Chapter 12
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: A Test of Fundamentals
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Chirp, chirp
A new morning dawned in Wonderland.
Yuhyeons eyes fluttered open. To be more precise, it felt as though they had opened on their own.
Sleep has ended. Stamina, Mana, and Fatigue have all been restored to 100.
Mmm.
In Wonderland, there was a stat called Fatigue, in addition to Stamina and Mana.
When Fatigue was completely depleted, just like in the real world, you couldn't take any action.
So much time has passed already.
There were two ways to recover from this fatigue.
The first was to log out.
While logged out, Fatigue would gradually decrease, and Stamina would slowly replenish.
Logging out for about six hours in real time would fully restore one's Fatigue.
The second was to use an inn.
Sleeping in the game restored all Fatigue in just one hour of real time, which was three hours of in-game time.
Using an inn is much better than logging out for six hours.
Besides, while a full day had passed in Wonderland, it was still midday in Yuhyeons real life.
He had logged in at 10 AM, so only four hours had passed since he entered the capsule.
Just one real-world hour? Isn't that a total steal?
Just closing his eyes for a bit had also relieved some of his real-world exhaustion.
It was enough to make him instantly understand why other people slept inside the game.
Hoo.
Getting out of bed, Yuhyeon stretched his body lightly.
Miraculously, all the pain in his body had vanished as if washed away.
My body doesnt ache at all.
His arms and thighs, which had felt like they were about to tear, were now back to normal.
He felt as if he had been reborn. In fact, he even felt refreshed.
Should I do a quick review?
Yuhyeon imagined gripping his wooden sword and took a stance. He held his breath and lightly sliced through the air.
Seen from the side, his posture was so natural it was hard to believe he was a beginner.
This was the power of 400 proper-form swings.
Oh, right. Something increased yesterday.
Yuhyeon then opened his status window.
Tiring!
Name: Yuhyeon
Level: 1
Class: None
STR: 8 (3) AGI: 6 (1) INT: 5 STA: 8 (3) MANA: 5 DIV: 0 CHA: 10 (10)
Titles: First Impressions Are Just First Impressions, Fanatic
Sword Mastery (E-Rank): Deals 120 damage when attacking with a one-handed sword. Attack speed increased by 4.
Compared to yesterday, his Strength and Stamina had increased by 3, and his Charm had gone up by a whopping 10.
His Sword Mastery skill had ranked up by one level, and he had already filled about 50 of its proficiency.
A thrill ran through Yuhyeon, and he clenched his fists.
Yesss.
Whether his stats went up by 1 or 2, the numbers themselves weren't that important.
What was more meaningful was that his efforts were yielding results.
A world where hard work is immediately rewarded.
This world was a place that gave users commensurate rewards and results for their hardship and effort.
That fact sent an electrifying thrill through Yuhyeon.
Alright, shall we get going?
Having finished his light stretches, Yuhyeon opened the inn door and stepped outside.
The refreshing air filled his lungs.
It was time for morning training.
At the same time, Olsen was teaching basic swordsmanship to the outsiders.
Twenty reps is too many. Cant you cut us some slack?
This is training, not some flea market. Don't ask me to reduce the quest reps. Stop talking nonsense.
He was in the middle of his usual daily bickering with the outsiders over their training.
Good morning, Instructor!
Having arrived at the training grounds, Yuhyeon spotted Olsen and greeted him cheerfully.
Olsen looked at Yuhyeon as if hed been waiting for him.
Oh, youre here! Hows your body? Are the muscle aches all gone?
Im perfectly fine after a day of rest.
Excellent! I have a lot to teach you, so thats a relief.
Ooh! Thats great!
Come over here. Ill be teaching you some different moves today.
Olsen said, his tone slightly excited.
It was a surprising change, making one wonder if this was the same person from the other day.
Today, Ill teach you various angled strikes: the rising cut, the diagonal downward cut, the diagonal upward cut, and the horizontal cut. With this, youll learn to attack and defend from a total of five directions.
His words were tinged with a warmth, as if he were meeting a welcome friend.
Im teaching this specially to you, so learn it well. It will all be useful.
The other players eyes widened.
Olsens attitude toward Yuhyeon, his kind tone, and even the special training.
It was treatment on a completely different level from what they were receiving.
Whats with him? Why is he being so nice to just that one player?
Special training? He just taught me the downward and upward cuts and that was it.
F-five directions? Hes learning all the directions?
Olsen was an instructor known for being cold, even in the beginner town.
His cold demeanor seemed incapable of shedding a single tear, and his gaze toward the outsiders was icy.
The players, unaware that he was a former knight, simply saw him as an unusually strict and prickly instructor.
And now, someone had appeared who had raised Olsen's affinity to an unprecedented level.
He had swung his sword 400 times for a quest that could be cleared with just 20.
It was an incredible number, something no one had ever done before and likely never would again.
It was hardly surprising that Olsen treated Yuhyeon differently.
But that wasn't all.
Arent you bored of doing only basic training?
Bored? Not at all. Its fun feeling myself improve with every swing.
Youre not interested in special abilities or flashy skills?
Hmm, its not that Im not interested I just think theres no point in learning fancy techniques without mastering the fundamentals.
I see!
Above all, Yuhyeon and he got along very well.
