Chapter 8
Chapter 8
Day 1 of Sparring.
In the end, I couldn't land a single effective hit on the damned Golem.
It wasn't sparring; it was more like a one-sided beating session administered by the Golem.
Thanks to that, the levels of a few skills increased, but I couldn't feel good about it.
I stopped the Golem's movement, which was about to strike my thigh one more time, by pressing the white button.
Title: Isn't It Too Strong?
Author: ㅇㅇ*
-How can a Golem with only 30 durability be this ridiculously strong?
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Sword of Light) Its durability is only 30, but its performance is the same. You worked hard. Did you get a glimpse of the Sword Path?
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Yeah, I'm starting to see it. Getting hit directly like this definitely seems to speed up acquisition. But actually executing it feels different.
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Heavenly Demon) It's best not to overestimate your learning ability.
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Scum Sword Saint) You just have to keep getting beaten. That's what training is.
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They're like a bunch of old fogeys.
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'*' is having fun watching the old men get excited as he gets tossed around with a sword.
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I want to give some advice too... but I'll get judged harshly for looking down on Easy and Normal... Hehehe. I won't.
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Do it. We might lack strength compared to them, but do we lack spirit?
Day 3.
The Golem, which I reactivated by pressing the black button, charged at me.
A sword strike, like lightning, descended before my eyes.
I raised my arm.
The movement was purely instinctive defense.
Clang!
I blocked it.
This was the third form of the Dragon Slayer Sword, Drakabani, which I had learned semi-forcibly.
Learning that left pain in my body, but it accelerated the absorption of knowledge.
Although it was a vertical slash, there was more to it than such a simple description.
I swung my sword diligently. The sensation of my muscles expanding tautly spread through my arms and legs.
['Strength' stat increases by 1.]
This served as proof that the Tower seniors' words were correct: pushing past the limits of the body repeatedly leads to stat increases even without leveling up.
['Stamina' stat increases by 1.]
Indeed, everything the veteran players said was true. Absolutely.
And then, I was beaten again.
Sword strikes flashed from all directions.
After being beaten for two days straight, something finally began to emerge.
An angle that I could properly block.
There was no sudden enlightenment that flashed through my mind.
How does that Golem's arm move? How do its legs advance when it swings its sword?
I quickly observed the Golem's movements and acted upon them.
Self-reproach arose first: why did I only realize something so obvious now?
It was natural for a pitcher on the mound to observe a batter's habits and throw a deceptive pitch.
As natural as breathing.
I blocked the first form, a slash.
I blocked the second form, a thrust, Hjartagnyr.
I blocked the third form.
My vision grew increasingly clearer.
Crack-!
"Ah."
But I was hit squarely by a normal, straight downward slash.
For a moment, my vision went black, and my body tilted backward.
Thump-
As I lifted my head, I saw the Golem walking towards me with large strides.
"Don't come any closer, you bastard."
I picked up a piece of the Golem's activation cube that had fallen to the floor and pressed it.
Halt.
The Golem's movement, which had been approaching to beat me further, stopped in place.
That's enough for today.
I gained a lot. I decided to use the remaining time for review.
Day 10.
Title: Today Will Be Different
Author: ㅇㅇ*
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I gained enlightenment yesterday.
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How many attempts has this guy made after writing that?
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LOLOL
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Famous Person) If you've gained that much enlightenment, isn't it about time you reached Nirvana?
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As expected, the sharp insight comes from Average Opening~~
Who is that guy?
Average Opening?
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ㅇㅇ*) What's Average Opening?
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Heavenly Demon) It means 'Average Opening'.
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Damn it... Why is the meaning of Average Opening, something so trivial, being kindly explained by the Heavenly Demon, the pinnacle and leader of the Demon path? This isn't the Martial Arts World I know. There's no way that guy is the real Heavenly Demon.
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Don't you know there's only one Martial Arts Earth? He's the Heavenly Demon you know, yes.
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The Heavenly Demon is only thinking about getting attention from the Climber, who is the center of the gallery right now.
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Famous Person) Heavenly Demon's Return, Ten Thousand Demons Bow Down!
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Why is this crazy guy, a member of the Gaebang sect, its leader, shouting that? Arghhh!!!! My Martial Arts World!!!!!
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That's just him adapting to the current era. Didn't you witness the Alliance Leader groveling before the Heavenly Demon?
A comment that seemed to show little interest in the preceding comments was added.
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Sword of Light) Don't get discouraged. Keep the advice I wrote in mind.
He did write a lot, but apart from the sword techniques, not much of it was helpful.
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Oh, why did you write this? 'Ultimately, the greatest weapon is the sword.'
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Scum Sword Saint) That's a fact.
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Sword of Light) It is.
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Spear King) Strange things have happened since I finished my seclusion. One day, I too will wield a spear...
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Heavenly Demon) Hmph, line up. I shall teach you 'Fist' first.
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Spear King) That's the young one's thoughts that are important.
Whatever, they're all obsessed with swords.
Even though I was in a situation where I had to be obsessed with swords, I didn't want to join that crowd.
I closed the gallery and activated the Golem.
Flash.
A red, single-eyed glint flickered in the center of its head.
If I keep looking at this, I might even grow fond of it. Truly.
I took a step forward.
The Golem's right hand, holding a sword, moved.
My right hand moved too.
Two trajectories collided horizontally.
My sword and the Golem's wooden sword met.
I did it. Finally.
I clashed and neutralized the damned first form, Thursahǫgg.
The first success.
But they say a good start is half the battle.
I parried the Golem's subsequent second and third forms.
My arms trembled.
There was a time when I wondered why the Sword of Light had sent me such a crude Golem.
After being beaten by it for a long time, I naturally realized.
How to not flinch before an opponent several levels above Ansranthrop or Goblins.
