Chapter 9 : Chapter 9
Chapter 09. Swordsmanship Synthesis
In my dream, the master event for Kilij Swordsmanship unfolded.
Under the red sky of the Demon World, the Kilij Swordsmanship danced.
In the midst of the dizzying illusion, Hyunwoo weaved through countless demonic beasts.
A smooth deflection.
The sword in his hand elegantly and precisely deflected the attacks.
The demonic beasts that failed to reach him flowed away as if carried by a gentle wave.
Through his racing five senses, the roars of the demonic beasts could be heard.
Swaaaaa―
I broke through the pouring demonic beasts.
The moment I looked up at the red sky through my cleared vision.
“Hah!”
Hyunwoo woke from his dream.
He fumbled with his body, recalling the senses from the realistic dream.
‘When did I fall asleep?’
Hyunwoo recalled the master event of the Kilij Swordsmanship, then brushed himself off and stood up.
I moved my stiff body here and there, but there seemed to be no particular problems.
“It was worth the price. It seems there are no aftereffects, either.”
The sword wounds that had covered my body right after the fight with the Imp were cleanly gone.
I had followed the Orc to a place called the 'Clinic' and received treatment with magic.
Thanks to that, I ended up using a considerable amount of the mana stones I had collected, but it wasn't a waste.
‘At least I learned that as long as I don't die, I can live.’
Of course, that was only possible if you had enough mana stones.
There were no gullible healers who would show kindness to a gladiator without mana stones.
The penniless are just left to die.
After receiving treatment at the clinic once, I felt like I understood why the gladiators tried so hard to collect mana stones.
‘Status Window.’
⌜Name: Kim Hyunwoo
Title: None
Skills: ■Common Swordsmanship of the Northern Mercenaries (1-Star)―100%(M), ■Kilij Basic Swordsmanship (1-Star)―100%(M), ⊠
Inherent Traits: Swordsmanship Synthesis, Master of Copy, Swordsmanship Genius⌟
Mastery of Kilij Swordsmanship.
I had finally mastered two 1-Star swordsmanships.
Now, it was time to taste the fruit of my labor.
‘Swordsmanship Synthesis.’
As Hyunwoo activated the trait, new information appeared on the status window.
⌜There are synthesizable swordsmanships.⌟
⌜Common Swordsmanship of the Northern Mercenaries (1-Star)―100%(M)⌟
⌜Kilij Basic Swordsmanship (1-Star)―100%(M)⌟
⌜Synthesis Synergy: High⌟
⌜Would you like to synthesize?⌟
All my hardships up to this point were for this.
Hyunwoo nodded without hesitation.
“Synthesize it.”
The moment I accepted, a brilliant, multi-colored light flowed from the status window.
And a new swordsmanship appeared.
⌜Skills: ■Sabla Swordsmanship (2-Star)―0%, □⌟
“I did it…!”
Finally, a 2-Star swordsmanship.
It was the moment all my hardships bore fruit.
The existing 1-Star swordsmanships disappeared, and a new 2-Star swordsmanship, 'Sabla Swordsmanship,' was created.
Thanks to that, one of the two slots Hyunwoo possessed was empty again.
Before using the 2-Star swordsmanship, there was something I had to test first.
Ssk―
I picked up the rusty iron sword that was always in the corner of the waiting room.
Shik―!
The swung sword contained the slash of the ‘Common Swordsmanship of the Northern Mercenaries’.
I performed the Kilij Swordsmanship in the same way.
Hyunwoo, who had been performing the 1-Star swordsmanships for a while, put down the sword and let out a sigh of relief.
“Thank goodness. My body remembers.”
I could use the mastered 1-Star swordsmanships without any trouble.
It seemed that even if the swordsmanships disappeared through synthesis, the techniques my body had learned did not.
The swordsmanship problem was solved.
With a pounding heart, Hyunwoo assumed the opening stance of the newly learned ‘Sabla Swordsmanship’.
⌜Sabla Swordsmanship (2-Star)―A swordsmanship created by Sabla, a Count of the Demon World. His swordsmanship, which utilizes centrifugal force, contains a destructive power that surpasses its original force.
