Circle

The ‘evil power’ mentioned in the narration didn’t refer to the [First Evil].

It meant to slash the ‘Black Smoke’ leaking from the pillar of light.

The [First Evil] flaunted its strength, spewing ominous Black Smoke. If it wanted to fight, there was no reason not to.

No reason, but,

“Should’ve brought Hite.”

Ancient Devil Hite.

It seemed she could extract the power of devils.

But she was currently with Lee Su-ju in Dwarfneer.

Under Skilla’s instructions, Lee Su-ju was making another set of armor.

Ibon’s latest armor took three months to make. Skilla had instructed Lee Su-ju to make armor to wear in the meantime.

I felt like undoing the Seal.

I shrugged.

“Never mind.”

I swung [Form 1 of Chapter 1] at the ‘Black Smoke’.

The ‘Black Smoke’ disappeared.

The narration praised me for overcoming the trial and opened the door to the next room.

Rumble.

The marble wall opened.

Beyond a slightly long corridor,

[Chapter of Second Evil]

A notification window appeared.

In the corridor, Cappuccino said, “(Unexpected?)” and thought I would fight.

“What’s unexpected?”

‘(I thought you’d excitedly undo the Seal.)’

“It’s not that I didn’t want to, but I need to learn swordsmanship first.”

I felt more strongly about learning Northern Empire Swordsmanship than facing an unknown devil in the [First Evil]’s room.

Americano wasn’t very interested in gacha.

In the [Chapter of Second Evil], I learned swordsmanship from the Bronze Golem of the Second Evil.

After defeating the Bronze Golem of the Second Evil with the learned swordsmanship, the [Second Evil’s Room] appeared. Like the [First Evil’s Room], the [Second Devil] was sealed inside a pillar of light.

It looked exactly the same.

It had a round, slime-like appearance and looked like a black water droplet.

The [First Devil], the [Second Devil], and the [Third Devil] all looked the same. What were they? Had they lost their form after being sealed for so long?

[Fifth Devil]

Ominous black letters.

The color of the name was an indicator of the gap between the opponent and oneself.

Red letters meant caution.

Dark red letters meant warning.

Black letters meant danger.

That’s how it had been so far.

This was more dangerous than black, it was ominous.

What level would it be if it were displayed as a level?

It seemed like I could find it by searching the [Community], but I had never searched before. I didn’t feel the need to search, and I had a vague anxiety that it might diminish my interest.

But after reaching rank 1, I realized it was an unnecessary worry.

I searched.

Green. Same level.

Yellow. 5 levels higher.

Orange. 10 levels higher.

Red. 15 levels higher.

Dark red. 20 levels higher.

Black. 25 levels higher.

And ominous black.

30 levels higher.

If the difference was 30 levels or more, the information window would turn ominously black.

“Hmm.”

‘(30 levels, huh.)’

Lower than I thought.

That’s how it felt.

But with 100 levels being the maximum, 30 levels was definitely not low.

“30 levels, huh.”

I looked down at the [Fifth Devil] and added 30 to my level.

[Fifth Devil]

Level 63 or higher.

It still didn’t seem that high.

‘(Since it’s or higher, it’s probably higher.)’

“No, it might actually be level 63.”

‘(Then what are you complaining about?)’

Americano made a dissatisfied expression.

“That means Death Knight is the same, level 63. What level were the people we caught on the way?”

‘(79. Death Knight is probably well over level 80.)’

“But my level is 33. Is this power balance right?”

At level 33, I easily killed level 79 Players and even defeated the [Death Knight], who was over level 80.

“It’s good that I’m strong, no, it’s really good, but it keeps saying I’m too strong, and it’s constantly deviating from my perception.”

Is this a Dream?

Is this a hidden camera?

The world I thought was hardcore suddenly became very easy.

The gap between the world I had perceived and the actual world created confusion.

‘(But it’s probably true that Death Knight is over level 80, right?)’

