The Breath That Shatters Limits

The 68th floor trial was a Hell Sparrow hunt.

These creatures could break the sound barrier in a single second once they spread their wings. We had to take them down before anything else.

The format was a 5-on-5 team battle.

Looks like it’s another one of those group competition formats.

“It’s the first section where RP actually gets applied, after all.”

Beyond the 70th floor the competition eased up slightly, but it was still fierce. Even so, this trial had one clear advantage.

“You can interfere with the enemy directly.”

A black hammer plummeted from the sky. From the front, crimson lightning crackled wildly, dyeing the ground red.

The magic amplified by Demonic Power was truly cataclysmic.

The players standing on the opposite side seemed to be shouting something.

“Sorry. Can’t ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hear you.”

Their voices were devoured by the symphony of destruction. Maybe I should have listened to their last words?

It doesn’t look like we need to compete through hunting.

“They revive in two minutes.”

This trial frequently featured sacrificial strategies meant to tie down the enemy. It wasn’t elimination, and the revival timer was short, so pinning opponents down offered massive advantages.

“In the face of overwhelming firepower, all those schemes are pointless.”

Who’s the real invasive species here, I wonder.

After annihilating the opposing team, I waited for the minute to run out.

I summoned the Dragon’s Wings. The enemy team still had about a minute until revival.

Don’t worry. This will be over before then.

Hell Sparrows were monsters even Diamond-rank players confident in their speed struggled to catch. The standard hunting method involved roaming the forest to gather capture tools, then slowing the birds down or luring them into traps.

Then why are you charging straight at it?

“I’m faster than it is. Why go through all that trouble?”

Didn’t you just explain the proper method?

“That was the general theory. General theory.”

I detonated the materialized mana and accelerated violently. I flew straight toward the Hell Sparrow and seized it by the neck.

“Kwaaak!”

I wanted to kill it and devour its essence, but the trial protected the target, so I couldn’t snap its neck.

“What a waste.”

I had failed to catch one in my previous life too, so I didn’t feel too attached. I loosened my grip.

Hoh. That’s quite the generous reward.

“It’s a 4-star skill. No need to explain further.”

Yet your reaction is rather lukewarm. It must not suit your fighting style.

“Did you learn mind reading or something?”

Do not doubt me.

She hit the nail on the head every single time. How could I not be suspicious?

Just as the goddess said, Swiftness itself was an excellent skill, but it had two problems. First, I hadn’t met the acquisition conditions. Second, its mechanics didn’t mesh well with my combat style.

Swiftness was a technique that allowed movement at speeds rivaling teleportation. It split the flow of air ahead, wrapped a portion of that severed current around the body, and accelerated.

Once activated, it quickly broke the sound barrier.

“But it’s not a charge skill.”

It literally only made you faster. Being able to move at supersonic speeds during battle was nice, but I already had the superior Shrink technique for pure movement. The cooldown was also long, so spamming it wasn’t possible.

“It’s definitely a good skill, but it feels like a waste for me to learn it.”

Can’t you just pass it to someone else?

“Oh. Right.”

There was a perfect candidate.

Hong Yunsu.

In his previous life, he had died a hollow death after slaughtering criminals in the name of avenging his sister. In this life, I had intervened and saved his sister, so he was living a solid, upright existence. He was also a Ranker belonging to Yeokcheon.

The child who wields the wind, yes?

“Swiftness has the best synergy with wind abilities.”

That was why the restriction about mastering twenty wind-type skills existed.

Then mages should also find it easy to learn.

“The skill doesn’t prevent the physical strain of acceleration.”

It was a 4-star skill with power to match, but using it properly required satisfying multiple conditions. Well, the recipient was already decided, so there was no need to think about it further.

The 69th floor was stele bashing.

It sounded a bit lame, but that was the essence of it.

Like the 68th floor, it was a 5-on-5 team battle. Every team member attacked the stele once, dealing as much damage as possible. It was a test of a player’s maximum firepower.

In this mission, I coincidentally ran into three opponents in the 2,000 RP range.

“Krrrk. It’s that human!”

“Damn it. Just thinking about the humiliation you caused me…!”

“The chance for revenge has finally arrived!”

Why are you glaring at me like that? Even if you met your parents’ killer, you wouldn’t open your eyes that wide.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

“D-don’t tell me you don’t remember us?!”

“Who are you?”

“I am the great dragon Kalnius!”

“I am Arkaid! You can’t possibly have forgotten!”

I scratched my head.

“Never heard those names.”

“Have you forgotten the promotion match?!”

“Ah. Those pathetic little dragons. Nice to see you again.”

“Krruuuugh!”

“Weren’t there five of you?”

“Hmph. Only weak mortals need to join forces.”

“So the three of you were too weak to go solo and formed a squad.”

“Kuaaagh! I’ll kill you!”

