The pain has Ethan's mind wavering back and forth.
Is it even logical that he was selected for a rapidly rising popularity broadcast? He wants to check the number of viewers but can't find the opportunity.
Not too far from where he was, two goblins, filled with anger, were pulling back their bows for an attack, and they weren't casting any fire magic. A single moment of carelessness could result in an arrow piercing his heart.
"Focus on the enemy in front."
Being careless in the presence of enemies is foolishness.
In the world of swordsmanship, a moment of carelessness leads directly to defeat. In fact, in sword competitions, one second, no, 0.1 second, has decided the validity of a hit.
Ouch.
As he moves, the wounds reopen, and blood begins to flow again. Though better than at first, it's still agonizing. He's tempted to pull out the dagger sticking in his back and the arrow piercing his thigh, but he can't afford such a mishap. Removing them would worsen the wounds, and he might die from excessive bleeding.
Swoosh!
The goblin's hand holding the arrow-loaded bow is tightly pulled back. Once the goblin releases the bowstring, the arrow will come rushing at high speed. He has no way to dodge it.
Even moving forward one step at a time with his current condition is exhausting. However, he can't just stand there like a target.
He decided to break through head-on. He'll face the arrow, look straight at it, and block its path with the sword's edge. In reality, it's undoubtedly an almost impossible feat. But for some reason, he feels like it's possible now.
It's as if his senses are honed, like a well-forged blade. A favorable wind is blowing from the right. Accordingly, the arrow's trajectory will slightly deviate to the right.
With a defensive stance, Ethan prepared his right arm to block any arrows coming toward his right side.
As the arrow left the goblin's hand, he instinctively shouted, "Shoulder!"
The arrow's trajectory was minuscule, elegantly spiraling its way toward him. He could perceive exactly where the twisting arrow was aimed!
Clang!
The arrowhead collided with his blade. Iron clashed with iron, and in that fleeting moment, sparks flashed before disappearing.
A rush of indescribable exhilaration washed over Ethan. He felt a slight tremor in the hand holding the sword. Was it from the impact of blocking the arrow, or was it the result of surpassing the limits of life and death, gaining something akin to an epiphany?
[Understanding of the sword has increased.]
[Strength has slightly increased.]
[Stamina has slightly increased.]
[Agility has slightly increased.]
[Mastery of Concentration skill has increased.]
[Mastery of Combat Sense skill has increased.]
"This is...," Ethan muttered.
With each battle, he found himself acquiring new skills and improving his proficiency in them.
"I don't even need to level up to enhance my abilities during fights. I can learn skills and improve them through practice. But why did Lily act as if they didn't matter? Is it all about efficiency?"
Acquiring abilities and skills through combat is less efficient than gaining stats by leveling up or purchasing skills with in-game currency, right? Lily must have meant it in that context. Her suggestion to skip the tutorial might also be related to this. However, it genuinely felt like leveling up wasn't possible.
Even after ascending to the fourth floor and engaging in battles with a total of six goblins, Ethan had never experienced a level increase. Moreover, his level wasn't displayed in the status window. "Anyway, I'll have to keep going."
Thud.
As the distance to the bow-wielding goblin shortened to 30 meters, Ethan noticed the goblin's increasing speed in reloading arrows.
It seemed that the urgency of the approaching threat was pushing the goblin to act more efficiently. Shooting arrows at close range would improve their chances of hitting the target, reducing the time needed for aiming.
Swoosh.
"But still..."
Clang!
"I can block it!"
[Agility has slightly increased.]
The successful block from earlier happened again. The boost in confidence played a role, but he also felt more aware of the arrow's trajectory than before. He was no longer uncertain. The belief that he could handle arrow attacks settled in his mind.
"The problem lies with that one..."
Though he couldn't fathom exactly how much preparation the staff-wielding goblin needed, it was still in the casting process. However, he instinctively sensed that with just a little more magical power gathering in the staff, it would unleash an attack.
The distance to the bow goblin was now only 10 meters. It was really close. After blocking one last arrow, he needed to take it down. The bow goblin seemed ready to fire one arrow and retreat as it had pulled its left foot back.
If he allowed it to escape, it would become troublesome. Ethan didn't have the energy to chase after the bow goblin. If he did, he would end up repeating the cycle of chasing and blocking arrows. Eventually, he would exhaust his Stamina and collapse from bleeding.
Swish.
He prepared to leap. He would pursue the bow goblin immediately after it shot the arrow, but it didn't mean he would run after it.
Ethan lifted both heels of his left and right feet, advancing slowly. As the distance to the bow goblin closed to 5 meters, it prepared to run away after releasing the tense bowstring.
Clang!
Blocking the arrow, Ethan firmly stomped the ground with his left foot, preventing the goblin from escaping.
It was the "Balgeum" technique often used in duels and effective for delivering powerful blows to opponents. Despite the sharp pain caused by his injured body's movements, he bit down on it, maintaining his focus.
To deliver effective blows, he needed to maintain the overall balance of his body and sword (Unified Mind and Sword Body).
"Head!"
