Chapter 125 Unique Power (3)

「Instantaneous characteristic is given to Triple Cut.」

When the characteristic was chosen, the cooldown disappeared. However, Yoon-seok wouldn’t use this skill in an actual battle. Even considering that the damage was corrected, it would be better to move his body directly.

‘This is fun.’

Yoon-seok continued to use Triple Cut without a break. At the same time, he found the shortcomings of the skill and supplemented them in his head. Was this the right answer?

「You can choose the characteristics of Triple Cut (C-).」

「You can choose the characteristics of Triple Cut (B-).」

As the skill level continued to rise, the skill that used to be Rank F had reached Rank B.

Whoooosh!

It was now a skill that had changed so much it was unrecognizable as its former self. Yoon-seok, checking the time, smiled.

‘It took about 5 minutes.’

If he’d tried to raise the rank only with simple labor, it would’ve taken days or even weeks.

‘Is this possible?’

Normally, it would’ve taken about 380,000 APs to raise a Rank F skill to Rank B. But he only wielded his sword for 5 minutes.

‘It would’ve been awesome if I had the power of Sell Skill.’

Since he had Elle’s powers of Skill Synthesis, he couldn’t feel the merit of this power, but things were different now. It meant that if he raised the rank with Transcendence and repeatedly sold it, he could have an inexhaustible supply and demand of AP. Well, it was possible in theory, but there was no way for him to know if it would work, and he could only select one power.

Of course, considering how Elle had about 30 powers, there was a high possibility that he would have another chance or two to gain the power again.

‘Anyway, I’ll think about that when I get there….’

Yoon-seok retrieved his sword. Now that he’d reached Rank B in 5 minutes, it wasn’t easy to find weaknesses in the technique. Perhaps from now on, to raise the rank with just effort and talent, it might be possible to rip this simple movement to the core in earnest and study it. But there was no need for that.

‘If I’m going to use Skill Synthesis, this will be better.’

Yoon-seok gave up his interest in Triple Cut and soon focused on other parts. He understood these kinds of active skills, but how should he raise skills that operated only through magic and command, like Force Shield? After several attempts, he reached the answer.

「Proficiency of Force Shield increases by 12%.」

The rank didn’t rise all at once. However, it had accumulated proficiency much higher than when the skill was simply used. The secret was to read the magic flow.

‘So it wasn’t a game-like system.’

Chanting the command, then the skill will work on its own. Until now, that was what Yoon-seok thought. However, he realized after feeling the process of magic flowing out of his body in the form of a curtain that the command was just a medium.

‘In the end, it means that all skills exist somewhere.’

There weren’t system settings such as characteristics or increasing effects attached to each rank-up, but Yoon-seok could test the same skill by manipulating the magic if he wanted to. Therefore, he was able to know what to fix, just like Triple Cut.

‘I think the magic is strangely being cut off on the right elbow? That part where magic is gathered is uneven. But if I stabilize it together like this…’

「Proficiency of Force Shield increases by 40%.」

「Proficiency of Force Shield increases by 48%.」

「Rank of Force Shield has been increased.」

After the rank went up, all the shortcomings Yoon-seok saw were corrected.

Now he had information on active skills. Following to find another way, but he failed to come up with a solution. However, he wasn’t too disappointed. These were all bonuses anyway. The decision to choose Transcendence was only because of this phrase.

—The rank limitations of stats and skills disappear.

Rank restrictions disappeared. In other words, it meant that someday he would reach a rank limit, and growth would no longer be possible, just like a full-level character in a game where it was no longer possible to invest points in stats or skills. Yoon-seok chose this power, convinced that Transcendence would become a greater weapon when that time came.

Well, he didn’t intend to just wait and keep it idle.

‘Let’s just check the rewards for this duel and quickly get started.’

4 million AP, Flame Fairy Sword (Rank A-), and a Unique Skill specialized in mental-related correction and agility called {Intelligence}. He obtained 3 things from the duel, but in the case of the Unique Skills that focused on mental defense, Yoon-seok wouldn’t need it.

‘If there’s something decent that appears later, I’ll have to synthesize it or something, and I can just recycle the weapons right away.’

Yoon-seok, who turned in the equipment and gained 1,228,000 AP, opened the store page and purchased the items he had his eyes on. He felt very strange. To be honest, when he first saw this item, he only thought, ‘so there was something like this out there,’ but he never expected that the day that he would buy this would come.

-Blacksmith Apprentice’s Bracelet (Rank D ) – A bracelet made by ancient blacksmiths to improve muscle strength.

When used, a weight equivalent to half one’s muscle strength was added, and its price was 32,000AP. It was hard to call it equipment since it only added penalties. A normal challenger would never have bought anything like this. However, there was nothing more helpful than what Yoon-seok was trying to do now.

Clank. Clank.

Yoon-seok put two purchased bracelets on his wrists.

“…”

The pressure was immense. Well, if he used magic, he could still move without difficulty even in this state, but if that were the case, he wouldn’t have bought this.

‘Shall we start…?’

Yoon-seok then started exercising with the 15 t dumbbells in both hands, which he bought for 10,000 AP each. Was it because his magic was sealed? It had been a while since he sweated this much, but Yoon-seok did so with a smile.

「Strength increases by 0.1%.」

An incomparable increase to his push-ups. Some might wonder what kind of pervert he was, but how could he not laugh in this situation? It went up 0.1% after 100 repetitions. If he did it 99,000 more times, it means that his B strength could become A-. In addition, there was unexpected gain.

