The Way of the Sword (2)
Path of the Sword (2)
- Sin Unlocked: Wrath
- Unlocked Wrath, the equivalent exchange of the Seven Deadly Sins, with 10,000 Greed points
<Equivalent Exchange of Wrath>
Unleash your coldly honed wrath like lightning!
- Temporarily amplify stats at the cost of Wrath points
Finally, I had unlocked the fourth sin of the Seven Deadly Sins: Wrath.
A temporary amplification of stats. It was an effect worthy of the name Wrath.
The principle of earning points was probably through feeling or expressing anger, or something of that sort.
Since there was no immediate way to know, I could just figure it out gradually later.
[ Equivalent Exchange of the Seven Deadly Sins ]
When performing acts related to the source of sin, the seven evils, receive the promised equivalent reward.
- Lust (16,588pt)
- Pain (4,370pt)
- Greed (20,005pt)
- Wrath (0pt)
- Deception (Unlock Required)
- Sloth (Sealed)
- Gluttony (Sealed)
I checked the overall point status for the first time in a while.
After Wrath comes Deception, followed by Sloth and Gluttony as the last ones.
At this rate, it should be possible to unlock all Seven Deadly Sins within this year or next.
After that, I could invest points into each sin's authority and become strong in an instant.
It was a huge leap forward on my journey of revenge.
Now that I had unlocked Wrath's authority after Greed's, all that was left was stat increases.
I closed my eyes and quietly gathered my mental focus.
- Equivalent Exchange: Pain
- Convert 4,000 Pain points to Strength and Speed stats
- Equivalent Exchange: Greed
- Convert 19,500 Greed points to Sense, Intelligence, and Magic stats
Instantly, my heart throbbed and the changes began.
Bones and muscles being disassembled and reassembled.
Simultaneously, a headache so severe it felt like my skull would split assaulted me.
"Guhh... Grrr..."
My vision flashed like lightning, and my brain was violently torn apart by all sorts of noises.
Cold sweat streamed down my entire body, and a creepy shudder ran through me.
It felt as if the five senses of my body were being forcibly expanded by the hand of an omnipotent, transcendent being.
The identity of that being was, of course, the Demon of Greed and master of the Golden Seat, Mammon.
"Hahk, Hrrgh...!"
I barely managed to regain my composure just before fainting.
Was it because I had raised my Sense stat from 12 to a whopping 50?
A growth pain incomparable to anything before swept through me.
But the effect of raising Sense was clear.
As I quietly listened, I could hear a conversation between some women far away.
Since Jenna's voice was mixed in, it must be from the kitchen area of the shop.
The kitchen in the corner of the first floor of Grace of the Rose was dozens of meters away from my private room. There were even multiple walls in between.
Yet, with my current hearing, I could eavesdrop on the kitchen conversation.
It was clearly an ability beyond human limits.
This time, I stood up and looked out the window.
The panoramic view of the city spread out below.
As I furrowed my brow and stared, I could see the faces of the passing citizens in detail.
I could see everything, from their facial features to their freckles and the texture of their mustaches.
At this level, my eyesight might even surpass that of beastkin avians.
These expanded senses would help me in many ways.
Even just in combat, hearing and sight were crucial abilities.
*Stats
Strength 40 Stamina 10 Speed 40
Sense 50 Intelligence 40 Magic 40
*Possessed Authorities
Lilith's Scent (Lv.1)
Agony's Ecstasy (Lv.1)
Mammon's Treasury (Lv.1)
I had sufficiently confirmed the effects of raising my Sense stat.
The remaining ones were Intelligence and Magic.
Strangely, I felt no changes regarding these two stats.
I didn't feel any smarter, nor did I sense the alien power called magic.
It was puzzling, but it was meaningless to agonize over it alone.
Anyway, I could earn more Greed points anytime in the future.
Even if not immediately, I would eventually see the effects of Intelligence and Magic too.
More importantly, the most crucial thing now was to adapt my body.
Both my body and senses had grown stormily at once, so I needed time to accept this rapid change.
Swinging a sword to internalize the sensations was probably the best method.
I immediately went to a nearby arms shop and bought three longswords.
Now that I had an inventory, I could stockpile reserve weapons.
After preparing, I settled in the backyard of the shop and devoted myself to swordsmanship practice until evening.
Thanks to my increased Sense, the sword truly felt like it naturally fit in my hand.
Had the development of my physical senses affected my martial talent too?
Maybe I could be called a talented individual now, not a dullard.
Since my physical abilities had also increased, I should be able to defeat Richard this time.
I called him to the backyard when the shop business slowed down.