Yuhyeons serious attitude toward the sword, his proper mindset that fundamentals were important, and the persistence and tenacity to back it up.
He even possessed considerable talent as a martial artist.
His eye for detail is so good he can grasp a move in an instant.
Among the outsiders, Yuhyeons reflexes were quite exceptional.
This seemed to stem from his characteristics as a musician.
Given the nature of musical performance, where even a slight deviation in tempo is unacceptable, concentration and the physical ability to support it were essential.
His reflexes, in particular, were not much different from those of a highly trained swordsman.
He did say that handling the sword reminded him of an instrument
He had heard that playing an instrument was also an ascetic practice, a lifetime of honing one's craft for a single perfect note.
Perhaps the reason Yuhyeon could devote himself so intensely to swordsmanship was because of the rigorous training he had already undergone as a musician.
Those with talent often lack persistence, and those with persistence often lack talent.
The keen eye to learn a move after seeing it once, the athletic ability to replicate it instantly, and the tenacity to never let go of the sword.
Only a few martial talents chosen by the world are born with such gifts.
Yuhyeon was exactly like that.
Fwoosh!
Look at him, understanding the various angled strikes after just a few practice swings.
This was only possible because he accurately understood the principles of the sword.
His imperfect form could be corrected with practice, and his lack of real combat experience could be filled.
Ah, real combat experience. Perfect timing.
Olsen spoke, his expression suggesting he had thought of something interesting.
You, come over here for a moment.
Yes?
Youve learned diligently, so shouldnt you try putting it to use in a real fight?
Does that mean were going to a hunting ground?
Yuhyeon looked around, searching for a hunting ground.
My job is to guard this place; I cant go anywhere. But I can summon a training dummy.
Snap. Olsen made a crisp sound by flicking his thumb and index finger.
At the same time, a hologram materialized in front of Yuhyeon.
A scarecrow?
It was a frail-looking scarecrow holding a hoe in one hand.
It was an unprecedented sight, rarely seen on the training grounds, and the other players gazes naturally gathered.
What is that?
Whoa, awesome. Ive seen that in a video before. Its a special training session only for those acknowledged by the instructor.
Olsen recited in a calm tone.
Its a training program used even by knights. There are five stages, and the difficulty increases with each one. For your reference, the highest record among the outsiders is stage four, set by Hwarang.
At the mention of Hwarangs name, the players eyes widened.
Hwarang?
The number one ranked swordsman?!
It was no wonder, as Hwarang was a top-tier player who always ranked first among swordsmen.
Yuhyeon, seeming to know nothing of the sort, asked calmly.
On average, how far do people usually get?
By outsider standards, reaching just stage two is considered quite talented. This training is tougher than it looks.
Yuhyeons eyes narrowed.
Stage four He must be someone incredible.
He didnt know who this Hwarang was, but he had no intention of reaching the highest stage like him.
After all, he wasnt a physical powerhouse, nor was he someone who had dedicated his life to martial arts.
He said stage two is the average, right?
But that didnt mean he wasnt ambitious.
What had he been swinging so diligently for all this time?
It was all for a moment like this. To prove himself when the opportunity arose.
And if possible, doing even a little better than others suited his temperament.
Lets aim for stage three.
Stage three, higher than the average. For now, that seemed just right.
Is there anything I should know? Since this is my first time in a real fight, I was hoping for some fitting advice.
Ill give you advice one stage at a time. For now, just remember the downward cut I taught you yesterday. That should be enough for stage one.
Yuhyeon nodded lightly and gripped his wooden sword.
His first real fight. He swallowed hard in the strangely tense moment.
Olsen offered a piece of light advice.
For your information, the stage one scarecrow doesnt move. It will only start to counterattack after you strike first.
Understood.
Yuhyeon slowly walked toward the scarecrow.
The scarecrow before him was glaring at him, hoe in hand.
Every problem has an intention. So whats the intention behind this test?
If he thought about it simply, he just had to cut it down.
However, if it were that easy, there would be no reason for most players to get stuck on stages one and two.
There had to be a reason it was called a test.
Just remember the downward cut I taught you yesterday. That should be enough for stage one.
In that moment, a powerful idea flashed through Yuhyeons mind.
This first scarecrow is no different from the training Ive been doing all this time.
Until it counterattacked, the scarecrow before him was identical to the ones on the training grounds.
In that case, he just had to remember how he had dealt with the training ground dummies.
With that, Olsens teachings quickly raced through his head.
Keep your head up and your back straight. Raise your arms as you inhale
Yuhyeon calmly corrected his posture.
Head up, back straight.
The position of his head, the proper angle for raising his arms, the tension in his abdomen as he inhaled.
He reviewed every action he had taken so far and flawlessly incorporated it into the present moment.
If theres no test without an intention, then this is the only answer.
He had practiced this countless times. More than 400 times, in fact.
There was no one in the world who could answer this first question better than him.
The moment he realized that, his uncertainty vanished, replaced by a solid confidence.
Hoo.
Yuhyeon calmly held his breath and raised both arms above his head.
Deliver a single strike with perfect form and flawless power distribution!
The wooden sword swiftly cut through the air, heading for the scarecrows head.
The moment the wooden sword reached the scarecrows head.
CRACK!
A powerful, air-splitting sound erupted.
Olsens eyes widened.
Y-you What is this?