Damn… the training rooms are getting trashed too quickly. Next ti I really should get one rebuilt—maybe borrow so design specs from Rhine Lab and see what kind of material they use for theirs.
Felix braced himself on the floor, panting hard. Blood slipped from the corner of his mouth and dripped to the ground. He looked like he'd been beaten half to death, but the reality wasn't nearly as bad—his HP had only dropped by about forty percent, still in the green zone. Clearly, Degenbrecher hadn't been pulling her punches, but she also hadn't crossed the line.
Even so, this crushing sense of powerlessness reminded him of the brutal truth of this land. Could he really stay sheltered at the rear forever? Why should he?
When the people of Terra fought for their dreams, for their beliefs—was he, their so-called leader, destined to sit safely at headquarters?
What if the Sarkaz Court appeared? Who would bring them down? Who would protect his companions?
It could only be him.
He didn't regret choosing a support class. After all, support had the power to dominate a battlefield. In large-scale engagents, he could serve as an excellent commander, rallying armies and turning the tide.
But Terra wasn't just about armies. On this broken land, sotis an individual's strength outweighed numbers.
The war in Londinium during the end of version 3.0 had already shown him: there really were monsters who had lived for centuries, creatures that no army could stop. Swords, shields, numbers—none of it mattered. Only another individual of equal strength could stand in their way.
Since arriving in this world, this was the first ti Felix had ever been beaten so badly. Not even his father had hit him like this. But he understood—better to bleed in training now than to die on the battlefield later.
This world was, in a way, his own personal Sword Art Online. But at least, in his journey, he'd found his own Asuna.
He coughed, chest heaving, forcing himself back onto his feet. His hand clenched into a fist, and with a push against the floor he narrowly slipped past Degenbrecher's incoming strike.
Stumbling back, he clutched his chest and grimaced. Just from this short spar, his best chanical breastplate had already dropped to thirty percent durability—nearly scrap.
"Your speed and reflexes are sharp. That's your edge."
Degenbrecher stood with both blades lowered, golden eyes fixed on him like the edge of her weapon—keen and rciless. A faint smirk tugged at her lips. "You look rough, but compared to before you've gotten much quicker."
"You spar with adventurers at this level of intensity too?" Felix asked, steadying his breath.
"As if. They'd never hold up against this. I'm not about to push them into triggering their undeath Originium abilities by accident. Most of them outright ask to hold back."
Her twin swords rested on the floor with a heavy thunk. "Honestly though, the most satisfying fights are with Saria. No matter what I throw at her, she can always take it."
Felix readied his stance again. He still hadn't trained with weapons—his focus was first on mastering his body itself, just as Degenbrecher had advised. That ca first. Weapons could wait.
Weak as the Sankta body was, he had clawed his way to where he stood now. Giving up was not an option.
"Heh… now you're fired up."
Degenbrecher's grin widened. She swung her weapons again, her body flowing into motion.
She moved like a dancer, each strike blending into the next in a deadly waltz of steel. Golden light shimred faintly across her body, mingling with the fiery arcs of her swords. In that mont, she radiated an almost predatory beauty—blond hair whipping with every motion, golden eyes never leaving his weak points.
The only thing that remained constant was the joy tugging at the corner of her lips.
The training room walls were scarred with deep marks from Degenbrecher's strikes. Cracks ran across the stone pillars—thankfully, this place was outside the main company building. If they kept going, the entire floor might have collapsed.
"Bang!"
For the first ti, Felix clearly caught Degenbrecher's movent. He raised his chanical-clad fist and t Degenbrecher's blade mid-swing, blocking the strike head-on.
"Hah! You're finally keeping up? Don't stop now—again!"
"Wait—"
A prompt flickered in the corner of Felix's vision:
[You have completed C-Rank Mission: Trial of Awakening]
[Reward: 20,000 EXP]
[Reward: Mastery of Originium Arts]
He opened his mouth to call for a stop, but Degenbrecher's next slash was already cutting toward him, sharper and faster than before.
