After that, it was half a Grind. Since he changed all his weapons to the Rusted Sword, his Attack Power was only 2, so battles took a long time. It took an hour to barely catch one.
“Should I do it like this here?”
[That's right. But it would be better to twist it a little more. Try moving your left wrist about 3cm to the right.]
After hearing the feedback on his movement, he headed toward the Monster again. And he began the battle. He attempted the movements based on the feedback he heard from the Ghost.
It was awkward at first, but as the battle continued, his movements became smoother and smoother.
[You have been victorious against the Lizardman Warrior.]
[The Proficiency for Sword of the Storm Scar has increased by 1%.]
And once again, he listened to the feedback on his movements.
[Hmm... not bad, but when you turn your body to the left, try moving your left foot forward a little more. With your current movement, it'll be hard to get close if the opponent creates even a little distance.]
The Ghost pointed out his movements in detail, and Taesan followed his words. He headed toward the next Monster. Following the Ghost's words, he moved his left foot forward.
“Kaak!”
And just like that, he was able to stick to his opponent a bit more comfortably. Taesan moved his sword, continuously correcting his movements.
[The Proficiency for Sword of the Storm Scar has increased by 1%.]
Time passes.
A day passes. He spends twelve hours in battle, sleeps for six, and spends six hours replenishing his Health and refining his movements. He eats in the brief moments while moving between rooms, moving so as not to waste a single moment.
The Ghost let out a hollow laugh.
[This is the right way to get stronger, but no matter how I think about it, it's strange. Are you okay? Don't you get tired? It seems like it would be incredibly boring.]
“Why would this be boring? It's just fun.”
Taesan couldn't understand. With every battle, he could physically feel his Proficiency increase. There was little risk, and he didn't need to place any restrictions on himself.
The reward for his actions was also certain. Thousands of repetitions with no clear answer, not knowing when results would come. Thinking of that, Taesan couldn't understand why something this convenient would be called boring.
The Ghost chuckled.
[You crazy bastard.]
And so, time passes. With each battle, he refines his movements and starts another battle. As if building a castle, he steadily eliminates unnecessary movements.
Three days passed like that. Taesan moves the hand holding the sword—for a moment, the blade blurs dizzyingly, and the wind is roughly split. It was clearly smoother and faster than before.
It was a movement he could never have shown in his previous state.
“So this is Swordsmanship. It's definitely different.”
Until now, he hadn't been able to properly respond to the opponent's movements. Their movements had seemed meaningless to him, so he had no way of knowing how to move to counter them. For a problem he couldn't find an answer to, he had now found a solution.
The reason and the countermeasure for the opponent's movements were now drawn in his mind. Something was lacking. If the current Taesan fought against his self who hadn't learned Swordsmanship, he would win ninety-nine times out of a hundred.
He had certainly gotten stronger. But it wasn't the dramatic difference the Ghost had spoken of. It was the difference between knowing and not knowing.
He hadn't learned anything particularly new. 'Is it natural since Swordsmanship doesn't change things that drastically?' It would be ridiculous if there were something special about just moving one's body.
Thinking this, he encountered a Monster.
“Kaa!”
The Lizardman thrusts its spear. As he deflected it and began to move, the Ghost spoke.
[Move your foot forward.]
Taesan flinched for a moment. Until now, the Ghost had only given advice after an enemy was defeated; he had never spoken during a battle. But Taesan immediately followed the Ghost's words and moved his foot forward.
The distance to the enemy closed. The Lizardman gripped its spear short and swung it.
“Kaaaa!”
[Empty your mind and follow the path of the sword.]
Words he couldn't understand. It was vague advice, but an image formed. The words dug into his mind, and his body acted before his consciousness could catch up.
The sword moves. His wrist shakes gently. The Lizardman's left wrist, elbow, forearm, and fingers are cut.
It was a speed incomparable to anything before.
“Kaaaa!”
[Foot forward.]
He advances.
The Lizardman, its face filled with anger, swings its spear. He reads its trajectory and blocks it.
[Respond with prediction. Rely on your senses. Use your whole body. Foot forward, hands to your chest, advance with the posture of a beast.]
He digs into the Lizardman. He strikes away the spear, and his two hands holding the swords create afterimages.
[6 Damage dealt to the Lizardman Warrior.]
[5 Damage dealt to the Lizardman Warrior.]
[5 Damage dealt to the Lizardman Warrior.]
