113. Massacre (1)
“True Blood Heaven Demon Sword”
「Rating: A-」
「Reaction speed +15%」
「Attack speed +15%」
“A famous sword, one of the treasures that was once passed down from the blood demon religion of Murim.”
「All potential abilities were unlocked by the user who reached the stage of sword flame.」
「When challenger Han Seong-yoon uses it, the exclusive effect ‘Blood Energy’ can be activated.」
「Blood energy is indestructible and temporarily improves cutting power.」
「When challenger Han Seong-yoon uses it, the exclusive effect ‘Blood Eat’ can be activated.」
「Blood Eating (血食), when you designate and kill an opponent with the Blood Demon Sword, absorb the opponent’s blood into the blade to increase overall item performance and achieve random skill imprints.”
“At this time, there are up to three skills that can be imprinted with blood, and the imprint skills do not cost anything other than cooldown time.”
I was impressed when I appraised the newly changed Blood Demon Sword through Hwaryong’s Eye.
The rate of increase in reaction speed and attack speed has also increased, and exclusive effects have grown and been added again.
‘That’s great.’
I narrowed my eyes as I looked at the curly letters engraved on the blade.
Even if the appearance is not very good, the Blood Heaven Demon Sword is no longer just an ordinary item.
It has become a growth-type item with two exclusive effects with official names, so it’s a considerable benefit.
‘Originally, it was usable in its own way, but now it’s a monster-like spec.’
There was even a function called skill imprinting for the exclusive effect of the newly created blood formula.
I had never heard or seen that a skill could be used without a cost once the skill was imprinted.
‘If there is a flaw, it must be that only up to three skills can be imprinted.’
Of course, there was no limit to skill imprinting, and this kind of limit was a natural part.
Although it was a bit unsettling to have a skill imprinted randomly, if you imprinted a good skill, you would be able to see an effect beyond imagination.
‘I can see why only users who have reached the level of swordsmanship can unlock their potential.’
It was natural that there should be some restrictions if such a fraudulent ability could bloom.
After confirming that the Blood Heaven Demon Sword had completely changed before I knew it, I invoked the Ordeal Command.
“Do you want to challenge the 13th floor ordeal?”
It was time to climb the tower again.
***
“Enter the 13th floor of the Tower of Trials.”
「Difficulty – Hard」
「The subject of this ordeal is ‘Strategic Battle’.」
“I hope that the challenger will have a satisfactory result at the end of his or her chosen penance.”
Beyond the portal, I quietly looked around, watching the message floating in the air.
The stage on the 13th floor was in the form of a forest that I had experienced before.
‘It’s quiet.’
Should I say the feeling of falling alone in a forest full of green light?
I finished my exploration of the surroundings, feeling the smell of fresh grass permeating deep into my lungs.
And looking at the message that followed, I frowned.
That would be too… … .
“The 13th floor trial begins.”
「Remaining time – 14 days」
「Condition to break through the trial – kill the Vampire Count by cooperating with your friends within the remaining time」
「Criterion to fail the trial – team members are annihilated or the remaining time ends」
「Trial Break Reward – Random Skill Book (A+)」
「Trial Failure Penalty – Death」
This is because the 13th floor ordeal was an integration ordeal after a long time.
Every time I went through an ordeal with my teammates, it always bothered me, so I wasn’t very happy about it… … .
As soon as I saw the ‘Random Skill Book (A+)’ written in the ordeal breakthrough reward, my thoughts changed.
‘It’s a random skill book.’
Judging from the fact that a better reward was offered than expected, it seemed that there would be a pretty good harvest from this ordeal.
If you’re lucky, you might catch the manager’s attention and receive the patronage of power, so it was only natural that your bad mood would get better.
“Start assigning team members.”
Whoops!
Then, three portals opened nearby, and a mini-map was created in the field of view.
“The 13th floor trial map will be released.”
