Chapter 6
Chapter 6
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: The Sword in the Grave
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"It's farther than I thought."
The weapon hidden in the forest.
In the first place, the pre-regression Se-woon hadn't found it on his own volition.
During the monster wave, he'd stumbled into the forest while fleeing from monsters and gotten lost. It was only by sheer luck that Journey's Compass activated, leading him to it.
Se-woon's expression soured slightly as he recalled the past for a moment.
"Come to think of it, that guy was there too."
The bastard who'd used him as a meat shield. No, not just him—he'd shoved anyone older or useless in a fight forward as cannon fodder. A real piece of work.
He couldn't use Se-woon as a shield anymore, but that didn't mean the guy had suddenly turned over a new leaf.
"Well, thanks to him, I did learn what Journey's Compass could do."
That was just hindsight speaking. What was clear was that the guy had pushed the weak to the front lines, driving them to their deaths.
Se-woon wasn't some saint, but he wouldn't stoop to using motivated fighters as meat shields.
"Anyway, I'll deal with him later."
Securing the weapon came first right now.
A variety of scents wafted into his nose, enhanced by the 'Pig's Snout'.
Thick grassy smells, the musky odor unique to wild wolves, even the stench of rotting animal carcasses.
Among them, one scent stood out, utterly out of place in the forest.
The smell of rusted iron.
He couldn't use Journey's Compass, but that scent's source was undoubtedly the weapon he sought.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Constellation 'Hungry Prince' starts whining that its stomach is growling fiercely. 'Feels less like sponsoring a constellation and more like raising a pig.'
If the Gluttony Demon God could read his thoughts, those teeth ripping into wolf corpses might've turned on him instead.
As he thought that, the faint iron scent grew stronger, and gray fur appeared through the underbrush.
'Gray Wolf.'
At a glance, it was at least twice the size of the Brown Wolves he'd seen so far.
Gray fur covered its body, especially thick and mane-like around its neck, like a lion's.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Constellation 'Hungry Prince' picks up its fork at the arrival of the main course. "Grrr..."
It thought it was hidden well enough, but the wolf's eyes locked straight onto Se-woon.
Just as Se-woon had tracked the weapon by scent, the wolf had sniffed him out too.
'Pre-regression, I was too busy running to notice.'
But not this time.
He stepped out from the bushes, standing boldly before it.
Any other beast would've lunged with claws out at the sight of prey, but this wolf circled him warily, true to its nature.
'Smaller than I remember.'
The Gray Wolf in his memories had been twice this size and far more ferocious.
Probably because back then, he hadn't adapted to the tower or tutorial yet, inflating his fear-distorted recollection.
And 'smaller than expected' was relative. On all fours, it was tiger-sized.
"Graaang!"
No longer seeing a need for caution, it bared its fangs and charged.
Not just big—its speed surpassed the Brown Wolves too.
Swoosh.
It aimed precisely for his throat, twisting to end him in one lethal strike.
But Se-woon simply extended one leg wide, slipping completely out of its attack range.
Ten Paths Subduing Legs.
Shaolin kicking arts weren't just about striking foes—they included footwork for dodging and closing in.
Crack!
Se-woon's right foot slammed into the wolf's flank right after.
He'd timed it for the opening after its missed strike, but the one reeling in pain was Se-woon.
"Damn, what the hell? How's it this tough?"
"Grrr!"
He'd nailed its unguarded belly, past the ribs. But muscle and hide blocked it cold—his leg throbbed instead of dealing damage.
No matter the technique, his low stats held him back.
Authority of Gluttony had barely pushed him past average human levels, but that was nowhere near enough for a Gray Wolf.
Slash!
Its razor claws grazed his chest.
If he hadn't dodged in time, it'd have shredded skin and crushed ribs.
Power and speed—neither could match it.
Without Ten Paths Subduing Legs' footwork, he'd be a bloody mess in its jaws by now.
"Graaang!"
Snap!
"Call all you want. The wolves around here are already in the Demon God's gut."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Constellation 'Hungry Prince' says that's long digested and urges you to serve the main course already. He kicked its approaching maw upward hard and leaped back.
Realizing Se-woon's attacks lacked power, the wolf pressed harder, ignoring them like mere tickles and shoving its jaws forward.
Se-woon desperately danced with Ten Paths Subduing Legs' footwork to evade.
Trip.
Something snagged his leg.
Glancing back, he saw the ground bulging like a grave mound.
