Strike 123

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Ben and Hyun-soo chatted for several hours.

Strategist Pan watched their conversation with a small smile.

‘It seems he’s enjoying himself.’

Pan realized.

Hyun-soo would use the excuse of being friends to meet with Ben.

And Barad would agree to this.

‘Barad must have realized that we would try to take Hyun-soo to our side.’

Both Pan and Ben truly understand what the beginning of peace offered by Barad was.

And Hyun-soo found his friendship with Ben quite enjoyable.

Now, Hyun-soo could freely proceed with quests given by Ben and explore many things existing within the Kingdom of Praham.

“May I come in?”

Frak’s voice was heard from outside.

Hyun-soo had yet to receive a reward.

Frak brought something very precious wrapped in cloth.

Unveiling the cloth revealed two fruits.

[You have obtained the Golden Apple of the Minor World Tree.]

[You have obtained the Grape of the Minor World Tree.]

One was the most appealing golden apple borne by the Minor World Tree.

“It’s best to eat that apple right away.”

As per Ben’s advice, Hyun-soo immediately bit into the apple.

Crunch-

The juice was much sweeter than that of a normal apple.

[You have eaten the Golden Apple of the Minor World Tree.]

[All stats increase by 1%.]

The apple had an incredibly powerful effect.

Increasing all stats by 1% was overwhelmingly more significant than gaining a fixed number of stats.

Especially considering Hyun-soo’s current comprehensive stats were quite high, this one apple effectively raised over 50 stats.

But the surprise didn’t stop there.

[You will learn about the True World Tree.]

[Your level is too low.]

“……!”

Consumers of the golden apple seem to get a hint.

‘It was strange indeed.’

A World Tree is a World Tree, but what is a Minor World Tree?

Hyun-soo recalled the too-beautiful Minor World Tree.

‘That there exists a real World Tree somewhere, far more vast and powerful.’

The power of that material was meant to be greater than that of the Minor World Tree.

And the grapes of the Minor World Tree totaled five.

Each had different buff effects.

One increased experience acquisition by 50% and artifact drop rate by 50%.

Another maximized skill ability.

One allowed for skills to be activated twice in a row.

Another maximized all stats.

The last effect had the power to instantly recover about 60% of HP and MP.

‘These grapes alone could be worth 30,000 gold…?’

That’s about 30 million won in Korean currency.

Given their buff utility, there’s a reason they’re valued so highly.

Even the highest quality potions only restore 30% of HP. But these grapes could simultaneously recover 60% of HP and MP.

‘Most importantly, there’s no cooldown period for using these consumables.’

The absence of a reuse time for such consumables was tremendous. It meant they could be consumed immediately if necessary.

Ben stood up, saying, “Now, I will pass on the Ghost Step to you.”

Hyun-soo followed Ben to the training room, his heart pounding with anticipation.

‘The Ghost Step of His Majesty Ben is a completely different power from His Majesty Barad’s Sword King’s Swordsmanship.’

Though both were legendary powers, the Sword King’s swordsmanship was a comprehensive skill with multiple chapters, while Ben’s Ghost Step was a single skill.

‘A single skill that is overwhelmingly superior.’

Moreover, Hyun-soo’s level was not yet comparable to Korea’s high-rankers.

‘We haven’t clashed yet, but it might happen sooner than later.’

In such situations, Ben’s Ghost Step could prove to be a significant escape route.

Upon reaching the training room, there were about twenty soldiers present.

“I will show you only once, so watch carefully. All of this will happen within 1 second.”

1 second?

Hyun-soo was puzzled. 1 second was an incredibly short amount of time, almost instantaneous.

Ben walked forward in front of the soldiers, hands clasped behind his back, and activated it without a word.

Ghost Step.

1 second passed.

Hyun-soo doubted his own eyes.

‘What, what did I just see?’

There was no sound to Hyun-soo’s ears, as if a ghost had passed by.

Yet, Hyun-soo did not miss Ben flashing past like a bolt of lightning in that 1 second.

