The courtyard was silent, save for the soft rustling of leaves under the gentle breeze.
The late evening light shimmered against Leo's bare upper body, beads of sweat clinging to his skin as he moved through a series of deliberate sword motions.
The air around him was charged with the thick aura of sword intent, sharp and oppressive, like a predator silently watching its prey.
Leo's eyes were sharp, focused on the invisible arcs he traced with each motion. He was practicing his newly obtained sword cultivation technique—the mysterious Unknown Ancient Sword Art.
The flow of the movements was strange and unorthodox, unlike any form he had learned before.
Every swing demanded not only precise movement, but control over emotion and will. This was no ordinary sword art. It was something else—something ancient.
As he completed another cycle, Leo let out a deep breath and sat down cross-legged on the training mat. He looked at his trembling hands.
"This... is harder than anything I've ever practiced."
The art didn't conform to elemental attributes. It didn't follow linear progression. It was forged from pure will.
The system had warned him that mastery would begin with insanity and end in silence. And Leo could now feel the edge of that madness slowly creeping in.
Still, he wasn't ready to give up. He was Senju Leo Aetherwind, after all.
He closed his eyes and activated one of his trump cards—his Demonic Physique. The power surged through his veins, black-red energy flaring slightly around his form.
[Temporary Enlightenment State Activated. Duration: 6 hours.]
Leo entered a state of intense concentration, his mind becoming clear, empty of distractions.
The swirling chaos of the sword intent finally began to make sense.
His understanding grew sharper, his comprehension breaking past the basic surface layer.
Day by day, Leo stayed inside his residence, fully immersed in the study of the Ancient Sword Art.
He had even taken a temporary leave from external responsibilities just to devote himself fully to mastering the fundamentals.
In just one week, a time in which even talented sword cultivators would barely grasp the basics, Leo had already reached the limit of the Sword Embryo stage.
He now stood at the edge of the next advancement—the Sword Formation Stage.
He gripped his training sword tightly, his breathing rough but steady.
"One more step," he murmured, sweat falling from his brow. "Just one more."
Just then, a voice broke his concentration.
"Young Master Leo."
It was Butler Wang, the ever-dutiful steward of the Aetherwind household. The man bowed slightly, his tone respectful.
"I bring urgent information. Near the region surrounding Young Master Alex's residence, there have been multiple resource disturbances. Rare skills and valuable materials were discovered, but all of them have been snatched up by a mysterious Shadow Force."
Leo slowly stood, wiping the sweat from his forehead with a cloth.
"So Alex missed out again?"
"Yes, Young Master. And presently, he remains confined to his home, practicing quietly."
Leo only gave a small nod, his expression unchanged.
But Butler Wang cleared his throat.
"Additionally, Young Master... Miss Selena has been requesting to meet with you. She has been waiting for several days to discuss something important."
Leo frowned instantly.
His eyes narrowed, and a wave of cold disdain passed through them.
"Tell her to wait. I have more important work."
As soon as the words left his mouth, three notifications rang in succession.
Ding! [Congratulations to host for successfully slowing down the Protagonist's growth rate. Reward: 10,000 system points.]
Ding! [Congratulations to host for creating a rift between Protagonist and Heroine Selena. Reward: 5,000 system points.]
Ding! [Congratulations to host for inducing guilt and emotional concern in Heroine Selena towards host. Reward: 5,000 system points.]
Leo blinked at the panel in front of him.
He had completely forgotten the system existed these past few days.
"Hah... I muted the notifications just to avoid distractions, but it looks like the harvest came in nicely."
With a total of 30,000 points freshly added to his account, Leo smiled contentedly.
He stretched, joints cracking slightly, and looked down at the Ancient Sword Art scroll beside him. But something gnawed at his thoughts.
"I need a better sword... If I want to advance further, I can't keep using this training blade."
Without hesitation, he tapped on his communication stone, dialing the only person who could meet his absurd standards.
His mother.
The voice of a graceful and powerful woman answered almost immediately.
"Leo, is everything alright?"
"Mom. I need a sword. Not just any sword. Something that can handle the pressure of this new sword art I'm cultivating."
There was a pause on the other end. Then a warm, amused chuckle.
"So my son finally comes to me for help. I thought you'd break your body before you asked. I'm happy. Truly."
Leo scratched the back of his head, a bit awkward.
"Well... I need something serious."
His mother replied softly, but firmly.
"Go to the Third Ancient Treasure Vault. Inside, choose any sword you want. As my son, you have full authority."
Hearing her words, Leo's eyes gleamed. He didn't waste time. Immediately, he set off for the treasure vault.
---
Upon arriving, Leo was stunned.
The vault wasn't merely a chamber. It was an entire underground world hidden beneath a mountain, lit with floating crystals and blessed by divine seals.
Rows upon rows of weapons, artifacts, ancient scrolls, and treasures of immense value lined the vault like relics in a god's collection.
Leo's breath caught.