She was in high spirits. Perhaps not as fired up as when facing Saria, but Felix's counter just now had reignited her battlelust. She wasn't ready to quit.
"Hey!"
Felix staggered back as heat built up inside his armor. The suit's systems were red-lining, close to breakdown. But while the plating burned, his body burned hotter.
His fingers closed around a staff—he wasn't even sure when it had appeared in his grip. The "heat" rampaging through his body erupted outward, bursting into brilliant blue flas. The blaze roared to life, cracking the floor beneath his feet.
Degenbrecher's eyes lit up. She raised one blade across her chest, the other trailing behind, and charged—like a golden cot tearing through the inferno.
One strike split the flas apart. The other knocked Felix's staff flying from his hands.
"?!"
The impact was like a heavy tank plowing straight into him. His body slamd into the floor, completely overwheld.
Bang!
One of Degenbrecher's swords stabbed into the ground inches from his head. She straddled him, the weight of the Black Knight pressing him down. Wind swept through the ruins of the shattered wall behind them, her long golden hair streaming wild in the air.
From where Felix lay, he could see the inverted reflection of the Guard Bureau's building across the street through the gaping hole they had just blown open.
"Degenbrecher… you really are incredible."
He turned his gaze back to the woman pinning him down. She looked at him with a rare, almost satisfied smile.
"You've grown a lot, Felix."
"In front of you, all I can really do is run."
"Otherwise, wouldn't those twenty million have been a complete waste?"
Degenbrecher smirked, pinching his cheek before letting out a long, contented breath. In that mont, the fierce knight was gone—replaced by the composed, dazzling blonde beauty once again. She hauled him up to his feet and crossed her arms.
"But, boss… that fla you unleashed just now. That was Originium Arts, wasn't it?"
"Yes. Actually, I've been working with Loughshinny lately, trying to awaken it properly under her guidance."
"Oh? For a mont, I thought you and she were—"
"What about ?" Felix raised an eyebrow.
Degenbrecher shook her head, amused at her own wandering thoughts. She had half-suspected Loughshinny had taken a bold step closer to Felix, maybe sneaking off for secret rendezvous every night. It made her worry for her little sister and disciple, Senomi. But if this was just about training Originium Arts, then there was nothing to fret over.
"…So your ability—it's fire?"
Felix tilted his head slightly, pulling up his personal status screen.
[Talents: Genius, Gunsmith's Hand, Master of Machines, Blessing of Kjeragandr, Originium Arts – Fire]
Fire, huh… He tested the sensation again. The heat was intense, yet it didn't burn him. His chanical armor, on the other hand, had lost a sliver of durability. Clearly, the next ti he reforged his armor, he'd need to add resistance against extre temperatures.
As for Originium Arts, this was only the beginning. A new entry had appeared in his skill list: [Basic Originium Arts Control Lv.1].
The feeling of channeling Arts was unlike anything he'd known before. Felix flexed his hand repeatedly, savoring the subtle shift in control. If he was going to keep training, then Arts had to beco part of his regin too.
Fire, though… He didn't mind. In fact, he rembered plenty of pro players who had awakened fire-elental Arts—it was one of the most common categories. Lightning, gas, explosives—those were the rare ones. And rare ant no guides, no forums, no strategies to copy. You had to figure everything out yourself.
At least with fire, there were guides aplenty. Tutorials, videos, countless experints. He had no shortage of material to reference.
But there was one thing bothering him. His fire wasn't red or orange. It burned blue.
Normal fire-elental Arts looked like actual fire. His? It looked like the open fla of a gas burner. He'd never heard of such a thing.
After having the training room renovated to withstand higher temperatures, Felix sought out Loughshinny. He stood before her, stretched out his hand, and conjured a wisp of that pale-blue fla.
