Advancement

Spring gave way to autumn, and time drifted on. In the blink of an eye, more than five months had passed, and it was now Sunday, October 18. Over those five months, Sean had changed tremendously. Not only had he grown nearly ten centimeters taller, but he had also become increasingly valiant and imposing. His dramatic changes greatly surprised Jim and Ben, while also drawing the attention of the academy instructors and other students.

Sean had prepared for this long ago. By promoting the training effects of the new exercise equipment, he redirected the instructors' and students' attention. In truth, as long as something had a plausible explanation, the truth could be hidden beneath an unimaginable or incredible story. Others would only smugly assume that Sean happened to be going through a rapid growth period and had chosen suitable training methods. They would never suspect that he was a transmigrator with unique, irreproducible assistance.

Besides, Jim and Ben, who had also trained using the new equipment, had undergone obvious physical changes as well. Ben's successful weight loss in particular made the change in his build second only to Sean's.

The academy students began asking Sean and the others about the origins of the new training equipment. Naturally, Boss Kane's blacksmith shop took on the task of producing large quantities of it. This earned Sean nearly seven gold coins.

In this world, the currency exchange rate was one gold coin to ten silver coins to one hundred copper coins. An ordinary commoner family could live for a month on two hundred copper coins, though life would be somewhat tight.

Later, even the academy's higher-ups took notice of the new training equipment Sean had designed. They paid him twenty gold coins for the right to manufacture the equipment themselves for use by the academy students.

Sean discovered that after his Agility attribute had broken through to twice that of an ordinary person some time ago, the Agility gained from practicing the Knight Breathing Secret Method had been reduced by half. This differed from his original calculations and made him realize that he might have touched upon a higher realm.

As of yesterday, October 17, Sean's attributes were:

Strength: 2.015 Constitution: 2.023 Agility: 2.170

Since all of Sean's attributes had broken through 2 a few days ago, each practice session of the Knight Breathing Secret Method increased his Strength and Constitution by 0.002, while his Agility increased by 0.0025.

Sean had no good solution for the reduced training effects, but he unexpectedly learned that reaching twice the physical capability of an ordinary person was a prerequisite for advancing to Rookie Knight. In the past few days, he had also felt a vigorous force within his body while practicing the secret method. Like a volcano preparing to erupt, that force steadily accumulated strength along with Sean's training.

Supernatural power existed in this world, but it could not be attained overnight. Even after obtaining the Knight Breathing Secret Method, an ordinary person still needed to work hard and persevere. Once their strength reached a certain level, they could become Elite Soldier Level.

Most practitioners could reach Elite Soldier Level; the only difference was how soon they did so. Judging by Sean's attribute ability, Elite Soldier Level corresponded to attributes between 1.5 and 2.

However, if a practitioner wished to break through from Elite Soldier Level to Rookie Knight, they first needed to come into contact with their own Life Energy.

Yet this was far from easy. According to what Sean had learned, many Elite Soldier Level practitioners became stuck at this stage and failed to advance to Rookie Knight for a long time. All Sean could do was continue accumulating strength and hope that it would happen naturally.

Sean still did not know exactly what kind of existence Life Energy was. However, it was surely some special form of biological energy that could be reached through practicing the Knight Breathing Secret Method.

But Sean knew that he had already crossed this difficult threshold with ease. The reason he had yet to advance was probably because he had not accumulated enough. Once the force within his body fully matured, it would likely be the moment he became a Rookie Knight. Perhaps it would happen after his next session of secret method training, or perhaps he would need to wait a few more months.

Time passed quietly, and more than ten days went by in a blink. It was now Friday, October 30. The temperature changed rapidly in late autumn. When Sean woke early that morning, he found dense black clouds hanging low overhead while bitterly cold winds howled past.

Sean attended Horsemanship Class that day. With the progress he had made over the past half year, he could now easily control the horse beneath him using only his legs. Thus, throughout the entire class, he practiced mounted archery.

His increased strength allowed Sean to use a more powerful heavy bow, making his arrows faster and able to fly farther. Seated atop a galloping Warhorse, Sean repeatedly drew and fired at targets a hundred meters away. His movements were fluid and pleasing to watch.

Although Sean's accuracy still needed improvement, it was enough to satisfy his horsemanship instructor. As a result, Sean received more careful and dedicated guidance. It was not only in Horsemanship Class; the instructors of his other courses also greatly liked the talented and hardworking Sean.

This was especially true of Head Instructor Thomas in Swordsmanship Class. He was the vice principal responsible for managing all of the academy's martial instructors. He did not personally teach the students swordsmanship during class, generally only supervising the instructors or preventing accidents such as student injuries or deaths.

