Only I Am A Reader

Chapter 169 - A Year Of Smelting, Timely Success!

Swisshang!

Leo's spear danced in his hand in a lifelike manner, no one from the audience could think for a moment that this was just a piece of wood! This was the current stage that Leo stood at!

Bang!

The instructor battling him barely deflected Leo's plunge. Battle experience no longer carried Leo's performance, his Spearmanship had genuinely caught up with that of the instructor!

What mattered the most was that the instructor was increasing his strength bit by bit, Leo's first three strikes were far from his limit. It was as if the child before him had been holding his strength all along.

[ Book 2 ]

Name: Baek-Ho (Leo Lock)

Age: 9 (18)

Role: Reader

Reading Points: 24

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Personal Statistics:

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Physique: 2.44

Mind: 0.4 (+2.18)

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Personal Skills:

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'Advanced Swordsmanship' - Chapter 3 - page 1/10

'Intermediate Smithing' - Chapter 2 - page 0/10

'Intermediate Close Quarter Combat' - Chapter 2 - page 6/10

'Intermediate Spearmanship' - Chapter 2 - page 8/10

'Basic Horsemanship' - Chapter 1 - page 9/10

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Events:

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- Suffering Delayment - Unique

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The current Leo was simply far too different from the one who barely avoided injury, trying to chip away at a wall too high beyond his reach. The battle instructor was quickly reaching his limit!

'It's now or never!'

His current Physique had surpassed the norm for adults, let alone children. The current strength that Leo possessed wasn't something the body of a 9-year-old could wield, but the process he gained it through made all of that possible. The nourishment of the meals he ate every day had long changed the properties of his muscles beyond what Sword Breath could have once achieved! Even if he did nothing but let his body grow naturally throughout the years, Leo was confident that he would surpass his peak as Arthur!

However, Leo knew that this still wasn't enough to beat a 3rd rate martial artist through sheer force. His skill allowed him to contend equally against the instructor but he required one last push…

"Haaa…"

Leo let out a long breath as his muscles hardened. The effect of Elixir-like food wasn't restricted to strengthening the body. Throughout the last year, he had found progress in every path much easier to achieve! Even Baekho's foggy mind couldn't help but clear up a bit!

Alongside the assistance of several reading materials distributed from time to time, Leo's Spearmanship training's effect reached an efficiency beyond understanding, almost catching up to 8 years of Swordsmanship progress. Even the Swordsmanship that he practiced on the side without additional knowledge had taken a step further as he comprehended more and more of Ray's path! The progress of Close Quarter Combat went without saying!

Tang!

While Leo only wielded a spear in hand, that didn't restrict him from exhibiting everything he knew. Through the several variations of Close Quarter Combat that he mastered, his control over his body's muscles was even more masterful than his opponent.

Internal Energy flowed through the instructor's body so that he could support his body's lack of strength. Not everyone in the Heavenly Strength Society was nourished from young to possess that degree of pure physical strength. This was definitely not the first time he had to support his body like that, but the instructor felt like it would be his last as it progressed further and further.

'This is insane!'

Even the swiftness of the sword could be faintly seen on Leo's cumbersome spear. The instructor's rich battle experience told him that this couldn't be the result of a single day.

'Is he giving up?'

Leo's current combat prowess was something that he could have exhibited a month or so ago. However, he wasn't fully confident in winning, so he held back considering he had more than one reason to do so.

Without a doubt, the daily meal was a boon that Leo didn't want to give up too early. Just like the shackles would loosen by finishing the first phase, so would the advantages. Now that the meal's efficiency was too minimal to notice even after a few days it made sense to proceed with the 'graduation' battle.

Yeon was naturally another reason. Although they wouldn't be completely separated, the routine that they underwent together would be no longer. Thankfully, Yeon's physique had almost surpassed even Leo's when it came to strength and the same could be said about her skills with the blade. The only thing she lacked was Leo's masterful control, something he could tell that Yeon would soon pass with her soaring battle prowess!

With nothing more to hold him back, Leo was more than ready to claim the first spot that would originally be claimed by neither of them, maintaining the interest that he desired for the sake of his future plans. He still lacked the ability to thoroughly crush his opponent, but he was perfectly capable of a slight win with one more little push!

Swisssh!

Relying on the limitless stamina in his body, Leo's spear sent the instructor's flying. Internal Energy was a supernatural power, but it wasn't omnipotent. Considering that quantity was the battle's instructor's problem to begin with, their peak battle prowess didn't last that long.

'As expected.'

However, Leo wasn't exactly thrilled as he saw the battle instructor's conceding expression. He knew specifically how he won since it was the opportunity he sought.

No matter how far the instructors could go in order to teach the future core members a lesson, the one thing they were forbidden from was to treat the educational battles as battles of life and death. Not only did they have to make sure they wouldn't accidentally kill the opponent, but they also couldn't use their trump cards.

Leo had seen the moment of hesitation in the instructor's eyes when he was at his last rope and made use of it, shaking his already shaken grip and rendering him weaponless. However, he still didn't care about the method he used, being even prepared to strike further, though… he wasn't given the opportunity to do so.

"Congratulations…"

The battle instructor raised his hands up in the air. They weren't meant to fight seriously for a reason. As 'tools' used to measure the children's strength, they naturally had to stop when their opponents had matched up to the requirement!

"You have successfully finished the first phase!"