===Statistics===
Name: Kazehara Yuto
Rank: F
Strength: G+
Agility: E-
Intelligence: D
Mana Capacity: NONE
Luck: F+
Charm: S
→ Profession: Swordsman (Lv. 5)
========
Looks like I've gotten a little stronger.
Lying on my back on the soft bed, I idly swung my legs over the edge while staring at the translucent status screen floating in front of me.
On the day I arrived in this world, my rank was F–. Now, I had finally reached F. Some of my other attributes had improved as well — nothing absurd, but still a respectable advance, considering I'd only been here for a few weeks and classes had started just a few days ago.
At the moment, I was probably only two ranks above Ren, who, if I remember correctly, was still at G+. But taking into account the passive boosts granted by Breathing Techniques, I didn't think I was doing that badly. I might even survive a few seconds against Kevin.
Not that he's exactly a fair benchmark… Kevin exists on a completely different level compared to me and Ren.
A large part of that comes from the system he carries — one that hands out absurd items, attribute points from quests, and conveniences like inventory, shop, and crafting.
How unfair…
"Ugh, I'm so lazy…"
What I needed right now was to plan my next steps — and figure out a way to get stronger. In that regard, I'd probably have to follow the same strategy as Ren: potions.
Potions in this world are absurdly useful. They're comparable to performance-enhancing drugs, but without side effects. High-grade regeneration potions can even restore lost limbs or heal fatal wounds. Vigor potions allow you to train for hours without rest.
They're amazing.
But there's a small problem.
The price.
Potions are insanely expensive. Even low-quality ones easily go for 20,000U on the market. Definitely not a training method accessible to just anyone.
Ren, however, used his future knowledge to make money through stocks — and later took advantage of Melissa by handing over a technology she herself would invent in the future, charging her ninety percent of the profits from its sales.
Looking at it that way, I can understand why Melissa hates Ren with every fiber of her being.
Perfectly understandable…
I also want Melissa's help — but I don't want to exploit her. When the time comes, I'll propose a deal that's fair for both sides.
For now, I think I'll hitch a ride with Ren to farm some initial funds… and also keep an eye on him up close.
And, if possible, prevent him from dying.
I should write all of this down.
I can use my knowledge to benefit myself up to a certain point, though I'm almost certain that, eventually, everything will fall apart.
Getting up from the bed, I searched for the diary I'd received in the package yesterday. I wanted to record my memories before I forgot anything.
But when I picked up the book — which previously had a blank cobalt-blue cover — I noticed a new golden title shining across its surface.
"The Chained Swordsman."
"…You've gotta be kidding me."
I blinked slowly, thinking it was just my imagination. But no — the book had really changed.
And I knew exactly what that meant.
A Book of Truth.
Ren was supposed to receive one of these at the beginning of the story… but I never imagined I'd come across one here. And something was wrong — the title wasn't supposed to be "The Luminous Swordsman"?
I flipped through the diary out of curiosity.
Only ten written pages.
======
While holding the Λ̶͚̓Ẃ̵̱͆Ƙ̷͓͐Đ̸͔́M̶̙͋S̵̞̕Ł̴̫͘ in his hands, Ren couldn't help but tremble. ₣̶̳͐V̷͔͠S̴̙̒X̴̜̀Ƙ̴͝ͳ Λ̵̇͜Ẃ̷͙́N̶͕͆ Λ̷̻̈́V̶̲͌₣̵̺̇Ƈ̶̠͑Ƀ̸̜̋Đ̵͍͘Ɽ̸̢̈́ Λ̷̻̈́V̶̲͌₣̵̺̇Ƈ̶̠͑Ƀ̸̜̋Đ̵͍͘Ɽ̸̢̈́Ⱡ̷̛̩Ɽ̴͉͝Λ̵͉̓Ṩ̸̺̓Ṩ̷̙͘ł̴̳̈́₣̶̺͑ł̷̺̿Ɇ̸̞̕Đ̸̗̾Ⱡ̷̛̩Ɽ̴͉͝Λ̵͉̓Ṩ̸̺̓Ṩ̷̙͘ł̴̳̈́₣̶̺͑ł̷̺̿Ɇ̸̞̕Đ̸̗̾Λ̶͚̓Ẃ̵̱͆Ƙ̷͓͐Đ̸͔́M̶̙͋S̵̞̕Ł̴̫͘ with Kevin taking the entrance exams and shocking everyone with his talent to where he is now training in the gravity room.
