Chapter 122 Turning Point (4)

‘He falls short of my expectations.’

After his foe, focusing on avoidance, narrowed the distance and began to swing his blade, Yoon-seok’s eyes were filled with disappointment.

‘Did I expect too much?’

It doesn’t mean that he was terrible at all. In terms of skills, he was an experienced and talented warrior. But should he say that that was it? It was difficult to find anything else impressive other than his ability to evade.

Whikkkkk! Whoosh!

He continued to watch a few more times because he thought there might be something hidden, but the conclusion was the same. In terms of swordsmanship, there was nothing he could learn. But there was still one thing he was curious about.

‘How did he see it?’

He had no clue; that’s why Yoon-seok watched again and again. The elf’s eyes were so intense they might drill holes into him.

“…”

Where was his gaze directed? Was it the sword? Or was it the point that the sword was aiming for? If he could see where he was swinging it, when was the exact timing? The moment he started? Or when he finished?

Whoooosh! Whoosh! Whikkkkkk!

Once, twice, three times… as the same technique was thrown out; the questions were solved step by step. It didn’t take much time. After all, this was also a type of internal strength.

‘Now I get it.’

Internal strength, aura, force, magic. Although the terms used were different, among Rank C or higher skills, some could use energy. Yoon-seok, who had a related Unique Skill, didn’t have to learn it using AP, but ordinary challengers could only make sword energy and strengthen their bodies with those skills.

‘Why didn’t I think of this?’

If energy was infused into his arms, he could break a rock with his bare fists, and if energy was infused in his feet, he could jump several times higher than usual. In the case of eyes, visibility increased. But, in addition to such a simple method, there was another intended use. Was it because it felt natural, as if that was what he’d been doing all this time?

‘In the end, is it the same for either sword energy or this?’

For example, this was the case when he could wear the energy when he achieved At One With the Sword. At that time, he could only make it firm or sharp, and that was it. But embodying the energy and incorporating its many diverse principles into his sword was only possible in more advanced ways.

‘This is fun.’

Yoon-seok smiled. In the end, the only difference was that the tool that used the energy switched from the sword to the eye; there wasn’t a big difference. Now, he had a rough theory. It was time to slowly learn it with his body.

Whoosh!

Yoon-seok didn’t hesitate to instill energy into his eyes, but it didn’t have any effect other than slightly increasing the clarity of his vision. However, success would only come after trial and error. Yoon-seok continued to try regardless. Even then, when he was blocked, he looked at the magic flowing around the fairy swordsman’s eyes.

“What are you… what are you doing?!”

Did he finally feel something weird about Yoon-seok? The elf began to shout, but Yoon-seok focused on what he was doing without answering. And before long, he realized the essence of the way to see.

“So this is it.”

Strictly speaking, it was close to seeing what he couldn’t see until now.

“It feels like what was hidden is now revealed….”

The world filtering into Yoon-seok’s eyes suddenly changed. Everything was colored in black and white, moving in slow motion. It was reminiscent of the world revealed when he controlled space, but it wasn’t quite as complex.

“…”

Yoon-seok quietly raised his head and examined the elf swordsman. As if looking at a plaster statue, his face was divided into clear lines. Suddenly, a Picasso painting that he saw at a museum came to mind. Of course, the painting and the sight that Yoon-seok saw now were fundamentally different. If he had to put it in words, this was close to a 2D object revealed in 3D form.

‘So this is energy…’

Yoon-seok reached out to the floating, shimmering colors in the air. Due to the influence of b Divine Ultimatum}, it could be seen permeating into his body as soon as he touched it.

“That’s cool.”

Yoon-seok sliced through the air once again. Then, following the traces of the cut, the line at the point Yoon-seok was aiming for was cut through. It felt a few times easier than before when he used the Traverse technique. Yoon-seok nodded as if he understood now.

“So you saw the line, too. That’s why you could avoid it.”

“W-what…?”

After evading, the elf tilted his head, and after confirming that Yoon-seok’s eyes were swaying with magic, he stiffened. His opponent used his method to see.

“D-did you learn just from watching…?”

The mumbling elf shook his head in denial. Even after being taught kindly, it took him several days to activate it for the first time, and he was only able to reach this current state through constant polishing. But he did it in just a few minutes? In addition, there were things he said that he couldn’t understand.

“What does he mean by line…?”

The elf swordsman bit his lips. What he learned was not like that; there was no such thing as a line. All he could do was observe the movement of magic operated by the opponent through a haze.