"Mr. Richard. May I ask for a spar?"
"Understood. But your aura feels different. Did your Aura increase in this short time?"
"...Yes. That's right."
As expected of a top-tier expert, he noticed my growth immediately.
In truth, I didn't possess a shred of Aura, but I couldn't reveal that honestly.
"Well, that's amazing. Anyway, let's fight. I won't yield the first move anymore, so be aware."
"That's what I hoped for."
We faced each other with wooden swords.
After watching for an opening for a moment, we both swung our attacks fiercely almost simultaneously.
The spar continued for a long time.
We clashed wooden swords intensely, exchanging blows in a fierce battle.
We were evenly matched, back and forth, almost equal until the mid-phase.
However, the result ultimately ended in my defeat.
I still couldn't overcome the enormous wall named Richard.
"Well, your sword is too honest, Mr. Rene. Knightly swordsmanship originally has that robust aspect, but yours is particularly severe. Your rigid swordplay has almost no variation, so from the opponent's perspective, it's predictable."
So that was the problem.
Our strength was comparable, and my speed was superior.
But there was still a huge gap in our sword-handling skill.
"Oh dear. Sir Balkan is coming over there. I'll take my leave now."
Richard, having put away his wooden sword, hastily left the spot.
It wasn't an overreaction, as Sir Balkan's presence was indeed approaching from behind.
"There is no right answer in the sword. There is only the path."
A calm yet stern tone.
Sir Balkan, who had walked over with his hands behind his back, patted my shoulder encouragingly.
"Remember well. Only you yourself can find your path."
With those words, Sir Balkan disappeared into the distance.
He must have been watching my spar with Richard the entire time.
The 'Path of the Sword' that only I could find.
If Richard's advice was direct, Sir Balkan's aphorism was somewhat ambiguous.
However, the meaning of both their words was consistent.
I needed to break free from my obsession with Coordination.
Because I kept executing only uniform, perfect slashes, Richard said it was predictable.
Going a step further, I now needed to create my own sword.
To do that, I would have to devote hundreds or thousands of hours to finding the path of the sword.
I was fully prepared. There was nothing to hesitate about.
I immediately began practicing in the backyard, which had become my nest.
* * *
Just like that, a full ten days passed, devoted solely to the sword.
During that time, I honed my swordsmanship to perfection with the help of occasional advice and demonstrations from Sir Balkan.
Today, exactly eleven days later.
That training, amounting to nearly 200 hours excluding minimal sleep and release of sexual desires, finally concluded.
"Huuu... Haat!"
After a short breath, I unfolded a sword dance.
A destructive heavy sword emphasizing weight, a swift sword prioritizing speed, and a variable sword balancing between them.
A chain of strikes raged through the air like a storm.
The unity of sword and body, the swordsmanship of Coordination, was no different from before.
However, the most critical difference was the change in my swordplay.
Even the same slash produced vastly different results based on variation.
The method of applying force, the intensity of its magnitude, and the subtle movements of the body, including muscles and tendons, caused the sword strikes to change every moment.
Though it was far from perfect, it was a level of completion I could confidently call complete.
This was truly worthy of being called my own sword.
I stood a chance against Richard now. But I must not let my guard down.
To decisively win the next match, I resolved to use my secret technique.
I raised my head and looked at the gloomy forest ahead.
A place where I could gather Pain points in a short time.
It was none other than a goblin habitat.
It had been over two months since I committed that massacre in one of their dens.
My existence must have long been forgotten in the goblins' memory.
Now was the perfect time to unleash another slaughter.
After walking defenselessly through the forest for a while, the awaited ambush finally occurred.
A paralyzing poison dart flying from my blind spot.
I had detected it early but didn't dodge, letting it hit my thigh.
"Agh...!"
I deliberately let out a moan and exaggeratedly staggered.
Even I thought my acting was awkward, but I had no choice.
To lure the goblins out, I had to put on this crude performance.
"Kreek, Kreerek!"
My act must have worked, as three goblins revealed themselves from beyond the bushes.
Their faces, licking their long tongues and grinning, clearly looked down on me.
So far, according to plan.
Because they saw me as easy prey from the start, the goblins were approaching me without much caution.
"Kreerek!"
"Ah, aah...!"
I wonder if my fear-stricken face was properly conveyed to them.
Anyway, next phase.
While stepping backward, I pretended to misstep and clumsily fell on my butt.
Now for the grand finale.
I covered my conspicuously voluptuous chest area with both arms and hung my head.
Then, I cried out in a sobbing, shrill voice.
"Kyaa, kyaaah! Nooo...!"