Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Lightning's Fragment
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1. [Will you continue the trial?]
2. [Will you move to the next floor?]
Tzzzzz, tzzzzzt-.
A single bolt of lightning crashed down before his eyes, flickering hazily.
A yellow effect. Not yet vivid, but just as the message described, it was unmistakably Lightning.
The chat window flooded with shock and awe. The messages scrolled so fast that Suhyuk, who had been focused solely on the trial, couldn't resist glancing over.
The reward floating before him, 'Lightning', had people mistakenly thinking the way to obtain it was by defeating the giant leader.
'No.'
Only Suhyuk knew the truth here.
'I didn't get it from here.'
Suhyuk had obtained Lightning much later in his past life.
He had moved based on the calculation that he could take down the giant leader, but he hadn't expected to get Lightning here.
'Should I be happy about this?'
In any other situation, he probably wouldn't have been able to hide his joy.
But things were different now.
His Stamina had gone up by 2, but it was still nearly depleted. Lightning, like the demon sword, required Stamina, so in his current state, it wouldn't perform at full power.
A bittersweet reward that he couldn't properly utilize right now.
But he didn't have time for prolonged deliberation.
The situation wasn't ideal, but all things considered, there was no better reward for Suhyuk than Lightning—one he could actually use.
Snap-.
He reached out and grasped the Lightning hovering before him.
In that instant, a thrilling jolt raced from his hand to his fingertips and toes, piercing his mind.
Only then did the Lightning's stats appear before his eyes.
Even at a mere Level 1, the skill's grade reached A+.
'I want to let it course through my entire body...'
For a fleeting moment.
He almost felt like he had become the Lee Soo-hyuk of Blue Eyes from his past life.
A surge of confidence that he could sweep away the hundreds of giants before him in an instant.
But he had to stay calm.
He wasn't the Lee Soo-hyuk who possessed the completed Lightning shard.
'What I hold now is just the small fragment from the second floor.'
If he overestimated his current power, he'd run out of Stamina and collapse amid the giants for sure.
Lightning was like a finely honed double-edged sword.
Sharper and harder than anything else, yet capable of harming the wielder too.
A skill with properties akin to the 'Nameless Demon Sword'.
And for that reason.
Suhyuk had acquired this skill in the Tutorial.
As he completed the registered missions, sponsorships poured in.
His held points surpassed 20,000.
'At least that's something.'
Lightning boosted destructive power by consuming Stamina.
And Selfish Sacrifice reduced the burden on the user's body.
He had already confirmed their excellent synergy while using the demon sword.
With this, Selfish Sacrifice's skill level reached 3.
But there was no time to check the enhanced effects.
He'd verify them in actual combat.
As Suhyuk drew up his Mana, his eyes gleamed with a golden light matching Lightning's hue.
Tzzzzz, tzzzzzt-!
Just like the first time he obtained it.
Suhyuk began to control Lightning's power.
And at that moment.
Whooosh-.
A giant's club came flying toward Suhyuk's head.
Swoosh-.
Tzzzt-.
A single yellow arc sliced through the club.
A crude wooden club swung with brute force relying solely on size.
No matter how large, it stood no chance against the demon sword infused with Lightning.
And moreover.
This single strike didn't just cleave the club.
Sizzle-.
Craaaack-.
The giant's body split in two, crashing to the ground. In that brief moment, blood charred black by electricity stuck viscously to the floor.
Cheers erupted.
But it was too early for such acclaim.
'Just one down.'
Right after swinging the sword.
Suhyuk's gaze shifted to scout an escape route.
Grrrraaah-!
Giants blocking his path.
The line connecting the necks of these somewhat tall foes traced across his vision.
And along that line.
Tzzzzzt-.
He swung his arm with all his might, slashing across.
Kaboom-!
With the roar of thunder, yellow light mingled with the red line. Suhyuk cleaved three in one stroke and leaped upward, stepping on the giants' bodies.
Crackle-.
A stifled groan escaped his lips.
His fingertips throbbed. He grimaced at the numbing sensation.
'This skill doesn't discriminate between owner and foe—that's the biggest issue.'
Lightning's nature was like a rampaging wild horse.
The greater the power, the harder it was to handle, and the greater the output.
And for that.
