Inside the private training room, Rey stood frozen, staring at the glowing screen before him.
======
Daggers & Knives: F+ {0% → 47%}
======
He blinked once.
Then again.
"…That's not right."
He hadn't trained for long.No enlightenment.No strange sensation.No sudden clarity like before.
Yet he had crossed a minor stage and nearly reached the midpoint to a major one.
"I shouldn't have gained this much in an hour," Rey muttered. "Did the system mess up?"
Aiden scoffed.
"You think enlightenment drops every time you swing a weapon?" he said calmly. "What happened before was a coincidence. Rare coincidence. Don't chase it."
Rey frowned slightly.
"So this is… normal growth?"
"Yes," Aiden replied. "And you should be satisfied."
Rey exhaled and nodded.
If luck wouldn't carry him forward, effort would have to.
He glanced at the clock mounted on the wall.
Time remaining: 1 hour, 56 minutes.
Plenty… but not enough to be careless.
Emmy would be home soon.
And if he missed opening the door for her again, even becoming stronger wouldn't save him from his mother's slipper.
That weapon ignored defence entirely.
He slipped his phone back into his pocket and turned toward the weapon rack.
Only four choices remained.
Sword.
Daggers.
Spear.
Wooden pole.
Rey hesitated, then looked toward Victor.
"Victor," he asked, "if I train with a polearm stick, will it count toward spear mastery? They're basically the same, right?"
Victor's eye twitched.
"Kid," he said slowly, restraining himself, "a spear is a weapon designed primarily for thrusting. Polearms are a broad category. Halberds. Glaives. Poleaxes. Different balance. Different mechanics. Different intent."
Rey blinked.
"…So they're not the same."
"No."
"Then why did you lecture me like I insulted your ancestors?"
Victor sighed deeply.
"I was venting. As for your actual question, ask Aiden."
And with that, he vanished.
Aiden appeared beside Rey almost instantly.
"No," he said. "Training with the pole won't merge into spear mastery. Zero's weapon mastery treats every weapon as its own discipline. No shortcuts."
"…That sounds expensive."
"It is."
Rey nodded and reached for the spear anyway.
If shortcuts didn't exist, then there was no reason to avoid difficulty.
He stepped before the dummy and raised the spear.
Then froze.
"…How do I even use this properly?"
His first thrust missed the shoulder and struck the chest.
The second aimed for the head and pierced nothing but air.
The third almost sent the spear slipping from his grip.
It was ugly.
Clumsy.
Embarrassing.
A spear was one of the most basic weapons in existence, and he looked like someone holding it for the first time.
Rey grimaced.
Then stopped.
Instead of attacking wildly, he slowed down.
Way down.
He began poking the dummy carefully, almost playfully.
No force.
No speed.
Just control.
Tip to target.
Again.
Again.
As his accuracy improved, he increased his speed slightly.
Miss.
Correct.
Miss again.
Correct again.
Time passed.
Sweat dripped down his jaw.
When he checked the clock again, only thirty minutes remained.
======
Spear: F {61%}
======
"That's it?" Rey muttered.
But his posture was steadier now.
His thrusts landed more often.
His control had improved.
Pride flickered in his chest.
He tightened his grip and pushed harder.
Thrust after thrust.
The dummy slid back faster each time.
Ten seconds.
Nine.
Eight.
Aiden watched silently.
Victor crossed his arms.
"If he passes a minor stage with this form," Victor said, "he's no genius… but his resolve is frightening."
Aiden smiled faintly.
The spear began to vibrate.
Rey didn't notice.
He was lost in repetition.
Then—
Crack.
The sound snapped him back to reality.
Rey froze.
The spear tip lay on the floor.
The shaft remained in his hands.
His face drained of colour.
"…Oh."
He slowly turned his head toward the wall.
A poster stared back at him.
__
WARNING:
Damaging training weapons will result in a penalty of 10,000 Dragon Points.
__
"…Ahhh—oh—ho…!"
Before panic could fully settle in, a notification appeared.
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Spear: F {61% → 3%}
======
He stared at it.
Then laughed.
"I broke the weapon… but cleared the stage."
The door was suddenly knocked.
Knock. Knock.
"Sir," a voice called from outside, "your allotted time has ended. Please come out."
Rey looked at the broken spear.
Then on the screen.
Then at the door.
"…Yeah," he muttered. "This is definitely going to cost me."