The reason I didn't intervene although I can end it all is simple.
Anna has to get stronger on her own.
If I keep helping her and protecting her, how will she get stronger?
What if I disappear? What will become of her?
That possibility frightens me so I let her do it alone.
Looking at the slender figure, I sense her aura.
'A fifth rank... '
From what I learned, the challenge depends on your level.
Just as the golems were Anna's level and the sword raised her power level.
Actually, it's not unfair that she fights a higher level right now.
When she defeated all the golems alone just now, that was only a thing a fifth tank could do.
Some runes glow underneath Anna and her stamina recovers.
"So you are my opponent?"
Anna sizes up the slender woman.
"Yes"
The woman replies in a voice devoid of emotions, after all she is just a projection.
Before long, the battle begins.
A slash here, a slash there.
Some blood drips.
Although the sight of Anna getting hurt isn't something I wish to see, she must endure.
'Finish quickly Anna.... Don't get heavily hurt.. '
As I am thinking a hand comes from behind me seeking to grab my throat.
I immediately sense the danger and through speed, appear behind the attacker and throw a punch.
Ice manipulation:ice gauntlet!
I manipulate ice to form two gauntlets before punching the attacker.
The attacker flies away and hits the wall forming a small crack but with no further movement.
"Huh? That's it?"
I go to the body but find out it's merely a skeleton.
"A remaining will , huh?"
Sometimes when someone is strong enough, even after their death, their bodies will seek to get what they were seeking.
"From the aura of the skeleton, it was a 6th rank peak?"
After some thinking I get a guess.
"Since he wanted to kill me , not seize the weapon, it probably died trying to get it and it's last wish was that no one gets it?"
"But why didn't anyone retrieve the body?
After all anyone can enter without harm if they don't touch the sword.
Maybe this person did it in secret? An intruder?"
I speculate.
I look at the skeleton's finger and see a space ring I immediately take and examine it.
"No life imprint"
I bite my finger and let a drop of blood fall onto the ring.
Red runes appear on it before disappearing.
"It's now mine"
I descend with my consciousness inside the ring and look into its items.
Mountains....
Mountains of resources!
Universal coins (universal currency), herbs, minerals and more.
"Ohhhh, quite rich?"
I muse still checking.
"Hmm?"
A confused look passes on my face.
"Poisons... poison secret arts... Poison weapons... A token? Wait."
I examine the token closely.
"poison clan third elder? This token looks old"
A sudden memory crosses my mind.
___
In the celebration for my arrival.
Ir-ka and some elders around me.
"You know, we were once a very strong clan considered only under the peak races. "
An elder exclaimed.
" 'once' ? "
I ask.
"Yes, but the poison race... Tsk tsk, they stole and suppressed us until now. "
Another elder answers.
The poison race, although not a peak race, are still strong.
Their poison powers bring a headache to their enemies.
___
Back to the present.
"So this is an elder from back then? Did he want to steal the ice sword but failed?"
After some pondering I decide to just let it go and put the space ring in my system inventory.
"I can use my insight later to comprehend those secret arts"
I look at the close fight going on.
"Anna is winning? Of course she is my... Girlfriend? Yeah, she is"
I say to myself.
After another hour Anna finishes off her opponent and sits on the ground panting.
"That was....huff, hard"
She says between gasps.
I join and sit beside her.
"How was the experience?"
I ask casually.
"Tiring.... "
Anna looks at me.
"Want to go back?"
"Yeah... I want to rest.. "
"Why don't you refine the sword first?"
Refining.
A Process where the molecules merge-
Wait wait wait! This isn't college!
Cough, sorry.
Refining is itching the weapon in your soul so even if you die, it stays with you.
Of course, you can still "un refine" it later.
"You are right, this sword is amazing"
Anna stares at her new weapon.
She bites her finger letting a drop of blood fall on it.
Blueish-red runes cover the sword before disappearing.
We looks t each other then stand up and head back.
Later at night, we arrive at our cave.
Anna throws herself onto the bed and immediately falls asleep.
"Zzzz"
I chuckle and lay beside her.
"System"
[
πΌππππππ
π·πππ π°πππ πππππππ πππ π ππππ πππππ πππππππππππ.
ππππππ: πππππππππ
πππ πππ: π ππππππ πππππ ππ πππ πππππππ πππππ πππππ’ ππππππππππππ.
πππ πππ: πππ πππππππ’, ππππ πππππππππππ.
]
"A direct boost? Aren't I completely broken? I can already beat 6th rankers, and I get a boost?"
"And what about this aura concealment?"
[
π°πππ πππππππππππ
π·πππ πππ ππππ πππ ππππ ππππππππππ’ ππ ππππ πππππ.
ππππππ πππππππ ππ π πππππ ππππππ ππππππ ππππππππ’ πππππ ππ πππππ πππ ππππ'π ππππ, ππ πππ πππ ππππππ ππ.
]
"A good ability"
I nod.
I was already worrying about going to human territory and suddenly....
"Hey everyone! I went out a single year and now I am already a peak fifth rank!"
Suspicion will surely arose.
Although even if they suspect anything, and they can't get any evidence, better safe than sorry.
After checking everything I ,too,fall asleep.
In the blink of an eye, 3 more month passed.
Anna and I have been training together.
One of you might ask: did you enter 6th tank or what?
Based on my cultivation speed , you thought I would finish the novel too fast or something?
Anyway, remember when the system gave me the boost?
Yeah there is a small problem.
The boost is real... Probably, but the accumulation and resources needed to breakthrough are... Too much.
Like I could have broken through already! But I have barely accumulated half the requirements.
While I was in my training with Anna i sensed someone at 156 miles away I look over to seeΒ Ir-ka with some elders and Jake (his deciple)
Opening the cave passage and entering