Since reincarnating, Suhyuk had steadily invested time in this skill.
Tzzz-.
The electricity coursing through his hand faded. The pain subsided, and strength returned to swing the sword again.
And in this moment.
An unfamiliar thrill enveloped Suhyuk's body.
'It worked.'
He had tested it with the demon sword, but combining it with Lightning was a first.
He was certain it would work. But theory and practice felt worlds apart.
Above all, the effect of the newly leveled-up Selfish Sacrifice exceeded expectations.
Tzzzt-.
Lightning began flowing through his body again, moving along his limbs.
He wanted to unleash it freely and fight to his heart's content.
But now wasn't the time.
Boom-!
A bolt shot from his fingertips exploded a giant's head.
At the same time, sticky, charred blood splattered onto his hand. After one discharge of Lightning, Suhyuk scanned his surroundings.
'About half now.'
The giants, having lost their leader, surrounded him.
He had broken through about half of them.
Some expectant viewers expressed disappointment.
But they were just a few players unfamiliar with Lee Soo-hyuk.
Lightning required more than just Mana.
A sturdy body and ample Stamina to withstand it. Only when both supported it did Lightning unleash its true power.
'They know their stuff.'
Perhaps because most viewers were his fans from before.
Many who had cheered at obtaining Lightning understood Suhyuk's current predicament.
His Mana overflowed, but Stamina was lacking. Not ideal for swinging Lightning freely.
So all he could do was heighten his focus.
Tzzzt-.
The electricity flowing through his body settled into his feet.
In an instant, his feet felt lighter, accelerating his dodges from the giant's clubs.
That wasn't all.
Boom-!
As the sword swung, the sound of Lightning crackling followed.
The giant's head, unable to withstand Lightning's power, didn't just get severed—it exploded. Suhyuk then wove through the giants, shifting Lightning's energy precisely where needed.
The beginning of feats with Lightning.
Screeech, boom-!
Swing the sword, plunge through the giants, advance.
Advance.
Flash-, swing the sword and advance again.
Using minimal Mana and Stamina to wield Lightning—a technique Suhyuk was intimately familiar with.
Of course.
To those unable to appreciate the finesse, it just looked like he still had plenty of Stamina left.
Drip-.
Lightning began ravaging his insides. Selfish Sacrifice fought back against the damage, but his remaining Stamina was too low.
'Just one good shot.'
Sizzle-.
Taking one more step, he spotted the path he'd targeted from the start beyond the giants.
The encirclement was nearly broken. Now it was all about that final step.
'Timing...'
It was then.
From the base of the mountain.
A booming voice rang out, accompanied by a familiar face emerging.
Arrows flew toward the giants. Soldiers ambushed everywhere targeted heads and necks, unleashing volleys.
Suhyuk muttered while severing a giant's neck.
Smirk-.
The corner of Suhyuk's mouth curled up.
The voice belonged to Pelius. He had drawn their attention to let him escape, yet the fool had stuck around to watch.
Now, there was no need to conserve Stamina any longer.
No need to dash all the way down the mountain.
Just break through once.
Tzzzzz, tzzzzzt-.
Electricity gathered at the sword's tip.
Skills of the same type varied wildly in performance based on intent and execution.
'Selfish Sacrifice Lv3' resists damage from 'Lightning'.
[Resistance failed.]
[Fatigue is high.]
[Fatigue rises to 94.]
[Fatigue rises to 95.]
[Fatigue...]
Warnings blared from rising fatigue, but it didn't matter.
'With this one strike—.'
Golden electricity enveloped the sword.
Suddenly, it felt heavy in his hand. Lightning had amassed beyond what he could handle.
And with that.
'—I'll break through.'
With all his strength.
He swung at the giants blocking his path.
Flash-!
Kabooooom-!
A blinding light that seared the eyes, accompanied by thunderous roar, swept through the giants.
The giants in front burned black from the electricity, their bodies torn to shreds. At the end of the path he carved stood Pelius, eyes wide in shock.
A look of utter bewilderment.
Pelius muttered in dismay, but only briefly.
Having broken the giants' encirclement, Suhyuk.
raised a thumbs-up.
As tension released, Suhyuk's body slumped onto Pelius's shoulder.
Around the time he cleared the fifth stage.
A post from one user topped the Players community hot topics.