「Show cities occupied by vampires.」
「Shows hidden priests in cities occupied by vampires.」
「Displays the location of the Vampire Count in a city occupied by Vampires.」
It was the shape of the minimap I had seen once before, around the time of the second ordeal.
‘Did this mean a strategic battle… … .’
Perhaps this 13th floor ordeal had to find a priest in the city and kill the Vampire Count.
However, I am a bit dissatisfied with this.
‘Can’t we just break into the city and kill everything we can find?’
I think that would be better than bothering to find a cleric.
In fact, I currently have enough power to destroy a city.
It was clear that a large-scale battle would serve as a considerable advantage for me.
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With Necromancy, you can use the spirits endlessly to recover your health and magic… … .
When combined with a skill like the seeker of fresh blood, it would be fair to call me the strongest in a melee.
It was the moment when he seriously considered the melee in the city, lost in thought.
“The assignment of team members has been completed.”
「Nicknames of assigned team members are displayed for smooth play.」
Three challengers appeared from the portals created around them.
I slowly rolled my eyes and examined the faces of the challengers.
“Andrei Tarkovsky”
“To rot… … . Somehow, I wondered why the system was expanding, but was it an integration ordeal?”
Starting with Russians who openly use their real names as nicknames.
「Legendary Ninja」
“uh… … . hello. Haha, nice to meet you all.”
By way of a pretty good-looking Japanese who doesn’t suit a fairly childish nickname.
「Wizard of the Clock Tower」
“… … Nice to meet you.”
Even an Englishman wearing a robe that barely shows his face… … .
I took a look at them and immediately realized two things.
They were challengers from different countries and at the same time were ranked at the top of the settlement board.
Andrei Tarkovsky, a topless man showing off his tattoos, was ranked seventh.
The Wizard of the Clock Tower was a skilled player who reached the 6th place in the rankings, higher than Andrei Tarkovsky.
I felt like I saw a Japanese man with a childish nickname called Legendary Ninja at the top of the rankings.
A top challenger from another country… … .
It was a part that I couldn’t help feeling even if I didn’t want to be interested.
But the others started talking right away, as if it didn’t matter that they were ranked high.
“Now we have to cooperate with each other for 14 days, so let’s start with the voice. I am Andrei Tarkovsky.”
The Japanese challenger reacted to his words, showing off his tattoos without wearing any clothes on his upper body.
There was a strange look in his eyes, as if the current situation was quite interesting.
“Andrei Tarkovsky… … . I was dubious when I looked at the rankings, but as expected, you are Russian… … .”
“I have no intention of hiding it. Yes, I am the head of the Carpe Diem Guild. why? Isn’t it strange that the head of Russia’s largest guild is in the tower?”
At that, the Japanese challenger smiled bitterly and waved his hand.
“It is not. It’s just amazing that there are people in the same situation as me. Ah, I am Sachio Michimoto, an S-class hunter from the Japan Hunter Association.”
“Oh, you were more valuable than me. That you are the only S-class hunter in Japan… … .”
“Because that doesn’t matter at the Tower. Just feel free to call me Sachio. Ah, those who wear robes… … .”
The topic turned to the wizard of the clock tower, followed by an old man wearing a robe.
“My name is David Taylor. I am a lowly wizard belonging to the Clock Tower.”
“Are you the archmage on the brink of retirement? But he was dragged to the tower… … . Very bad luck.”
Andrei said as if he was sorry, but David laughed as if he didn’t.
“I think of it as luck in later life. A mysterious essence like a tower is an interesting subject for a mage to explore.”
After the introduction of the three people, their eyes naturally fell on me.
The head of Russia’s largest guild, the only S-class hunter in Japan… … .
Even though there was a feast of bigwigs who even had a great wizard on the verge of retirement.
I took their gaze casually and introduced myself calmly.
Compared to them, he considered himself lacking in nothing.
That would be too… … .
“I am Han Seong-yoon, a Korean C-class hunter.”
This is because currently I am the highest ranked challenger on the global level.
