Six months passed in the blink of an eye.
For most disciples his age, half a year was barely enough to learn the basics of martial cultivation. But for Raiden, every single day was carved into his bones with steel.
The Supreme Swordsman System never allowed him rest. Each sunrise brought with it another mission, another demand to draw his blade, to swing it, to hone his body and spirit into something sharper than steel itself.
> [Daily Quest Completed!]
Swing your sword 2,000 times: Complete.
Maintain stance training for 3 hours: Complete.
Result: +0.5% Template Synchronization (Mihawk).
Reward: Basic Sword Aura Control.
On the very first day, Raiden had been granted a shocking 10% synchronization with Mihawk's peak strength—a gift that was enough to make his hands tremble when he first gripped the sword. That single percentage was already far beyond the reach of normal swordsmen.
But now, after months of merciless grinding, that percentage had slowly climbed.
25%.
Only a quarter… yet each increment carried a world of difference.
---
Raiden stood alone in the training grounds, the late afternoon sun stretching his shadow long across the dirt. His hair, longer now and always tied back, swayed in the wind as his sword gleamed faintly. Every swing he made left behind a sharp pressure, as though the air itself was being cut.
He tightened his grip. This is no longer the body of a boy. My sword… it feels alive.
Though he was only thirteen, the system's training had carved definition into his muscles. His stance was stable, his movements precise. His strikes carried not just strength, but a depth that made older disciples pause when they happened to witness him.
Yet Raiden never boasted. He never revealed the truth.
---
Earlier that week, his sparring partner—an older disciple—had been forced back after only ten exchanges. The boy had laughed it off, saying Raiden was "talented," but deep down, Raiden knew it wasn't just talent.
It was the System.
> [System Notice]
Template: Mihawk – 25% synchronized.
Abilities unlocked:
– Sword Aura (Beginner).
– Observation Haki (Minor sensitivity).
– Armament Haki (Initial hardening).
---
That was the most shocking development.
At around 20% synchronization, Raiden had first felt it—an unfamiliar awareness spreading from his senses. At first it was vague, like an itch at the back of his mind, but soon he realized he could "feel" movements before they happened. When sparring, he sometimes moved instinctively before his opponent even struck.
That was the birth of his Observation Haki.
And then there was the black sheen that sometimes coated his sword during intense training. It was unstable, flickering like a flame in the wind, but it was there—Armament Haki, the power to harden and sharpen his strikes beyond human limits.
These were things no one in the Murim could understand.
---
One evening, as he rested by the river outside the sect, Raiden stared at his reflection. His long hair framed his sharp features, and his eyes seemed deeper than before, as though some hidden storm brewed within them.
I look… more like him every day.
The resemblance to the legendary swordsman Mihawk was undeniable. Not identical, but close enough that even Raiden himself sometimes wondered if the system was reshaping him, molding his body and spirit into the image of the template.
> [System Notice]
Warning: Template influence detected.
Note: Excessive synchronization may affect host's personality and appearance.
Raiden clenched his jaw. No matter what, I am Raiden. Not Mihawk. This is my path.
---
The next morning, another mission appeared.
> [Daily Quest]
– Swing your sword 3,000 times.
– Endure 1 hour of blindfolded sparring.
– Meditate on the Way of the Sword for 2 hours.
Reward: +0.6% Template Synchronization.
He exhaled. "Blindfolded sparring again, huh…?"
At first, he had stumbled and been bruised all over by these impossible tasks. But now? The blindfold no longer terrified him. With Observation Haki simmering beneath the surface, he could already sense faint ripples of movement in the air, predicting strikes just before they landed.
Even so, he wasn't perfect. His body couldn't always keep up with what he sensed. There were still gaps, still mistakes. And that was exactly what the system forced him to confront.
---
By the end of training that day, sweat dripped from his chin, his muscles screamed, but his swordsmanship had grown sharper still.
He collapsed onto the grass, chest heaving, but a faint smile tugged at his lips.
Half a year ago, he was just a boy with a sword. Now?
He was on the path to becoming something the world had never seen.
---
Meanwhile, in the sect, whispers began to spread.
"Have you seen Raiden train? He never stops."
"They say even the older disciples struggle against him now."
"He's only thirteen… but that aura of his… it's terrifying."
Raiden ignored it all. Fame and recognition meant nothing. What mattered was the sword, and the path he had chosen.
---
That night, as the moon bathed the courtyard in silver light, Raiden sat cross-legged, sword resting across his knees. His breathing was calm, his eyes closed, his focus absolute.
Suddenly—
> [System Notice]
Synchronization Increased: 25.2% → 25.8%.
Reward: Enhanced Sword Aura.
His blade trembled faintly, releasing a subtle pressure that made the air around him feel heavy.
Raiden opened his eyes, their sharpness cutting through the darkness.
"This… is only the beginning."