Ascension Through Skills
chapter-46

From then on, it was half-grueling labor.

Since he switched all his weapons to rusty swords, which had a combined attack power of only 2, battles took a long time. It took an hour just to barely defeat a single creature.

“Is this the right way to do it here?”

[That's correct. But it would be better if you twist a bit more. Try moving your left wrist about 3cm to the right.]

Listening to the feedback on his movements, he headed toward the monster again.

And the battles began. He tried out the movements based on the feedback he received from the ghost. It was awkward at first, but the longer the battles continued, the smoother his movements became.

[You have triumphed over the Lizardman Warrior.] [The proficiency of the Storm Scar Sword has increased by 1%.]

And once again, he listened to feedback on his movements.

[Hmm... not bad, but when you turn your body to the left, try moving your left foot a little further forward. With your current movements, it'll be hard to approach if the opponent just keeps a little distance, right?]

The ghost pointed out his movements in detail, and Taesan followed his advice.

He faced the next monster and, keeping in mind the ghost’s words, moved his left foot forward.

“Kraah!”

Indeed, he was able to get a little closer more comfortably. As Taesan wielded his sword, he continued to adjust his movements.

[The proficiency of the Storm Scar Sword has increased by 1%.]

Time passed.

A day went by. He spent twelve hours battling, six hours sleeping, and six hours replenishing his strength while refining his movements. He ate on the move between rooms to not waste a single moment.

The ghost let out a hollow laugh.

[You're doing the right things to get stronger, but it's strange no matter how I think about it. Are you okay? Aren't you tired? It seems incredibly boring?]

“Why would it be boring? I’m only enjoying it.”

Taesan couldn’t understand the comment.

Each time he went through a battle, he could physically feel the increase in proficiency. The danger was low, and he didn’t have to impose any constraints on himself. The rewards for his actions were also definite.

Considering the thousands of repetitions that he did without any known answer, without knowing when the results would show, Taesan couldn’t understand how something this comfortable could be considered boring.

The ghost chuckled softly.

[Crazy bastard.]

And so, time passed.

He adjusted his movements with each battle and started the next one.

Just like building a castle, he gradually eliminated unnecessary movements.

And so, two days passed.

Taesan moved his hand holding the sword- for a moment, the blade distorted strangely, and the wind ripped roughly.

It had become significantly smoother and faster than before. It was a movement that he would never have been able to see before.

“Is this swordsmanship? It’s definitely different.”

Until now, he hadn’t been able to properly respond to his opponent’s movements.

Because their movements seemed meaningless to him, he had no way of knowing how to move to counter the opponent.

He had finally found the answer to such a problem where he once couldn’t find the right answer. The reasons and countermeasures for the opponent’s movements were drawn in his mind.

He felt a bit disappointed.

If the current Taesan were to fight against himself, who hadn’t learned swordsmanship, he would win ninety-nine out of a hundred times. He had definitely become stronger.

But it wasn’t a drastic difference as the ghost had said. It was the difference between knowing and not knowing. He hadn’t learned anything particularly novel.

‘It’s obvious since there wouldn’t be much difference just because it’s swordsmanship.’

It was amusing to think there would be something special in moving his body. With this thought, he encountered a monster.

“Kaaa!”

The Lizardman thrust its spear. Just as Taesan began to parry and move, the ghost spoke.

[Move your foot forward.]

Taesan hesitated for a moment. Until now, the ghost had only advised him after he had defeated the enemy. It had never spoken during battle.

However, Taesan promptly followed the ghost’s words and moved his foot forward.

The distance to the enemy narrowed. The Lizardman held the spear short and swung it around.

“Kaaaa!”

[Empty your head and follow the way of the sword.]

Words he didn’t understand.

Although it was advice that seemed to make him grasp at straws, an image was already being drawn in his mind.

The words burrowed into his head, and before his consciousness could react to it, his body moved first.

The sword moved. His wrist shook smoothly. The Lizardman’s left wrist, elbow, arm, and fingers were cut off.

The speed was incomparable to before.

“Kaaaa!”

[Move your foot forward.]

He moved forward. The Lizardman shook his spear with a rage-filled face. He read the trajectory and blocked it.

[Counteract with prediction. Rely on your senses. Use your whole body. Move your foot forward, your hands on your chest, and advance with a posture like a beast.]

He lunged at the Lizardman. He parried the spear, and his two hands holding the sword moved so fast that afterimages were formed.

