Yvaine looked at Vale curiously. It has been a while since he started practicing the sword technique he had just learned.
She had come out of the shadow to ensure that Vale could practice without any worries, and she couldn't help but feel mesmerized by his movements.
Vale's feet glided across the ground, his steps light and graceful.
He weaved in and out of imaginary opponents, his sword slicing through the air with swift and precise strikes. Each movement flowed seamlessly into the next, creating a mesmerizing display of deadly elegance.
'Shadowblade Dance… This is awesome…' Vale silently thought.
As he continued to practice, he could feel the essence of the Death Knight, or the middle-aged man, guiding his every motion. It was as if the fallen swordsman's spirit was lending him its expertise, honing his skills with each passing moment.
Vale didn't expect that the Memory Fragment, which he thought was quite useless because it only gave him useless memories, would give him such a valuable technique.
He couldn't help but feel excited at what kind of memories he would get soon.
After some time, the blade dance became more natural to Vale, the patterns etched into his muscle memory.
He lost himself in the rhythm, his mind focused solely on the intricate steps and fluid motions. The world around him faded away, leaving only the dance and the sound of his own breath.
Hours turned into days as Vale tirelessly practiced, pushing his body to its limits. Sweat glistened on his brow, and his muscles ached with exertion, but he pressed on, driven by a determination to master the Shadowblade Dance.
With each passing day, Vale's movements became more precise, his strikes more powerful. He could feel the dance becoming a part of him, an extension of his very soul.
As Vale twirled and spun, his sword a blur of steel, he knew that he was on the path to mastery.
The Shadowblade Dance had become his own, no longer from the middle-aged man in the Memory Fragment… He made his own expression with his unique style and determination.
"Whew~ That was harder than I thought... Even with the memories, that still took some time."
Finally, after days of relentless practice, Vale lowered his sword, his body drenched in sweat. He stood there, panting, feeling a sense of accomplishment wash over him. The Shadowblade Dance had become a part of him, a weapon in his arsenal that he could call upon in the face of any challenge.
With newfound confidence, Vale sheathed his sword and planned to continue his exploration. However, he heard his stomach grumbling…
He had been here for several days, so he had to go out first…
Vale then took out the key in his inner pocket and poured energy into it.
Whom~
Suddenly, his surroundings crumbled as if the space was being distorted. Soon, he appeared in front of the First Floor's entrance door.
"That's faster than what I thought…" Vale muttered as he saw the familiar door.
Just like that, he was able to go out of the Tower.
As soon as he stepped out, Headmaster Jean's figure suddenly appeared and looked at Vale curiously.
"It took you five days to clear to the first floor?" Headmaster Jean asked curiously. There was also a hint of disappointment in his voice.
Vale could tell what he was thinking, so he smiled and replied. "I received some interesting things inside, so it took me some time. I will enter the Tower again to clear the second and third floors after I fill my stomach and sleep for a bit."
Vale said as his stomach started grumbling once again. He also started feeling sleepy but knew he needed to fill his stomach before sleeping.
Headmaster Jean could only nod at this as he watched Vale leave to head back to the Academy's Main Building.
***
Vale moved swiftly as he headed towards the cafeteria to have a meal. Then, he returned to his dormitory to have his much-needed rest.
If not for his high vitality, he would probably collapse just on the second day of his sword practice.
After six hours of sleep, Vale felt energetic as he took his things with him and returned to the Dark Soul Tower.
The guards already knew his identity, so there was no problem heading there even without the Headmaster's presence
Once again, Vale used the key to open the door of the Tower.
Of course, he wouldn't restart his exploration.
After getting inside, Vale focused his thoughts on the key in his hands. Pouring his energy into it, a faint glow surrounded the key as space itself seemed to distort around him. In an instant, he found himself back at the exact spot where he had left off in the Dark Soul Tower.
'Amazing… I wonder if there's a Spell similar to this I can use outside.' Vale thought as he looked in front of him.
The second floor's entrance door stood before him, its imposing presence beckoning him to continue his journey. With a renewed sense of purpose, Vale took a deep breath and stepped forward, crossing the threshold into the Chamber of Illusions.
Once inside the Chamber of Illusions, Vale immediately sensed a shift in the air—a subtle whisper of magic that hinted at the illusions that awaited him.
According to the Professors, this floor would test his senses and perception, so he was prepared.
His Phantasm State was already active.
His Magic Zone expanded, allowing him to survey his surroundings within a range of at least 100 meters. With this enhanced perception, he could see through the illusions that lay ahead.
Vale stood at the center of a vast chamber, surrounded by countless paths that seemed to stretch into infinity. Each path was shrouded in illusionary mist, making it difficult to discern the true way forward.
'I guess relying on my heightened senses was too much…' Vale silently thought as he activated one of his spells, Divine Sense.
With this Spell, he knew that navigation through these illusions would be a lot easier.
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