“Sword Master… probably not. Sword Masters start at level 60.”

‘(Death Knight is a close confidant whom the King of Death personally took as a vassal. He commands 13 knights, and the one you defeated was one of them.)’

“The Witch said that?”

‘(Ribbit.)’

The 13 knights under the King of Death.

“So, I caught a boss-like guy from the late game at level 33.”

‘(Don’t you like it?)’

“You know the answer to that.”

Cappuccino chuckled.

Good is good.

“It just means I’m that strong. It means I can keep doing what I’ve been doing.”

‘(If it were like before, you would have broken this right away and fought, right?)’

Maybe?

“You’ll be in danger, so pass.”

‘(I’m so grateful to be favored by an expert at level 80.)’

Level 80, huh.

It didn’t resonate.

It hadn’t been long since I had been suppressing myself, thinking, ‘I’m weak.’

I rejoiced and wondered why I was so strong.

The more I suppressed myself as weak, the more delightful the difference felt.

‘I’m strong.’

“Is it because I raised Aptitude?”

‘(Aptitude…)’

Cappuccino recalled things that might reveal Americano’s [Aptitude].

[Aptitude] was talent.

The talents Americano had shown so far were understandable, even if they were enhanced by investing in [Aptitude].

91 out of 100.

That was excellent.

The ability to copy an opponent’s technique at a glance was like something out of a manga.

She was good at handling Magical Power as an Awakened, but she was also learning Northern Empire Swordsmanship as soon as she saw it.

Cappuccino had shared her memories, but she was still amazed by Americano’s ability to do it.

[Aptitude] 91 points.

Close to 100.

But perhaps due to the difference in perspective,

Americano didn’t find it particularly surprising to easily steal other people’s techniques.

As if it were natural.

Win whispered her hypothesis, asking if she had been a genius from the start, regardless of [Aptitude].

Cappuccino, who was sharing her memories,

Tried to refute it by searching through Americano’s memories, but she found more things to support Win’s opinion than to refute it.

Swish.

I slash the ‘Black Smoke’.

As I slashed the ‘Black Smoke’ scattered by the [Fifth Devil], the narration echoed in the room.

“[O challenger, you have slashed the evil power of the Fifth Devil. Your talent is amazing.]”

Judging from the narration, there seemed to be different types of evil power.

The ‘Black Smoke’ in each room felt subtly different, but I could slash it all with Anti-Magic Power.

Anti-Magic Power. It was like a processed form of Magical Power used in [Chapter 6].

After learning [Chapter 1] to [Chapter 5], I realized why I could slash all the ‘Black Smoke’ from the First Evil to the Fifth Evil with Anti-Magic Power.

Because,

‘It was for Chapter 6 after all.’

[Chapter 1] was for [Chapter 6, Form 1].

[Chapter 2] was for [Chapter 6, Form 2].

It was all corresponding, and [Chapter 1] to [Chapter 5] were all accessories for [Chapter 6].

[Chapter 6] was like a collection of ultimate moves, which meant there was no [Secret Technique Execution Sword]. After learning [Chapter 1] and using [Form 1], the [Execution Sword] came out.

“….”

So, what I’m saying is, this is all Christopher’s fault.

The [Execution Sword] wasn’t a secret technique, but an awakened version of [Chapter 6, Form 1].

The official name of the [Execution Sword] was,

[Chapter 6, Form 1 Execution Sword].

This was the original form.

But Christopher only delved into the easiest [Chapter 1] and [Chapter 6, Form 1] of Northern Empire Swordsmanship and created the [Secret Technique Execution Sword].

Even that was clumsy, but he still transformed it into a form that he could use.

Americano learned the Northern Empire Swordsmanship with that transformation and then encountered the original form, which made her somewhat confused about the nomenclature.

[Chapter 1]~[Chapter 5] were basics.

[Chapter 6] was an ultimate move.

Something like that.

Then what about the Bronze Golem?

