Free Web NovelChapter 11: Chapter 11: The Villain’s Arsenal
Chapter 11: The Villain’s Arsenal
Andras walked toward his bed and lay down quietly.
The room was silent except for the faint sound of wind brushing against the tall windows of the estate.
One arm tucked beneath his head, Andras stared at the ceiling in thought.
Today had been productive.
He had confirmed that the history of this world matched the Rise of the Sword Hero novel almost perfectly. That alone removed one of the greatest uncertainties weighing on his mind.
Which meant the future events he remembered should still unfold as expected.
Suddenly—
Knock. Knock.
The sound came from the door.
A moment later, it opened carefully, and Lyra stepped inside.
She had changed into a fresh maid uniform after finishing her earlier work. The black-and-white outfit fit neatly around her figure, while her long blue hair rested smoothly down her back.
Even now, she avoided meeting his gaze for too long.
Andras immediately noticed the faint redness lingering around her ears.
Interesting.
It seemed she still hadn’t fully recovered from what happened yesterday.
Lyra lowered her head respectfully before speaking.
"It is time for the afternoon meal, Young Master. Would you prefer to eat in the dining hall, or shall I bring the meal here?"
Andras remained lying on the bed as he answered.
"Bring it here."
"As you wish."
Lyra bowed lightly before leaving the room.
The door closed behind her.
Andras shut his eyes briefly while waiting.
Several minutes later, Lyra returned carrying a silver tray filled with food. The aroma alone quickly spread through the room.
She carefully placed everything on the table near the bed before stepping back.
Andras sat up and glanced toward the meal.
The food served to nobles in this world was far beyond anything ordinary commoners could ever afford.
Freshly baked bread layered with melted butter.
Slices of roasted deer meat covered in black pepper sauce.
A bowl of creamy potato soup garnished with herbs.
Steamed vegetables seasoned with imported spices from the southern territories.
There was even grilled white fish accompanied by a glass of expensive crimson wine.
Everything had been prepared flawlessly.
Andras began eating in silence.
The meat was tender enough to cut effortlessly with a silver knife, while the rich soup spread warmth throughout his body.
Back on Earth, meals had been little more than a daily necessity.
In this world...
Even food reflected status and power.
After finishing the meal, Andras wiped his hands calmly before leaning back slightly.
Lyra stepped forward immediately and began gathering the empty dishes.
Her movements remained quiet and efficient.
When she finished, she lowered her head once more.
"Do you require anything else, Young Master?"
"No."
"Then I will take my leave."
Andras simply nodded.
Lyra departed with the tray in her hands.
As the door closed behind her, silence returned once again.
Andras sat quietly on the edge of the bed for several moments before speaking inwardly.
"System. Show me my status."
A metallic chime echoed through his mind.
[Ding!]
[Devouring System]
[Name - Andras Darkmoor]
[Race - Human]
[Age - 18]
[Class - Mage]
[Talent -
1. Echo Resonance (A-Rank)
2. Architect of the Eternal Continuum (???)
3. False Ceiling Break (C-Rank)]
[Realm - Low Stage Third Circle Mage]
[Skills - Resonance Pulse, Echo Step, Resonant Sense]
Andras silently observed the blue system panel floating before him.
Three talents.
Even now, the sight felt absurd.
In this world, possessing a single high-ranking talent was enough to place someone above ordinary geniuses.
Yet he possessed three.
One of them wasn’t even properly recognized by the ranking system.
His gaze shifted toward the listed skills.
Only then did he realize something.
He had never actually examined the original Andras’s abilities in detail.
"Show me the details of all three skills."
[Ding!]
[Resonance Pulse]
The host releases a compressed wave of vibrating mana capable of damaging enemies and disrupting weaker spells.
[Echo Step]
The host leaves behind a faint mana afterimage while moving at high speed, briefly confusing opponents.
[Resonant Sense]
The host can sense nearby mana vibrations and detect disturbances in surrounding mana flow.
Andras read through the descriptions carefully.
Then he leaned back slightly and organized the information in his mind.
Resonance Pulse.
At present, it was his primary offensive ability.
Simple.
Direct.
Effective.
A concentrated wave of vibrating mana capable of damaging internal organs and interrupting weaker spells.
Not flashy.
But practical.
Then came Echo Step.
A movement skill.
At first glance, it seemed unimpressive compared to destructive magic.
But Andras immediately understood its value.
Speed often determined who survived a battle.
Being able to leave behind afterimages while moving could create openings, avoid fatal attacks, or confuse opponents at critical moments.
And finally—
Resonant Sense.
His eyes lingered on the final skill.
Mana existed within every living being in this world.
Which meant this ability allowed him to perceive disturbances caused by people, creatures, and magical energy nearby.
Assassins.
Hidden enemies.
Incoming spells.
Potentially, all of them could be detected through fluctuations in mana.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
Useful.
Very useful.
The three abilities complemented one another surprisingly well.
None of them were overwhelmingly powerful.
But none were weak either.
For someone who had only reached the Third Circle, they were already exceptional.
And all of them originated from Echo Resonance.
An A-Rank talent truly lived up to its reputation.
Then Andras’s gaze shifted toward his newer abilities.
Architect of the Eternal Continuum.
False Ceiling Break.
The first remained shrouded in mystery even now.
The second, however, was already terrifying.
Temporarily tripling his abilities for ten minutes could completely overturn a battle between opponents of similar strength.
At the beginning of the original novel, the protagonist of Rise of the Sword Hero wouldn’t even stand a chance against him in direct combat.
At least not yet.
Andras slowly dismissed the system window.
The room fell silent once more.
a faint sense of exhaustion finally reached him.
Not physical exhaustion from battle—
But the weight of everything that had happened since arriving in this world.
Transmigration.
The system.
New powers.
Lyra.
Evelyne.
The academy.
Too much had changed within a single day.
And despite everything...
He found himself enjoying it.
Far more than his previous life.
Andras lay back against the bed and slowly closed his eyes.
