“You Madman……!!”
Grom Kyler shouted in utter disbelief at my words.
“Let go and scram? You arrogant little shit……! Let's see if you can do whatever the hell you want. I'll lop your head right off!!”
Vwoooom—!! His sword let out another sharp ring, unleashing its blade aura once more.
“Hyung-nim! Be careful!! That blade aura carries a curse!”
The moment I barely dodged the green blade aura, Nam-gung Yun yelled at me. His eyes were glowing gold—the Appraisal skill you pick up at level 40 as an Explorer.
If weapon destruction succeeds with a certain probability, you can use Plunder's Poison Hand up to three times.
The moment it touches the blade, it plunders part of the enemy's body.
The plundered target suffers reduced defense and movement speed, and instant death upon three consecutive plunders.
Unlike Black Eye's piercing insight, Appraisal could discern sealed items or their special effects. It was an essential skill for Explorers, whose main job was relic hunting.
Still, no one had ever imagined using it in combat like this. Nam-gung Yun grinned wryly even as he activated Appraisal.
“So that poison hand from the sword is its exclusive skill? Not just weapon destruction, but an active skill too…… Impressive gear for a nobody like you to start with. Hmm, this could be fun.”
I smacked my lips, eyeing his sword. I was curious what perks the leaders of the Eight Great Clans got from being Memory Keepers.
“But it's like pearls around a pig's neck. In Dimension World 1, your plundering was a threat because of the skill—not you.”
Vwoom—! Vwoooom—!! The menacing poison hand lashed out again, and after the third wave of green blade aura scattered, Grom's sword just kept slicing empty air uselessly.
“Impressive that a dullard like you even mastered Mid-Heaven, but if you're still at the lower Asura stage of the Six Formations, you haven't grasped the essence of Extreme Malice Arts.”
“You bastard!! Your tongue's the only sharp thing about you!!”
Extreme Malice Arts was at least Heroic-grade swordsmanship, if not Legendary. No easy feat to acquire or master.
'But it's only useful at Galrung's level, the Yulmun family head. Extreme Malice Arts has its limits.'
And that limit was already starkly clear in the gap between me and Grom Kyler right now.
“Forget beating me with that superficial swordplay. You were a warrior, not a swordsman to begin with.”
“Graaaah!!”
Grom swung his sword like a madman.
“……”
It was uncanny. Objectively, Grom Kyler held the stronger position here.
But I could predict every single one of his attacks.
That's when Black Eye's words echoed in my mind.
I'd never held a sword in the real world, not once. But in my dreams, I'd fought hundreds, thousands of battles.
And this place was virtual too. A world swayed more by the mind than reality. The sensations from my dreams felt even more alive here.
Plus……
[Your right shoulder keeps opening up. Tighten your stance. Put more weight on your left pivot foot.]
Black Eye guided me like a map, offering advice every time I swung.
Thanks to him, I gained more growth than just raw stat boosts from leveling—more than I'd expected.
A life-or-death fight for others was just training for me.
Clang—!!!
[Try that new sword technique you just learned.]
'But is showing off swordsmanship to these guys a smart move?'
[It'll see the light of day eventually. Hoarding it won't help. Besides, those beady eyes won't even grasp what technique you're using.]
Black Eye spoke toward Grom Kyler, who barely blocked my sword and staggered back.
[A half-assed win will just invite pursuit again. Not just this fight—all your future wars too.]
He emphasized his point.
[Victories must always be overwhelming and ferocious. The winner-takes-all world hasn't changed since ancient times.]
I nodded at his words.
Not that I endorsed his winner-takes-all philosophy. A world ruled solely by the strong was worse than chaos.
'Calamity…….'
My powerless past before that absolute monster was proof.
Ironic, but to avert that future, I needed power.
“Grom.”
I slipped inside his guard as he swung his plundering sword, murmuring his name softly.
“Sorry, but you're the first sacrifice.”
Shiiiing—!!
My sword moved at a speed that was neither fast nor slow.
To some, it'd look amateurish. To others, perfect.
[Good.]
“Quit posing and come at me for real!!”
Black Eye's assessment and Grom Kyler's clashed perfectly the instant they saw my swing.
That divergence revealed the true measure of his caliber.
Skreeeong—!!
Grom gripped his sword reverse and slashed upward from below, erecting his blade.
[Extreme Malice Arts 2nd Form: Blade Gust]
The technique unleashed wind blades akin to aura blades, clashing with the poison hand's malice to create a ferocious vortex.
“Hup……!”
I spun my body to evade the poison hand, switching my sword to my left hand to target his thigh.
Slash—!!
