Chapter 474: First Sortie
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 474: First Sortie
A week had already passed since my meeting with Gabriel.
A lot had happened in that time.
Lee Serin succeeded in forming her mana circle, Wi Ryeong-ah reached the late stage of Qi Condensation, and the party of Lucifer, Lee Serin, and Yoo Ah-rin safely passed the 5th Floor's test.
Although I didn't see it myself, Lucifer told me they both performed impressively.
Despite her low skill proficiency, Lee Serin fulfilled her role by using her decent healing and debuff skills at just the right moments.
Yoo Ah-rin also seemed to have carried out her duties without any issues.
“Hoo...”
Catching my breath, I opened my eyes and picked up a towel to wipe the sweat covering my body.
Following Iris's advice, I had meditated all night to expand my astral plane and harmonize the elements, but as expected, there was no noticeable progress.
Frustrated, I had just picked up my wooden sword when I recalled a conversation I'd had with Wi Ryeong-ah over lunch.
“Young Master Kang, do you happen to know about Spiritual Roots?”
“Huh? Well... vaguely. Isn't it the aptitude to sense the spiritual energy of heaven and earth?”
“That's right. The five elements are the most common, but some people, like me, are born with special constitutions or Spiritual Roots. But aside from such exceptions, the most blessed is known as the Single Spiritual Root.”
“A Single Spiritual Root?”
“It possesses only one element and is said to have received heaven's favor, so it's also called a Heavenly Spiritual Root. On the other hand, those with three or more elements are classified as having a Mixed Spiritual Root, and most sects and clans avoid them.”
Those with a Heavenly Spiritual Root could only learn cultivation methods that matched their single innate element, but their training speed was three to four times faster than others.
Moreover, they rarely hit bottlenecks, and the process of breaking through to the next realm was much smoother.
In contrast, those born with what's called a Mixed Spiritual Root could learn cultivation methods of various elements, but their training was that much slower.
On top of that, they required far more resources and effort to break through to the next realm.
“In the world I came from, those with Five-Element Spiritual Roots were always looked down upon. Sects and clans wouldn't accept them, so many became rogue cultivators. Of course, I'm in no position to talk, since I was just an ordinary person before entering the Tower.”
I learned that day that Wi Ryeong-ah's world was a place where cultivation resources were scarce.
Because of that, small and medium-sized sects had no capacity to nurture those with Mixed Spiritual Roots, and most of them were treated like slaves.
“But did you know? In the Tower, it's actually the Heavenly Spiritual Roots that are avoided.”
“Why is that?”
“Because the Tower is a world overflowing with cultivation resources. Spiritual energy, spirit stones, spirit beasts—everything is abundant compared to my world. Plus, you can receive support from the Constellations. I've heard that while those with Heavenly Spiritual Roots can break through realms quickly, they face great difficulty advancing to the realms of high-level cultivators as a trade-off. They also supposedly hit a major bottleneck before that.”
For martial artists, the realms are divided into Third-rate, Second-rate, First-rate, Peak, Transcendent Realm, Flower Realm, Profound Realm, and the Life-Death Realm.
Cultivators, on the other hand, go through the stages of Qi Condensation, Qi Cultivation, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, and Deity Transformation.
Of course, there are said to be realms beyond that, but at that point, one can no longer be called human.
It's probably the stage of reaching Constellationhood.
Anyway, to summarize Wi Ryeong-ah's words: Heavenly Spiritual Roots have a high floor but a low ceiling, while Mixed Spiritual Roots have a low floor but a high ceiling.
In a world like hers where cultivation resources were scarce, Heavenly Spiritual Roots were treated as precious. But in a world like the Tower, rich with resources, Mixed Spiritual Roots were inevitably more favored.
“Of course, the fact that cultivators with Mixed Spiritual Roots in the Tower still have to work several times harder than others hasn't changed.”
The moment I heard her words, I remembered something I had completely forgotten.
Elementalists are usually born with only one element.
Just like how Choi Hyena was born with the fire element and uses only fire magic accordingly.
In fact, a mage like me who can handle all elements was probably the only one in the entire world.
It's a bit late to say this now, but if I had focused on just one element, like fire or lightning, I would have reached the 6th Circle long ago.
But I was the one who refused to do so.
It was my own stubbornness, and at the same time, I had a subconscious feeling that this was the way it had to be.
Retreat for Advance (以退爲進).
'Should I console myself by thinking of it as taking one step back to advance to a higher realm?'
I had a strong feeling I was just making excuses to fit my situation.
But thanks to that, I was able to shake off my frustration. Deciding to think positively, I swung the wooden sword.
After about an hour of this...
I sensed someone coming down the stairs and briefly put down my wooden sword.
Creak—
A moment later, the door to the training ground opened, and someone walked in.
Neatly tied hair, blue eyes, and a tank top and leggings that looked easy to move in.
It was Yoo Ah-rin.
“I thought you'd oversleep, but you managed to make it on time.”
“Only the other girls were drinking.”
Last night, we held a small party to celebrate passing the 5th Floor's test.
According to our individual tastes, Lucifer drank grape wine, Wi Ryeong-ah had Shaoxing wine, and Lee Serin and I, being Korean to the bone, drank soju.