The Bronze Golem used the [Execution Sword] as if it were a secret technique.

I had a feeling why.

‘Probably because I slashed what should have been the awakened Form 1 and then transitioned to the awakened Form 2.’

Because Americano slashed the Bronze Golem with the [Execution Sword], it couldn’t use the awakened version of [Chapter 6, Form 2] after [Chapter 6, Form 1 Execution Sword].

It was just a guess, but,

I could confirm the answer,

‘By doing it to that guy.’

[Chapter of Sixth Evil]

The Bronze Golem of the Sixth Evil was waiting for Americano’s entrance on the stage.

The Sixth Evil moved.

It raised its sword.

It unfolded [Chapter 6].

Form 1. Downward Slash.

Form 2. Charge Slash.

Form 3. Rotational Slash.

Form 4. Ranged Slash.

And Form 5.

I first confirmed its existence in [Chapter 5], and it was the most difficult of the Northern Empire Swordsmanship. Christopher couldn’t even imitate it.

─Ttorong.

The sound of a water droplet.

A clear sound, as if a water droplet had fallen on the Bronze Golem’s head, spread.

It didn’t use a sword, but it was a buff Skill that cleared the mind like a still mirror.

Americano also demonstrated the swordsmanship following the Bronze Golem of the Sixth Evil, and when she used the buff of [Form 5], her mind went blank, and her five senses sharpened.

And now it began.

The Bronze Golem of the Sixth Evil used [Chapter 6, Form 1] again.

The Magical Power felt different from when it was first used.

The Bronze Golem of the Sixth Evil, which had erased the [Field] it had been unfolding and raised its Magical Power, revealed the original form of [Chapter 6].

The sword raised high with both hands grew rapidly, creating a giant sword of Magical Power.

[Chapter 6, Form 1 Execution Sword]

It slashed down with the giant sword of Magical Power.

[Chapter 6, Form 2]

[Chapter 6, Form 3]

[Chapter 6, Form 4]

[Chapter 6, Form 5]

It unfolded them one by one.

I only imitated the [Execution Sword] and watched the [Form 2]~[Form 5] quietly. The techniques were quite unfamiliar, like when I first created the [Phantom Sword].

But I still followed along clumsily.

The Bronze Golem of the Sixth Evil repeatedly demonstrated the [Chapter 6] swordsmanship, and from the second time, Americano followed the demonstration and turned it into a Skill.

While following along, suddenly.

An idea came to me.

The [Execution Sword] created a giant sword of Magical Power. The other sword forms also greatly increased the size of their attacks. After understanding the principle, I suddenly had this thought.

Could I enlarge my body?

When I turned the Magical Power from the sword to my body,

‘It’s possible.’

I sensed it.

A sensory theory that made it possible began to circulate within my body.

I sent Magical Power out from my body and enlarged my body of Magical Power, just like I had formed the giant sword of Magical Power.

Just as I was about to enlarge it.

Clang!

Something of Magical Power that was about to rise above my skin shattered sharply like a glass window.

My body, which had been floating slightly, fell straight down and landed on my butt.

“Ouch.”

I got up, rubbing my butt.

As I got up and looked at the floor, Cappuccino stared at me with surprised eyes.

“Why?”

‘(You…)’

But before that,

“[You have mastered Form 6 on your own. Congratulations.]”

“Huh? Oh, thanks.”

The Bronze Golem of the Sixth Evil stopped demonstrating and recited its lines with admiration.

“Form 6?”

“[What the challenger has shown was undoubtedly the technique of Chapter 6, Form 6.]”

The Bronze Golem of the Sixth Evil stopped demonstrating and recited its lines with admiration.

“[This challenger is very excellent. If it is you, challenger, we can entrust the secret of the Trial of Strength.]”

“Entrust what?”

“[As you saw on the way here.]”

I asked what it was, but the Bronze Golem of the Sixth Evil only recited its lines.

It said something about the secret of the Trial of Strength and gave me an item as a gift.