The Recorder's Unbound Might
Hanbit immediately opened his title list. Below 55 Regressions' Recorder was a new line added.
[55 Regressions' Recorder]
The recorder's accumulated experiences are unlocked.
1. Proficiency in all experienced skills accumulates at an extreme rate. Performance is boosted based on the degree of experience.
2. All spirit affinity is activated, and effects from spirit power increase dramatically.
3. Freed from equip and use conditions for all experienced items. (However, performance penalties due to stat differences remain, though minimized.)
4. Unopened (Keyword: NPC)
Thinking back on everything so far, he could guess what was possible. The 'item' keyword in the title's unopened section.
Considering his long life repeated 55 times, it was harder to find items he hadn't used. He knew this greatsword intimately too, down to the artisan's crest engraved on the hilt.
'Feels just right in weight.'
He'd heard that forcing on strength-based weapons incurred weight penalties. But his title wiped those clean away. Even if performance dipped, it didn't matter now.
As long as he could grip and swing it, that was enough.
Whoosh—
[The wind spirit Sylph shows curiosity.]
A message popped up alongside the wind gathering around the greatsword. Hanbit gripped it two-handed and assumed a stance.
"Hate for this to end boring."
Trigger let out a short sigh. He spun his daggers dismissively.
"Want a cheap sword? Fight with that?"
"Why's your tongue so long? Shut up and come at me."
"Hah, feisty type, huh."
Trigger sighed like he genuinely regretted it, then straightened his daggers.
"Boring now. Just die."
Thud!
He kicked off, closing the gap in an instant.
Thwack!
Watching the move, Hanbit slammed the greatsword into a floor crack and vaulted up using the hilt.
Shwick!
Trigger's dagger grazed by a paper's width. Using his momentum, he wall-ran after him.
Hanbit's incantation hit at the same moment.
"Fire Burst!"
Boom!
The fireball flying straight exploded on impact. But Trigger crossed his two daggers to block it.
'Not bad stuff.'
Good weapons doubled as shields. Especially that blue glow on the daggers—it screamed one material.
Mana-conducting magic ore. Exactly what Hanbit needed.
"That wasn't half bad."
Trigger's cooled enthusiasm reignited. He looked like he craved the fight more than the job now. Perfect—blind emotions like that were easy to exploit.
Grrrind—
Hanbit yanked the embedded greatsword free. He felt the wind enveloping him.
"Told you it's junk. My daggers'll shatter it."
"Won't know till you try."
Ignoring the warning, Hanbit stepped back into stance. To hide the gathering wind.
"Fine. Smash it first then."
Trigger nodded, abandoning persuasion. For fun, he had to destroy the greatsword.
Swish—
Shifting stance, he loaded his back foot and charged straight. Unlike before, pure power focus.
Reading the timing, Hanbit kicked forward.
Thud!
"That won't work!"
Trigger scoffed as Hanbit swung the greatsword into offense. Twisting with power, he slashed hard horizontally with both daggers.
Clang!
Their blades met with a sharp ring.
Screeech!
Dual daggers grated against the greatsword, grating on the ears. A brief power struggle.
Trigger grinned with interest and shoved hard.
Thud!
Using the force, Hanbit reeled back. Trigger pursued instantly.
Clang!
Ka-clang!
The swung daggers crossed in rapid assault. Hanbit looked cornered at a glance. But his eyes stayed calm.
Tap-tap!
Each dagger rush, Hanbit yielded ground on purpose. Parrying precisely, keeping razor-thin distance.
The one-sided-seeming fight dragged on without end.
-Attack speed nuts. lol
-How's he even blocking?
-Black Dragon, one slip and you're sliced.
-Why's that greatsword still fine anyway?
-Huh?
-That's a bug for sure.
-'What the hell did he do?'
Trigger thought amid his barrage. The greatsword should've shattered easily—no cracks even. And his hits weirdly whiffed.
Shwick—
As the exchange continued, wind intensified around Hanbit's greatsword. Close-range Trigger sensed it too.
"Think I'll let you keep it?"
Thud!
Seizing initiative, he lunged deeper.
Whoosh!
Like he'd waited, Hanbit advanced instead, uppercutting the greatsword wide.
"Urk!"
Caught off-guard by the big swing, Trigger twisted away.
But then.
Fling!
Hanbit tossed the greatsword into the air.
"...?"
Defying logic, Trigger froze. Hanbit closed in face-to-face.
"Wasted effort!"
