Chapter 43: The First Test (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 43: The First Test (2)
EX-Rank.
It was a rank no one in his past life—not even he—had ever reached. It meant his current performance had exceeded the very limits of the Tower’s design.
And the test wasn't over yet.
[Next is the Comprehension Test! We will now verify your understanding of the System!]
System windows, resembling exam papers, unfurled one after another with a crisp rustle.
[Solve the problems and prove your knowledge!]
The second test. The Comprehension Test was exactly what it sounded like: a written exam.
He had to solve a vast number of problems and record the answers. Kang Jun-hyeok read the first question.
[1. Accurately describe, in 1,000 characters or less, at least one scenario in which combat status is terminated while a player is engaged with a monster attacking from a distance of 100 meters or more.]
There were over a thousand such questions.
While some were multiple-choice, the vast majority were essay-style. Each question demanded answers regarding complex and bizarre conditions. An average player wouldn't be able to solve even ten of them properly. Some questions were so obscure that even the Master of All Weapons, with all his knowledge of the Tower, found them difficult to grasp.
However, Kang Jun-hyeok calmly wrote down the answers one by one.
Because there were over a thousand questions, it took time, but his movements never faltered. It was as if he already knew the answers—as if he had personally experimented with every single condition mentioned in the problems.
A few hours later.
[Checking answers...]
[1,543/1,543]
[A perfect score!]
A fanfare erupted to celebrate his success.
[Rank: EX-Rank]
[Congratulations! You have passed the Comprehension Test perfectly! This is a unique and unparalleled feat! A magnificent reward will be granted in the future!]
[I knew it would turn out like this, but seeing it in person is quite something,] the Master of All Weapons muttered, sounding impressed despite himself.
He had cleared both tests perfectly. Now, only one remained.
[Next is the Combat Test! It is time to prove your strength!]
With those words, the space in the center of the park-sized white void tore open. Soon, a distorted figure emerged from the rift.
A massive, Minotaur-like monster with the head of a bull stepped into the arena. In its hands, it gripped a hideously jagged axe.
[GROOOOAR!]
The monster let out a deafening roar. The shout reverberated through the air, shaking the very space itself.
[Prove your strength by holding out against the monster for as long as possible!]
[This test ends the moment your health reaches 0. Do not worry; you will not die!]
* * *
The Master of All Weapons muttered as he looked at the monster.
[The Prince of the North Sea.]
"What? You know him?"
[We once fought side by side. He disappeared at some point, so I thought he was dead... I didn't expect him to be held captive like this. He used to be quite the dashing figure, but now he’s been reduced to a bull-headed beast. It seems he’s lost his mind as well.]
The monster appeared to be one of the Losers. This was a fact even Jun-hyeok hadn't known in his past life. The Master of All Weapons whispered sorrowfully.
[He looks like a mere slave. How wretched.]
[GROOOOAR!]
Clank!
The monster lunged for the kill, only to be jerked back by the rattle of heavy chains. Its entire body was tightly bound.
It could barely move a single leg, and its range of motion was so restricted that dodging was easy. If Jun-hyeok’s only goal was to endure, he could likely hold out for days without breaking a sweat.
But, naturally, the test wasn't going to be that simple.
"It's about time."
Kang Jun-hyeok drew his greatsword. Simultaneously, a system window appeared.
[The first chain is being released.]
Clang!
The chain binding the monster’s left wrist fell away. The monster let out a savage shriek.
[GROOOOAR!]
Its left arm swung, slamming the axe downward. It was incredibly fast—a speed difficult to react to. Kang Jun-hyeok raised his greatsword.
KABOOM!
A colossal force pressed down on him. His knees buckled as a massive shockwave rattled his entire body. Gritting his teeth, Jun-hyeok twisted his blade.
Screeeech!
He barely managed to deflect the axe and threw himself backward. The monster roared again and lunged with the axe. Jun-hyeok narrowly evaded the trajectory.
[GROOOOAR!]
The axe swung again. A sharp sonic boom whipped through the air. Though he successfully dodged, the sheer wind pressure pushed him back.