「Durability stat increases by 1%.」

He didn’t know why, but it hurt like his muscles were torn, and his bones were broken. He didn’t think it was just his imagination, either. Of course, there was no problem. Even if it wasn’t in the waiting room that healed him every 10 minutes, this injury was covered by the additional effect of the regenerative power of b Immortality}.

‘But why is durability increasing higher than muscle strength?’

It was very unusual, but Yoon-seok, who thought it wasn’t a big deal, continued exercising. Following that, if he counted correctly, a new phrase appeared when there were 12,000 times left.

「Lady of Liberation is calling you.」

「Would you like to accept it?」

Was it because he was almost there? It felt very uncomfortable to stop so close. Yoon-seok closed his eyes, pretending not to see it. It was a pity that he couldn’t feel the fun of accumulating proficiency step by step, but he couldn’t help it.

‘I can just count internally.’

Yoon-seok opened his eyes after 12,000 more reps. However, the phrase that the ability had increased was nowhere to be seen. No, to be exact, he couldn’t find it.

「Lady of Liberation is calling you.」

「Would you like to accept it?」

「Lady of Liberation is calling you.」

「Would you like to accept it?」

「Lady of Liberation is calling you.」

「Would you like to accept it?」

Looking at the endless phrases, he felt chills run down his spine.

“…What’s going on?”

Yoon-seok, who responded only after the 493rd call, said this upon arrival. After hearing that, Elle wondered if there had ever been such a ridiculous thing to happen in her more than hundreds of years of life.

“…What do you mean, what’s going on? Is that what you’re supposed to say?”

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t see it right away because I closed my eyes.”

“…”

Elle’s hand trembled at Yoon-seok’s apology. She was making new tea after it got cold, new snacks, and paying the utmost attention to when she should call him. That was why she was able to see it. When the call phrase appeared, his eyes trembled for a moment, then Yoon-seok ignored it and closed his eyes tightly.

But there was no evidence. In this ambiguous situation, there would be no other way for the other party to deny it. Elle exhaled loudly to calm herself down.

“…Do you enjoy training that much?”

“It’s not fun, but there’s a goal I wanted to achieve.”

“Oh, okay… I see.”

Albeit knowing it wasn’t because of the goal, Elle just let it slide. That wasn’t the reason why she called Yoon-seok here.

“So, how long are you going to do that training? If I didn’t call you, it wouldn’t take a few months, right?

“…”

Yoon-seok was silent like a child who did something wrong. Should he say that she was born with the ability to instinctively catch unfavorable situations? Elle was angry, but she also looked very cute. He quickly shook off the thought and came to his senses.

“Do you remember the future I told you about last time?”

“Yes, I remember.”

“To be honest, it’s good for Cheon-ma to die. Plus… if you don’t go, it doesn’t necessarily mean that she would die.”

Elle paused to check Yoon-seok’s reaction, yet he was calm as if he had already known.

“I thought so. The only future you saw was a scene where I saved her from a crisis, not a clear view of her dying in a future where I wasn’t present.”

This was why Yoon-seok was able to decide not to go to Moorim without much consideration. If he went, she would get out of the crisis, but even if he didn’t, he thought she could overcome it by herself if it were Cheon-ma.

“Is she that reliable?”

“That’s the same for you, Elle.”

“Why do you close your eyes and pretend you didn’t see it when someone like that calls you?”

“It’s not that I pretended not to see it. I didn’t see it.”

Elle, who had been struck speechless by Yoon-seok’s obvious excuse, sighed deeply and turned back to the main topic.

“Haa. Whatever. Anyway, what I want to say is… if this continues, the precious opportunity I mentioned then will disappear.”

“Didn’t you say as long as I don’t go to Moorim, it would be fine?”

“To be exact, it was an opportunity you lost because of the time you spent in Moorim. But now you’re…”

It wasn’t hard to guess Elle’s unfinished thoughts. It wouldn’t be a waste of time, but, at least for two months, Yoon-seok was determined to improve his skills in the waiting room. It may be a rationalization, but in fact, he wondered if this was the opportunity.

“Can’t you just tell me what the opportunity is?”

“No. I can’t tell you because it’s related to the Tower.”

“Then does it mean I might miss it again?”

“No. That won’t happen. If you do your job as a challenger.”

“My job…?”

Yoon-seok tilted his head, realized something, and then asked.

“Do I have to keep going up to the top to reach that opportunity?”

“…”

Elle didn’t answer. But as always, her silence was a good enough response.

Elle later sent Yoon-seok back to the waiting room, saying that it was a waste of time to keep chatting. Since he was aware of what she wanted, Yoon-seok no longer insisted and chose to continue climbing.

「Countdown is starting.」

The opponent matched on the 15th floor was a human man wearing brilliant knightly armor. He presumed his home to be Seheranbad and that he was likely a challenger who had already gone through this trial.

「3.」

Did that knight ascend? Or did he fall in this duel? Well, he wasn’t that curious.

「2.」

Yoon-seok waited for the duel to begin. There was no reason to oppose Elle’s advice to focus on climbing the Tower immediately rather than training. Not only was she saying that for his good, but also…

「1.」

It was killing two birds with one stone anyway.

「START!」

The moment the duel started, his foe leveled his sword toward him.

“My name is Sand Beckyria. What is your name?”

“Choi Yoon-seok.”

Yoon-seok, who answered briefly, carried a dumbbell instead of a sword. On second thought, training in the waiting room wasn’t very efficient. He was sure of it. Time didn’t pass here, after all.

As long as his opponent didn’t die.