Trigger thrust his dagger fast. Hanbit, having read it, tilted his head aside effortlessly. Grabbing the guy's arm and shoulder, he kicked off.
Thud!
It happened in a blink—too fast to react. Trigger's eyes tracked Hanbit vaulting off him belatedly.
Thud!
Hanbit caught the falling greatsword's hilt two-handed mid-air. Balanced, he slammed it down.
"Crazy...!"
Too late to dodge. Eyes wide, Trigger crossed his daggers in desperate defense.
Kaaang!
The clashing blades boomed.
That instant.
Whoosh!
A massive gust engulfed Trigger.
"Urk!"
The crushing impact flung him back. In the chaos, he dropped the dagger in his left hand.
"Feels good."
Hanbit's voice came as he landed smoothly. Looking up, Trigger saw his own dagger in Hanbit's grip. He'd swapped with the greatsword.
"...You equipped a bound weapon?"
Trigger's eyes bulged at the impossible scene. That quest-forged dagger was bound to him. No one else could even hold it.
-?
-Bound?
-How's he holding it?
-Bug.
-Fr lol this is a bug.
-Everyone, praise Sylph quick.
-Cute.
-Spirits are total cheats tho.
Viewers, equally stunned, pegged it as a real bug. Without knowing the title, they had no choice.
"Something with the spirit, huh?"
Trigger puzzled it out. The stat-ignoring attack, wind involved—not coincidence.
Black Dragon's wind spirit skill nullified gear stat penalties. An obscure spirit power could bend binding requirements too.
"Total cheat, right?"
He laughed, amused and absurd. Resetting stance.
"Dunno what else you're hiding... but let's keep going!"
Boom!
Black smoke from the explosion shrouded Hanbit.
Swish—
Sudden presence from behind. Trigger burst from the smoke.
Shwick!
Senses sharp, Hanbit leaned back slightly. Trigger's dagger sliced empty air before him. He vanished into smoke again.
-4-rank skill whoa
-So fast.
-Cheat.
-Assassin skills OP.
-Rushing the route now.
'Annoying technique.'
Trigger's skill was tricky to counter. One mistake meant death.
Shwick!
Swish!
Relentless strikes from the smoke. But none grazed Hanbit's clothes.
-?
-How's he dodging?
-Hasn’t taken a single hit;
Viewers marveled at the dodges, but it was expected.
'A few years ain't enough.'
Assassination needed perfect concealment of presence and intent. Trigger fell short.
Game skill or not, he lacked time to master it.
Swish!
Shwick!
Attacks pressed on despite deviation from plan. A normal guy would've grumbled. That composure and flow suggested real training.
Thud—
Footsteps again. Hanbit readjusted his grip on the dagger instantly.
The moment Trigger emerged from the fog, he slammed down full force.
Crunch!
"Urk!"
Dead-on right shoulder hit. Getting cut by his own blade stung bad. It was a pricey, time-tested weapon.
Swish—
The fog effect faded. Trigger retreated fast, standing with one dagger.
'No potion.'
His pierced shoulder stayed unhealed. Confidence still burned in his eyes.
"Fun."
Despite the grim odds, Trigger smirked.
-?
-Cool af;
-Fun (while dying)
-Crazy dude's kinda fun lol.
Viewers mocked the mismatched reaction. But Trigger looked genuinely thrilled.
"Again!"
Thud!
Left hand dagger, he charged. Black aura rippled around him.
Whirl!
Spinning for power, Hanbit read the arc and deflected in place.
Screech!
Blades clashed sharply head-on. Hanbit's twisted dagger slid toward Trigger's left collarbone.
Stab!
"...!"
Impaled left shoulder. Hanbit kept grip and shoved.
Thud!
Trigger slammed into the nearby wall.
"What the hell are you?"
No panic—just pure curiosity.
"What else? A player."
"Yeah, won't spill anyway."
Trigger blinked at the casual reply, eyeing the lodged dagger.
"Know what's great about this game? No pain."
Crunch!
Gruesome twist as he wrenched free. Left shoulder tore off; he leaped back.
Gulp—
Potion from inventory down fast. Right shoulder—minor—healed visibly.
"Again."
Thud!
One dagger, charging. Neck thrust swift. But one hand was woefully inadequate.
Whirl!
Hanbit sidestepped easy, slipping under the left shoulder.
Twisting, he plunged the dagger into Trigger's chest.
Stab!
"Crazy..."
Heart pierced, Trigger's eyes flew wide.
Swish—
Body faded with a mutter. Before vanishing fully, his face showed it: more intrigued smile than before.