Proficiency: 0%
Traits: None⌟
The movements of the Sabla Swordsmanship surfaced in my mind.
The direction the sword advanced, its speed, the meaning contained in its movements.
Everything about the Sabla Swordsmanship was being engraved onto Hyunwoo’s body.
‘Because 2-Star and above are swordsmanships in the true sense.’
It was different from the 1-Star swordsmanships, which contained simple techniques or fixed movements.
The 2-Star 'Sabla Swordsmanship' not only contained more complex movements, but each and every technique also held the characteristics of the swordsmanship.
The characteristic of the Sabla Swordsmanship was that its destructive power could be increased by using 'centrifugal force'.
Simply swinging my arm widely changed the power of the swordsmanship.
But if 'Sabla Swordsmanship' was used properly, even more was possible.
‘The real thing must be the ability to use the opponent's attack as centrifugal force.’
If I became proficient in handling the Sabla Swordsmanship, I would be able to deflect an enemy's attack and, at the same time, use that power against them to produce even greater force.
The Sabla Swordsmanship contained the principles of offense and defense as one.
However, to use this centrifugal force properly, it seemed the tip of the sword had to be heavy.
‘It'll be difficult to perform this properly with such a thin sword.’
Still, Hyunwoo tried to execute the movements in a similar fashion.
At first, he swung the sword lightly, familiarizing himself with the stances.
When he thought he had gotten a feel for it, Hyunwoo performed the Sabla Swordsmanship as if in a real fight.
“Eek!”
Along with an awkward movement, my body was pulled along by the sword.
Before I could tumble disgracefully, I barely caught my balance and stood up straight.
Even though I used a light iron sword, it wasn't easy to handle the centrifugal force as I wanted.
‘Is maintaining my center of balance the key?’
Hyunwoo, who had been practicing the swordsmanship for a while, staggered and stumbled around.
A short while later, he let out a rough breath and spat out a curse.
As I performed various movements, the problems began to show.
The swordsmanship wasn't the problem.
My muscular strength was far too lacking to swing a sword augmented by centrifugal force.
It wasn't just my muscular strength that was lacking.
‘How many times have I swung it….’
I had only mimicked the swordsmanship movements, but I was already out of breath.
The Sabla Swordsmanship consumed a lot of stamina.
In the end, Hyunwoo couldn't even swing the sword a few more times.
Eu―
With a low groan, he collapsed on the spot.
His stamina had been depleted first.
Hyunwoo lay on the floor, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought.
‘If I use Sabla Swordsmanship like this, I'll be dead meat.’
There were no kind souls in the Demon World who would go easy on an opponent who had run out of stamina.
It seemed I would have to use the 1-Star swordsmanships for the time being, until I got used to the 2-Star one.
“Hup!”
Having organized his thoughts, Hyunwoo let out a grunt and pushed himself up.
This wasn't the time to be discouraged by something like this.
He massaged his knotted muscles and sank into thought.
The Arena match was tomorrow.
It was a situation where I could no longer postpone the problems with my body.
At the very least, I needed to be able to use the 2-Star swordsmanship in a real fight.
‘I'll have to buy a sword, too.’
I needed a heavy sword.
I couldn't produce its proper power with the sword supplied by the Arena.
Hyunwoo checked the pouch of mana stones lying in the corner.
220 mana stones.
That was the amount remaining from the allowance I had received from going in and out of the underground gambling den, after deducting the treatment fee.
‘Things I can buy with 220 mana stones….’
Recalling the list, Hyunwoo immediately stuck to the iron bars of the waiting room.
“Orc!”
When Hyunwoo shouted a couple more times, the Orc came.
“What is it.
The underground gambling den again today?”
“Not today.
I'm planning to use some mana stones instead.”
“If there's anything you need, tell me.
I'll get it for you.”
“I want to trade directly.”
“Directly?
You can't.”
The Orc shook his head firmly.
There was no way for Hyunwoo, a Bronze gladiator, to buy things directly.
Generally speaking.
“I heard there's something called a black market merchant.”
“…You know a lot for a human.”
“So, can you bring one or not?”
“Wait a moment.”
The Orc wrinkled his nose and made a thoughtful expression.
A gladiator trading directly with a black market merchant was an act that went beyond the Administrator's control.