I only pointed out what they themselves had said. Why were they getting so worked up?

Dragons, huh. At least Ariel, the true monster among them, hadn’t shown up. I should be grateful for that.

“Mortal. I acknowledge that you are quite strong. However, this time will be different.”

The three dragons reverted to their true forms and inhaled simultaneously.

A triple-attribute attack of flame, lightning, and wind. Normally, when different attributes collided, their power would cancel out. That was why combined magic was considered high difficulty.

But the dragons’ breaths were different. Each dragon used their will to reduce the repulsive force between the breaths and fused them into one.

The flames grew fiercer when they met the wind, and the lightning wrapped around that momentum, amplifying the overall power.

Hoh. Not bad at all.

Yeah. If the promotion match had been 5-on-5 instead of 1-on-1, and if they had perfected this technique back then, I would have had a hard time.

You’re being unusually humble.

“I did say ‘the me from back then,’ didn’t I?”

The breath that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fused three energies was even stronger than the combined attack of drakes and lesser drakes. If spread out, it could reduce an entire city to ashes. That immense power gathered into a single point and slammed into the stele.

Kwaaaaang!

A strange wave rippled out from the stele that took the breath head-on.

What exactly is their standard of judgment?

“I don’t know that much.”

The Old Gods probably made it up as they pleased. One thing was certain: a score in the millions was an incredible number. No Earth-born player had ever crossed the one-million mark.

Is that based on your previous life?

“Yeah. There’s no point checking now.”

To produce that kind of power alone, only Ariel would have been capable among recent Diamond-rank players. Since anyone who exceeded a million damage on the 69th floor had gone on to become a Challenger, that said everything.

The remaining two also struck the stele, but they barely passed ten thousand. So the opposing team had some fillers this time.

Fillers?

“Weak players matched in to balance the average RP.”

My RP was so high that the enemy team’s average was always elevated, while my own teammates were always people on the verge of demotion. It felt refreshing to be on the other side for once.

I see. That explains why you’re teamed with those other races.

One goblin, one dwarf, and two orcs. All in the 1,300 RP range. They weren’t particularly strong, but compared to the teammates I’d had so far, they were a blessing.

“We should prepare a combined attack as well.”

“Hmph. I’d rather bite my tongue and move to the next trial than combine strength with a goblin.”

“Orc warriors are strong. Not combining.”

Everyone was making a fuss. It was quite a beautiful sight, watching them puff out their chests in front of dragons.

You say that as if you yourself aren’t doing the same.

I actually have the strength to back it up.

It was understandable that they were sharpening their blades against each other. There was no way these friends could surpass a combined breath attack, so they could only vent their frustration on one another.

While my noisy teammates argued, I made my move.

I ordered the two summoned subordinates to strike the stele with their strongest attacks.

“Use your strongest moves.”

“I shall obey your command, Master.”

“It’s a pain, but I suppose I have no choice.”

It would be nice if they could handle it, but that alone wouldn’t surpass the combined breath.

Does an attack from a summon not count toward the limit?

“Summons are part of my power too.”

This was why people often said the 69th floor favored summoners. Still, I had to show my real ability.

Only one attack was permitted.

“Goddess. Grant me the blessing of victory.”

With the buff fully applied, it was time to show what I could do.

I strengthened the breath. An extreme mana breath, granted power and rank beyond its limits, surged up my throat.

Kwaaaaaang!

The moment the breath, fired as a single ray of light, struck the stele—

Before the numbers could even appear, a red beam and a pitch-black breath struck the stele in succession.

Oh. These guys timed that perfectly.

“A-a dragon?!”

“You… you weren’t human?”

“Kurruk, what a terrifying aura. My legs are shaking.”

“If you had that kind of firepower, why didn’t you combine strengths instead of acting alone…”

The goblin who had been chattering away suddenly shut his mouth.

Heh heh heh. Their reactions are quite entertaining.

Uh… yeah.

What’s wrong? Why are you standing there dazed as well?

Two million?

Shit.

What the hell is that number?

I don’t know. It’s scary.

“H-hahaha…”

Two million?

I had expected to surpass the combined breath, but this figure completely blew past my predictions. Although Nidhogg and Ark had helped, the majority of that score had to have come from my breath.

The destructive breath fired after using Giant Dragon Transformation was already incredible, but Mortal Sin Erosion must have pushed the judgment that high.

The dragons, who had returned to their humanoid forms, stood with completely dazed expressions. I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠couldn’t blame them. Even I hadn’t expected to win by such an overwhelming margin.

“What’s wrong? Why are you staggering?”

My mouth moved on its own, separate from my thoughts. When else would I get the chance to mock these arrogant dragons?

“Krrrruuugh!”

“I’ve clearly seen your true strength.”

It was so pathetic I wanted to die. Hurry up and disappear from my sight, you losers.