Mushoku Tensei: The Fool Magician

In the world of Mushoku Tensei, Roy jolted upright from his bed, his body drenched in cold sweat.

The battle had been perilous, every moment teetering on the edge of disaster. But in the end, he had emerged victorious, though the price he paid had been steep.

Roy felt as if his head had been struck with a heavy blow; his thoughts were muddled, and his entire body sluggish. Sitting on the bed, he took several minutes to gather himself, though the feeling of unease lingered.

"I really overdid it this time." That was the first thought that crossed his mind.

Rubbing his temples, he opened the system interface.

[You have successfully defeated the BOSS: Kayaba Akihiko.]

[You played a significant role and made minor alterations to the storyline.]

[Commencing extraction of Origin Energy.]

[Extraction complete! You have gained 30 units of Origin Energy.]

[Origin Energy: ???]

[Type: Resource/Energy

[Grade: ???]

[Note: The essence of a world, with extensive applications. Specific uses are left for you to discover.]

[You have obtained Temporal Energy.]

[Total Temporal Energy gained: 2000 units.Bonus for mission completion: +20%.Final total: 2400 units.]

[You have completed a special mission!]

[You defeated 90 Floor Masters.]

[Rewards: Word of Power Awakening ×1, Perfect Dragon Blood Injection ×1.]

[As you have fully cleared SAO, the system will record SAO's world coordinates. You have earned a one-time opportunity to adjust the flow of time between this world and the main world using Temporal Energy.]

The cascade of notifications echoed in Roy's mind. There was no need for further elaboration—his rewards were nothing short of extraordinary.

Although this was his first time traversing a dungeon, his experience reading countless novels in his past life had taught him one thing: the more system notifications, the greater the rewards.

Temporal Energy was undoubtedly invaluable, a crucial resource for traversing between worlds and even altering time flow between them. Its rarity was self-evident.

As for Origin Energy, while its exact utility was unclear, the mere description exuded an air of importance and grandeur. Roy's eyes shifted to the last notification.

Defeating 90 Floor Masters... That was no small feat, he thought, reflecting on the grueling battles he had endured. Fighting tooth and nail had brought him to this moment of triumph.

Taking down Kayaba Akihiko alone had required painstaking effort.

But looking back now, it was all worth it, he mused.

While still savoring his victory, another notification chimed. Roy glanced at the panel once more.

[You can allocate the following rewards based on a percentage system.]

[Due to your defeat of the BOSS: Kayaba Akihiko, you receive an additional 50%.]

[Your current allocation total: 150%.]

[Sword God Style]

[Insights]

[Quick Draw] 

[Sword Ruler]

[Equipment: Evilblade (Rare Quality)]

Roy raised an eyebrow. His fool self certainly hadn't lacked impressive loot, but this selection seemed rather sparse by comparison.

With only 150% allocation, Roy immediately decided to claim the Sword God Style Insights in full. This left him with 50% remaining, which he planned to use on the sword Evilblade.

To be honest, he'd grown quite fond of using Evilblade. Without hesitation, he selected it.

But then, his allocation dropped from 150% to 125%.

Roy froze.

A single weapon requires 125% of my allocation? What kind of scam is this, system?

With a blank expression, he summoned the system and asked, "Why is the weapon so expensive?"

[Evilblade does not belong to the real world. To convert it into real-world data, an additional 50% allocation is required.]

Roy's lips twitched as he abandoned the idea of choosing Evilblade. A weapon that costs this much? Forget it, you greedy system.

Although Evilblade was an excellent weapon, it wasn't irreplaceable.

With this in mind, Roy's choices became limited. He allocated 100% to Sword Technique Experience and the remaining 50% to Sword Ruler.

These were the total rewards Roy gained from his venture into another world.

After clicking "Accept," everything went dark. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself standing in a vast, white void.

"Hiss…" Roy drew a sharp breath.

The scene stirred unwelcome memories of his initial reincarnation.