While looking at the Λ̶͚̓Ẃ̵̱͆Ƙ̷͓͐Đ̸͔́M̶̙͋S̵̞̕Ł̴̫͘ in his hands, a sudden thought occurred to him.
"Can I change it?"
Instantly he Λ̶͚̓Ẃ̵̱͆Ƙ̷͓͐Đ̸͔́M̶̙͋S̵̞̕Ł̴̫͘Λ̷̻̈́V̶̲͌₣̵̺̇Ƈ̶̠͑Ƀ̸̜̋Đ̵͍͘Ɽ̸̢̈́Ⱡ̷̛̩Ɽ̴͉͝Λ̵͉̓Ṩ̸̺̓Ṩ̷̙͘ł̴̳̈́₣̶̺͑ł̷̺̿Ɇ̸̞̕Đ̸̗̾ As he quickly changed and made his way to…
"!"
It worked!
I could really erase the contents of the Λ̶͚̓Ẃ̵̱͆Ƙ̷͓͐Đ̸͔́M̶̙͋S̵̞̕Ł̴̫͘
"Huh?"
Λ̶͚̓Ẃ̵̱͆Ƙ̷͓͐Đ̸͔́M̶̙͋S̵̞̕Ł̴̫͘ Λ̷̻̈́V̶̲͌₣̵̺̇Ƈ̶̠͑Ƀ̸̜̋Đ̵͍͘Ɽ̸̢̈́Ⱡ̷̛̩Ɽ̴͉͝Λ̵͉̓Ṩ̸̺̓Ṩ̷̙͘ł̴̳̈́₣̶̺͑ł̷̺̿Ɇ̸̞̕Đ̸̗̾Λ̷̻̈́V̶̲͌₣̵̺̇Ƈ̶̠͑Ƀ̸̜̋Đ̵͍͘Ɽ̸̢̈́Λ̶͚̓Ẃ̵̱͆Ƙ̷͓͐Đ̸͔́M̶̙͋S̵̞̕Ł̴̫͘Λ̷̻̈́V̶̲͌₣̵̺̇Ƈ̶̠͑Ƀ̸̜̋Đ̵͍͘Ɽ̸̢̈́Λ̶͚̓Ẃ̵̱͆Ƙ̷͓͐Đ̸͔́M̶̙͋S̵̞̕Ł̴̫͘Ⱡ̷̛̩Ɽ̴͉͝Λ̵͉̓Ṩ̸̺̓Ṩ̷̙͘ł̴̳̈́₣̶̺͑ł̷̺̿Ɇ̸̞̕Đ̸̗̾ magically reappeared once again.
======
"…Wait, what?"
The words seemed to narrate part of a story, as if describing someone's actions — but certain sections were censored. And in a bizarre way: the distortions moved, as if they were constantly mutating code. Staring at them felt like looking into a tear in reality itself.
Even so, I recognized that scene.
It was the moment when Ren finds the Book of Truth about Kevin in his room.
Relying on my memory, I grabbed a piece of paper and rewrote the original scene:
======
While holding the diary in his hands, Ren couldn't help but tremble. From page one to ten, everything was exactly as he had written in the novel. It began with Kevin taking the entrance exams and shocking everyone with his talent, leading to where he was now training in the gravity room.
While looking at the diary in my hands, a sudden thought occurred to me.
"Can I change it?"
Instantly, I grabbed a pencil and tried to erase the last words: 'Thus, he quickly changed and made his way to…'
"!"
It worked!
I could really erase the contents of the book!
"Huh?"
Five seconds after I erased the words, the erased text magically reappeared once again.
======
"What exactly are they trying to censor…?"
Looking closer, I realized the censored parts were all related to the book itself or to Ren's knowledge as the author. On the earlier pages, the book only described Ren's actions, blocking any inner thoughts or personal reflections.
There was something there. Something filtering the information.
If I didn't already know about the Books of Truth, I'd never understand what I was seeing. The scenes would feel disjointed, the dialogue out of context — an unreadable mess.
But one detail unsettled me even more.
There were two Books of Truth at the same time.
That never happened in the original story.
In it, there was only one book, passed from owner to owner as the plot progressed.
Now, there were two.
And I was the only one who knew it.
From Ren's perspective, he was probably still shocked and confused after finding a book that showed Kevin's actions.
And speaking of him…
Was he also dragged into this madness?