Soon, unlike Ben, who returned to his relaxed stance, fourteen out of the twenty soldiers screamed simultaneously.

Some seemed to have been struck in the abdomen and flew up; others stepped back as if hit in the solar plexus, and some dropped their weapons to the ground.

Each of the fourteen soldiers was affected differently, either struck or disarmed.

Ben, adjusting the sleeve of his robe, said nonchalantly, “That is the Ghost Step.”

“……!”

Hyun-soo hypothesized.

‘If those had been enemy knights instead of soldiers, and if His Majesty Ben had been wielding a spear…’

In that mere moment, fourteen of them would have been dead.

[You have learned the Ghost Step.]

It was indeed different from learning from Sword King Barad. At that time, Barad adjusted his posture one by one and trained for days.

But now, the skill was simply acquired.

(Ghost Step)

Active Skill

Grade: Legendary

Mana Cost: 1,000

Cooldown: 10 minutes.

Level: None.

· Moves according to the trajectory planned in your mind in an instant of 1 second.

· Since it moves only as planned upon activation, control is not easy.

· After activation, movement speed and attack speed are not listed because they are like a ghost.

· Leaves an afterimage when striking.

· A training period of 3 days applies, during which all cooldowns and mana costs are ignored.

Hyun-soo understood from the skill’s description.

‘It entirely depends on how I lead it.’

The mentioned trajectory. Ben’s movement in just 1 second was indeed seamless.

‘A trajectory is ultimately the line of movement.’

Ben, hands still clasped behind his back, said, “Try it on me.”

Taking a deep breath, Hyun-soo received a wooden sword from one of the soldiers.

[Ghost Step]

The moment he activated it, Hyun-soo felt an eerie stillness descend in that fleeting moment.

He created a trajectory using the visible surroundings.

And then, immediately.

With a flurry of motion, Hyun-soo swung the wooden sword towards Ben’s chest, aimed for the back, and then attempted to strike down from above in rapid succession.

But he ended up rolling on the floor.

His trajectory had gotten tangled.

Ben chuckled smugly at the fallen Hyun-soo.

“It won’t be easy. The more you practice, the more attempts you’ll make, but there’s a faster and easier method.”

Ben was indeed a crafty old man.

“3 days. If you can precisely create four trajectories within that time, I’ll add another 0.1 second.”

The easier method he mentioned was increasing the casting time.

0.1 second might not seem much, but for the Ghost Step, it’s not negligible.

An increase of 0.1 second would make executing the Ghost Step a bit easier.

“Of course, you’ll only get it if you manage to achieve that.”

Ben wasn’t highly optimistic about the possibility.

By Ben’s standards, it was doubtful even ordinary knights could create four trajectories after a week of practice.

That’s how significant the Ghost Step was, though its power varied with the user.

Then,

“What if it’s more than four times?”

Hyun-soo, getting up, had a determined look in his eyes.

If not 0.1 seconds, but 0.3 or even 0.4 seconds.

That amount could allow for an additional strike.

Ben laughed at that.

“Heh, if it’s more than four times, I’ll add 0.1 second for each time you manage to do it.”

Ding!

[Quest: Ben’s Test.]

Grade: A

Restrictions: Proposed by Ben.

Reward: 0.1 second increase per action.

Penalty for Failure: Decrease in affinity with Ben.

Description: Ben believes it’s incredibly difficult to execute the Ghost Step more than four times in 3 days. Prove him wrong and earn his recognition.

A quest had appeared.

Hyun-soo felt a surge of motivation.

Ben and all the soldiers left.

After they had gone, Hyun-soo activated it immediately.

[Ghost Step]

He moved according to his trajectory.

1st, 2nd, 3rd attempts…

After tumbling around, Hyun-soo’s movements got tangled again after attempting it ten times, concluding that he could reliably perform only twice.

Trying to go beyond three times tangled his trajectory.

‘With effort, three can be overcome.’

Hyun-soo had spent days and nights without sleep working as a blacksmith.

And, of course, Ben’s idea of four times included the notion of effort.

But Hyun-soo wanted to show perfection beyond what Ben had envisioned.