"So this is the Skydawn Family's treasure vault... I always thought my father's Aetherwind family was influential... But compared to this... they are just ants."
His footsteps echoed as he wandered deeper into the glowing halls, eyes scanning sword after sword—flame swords, spirit-engraved blades, enchanted sabers...
Then he saw it.
Tucked away in a dark corner was a strange sword. It was resting in a broken pedestal, slightly cracked, its blade dull and chipped.
It radiated no presence. No glow. No aura.
And yet Leo couldn't look away.
He stepped closer and placed his hand on the hilt.
Suddenly, the System screen flashed.
[Item Evaluation: ???]
Leo's eyes widened.
"Even you can't read it?"
The system responded.
[This sword does not originate from this story.]
Leo's curiosity exploded.
"Then what is it doing here?"
[Would you like to restore the sword to its original state? Cost: 10,000 points.]
Leo grit his teeth.
"You greedy bastard... but fine. Do it."
[Restoring... Complete.]
The broken sword began to glow, its cracks sealing slowly, its chipped blade reforming with intricate patterns. A strange energy pulsed from it—heavy, ancient, and overwhelming.
The room trembled.
Leo stumbled slightly as the pressure from the sword slammed into him.
"What the... this intent... it's suppressing even my aura."
[Would you like to access this sword's detailed information? Cost: 5,000 points.]
Leo stared blankly at the panel.
Then he screamed.
"FUCK YOU, SYSTEM!"
---
Leo clenched his fists tightly, staring at the glowing notification in front of him.
[Would you like to access this sword's detailed information? Cost: 5,000 points.]
His jaw twitched, and his forehead bulged with a pulsing vein.
"Damn you, system... you're worse than a moneylender in a famine."
Still, he forced out a breath, his voice low and resentful.
"Fine. Take the damn points."
[Ding! 5,000 points deducted. Remaining Points: 15,000.]
[Name: ??? Sword (True Name Unknown)] [Origin: Outside of this reality; unrelated to any timeline or narrative law.] [Current State: Restored] [Effect: Stores infinite sword intent. Reacts to will and emotion. Gains power as wielder grows stronger. May evolve further under certain unknown conditions.]
Leo's eyes narrowed as he took in the information.
"Outside this reality... huh. Then this sword and I—we're alike. Both unwelcome anomalies in someone else's story."
He slowly gripped the hilt again. The moment his fingers tightened around it, the sword pulsed. Not violently, but as if acknowledging him.
The aura was heavy. Overbearing. Yet intimate.
"You'll be mine from now on," Leo said softly. "Let's tear through fate together."
---
Meanwhile, in the Protagonist's Domain...
Alex sat alone in his courtyard, surrounded by stone lanterns and fading flower petals. His face was tense, his hands clenched into fists.
There was a gnawing sensation inside him—a feeling of wrongness. He had felt it for weeks now. The flow of fate no longer wrapped around him like it once did.
He stood and walked toward a locked cabinet. With a key he had hidden away under his robes, he unlocked the drawer and pulled out an old wooden box.
Inside was a faintly glowing scroll.
[Lunar Phantom Sword Art - Rare Grade]
It was the first opportunity he had found in weeks. A single cultivation scroll buried under his mother's discarded possessions. Once, treasures seemed to float toward him. Now? He was sifting through the leftovers.
"Finally... something useful," he muttered.
He sat down in a lotus position and unrolled the scroll, beginning to absorb its contents.
His aura surged, and his sword intent grew visibly stronger. The phantom essence around him began to coalesce into shadows. The technique focused on speed, unpredictability, and ghost-like movements.
He could already feel it.
"I'm close to a breakthrough... I can sense it. The 2nd Realm is just within reach. So is the Sword Formation Stage."
His brows furrowed.
A flicker of Leo's face appeared in his mind.
"You think you're better than me just because you've had a head start? I'll catch up. I'll crush you. I'll prove to everyone—especially Selena—that I am the true genius."
He growled and tightened his grip on the scroll.
"I'll make you kneel, Leo. And the world will see who truly deserves to stand at the peak."
---
Back in the treasure vault, Leo walked through the glowing corridor, sword in hand. The pulsing blade seemed to synchronize with his heartbeat.
Every step he took forward echoed not just in the room, but in the realm of cultivation he was now walking.
He had reached the limit of the Sword Embryo stage. With this new sword in hand, and mastery over the basic foundation of the Unknown Ancient Sword Art, he could already feel the next level calling to him.
"The Sword Formation stage... it won't take long now."
And with 15,000 points remaining, Leo already had plans.
"I'll refine my techniques, amplify the sword embryo into a complete formation, and maybe upgrade my gear."
He walked calmly through the treasury, but the aura around him had changed. It wasn't the same Leo from a week ago.
Now, he radiated the presence of a sovereign blade cultivator. Heavy. Sharp. Ruthless.
And far away, in another home, a boy named Alex clenched a scroll in his lap, unaware that his greatest rival had just taken another step ahead.
---
End of Chapter 65
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