After Sean gradually revealed his terrifying talent for swordsmanship in class, his practice opponents began to be drawn from higher-grade students. Until two months ago, when he easily defeated the academy's graduating students, Head Instructor Thomas began personally guiding Sean's training. This allowed Sean's swordsmanship to improve rapidly.

After learning of Sean's talent for swordsmanship and then seeing how diligently he trained, Head Instructor Thomas grew increasingly appreciative of him. Sean also took the opportunity to ask about many secrets regarding knight training, benefiting greatly from them as well.

After lunch, Sean did not train with Jim and the others as usual. Instead, he went alone to the open ground behind the academy's mountain. His training over the past few days had made him feel that the Life Energy forming within his body was about to break free from its cocoon. Today, that premonition felt even stronger.

Standing in the open ground, Sean first silently sensed his current attributes. After more than ten days of training, they had become:

Strength: 2.039 Constitution: 2.047 Agility: 2.200

Sean then began moving his limbs. Only after thoroughly loosening up did he draw his Knight sword with his right hand and begin practicing sword forms. This was not merely a warm-up; he was also adjusting his physical condition. He hoped to challenge Rookie Knight while in peak condition.

After completing an entire set of sword forms, Sean closed his eyes and adjusted his breathing rhythm, calming both body and mind. A few breaths later, he opened his eyes, and a determined glint flashed through his violet pupils.

The Knight sword in his right hand began to move slowly, then gradually accelerated. Before long, sword light flickered endlessly across the open ground like lightning. Sean naturally began using the Knight Breathing Secret Method in coordination with his swordsmanship, practicing knight training.

The mysterious state he entered during training descended upon Sean's senses once more. That vigorous force had already accumulated to its limit. In his perception, it suddenly began cycling through expansion and contraction. As the training continued, the frequency accelerated without cease. He did not know how much time had passed when a powerful sensation, as though breaking free from restraints, suddenly jolted Sean awake from his immersion in training.

Sean immediately sensed a powerful Life Energy within his body rapidly strengthening him. The source of that energy was precisely at his chest. As Sean continued training, streams of Life Energy constantly emerged, then surged through his body and limbs.

Sean knew that he was advancing to Rookie Knight, while the Life Energy within him continually strengthened his body.

Half an hour later, Sean felt a familiar exhaustion wash over him. He knew that his body had reached its limit, reminding him to stop circulating the Knight Secret Method. Excitement appeared on Sean's face. He stopped training, and after catching his breath briefly, immediately checked his attributes.

Strength: 2.239 Constitution: 2.247 Agility: 2.400

Every attribute of his body had been strengthened by 0.2 during the breakthrough. That was equivalent to the attribute increase Sean would normally gain from one hundred days of training. Seeing this, Sean could not help revealing an expression of immense joy.

After a brief rest, Sean eased the exhaustion from training. Aside from the increase in his physical attributes, he had not yet examined the other changes brought by this breakthrough. He discovered a faint cluster of Life Energy gathered at his chest.

Sean knew that the next stage of knight training was to continuously strengthen this Life Energy. He would use the increasingly powerful energy to enhance his physical attributes until he advanced to Formal Knight. Only then would he be able to fully master the use of Life Energy.

But Sean then discovered that his perception had improved greatly. His sharp senses could spread through anything he touched, allowing him to obtain simple information about an object. Perhaps he could even observe other people's attribute values. Of course, there was no one nearby for him to test this on, so he planned to test Jim and Ben once he returned.

Sean once again could not stop himself from smiling happily. His genius-like performances in swordsmanship, horsemanship, and other classes had only been possible because of the boost from his heightened perception. He knew that the sharper his perception became, the more power he could display in actual combat.

Sean suppressed his excitement, turned around, and returned to the dormitory. What he needed now was proper rest.

More than a week later, it was Monday, November 7. More than ten days had passed since Sean's advancement.

Sean had basically adapted to the physical changes brought about by this advancement. His physical attributes had improved to a certain extent, but the enhancement to his perception was not so simple. First, it allowed him to handle ordinary sparring with much greater ease, giving his strength an almost exaggerated increase. Second, he had completed his perception tests, confirming that he truly could sense other people's attributes.

Sean's sudden leap in strength shocked Jim and Ben, who knew him well. However, Sean had no intention of immediately telling them the truth. When Jim and Ben asked, he merely made up a few seemingly reasonable explanations and changed the subject.

After getting up early, Sean trained with Jim as usual. After breakfast, they went together to Swordsmanship Class. Recently, Head Instructor Thomas rarely came to supervise Swordsmanship Class, because with the end of the term approaching, he had many matters to arrange and prepare.

Academies in this world had no final examinations. Students were graded by the instructors based on their usual performance in class. The academy began classes in early April each year and ended them at the end of November, after which students could return home to celebrate the New Year.