Red blood sprayed as a sharp gash opened on his thigh.
“Grahhh!!”
True to his sturdy build, Grom ignored the leg wound and pressed on relentlessly.
His frenzied slashes tore through the air like a beast's claws, splintering the tent's pillars mercilessly.
Kwaaang—!!
Amid the barrage of thunderous crashes, I planted my foot hard against the ground.
Clang! Clang! Claaang—!!
Batting away his sword, I counted inwardly: 'One, two, three.'
I had to finish him before the plunder effect triggered again.
“……!!”
As if instinctively reading the intent in my eyes, Grom's sword tip trembled unwittingly.
He thought:
He'd taken countless commissions, killed countless players. Never once had he felt fear of death or guilt over killing.
Because it was just a game.
But for the first time, it felt like a real fight—not a game.
Just a game character dying, yet terror washed over him like his own throat was being slit.
“You fucking psycho……!!”
Spitting curses to shake off the fear, he swung wildly.
[Now.]
Fear dulled the body, and exaggerated motions bred openings.
I dove between his upraised arms, stabbing down with my sword.
Shiiiing—!!
Air condensed around the blade, forming spiraling currents that whirled like a vortex toward Grom's throat.
[Mythic]
[Comprehension: 1%]
—The first technique of Chilya, devised by War God Gullak after deep contemplation upon inheriting the Infinite. Known as one of the most profound in the Chilya Sword Style. He passed it to his disciple Tesaro, but even he failed to master it fully.
Stamina Cost: 38 (40)
Skill Attack Power: 180
+15% Damage vs. Humanoids
※ As comprehension rises, the number of spiraling vortexes around the blade increases, enabling AoE attacks.
Known only as domineering, the War God's first technique was surprisingly fluid, like a dance.
Left to right, top to bottom. Zigzagging relentlessly.
Grom barely blocked, but even keeping up seemed overwhelming.
Shwaaaak—!!
The moment I exhaled the held breath,
“Aaaagh!!”
He screamed for the first time, rolling on the ground.
Clang……!
His sword spun several times in the air before hitting the floor, red blood spraying in circles with each turn.
[Too shallow. Your swordsmanship comprehension is still low.]
“Can't be helped. I've only used it once so far.”
Despite Black Eye's rebuke, I was satisfied with the 1st Sword's power.
If the 4th Sword was for hunting large monsters, the 1st was perfect for PvP.
'And the best part? It only costs 38 stamina.'
Reduced from 40 thanks to Stamina Arts.
Compared to the stamina-hungry 4th Sword, this was far less taxing.
“You…… What the hell are you?”
Grom knelt on one knee, grinding his teeth as he glared at me.
But I ignored him, picking up his fallen sword.
Vrooooom……!!
The green blade trembled at my touch, spewing malice like poison.
“Not quite up to Gullak's sword, but a decent blade. So this is the reward for your five years in this world.”
I lightly slashed the air with the plundering sword.
Vwooom—!!
A shrill, ghostly wail rang out. I brought it down on my previous sword.
Claaang!!!
Weapon Destruction Success!
Plunder's Ghostly Wail can now be used.
Uses Remaining: 3/3
The shattered blade fragments were absorbed into the plundering sword, coating it in green poison aura.
Grom gaped, speechless.
'He countered the exact timing of the plunder while blocking my attacks?'
That realization sent chills down his spine. His shoulders slumped, battle will shattered.
It wasn't just defeat—he'd been thoroughly analyzed.
“When a player dies, they drop items randomly—but that's only under normal game system rules.”
Step—step—step—
I walked slowly toward him, gripping his sword.
“But when an item is fully plundered like this, death drops the stolen goods for sure—not random. Makes sense, right? No logic in a plundered weapon probabilistically returning to its owner upon death.”
“……What're you getting at?”
“Normally, even with a plundered item, players drop one or two more items randomly on death, right?”
I leveled the plundering sword at his throat.
“Grom Kyler. You don't even grasp your own power properly.”
“……What?”
“This isn't a straightforward attack sword.”
His eyes wavered.
“It's plunder, literally.”
Slash—!!
I sliced off his opposite wrist with the sword.
No gush of blood like a normal cut. It severed cleanly, as if never there—the stump smooth as a mannequin.
“U, uwaaaagh!!!”
Grom screamed at the sight.
“See?”
Thud—
Something hit the ground. The bracelet he'd worn on that wrist moments ago.
I picked it up, dangling it before his eyes.
“The body part vanishes, but equipped items don't. That's how you use plunder.”
“U…… uugh……!!”
Gazing at his contorted face, I murmured softly.
“You've still got two more to go.”