Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Bypass
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After receiving fragments of a new technique from the Sword Fairy.
I wrote my reply and bolted straight for the Tower.
Before I could forget this feeling.
"Oh yeah, grab the army pot! That's a quest item!"
"The errand boy duties go to the youngest."
"When the hell are you making that inventory anyway?"
Soon.
What I'm doing today is practice for that.
Why, you ask?
"[Holy Sword Liberation] works on the same principle as inventory."
"Should I take notes?"
"Why else would I even talk to you guys?"
Notes are essential for a self-employed guy.
Humans are dumb and forget shit easily.
When was it?
I figured out the perfect pork neck storage hack, forgot it, and my pork neck sales turned into a rollercoaster graph after that.
To avoid that crap, I take notes.
'That's why martial arts manuals exist, huh?'
The wuxia folks knew the importance of reminders too.
Pot in hand, straight to the High End 8F.
I swung the sword I'd modded from an orc glaive.
From now on, let's call it Orc No. 1.
"Not using the starter longsword?"
"Gonna break this one this time."
[Holy Sword Liberation].
The Sword Fairy's UR skill that vaporized me without mercy.
I planned to understand its principle and recreate it.
Of course.
Someone might ask:
"Learning a skill's principle just from reading comments? That make sense?"
Why's the monologue in quotes?
Oh, clone, huh.
My answer was firm, naturally.
"I can do it! Me!"
"Main body... inflated ego... defense mechanism in extreme situations..."
Don't note down weird shit.
But it's true.
I've had similar insights before.
"A Go master sees the whole board from one move."
Am I a Go master?
No, not Go.
Even in Omok or card games, you've seen it, right?
Oh, this guy's going for triple-three.
Ah, lost. Knight seven kills it.
Wait? Straight to battle phase without doing shit?
Like that.
Madou Shi alone tells you the movie genre.
Veterans know the ending from the opener.
'What's swordplay got against that?'
Even newbies spot some things.
That's how I figured it out.
What [Holy Sword Liberation] really is.
That's why.
Why I admitted defeat in the swordplay,
and why I couldn't wait and rushed to the Tower.
'Now, time to test the method.'
Thud, thud-!
Orcs gathering, making sure I hear their footsteps.
Saw it on Tower Gal.
8F spawns one great warrior.
I clicked my tongue at the normal floor's trash difficulty.
"High End's just one great warrior and three orcs."
"Kwiiaaak!!"
You little... hype!
Full gear, full kit great warrior, as expected.
The mob behind him dwarfs the 6F ones.
"Kwiiaaak! Krraaak!"
The orcs' eyes rolled back in fury.
I followed their gaze and got it.
"Ah, they want this army pot?"
Right.
You guys were after this, huh?
I fully understood their food obsession.
So with my F-tier empathy, I nodded.
"Piglets~"
Come take it.
If you can.
Dudududu-!!
The orcs' reply was a ferocious charge.
I quickly pulled out the stones I'd brought.
"Fake Jeong-uks. You handle the mobs."
"Yessir."
Fake Jeong-uks circling to face the mobs.
The great warrior was smart.
Turning his back like he wanted to handle mobs first.
"Where you going? You're playing with me."
Fired a stone with [Swift].
Helmet rung like a bell, and the great warrior reacted instantly.
"Krraaak!"
Thrust his glaive with precision.
He knew ignoring it would burst his head from the sling.
Pretty clever guy.
Clang-!
Orc No. 1 dodged but still got blocked by the armor.
What's the point of piercing armor?
Won't reach the guts under the leather.
'Do they grow bigger skin when they level up?'
No, makes sense?
My endurance stat goes up when I level too.
-Swish!
Counter sharp too.
No laugh from the glaive grazing my cheek.
"...First mob stronger than me since Polar Bear senpai?"
Even split stats with clones.
[Outsider] can't even catch up?
'And this... it's an attack skill.'
Why else would it nick my cheek.
Way faster than normal attacks.
Thrust combo type?
Why's a skill-using mob on 0-9F?
'High stats plus an attack skill that plays to them.'
This guy's the real deal.
Cold sweat from tension for the first time in ages.
Think you bounce via escape gate if losing?
Plenty of climbers trapped on clear floors believing that.
'Only way to win this is [Holy Sword Liberation].'
[Swift] won't cut it.
A shot boar still moves for tens of seconds.
That great warrior would smash my skull even if I pierced his heart.
No mutual destruction desired.
No choice.
Let's do it.
