Shshsh…
The constant flow of water down the ground produced a faint yet soothing melody that resounded in Leo's ears, but it still couldn't cover the voice in his head.
[ Hidden Event occurrence has been detected. ]
The sight of water joining together to form a veil was mesmerizing but Leo didn't linger, instead, he continued further ahead.
As the lukewarm water trickled over Leo's shoulders, he went beyond the water curtain, only to discover a simple cave that had nothing unordinary about it. However, Leo didn't doubt his success as he had already received 'confirmation'.
'It should be here somewhere…'
The person that would originally find this place wasn't mentioned in the novel in much detail, not even qualifying as a side character, but he was strangely lucky.
He had been just traveling around the area for another mission, but he ended up finding a sword made from mutated metal lying on the ground! The original owner was lying beside it, but he was already a corpse, just as the man thought that the day couldn't get any better, he ran into a Sword Beast!
As a grade-2 Swordsman who has been stuck for a while, the man would probably have just run away, but he had been lucky once again, the beast was gravely injured!
With a mutated sword in hand, not to mention the weakened opponent, the man easily found the courage to fight. He ended up winning but was still slightly injured, so he dragged his body to a place with water to rest and cleanse his wound… Only to end up finding that this was just the beginning of his lucky day!
'Is it… here?'
After carefully searching around the hidden cave, Leo's hand finally touched a part in the wall that felt far softer than the rest of it!
Rkkkkk…
Before he managed to probe it further, that part of the wall quickly collapsed into soft dirt. Leo could tell that this was man-made or more precisely 'beast'-made…
Clearing out the way, Leo made it through the wall only to freeze in place, he had really found it!
It ran the opposite way, but the sound of running water was still the same. However, the reason Leo was stunned was that he could see something other than water!
[ Discovered Hidden Piece, 'Breathing Fountain'. ]
The natural rock chamber still looked very ordinary, but the water had made its way out of the ground to form a natural fountain, one that wasn't as natural…
Along the flowing water, faint illusory sword shapes could be made out, without doubt, this was the manifestation of Sword Breath! It wasn't something that humans could perceive, but Leo was capable of seeing it!
[ You have received 44 Reading Points. ]
Despite being excited, Leo maintained his calm as he was precisely here for this 'phenomenon', but the lucky man who was supposed to make it to this place was completely shocked.
Naturally, he had heard the stories that were told of the first expedition, they said that Sword Breath was too concentrated around the Sky-Piercing Sword that one could see it with their own eyes, it was just that he didn't really bother believing in them. Even if it was real, would someone like him come close to the Empire's treasure to see it for himself?
Yet, in this lucky streak of his, he had actually encountered this phenomenon?
At this point, the man could no longer deny it, to be lucky was simply his destiny! He didn't choose to be the protagonist of the world, but how could he deny his fate?
Unfortunately for him, the man would soon come to encounter the true protagonist, an encounter that even his 'luck' couldn't save him from. In the end, he was just another tool to deliver riches, just another 'arrogant' opportunity for Ray to show his strength as the main character.
'I will make sure to use it well.'
As exhausted as Leo was, he couldn't resist taking out his last intact sword and performing his 'Universal Sword Breathing', he just had to experience the effect of this place himself!
________________________
Personal Statistics:
----------------
True Sword Breath: 127/200
Physique: 1.34
Mind: 1.38 (+1.97)
Sword Breath: 201.8
________________________
Swish! Swoosh! Swissh!
Taking one last glance at his 'Personal Book', Leo pushed himself to perform one set fueled by his excitement! This was the first step he would take on his unconventional path as a reader!
From all the opportunities he knew of, Leo had chosen this particular one as the foundation for a reason. He was far too weak at this point, only by making use of it would he be able to reach forward for the rest!
'This feels…'
As he swung his sword and drew stroke after stroke, Leo could tell that something was different. Something was building up around him from both the inside and the outside. This was the very first time he felt anything before completing the whole set!
