Survive the labyrinth with EX-grade traits

On the first day, I ran without a plan.

“I won’t limit the number of laps you run around the training ground. Run until you’re completely exhausted.”

She added, poking my chest with her finger.

“Remember, you have to run until your stamina and mental strength are completely depleted. Don’t even think about using your strength and body techniques to channel mana.”

“Yes, I’ll keep that in mind!”

With those words, I started running with all my might.

10 laps.

I ran at full speed, thinking that if I ran with stamina management, Evelyn would be disappointed.

20 laps.

I could still run with vigor.

30 laps.

Unconsciously, my arms and legs began to lose strength, despite my efforts to maintain my pace.

“Ahren, is your mental strength only that much? Are you already giving up?”

“Ugh, Nooo!”

But whenever I showed signs of slowing down, Evelyn would scratch me from afar, forcing me to speed up.

40 laps.

I felt like I was going to die.

My body wasn’t listening to me. It felt like my brain and body were working independently.

“Huff, Ha.”

With each step, my limbs twitched and refused to run any further.

I wanted to lie down and rest immediately. I wanted to give up.

‘I’ll just run 50 laps. I can still run more.’

But soon, I struck my trembling legs and forced myself to take another step.

[Chaos encourages you to keep running, saying you can do it.]

Finally, the 50th lap.

Thud.

“Ugh, Ugh, Ugh.”

I couldn’t run anymore. Even if someone threatened me with a knife, I couldn’t do it.

“Ugh.”

My muscles were acting up. I clenched my teeth as my legs kept cramping, and it tasted like death.

Evelyn approached me and said,

“Ahren, take your hands off your legs.”

I finally lowered my arms, and she began to massage my legs.

‘What is this feeling? Is she using mana to massage my legs?’

The coolness and freshness I felt in my legs made my mouth water.

“Hmm.”

Pffft!

“Don’t make weird noises because it feels good! Just stay still.”

I couldn’t hold it in and blurted out, only to get hit.

[Chaos laughs at the funny thing that just happened.]

She continued massaging and spoke,

“Your tenacity is impressive. Stamina can be improved, but it’s really difficult to fix someone who is weak from the start.”

“Mental strength, determination, and tenacity are innate qualities. Ahren, you’re going to be a challenging student.”

I smiled at the compliment.

“Now, with that in mind, let’s get started. Get up.”

My smile faded.

However, thanks to the massage, my body was able to move without any issues.

I got up and wobbled, and Evelyn waved her hand in the air.

Zing.

‘What the heck! Is this some kind of pocket dimension?’

Surprisingly, it was correct. A black gap opened where she waved her hand.

Evelyn saw my surprised face and said,

“Are you surprised? Is this the first time you’ve seen something like this? I caught a mid-level space-type mutant in the dungeon, and when I escaped, I gained a pocket dimension attribute.”

She reached into the gap and pulled out something black.

It’s like an inventory.

She handed me what she had just taken out.

[Wrist & Ankle Guards for Training] (B)

Wrist and ankle guards set made by master craftsman Hutton in Olarium’s commercial district.

Created through adventurer Evelyn’s request.

Training equipment made of high mana conductivity alloy and black iron, allowing weight adjustment.

• By infusing mana, the weight applied when worn can be adjusted from a minimum of 5kg to a maximum of 15kg.
•
• Once worn, weight adjustment and release are impossible for 7 days.
•
• After 7 days, strength, agility, and stamina ratings increase by one level. Does not apply to D-rank or higher stats.
•
• Cannot be worn again by the same person.
•
“So, for about a week, you’ll be wearing something similar to a sandbag to improve your physical abilities.”

Evelyn tapped my wrist and continued,

“I’ve already set it to the maximum weight of 15kg. Wear it on both wrists and ankles.”

As soon as I put the guards on each part of my body, they automatically clicked into place.

“Ugh.”

As soon as the total of 60kg, 15kg per part, was applied, I thought this wouldn’t be easy.

Even when I used dumbbells in the gym, I only held them for a set amount of time… Now, I have to endure this weight without being able to take it off for a week?

I hate gravity…

[Chaos encourages you to endure for 7 days, saying it’s an opportunity to raise your stats.]

