Infinite Undying [Post-Apocalypse LitRPG]

Actually, Zeph had expected this from the very beginning. No matter how hard he tried to explain what had happened inside the rift, it would sound impossible to anyone who heard it.

A Tier 2 monster, and an Epic-grade one at that. Even a full raid party of ten Rank 2 Guardians would struggle to bring down something like that. At the very least, a few of them would likely lose their lives trying.

The truth was, Zeph had only managed to kill the monster because he seized the perfect opportunity while it was being swarmed by dozens of undead and had already exhausted itself after unleashing its strongest attack.

There had been many different factors that came together in that moment. Even so, the rewards he received from that battle were more than worth it. Jester had even made it clear that the sword Zeph was far more valuable than most people could ever imagine.

"Normally, someone only begins resonating with a relic after reaching Rank 4 Champion. But with this Tier 3 sword, even though its current state still isn't enough to become a proper vessel for a relic spirit, we can find a way to make that happen. The potential of this sword is far beyond what it looks like," Jester explained.

"Especially if you end up unlocking the Dark element once you reach Rank 2 Guardian," he continued.

"Wait, hold on, Jester. The Dark element? You're joking, right?" someone else interrupted.

"There are four basic elements that an Awakener can normally unlock an affinity with after reaching Rank 2 Guardian. Those are Earth, Fire, Water, and Air. The other two, which are much rarer, are Light and Dark."

Zeph listened carefully. He already knew those two elements were incredibly rare. Even so, Lena possessed an affinity with the Light element, which meant it should still be possible for Zeph as well if fate happened to favor him.

"Well, who knows? Besides, if you were paying close attention, Zeph showed a natural response toward the Dark element while he was hammering the blade earlier. I could feel it."

"You're making things up, Jester. Who's actually going to believe something like that?"

"I'm a Rank 5 Grandmaster, you idiots! I didn't reach Rank 5 at this age by talking nonsense. My senses are far sharper than any of yours."

He got to his feet and smacked each of them on the head one by one, earning loud complaints around the workshop.

Zeph had successfully secured his place in the club for his entire time at the academy, and he knew it would demand a great deal of his time. Even so, he was convinced it would be worth it because he understood just how valuable a blacksmith truly was.

When someone could craft their own weapon and even awaken it into a relic, the chances of forming a perfect bond with that weapon increased dramatically. By knowing every material that had gone into forging it and carefully choosing the elemental spirit that matched both the weapon and its wielder, the resulting relic could reach a level that ordinary relics rarely achieved.

That was the ideal outcome.

Zeph returned to his room soon after, and the moment he lay down, he passed out from sheer exhaustion. Even so, he forced himself out of bed the very next morning despite every muscle in his body aching. As always, he went out for his usual morning run.

The same routine continued over the next several weeks. He attended every class, kept up with his daily running and physical conditioning, and practiced his metal refining techniques at the Smithing Club at least two or three times a week.

Eventually, Zeph was summoned once again by his beloved and most favorite homeroom instructor, Elaine. This time, however, she asked him to meet her in the Academy's Combat Training Hall, where the private training rooms were located.

Zeph knocked on the door before stepping inside after hearing her permission to enter. The spacious training room was almost completely empty, with polished stone flooring, reinforced walls covered in countless weapon marks, and several racks of practice weapons neatly arranged along the sides. Elaine was sitting cross-legged in the middle of the room with her eyes closed, quietly meditating.

Zeph simply closed the door behind him and walked over before stopping several meters away. He stood silently, having no intention of disturbing her.

"I think you misunderstood what I meant when I told you to train as hard as you could," Elaine finally said.

Zeph immediately bowed his head.

"Instructor, I've been trying to reach the running time you assigned me. I've also been working hard at the Smithing Club."

"I know."

Elaine slowly rose to her feet. As always, she wore the same elegant instructor's uniform she seemed to wear every single day, making it look as though she owned nothing else.

"I forgot to mention one more thing. Honestly, I expected you to understand it without me having to say it."

Zeph tilted his head.

"Working hard isn't enough. You also need to work smart. That means keeping everything in balance."

Zeph remained silent for a moment before finally answering.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Instructor, I've been trying to stabilize both my schedule and my stamina. I'm pushing my body to become stronger so it can handle more intense training."

"You're not wrong," Elaine replied. "But you're not entirely right, either."

Elaine turned to face Zeph.

"Take off your shirt."

Zeph froze for a second, caught completely off guard by the request.

"Instructor...?"

She offered no explanation.

Take off his shirt? Why?

Without asking any further questions, Zeph removed his shirt, folded it neatly, and slipped it into his storage ring.

The frail, bony body he had once possessed was gone. Although he was still lean, his physique had become noticeably more defined. Firm muscles lined his frame, and it looked as though he had nearly doubled his body weight over the past few weeks.

"What have you gained from your practice at the Smithing Club?"

"I've learned how to properly swing a hammer. I've improved my control and precision while forging. I've also been training my strength and endurance."

"That's not wrong, Zeph. But it isn't quite the right answer, either."

Zeph frowned, still unable to understand what she meant.

"Take out your sword."

"My sword? You mean the physical one?"

"Yes. Your Shadow Sword."

Zeph nodded. Dark energy gathered around his right hand before his black sword materialized together with its sheath.

"Draw it."

