[Imperial Axe Art]
Rank: B
Classification: Active
An axe-based martial art created by the greatest swordsman on the continent, Isra, by adapting some movements from Imperial Swordsmanship.
Its rank has been lowered because it is incomplete.
…….
Was this really possible?
It was absurd enough that an incomplete skill was B-rank.
More importantly.
“It only swung an axe once!”
【Exactly.】
Sir Isra answered with a conflicted expression.
It had simply used an axe once.
Yet a new skill had been added.
Even if the skill had already existed, that would have been beyond common sense.
But.
It had not existed before, and now it did.
【All I did was conceive a theory for adapting the martial formulas of swordsmanship to an axe.】
“That is it.”
【Hm?】
“The theory you came up with was passed down.”
Like with the Armed Zombie Warrior.
The System had judged the martial formulas incomplete and given them a B-rank evaluation.
【I merely came up with the theory.】
“Perhaps it is a Knight Order effect.”
This was ridiculous.
Theoretical knowledge in one’s head could be passed down as well?
【Then should my personal swordsmanship not be passed down too?】
“Like you said, it is probably because it is too advanced.”
Wow.
I was jealous.
Someone could gain the ability to wield an axe with a single action.
While I had to swing a sword until my arm almost fell off just to master the first form.
It was unfair.
【Strengthening your subordinate’s combat power is the same as becoming stronger yourself.】
“I know.”
Still, I was allowed to feel cheated.
Whew.
Let us practice swordsmanship.
【Hm. Ahem. Then I shall teach you the second form.】
The second form was a thrust.
The key was to step forward while loading the blade’s tip with one’s weight and Mana.
As I continued thrusting the sword, covered in sweat—
[Imperial Swordsmanship Proficiency has increased.]
[Second Form — Flash Thrust has been added to Imperial Swordsmanship.]
The movement had completely become part of me.
“I have the second form now.”
【I understand why my seniors were so surprised when I was a new member of the Knight Order.】
“Surprised? Someone gained a skill after swinging an axe once.”
It was unfair.
Why was I the only one who had to sweat while practicing swordsmanship?
【Do not say such things in front of others.】
“Why not?”
【They will find you insufferable.】
Sir Isra added that it had often heard such remarks directly.
GULP—
Cold water after sweating so much.
I had frozen it the night before and brought it with me. It had thawed just enough to drink pleasantly.
“Ahhh.”
This felt good.
The fatigue accumulated from swinging the Bone Sword vanished at once.
It felt good when my body moved exactly as I intended.
Good, very good.
I might not gain skills with a single action like someone else.
Still, when I thought of my past self flailing helplessly, I had improved enough.
Wiping away my sweat, I reached for my phone.
There were several messages and advertisement notifications.
Among them was one I had been waiting for.
[Last-Minute Raid Hunter]
—We are available! Please call us anytime!
Looking at the time it had arrived, it seemed they had replied shortly after I began exercising.
They must have responded the moment they woke up.
【A Gate clear!】
“I did not say we would go immediately.”
I had been swinging a sword all morning.
I was too tired to move even a finger……
“I am not.”
What was this?
Why did I feel so energetic?
My stamina had recovered considerably after drinking cold water and resting for a while.
Had my Vitality increased because I had invested in the stat?
“Honestly.”
Whenever I gained bonus stats as an E-rank Hunter, I invested them immediately.
This was my first time increasing my attributes so dramatically all at once.
Perhaps that was why.
I could clearly feel the effects of my increased stats.
[Park Minho]
—Let us meet at 1 PM.
[Last-Minute Raid Hunter]
—Yes!
That reply had come immediately.
“Sir Isra.”
【Haha! It is time for me to shine.】
I had not even said what we were doing, yet it already knew.
Before that.
“Let us shower first.”
I could not go out looking like this.
***
While Minho swung his sword, sweating profusely, the three artisans of Blacksmith’s Way occasionally glanced out at the street.
“Whew.”
One repeatedly let out a deep sigh.
“Is he not coming today?”
Another shook his leg nervously.
They were waiting for one person.
Several days earlier.
A novice blacksmith who had hammered bones as though possessed.