Hyun-soo kept repeating the process.

After 24 hours of practice, he managed to perfectly execute three actions.

‘Good, at this pace…’

He thought he could manage more than six times within three days.

But then Hyun-soo’s expression twisted.

[You have been afflicted with Physical Fatigue.]

[You have been afflicted with Mental Fatigue.]

Hyun-soo was puzzled.

‘Why are these notifications appearing already?’

Such notifications usually came when he was blacksmithing overnight, from the second to the third day.

But it had come after just one day this time.

And typically, after a day from these notifications, he would usually faint.

‘Because it’s an unfamiliar task repeated…?’

Mental fatigue was likely.

And the physical fatigue…

‘Surely…!’

Hyun-soo realized then.

Activating it once meant his body moved 3-4 times according to the trajectory.

Moving along those trajectories, Hyun-soo didn’t fully realize because it was skill activation.

That he moved so fast and intensely four times within one second.

But his body felt otherwise.

The fatigue accumulated from such movement.

‘That’s why more than four times…’

Hyun-soo came to understand the reason Ben had mentioned the fourth attempt.

If Hyun-soo had activated Ghost Step a hundred times, in reality, he would have moved about 300 to 400 times.

It was then that Hyun-soo felt the spasms that were finally making themselves known.

His legs, arms, and entire body were experiencing intermittent tension.

After taking a brief rest, Hyun-soo repeated the Ghost Step.

However, the fatigue that had accumulated was not something that could be relieved with just a short rest.

27 hours. It was after this time that Hyun-soo was completely exhausted.

The desire to sleep, the muscles’ screams for rest.

Hyun-soo bent over, hands on his knees, panting heavily due to the quickly approaching mental and physical limits.

“Huff huff…

It’s a feeling of powerlessness he had never experienced before.

‘If I sleep, I won’t be able to complete the fourth attempt.’

He closes his eyes and breathes calmly.

Then, he starts again.

Just like Hae Mo-su said.

Even if it breaks.

Yet, he hits another limit.

And tries again.

Even if it breaks.

He chants to himself.

I can do this.

Among the countless chants.

Hyun-soo collapsed to the ground, hitting his limit.

Mental and physical fatigue had reached the point of fainting.

His body wouldn’t respond.

Thud-

Eventually, even the wooden sword he was holding was dropped.

Looking at the ceiling, he realizes there are things that can’t continue.

And then, Hyun-soo briefly closed his eyes.

Even if it breaks.

It’s a good saying.

Sometimes, even fighting until you break is not enough.

You also need to know when to be flexible.

Perhaps it’s okay to give up on this test with Ben.

Even if he gives up, the fact that Hyun-soo learned Ben’s Ghost Step doesn’t change.

And as time goes by, he will be able to use his movements more freely and eventually excel.

‘But…’

Even if there are fights you shouldn’t fight even if you break.

‘It’s a story that doesn’t apply to me, I want to keep challenging.’

Hyun-soo, who had fallen, stood up with a body that trembled intermittently.

Yes, you need to know how to break.

But that saying doesn’t fit him.

He had many challenges to overcome and people who believed in him.

That’s why even if he breaks, even if he breaks again, he will.

“Not back down.”

He tried to pick up the wooden sword he had dropped.

However, Hyun-soo felt his vision blur.

Then, something bizarre happened.

[The title “Even if it breaks” shines brightly.]

Suddenly, a thought passed through Hyun-soo’s mind.

One of the descriptions written on the title “Even if it breaks”.

‘When it is judged that you have overcome a critical moment with your own pure strength, you acquire a legendary stat ???.’

[Due to the acquisition of a legendary stat, all physical and mental fatigue is restored once.]

[You tire 20% less and feel a surge of vitality.]

Hyun-soo’s trembling body stopped.

His clouded mind cleared up.

Furthermore, he understood why he had received this notification.

‘Because the stat I acquired is related to physical and mental fatigue…!’

[You are a person with unbreakable willpower.]

[A legendary stat suitable only for you is unlocked.]

[You acquire the legendary stat: Will.]

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