Following the Balgeum technique, he executed a short head strike, beheading the bow goblin. The goblin's body that was running toppled forward, lying flat on the ground, shivering. Without even having time to confirm the blood flowing from its head onto the dirt floor, he shifted his gaze.
"I can win!"
The staff goblin would still be in the middle of casting. If it wanted to use magic, it would have done it earlier.
With that expectation, Ethan turned his head towards the staff goblin. However, the moment their eyes met, the fireball that was spiraling in place was fired at Ethan.
Reflexively, he raised his sword to strike the fireball, but what physical strength could put out the fire?
Sizzle!
In an instant, a scorching heat engulfed his entire body. The pain was incomparable to the discomfort caused by the dagger lodged in his back and the arrow in his thigh. He didn't scream; in fact, he couldn't even if he wanted to. He couldn't breathe. It felt like being trapped in a sealed space without oxygen.
[Mastery of Pain Tolerance skill has increased.]
[Acquired Flame Resistance skill.]
[Mastery of Flame Resistance skill has increased.]
[Mastery of Flame Resistance skill has increased.]
The flames raged relentlessly, engulfing Ethan's clothes and spreading throughout his body. The iron he held was no exception, the handle's knot catching fire as well. The scorching heat seared his entire being, threatening to drive him to the brink of madness. His thoughts vanished, and his consciousness wavered.
His vision blurred…
"All melee weapons are useless."
In "Heroes Saga," there were two classes: magicians and commoners. At that moment, the realization struck him like a lightning bolt. He understood why Maxwell had been so fervent about it. It meant that knights, who relied on swords and spears, would be vulnerable prey for magicians, with no chance to get close. That was the cruel reality of it all…
"But so what?"
Ethan loved swords. He loved the feeling of swinging a sword, the rush of battle coursing through his veins. Despite the overwhelming gap in power between magic and swords in "Heroes Saga," he believed that he could bridge that chasm through dedication and relentless training.
In the span of a few seconds, a torrent of thoughts raced through his mind like a comet streaking across the sky.
He became a sword prodigy, mastering the basics within a month. In just two months, he defeated all the seniors at the sword dojo. Within three months, he surpassed even the sword dojo's master. In four months, he triumphed in the national middle and high school kendo competition. Within five months, he claimed victory in the Korean corporate kendo competition. And within a year, at the 20th World Kendo Championship, he dominated all the self-proclaimed sword experts.
In reality, there was nowhere higher for him to ascend.
Someone once said, "Isn't it rewarding to become the best in one field?"
Undoubtedly, there was truth in the notion of being the best and having no higher place to go. However, this didn't diminish Ethan's love for kendo and swords. He still cherished the art but craved a new challenge, something even greater to strive for.
Sizzle!
Amidst the scorching flames, a strange sense of exhilaration washed over him. It felt like a revelation; he could now aim for higher heights. While no rivals were left in the kendo world, "Heroes Saga" offered a vast array of formidable opponents. Here, he could become even stronger and ascend to unprecedented levels.
"This is perfect."
Determined, Ethan pushed his body forward, every step taken amidst the blazing inferno. He persisted, step by laborious step. The staff goblin attempted to flee, but upon sensing the overwhelming aura emanating from Ethan, it faltered, its escape hindered.
"Keh, kek."
Trembling like a bamboo swaying in the wind, the staff goblin found itself at an uncomfortably close distance. With all the strength he could muster, Ethan raised the iron high.
To face this final goblin, he channeled every last ounce of energy, mustering the power to move his arm. With a feeble yet resolute force, the tip of his sword found its mark, piercing through the staff goblin's neck.
Thud!
[You have successfully cleared Tutorial 4th Floor.]
"Ugh, gasp...!"
Ethan removed the VR gear, sitting up straight and gasping for breath. Gradually regaining his senses, he noticed that his entire body was drenched in sweat. Shivering slightly, he used his trembling hands to touch his back, left thigh, and other areas.
Though his robust body felt familiar, the sensation of swords and arrows piercing through it lingered, accompanied by a faint burning feeling. To shake off the aftereffects, Ethan sat down and took a deep breath.
"Hey, Ethan. What's going on with you?"
Maxwell approached, taken aback by Ethan's sweat-soaked appearance.
Ethan shrugged nonchalantly and offered a smile.
"Could you get me some water?"
"Uh, sure, just a moment..."
Maxwell brought a bottle of mineral water, and Ethan eagerly gulped it down, feeling his body slowly calming down.
"I think I'll call it a day for now."
"What made you sweat like that?"
"Maybe I encountered a strong opponent after a long time..."
"What? I don't really get what you're saying, but you seem to be in a good mood."
"It was incredibly fun. I'll come back tomorrow morning."
"Sure, do as you please. By the way, how far did you progress? You should be in the middle of the 'Find the Cat' quest by now, right?"
Ethan shook his head. "It's still part of the tutorial."
"······."
Author's Note
Hey there, wonderful readers. I'm thrilled to announce that you can now read the next chapters right now on Toodat!
You can click the external link below ~
writing/detail/ZYK4w9aAnzbvMRnB