[You dealt 6 damage to Lizardman Warrior.] [You dealt 5 damage to Lizardman Warrior.] [You dealt 5 damage to Lizardman Warrior.] [You dealt 6 damage to Lizardman Warrior.] [You dealt 6 damage to Lizardman Warrior.]

An unprecedented damage window appeared, showing an incomparable amount of damage. The speed was much faster than combining continuous and breathless attacks. The Lizardman fell with a scream.

[You have defeated the Lizardman Warrior.] [The proficiency of Storm Scar Sword has increased by 3%.]

“This is… the movement is different.”

It was not a fast attack simply driven by stats.

It was literally a perfect combination attack that was inhuman, without a single gap, an idea that was impossible to conceive in one’s mind.

The ghost spoke impassively.

[That's the first sword of the Storm Scar, Wolf's Fang.]

“Nice.”

[Advanced Skill: Sword of the Storm Scar] [Proficiency: 12%] [A swordsmanship passed down from a ruined world. Now, only one person has mastered it.]

It was laughable how he thought it was regrettable.

Could he counter the Wolf’s Fang without any information about it?

The answer was no.

Even with a skill, countering it with a physical reaction was impossible.

Even if there was a considerable difference in stats, it would still be the same. It was a combination attack filled with that level of speed and smoothness.

It was satisfying. He could have won more easily if he had this when fighting against Lakiratas’ Servant.

[That's the first sword. There are still many swords, but you lack the experience to get there. It's better to learn slowly. So, it's a bit regrettable.]

The ghost was disappointed.

[The guys around here are too weak.]

Even if all equipment was removed, the difference in basic stats was too large. No matter how much Taesan restrained himself, he pushed them away the moment he collided. There was a limit even in trying this and that.

[If it continues like this, it's hard to significantly increase proficiency. A stronger one needs to appear. I want to teach you the second sword before I leave...]

“Are there such guys?”

[That's the problem, there aren't any.]

Taesan’s stats were too high.

[Honestly, I think the 10th-floor boss will lose to you now, so such a guy can't appear. But it's still regrettable.]

A voice full of regret echoed.

Taesan kept roaming the labyrinth. However, no more monsters appeared.

“Did I catch them all?”

He caught well over thirty, so it should be dawn. Taesan then started searching for the secret room.

Twenty minutes later, he found a place where a secret room could be located.

An hour later, he found the secret room.

The door opened with a creak. Inside, there were countless traps, and beyond that, a box was placed.

Now, the traps were no longer a problem. He was agile enough to grab the arrow, react to the opening floor, and escape.

Taesan started to use the trap disarm skill.

[Judgement success! The trap is disarmed.] [The proficiency of Trap Disarming has increased by 1%.]

He disarmed every visible trap one by one. There were times when he failed, and the trap was activated, but he simply avoided them and tried to disarm the trap again.

The ghost, now seemingly convinced, said nothing. It quietly watched from Taesan’s side.

Thirty minutes later, all the traps were disarmed. Taesan arrived at the box.

[Agility Rune]

Like the Power Rune, it increased agility. There was no need to save it, so he used it immediately.

[You have used the Agility Rune.] [Agility + 10]

He took everything he needed, and Taesan left the secret room.

He looked around once more, but he didn’t see anything special.

“There’s nothing.”

[Sometimes there are empty floors like this. From my memory, there was something on the next floor.]

Going to the next room was the right answer. Before heading to the boss, Taesan moved to a spacious room. He manifested magic right in front of the door.

[You have activated the Ice Arrow.]

Zheok!

An ice arrow the size of a fist appeared in thin air. The chill spread throughout the room momentarily.

[I see you're thinking of making it.]

Taesan fired the arrow.

Ping.

With a light sound, it hit the wall.

Its speed was the same as the fireball. The size was also similar. Then, it could be made in a similar way.

[You have activated the Ice Arrow.]

He stamped his foot the moment he shot the arrow.

[You have activated the Ice Arrow.]

Zheok.

The ice collided with each other, increasing in size. It changed into the form of a sphere rather than an arrow, and it directly collided with the wall.

Zheong!

The cold spreads along the wall. Frost sticks to the wall.

[You have learned the Frost Arrow.] [Beginner Magic: Frost Arrow] [Mana Cost: 6] [Proficiency: 1%] [Fires a frost arrow. The less immunity the enemy has, the more damage they take. It attempts to inflict the abnormal status [Freeze] on the target. The intense cold can freeze liquids.]

