How much time had passed?
"...."
When I finally managed to open my eyes, the familiar grey-bricked Room of Summoning came into view. Thankfully, it seemed the Rite of Passage hadn't started yet. I felt like I could drift right back into sleep if I closed my eyes, so I groaned and lifted my head slightly into the air.
Just as I expected, several unconfirmed system messages were floating in the air. Even though I was lying down, I could read them without much trouble, so I rested my head back down and began to read.
『Your body has suffered a shock beyond its limit. Stamina has permanently decreased by 10 points.』
『Congratulations. You have burned away all toxins and impurities in your body. Vitality is restored, and mana flow has significantly improved. Stamina +2, Magic +6 (permanent).』
『The Eternal Flame is now embedded in your heart. Synchronization with the Flame Spirit: 100%.』
I was absentmindedly reading through them—until I saw the part about stamina dropping. That snapped me wide awake like cold water dumped on my head. I bit my lip as I processed the rest of the messages, and then I heard Seraph's voice in my ear.
"User Kim Soo-hyun. Are you conscious? Are you alright? User Kim Soo-hyun!"
Hearing was restored, at least. Her voice, constantly interrupting my thoughts, almost made me snap back, Can't you check my vitals yourself?
"───. ───. ───."
'What…? Why does my voice sound like air leaking out of a balloon…?'
I couldn't speak. Or rather, I could—but only hoarse wheezing came out. My voice had completely given out. No matter how I tried, only strained air escaped my lips.
'I'll have to wait until my body fully recovers.'
With a deep sigh, I summoned the user status window. I figured I'd use the recovery time to review the updated information with all perks applied.
< Player Status >
Name: Kim Soo-hyun (Year 0)
Class: Swordsmanship Specialist (Secret, Sword Specialist, Master)
Nation: -
Clan: -
True Name / Nationality: One who must prove his qualification, Prospective User · Republic of Korea
Sex: Male (23)
Height / Weight: 181.5cm · 75.5kg
Disposition: Lawful · Chaos
(Before)[Strength 94] [Endurance 92] [Agility 98] [Stamina 78] [Magic 90] [Luck 88](After)[Strength 94] [Endurance 92] [Agility 98] [Stamina 70] [Magic 96] [Luck 88]
Remaining Stat Points: 0
< Achievements (0) >
< Unique Ability (1/1) >
1. The Third Eye (Rank: S Zero)An eye beyond the normal concept of vision, classified as extraordinary. It's an invisible eye linked to the user's intuition. It surpasses the act of simply "seeing," allowing higher-level interpretation of all active phenomena. Although it was forcibly awakened (not through training or enlightenment), resulting in a 2-rank penalty, the presence of the pure Flame Spirit restored it by 1 rank. Nothing that occurs in the present can be hidden from Kim Soo-hyun's gaze.
< Special Ability (1/1) >
1. Unity with the Sword (Rank: Extra)The state where man becomes sword and sword becomes man. Grants enhanced effects to every action involving swordplay. Though not at the pinnacle of swordsmanship yet, years of experience, countless achievements, and class bonuses provide a 2-rank boost.
< Latent Abilities (4/4) >
1. Close Combat (Rank: A Plus)The apex of close-range weapon mastery. A level that exceeds standard combat and borders on perfection. Cannot be overpowered in melee. Boosted by experience and class bonuses.
2. Unyielding (Rank: A Plus)Refuses to give up in battle. Refuses to accept defeat. Even near-death injuries won't stop combat. Fatal wounds reduce combat efficiency but do not eliminate it.
3. True Sight (Rank: A Plus)The "eye of the mind" that sees not surface appearances but the inner truth of all things. Grants clarity and immunity to mental magic under S rank.
4. Blessing of the Battlefield (Rank: Extra)Divine blessing from the war goddess Athena, active only during battle. Grants wide field awareness, identifies allied locations, and reduces magic-based damage regardless of the caster's rank, based on the user's own luck stat.
Once I finished reading through everything, I had mixed feelings of awe and regret. I couldn't change the randomly granted Close Combat and Unyielding, but they weren't bad. Solid rank, too. And they were abilities I'd used before, so I was already familiar with them.
The one issue? Stamina.
Stamina is the pillar that supports every other stat. Mine dropped from 78 to 70. That may not sound catastrophic, but for someone relying on high output, it's a real concern.
It's like having a car built with top-of-the-line specs—but with a weak, overheating engine. If it pushes too hard, it risks blowing up. Seraph's and my predictions had both been half right.
I kept turning it over in my mind, but there wasn't a solution right now. I'd just have to gather stat points later and invest them carefully.
'I'm in Year 0, but this body is from Year 10… no way stamina will increase easily through training.'
It was a problem for later. For now, I shoved it to the back of my mind and focused on recovery. Especially since Seraph's glare was getting sharper by the second. With a setup like this, asking for more perks would've been greedy.
.... .... ....
How much time had passed? Maybe 20 minutes?
I wanted to know the exact time, but Seraph hadn't said a word. Ever since I received the last perk, we hadn't spoken at all. So I simply closed my eyes.
As time passed, my body began to cool. Not in the sense of dying—just the burning heat from the Flame Spirit settling. As the internal flames receded, my physical sensations started to return.
I had already reviewed all the info. So I took the time to quietly inspect my internal state.
There were drawbacks, yes—but I was still alive. That meant the plan had succeeded. And surviving that ordeal came with tremendous benefits. All the toxins and impurities had been incinerated, and even blocked meridians were now open.
Unexpectedly, even the tiny pressure points in my fingers and toes were cleared. My vitality was cycling faster than ever, and the flow and control of mana had improved dramatically. In combat against similar-level opponents, this kind of edge could be decisive. I now carried several hidden trump cards.
"Hoo…"
Feeling my body return to normal, I circulated mana throughout my limbs. It flowed smoothly all the way to my fingertips. That boosted my confidence. I moved my right arm slightly—and immediately noticed how light my body felt. Sure, my joints still ached, but compared to earlier? Vast improvement.
At last, I sat up with a grunt and looked straight at Seraph. She returned my gaze with her usual calm eyes, unreadable as ever. My clothes were in rags, barely decent—but I didn't feel embarrassed. After all, the being before me was an angel, not a woman.
I shrugged once and tapped my left wrist with my right hand, signaling for the time.
"It is now time to enter the Rite of Passage. Please prepare yourself."
Her voice was cold and dry. Clearly, she was still angry. The image of her pacing in worry earlier flashed through my mind.
'....'
I let it go. No point in arguing. I had everything I came for.
"I'm ready. Send me."
"User Kim Soo-hyun. Are you sure your body is alright?"
"Yeah. Not bad."
"…Then I will proceed with the transfer. Time is short, so I recommend you act quickly upon arrival."
"Yeah, yeah." I replied lazily. Seraph frowned but didn't push it. She raised her slender fingers and snapped.
Snap!
As her fingers struck, my body began to fade. Like being erased bit by bit.
"A final piece of advice—never let your guard down, no matter what. I hope we meet again after you pass the Rite safely. I wish you luck, User Kim Soo-hyun."
"Seraph. No more lectures. Next time we meet, keep your mouth shut."
Creak, crreeaak.
That familiar mechanical sound echoed. I glanced down and saw most of my body already transparent, fading from the legs up. With that, I slowly closed my eyes.
A new beginning, ten years later. A new future lies ahead.
A future to be forged—where no one is lost, and no one is left in despair. A future that Kim Soo-hyun will carve with his own hands.
Just thinking about it filled my chest with an overwhelming sense of purpose.