And Lee Serin, after drinking three bottles of soju by herself, passed out completely.
For reference, there was a small Korean mart in Arcana, so we could get not only soju but also makgeolli.
“Do you not like alcohol?”
“I don't particularly care for it. It interferes with my training.”
“Next time, I'll teach you how to use your internal energy to sober up.”
As I said that, I took a real sword from the weapon rack and tossed it to Yoo Ah-rin.
She caught it nonchalantly and settled into a stance as naturally as flowing water.
“I'll have to politely decline.”
“Don't come asking me to teach you later, then.”
She might not know the taste of alcohol now, but for a martial artist, using internal energy to purge the toxins of alcohol was one of the most useful skills.
Even my master had stressed that I absolutely had to learn it.
'That depraved monk.'
Of course, I only learned it; I rarely actually used it to purge the toxins. You drink to get drunk, after all.
“Please grant me a lesson today as well.”
“Alright.”
I gripped my wooden sword.
The hour-long guided sparring session, starting at 6 AM, had become something of a routine between us.
Vwooom—
In that moment, a distinct Sword Qi rose from Yoo Ah-rin's blade.
It was thanks to taking the Clear Heart Sea Dragon Pill and reaching the Peak Realm.
Just as I was inwardly marveling at her talent for breaking through to the next realm so quickly after gaining the internal energy she lacked...
Fwoosh—!!
Yoo Ah-rin vanished from my sight.
Appearing in my right blind spot a moment later, she swung her sword at my neck without a hint of hesitation.
I dodged the blade by lightly stepping back.
Swoosh!!
The strike, imbued with sharp Sword Qi, cut through the air and flew at me fiercely.
Like a raging wave, Yoo Ah-rin skillfully controlled her breathing and unleashed a flurry of consecutive attacks, as if determined not to give up the initiative.
Compared to when we first crossed swords, her overall stance was much more stable. The number of movements that wasted unnecessary energy had also noticeably decreased.
Seeing her like this, I felt a sense of pride as her teacher.
But at the same time, I felt a sense of regret.
'If only she could contract with a decent Constellation, she'd be able to grow even faster than she is now.'
Just as there are many types of viewers, Constellations also have their own distinct dispositions.
There are Constellations who dote on their contracted players and spare no support, and then there are those like Ishtar, who simply sign contracts as if collecting figurines and then neglect them.
There were even malicious ones who took pleasure in tormenting the players they contracted with.
With the exception of a special case like Wi Ryeong-ah, most players start contracting with Constellations from the 10th Floor.
'Serin-noona already has quite a few Constellations offering her contracts, so I don't need to worry about her, but I'll have to think a bit about Ah-rin...'
It was no exaggeration to say that the direction of one's growth could change completely depending on the disposition of the Constellation they contracted with.
If you contracted with a Constellation like the Dweller of the Swamp, who reveled in slaughter, it was only a matter of time before you devolved into a serial killer.
Clang!!
“Hah, hah...”
“Your attack patterns become monotonous when you get impatient. Didn't I tell you to fix that?”
“...I'm sorry.”
“Now it's my turn to attack. Hold out for the remaining time.”
—!!
The moment I finished speaking, I closed the distance to Yoo Ah-rin in an instant and swung my wooden sword.
Her pupils trembled slightly, perhaps startled by a pace that was one step faster than usual.
But even so, her gaze never left the tip of my sword.
Clack! Clack-clack, thwack!!
Indeed, she quickly began to adapt to the increased speed.
Of course, she was barely blocking the attacks, biting her lip and breaking out in a cold sweat, but that's how you improve.
'Should I mix things up a bit?'
The method for changing a sword's trajectory mid-swing is simple.
You add a spin to the hilt, release it in mid-air, and then catch it again.
It's a technique I often use in real combat.
Swoosh!!
“?!!”
The sword, its path altered in mid-air, flew toward her waist.
A look of bewilderment crossed the eyes of Yoo Ah-rin, who had raised her sword assuming it was a high slash.
Needless to say, I had no intention of stopping the sword.
Whether in a real fight or a guided spar, mistakes must have consequences.
But in that moment.
“Hup!!”
“?!”
Crack—!!
Instantly bending her body to the side, Yoo Ah-rin used her elbow and knee to break the wooden sword.
I was quite taken aback by her unexpected action.
Focusing her qi into her joints instead of her fists?
That was a skill difficult even for those who had mastered the Peak Realm.
I looked at the broken wooden sword and chuckled.
“That's enough for today.”
“Hah, hah...!”
Thud.
As soon as I finished speaking, Yoo Ah-rin collapsed to the floor, her face pale.
“Looks like you're about to pass out.”
It must be because she hastily changed the flow of her qi when she wasn't used to it.
I placed a hand on her shoulder and channeled my Vajra Qi into her.
Only then did Yoo Ah-rin's expression relax as she steadied her ragged breathing.
“I'm heading up first, so wash up quickly and get ready.”
“Thank you for the lesson...”
Leaving Yoo Ah-rin sprawled on the training ground floor, I went up to the first floor.
The reason I ended training earlier than usual was because today was the day we would all be taking a Floor Test together for the first time.