Weapons at the Peak (4)
Kraaaaargh!
The barrier melted away bit by bit.
Standing side by side, they exchanged glances.
Hye-ji's eyes were swollen from crying so hard.
Twang—
She drew back her bowstring.
And then there was Han-ul, mature and taciturn beyond his years.
Cheerful Tae-hoon with his lively personality.
And Hyun-soo, the real-world blacksmith they'd only just come to recognize.
In that moment, they all felt it.
The three of them had spent long hours together, their synergy unmatched by anyone.
And Hyun-soo.
Though he'd only synced up with them five times, he blended into the team like an old comrade.
'Our last chance.'
[Savage Labyrinth.]
[All skill usage is restricted for 30 seconds.]
American users must have taken the longest at the entrance.
But for them, it was a different story entirely.
Their real-world skills had reached an unfathomable level, allowing them to clear faster than any Americans.
Fwoosh—
The lycans surged in as the barrier fully dissolved.
But faster still.
Thwump—!
A lycan pierced clean through the forehead crumpled, skewering the one behind it as well.
Thwump—!
Thwump—!
Rapid fire.
And then.
[Critical hit triggers.]
[Critical hit triggers.]
Hye-ji's arrows, defying all common sense, halted the advancing lycans.
Dozens more lycans soon scaled the walls.
That's when Tae-hoon kicked off the wall.
Boom—!
Crash, boom, boooom, crash!
Lightning-fast chained kicks.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Thirteen times.
The fluid kicks blocked every lycan approach.
Kreeeeng
Han-ul, the supreme swordsman wielding a single razor-sharp blade, carved through the horde.
Yet lycans were tricky foes—swift-footed, high-HP, fearless savages.
Their assaults pierced through, pouring endlessly.
Splat—
And the last one.
Hyun-soo, gripping his new weapon.
He moved, Supreme Sword in hand—its black blade curving slightly at the tip.
In Ares, notifications displayed damage dealt or received.
Users toggled it on or off to suit their style.
The three besides Hyun-soo all had it active.
Han-ul, advanced sword mastery with a rare sword, slashed another lycan.
Splurt—
[3,130 damage inflicted.]
Then Hyun-soo cleaved a lycan lunging at Hye-ji.
Slash—!
[5,113 damage inflicted.]
“……!?”
“……!?”
“……!?”
The three couldn't hide their shock.
Hyun-soo weaved through the lycans like a storm.
[4,933 damage inflicted.]
[5,243 damage inflicted.]
Hyun-soo had always outdamaged Han-ul before.
But not by this much.
'What the hell is that sword...?'
'Insane...!'
And what shocked them more.
[7,313 damage inflicted.]
[6,741 damage inflicted.]
'How are criticals proccing like that nonstop?'
Hyun-soo's criticals came far too easily.
Criticals usually triggered on vital hits, dealing extra damage.
The truth lay in Hyun-soo's new sword.
◈ Restrictions: Creator unrestricted, Swordsman Lv. 400+
◈ Special Abilities:
◈ All stats +2%
◈ Critical hit chance +70%
◈ Cutting power +50%
◈ Sword Mastery +6 levels
◈ Passive: Eight Slashes
◈ Passive: Swordplay Essence
◈ Passive: Once More
◈ Active: Pull
◈ Active: Raging Sword
A masterpiece forged solely for Hyun-soo. No sword surpasses it.
Compared to his old White Night, it was overwhelming.
White Night's attack power was 401; Supreme Sword's was 619.
Plus the +70% critical chance let Hyun-soo crit several times more than average.
Slash slash—!
The +50% cutting power severed lycans clean.
Han-ul's face filled with awe.
'...Is this the power of a real-world blacksmith?'
But soon, even he realized.
Anyone could see Supreme Sword was monstrous.
He corrected himself.
'The power of the greatest blacksmith?'
Soon, Han-ul sensed the lycans pressing into the narrow space.
“Block them!”
The three flashed bitter smiles.
Before we knew it...
'We're following him.'
It didn't feel bad. It felt natural.
The three desperately held back the horde.
Tree vines sprouted above Hyun-soo's head.
He nocked an arrow on the string.
Thwiiiip—
After syncing so many times, the three ducked in unison as the arrow flew.
Glorious Golden Ghost Demon Fury.
One arrow multiplied to match the lycan numbers.
Boom boom boom boom boooom—!
As they slammed into the ground, Hyun-soo shouted.
“Push in!”
Narrow spaces could be a disadvantage.
All four dove deeper inside.
[Wrath of the Savage Labyrinth.]
[Lycans grow 15% stronger.]
[Lycans recover 20% HP.]
Crackle crackle
Crunch
Kroooaaargh!
Kraaaaargh!
The four scattered.
The lycans, now fiercer, closed in.
Truth be told, before Hyun-soo forged Supreme Sword, they'd been certain they couldn't clear this dungeon.
It wasn't guesswork—you had to taste it to know if it was shit or bean paste.
But Supreme Sword opened a path.
The problem? That path stemmed solely from Hyun-soo.
They'd whittled down maybe thirty lycans.
Fighting the swarm, Han-ul despaired.
No matter the skill, some things were impossible.
Retreating, his back bumped Hye-ji's.
She too faced her limits.
Han-ul eyed his pathetic rare-grade sword.
“Jealous.”
“...Me too.”
What if they had weapons like that?
Could they raise their clear odds?
“Kyaaah!”
Hye-ji took heavy damage from lycans.
Han-ul blocked her front.
His mind traced attack lines.
Six total.
'No way...'
Couldn't cut them down.
Not with his sword's damage.
Then.
Whirrrl—
“Han-ul!”