***
The conversation after that was nothing but formal content.
What if I didn’t know that the challenger at the top of the settlement rankings was a C-class hunter… … .
Of course, such a story was short-lived, and soon, starting with David, the story of the ordeal came and went.
“On the topic of strategic battle, eradicate the Vampire Count… … . It’s an interesting ordeal.”
“I don’t know if it’s fun, but it annoys me. You can’t just proceed in a straight line.”
“I guess I should find a priest in a city occupied by vampires and defeat the vampire count.”
The conclusion came out fairly simply.
“Let’s infiltrate the city, save the priest, and then kill the Vampire Count.”
“It sounds simple, but… … . I wonder if you can sneak into the city.”
It was a story about infiltrating the city, meeting the priests, and killing the vampire count.
“Don’t worry about that. I don’t waste my age, so I can use stealth magic. If you don’t have a skill like the detection skill, you won’t get caught.”
“It’s nice to hear that. However, as far as I know, the duration of stealth magic is not very high… … .”
“Even so, we can keep it until we invade the city. Of course, if you can’t use it in battle, it won’t be useful if you get detected.”
“Oh, then I will use my unique trait to sneak a look around the outskirts of the city and come back. That will make breaking in easier.”
“That’s good.”
I just listened to the whole conversation without giving an opinion.
This is because I was curious about how top-level challengers in other countries think and overcome trials.
I thought maybe there might be a better strategy than fighting melee within the city.
But as I listened quietly, I soon began to feel a sense of disappointment in my teammates.
‘It’s good to look carefully and break in and explore the city…’ … . Even if you’re careful, you’re too cautious.’
Even Andrei, who was shirtless and showing off his tattoos, was more prudent than he thought.
Even this Russian challenger, who was clad in magic tools-like accessories all over his body, was like this, but the others had no choice but to be more cautious.
Sachio Michimoto is more accustomed to raiding and stealth than hand-to-hand combat due to his unique nature as an assassin, and David was no different.
Knowing how to use stealth magic, this English mage favored fairly clever combat.
As if he would not deviate from the subject of the ordeal, he was trying to conduct a thoroughly strategic battle.
It was self-evident that perhaps, if he continued like this, he would be able to smoothly overcome the ordeal without failing.
but… … .
‘Then I may not be able to get an additional breakthrough reward.’
I wasn’t afraid of the 13th floor ordeal to the extent that I followed the clever fighting method.
Top is the type who always suggests a straight attack method, but following it as it is is foolish.
Even in the trials on the 11th floor, there was a nuance as if all you had to do was break through each gate… … .
In reality, it was a great system that allowed you to pursue growth more perfectly only after going through all the trials.
In fact, thanks to that, in the 11th floor ordeal, I got a good amount of additional breakthrough rewards.
‘I can create a stage where I can make use of my strengths like a melee, but there’s no reason to avoid it.’
So I had no intention of following the plan of the three people, and soon put that thought into my mouth.
“I think everyone is misunderstanding something… … .”
“… … ?”
“It is not efficient to break through trials like that.”
“Efficiency is not good, what is that… … . Does that mean there is a better way?”
I nodded my head at David’s question, who was in charge of the discussion.
“Isn’t it natural to be there?”
At those words, Sachio Michimoto, who was discussing it in front of him, lit up his eyes.
“Oh oh… … . Then can you tell me what that method is?”
“All right. It’s not that difficult, so you’ll understand easily.”
Andrei and David also responded as if they were curious about my thoughts.
“I am curious too. Is there a more efficient way than this? It sounds pretty good.”
“As expected, it seems that he had his own secret to clearing the ordeal, as befits a world number one challenger.”
It’s a trick… … .
If you think about it, this might be a kind of secret method.
“There is no better way than this scheme to be simple.”
I put the 13th floor strategy in my head into my mouth.
“If you just shut up and charge, you can kill them all and pass the ordeal.”
In its raw form, as if it were really raw.