“What are you looking at?!”

Why did he scream like that? He didn’t know the reason himself. Perhaps he didn’t want to admit it. However, Yoon-seok did not answer. He just stood still as if deeply immersed in something.

‘Did she not know about this method?’

Yoon-seok was thinking about Cheon-ma. To be exact, he thought about why she didn’t tell him of this technique. The compatibility of the way to see learned from the elf and the Traverse technique was so good that it was almost a set.

That was why the question kept coming to mind. It was a little unconvincing that a master at her level didn’t even know this simple method, and it felt slightly unacceptable that she deliberately excluded it when teaching him. Of course, it wasn’t a question that had an immediate answer.

‘Well, if we can see each other again, I’ll ask then.’

Yoon-seok shook away his thoughts and regarded his foe. His hands were trembling around his sword. He thought how lucky it was that they both used swords; otherwise, he might not have learned this new ability.

“Are you playing with me?!”

The elf rushed straight to him. At first glance, he looked desperate. As if he’d reached his limit, he used everything he could, including the effects of skills and equipment. Yoon-seok avoided and blocked them as he continued to watch. But.

Slash.

After learning the way to see, there was nothing more to see.

「Moving to the manager’s area on the 15th floor.」

After collecting the victory reward and choosing the skill and equipment with {Predation}, his vision flashed.

‘Come to think of it; I’m already on the 15th floor now.’

Originally, one could meet with the admin every five floors. However, the situation was ambiguous for Yoon-seok, who could meet with Elle any time after receiving the special reward of String of Contract. Functionally, they were meeting again less than an hour later.

“You’re here?”

Listening to Elle’s familiar voice, Yoon-seok opened his eyes. The table before him was full of refreshments already.

‘No wonder she sent me off without much regret when I said I was going. She knew I’d come back.’

Smiling dejectedly, Yoon-seok sat down. Since the last time, Elle had begun to wear a cloth around her eyes as if she didn’t feel the need to cover her face anymore.

“Did you know I would be back here soon through clairvoyance?”

“Even if I didn’t have clairvoyance, I can know this much, right?”

Elle laughed and said so. It was something that Yoon-seok could understand. Rather, it was extremely obvious what he would do after returning from his mission on the 14th floor.

‘Still, I feel like I’m being treated like a single-celled organism…’

Yoon-seok took a sip of the sweet tea prepared by Elle to soothe his mixed feelings. Looking at him sipping tea, Elle calmly spoke.

“And now I can’t see the future anymore.”

“…Did you lose your power?”

Yoon-seok quickly put down the teacup with a serious expression.

“No, the power given by the Tower remains the same.”

“…?”

Yoon-sook tilted his head. Why couldn’t she see the future when the power of Clairvoyance remained the same?

“Was it b Divine Ultimatum}? I was surprised when it was in Rank C, but I didn’t expect that to open up…”

Being able to escape a predetermined fate was the Rank A effect of b Divine Ultimatum}, which was created by synthesizing several Unique Skills. He thought it would be useful eventually, but he didn’t expect it to be like this.

“Then you can’t see my future anymore?”

“No, I can watch it if I want to. It’s just that there are so many paths that it can’t be specified as a single one. Rather, there’s a lot more I couldn’t see.”

“I see.”

Yoon-seok touched his mouth and nodded. He couldn’t tell if he should be happy or sad about this. The advice Elle sometimes offered had been of considerable help even though it often worried him.

“Why are you making that face? This is an amazing thing!”

“Amazing? What makes you say that?”

“Of course, when I was with you…”

Elle faltered while trying to say something and began to smack her tightening chest.

“Is it because of that restriction again?”

“W, what? T, that’s right. I can’t tell you because of the restriction.”

The answer was weak and puzzling, but Yoon-seok didn’t pay it any further attention. He had been concerned about something else since earlier.

“Didn’t you say you were surprised at Rank C? Do you know what effect it has?”

The Rank C effect of b Divine Ultimatum}.

‘It must exist. Middle Qigong is unlocked.’

It didn’t specifically say that, but he knew what it meant. However, no matter how he tried to interpret the phrase, ‘it must exist,’ he couldn’t figure it out. But he didn’t expect to get that info from Elle.

“Oh, that?”

This time, Elle smiled and explained to Yoon-seok. And, as her explanation continued, Yoon-seok realized it again. If there was a turning point in his predetermined fate, it was the day he got his hands on b Divine Ultimatum}.