Chapter 89: Testing Out The Katana
Kyle's gaze shifted to the clock— 12:08 AM—It was a little late for swinging around a magic-infused katana, but considering he had already slept earlier, Kyle wasn't feeling too tired.
Plus, tomorrow, he'd be handing over the katana to Orion. If he didn't test its enchantment tonight, when would he ever?
Kyle stood up, feeling the familiar thrill of curiosity surge through him. "I may as well give it a go," he muttered to himself.
His hand reached for the katana's hilt, and a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "Let's see what this thing can really do."
Kyle descended the stairs into the expansive hall he'd turned into his personal training ground.
It was a place where he could test his limits, push his skills, and tonight, explore the potential of his newly acquired katana, Frozen Claw.
His hand tightened on the hilt as he pulled the blade from its scabbard.
The metal glowed in the soft light, and the weight of the katana felt perfect. It was balanced and smooth.
Even though he had only gotten Frozen Claw that day, it felt familiar in his hands, like any other katana he had mastered in the past.
The difference here was that this weapon had more to offer than just its blade—it held an enchantment, one that he was about to test out.
"I'll start with a few slashes," Kyle muttered to himself as he began making slow swings with the sword, allowing his body to reacquaint itself with the weapon's weight and flow.
Despite his lack of experience with this specific weapon, his natural proficiency with the sword made it feel like second nature.
As he circled the room, Kyle's gaze fell on the training dummy in the corner.
It had taken quite a few credits to acquire, but it was worth it. Built tough, it could withstand all kinds of tests without breaking down. It was the perfect target to test out Frozen Claw's capabilities.
Experience more content on m v|l e'-NovelBin.net
He approached the dummy and held the sword firmly in both hands, the hilt snug in his grip. With a quick inhale, he unleashed a series of sharp strikes.
His body moved fluidly, the katana whistling with each swing. The impact was solid—he could feel the force traveling through the blade into the dummy, but it was the precision that stood out.
Every cut was perfect, exactly where he intended it to land—that was the extent of his control.
Kyle paused, eyeing the blade. He had been eager to test the real enchantment—the Ice Slash.
It had intrigued him ever since he first inspected the sword. Kyle had had enough time already and he knew that it was time to test our enchantment.
Kyle took a deep breath, focusing on the katana's enchantment. The concept seemed straightforward: channel mana into the blade, then release it through a strike.
Easier said than done. His first few attempts yielded nothing—as the sword remained cold and unmoving.
Kyle frowned, concentrating harder. 'How exactly am I supposed to activate it?'
After several more tries, he began to try something new. He didn't just channel his mana through the blade, he used his mana to wash the blade.
It showed results as a faint glow of mana was emitted from the blade as his mana occupied the blade.
Kyle was overcome with excitement as he saw it was working.
Slowly, the katana began to glow with a faint blue light as a cool aura enveloped the blade. Kyle grinned to himself.
'This is it.'
He stepped forward, directing his mana with more purpose now, watching as the sword's glow intensified.
The air around him grew noticeably cooler, and with a swift, clean slash, he brought the katana down on the training dummy.
The effect was instant—ice formed at the point of impact, spreading across the surface where the blade had struck. The once-tough wood of the dummy splintered slightly, frost creeping across the cracks.
Kyle stepped back, his eyes wide with admiration. As expected, the sword didn't just deliver a normal blow—the strike was sharper and stronger, and the chilling effect from the ice was unmistakable.
The weapon had chipped more into the dummy than his previous strikes, leaving a noticeable layer of frost behind.
He swung again, this time pouring more mana into the blade. The icy glow was more pronounced as it slashed through the air.
Like before, the cold energy it emitted lingered even after the strike.
Even though Kyle wasn't yet proficient with water affinity, the sword's enchantment was responding well enough to his mana and was producing impressive results.
Kyle couldn't help but imagine how much more powerful Frozen Claw would become once he awakened a water affinity.
The sword wasn't a growth-type weapon, but it didn't need to be—its capabilities were already beyond what he had expected.
He could only dream of the devastation it could cause once he mastered its potential.
It was almost disappointing that he'd be handing it over to Orion tomorrow, but the promise of getting it back even stronger kept him going.
After a few more strikes, the sword's frozen glow dimmed and finally vanished.
"I see… it has a limit," Kyle thought, recalling the system's description.
[The duration and power of this effect increases with proficiency in the water element.]
He sighed, glancing over the description again. For a moment, he felt tempted to pursue water affinity as his next element.
"No… basing my future on one weapon isn't smart," Kyle immediately banished such thoughts. "There are far more powerful elements I could unlock."
A thought sparked in his mind. I never figured out how to awaken more elemental affinities?
"System, how can I unlock additional elements?"
[...]
When the system offered no response, Kyle sighed again.
"Looks like I'll have to figure it out myself." He knew the answer wouldn't come easily but was determined to seek it out.
With that decision made, Kyle retired for the night. His body ached—not from exhaustion, but from the satisfying soreness that followed a productive training session.
He sheathed Frozen Claw, the soft click of the blade sliding into its scabbard a satisfying punctuation to his successful night—or rather, early morning.
Kyle stood there for a moment, observing the training dummy. It had done well to receive a beating and he didn't regret purchasing it.
It looked slightly damaged but Kyle wasn't worried as its innate function allowed it to heal itself over time with the help of the mana core ingrained within it.
He glanced at his katana one last time. It had lived up to his expectations, and tomorrow, he would hand it over to Orion. He knew that when it returned, it would be enhanced beyond its current state.
As much as he hated parting with the weapon, Kyle was content knowing it would come back even stronger.
With a final look at the training area, he made his way back to his room. Void was still deep in his cultivation, undisturbed by the night's events.
Kyle decided not to bother him. Instead, he climbed into the soft, welcoming bed, ready to surrender to sleep, his mind already thinking of the next day's plans.