The six days of forced downtime in Silverhaven stretched before Drake like a vast, empty training ground. The Explorer's League caravan to the Serpent's Tooth foothills wouldn't depart for nearly a week, and his next mandatory Mirror Duel trial was equally distant. His immediate focus, fueled by the overheard dismissals of dual-wielding from other players and his own relentless drive for perfection, was singular: elevate the Skill Completion Rates of his newly acquired [Twin Soul Bladesworn] abilities.
"Six days. That's enough time to make significant progress on these SCRs. The Echo next week will be performing these at 81-84% plus 1%. I need to be well ahead of that curve."
He returned to the Silverhaven Warrior's Proving Ground, the massive training hall now feeling like a second home. He found his preferred quiet corner with the sturdy practice dummy and drew his [Initiate's Twin Blades]. The faint purple luminescence from the 90% CCR Minor Strength glyphs he'd applied hummed subtly.
The first full day of dedicated practice was a brutal lesson in hitting plateaus. He started with his [Basic Attack Combo R/L], specifically the 82% SCR Left Hand. He drilled it relentlessly. R(100%)-L(82%)-R(100%)-L(82%)... over and over. He focused on the phantom guide for his off-hand, trying to achieve that minuscule improvement in timing or arc that would push him to 83%. But it felt like hitting an invisible wall. His [Eidetic Execution] flawlessly replicated the 82% baseline, but refused to budge higher. Hours passed. Frustration mounted.
"Still 82%. No matter how much I focus, I can't seem to break through that specific timing. Am I tensing too much? Rushing it? Or is this just the nature of pushing SCRs in the 80s without an external aid like the Medallion?"
He switched to [Parry], trying to elevate its SCR. He programmed the training dummy to execute a series of predictable, telegraphed strikes. He parried them, focusing on perfect blade angle and interception timing. Again, his execution was flawless and consistent, but pushing higher felt impossible. He tried [Twin Fang Strike] and [Blade Dance] with similar results. By the end of the first in-game day of this intensive, focused grind, after thousands of repetitions across all four skills, his SCR baselines hadn't improved by a single percentage point. He logged out that evening feeling a familiar, deep-seated frustration, the kind that only a true grinder could endure and still return for more.
The second day began with renewed, if somewhat grim, determination. "Plateaus are meant to be broken. Just need to find the key. Maybe I was too tense yesterday, trying too hard. Focus on flow, not just force."
He started again with the [Basic Attack Combo R/L]. He consciously relaxed his virtual shoulders, focused on his breathing, and tried to make his left-hand strike less of a forced action and more of a natural continuation of his right hand's perfect 100% motion. He visualized the Alvari warriors from the Hilt's vision, their impossible, mirrored grace.
After several hours of this more fluid, less forceful approach, something finally clicked during a left-hand strike. It felt smoother, faster, more aligned with the phantom guide. << [Basic Attack Combo R/L - Left Hand] Skill Success! SCR 84%! >> << [Peak Performance Replication] updated: [Basic Attack Combo R/L - Left Hand] SCR 84%! >>
"Eighty-four! Yes! Finally broke through!" A surge of relief and satisfaction. His combo chain, limited by the lowest SCR, now extended slightly further making the +5% stacking damage bonus even more effective.
Buoyed by this success, he moved to [Blade Dance]. Applying the same principle of relaxed focus and flow, he practiced the spinning AoE. It still felt awkward compared to his precise single-target skills, but after another long session, he managed to execute a spin with better control and wider blade arcs. << Skill Success! [Blade Dance] SCR 83%! Targets Hit (Simulated): 3! >> << [Peak Performance Replication] updated: [Blade Dance] SCR 83%! >>
Next, [Twin Fang Strike]. He focused on the simultaneous impact, the perfect convergence of both blades on a single point. More practice, more analysis with [Perfect Recall]. << Skill Success! [Twin Fang Strike] Average SCR 84%! >> << [Peak Performance Replication] updated: [Twin Fang Strike] Average SCR 84%! >>
Finally, [Parry]. This was the toughest. Pushing a defensive skill required anticipating the dummy's telegraphed blows with even greater preternatural accuracy. He drilled it relentlessly. << Skill Success! [Parry] SCR 86%! Damage Significantly Reduced! Dummy Staggered (Minor)! >> << [Peak Performance Replication] updated: [Parry] SCR 86%! >>
By the end of the second full day of grinding, Drake stood panting virtually before the battered training dummy. His new baselines were:
[Basic Attack Combo R/L]: R-100% / L-84%[Parry]: 86%[Twin Fang Strike]: 84%[Blade Dance]: 83%
"Okay. Small gains, but crucial ones. Left Hand now 84%, Parry 86%. The others up by 1-2% as well. It's not 90%+ across the board yet, but it's progress. Knowing the Mirror Echo next week will be based on my previous week's victory (where skills were 80-83%), these new baselines give me a comfortable edge. I can maintain my class potential." He felt a sense of hard-won confidence. This level of dedication was what the [Twin Soul Bladesworn] path demanded.
As he was about to log out for a real-world break, a soft chime indicated an incoming whisper message. He opened his interface.
<< Whisper from Valerius: Drake! Hey man, it's Valerius – we fought that Swamp Hydra together a while back? Hope you remember. >>
Drake did remember. Valerius was the competent tank, the leader of the group he'd helped. << Reply to Valerius: Valerius, yeah, I remember. Good fight. What's up? >>
<< Whisper from Valerius: Glad you do! Listen, my group, Iron Resolve – we actually formed a guild after that Hydra kill, got the Charter drop. We've been trying to clear the Hard Mode of the Sunken Reliquary just outside Silverhaven. Normal mode is a cakewalk for us now, but Hard... man, it's brutal. Even the beginning is a nightmare. We're getting wiped repeatedly. No one on the server seems to have cleared it on Hard yet. I remember your damage and how calm you were, those calls you made... Any chance you'd be free to give it a shot with us? We could really use your skill. >>
Drake considered it. The Sunken Reliquary... he'd seen it marked on his map, a Level 20-25 dungeon. He was currently Level 20. A Hard Mode attempt, especially a potential server first, sounded challenging and offered good rewards. More importantly, it was a perfect opportunity to test his newly improved [Twin Soul Bladesworn] skills in actual group content, against difficult mechanics, before the caravan to the Echoing Forge departed in a few days.
"Hard Mode dungeon... server first potential... Excellent real-world test for these SCRs. And a good change of pace from dummy grinding."
<< Reply to Valerius: Sunken Reliquary Hard Mode? Sounds interesting. I've got some downtime before I head out on a long quest. Yeah, I can join you for an attempt. When are you planning to run it? >>
<< Whisper from Valerius: Awesome! We're forming up right now, actually, just outside the Reliquary entrance. Can you head over? We can fill you in on what we know so far. >>
<< Reply to Valerius: On my way. >>
Drake closed the whisper window, a new sense of anticipation building. He quickly repaired his [Initiate's Twin Blades] at a nearby NPC smithy (their durability slightly worn from the thousands of practice strikes), restocked on basic rations, and then headed out of the Silverhaven Warrior's Proving Ground. It was time to see how his hard-won practice translated into a real, high-stakes group challenge.