The God of Control's One-Coin Clear: Sword's Castle (6)
Stormbringer (Unique)
Agility +2, Hero +1, Swordsman +1
Stormbringer: Storm Summon. The Wind Spirit King Arasil descends upon player Yoon Taeyang's body. (Cooldown: 48 hours)
Stormbringer.
It was the skill card he had obtained using the Relic Search (R) skill.
The attached synergies were Agility +2, Hero +1, and Swordsman +1. The Swordsman synergy was a little disappointing, but he suspected the name itself came from a legend about a blade that called forth storms.
And the skill itself—Stormbringer: Storm Summon.
“Yeah. Totally different from what we expected.”
The forty-eight-hour cooldown meant he couldn’t test it right away. Still, he had been confident even before checking the exact effect. In this game, grade was directly proportional to performance.
“Kuaaaaaaaaagh!”
The Mad Swordsman didn’t charge. He simply screamed. Had he sensed the change in Taeyang’s presence? Or was he panicking from the sudden loss of strength?
What was certain was that the title “Mad Swordsman” no longer seemed to fit.
Not coming in?
Then I’ll come to you.
Whooooosh!
Simply clenching his fist made the wind spiral wildly. The truly impressive part was that every single strand of that wind was a condensed mass of mana.
“Kuaaaaaagh!”
The swordsman swung his blood-red katana. It wasn’t as strong as his fifth-stage berserk form, but the second-stage strikes were still fast and ferocious.
However—
“I can see everything.”
In truth, he had been able to see the Mad Swordsman’s blade even during the triple-stacked berserk state. The problem had simply been that it was too fast to react to.
The katana sliced through empty air. Taeyang slipped into the opening and closed the distance.
Yeah. This is how it’s supposed to feel.
The minimal distance he hadn’t been able to achieve before had frustrated him to no end. This was a proper fight!
Hyper Dragon Blow.
Thud.
Crackle-crackle-crackle.
Electromagnetic force surged up from the soles of his feet, riding the wind through his body. The mana coalesced into the shape of a dragon and gathered in his right fist.
Whooooooosh!
The Wind Spirit King Arasil’s storm responded to Taeyang’s movements and created a powerful synergy.
“Whoa.”
Taeyang couldn’t help letting out a gasp as he threw the punch. The fist he extended felt impossibly heavy yet light as a feather. It was as fierce as a storm yet as peaceful as a windless plain. A paradoxical sensation that defied description.
Thud.
His fist reached the Mad Swordsman’s abdomen.
Kwaaaaaaaaang!
The Mad Swordsman’s armor—hard as steel—caved inward like crumpled paper.
“What the…”
Ran, the Wind Daoist who had been watching, let out a low groan.
Not only that.
“Cough.”
Dark red liquid spilled from beneath the oni mask and ran down his chin.
A single strike. With one blow, he had dealt a meaningful amount of damage to the Mad Swordsman. It was an achievement that neither Tobi’s frantic greatsword strikes nor Ran’s dozens of fan swings had managed to accomplish.
“Let’s finish this.”
The duration of Stormbringer was only sixty seconds. Since he had already confirmed his advantage in power, there was no reason to drag things out.
Taeyang charged at the swordsman. For the first time since the fight began, the swordsman did not charge back. Even though he had lost his mind, his battle instincts were still alive.
The Mad Swordsman swung his blade, laying it directly across the path Taeyang was taking. His intention to endure was blatantly obvious.
Taeyang smiled faintly.
Crushing and shattering an enemy who was trying to hold his ground—one of his specialties.
Even Isaac, who could “see and block” every technique, had crumbled before him.
Taeyang swung his left hand. His left hand struck the blood-red katana perfectly perpendicular. More precisely, the back of his hand met the flat of the blade.
It wasn’t even a technique. All it required was swinging at the exact right timing. Or maybe that precision was the technique?
Clang!
After that, it was easy.
Thud.
He stepped naturally into the Transcendental Jin-gak that had become muscle memory.
Transcendental Jin-gak – Rising Dragon Fist.
He used a technique that had become second nature as naturally as breathing.
Taeyang bent his body for a brief moment, then sprang upward with spring-like elasticity.
Kwaang!
A flawless uppercut slammed into the Mad Swordsman’s jaw. The moment it connected, the swordsman dropped his katana. The fight was decided.
Taeyang caught the swordsman’s airborne body.
“Whatever I do, I do it properly.”
Then he swung his fist again. A merciless barrage with no technique behind it whatsoever.
Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaang!
The Wind Spirit King’s storm turned those simple punches into something as devastating as any skill. Every time Taeyang’s fist landed, the Mad Swordsman’s body thrashed like a hooked salmon.
Kwaaaaang!
Soon the oni mask shattered. Taeyang looked down at the broken mask and muttered.
“Too bad. There’s no continue.”
The Wind Spirit King Arasil leaves player Yoon Taeyang’s body.
* * *
Taeyang hunched over.
“Fuck… it hurts like hell.”
Now that the battle was over, the pain came rushing in late. Especially the right side where he had been cut. Even though he had avoided a fatal wound, his internal organs must have been damaged—metallic blood surged up his throat.
“H-hey. Are you okay?”
Ran approached belatedly, fidgeting anxiously and shifting her weight from foot to foot. She seemed worried that the oath she had sworn to the wind would steal her power from her. It was quite different from the cool impression she had given at first, and it left a strong impression.
Taeyang, half-collapsed, moved his lips.
“Power of Regeneration.”
Power of Regeneration.
The skill card he had obtained after killing Aksharon in the Relic Search stage.