[6 Damage dealt to the Lizardman Warrior.]
[6 Damage dealt to the Lizardman Warrior.]
Countless Damage Windows he had never seen before appeared. It was far more numerous and faster than Consecutive Attack and No Breath Attack combined. The Lizardman collapses with a scream.
[You have been victorious against the Lizardman Warrior.]
[The Proficiency for Sword of the Storm Scar has increased by 3%.]
“This is…”
The movement is different. It's not just a fast attack made of stats. It was literally an inhuman, flawless series of strikes without a single opening, impossible to even conceive in one's mind.
The Ghost speaks calmly.
[That is the first sword of the Storm Scar. Wolf Fang.]
“Good.”
[Advanced Skill: Sword of the Storm Scar] [Proficiency: 12%] [A Swordsmanship passed down from a Dying World. Currently, only one person has mastered it.]
It was laughable that he had thought it was lacking. Could he have countered Wolf Fang with no prior information? The answer is no. He might be able to respond with a Skill, but it would be impossible with his body's reactions alone.
It would be the same even if there was a considerable difference in Stats. The series of strikes held that much speed and smoothness. He was satisfied.
If he'd had this when fighting the Servant of Rakiratas, he could have won more easily.
[That is the first sword. There are still many swords, but you lack the experience for them yet. It's better to learn them slowly. So it's a bit of a shame.]
The Ghost smacked his lips.
[There are only weaklings here.]
Even with all his equipment off, the difference in base stats is too great. No matter how much Taesan holds back, they get pushed back the moment they clash, so there's a limit to what he can try.
[If this continues, it'll be hard to raise your Proficiency much. A strong one needs to appear. I want to teach you up to the second sword before I leave...]
“Is there such a guy?”
[The problem is that there isn't.] Taesan's Stats were just too high.
[Honestly, I think even the Boss of the 10th Floor would lose to you now, so there's no way someone like that would appear. Still, it's a shame.]
A voice filled with regret rang out. Taesan continued to wander the Labyrinth. But no more Monsters appeared.
“Did I get them all?”
He had defeated well over thirty of them, so it was plausible they had run out. This time, Taesan started searching for Secret Rooms. Twenty minutes later, he found a place where a Secret Room was likely to be.
An hour later, he found the Secret Room.
Drrrk.
The door opens. Inside, there were numerous traps, and beyond them, a single treasure chest. At this point, traps were no problem.
He had the Agility to catch arrows and react to pitfalls to get out. Taesan began using the Trap Disarm skill.
[Judgment successful! The trap is disarmed.]
[Proficiency for Trap Disarm has increased by 1%.]
He disarms every trap he sees. Sometimes he fails and the trap activates, but he roughly dodges it and tries to disarm the trap again. The Ghost, as if having accepted it now, said nothing.
He quietly watched from Taesan's side. Thirty minutes later, he had disarmed all the traps. Taesan reached the chest.
[Rune of Agility] Like the Rune of Strength, it raises Agility.
There was no need to save it, so he used it immediately.
[Rune of Agility used.]
[Agility + 10] He had taken everything there was to take.
Taesan left the Secret Room. He looked all around, but didn't see anything special.
“There's nothing here.”
[Sometimes there have to be empty floors like this. As I recall, there was something on the next floor.]
Going to the next room was the right answer. Before heading to the boss, he moved to a spacious room. He stood right in front of the door and manifested magic.
[You have activated Frost Arrow.]
Jjeojeok.
An ice arrow the size of a fist materializes in the air. A chill instantly spreads through the room.
[Looks like you're planning to create something.]
Taesan fired the arrow.
Ping.
With a light sound, it hits the wall. The speed is the same as Fireball. The size is similar too.
In that case, he just had to create it in a similar way.
[You have activated Frost Arrow.]
The moment he shot the arrow, he kicked off the ground.
[You have activated Frost Arrow.]
Jjeojeok.
The ice collides and grows in size. It transforms into the shape of a sphere rather than an arrow and crashes into the wall.
Jjeo-eong!
The chill spreads across the wall. Frost covers the wall.
[You have learned Frost Arrow.]
[Basic Magic: Frost Arrow] [Mana Cost: 6] [Proficiency: 1%] [Fires a Frost Arrow. Deals greater damage to enemies without immunity. Attempts a [Frostbite] status abnormality Judgment on the target. The strong chill can freeze liquids.]
“Good.”
