Foundations

Three days had passed.

Yu Jin sat alone at the edge of the training field, spear planted upright beside him, hands resting on his knees. The air was still. Dust from yesterday's drills had long settled. His gaze was fixed on the distant path where Yue Jin would eventually return — but his thoughts were far from idle.

He had not wasted a second of those three days.

Each morning started with the same routine: training at dawn, drills repeated until sweat poured and muscles shook. The daily quest still triggered like clockwork, and he fulfilled it without fail — earning a steady flow of merit points, and more importantly, watching his body adapt. Strength came slowly. Painfully. But it came.

Still, he'd done more than just build muscle.

He'd begun to unravel the system.

At first, it was a question — a test. After learning the [Spearmanship Manual], the scroll vanished, but the knowledge didn't. He could recall every word, every stance, every diagram. So, he tried something: recreating it. With a brush and paper, he redrew the fundamentals. Not a system-linked item — just ink and memory. But it worked.

A functioning manual. Usable. Repeatable. Shareable.

Next came the [Fortified Spirit Cultivation Manual].

He hadn't rushed to learn it. Not until he understood its value.

But when he did — when he sat cross-legged and focused — the knowledge activated like a flood behind his eyes. Instincts he never had before suddenly surged into place. Breathing rhythms. Focus anchors. A flow of energy that he could not see, but could feel gathering beneath his skin.

Spirit.

It wasn't magic. It wasn't divine. It was internal force — a raw pulse of inner energy that, when drawn on, made him sharper, faster, stronger for short bursts. Like a body burning past its limits. The manual hadn't taught him everything — it was only a foundation. But it had shown him what was possible.

"There's more to spirit than I can touch right now. But I know this: I can weaponize it. I can teach it."

He spent the rest of that evening transcribing the manual. It took hours. But when it was done, he sealed it in cloth and stored it carefully. A gift for someone deserving.

With 219 merit points saved up, he spent 150 on something foundational—not for himself, but for the army he intended to build.

A formation.

[Formation Learned: Immovable Line]

Grants formation stability to registered units.• +3% defense for each allied soldier within formation• +10 Shield Proficiency to all active members• Only applies to recognized units under commander's direct authority

The knowledge didn't hit like the manuals had. It unfolded like a drill—measured, exact. Diagrams, spacing, shield lifts, discipline under pressure. Not a power boost. A backbone.

It wouldn't help in duels. It wouldn't frighten enemies.

But it would let him take scattered, untrained men—and make them hold.

"With this," Yu Jin muttered, "we don't just survive. We endure."

He would not teach it to every recruit. Not to gang brats or desperate men with knives. Only to soldiers. Once they'd earned it.

That wasn't all the system gave up.

While reviewing the trait window, Yu Jin noticed a hidden arrow beside the tab. Tapping it opened a dropdown:

[Track Trait Progress – OFF]

When he enabled it, several traits — still locked — appeared, each with faint progress percentages.

[Disciplined] – 46%"Condition: Complete daily training routines for 30 consecutive days."

[Iron Will] – 21% "Condition: Resist collapse from injury or fatigue multiple times."

[Commander's Voice] – 3.5% "Condition: Successfully issue commands to subordinates in live combat."

"Traits aren't just bought," he muttered. "They're earned. One drop of sweat at a time."

He also noticed something else: subtle increases in his [Spearmanship] mastery bar with each drill, each spar.

No chimes. No flashy effects. Just progress — quiet and certain.

Finally, he'd spent time simply observing the stats window — and more importantly, what each stat meant in practice.

Strength: Not just muscle — but durability. Stamina. Resistance. His strikes were heavier, but so was his recovery.

Intelligence: Sharper thinking. Better battlefield visualization. He noticed gaps and rhythms quicker.

Leadership: People listened more. Not because his voice changed — but because he had presence.

Politics: He understood resource flow better. Villagers cooperated more easily. Supplies lasted longer.

Charisma: He could feel it — in the way people watched him when he moved. Like something unseen pulled their focus.

Now, he waited. Meditation finished. Weapon cleaned. Points saved.

Merit Balance: 69

Time: March 3rd, 180 CE – 10:43 AM

Training Streak: 31 Days

Traits in Development: 3

The horizon stirred.

Yu Jin stood, calmly, as the sound of footfalls came from the road.

"Let's see what you brought me, Yue Jin."