It was sent to teach me that.
If the Sword of Light says my conclusion is wrong, then the Sword of Light is stupid.
[Fighter's Movement Lv.1 - Skill Acquired.]
[Skill 'Focus Enhancement' level increases. Lv.2]
[Skill 'Danger Sense' level increases. Lv.2]
I gained practical effects.
Moreover, 'Fighter's Movement' was a skill the Sword of Light had emphasized directly in the appendix of the Sword Manual.
He said it was a skill with many uses.
After countering its three attacks, I was once again beaten unilaterally.
After stopping the Golem, my next action was practicing Mana manipulation.
Upon entering the 2nd floor, I naturally gained a 'Mana Heart' formed within my body after acquiring the 'Mana' stat.
The Sword of Light had written briefly, like an appendix to the Dragon Slayer Sword Manual, on how to operate the 10 Mana points within that Mana Heart.
I was in a cross-legged position.
It took a week just to recognize the 'Mana Heart' itself.
Over the next three days, the result I achieved was slowly circulating Mana throughout my body.
[Mana Body Reinforcement Lv.1 - Skill Acquired.]
Manifesting Sword Qi was still impossible, but temporarily reinforcing my body during combat had become possible.
Even with just 10 Mana, being able to handle it or not makes a huge difference.
The fierce battle with the Golem, and the Sword Manual given by the Sword of Light, allowed me to gain the minimum qualifications to survive in this Tower.
A definite change occurred on Day 13 of sparring.
[Mana Body Reinforcement Lv.1 - Skill Activated.]
Swish!
I dodged the wooden sword, which slashed through the air like lightning, by slightly twisting my shoulder.
Then, I extended my right foot and stepped on the Golem's right foot. It wasn't calculation, but instinct.
─Crunch
I even deployed the Dragon Slayer Sword's first form, Thursahǫgg.
Finally, I reduced the 30 durability to 29.
And by the end of the sparring session, the Golem's remaining durability was 23.
Title: Hey, Sword of Light. You're lying, right?
Author: ㅇㅇ*
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Weren't you much stronger than this Golem Mk.2 when you were seventeen?
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Sword of Light) Oh, you finally landed a hit, I see.
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No, not one hit. Seven hits.
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LOLOLOLOLOLOL Oh, Climber. Are you that proud?
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Sword of Light) The Golem has also rusted to some extent.
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Sword of Light) It's not so weak that you should diminish the value of what you've accomplished.
It didn't seem like it had just rusted a little.
Day 15.
The Golem's remaining durability was currently 16.
I couldn't afford to drag this out any longer. Considering I needed to clear the 2nd floor, safely reach the waiting room for the 3rd floor, and participate in the exchange event, today was the absolute deadline for sparring practice.
I spread the Mana from my Mana Heart throughout my body.
[Mana Body Reinforcement Lv.1 - Skill Activated.]
I'll finish this.
The Sparring Golem Mk.2 had cracks all over its body.
But I couldn't underestimate it even slightly.
I had been hit by it more than a hundred times.
[Focus Enhancement Lv.2 - Skill Activated.]
The Golem, scattering fragments from various parts of its body, relentlessly beat me.
Pain awakens the senses.
I penetrated its melee range.
A Fighter must move like a beast.
These were the words the Sword of Light had scribbled at the end of the Sword Manual, which became my operational guideline.
It's okay to get hit.
You just need to trade flesh for bones.
I charged in with that thought.
But I managed to slip through by a hair's breadth.
I've grown. That certainty made adrenaline surge from the bottom of my being.
My horizontally swung sword struck the Golem's head. Then its center mass.
CRUNCH!
I slashed my sword towards its side, legs, and neck.
Stone and metal shattered.
Yellow fragments scattered everywhere.
SCREEECH!
The Golem's unnaturally bent right arm was perfectly severed in two.
Fragments scattered on the ground, and consecutive roars erupted.
The Golem's head fell to the ground and rolled away.
Thirty.
Its durability was depleted.
The red eye completely lost its light.
I looked at the fragments of the broken Golem.
"Thank you."
It wasn't an empty statement.
I genuinely felt gratitude towards the shattered Golem.
Without it, it would have been impossible to hone my combat senses to this extent in such a short time without the risk of death.
Even the pain the Golem inflicted was medicine in the long run.
I took a picture of the wooden sword it had dropped and uploaded it to the gallery.
Title: I Broke It.
Author: ㅇㅇ*
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I'm going to eat a bowl of pork soup and open the 2nd floor door.
Attachment: 99868690.jpg
[Photo of the Golem's wooden sword.]
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Woah, you're getting the hang of it?
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Shrine Maiden) Hawaawa, you're even taking pictures of pork soup to upload.
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Sword of Light) Well done.
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Ice Queen) Brrr!! Very cool! Climber!
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Scum Sword Saint) You finished within the time limit, which is more than I expected.
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Elf) You worked hard.
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Archmage) Don't let your guard down. The Hard difficulty is already insane from the 2nd floor, and that's Pandemonium. Don't forget.
I won't let my guard down.
I just plan to charge in as things come.
I ate pork soup.
Contrary to the Shrine Maiden's eager request for a photo, she commented that she couldn't eat it just by looking at the visuals, calling herself weak.
I headed to the very end of the 2nd floor waiting room.
There was a gray door from which a faint light seeped through the crack.
I grabbed the handle and opened the door.
Creeeak-
"Welcome to the Pandemonium difficulty 2nd floor stage."
A landscape vastly different from the 1st floor, which was merely a dungeon, unfolded before me.
Giant gray walls and gathered warriors.
Shouts pierced my ears.
What unfolded before my eyes was the scene of a siege.
"The Pandemonium difficulty 2nd floor is a quest type."