Mushoku Tensei: The Fool Magician

So, this really was a complete transformation—turning him from a mass of data into a physical entity.

Being a player had its perks, no doubt. Pain sensitivity was reduced to a minimum, and even with just a sliver of HP left, one could still stand and fight back.

But in reality?

Forget fighting with low health—even at half health, most people wouldn't be able to perform properly.

Realizing the critical difference, Roy couldn't help but chuckle bitterly.

The system's betrayal was thorough. Not only had it erased his backup plan, but it also stripped him of the inherent advantages of being a player.

Yet he couldn't afford to dwell on this. He needed to grind, level up, and gain the strength to ascend to higher floors as quickly as possible.

Sure, he could tag along with Kirito and Asuna, taking advantage of their progress and hitching a ride on the main storyline.

But where was the fun in that?

Roy didn't think it was worth it.

The situation hadn't reached its worst point yet. In fact, this was an opportunity to refine himself—exactly what his other self would have wanted.

Having made peace with this realization, Roy exhaled deeply and strode forward with renewed determination.

Blades of cold steel flashed as his sword swept across the throats of wolves, one after another.

Amid the spray of blood and the thuds of collapsing wolves, Roy glanced at his level.

One level up—not much, but a start.

A faint warmth spread through his body. It wasn't overwhelming, but he could feel subtle changes: his movements were swifter, his strength more robust.

The improvement felt akin to a month of rigorous training condensed into moments.

This discovery intrigued him, sparking a bold idea: could his physical body retain these enhancements once the game ended?

For now, however, he needed to rest. Pushing himself too hard would only compromise his performance.

After a brief pause, his stamina recovered, and his energy—now represented by a "mana bar"—slowly refilled. This time, Roy played it smart. He avoided using his Sword God Style skills.

Previously, skill usage merely drained his mana bar.

Now, it directly sapped his mental energy.

He'd need higher levels to unleash those techniques freely.

Sword in hand, he sprinted forward, slicing through more wolves. Each enemy fell effortlessly beneath his blade, dissolving into particles.

In the distance, new wolves spawned periodically. These Level 1 beasts posed little challenge to him now.

Realizing this, Roy decided it was time to move on.

The vast plains stretched endlessly before him. The rhythmic pounding of his heart and the earthy scent of the air as he ran made him feel strangely disoriented.

Sword Art Online had always been described as a fully immersive game, but even that couldn't compare to the vividness of this reality.

The key difference?

Pain.

In the game, pain levels were minimized for player comfort. After all, no one would want to play a game where injuries felt excruciatingly real.

Players sought escapism—a place to relax after work, where they could bask in morning sunlight, feel the ocean breeze, and tread on soft grass.

In essence, they wanted the sensation of comfort without the burden of pain.

But that came at a cost, the most notable being tactile feedback.

Roy immediately noticed the difference.

This was no longer a game—it was a living, breathing reality.

The gentle breeze tousled his hair, and the warm sunlight enveloped him, its golden rays soothing against his skin.

Honestly, all he wanted right now was to lie down and nap under the sun.

Glancing at the time, he saw it was already noon.

Roy had always made a habit of napping around this time.

It was a practice he'd picked up from his former self. Roy believed a midday rest was essential for maintaining peak energy in the afternoon.

However, now wasn't the time to relax.

Roy quickened his pace, heading straight for the forest.

His destination was an area populated by carnivorous plants, where he could farm monsters more efficiently—and perhaps even encounter a rare mob.

This particular rare mob was a hooded rat, lightning-fast but valuable, as it had a chance to drop a highly coveted single-handed sword with top-tier attributes.

The sword was so exceptional that it remained viable even on the third floor.

It was, without exaggeration, a beginner's treasure.

But after just a short walk, Roy gave up on the plan.

The reason was simple: there were far too many monsters along the way.

The constant interruptions severely slowed his progress. Even if he reached the deeper forest, achieving his goal seemed unlikely.

What's worse, with the GM set to announce the game's official rules by around 4 or 5 p.m., Roy was still stuck at Level 2.

That was far from the status of an elite player.

Resigned, he decided to stay where he was, slashing his way through wolves and airborne bees.

Luck wasn't on his side. It wasn't until the twenty-third bee that he finally managed to get a drop.

It was a sword—slightly heavier than his current one—with a blade that gleamed coldly in the dim light.

One glance at the weapon, and Roy's eyes lit up. This sword was leagues better than his basic starter weapon.

The stats confirmed his excitement.

[Steel Sword]

[Equip Requirement: Level 2]

[Special Attribute: Sharpness (Tier 1)]

Though the sword's attribute was still low-tier, it was undeniably superior to the beginner's iron sword in every way.

Equipped with his new weapon, Roy resumed grinding, leveling up with newfound efficiency.

With the sword's sharpness and his existing level advantage, most monsters fell to a single strike.

Before long, he found himself back at the forest's edge.

A quick glance at the time told him it was already 3:45 p.m.

At this point, venturing deeper into the forest for grinding no longer seemed practical.

Yet, staying at the outskirts wasn't appealing either. Wolves, bees, and other low-level creatures barely provided any meaningful experience.

After a moment of thought, Roy decided to press onward.

He wasn't expecting much—just hoping for the slim chance of encountering a rare mob.

Even if he didn't need the loot, Asuna might find it useful.

The forest stretched endlessly before him, its towering trees blotting out the sky. Only faint beams of sunlight filtered through the dense canopy, casting fragmented patches of light on the forest floor.

A gust of wind rustled the leaves, causing shifting patterns of shadow to dance across the ground.

The dim lighting made it harder to see. At times, Roy couldn't spot a monster until he was just five or six meters away.

His boots crunched against the thick carpet of fallen leaves, their dry, yellowed surfaces hiding the occasional crawling insect.

Oddly enough, these insects weren't classified as monsters.

Curious, Roy crouched and crushed one experimentally.

Despite the dense forest, there were no mosquitoes buzzing around—a stark contrast to what one might expect from such a place. The insects stayed on the ground, skittering across the shaded earth without bothering him.

This peculiarity only deepened Roy's fascination with the world he found himself in.

Amidst the sprawling woods, a boy with radiant golden hair walked briskly along a narrow path.

This winding trail was something Roy had discovered during the beta test.

At its end lay the doorway to the boss room.

***

Bonus Chapter:

100 Power Stones = 1 BC

300 Power Stones = 2 BC

500 Power Stones = 3 BC

700 Power Stones = 4 BC

1000 Power Stones = 5 BC

***

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