They were desperately waiting for Minho to return.
CLANG!
“Oh dear. My hand slipped.”
The hammer striking metal hit the wrong place.
The blade dented.
Master Baek quickly moved his arms.
“Fuuuuh.”
He barely fixed it.
He had nearly wasted hours of work.
“Tsk, tsk. Master Baek, is it time for you to retire?”
“Watch your mouth. I have another thirty years in me.”
“After making such a beginner’s mistake?”
“I am still livelier than you, old man, so mind your own business.”
“Livelier? You young punk! Come out! Let us settle this like men!”
The two artisans working across the street growled at each other.
The other artisans and apprentices merely thought, They are more irritable than usual today.
The three masters, who were second only to the owner of Hanil Forge, Han Yohan, had been at odds for years.
However.
Several apprentices from the experience forge and Nam Jinwoo knew the reason for their tension.
‘I made sure everyone kept quiet, but…….’
Nam Jinwoo, the Chief Apprentice of Hanil Forge, also regularly glanced outside.
With the greatest artisan, Han Yohan, absent, he was in charge.
Therefore.
If Minho appeared again, Nam Jinwoo intended to invoke Han Yohan’s name if necessary and accept him as an apprentice.
He naturally intended to bear the responsibility himself.
‘Master would acknowledge it too.’
That brilliant talent.
Delicate craftsmanship.
Force control so exquisite it was almost unreal.
He could not possibly be considered a novice.
Most astonishing of all was the superhuman concentration Minho showed after beginning his work.
His eyes looked as though he would not be distracted even if a bomb exploded beside him.
That man was the real deal.
And.
Nam Jinwoo was sure of it.
Once Minho knew the satisfaction of hammering metal.
He was bound to return to Blacksmith’s Way.
Had he not returned two days later to hammer bones again?
He did not know Minho’s name.
He did not have Minho’s contact information.
But Nam Jinwoo believed they would meet again.
‘He has already experienced that sensation. How could he avoid a forge?’
To people who had hammered metal for many years.
That was the order of the world.
A law of nature.
But.
He was a little late……?
The three artisans and Nam Jinwoo kept glancing toward the street whenever they had time, waiting for Minho to appear.
Dear future master.
You are coming, right?
Surely not.
You would not be so skilled at hammering and then choose to enter Gates to hunt instead of learning blacksmithing, would you?
***
12:55 PM.
I had showered, prepared, and left immediately, so I arrived five minutes early.
Let us see.
Those people would be here soon……
“Greetings!!”
They were already here.
The last-minute raid Hunters I had met before bent at the waist the moment they saw me.
Hm.
This was a little burdensome, friends.
“You do not need to be so formal.”
“You have such a promising future, Hunter. The honor is ours.”
“People are watching.”
This was embarrassing.
Let us not overdo it.
People were staring.
“Ah.”
“Sorry.”
I waved my hands from side to side.
I had not said that because I wanted them to apologize.
“Quite a lot of people are here today.”
“Hunting, there are twice as many people as usual.”
“Really?”
This was only my second time coming here, so I did not know.
Challenge Zone was popular to begin with, so I thought it was normal.
“Is something happening?”
“There is.”
Then.
Why were they staring at me?
After a brief silence.
“Me?”
The team’s melee DPS leader approached and whispered.
“Did you not achieve an SSS-rank clear?”
“Ah. Right.”
So.
All these people were here looking for me.
Should I start wearing a mask?
【Hahahaha! You have become famous.】
Do not laugh.
I said it would become troublesome if people discovered I was the Hunter who achieved an SSS-rank clear.
【Would that not be a good thing?】
Hm.
I did not think I could avoid it forever.
Still, I disliked troublesome things.
“Let us get going.”
“Yes.”
We had exchanged greetings, so we formed a party and entered the Gate immediately.
[You have entered Challenge Zone.]
This time, bright light struck my retinas.
It was not a passage-type Gate.
“Too bad.”
“Is there something inconvenient about this area?”
“I came because I needed a Fragmented Soulstone.”
Someone was making a fuss about wanting me to create more Armed Zombie Warriors.
“Ah, those can drop here as well.”