“Good.”

[Already two beginner spells. That little Lilis had to struggle so much to learn just one. And you're learning without any cost. Oh dear.]

The ghost’s voice of incredulity echoed through the room as Taesan immediately used the spell.

[You have activated the Frost Arrow.]

Zheojeok.

The room’s temperature dropped in an instant. The chill emanates enough to stick to his hand should he reach out for it. Taesan fired the arrow, making it hit the wall.

Zheoeoong!

The wall froze on the spot. It was a cold that could not be compared with modern dry ice.

“This one’s pretty good too.”

Monsters might be able to resist due to their high stats, but this level of cold could be used outside of battle as well.

You could spray water and shoot a frost arrow to make a road or use it repeatedly in a short time to create an ice barrier.

There were ways to use it that were different from fire. Perhaps it could be used more efficiently for such purposes than for battle.

After checking the spell, Taesan headed toward the boss room.

“Kaaaak!”

[An elite Lizardman has appeared.]

“No name, huh.”

[Monsters with names are very rare. There are levels to elites as well.]

The fact that it had no name meant it wouldn’t use skills. Nevertheless, it wouldn’t be weak as it was called an elite.

In other words, it was a sufficient practice opponent. Holding a sword in each hand, Taesan faced the elite Lizardman.

“Kaaaak!”

He parried the whirling spear as if shredding it with his sword blades and stuck close to the opponent. He slashed at the opponent’s wrist, stabbed its thigh, and slapped its jaw.

“Kaak!”

The staggering opponent raised its hand to attack Taesan.

At that moment, Taesan moved his sword.

He attacked the trajectory where the opponent intended to move the spear. The Lizardman hastily pulled back its wrist.

Kaang!

The opponent’s attack was blocked by Taesan’s attack. Taesan continued to attack, pressing his body against the opponent’s thigh.

“Ka, Kaaaa!”

The Lizardman changed its tactics, aiming to find an opportunity while blocking. But Taesan had no intention of giving it that chance. He stuck closer, intensifying the trajectory of his sword.

“Kaaaak?”

He struck as if the opponent was completely unguarded. The Lizardman tried to block hastily, but Taesan twisted its wrist and attacked other parts.

“Kii eek……”

In the end, the elite Lizardman fell without being able to do anything.

[You have defeated the elite Lizardman.] [Your level has increased.] [The proficiency of the Storm Scar Sword has increased by 1%.]

“That was easy.”

He had certainly become stronger. He had won without using any skills.

It wouldn’t have been this easy if he hadn’t learned swordsmanship. Although his stats were superior, he would have taken some damage if he couldn’t predict the opponent’s movements.

Swordsmanship and the difference between knowing and not knowing the information was really significant, he realized.

[Advanced Skill: Storm Scar Sword] [Proficiency: 13%] [A sword technique passed down from a ruined world. Now only one person has mastered it.]

The proficiency was already at 13%. It was a considerably fast rate.

[Since it's the beginning, it will increase quickly, but once it exceeds 30%, it will rise little by little. There's no solution. You have to practice slowly and learn.]

Taesan checked the clear reward.

[Relic of the Lost One's Earring] [Mana + 10] [A precious possession that the lost one would have wanted to protect, even at the cost of their life.]

“Oh?”

Mana earrings. And it increased his stats by as much as 10. This meant fewer restrictions for magic and skill usage.

And a secret reward.

[You used ???.] [You obtained a Neat Leather Armor.]

“Armor, huh. It’s about time for a change.”

The armor he’s currently wearing is an old piece of armor with a defense of 2 that he purchased long ago. He had to change it but didn’t urgently need the defense, so he left it as it was. There was also the thought that he would get something eventually.

[Neat Leather Armor] [Defense + 10] [Agility + 2] [A sturdy leather armor. There aren't many who would say this isn't good.]

The defense value was 10. On top of that, it had agility.

The secret reward was not a piece of equipment that could be obtained at the current stage, as always.

“Status window.”

[Kang Taesan] [Level: 20] [Shield: 45/45] [Health: 785/785] [Mana: 123/123] [Strength: 166] [Intelligence: 82] [Agility: 142] [Attack + 24] [Defense + 26] [The subject is in optimal condition.]

Mark of Victory and Soul Ascension. Thanks to various skills, his stats continued to rise steadily.

In Easy Mode, there were quite a few cases where he didn’t get much stronger even after perfectly clearing the floor, but now he couldn’t find a trace of such a pattern.