Before he could dwell on them, a shadowy figure appeared before him. No, "shadow" wasn't the right word; it was more like a phantom.

The figure held a sword—a sword Roy knew all too well. It was none other than Evilblade. The weapon's design matched the phantom's style perfectly, with its once-vivid purple hues now rendered in semi-transparent monochrome.

Strangely, Roy thought the sword looked even more imposing this way.

The two stood motionless, observing each other. When Roy took a cautious step forward, the phantom suddenly lowered its stance. It gripped Evilblade in a reverse hold, and a palpable sense of danger washed over Roy.

It was the classic opening stance of a drawing technique.

There was no sound, no air being cut, just a simple, unassuming slash.

Yet, that strike almost severed Roy's head from his shoulders.

Sword Ruler's warning flared. Roy instinctively rolled to his left, narrowly avoiding the attack. The next moment, he witnessed a terrifying sight: the phantom, which had been thirty meters away, was now right in front of him, its blade aimed at the spot he had just vacated.

"What?!"

Before Roy could process what had happened, Sword Ruler's alarm rang out again. Without thinking, he rolled to the side, dodging another slash by the skin of his teeth.

The phantom's movements were relentless. Its attacks were devoid of flourish, embodying only precision and ruthlessness.

Why were such straightforward slashes so overwhelmingly powerful?

For the first time, Roy felt an oppressive sense of helplessness. Within three breaths, the phantom's blade eventually found its mark. Roy's vision faded to black as his head was severed.

When he opened his eyes again, he was back in the white void, facing the phantom once more.

In that moment, Roy understood everything. This was how Sword Technique Experience was acquired—by battling a reflection of oneself, absorbing its techniques, and continuously improving until victory could be achieved.

But why did it have to be so convoluted? Why not simply transfer the experience directly?

Unable to find an answer, Roy tried using his magic, only to discover that this space was a magic-restricted zone. Not only were magical elements absent, but his internal mana felt shackled, rendering it useless.

While his reliance on magic was nullified, it didn't mean the phantom was invincible.

Realizing he needed a weapon, Roy focused on the phantom's Evilblade and imagined wielding a similar sword. White mist swirled around him, and an identical Evilblade materialized in his hand.

Roy grinned at his opponent. "Well then, let's begin our fight."

...

When Roy finally opened his eyes in the Mushoku Tensei world, he gasped for air, drenched in sweat.

No one could fathom what he had endured.

Stabbed through the heart, pierced in the stomach, decapitated, and slashed across the throat—Roy had experienced every conceivable death. By the end, he had grown almost numb to the sensation.

He could vividly recall the moment his heart was pierced, still feeling its faint, rhythmic beat. Even after decapitation, he could see his surroundings for a brief instant.

The initial deaths were the worst, with the encroaching darkness of unconsciousness filling him with dread. Each time he opened his eyes, it was the same grueling battle all over again.

To win, he had to surpass the phantom. If he couldn't, he would continue to face death indefinitely.

The experience was harrowing. Dying wasn't something anyone would willingly endure.

But with each strike from the phantom, Roy found himself improving, its relentless attacks forcing him to grasp the essence of swordsmanship faster.

Finally, Roy understood. The system had created this phantom to accelerate his comprehension of sword techniques and integrate the experience gained from his doppelgänger's journey.

In that white void, Roy died nearly a hundred times. Each death was a lesson, each fight a chance to refine his skills. From surviving three breaths to gradually holding his ground, he reflected on every encounter, dissecting why he had been pushed to the brink.

And with each death, he inched closer to mastering his blade.

Under such relentless pressure, Roy's growth was nothing short of astonishing. Each death brought him invaluable insights and immense progress.

Fortunately, in this white void, every resurrection restored him to peak mental condition. Without this reprieve, he would have been trapped in an unending cycle of despair.

Yet, even in the void, he didn't fully grasp the toll until he returned to the real world. The moment he emerged, a wave of exhaustion swept over him, his mental reserves utterly drained. His mind, already pushed to its limits, felt as though it had been wrung dry. The sheer effort to remain conscious nearly overwhelmed him.

