Only I Am A Reader

'Should I do it?'

Being faced with this situation, Leo genuinely wasn't sure how to act. Unlike anything else he had experienced since coming to this world, perfectly calculated and based on confidence and understanding, this was a completely unknown path that opened up to him.

The original plan was simple and without holes, but now Leo had to make a choice. He had to decide whether to abandon the Sword Seed or not.

'Or do I give up?'

The Holy Sword School's target wasn't as simple as breaking the limits of the 9th grade, they wanted to overthrow the rules of Sword Breath itself. The mutant that they desired to create was one that no longer required a sword, because… he himself would be the sword!

If everything went according to the head researcher's plan, then Arthur would have been forced to consume both the pearl and the seed and break that limit, becoming the monster that the final boss would use to distract the whole Empire from his grand scheme!

However, that didn't necessarily mean that the problem lay in the Sword Seed. The Arthur, who would be caught seven years back, was likely subjected to various methods of brainwashing in order to be controlled.

"There is no wrong answer, but there isn't a correct one either."

At the same time, the change wasn't something one could accept on a whim. If the current Leo's supernatural strength was the result of him being half a mutant, then consuming the Sword Seed would make him a true mutant!

While Leo was still pondering his options, his hand had already fished out the swimming Sword Seed. The moment he had it in his grasp, his eyes shone in a strange light as he was overcome with emotions…

If Leo had only needed it for his goals earlier, then he was currently teeming with the desire to consume it! His body seemed to have a will of its own as it moved his hand closer to his mouth.

'It's now or never.'

Leo could guess that his mutated body desired the item with the ability to perfect it, but that didn't mean he had to accept his body's wants. Under its current reaction, Leo had to decisively choose whether to be okay with it or simply throw it away.

"I will do it!"

It didn't take long for Leo to come up with a decision despite the whirlpool of thoughts raging in his mind. So what if he would become the mid-boss? Wasn't it better to grow stronger?

Regardless of the result, Leo was confident in his will! Since he came here to get the last necessary boost of power, he would get it with a bonus!

Gulp.

As the pulsing Sword Seed slipped through his throat, Leo could feel his body's agitation. Even the Sword Breath in his body grew restless as the seed made its way to his stomach.

Thud!

He didn't know how, but Leo could swear he heard the sound of the Sword Seed stabbing into the Sword Pearl like it was something natural. Somehow, the pearl that stayed solid under the corrosion of stomach acid was easily punctured by the seed that wasn't particularly sharp, to begin with!

As if it was holding back for this exact moment, the content of the pearl splashed out into his body. Strangely enough, the pearl that never 'absorbed' itself was full of liquified Sword Breath!

"It's happening."

Leo could familiarly tell that he was ascending, everything was going according to what he read in the record that it felt strangely terrifying.

'Is this the power of a scripted plot?'

Though it was likely a discarded plot if anything, Leo could only silently wonder as he focused on the changes taking place inside his body. It was true that he was ascending, but this time was completely different! His body was ascending alongside his Sword Breath!

Rather than receiving the muscle reconstruction after the ascension, Leo's whole body was currently reconstructing itself, mixing with the Sword Breath to become one. His somatosensory had already shut down like last time, but Leo could still tell what was happening.

The whole process stretched out to an entire 15 minutes, only when Leo could no longer sense both the pearl and the seed that had completely blended into his body did his immersion break.

'It's over?'

Leo's head rang with confirmation, the unknown process that he had doubts about was already done. He had definitely fulfilled his full potential as a mutant!

[ Plot change confirmed. Impossible Event Occurrence has been detected. ]

[ The Reader's character has successfully fulfilled his destiny on his own terms, opening up the path to a new possibility. ]

[ Calculating the value of the plot change according to its impact… ]

[ Calculating the Reader's contribution to the plot change… ]

[ Calculation complete. You have received 349 Reading Points! ]

[ As the event's rating exceeds requirements, a bonus will be given. ]

[ Bonus randomization in progress… ]

[ Your reading of 'Intermediate Swordsmanship' has deepened as a bonus! ]

[ As the event occurrence had triggered a Discarded Plot Reveal, a bonus will be given. ]

[ Bonus randomization in progress… ]

[ Your reading of 'Intermediate Swordsmanship' has deepened as a bonus! ]

Representing a new change in Leo's path, the voice in his head 'mouthed' out one message after another. At first, Leo wanted to ignore them for now, but he ended up perplexed by the two short bursts of 'Skill Reading' that expanded his understanding of Swordsmanship!

He had somehow not only exceeded the event rating, but also triggered a Discarded Plot Reveal as he had suspected, not to mention that this was probably a continuation to his 'chain event'!

If anything, the understanding that Leo received made him excited towards his new 'ability', but so was he regarding the changes that he could observe in the 'Personal Book'.

Holding his hand out, Leo squinted as something clicked in his mind. Before he knew it, Leo's fingers were already joining together with his palm as his hand disappeared altogether. A shiny luster spread over the slim object formed in its place, reflecting Leo's now widened eyes, his 'Personal Book' already hovering in front of him with a completely new addition to its 'segments'....