[Two Basic Magic spells already. That kid Lilith went through so much trouble to learn just one. And you learn it without any tribute. Good grief.]
The Ghost's dumbfounded voice echoes. Taesan immediately used the magic.
[You have activated Frost Arrow.]
Jjeojeojeok.
The room's temperature drops in an instant. It exudes a chill so cold that your hand would stick to it the moment you touched it. Taesan fired the arrow, making it hit the wall.
Jjeo-eo-eong!
The wall freezes solid. It was a chill incomparable to modern-day dry ice.
“This is pretty good too.”
Monsters with high Stats would be able to resist, but a chill of this level could be used for purposes other than combat. Like spraying water and firing a Frost Arrow to create a path, or using it multiple times in an instant to create a shield of ice. It has applications different from fire.
Perhaps it could be more useful for such purposes than for combat. Having checked the magic, Taesan headed for the Boss Room.
“Kaaaak!”
[An Elite Lizardman has appeared.]
“It has no name.”
[Monsters with names are very rare. There are levels among Elites too.]
Having no name meant it didn't use skills. Still, being called an Elite, it wouldn't be weak. In other words, it was a sufficient practice partner.
Taesan, holding a sword in each hand, faced the Elite Lizardman.
“Kaaaak!”
He blocks the swinging spear as if grinding it down with his blade and closes in. He slashes the opponent's wrist, stabs its thigh, and strikes its jaw.
“Kaak!”
The staggering opponent raises its hand to attack Taesan. In that moment, Taesan moves his sword. He attacks the trajectory the opponent is trying to move its spear along.
The Lizardman hastily pulls back its wrist.
Kaang!
The opponent's attack was blocked by Taesan's. Taesan pressed his body against the opponent's thigh and continued to attack.
“Ka, Kaaaa!”
The Lizardman changed its tactics. It decided to block and wait for an opportunity. But Taesan had no intention of letting it.
He stuck even closer and twisted the trajectory of his sword.
“Kaaaak?”
He strikes as if the opponent were defenseless. The Lizardman scrambles to block, but he twists its wrist to attack another part.
“Kiiik…”
In the end, the Elite Lizardman collapsed, unable to do anything.
[You have been victorious against the Elite Lizardman.]
[Your Level has increased.]
[The Proficiency for Sword of the Storm Scar has increased by 1%.]
“Easy.”
He had definitely gotten stronger. He won without using a single Skill. If he hadn't learned Swordsmanship, it wouldn't have been this easy.
Although his stats were superior, he would have taken some damage since he couldn't predict the opponent's movements.
Swordsmanship.
He was feeling firsthand just how huge the difference between knowing and not knowing information was.
[Advanced Skill: Sword of the Storm Scar] [Proficiency: 13%] [A Swordsmanship passed down from a Dying World. Currently, only one person has mastered it.]
His Proficiency was already at 13%. It was a considerably fast pace.
[Since it's the beginning, it rises quickly, but once it passes 30%, it will rise little by little. There's no solution. You have no choice but to train slowly and master it.]
Taesan checked the Clear Reward.
[Earring of a Wretched One] [Mana + 10] [The only precious thing a wretched one possesses. They would try to protect it even by giving up their own life.]
“Oho?”
A Mana earring. And it gave 10 at that. This meant the restrictions on using magic and skills would be lessened.
And the Secret Reward.
[You have used ???.]
[Obtained Neat Leather Armor.]
“It's armor. It's about time I changed.”
The armor he was currently wearing was one he bought long ago with a Defense Power of 2. He needed to change it, but he didn't need Defense Power right away, so he had left it. He also thought he would get one eventually.
[Neat Leather Armor] [Defense Power + 10] [Agility + 2] [A sturdy leather armor. Not many can say this is not good.]
The Defense Power is 10. And it even has Agility. As Secret Rewards always were, this was not equipment he could obtain at his current point in time.
“Status Window.”
[Kang Taesan] [Level: 2] [Shield: 45/45] [Health: 785/785] [Mana: 123/123] [Strength: 166] [Intelligence: 82] [Agility: 142] [Attack Power + 24] [Defense Power + 26] [Target is in Optimal Condition.]
Soul Rank Ascension and the Proof of Victory. Thanks to various skills like these, his Stats were steadily rising. In Easy Mode, there were quite a few cases where he didn't get much stronger even after perfectly clearing a floor, but now, not a trace of that could be found.