Whoooong.
A green light instantly wrapped around him. The terrifying regenerative power of the giant serpent Aksharon descended upon Taeyang’s body. The duration was only three seconds, but it was more than enough to completely heal his wounds.
“Whew. Barely survived.”
“W-what? You could heal?”
Ran looked shocked. It was understandable—a player who had looked on the verge of death three seconds ago had suddenly stood up fine.
Taeyang answered while touching his blood-soaked body here and there.
“I wouldn’t have gone in if I couldn’t.”
Cooldown of 1,200 seconds and, on paper, instant full recovery. But this skill had one hidden condition attached.
Consumes all remaining mana in the body.
Dantalion’s skill cards included both mana-consuming and non-consuming skills. However, there was no uniform cost indicator. He didn’t know why. He could only guess that the creator, Dantalion, had some hidden intention.
Anyway, this “Power of Regeneration” was the representative trap card born from that design. Therefore, he could only use the skill when he was absolutely certain the battle was over.
Taeyang stared at his palm. The physical recovery was perfect. However—
Tremble.
The tips of his fingers were shaking minutely. The silver-white blade had torn through his body multiple times—shallowly, or deep into his flesh. The wounds had healed, but the sensation remained vivid. It was a mental issue more than a physical one.
“Not like I’m a Jiangshi or anything.”
Ran, watching him from the opposite side, let out a dry laugh. It was worse than a Jiangshi. Even the blood Jiangshi that had once threatened the fate of the Murim world had no means of healing their own wounds.
“……”
“……”
A brief silence fell between them.
Taeyang moved first. Ran flinched.
“W-wait. Don’t come any clo—”
Taeyang offered her a handshake.
“Let’s at least greet each other properly.”
Come to think of it, this was the first time since entering this stage that he had properly spoken with anyone.
“Ah, I’m Yoon Taeyang. And you?”
Ran stared at his right hand for a moment before cautiously taking it.
“Ran. Wind Daoist Ran.”
SexParrot has donated 100,000 won!
If you do it, I’ll send a million.
ICantWaitAnymore has donated 50,000 won!
If you do it, I’ll send 100,000.
These crazy bastards.
What exactly do they want me to do?
After finishing the greeting, Taeyang walked past her toward the Mad Swordsman’s corpse.
“What are you doing?”
“Farming.”
“Farming?”
Srrrng.
Without answering Ran’s question, Taeyang picked up the blood-soaked katana. The moment he touched it, the katana transformed into a card.
◈ Additional Skill: Bloodlust Surge
Taeyang immediately equipped the card in a slot without hesitation.
Status: Achievements (20) - Solo Player, Perfect Clear (No Hit)...
Gold: 35
1. Blood-Drinking Katana (R): Agility +1, Strength +1, Blood Drain +1
2. Monk’s Belt (R): Agility +1, Strength +1, Divinity +1
3. Power of Regeneration (R): Endurance +2, Blood Drain +1
4. Skill - Stormbringer (U): Agility +2, Hero +1, Swordsman +1
5. Closed
6. Closed
7. Closed
Bloodlust Surge: Paralyzes pain and greatly enhances overall body functions.
Power of Regeneration: Gains the giant serpent Aksharon’s regenerative power for 3 seconds. (Cooldown: 1,200 seconds)
Stormbringer: Storm Summon. The Wind Spirit King Arasil descends upon player Yoon Taeyang’s body. (Cooldown: 48 hours)
“With this…”
Taeyang re-equipped the Earring of Conviction. The final synergy status became:
Ran crossed her arms and asked.
“You killed all those people just to get one item?”
“I killed them?”
Taeyang shot back. Ran answered firmly.
“Yes, you killed them.”
“I only touched Tobi.”
“If you put poison on a fish and throw it in front of a stray cat, you’re as good as the one who killed the cat.”
Taeyang shrugged.
“But you did something too. That oath to the wind?”
Ran’s shoulders twitched.
“What happens if you break it?”
“You don’t need to know.”
Ran turned her head slightly. Taeyang tilted his.
“Hey now. You said you would ‘live for me.’ Right now I’m curious, and you have an obligation to tell me.”
“What kind of nonsense…”
As Ran tried to protest, she felt the surrounding mana shift. It seemed the ‘wind’ agreed that Taeyang’s words were reasonable.
Ran bit her cherry-like lips.
“…I lose the wind arts I’ve built up until now.”
“Lose the wind arts? All of them?”
“…Not all. Some.”
“Then it’s fine to break it, isn’t it?”
Ran couldn’t answer carelessly.
Especially since the conditions were overwhelmingly favorable to Taeyang. He had already confirmed Ran’s usefulness with his own body, and the initiative in their relationship rested entirely with him.
Taeyang asked lightly.
“Annoyed?”
“Yeah. I knew you had no charm, but now I’m starting to hate you.”
Her cat-like, prickly reaction made Taeyang chuckle.
“Oh? It worked. I’ve hated you since the beginning too.”
* * *
Taeyang and Ran rested sufficiently in preparation for any possible combat before heading up to the next floor.
The ‘Clear Room’ was already open. The devastated sixth-floor corridor effectively expressed the psychological state of the players at the time.
“If they had worked this hard to unlock the room from the beginning, they wouldn’t have had to meet the Mad Swordsman.”
“Seriously. Whose fault do you think that is?”
Ran snorted. Taeyang opened the Clear Room.
“You’ve finally arrived.”
A pale man with a giant snake wrapped around one arm. Andromalius greeted Taeyang in a dry voice.