He nodded again, wrapped his fingers around the hilt, and slowly pulled the blade free. The dark steel reflected the light inside the training room with a faint black sheen.

"How often do you practice your swordsmanship?"

"I attend every sword training session at the academy. I also spar with my friends whenever I have the chance."

"Good. Now let's make this a little more practical."

Elaine clasped both hands behind her back.

"I won't move more than a single step from where I'm standing. Your task is simple. Land one clean hit on me. Use everything you have. Today's training won't end until you manage to touch me with your blade."

"Land a hit...?" Zeph repeated.

"For every three attacks you fail to land, I'll earn one chance to counterattack." Her gaze sharpened as she looked at him. "Don't worry. I won't use my hands or any Sigil abilities. That should make things fair enough."

Fair?

Zeph stared at the instructor, the word fair echoing again and again in his mind.

How was it fair for a Rank 7 Paragon to ask a Rank 1 Apprentice to land a hit on her? Even if she had given herself such a massive handicap, the gap between them was still impossible to ignore.

After a brief pause, Zeph stepped backward and raised his sword into a battle stance. With a mental command, he activated his sigil.

[Epic Grade Transformation Sigil: Night Cavalry Activated!]

The sigil carved across his back should have been clearly visible now, especially since he wasn't wearing a shirt.

Was that why Instructor Elaine had asked him to take it off?

But how did she know his sigil was on his back?

As far as Zeph remembered, he had never shown it to anyone. Maybe Lena and Madou had caught a glimpse of it inside the Rift after his clothes had been torn apart during the battle. Other than that, no one should have known.

The moment the transformation took effect, Zeph felt his vision sharpen several times over. His instincts surged to another level, making every movement around him feel clearer than before.

His arms still ached from the relentless hammer training he had forced himself through, but he knew he would never waste the chance to spar directly against Instructor Elaine.

His gaze swept across the room.

The right.

The left.

Behind her.

Every possible angle.

No matter where he attacked from, he couldn't picture a single path that would let him land a clean hit.

Facing someone overwhelmingly stronger in a direct confrontation had never been the right approach.

If he wanted to fight an opponent like this, he needed strategy. Deception. Misdirection. He had to create an opening and strike the instant their guard slipped.

But in this situation...

Zeph burst forward.

He charged straight at the instructor with explosive speed, bringing his sword down from the front in what looked like a straightforward overhead slash.

Yet just before the blade could reach her, his figure suddenly vanished.

In the next instant, he appeared behind Elaine.

His sword swept toward her back.

Without even turning around completely, the instructor simply tilted her body slightly to the left.

The blade sliced through empty air.

Zeph immediately shifted his footing and twisted his sword into another slash from the side.

Again, Elaine responded with nothing more than a small sidestep.

The attack missed by the narrowest margin.

Zeph gritted his teeth.

He disappeared once more.

A heartbeat later, he was already above her, dropping from the air with his sword raised high, bringing it down in a powerful overhead slash.

Elaine stepped to the side.

The sword slammed into the floor with a deafening crash.

Suddenly! An overwhelming warning exploded through Zeph's instincts.

His eyes widened.

What...?!

Everything happened in a single instant.

Something heavy crashed into his stomach.

The impact was so overwhelming that his body shot across the room before he even realized what had happened. He smashed into the far wall with a violent crash before dropping onto the floor.

Only then did the pain catch up to him.

Instructor Elaine had kicked him.

Just one casual kick had sent him flying across the entire training hall, leaving him crumpled in the corner of the room.

Zeph let out a pained groan.

"Urgh...“

The simple kick had felt powerful enough to shatter his ribs. He lay sprawled across the floor, struggling to draw another breath into his lungs. Just one kick.

“You didn't even use your hands. You just kicked me... That's even more humiliating."

That was all it had taken to send him flying across the entire training hall.

After a few moments, Zeph forced himself into a sitting position before turning toward Instructor Elaine, who was still standing calmly in the distance.

"Did you really think charging me head-on was going to work, Zeph?" she asked. "I may be standing still and not fighting back, but I'm still much faster than you."

Zeph pushed himself to his feet. Still bent over with both hands resting on his knees as he fought to catch his breath, he reached down and picked up his sword.

"You already know what you're lacking, don't you?" The instructor said.

Zeph gritted his teeth, still trying to steady his breathing.

"...Speed. Power. Instinct," he answered. "My technique isn't good enough. Neither is my footwork. And compared to you, I don't have enough experience."

"What if I told you that landing a hit on me is entirely possible?" she asked.

Zeph didn't answer.

"You can't expect every obstacle in life to be something that's already within your reach," Elaine continued. "We become stronger because we endure. Because we keep fighting. Because we face challenges that are far beyond what we think we're capable of overcoming with the strength we have today."

Silence settled between them.

Zeph slowly straightened his posture and raised his sword toward the instructor once again.

"So," Elaine said with a faint smile, "do you still want the hardest training I have to offer?"

"Not even a little," Zeph replied without hesitation. "I haven't changed my mind, Instructor."

If attacking her head-on wouldn't work...

...then he would use everything he had.

Every trick.

Every advantage.

Every possibility.

A faint smile appeared on Zeph's face.

"Now I know what to do, Instructor."

The moment those words left his mouth, he burst forward once again, charging straight toward Elaine.