[Chaos comforts you, saying that it’s usually items or attributes that are applied directly, and it’s quite difficult to raise your stats on your own.]

‘Yes, now is not the time to be picky. Let’s endure it.’

I endured the heavy weight and stood up, and Evelyn spoke to me.

“Now, let’s go eat. Did you eat at the restaurant yesterday?”

“Yes. The food was delicious, wasn’t it?”

She nodded in agreement. But why did she ask that?

“From now on, you won’t be going to the restaurant for a while.”

?

“From today until the end of the process, you won’t be able to leave my office and personal training ground, except to sleep in your room. Understand?”

“⋯Yes?”

Did I hear that wrong?

Evelyn patted my back.

“There’s a bathroom and a shower in the office. Just ask for two portions of food. You just focus on training. Train, eat, rest, and train again. Got it?”

“⋯Yes.”

Her eyes were too scary to refuse.

.

.

.

The second day began.

Compared to the first day when I was exhausted from running, today’s training was nothing.

“Huff, Huff!”

To test the limits of my eyes, she threw small stones infused with mana, increasing the number of stones as I dodged them.

Furthermore, to improve my concentration and precision before teaching me swordsmanship, she had me strike the stones with the tip of my sword as they flew in different directions.

Even in the slowed-down world, there were limits to what I could do perfectly, and I got hit by the stones quite a lot.

‘It would have been better if I could at least use my strength and body techniques.’

The potion healed the bruises and swelling.

But it didn’t restore my bruised ego, which had been chipped away by those small stone fragments…

On the fourth day.

After repeating the routine of training-eating-resting-training-sleeping for several days, I was able to dodge or strike most of the flying stones.

“The frequency of getting hit has decreased rapidly in just a few days. Good. Let’s move on to the next step.”

What’s the next step?

I wondered as she took out large bundles from the pocket dimension.

Inside were… logs and rocks about waist-high?

“Now, the next training is to improve your spatial awareness and footsteps.”

“After placing these in the training ground! You can only walk on top of them, and I’ll attack you from random directions without stopping.”

So I have to walk only on these structures?

“To dodge attacks, you’ll have to back away or even step forward when attacked from behind.”

Evelyn smiled meaningfully.

“But what if the space you can step on is limited?”

So, this time, I have to move without touching the ground, only stepping on the logs and rocks to dodge attacks?

“If your foot touches the ground, it’s considered a death. I’ll place these things around, so wait a moment.”

She quickly created a temporary terrain.

And so, the second training began.

On the fifth day.

“Don’t think that your enemies will always fight you on flat ground!”

“Ugh.”

“Adventurers might attack you in a mountain full of rotten tree remains, or you might have to fight monsters in a rocky area!”

Whoosh!

Thud, Thud.

“You just died again! Do you want to die by stepping on a hole in the bridge or in a swamp full of poison pools? Wake up!”

“Damn it!”

Evelyn keeps attacking and disappearing. I keep getting hit as I try to dodge and take a few steps.

I’m so focused on dodging attacks by looking at their trajectories that I don’t pay attention to where I’m stepping, and I keep tripping.

‘Let’s see who wins, this damn training!’

On the eighth day.

Today, I was about to start training in the morning when I felt a sense of liberation with a clunk.

[The guards are released.]

[Strength, agility, and stamina increase by one level.]

[Endurance increases by one level due to consistent hits during training.]

[Ahren]

[Strength: D-] [Agility: E+] [Endurance: E+]
[Stamina: D-] [Mana: EX] [Luck: E+]

[Held Attributes] (Open)

“Damn, does my body feel this light now that it’s released?”

I had gotten used to enduring the weight over the past week, but now that the total of 60kg was gone, I felt like I could fly.

I entered the training ground and returned the guards to Evelyn.

“Has it been that long already? Oh, is that because it’s released? Today, you seem more confident than ever.”

“I’m used to this training now.”

It’s already been four days of the same training.

If I focus on the attacks, I stumble.

If I pay attention to where I’m stepping and think about where to step next, I’ve been hit countless times by the wooden sword…

But now, it’s different.

My body feels lighter, and my agility stat has increased by one level.

Even the sensation in my feet feels different.

“Let’s begin.”

Today, I will finally finish the second training.