"He's damn strong."
[Even in that state... he is one who once fought alongside me. He is not weak.]
The Losers were beings who had once stood against the Victors.
He possessed power befitting such a status. Jun-hyeok could tell just by the aura the creature exuded. Between his current self and that monster, there was a gap in power as vast as that between an ant and a human.
[He has lost his intellect, and with it, the techniques he spent a lifetime building. His power and status have also been corrupted and broken. He hasn't lost all his strength like Alessandro, but it seems most of his original power has been stripped away.]
Even so, he was strong. Terrifyingly so.
The Combat Test. The objective was to survive as long as possible against a monster whose chains were released one by one over time.
Most players would be crushed by the axe the moment the first chain was released, ending the test immediately. Even the strongest could usually only handle the second chain; the third was the limit for most.
"Shall we begin?"
Kang Jun-hyeok loosened his muscles. Gripping his greatsword, he stared defiantly at the monster.
* * *
[The second chain is being released.]
Clang!
The chain around the monster’s left shoulder fell. Its left arm gained complete freedom.
[GROOOOAR!]
The monster howled and swung its axe violently. It was a display of sheer, brutal strength. Instead of dodging, Jun-hyeok narrowly parried the blow.
Screeeeeeech!
The axe, deflected by the greatsword, slammed into the floor. The impact alone sent a shockwave that pushed Jun-hyeok back. However, he quickly regained his stance and kicked off the ground.
Step.
[Hmm?]
The Master of All Weapons was momentarily surprised. Instead of backing away, Kang Jun-hyeok had charged straight toward the monster.
[GROOOOAR!]
The monster swung its axe wildly. Jun-hyeok kicked off the air. But that alone wasn't enough to clear the axe's trajectory.
[Air Jump.]
He kicked the air once more, successfully evading the strike. Closing the distance, he drove his greatsword into the monster’s body.
Thud.
The tip of the greatsword pierced the monster’s flesh.
[GROOOOAR!]
The monster shook its entire body in irritation. That movement alone sent Jun-hyeok flying like a billiard ball hit by a cue. Sliding across the floor, he performed a breakfall and let out a dry chuckle.
"You can blow me back just by shaking your body? My blade barely even scratched you."
At most, the tip of the sword had slightly torn the skin; it wasn't enough to draw significant blood. The Master of All Weapons asked, puzzled.
[You. Is your goal not simply to endure?]
The purpose of the Combat Test was survival. There was no need to attack the monster. Jun-hyeok stood up with a smirk.
"Why would I settle for that?"
His eyes, fixed on the monster, were filled with desire.
"Not when such a perfect opponent is standing right in front of me."
The opponent in the Combat Test was undeniably powerful. Under normal circumstances, it was a monster he could never hope to face. And the Tower’s system always granted greater rewards when facing a powerful foe.
[Greatsword Technique proficiency has increased significantly.]
[Air Jump proficiency has increased significantly.]
He had only managed a single thrust, yet his proficiency had already spiked. He had already confirmed through his past life's experience that one could raise proficiency during the Combat Test. If so, he was going to take everything he could get.
"There's no risk of dying, so it's the perfect opportunity."
[You madman.]
The Master of All Weapons let out a hollow laugh as he realized Jun-hyeok’s intention.
[The third chain is being released.]
Clang!
The chain on the monster’s right wrist fell. Both axes now moved in unison, targeting Jun-hyeok.
Jun-hyeok calculated coldly. The monster’s arms were free, but its legs and torso were still bound. There were clear limitations to its attack range.
Jun-hyeok identified the axes' trajectories and the constraints of the remaining chains, moving his body with precision. The axes grazed past him by a hair's breadth.
[Observation proficiency has increased significantly.]
He quickly closed in and slashed with his greatsword. A thin line appeared on the monster’s leg.
[Greatsword Technique proficiency...]
He quickly swiped away the system window and struck again. The monster swung its axes frantically, but due to the chains, it couldn't properly strike Jun-hyeok, who was positioned near its feet.
[The fourth chain is being released.]