I gripped the sword in proper stance.
Then it clicked.
The clue from that breathless swordplay with the Sword Fairy.
'Finishes startup during my tumble recovery, sweeps 180 degrees forward including me. Burst skill.'
You're kidding?
Even a UR skill doesn't make sense.
A bit sorry comparing to Sword Fairy, but
that technique makes the orc great warrior look like a kid.
'Cheat skills have limits.'
Card game? Straight to ban list.
3x my stats? 3x too much, unbelievable.
Cost value.
Performance per cost, game terms.
But my gut said:
There's a way to realize that low-cost cheat.
You've already laid the foundation.
That foundation is mana materialization.
Yeah, what I trained with clones and the pot.
Exactly opposite principle, precisely.
'Material to mana.'
That's [Holy Sword Liberation]'s principle.
Turn equipment matter into mana,
draw out its potential to the limit.
Like how we draw out mana.
My latent mana.
Squeezing it out like blood is skills.
'Do it with the gear's power alone.'
Then the gear's potential manifests.
Properly 'liberated'.
Arrows faster.
Spears farther.
Armor tougher.
Then sword?
"Sharper."
"Chwiaaaaak-!!"
Dodged the spear, landed counter.
Mana rippled like sword aura, tore the armor.
Fuzzy grasp on it.
But not enough yet.
'Once more!'
Slash-!
Ripped veins, sliced flesh, blood sprayed.
Sword reached where it shouldn't.
"Kruk...?!"
Orc great warrior's shock was palpable.
Sword felt that light.
No.
Light from the rebound on the sword.
Slicing thick fat sensation.
Warrior's leather tougher than armor, yet dull.
But this ain't sword aura.
'No need to force mana onto the sword.'
Swords have their own mana.
I'm just borrowing it.
Literally.
The sword's own qi!
-Tszzt!
"Kraaaaaak?!"
"Quit whining and hold out longer, senpai!"
Blanc Shurt Form 2.
Dusk Fox Rain.
Shredshredshred-!
Two-handed slash frenzy on the orc great warrior.
Sprayed blood made crimson dusk mist.
That's why Dusk Fox Rain.
Naming sense so girly.
But pure swordplay without mana, so slow.
Reason my dissatisfaction grew.
'Not enough.'
Sword Fairy's [Holy Sword Liberation] was beyond this.
Rips sky, splits earth, vaporizes foes.
Power transcending sword limits.
'Wrong image?'
Borrowing power is Sword Fairy's imagery.
Sentimental, graceful yet decisive in battle.
Fitting for a swordswoman who cherishes her weapon.
Doesn't suit me.
Not a beauty to start with, disqualified.
Then what am I?
Cold-hearted, ruthless bastard even in battle.
Butcher with no attachment to his cleaver.
Dodged great warrior's attack, retreated.
Stared at my sword and grinned.
"What, don't wanna lend me your power?"
Made sense, thinking about it.
Orc No. 1 made from breaking orc spear.
Hates aiding in killing its master's kin, probably.
"Fine then."
If you won't lend, I'll take.
Crunch...!
Gripped hilt like crushing it.
Squeezed mana overflowed from blade.
Crimson mana like blood or molten iron.
Sword yielding to my coercion.
Drawing its potential despite itself.
"Body resists, but heart's honest."
"Krrruk...?!"
Shallow cuts covering the orc great warrior froze him.
Not surprising.
I was shocked too.
Who'd expect this much mana from a 1 Tower coin sword?
"Hear that, orc? My sword's scream as it stabs."
I don't hear it.
Tools should crawl like tools.
But they seemed to.
Hesitating retreat vibes.
Conflict on great warrior's face.
Spear bent sometime, now just a stick.
Broke it while I fought in trance.
But.
"...Chwiaaaaak!"
He clenched fists again.
Broke spear tossed, bare-handed stance.
Sensing death, warrior didn't flee.
"Chwiaaaaak!!"
"Chwiaaaaak!!"
Orcs fighting clones roared too.
Mindless suicide rush.
Right on prediction.
No urge to mock though.
They had reason.
Orcs' eyes fixed on pot to the end.
"...Ah, yeah?"
They were desperate too.
I half-closed my eyes.
"That hunger's your [Deficiency], huh."
Securing food to feed the tribe.
Explains getting this strong.
Way better than some popular post addict.
-Whoosh!
So.
Moment great warrior's fist neared my nose.
I swung sword without flinching.
Boom-!!