“Really?”
The Boss Monster in the forest type was an Orc Mage.
They said that a Fragmented Soulstone occasionally dropped after killing it.
“That is a relief.”
“There is a strategy for this area.”
The forest terrain made it easy to conceal oneself.
Clearing required only the Boss Monster’s death.
There was an optimal route that avoided the Orcs scattered throughout the forest and targeted only the Mage.
“We have cleared this type several times.”
“It is a bit of a detour, but it is the safest route.”
“How long does it take to reach the Boss Monster?”
“In a straight line, around thirty minutes. If we take the route, around two hours.”
“Then we will go straight.”
“Pardon?”
Why take a tedious detour?
The longer it took, the lower the clear rank would be.
[Death Space]
[2/10 → 1/10]
Sir Isra suddenly rose from my shadow.
【Brats. We meet again.】
“Hello.”
“Please take care of us again today.”
The Hunters practically groveled before Sir Isra.
Its performance last time must have left a strong impression.
【The men have no spirit.】
“I am a woman, though?”
【Gender does not matter! You need fighting spirit.】
Excuse me.
Sir Isra.
You should not reverse your words so easily.
And why was one member missing?
【Come forth, Gale Knight Order!】
Sir Isra shouted loudly.
A white figure rose from the shadow as well.
It was the Armed Zombie Warrior, now a member of the Knight Order.
“Grrrugh.”
【You must say, “Loyalty!”】
“Loyaaalty.”
【That is a spiritless battle cry. Again!】
At this rate, we would be here all day arguing over battle cries.
“Enough.”
【Knight Orders must have strict discipline.】
“Sir Isra.”
【Understood.】
If I had needed to say it three times, I would have seriously considered stuffing it into Death Space.
【Which way leads directly toward the Boss Monster?】
“This way.”
The melee DPS leader pointed to a trail through the forest.
“GRRRR!”
Three Orcs blocked the path.
The next moment—
[Imperial Axe Art]
RIP—!
RIP!
Two Orcs split in half and died.
[Imperial Swordsmanship (Revised)_Isra Form]
A head flew through the air in an arc.
“Grrrugh. Cut. Split.”
【Maintain your dignity if you are a member of the Gale Knight Order.】
“Grrrugh.”
The Armed Zombie Warrior.
It looked as though it was enjoying this.
That had to be my imagination.
The two undead continuously brought down the Orcs that blocked their path.
【Forward! Forward!】
“Pant. Please slow down a little.”
“Orcs could attack from the sides.”
【If more appear, we shall simply cut down more.】
[Your level has increased.]
Sir Isra and the Armed Zombie Warrior continued cutting down Orcs without tiring.
Their coordination was even better than it had been while fighting in the swamp.
【Front.】
“Grrrugh.”
【Widen the distance.】
FWOOSH!
The axe swung in a wide arc.
The charging Orcs hesitated.
Sir Isra slipped into that opening and cut one of them down.
“This is incredible.”
Sir Isra’s brief commands.
The Armed Zombie Warrior understood each one immediately.
They were an exquisite duo, as though they were one body.
In less than thirty minutes, we broke through the forest directly.
The Boss Monster stood before us.
“Please be careful. The Orc Mage uses Dual Casting.”
“GRRR! I will burn you!”
[Fireball]
A vermilion ball of fire rushed at us.
An exploding sphere.
They said it was powerful magic that could wipe out the entire party if it hit improperly.
“Grrrugh.”
BOOM!
The Armed Zombie Warrior took the explosion by itself.
Just as it had against the Elicro Warrior.
Sir Isra moved slightly away and circled to the side, releasing Spiritual Energy.
“GRRR!”
[Ice Bolt]
The Dual Casting the melee DPS had warned about.
An icy projectile carrying both physical force and cold damage shot toward us.
The Mage Hunter panicked.
“I am too far away to neutralize it!”
SLASH!
The ice projectile.
Split in half against the Bone Sword.
“Grrr……”
【There will be no third spell.】
SLASH—
THUD. ROLL.
[You have successfully cleared the Gate.]
[Clear Rank: SSS.]
How was that?
Clearing Gates was easy, was it not?