The chain on the right shoulder was released. With both arms now completely free, the monster slammed its axes down. But Jun-hyeok had already moved behind it.
[GROO! GROOOOAR!]
The monster’s eyes were bloodshot. Its body trembled with rage, but as long as it was chained, there was nothing it could do. A moment later, the monster’s wish was granted.
[The fifth chain is being released.]
The chain on the monster’s left leg fell. It immediately tried to stomp on Jun-hyeok. Having anticipated the timing of the release, Jun-hyeok retreated quickly, but the aftershock alone threatened to blow him away.
[Balancing.]
He used the skill to stabilize his body mid-air. Drawing a dagger, he stabbed the monster’s leg and quickly leaped away. Though his strength and speed were incomparable to the monster’s, he responded by reading its patterns and trajectories in advance. The monster continued to be toyed with by Jun-hyeok.
And finally.
[The tenth chain is being released.]
Every chain binding the monster’s body fell away.
[GROOOOOOOOAR!]
The monster let out a roar of liberation. It glared at Jun-hyeok with eyes full of murderous rage.
The only reason Jun-hyeok had been able to toy with it was because it had been bound. Now that it was free, there was no longer any chance of victory.
However, Jun-hyeok looked as if he had been waiting for this exact moment.
The chained monster was powerful in its own right, which was why he could raise his proficiency. But if he could successfully land an attack on the monster with all its chains released, he could gain an even more overwhelming amount of proficiency.
Considering the gap between them, it should have been impossible, but Jun-hyeok was certain. With his abilities, it could be done.
The bloodshot eyes fixed on Jun-hyeok. Simultaneously, he activated his skills.
[Block.]
BOOM!
The monster kicked off the ground. With a speed unfitting its massive frame—a speed Jun-hyeok could barely track—it charged to crush him.
He had activated his skill before the monster even moved, yet he was still too slow. The axe would slam into him before he could finish his defensive stance.
Therefore, he used one more skill.
[Judgment of the Law.]
Judgment of the Law: Reduces all speeds of an opponent who does not follow Yulsir’s Law by 10%.
The monster’s speed momentarily slowed.
[Instant Acceleration.]
And Jun-hyeok’s speed increased by 1.5 times.
Even so, it wasn't enough. He couldn't block perfectly and could only barely protect his body with the edge of his blade.
KABOOM!
From that single impact, Jun-hyeok was slammed into the wall. His health plummeted to double digits in an instant.
Crunch.
The monster kicked off the ground again. It raised its foot to stomp Jun-hyeok into the dirt. It was a full-powered attack intended to finish him off.
In that split second, Jun-hyeok activated a skill.
[Rift Movement.]
The Authority of the Victor, which had no delay or restrictions.
With Rift Movement, Jun-hyeok’s body shifted directly behind the monster. The monster’s foot slammed into the empty ground.
KRA-KOOM!
The impact alone created a shockwave like a localized hurricane. It was powerful enough to wipe out what little health Jun-hyeok had left.
[Grace of Benevolence.]
[Balancing.]
He restored his health and used the skill to stabilize his flying body. He lunged forward, thrusting his greatsword.
It was a counterattack that perfectly exploited the opening, but the liberated monster was strong. Before the sword could even touch it, the monster kicked back with its hind leg.
Crack.
A massive shock hit Jun-hyeok. If he hadn't been under the System's protection, he would have been turned into a pulp. His body was sent hurtling toward the wall.
[Thrust.]
Defying the laws of physics, his body lunged forward mid-air, driving the greatsword home. Combined with the monster’s own force, the tip of the blade sank deep into the monster’s leg.
[GROOOOOAR!]
The monster let out a roar of pure annoyance. Kang Jun-hyeok, slumped against the wall, smirked.
"Thanks for the help."
[GROOOOAR!]
Just as the monster was about to pounce, its form vanished.
[Combat Test concluded.]
[Evaluating...]
[Evaluation complete.]
[Rank: EX-Rank]
[Congratulations! You have passed the Combat Test perfectly! This is a unique and unparalleled feat! A magnificent reward will be granted in the future!]