After mana blaze subsided.
Ground left with massive sword slash mark.
Orc great warrior between ground and blade?
No need to say.
Armor and leather neatly bisected.
Like that sturdy defense was a lie.
Crack-!!
Orc No. 1 shattered too.
Blade held, hilt to dust.
Makes sense.
Chopped spear tip, slapped together sword.
"...Insane."
Power was nuts.
I wiped sweat, dazed.
'No wonder Holy Sword or whatever breaks using this.'
What to call it.
Technique drawing true essence from weapon?
Stronger weapons, more power.
'Sucks when it breaks though!'
What Holy Sword Liberation?
Renaming to [Demon Sword Exploitation] today.
No.
My acquired skill had different name?
Checked status, smacked lips.
"Tch, mine's just SR?"
Gap's real.
True one was AoE.
"Long way to UR."
Mine's strong single-target burst for now.
Comfort in less mana cost.
'With inventory, I'd use it better.'
Plus.
Thanks to [Sword Soul Liberation]?
Confidence now for low-level items in/out inventory.
That's why.
I bowed to the neatly bisected orc great warrior corpse.
"Thanks."
Got this skill thanks to you.
I can still get stronger.
"Ahem."
Anyway.
"Round 2. Next time I'll one-combo this guy."
"Mobs not cleared yet."
"Heeeng, main body, I'm dying..."
Huh? Can't have that.
"Who carries the pot if you die?!"
I charged the mobs.
Slice this, slice that.
Done!
Very satisfying.
Liked the glove drop too.
Thick leather gloves fit like a glove.
Gear options perfect for my taste.
--
■ Gear:
[Great Warrior's Gauntlets (R)]
■ Effect:
Strength +10%.
Skill acquired: [Fury Barrage].
--
"Finally, multiplicative gear!"
Trash gear not worth options.
Graduated to rare at last.
'No rares below 10F!'
Oh right.
That was for normal noobs.
How not to be moved.
'Already higher level than most, plus +10% strength?'
Wear this, no skills needed for great warrior?
Ah.
No clones out, that is.
"How's it look? Suits me?"
"Looks like you bake killer bread."
"When you ditching the apron?"
Not ditching?
My identity.
"Heh heh."
Round 2 urge sprouting.
Stroked gear, suddenly mused.
"Brought [Infinite Army Pot] for this drop?"
"Dunno?"
"We're clones anyway, can't equip. Pointless?"
Damn lazy asses.
Think a bit.
Face scowled at clones naturally.
"Hey, what if another gauntlet drops in round 3? Two hands, four gloves? What'd I do with extras?"
"Enhance to +1 material."
"Fact is main body won't give us shit."
These guys almost as smart as me?
Worth the enhancement.
Nodded at obvious.
"If it drops once more in round 3, enhance again."
"Gotta revisit smithy from spear sale."
"But what's [Fury Barrage] skill?"
Dunno.
Probably orc great warrior's thrust combo?
"Not shadow skill, so what use knowing."
Couldn't learn training goal [Holy Sword Liberation].
That [Noble Body, Baseborn Role] crap.
Made similar fake though.
But what?
Zero shadow vibe [Fury Barrage]?
'No way I can use it.'
Shrugged indifferently.
That's why.
-Papapapang!!
Recited skill name in head.
Fist reacted, combo-punched air.
"Huh?"
"Eh?"
"Ung."
Clones and main, all jaws dropped.
"...Main body just used a skill?"
"S-seems so?"
Clone speaking first means control's messy.
But no need cold analysis.
Shocking situation.
'Why'd this trigger?'
I didn't acquire [Fury Barrage].
Certain.
Know myself best.
Skill activated anyway?
Why?
"...Ah!"
Some inconsistency brushed my mind.
I got it.
'Gear has its own mana.'
Drawing it's [Sword Soul Liberation].
Sword Fairy said works on armor too.
So?
"Gear skills treated as 'gear's technique,' not mine!"
[Noble Body, Baseborn Role].
[Deficiency] only shadow skills.
But if not me casting?
[Sword Soul Liberation] unlocks gear potential.
If passive-applied?
'Borrow [Sword Soul Liberation] trick, cast skill with gear's mana...!'
Unique to world’s one guy.
Means something only to me.
'Possible.'
I looked at clones.
Clones looked at me.
We nodded.
"Ready, 'fake'?"
"Of course. 'Real'."
Found it.
My chronic flaw.
Way to bypass [Noble Body, Baseborn Role].