"The temperature is definitely higher than standard fire-elent Arts," Loughshinny observed calmly.
She tapped her chin in thought before adding, "So Originium Arts manifest in unusual forms. They're rarer, but also have distinct properties. Once, in Victoria, I t soone whose Arts conjured murky streams—not clear water, but dark and clouded. The current blinded enemies, caked them in filth, and even corroded their weapons and armor."
Her gaze softened. "Teacher, your Arts must carry so unique trait as well. If you continue practicing, you'll uncover it."
Felix gave a short nod. He had planned to abandon the path of Arts if his awakening was too ordinary. But this? A blue fla with higher temperatures than normal fire? That was worth exploring.
With players offline and Tomorrow's Developnt entering a period of steady growth, the company ran smoothly. The Terran employees had stacked up quest requests, neatly queued for players to claim when they logged in.
That gave Felix so breathing room. And with ti on his hands, he turned his steps toward Lungn's black market.
It was buried underground, carved out of abandoned subway stations and tunnels by the local cri bosses. Here, at least, double-crossings were rarer. Everyone knew who ran the shadows of Lungn: the Rat King. Nobody dared cross him. Break the rules, and by nightfall, your apartnt would be buried under quicksand.
The tunnels echoed with noise and the stench of smoke. Felix walked steadily along the cleaner street, eventually pushing open the door to a bar. He slipped into a secluded corner and sat down.
A coat and hood kept his face shadowed, but the glow of the Sankta halo-wings above his head, along with the handguns strapped at his waist, made any nearby opportunists think twice. In a place where everyone went to hide their face, nobody was foolish enough to provoke soone who had already revealed theirs.
A slender figure had appeared at so point, now sitting across from Felix. She looked frail and petite, her race unmistakably Lupo—the bloodline shared by all of Sargon's Contract Assassins. They were infamous for their unique footwork and stealth, always moving unseen through crowds, . True to their reputation, Felix hadn't even noticed when she sat down.
"You want to discuss work with ?" she asked.
"Sothing like that," Felix replied.
"Assassination. Raids. As long as the employer brings enough red gold… or Lungn Dollar, we take the job."
Her voice slipped coldly from beneath her mask.
This was a Sargon Contract Assassin. Felix admired their power, though he knew better than to try bringing them into Tomorrow's Developnt. They lived as rcenaries, bound only by money. Even if they accepted his employnt, a higher bid from soone else could turn them against him in an instant.
Still… the temptation was real. Their strength in combat and infiltration was undeniable, and Felix knew what they could add to his side. Yet trust was another matter entirely.
"I want to hire you to go to Kawalerielki City, Kazimierz. Once there, I'll give you the exact task. The details depend on the situation."
"I see. When?"
"Half a month from now."
She didn't touch her drink—never intended to. Instead, she calmly nodded, drawing a small token from her cloak and placing it on the table.
"When I arrive in the Kawalerielki, I'll contact you. But before that… I'll need a deposit."
"Understood."
Felix had dealt with them in his previous life. Without hesitation, he slid a small case under the table toward her. She cracked it open just enough to count, then gave a curt nod and stood to leave.
"Your na," Felix called after her.
The Lupo girl turned. Her long lashes frad amber-orange eyes that glinted as they studied the shadowed face beneath his hood.
"…Rosebloom," she said flatly.
And with light, soundless steps, she lted into the crowd and vanished.
This arrangent was Felix's backup plan. He knew he'd soon be drawn into the events unfolding in the Kawalerielki, and his path would inevitably cross with the Nearl family. Strengthening ties there would benefit not only him, but also Tomorrow's Developnt.
Whether the Chamber of Comrce would treat him the sa way as last ti, he couldn't be sure. All he could do was prepare for every possibility.
Just then, his terminal buzzed with a new ssage.
It was from Loughshinny.
"Teacher, Lungn's officials have sent an invitation. They want you to represent Tomorrow's Developnt at the city's corporate networking conference."
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