanship technique was born.

But of course, that's not the only upgrade he got for himself. He was also able to buy the stuff he needed in order to start mana cultivation.

He already knew about the details related to mana cultivation when he asked Wise again when he came back to the forest to train.

He also knew that the creatures of the world he is currently in don't know anything about mana cultivation but can somehow conjure magic to reality through their own limited knowledge and method, albeit extremely inefficient.

However, he was also surprised upon knowing from Wise that the world long ago and its ancient civilizations had that knowledge and were able to use and cultivate mana but was unfortunately lost through time.

But that's about what he knew and what Wise knew since the knowledge it contained was also limited given its current level.

---

A couple more months during his stay in the Seolo Forest while continuously training, cultivating, and fighting monsters.

Ash's activeness in hunting monsters didn't decrease. So much so that he already explored and covered the whole forest and cleaned up probably most of the monsters in the area.

Due to his increased strength and experiences in fighting almost every day, he didn't take too much effort in cleaning the monsters within and from the surrounding area.

Compared to his early days where he would come back or would be brought home by Alfia all bloodied and disheveled, now, it only gave him a bit of a challenge and would rarely exhaust him.

He knew that the monsters in the forest are weak ones. The rampant ones are Goblins and Kobolds that are now reduced to small numbers due to him actively hunting these abominations.

There are some of course that would give him a bit of a challenge like a small pack of hellhounds that almost killed him during his first battle who can do fire magic.

Or some intimidating huge pig-like creatures called orcs which despite their size, would still get slaughtered by him in the end and would often leave his pumping adrenaline unsatisfied.

Although going straight to Orario came to his mind, he still had that desire to explore the lands outside before finally going to the dungeon city.

And besides, he thought that there are still plenty of surface monsters he could find scattered all throughout the lands.

This caused him to finally leave the Forest and begin his journey around the areas surrounding Orario.

Some of the most notable places he went would be the Beol Mountains, located directly north of Orario. It is comprised of several mountains with terrible terrain, hidden lakes, and nested with a fairly strong number of monsters.

It is where he stayed and lived under constant pressure due to some hidden dangers for four months alone, honing his fighting and survival abilities.

Another one is the outer part of the Dragon Valley, located at the northernmost part of the continent where he stayed for two months. The part of the continent that known to be still unexplored to this day.

It is where he experienced the terrible feeling of almost dying again many times, fighting unknown species of dragon-like creatures for a long period of time daily before leaving due to Wise's warning and advice due to an unknown danger.

But not before vowing to explore it again someday when he's strong enough.

And finally, the forest located near the place called Elsos Ruins where he mostly fought scorpion-like creatures within the span of two months.

Along his journey, he met different kinds of races, enjoyed different sceneries and delicacies from villages and other cities, and fought different species of surface monsters he didn't see in the forest where he previously stayed.

---

[5:56 PM]

Currently, within the woods at the outskirts of the fishing city of Melen, approximately three kilometers Southwest of Orario...

"Fuuuh... Wise, let me see my Status please..."

[*Affirmative...*]

[Name: Ash Alfheim

True Name: Aranhellë Ruinënárë Alfheim

System Points: 104,053

Level: 3

Age: 19

Race: Human

[Basic Attributes]

Strength: 592 (D)

Endurance: 502 (D)

Dexterity: 554 (D)

Agility: 686 (C)

Accumulated Base Stats Total: 16,734

Charm: ∞

Mana Cultivation Realm: 1,133 - Warrior Realm (SSS - Late)

Mana Cultivation Art: Basic Mana Refining Art

Development Abilities:

-Swordsman: (Master - Development Proficiency: 23%)

-Close Quarter Combat: Taijutsu: (Master - Development Proficiency: 10%)

Fixed Abilities:

-Mana Sense: Can sense the density of mana from the surroundings.

-Extra Sensory Perception

-Total Concentration: Constant

-Total Concentration Breathing

-Auto-Regeneration

Skills:

-Transparent world: Can perceive and see the internal structures of any living creatures by condensing mana to the eyes. Such as bone, muscle, veins and arteries, and blood and mana flow.

- Mana Control

- Breathing Swordsmanship: Dancing Sword Style

A sword style that focuses on precision, explosive and quick attacks, agility, and footwork. Requires a solid fundamental foundation on swordsmanship.

Forms:

Sword Breathing:

*First Sword: Flash Execution

*Second Sword: Hymn of the Dancing Sword

*Third Sword: Shifting Edge

*Fourth Sword: Sword Compass

*Fifth Sword: Fury of a Thousand Swords

*Sixth Sword: Coup de Grâce - Equinox

- Supreme Goddes's Blessing

[Effects:]

Goddess's Love:

- As the Goddess's other half, your soul will be eternally bounded with the Supreme Goddess. Even death itself couldn't sever that connection.

- Your soul will always be under the divine protection of the Supreme Goddess and will be eternally indestructible and could not be obtained by any other beings even with some kind of divine intervention.

Master of your own Destiny:

- Everything about you is no longer predetermined. You have the freedom to choose how you live.

Unbounded:

- No longer bound to the limits and laws of the world.

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Magic Arts:

-Mana Skin: Coats the whole body with mana. Can serve as a defense for physical and magical attacks and a boost to the offense. Can remain active as long as the user has mana.

-Energy Sword Slash: A melee or ranged sword slashes by condensing mana to the sword.

Misc. Skills:

-Butcher

-Cooking

---

[*System Status/Functions

System Name: Wise

System Level: 2

System Exp: 400/50,000

-Status

-Quests

-Map (700-meter radius)

-Shop

-Inventory

-Appraisal*]