A conservative Administrator would not easily permit it.
Hyunwoo spoke to himself to ease the Orc's worries.
“Can't you call one?
I guess an 'Orc' Administrator doesn't have that much authority.”
“……!”
The Orc's face twisted fiercely.
The fact that he was an 'Orc', an ambiguous race between demon and demonic beast, must be his sore spot.
“I'll bring one right away.
Don't regret it.
They are a vile bunch.”
“I'll take care of that myself.
Just bring one.”
Hyunwoo smirked as he watched the Orc fall for his provocation so nicely.
I was well aware of the fact that black market merchants weren't honest.
The weapon they used was the 'information gap'.
The gap in information between a gladiator confined to a waiting room and a black market merchant who came and went from the outside was bound to be enormous.
Getting ripped off was a daily occurrence here.
‘No matter how much those bastards know.’
Every single item the black market merchant ripped people off with was an item Hyunwoo had created.
There were no products here that he didn't know about.
* * *
It had been a while since the Administrator Orc had sought out the Goblin, Pierre.
“It's Bronze Waiting Room 3.
He said he wants to trade directly.”
“Yes, yes.
I understand, sir.”
Pierre handed a bribe to the Orc with a smiling face.
A pittance like this to secretly enter the Arena was nothing.
If he could just sweet-talk one gullible gladiator, he could earn more than double the mana stones.
Pierre, who was looking forward to what kind of prey awaited him today, had sparkling eyes and a smile on his face.
‘A human?’
As he reached the waiting room, a human was waiting for him.
Dealing with a human who didn't even know the ways of the Demon World was an incredibly easy task.
He didn't know why the Orc had entrusted a direct trade to a mere human, but it was a very good thing for him.
To extract the maximum profit from the trading partner.
Because that was his purpose.
Pierre lowered his head and respectfully clasped his hands.
“I heard you were looking for me.
Do you require a trade?”
Bowing his head to these gladiators who lived in their own self-importance was a very good strategy.
This human bastard would be no different.
“Uh, yeah.”
Seeing the guy nod his head arrogantly, Pierre's strategy seemed to have hit the mark.
Easy.
Dealing with these blockheads who knew nothing but fighting was a yawn-inducing task.
“Don't you have anything useful for a fight?”
“You're in great luck, sir.
I just happened to get such items in today.”
Pierre immediately introduced an item that the guy would be interested in.
“A potion of strength!
Just one bottle and you can wield the power of an Ogre, sir.
What do you think?”
“Oh.
I happened to need just that.”
The human showed interest from the very first bait.
He was a naive one.
At this rate, the deal could be considered as good as done.
“Is this by any chance our first trade…?”
“It's the first.”
“Ah!
You're a first-time customer.
Then, for the sake of our next trade, I'll give it to you at a really cheap price today.
How about 100 mana stones?”
“100 mana stones…”
“I assure you, it's a potion that will save your life someday.
100 mana stones is a really cheap price….”
“Let's see.”
The human snatched the potion from Pierre's hand as if he didn't need to hear any more of his words.
“Huh?
Sir?
You have to purchase the item first before….”
“This is a cheap piece of junk.”
Sting―
The human's words, which hit the mark, stabbed Pierre in the chest without warning.
But he couldn't show it.
He immediately scowled and got angry in return.
“What nonsense are you spouting without even knowing….”
“It's a dark purple color.
The lowest quality, right?”
The closer the color was to transparent, the closer it was to the highest quality, and the closer it was to purple, the closer it was to the lowest quality.
“I could buy this for 35 mana stones, being generous.”
The human had eerily estimated the current exact market price of the potion.
In Pierre's mind, his evaluation of the human was upgraded to 'a guy who knows a little about the Demon World'.
But that wasn't the end of it.
“And this is a potion with a temporary effect, isn't it?
See the sinking powder?
Look at how it's not properly mixed.”
‘What is this bastard?’
Pierre was at a loss for words for a moment, seeing the human casually spouting information that even the residents of the Demon World didn't know well.
“Pulling out this kind of crap to sell, you must be trying to mess with me, right?”
The human smiled.
The same smile as when they first met.
But Pierre flinched at the chilling feeling.