SSS Awakening: I Can Create Skills By Will-Chapter 36: The Weight of First Steps

Arthur nodded slightly as Veylor spoke. It was merit based and harsh, but also fair in a way that left little room for excuses.

Another young girl asked softly, "Move up to where?"

Veylor answered without slowing his steps. "Better squads, better gear, better missions, more pay, more influence. Eventually, command positions."

Arthur clenched his fist slowly. He could see the structure clearly now. A ladder built on pressure, comparison, and constant motion. People only stagnated when nothing pushed them, and this system pushed everyone whether they liked it or not. That alone made it effective.

Good.

Very good.

A boy walking beside Arthur leaned closer and whispered, "So basically... fight, survive, get stronger."

Arthur replied quietly, "Pretty much."

The boy swallowed. "I can live with that."

Arthur almost smiled.

Veylor continued speaking. "There’s competition. Not ceremonial. Not polite. Real competition. You’ll be compared. You’ll be replaced. You’ll be surpassed. Get used to it."

A few people stiffened at those words, but Arthur felt something warm settle in his chest.

Not fear.

Excitement.

Finally, a place where effort had direction and where results actually mattered. He did not need favoritism and he did not need pity. All he needed was opportunity.

And monsters to kill.

The road curved slightly, and through a thinning stretch of dead trees, something massive came into view.

Grimwatch.

Tall walls of rough stone rose ahead, reinforced with dark metal beams. Uneven runic lines carved into their surface glowed faintly, not beautiful or polished, but functional. The stronghold looked tired. Patches covered parts of the wall, repairs done with different colored stone, and sections reinforced with mismatched materials. Yet despite all of that, it stood.

Watchtowers rose at intervals along the walls, explorers patrolling along the tops while large mounted ballista-like weapons rested near the corners. Above the massive gate, a thin shimmering layer of light pulsed lazily.

A barrier.

Not strong enough to block everything.

Strong enough to slow most things.

Arthur slowed his steps without realizing it.

So this is where I start.

Not a shining city. Not a golden capital. Just a frontier wall barely holding back extinction.

Fitting.

Through gaps and over the walls, Arthur could see movement inside. People walking, carts rolling, smaller buildings packed tightly together, and smoke rising from multiple points.

A living place.

Not safe.

But alive.

Veylor spoke again in his usual dry tone. "Grimwatch isn’t rich. We don’t have luxury. We don’t have excess. What we have is manpower. And stubbornness."

A few explorers chuckled.

"We survive because we don’t stop."

Arthur liked that.

As they drew closer, horns sounded from the walls in short bursts. Guards leaned over the battlements, spotted Veylor, and returned the signals. The barrier shimmered and thinned near the gate, and the massive doors began to open.

No ceremony.

No cheers.

Just efficiency.

Arthur felt something shift quietly inside his chest. A sense of crossing a line. Not an ending.

A beginning.

They passed through the gate.

Guards glanced at the awakeners as they entered. Some looked surprised, some curious, and others completely indifferent. To them, this was just another batch of potential explorers. Another batch of future casualties..

Inside the walls, the noise rose immediately. Smithing hammers rang against metal. Merchants shouted. People argued. Orders were barked across open yards.

Life continued.

Captain Veylor raised his hand. "Recovery hall first. You’ll be given food. Medical follow-up. Assessment comes after."

No one complained. Everyone was too tired.

Arthur walked with the group, eyes scanning the surroundings. Buildings were made from stone and reinforced wood, crude but solid. In the distance, training yards echoed with sparring sounds and metal clashing against metal.

Something stirred in his chest.

Not awe.

Not intimidation.

Anticipation.

He had entered the game.

And he had no intention of being background noise.

As they moved deeper into Grimwatch, Arthur adjusted the strap of his pouch. Inside it were monster remains. Inside him was something far more important.

Intent.

A path.

A promise to himself.

"I’m not stopping here," he whispered.

The city swallowed them as they made their way to the recovery hall.

Arthur and the others did not remain long inside.

After the initial rush of treatment, healers moved with practiced efficiency. They checked pulses, stabilized mana flow, applied crude salves that stung sharply, and forced bitter potions down reluctant throats. No one complained. Compared to what they had endured inside the dungeon, this was nothing.

Soon, food was brought out.

Simple food.

Bowls of thick grain porridge mixed with dried root vegetables. Stewed cave-meat from beasts bred within the stronghold. Rough brown bread baked from low-grade mana wheat.

Nothing luxurious.

Nothing fancy.

Yet the smell alone made stomachs growl.

Arthur accepted a wooden bowl and spoon and sat along one of the long benches lining the hall, eating slowly as warmth spread through his chest. The food slid down easily, filling him in a way he was not used to.

More filling than anything he had eaten in the slums.

There, meals were scraps. Thin soups. Moldy bread if you were lucky.

Here, even a "basic ration" carried weight.

Calories.

Nutrition.

Sustainability.

The difference hit harder than any lecture ever could.

Strength fed strength.

And strength was rewarded with better living.

No one needed to explain it.

Around him, other awakeners ate in near silence at first, then low murmurs slowly spread.

"This tastes... real."

"I forgot food could be hot."

"I could live like this."

Those simple statements carried more emotion than screaming ever could.

Arthur listened but did not join in. He kept eating, eyes lowered, thoughts moving.

So this is how they keep people chasing power.

Not with speeches.

Not with threats.

But by tying comfort directly to usefulness.

If you fight, you eat better.

If you survive, you live better.

If you grow stronger, you gain more.

Simple.

Cruel.

Effective.

After the meal, healers moved through once more, performing secondary checks. No deep diagnostics. No long rituals. Just making sure no one was bleeding internally, no mana channels were collapsing, and no one carried obvious corruption symptoms.

Those with serious injuries had already been separated earlier.

The rest were declared stable.

Not healthy.

Not recovered.

But alive enough.

That was good enough for Grimwatch.

Not long after, a squad representative under Captain Veylor entered the hall.

"We’re moving to the guild."