'Great!'
The buildup only grew stronger, but Leo only felt familiarity as if he was becoming part of this chamber. By the time he finished doing one full set, the exhaustion that Leo felt was strangely washed away…
________________________
Personal Statistics:
----------------
True Sword Breath: 130/200
Physique: 1.34
Mind: 1.38 (+1.97)
Sword Breath: 201.9
________________________
'As expected of a hidden piece…'
Despite only performing one set, Leo had somehow obtained more Sword Breath than what he would get from performing 12 sets!
Furthermore, if it was in this place, Leo felt like he could last for at least an hour more than usual!
Although it was of a much smaller scope to 'Sword Fall', the 'Breathing Fountain' was another place that formed up as an aftereffect to the Sword of Epoch's descent. However, its size didn't make its value any less.
It was merely a small opening, but the environment that it created could only compare to one other place. According to Leo's calculation, training at the rock chamber almost had the same effect as training just next to the Sky-Piercing Sword itself!
'For the time being at least…'
As a simple by-product of the source himself, the 'Breathing Fountain' couldn't truly hold the same ability. However, everything was relative. Undoubtedly, this was the best training place for someone of Leo's current grade.
"Let's handle 'that' first."
Leaving the rock chamber in satisfaction, Leo went back to handle the corpse that he left behind. The most precious part of the beast was sacrificed for safety's sake, but every part of a Sword Beast still had its value, that was especially the case for its meat.
Leo wasn't exactly that great at dismantling, but he had enough hunting 'experience' thanks to his reading. A Sword Beast's body was tough, but Leo was able to make quick work out of it with the help of Sword Breath…
After he finished his work, Leo transported his new ingredients behind the waterfall. The bones and hide had a relatively high value as they could be used to make special armor and Leo planned to sell most of it, but he had other plans for the 'meat'.
Although the Sword Beast wasn't included in the Hidden Piece itself, it was also one of Leo's objectives.
While incomparable to the effect of the 'Breathing Fountain', eating a meal made of a Sword Beast's meat before 'Breathing' had a subtle effect of increasing absorption. Something that Leo would make the best use of in a special place like this!
'Perfect.'
To begin with, the reason this Sword Beast managed to grow and advance this far was naturally due to the 'Breathing Fountain', which is why he was reluctant to stray too far from it, even putting the effort to hide it. So in a sense, this Hidden Piece was like a 'combo' meal that was prepared to maximize its 'taste'.
Even after finishing up the transportation, Leo couldn't lay down to rest. If he didn't want to let the meat rot away, he could only head back to get what he needed for the sake of meat preservation.
On the way to the village market, Leo stopped by the siblings' house to retrieve his belongings alongside the horse before giving them another 5 silvers in celebration of his successful hunt, prompting Loey to smile proudly.
"I knew it would be a breeze for Big Brother Leo!"
After grabbing salt as well as other food ingredients that he would eventually need, Leo didn't forget to pass by the Village Chief and report his mission's success.
"Shall we start?"
Back in front of the waterfall, Leo had already submerged the rest of the meat in brine before he took out a fresh piece that he had put aside, starting a fire as he prepared a pre-training meal!
'Not bad.'
The meat was tough but it somehow didn't have the 'fishy' taste of wild meat. In fact, after being roasted, Leo found it more like chicken, perfect for the fried rice he had prepared as a side dish.
Coo.
Upon finishing his meal, Leo took out a piece of paper that he had prepared in advance, tying it to the pigeon that he had brought along with him all the way here. Only after it soared in the sky did Leo finally go back to the rock chamber.
Swish! Swoosh! Swishh…
The sound of sword slashing converged with the melody of the fountain as visible Sword Breath danced around Leo. Stroke after another, he only stopped when he could no longer hold the sword in hand.
As the sun was already setting by the time he was done, Leo directly laid down his mattress before he surrendered himself to sleep. This day may have ended, however, this was but the beginning of Leo's 'closed door' training!
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