"Graang!"
"Grrrng!"
He'd thought he'd killed every wolf on the way here.
But two Brown Wolves approached from both sides, drawn by the Gray Wolf's howl.
Three wolves and the grave boxed him in completely.
"Grr..."
The Gray Wolf stepped leisurely, as if asking what he'd do now.
Saliva dripped as it licked its chops, like Se-woon's head was already in its mouth.
"Graang!"
At the Gray Wolf's command to serve the prey, the flankers lunged for his vitals.
In this do-or-die moment.
Slice, shlick—
The two charging wolves' throats split open like magic.
Only after their bodies hit the ground did severed arteries spray blood, realizing their owners' deaths.
"You think I retreated here for nothing?"
In Se-woon's hand gleamed a sword, rusted red from years of exposure.
The weapon—this journey's goal. The blade stuck in the grave.
Even terribly rusted, its edge stayed keen, slicing wolf flesh effortlessly.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ You have opened the Treasure Vault of Greed. [Hamel Family Longsword Technique] - The basic longsword style said to be passed down only to direct descendants of the Hamel family, renowned swordsmanship house of the Grad Empire.
Hamel Family Longsword Technique.
The reason Se-woon chose this out of the warehouse's myriad treasures was simple.
Pre-regression, a top ranker who'd reigned as Sword Emperor in the tower: Francis Hamel. It reminded him of that name.
If the man who'd claimed the Sword Emperor title learned it, the technique's potential was proven.
Surer arts existed—like Tai Chi Sword, Wall Lion Sword, or Panthera's Great Heaven Sword—but Se-woon didn't get greedy.
With his current body, building from basics steadily was key.
In that sense, this ranker-endorsed fundamental sword art fit perfectly.
"Things are about to change."
"Graang!"
Clang!
Gray Wolf claws met Se-woon's sword.
An exchange unthinkable before he armed himself—but now possible.
Deflecting the claws, he stepped forward with his right foot, slashing horizontally.
Shlick—
That iron hide parted like butter.
Panicked, it kicked off the ground and retreated.
"Now that's a good blade."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Constellation 'Raven with Bowed Head' gazes at your sword with intrigued eyes. It looked too rusted for real use at first glance, but swinging it revealed the truth.
This sword was top-tier among tutorial blades.
With momentum on his side, no reason to retreat now.
Thud!
Se-woon kicked off and charged.
His attacks: straightforward horizontal and vertical slashes, thrusts.
No flair for the famed Hamel style—just basic moves.
Even Shaolin's straight-line 'Ten Paths Subduing Legs' had more style.
An outsider would've scoffed, "What kind of elite secret technique is that?" But a knowledgeable eye would've nodded solemnly.
Perfectly unerring cuts and thrusts.
Clean motions impossible without swinging a sword thousands—tens of thousands—of times.
Infused with Hamel's signature heavy power and sharp intent.
Simply drawing the art from Mammon's warehouse let its essence flow perfectly into his movements.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Constellation 'Hungry Prince' says it can't wait any longer and slams the table. He wanted to savor more of Hamel's essence, but the impatient constellation watched.
Se-woon needed to return to camp before the second wave anyway, so he readied to finish it.
"Graang!"
The Gray Wolf moved.
Using sturdy legs, it zigzagged swiftly, disrupting his gaze.
Eyes locked on him without a hint of carelessness, jaws wide.
That instant.
Thrust!
Se-woon lightly stepped forward with his right foot.
His twisted overhead grip extended straight.
The blade plunged deep into the gaping maw.
No need for extra force.
At the last moment, the Gray Wolf sensed something wrong, but too late.
Only when the sword buried to the hilt did it stop, eyes rolling back, signaling battle's end.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ You have defeated the boss monster of Wolf Forest, 'Wolf Guarding the Grave'. Your level has increased. Personal Contribution +500 points. Acquired 'Gray Wolf's Hide'. This journey had a second goal beyond the weapon.
Personal Contribution.
Ways to raise it varied.
The standard: shine in tutorial events like monster raids.
Second: hunt monsters solo, like now.
Third:
'Take down other players.'
In truth, the third was most common over monster hunting.
Easier and quicker than beasts for big gains.
Not now, but as tutorial neared end, blade-wielding players would multiply.
"Hope I'm not too late."
[Tutorial First Act – Adaptation] Time until Second Monster Wave: 12 minutes. 12 minutes until the next wave.
He'd have to hurry a bit.