A sword flew to him.
The old master's work from a small territory.
White Night Sword.
Han-ul gripped it and moved.
Shkkkkg—
In a flash, he felled six lycans.
Sword genius.
'The closest to legend' turned Han-ul into the strongest now.
“Fucking awesome!”
He felt like he could fly.
Uncut lycans fell, opening new lines.
'Jealous...'
As Hye-ji admired Han-ul, Hyun-soo burst through the lycans.
Baby Arrow [x300]
“...I was curious.”
Hyun-soo grinned.
“What power you'd unleash with the best weapons.”
Five raids together.
He'd given White Night to Han-ul now that he had Supreme Sword.
And Oliharukon Baby Arrows to Hye-ji out of newfound trust.
“Know how to use 'em?”
“Who do you think I am?”
Hye-ji's eyes sparkled.
Click—
With unmatched skill, she nocked it.
No notification, but if there had been:
[The supreme archer meets the ultimate arrow.]
[Accuracy and penetration +25%.]
Twang—
She loosed at the oncoming lycans.
Thwiiiip—
Krunch—
One flew back, piercing three more behind.
Soon, Hyun-soo's Baby Arrows and regular bolts fired.
One per second.
Thwip—!
Thwip—!
Boom boom boom boooom—!
Hyun-soo could scarcely believe his eyes.
Baby Arrows—crossbow bolts nicknamed for their power—boasted destruction and range, but at a cost: abysmal accuracy.
Yet Hye-ji's hit vitals every time.
[Critical hit triggers.]
[Critical hit triggers.]
[Critical hit trig...]
“They're melting! Just melting away!”
Ash scattered where her arrows passed.
Then.
An alert rang out that shouldn't have.
[Hunted many lycans in the Savage Labyrinth in short time.]
[New story begins.]
“……!?”
Hyun-soo's face twisted in horror.
'Difficulty ramps up here? How?'
Soon, he saw.
Amid hundreds of lycans.
An unknown beast stretched, rising from its crouch.
'No way...!?'
Ding!
[Savage Labyrinth King and the Lycans]
Grade: SS | Restrictions: Savage Labyrinth triggers
Reward: Success - Record time -20% | Failure: None
📍 Description: The original method—hunt all lycans then boss—has changed. Defeat the lycans and the Savage Labyrinth King.
'Fight the boss with the lycans still up? The one meant for after?'
All denied reality upon hearing it.
Though the reward was a 20% time cut.
Hyun-soo eyed the unfolding beast.
Silver fur.
Wolf face.
Unlike 3m-tall lycans, it matched Hyun-soo's height.
Chill—
Hyun-soo's instincts screamed danger.
Then it vanished before his eyes.
Krunch—
“Ngh!”
Hyun-soo's HP dropped 9% instantly. At light speed, it struck Han-ul, Hye-ji, and Tae-hoon's chests.
“Kyaa!”
“Guh!”
“Ngh!”
Hyun-soo realized.
Its specialty: speed beyond reason.
Ferocious eyes gleaming, it came again.
Clashing, Hyun-soo recoiled in shock.
Krshhhh—!
Its claws raked his chest six times in a blink.
[HP falls below 50%.]
Staggering, Hyun-soo sensed it targeting Hye-ji, Tae-hoon, Han-ul next.
'No...'
It cycled.
One, then another, then the next.
It toyed with them.
Screams echoed in Hyun-soo's ears again.
“Kyaaaaah!”
“Hye-ji!”
“Gaaack!”
Hyun-soo understood.
'Third cycle starts, we're all dead.'
And Hyun-soo waited.
Swish swish—
Its approach sounded.
***
The Labyrinth King was annoyed.
Humans waking it from deep sleep.
Skilled ones, at that.
But with speed four times normal lycans.
Plus its trait 'Like the Wind'—they couldn't catch it.
The King knew.
From the third cycle, humans adapted.
As expected.
This human too swung as it approached at light speed.
Flash—!
The King veered instantly elsewhere.
20m gap in a blink, it charged bodily.
Then it sensed wrongness.
[Pull]
20m normally took 0.7s.
But 0.3s—before it—a man stood before it.
“Got you.”
Hyun-soo's eyes flashed.
New Supreme Sword was special.
Its skills? Crafted by Hyun-soo himself.
The pinnacle of efficiency, superiority, perfection for him.
[Pulls enemy instantly, stuns for 3s.]
And Hyun-soo knew.
He had to solo it.
But advantages too.
Wolf King title from Ash Wolf hunt.
[Wolf King title shines.]
[Attack & defense +17% vs wolf monsters.]
Plus the power etched into Supreme Sword.
Inspired by Power Gauntlet.
Pure strength stat transcendence.
Another power in Supreme Sword activated.
[Raging Sword]
Kuuuooo—!
Black aura surged from his body into Supreme Sword.
[Attack power determined by chance.]
[40% for 200%~, 20% for 300%~, 10% for 400%~, 2% for 600%~.]
[10% chance: Base attack +401%.]
[Lasts 15s.]
Base attack +401%.
Krraaaash—
“Kuhargh!”
The struck King felt pain beyond anything in its life.
Yet it was intelligent.
This damage wouldn't kill it.
Yeah, one might think that.
Why not make a flat 600% damage skill instead of base boost?
“Grrr...”
The King sensed it too.
But no.
Hyun-soo was cunning, brilliant, thorough.
'Yes... this is...'
Base +401%.
What if this stacked too?
Siiiip—
Hyun-soo smirked coldly; the King realized its mistake.
Hyun-soo murmured.
“Ghost Step.”
A ghost walked with a 401% enhanced sword.