Controlling his wildly beating heart, Roy forced himself to take slow, steady breaths as his gaze shifted to the system interface.

[You have gained insight into the Sword God Style. Current Rank: Sword Saint (Max)]

[Your Sword Ruler has advanced to Level 3.]

Roy sighed. He was close—agonizingly close—to breaking through to the Sword King level. All he needed was the right moment, the perfect opportunity to push beyond his current limits.

But for now, he had more pressing matters: synchronizing the flow of time between the Sword Art Online world and his current one.

[You have one chance to adjust the temporal flow between this world and the main world using Temporal Force. Use it now?]"Yes," Roy responded without hesitation.

The system's prompt shifted, presenting him with two lines of text.

[Select your desired flow rate.]

Roy adjusted the initial 1:4 ratio to 1:365.

To his surprise, the cost remained consistent across adjustments from 1:5 to 1:365, requiring only 100 points of Temporal Force. Beyond this threshold, the cost doubled to 200 points for a 1:366 ratio. The price remained the same for both forward and backward adjustments.

This discovery left Roy slightly perplexed.

It wasn't that it seemed expensive—it was surprisingly affordable.

A moment's reflection, however, revealed the logic. Temporal Force wasn't an abundant resource. Even 100 points were significant, equivalent to the amount required to open another sub-world like Sword Art Online. The real value lay in the ability to manipulate time, not the sheer quantity of force expended.

After setting the ratio to 730:1, Roy confirmed his choice. The system's prompt echoed in his mind:

[200 Temporal Energy has been consumed.]

[The time flow between the main world and Sword Art Online is now 730:1.]

Two years would pass in Sword Art Online for every single day in the main world.

Roy let out a long sigh of relief. He couldn't help but recall a certain wretched character in Sword Art Online. If not for the circumstances of their sudden demise, he would've ensured they didn't escape justice.

For now, he needed rest. His completely depleted mental energy demanded recovery, and the only solution was sleep.

As he lay back, a wry thought crossed his mind: if he pushed himself too far and collapsed, it would make for a rather ironic end to his tale. Perhaps he could even write a novel about it—How I Became a System-Bound Magician and Died Claiming My Rewards.

Just as he began to drift off, a polite knock came at the door.

Though groggy, Roy's senses remained sharp. The refined rhythm of the knocking could only belong to Elena. Eris never bothered with formalities, and Rudeus's knocks always carried an air of guilt, as he only visited when he needed something.

But why was Elena back?

Sighing, Roy called out, "It's unlocked. Come in."

The door opened to reveal a ten-year-old girl with silvery-white hair cascading like moonlight. She stood at about 140 centimeters tall, her delicate features marked by a faint coolness. Her frame hinted at the beginnings of maturity, giving Roy the uncanny feeling he was looking at a younger version of himself.

Stretching lazily, Roy mustered enough energy to address her. "Elena, you're back? Something wrong? Weren't you assigned as Princess Eris's guard?"

Elena's gaze met his, her voice carrying a note of exasperation. "That princess insists I sleep beside her every night. She's far too touchy. Since today's a rest day, I decided to visit my father and thought I'd check on you as well."

Roy's expression turned complicated. He'd almost forgotten Elena's tendency toward... a certain preference.

Clearing his throat, he replied sternly, "You've done well. Keep close to Eris and help her strengthen her position. Make yourself indispensable to her."

Elena nodded, though a flicker of confusion crossed her face. Her brow furrowed as she observed Roy's pale complexion. "You seem unwell. Are you sure you don't need help?"

Roy waved her off, sinking back into bed. "I'll be fine after some rest. Go on with your duties."

With a nod, Elena closed the door behind her.

Roy shut his eyes again, eager for the reprieve of sleep. But before he could drift off, a much louder knock—no, pounding—echoed through the room. It was so forceful he half-expected the door to splinter.

Clearly, this was someone with a terrible temper.

***

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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