When the thunderous applause erupted on the display, Guinevere, who had been sitting on the floor, flopped backward and slumped onto his bed. He didn't even want to lift a finger.
Exhaustion—
bone-deep exhaustion… no, "soul-deep exhaustion" would be more accurate.
After all, he hadn't physically moved much during this simulation. Every battle had played out entirely in his mind. The "display" he saw was only a projection in his brain—visible only to him, not even reflected in a mirror.
And ninety-four thousand battles had felt so interminably long that, when he finally snapped back to reality, everything around him felt strange.
"A strange ceiling…"
He shouldn't feel that way; this was his dorm room, after all. But it was hard to shake the sensation. He'd only lived here a month—far less than the endless hours he'd spent locked in that cursed arena, fighting an enemy he had no chance to beat.
Even now, when he closed his eyes, flashes of sword and scabbard danced before him: Lancelot's countless attack patterns broken down and replayed, alongside every counter he could recall.
It was as though he were in another world.
Though he desperately wanted to sleep, the simulator refused to grant him peace. The familiar display sprang back before his eyes, and even if he shut his eyelids, the image remained etched on his retina.
[…Incredible though it may seem, you have indeed defeated Faerie Knight Lancelot.]
[Total attempts: 94,887.]
[Though an immense chasm of strength lay between you, even in Gloster, you scaled that towering mountain of talent.]
[You shattered convention, accomplishing a miracle you never should have.]
[By relentlessly starting over like a madman, your swordsmanship leaped to heights you never should have reached.]
"That's enough—dismiss the rest. Let me rest."
Guinevere waved his hand. The text that had once piqued his interest and kept him up all night now simply bored him to death. He only wanted to switch to auto-play and finally rest. After all, he had completed his most important task, presumably grabbed his rewards, and nothing else in this simulation really mattered.
[Because you have broken conventions in so many ways, beyond the system's usual rewards, you have earned several skills through your own effort. These skills will be bestowed upon your real-world self.]
[Would you like to view them now?]
[Yes / No]
Guinevere bolted upright and frantically tapped the "Yes" button on the display dozens of times.
[Skill: Star-Chasing Vision (B)]
[Because you attempted again and again to track meteors with your naked eyes, after countless tries you finally captured them visually.]
[Your dynamic vision has greatly improved; no projectile going through the air can escape you. Whenever your physical ability is sufficient to intercept such an attack, you will always succeed.]
[Skill: Iron Will (Pseudo) (A)]
[You performed endless challenges in frozen time to achieve the impossible, demonstrating unbelievable steel-like resolve.]
[You can completely block out pain; mental effects like fear, confusion, and illusion become ineffective against you. Your melee damage is also increased.]
[(Because you did not earn this skill through your own actual combat, it is flagged as "Pseudo." Its level is reduced to B; you cannot utilize its full effects, nor can you obtain related "Iron Action" rewards.)]
[Skill: Endless Martial Training (Pseudo) (A)]
[Intended for the strongest of a certain era, you forcibly acquired this skill through infinitely repeated training.]
[Regardless of your mental state, you can perfectly execute your combat techniques—a manifestation of surplus training etched into your body.]
[(Because you did not acquire this skill through your own firsthand combat, it is flagged as "Pseudo." Its level is reduced to B; you cannot fully utilize it, but you can always maintain at least 80% of your technique's potential.)]
[Skill: Clear Mirror, Calm Water (Pseudo) (A+)]
[Your mind is calm, your spirit clear. You respond to things as they come, without lingering on the past.]
[This is the pinnacle state of a martial artist's mind—tranquil and undistracted.]
[When you possess this skill, your mental resistance is greatly enhanced.]
[Simultaneously, your concentration improves; you will not be sidetracked by trivial matters, allowing you to make the coldest decisions in combat.]
[(Because you did not acquire this skill through your own firsthand combat, it is flagged as "Pseudo." Its level is reduced to B; you cannot fully utilize it, and it cannot be permanent—only functioning when you consciously focus your mind.)]
[Because "Clear Mirror, Calm Water," "Iron Will," and "Endless Martial Training" are all mental-resistance skills with overlapping effects, choose one to retain.]
[Skill: Supreme Technique – My Style (Pseudo) (A++)]
[Your mastery of the Western two-handed sword has reached the pinnacle. You fused the Spanish Windmill, the Italian Iron Butterfly, and the German Master's Strike into your own unique style.]
[If passed down to posterity, your swordsmanship will found the "Guinevere Style." Even legendary sword saints could not surpass your proficiency.]
[(Because you did not acquire this through firsthand combat, it is flagged as "Pseudo." Its level is reduced to A; you cannot fully harness its effects. You still need time to completely master your sword style.)]
[During simulations, all "Pseudo" limitations are ignored.]
"Holy shit…"
After reading through that long list of skills, Guinevere's first thought remained, "Holy shit, so many limitations!"
His second thought: "Holy shit, A-class skills just handed out in bulk?!"