I used the terminal to photograph the fallen box with its square shape.
Title: Light Sword. What is this thing?
Author: Anonymous
– Should I touch it? It looks like it might explode.
Comment:
– Hahaha! Boom-! Is it a bomb? True, many things from Magical Engineering do have designs like this.
– Light Sword: Don’t worry. While it will cause pain, it won’t explode that way.
– Anonymous: If it doesn’t explode, how could it be painful?
– Light Sword: We’ll get to that item later. For now, check the Sword Manual first.
Ah, the Sword Manual.
The cover of the Sword Manual had the title written simply: Dragon-Slaying Sword.
…A sword for hunting dragons.
Do I really need to learn such an extraordinary sword technique? Hmm?
– Light Sword: If this were outside the Tower, where mana circulation is enforced, it might improve your mana capacity. However, within the Tower, learning mana circulation doesn’t increase your mana capacity.
– Anonymous: There are some complainers about that, but for someone like me who’s a farmer’s son, it was actually a blessing. I didn’t have the talent to open up my abilities by practicing mana circulation anyway.
– Archmage: You’d need to reach Level 20 first. Only then, as a Swordsman or Warrior, can you achieve proper mana control. I’m talking about things like Sword Qi. Prior to that, you can only use the mana stat gained from level-ups. Of course, as someone who was originally a Mage, I had a different starting point.
As expected, it’s unreasonable.
People from 21st-century Earth have an unfair start compared to those from the Martial Arts Earth or the medieval fantasy Earth with the Light Sword.
But the world has always been unfair.
– Light Sword: For now, try to learn everything you can from the manual I’ve written. I’ve simplified it so you can understand easily, so give it a read.
– Sewer Sword Sage: Even if it’s well-written and explained in detail, without practical combat experience, it’s almost useless.
Sewer Sword Sage, who had been temporarily out of sight, suddenly appeared to pick a fight with Light Sword’s comment.
But Light Sword didn’t seem flustered and posted a reply quickly.
– Light Sword: True. Even if you understand it intellectually, unless you transfer it to action, the skill won’t stay in your mind or body and will quickly fade. That’s why I’ve sent you the Sparring Golem mk.2 alongside it to prevent that.
Sparring Golem?
…Is it something akin to the ‘Training Dummy’ from games?
– Light Sword: When you press the activation button, it will appear in front of you and transform into a humanoid golem.
– Anonymous: So I have to fight it?
– Light Sword: Correct. The golem contains basic sword moves up to the middle section of the manual.
I started to get an idea of what I’m in for.
And it’s a very ominous feeling.
– Anonymous: How strong is this golem?
– Light Sword: Think of it as the strength I had at seventeen. Since I used this one for training back before I even entered the Tower.
Then it’s weak, right?
I wanted to ask, but the guy clears Hard difficulty, so…
– Anonymous: How about using a monster as an example?
– Light Sword: Back then, when I killed the Ogre Tribe Chief and the Minotaur War Captain. There was also Nefegos, the weakest of the Seven Villains.
– Anonymous: … You killed all these monsters that others can’t even catch after dying a thousand times when you were that young?
If the strength level of this golem remains consistent, am I not going to d*e?
In truth, I don’t really understand monsters. I can only guess their strength by their names.
And the reactions of others help confirm my guesses.
– Anonymous: Are you trying to k*ll me with this?
– Light Sword: No, the sword the golem uses is a wooden sword.
– Anonymous: You probably won’t d*e, but it’ll hurt like hell.
– Wow, Light Sword is truly terrifying. To come up with this idea in such a short time…
– Anonymous: Then, how could anyone with a brain that clears Hard difficulty not be normal? They all seem slow, but these are people who survived the trials that crushed the normies. Even I, a Normal difficulty finisher, have been told by my family that my emotional state has changed.
– Pioneer: If you call us slow, you’re going out of your lane.
Slowly, I started to understand their meaning.
What kind of object Light Sword sent me.
The comment left below by Heaven’s Devil confirmed the hypothesis I just thought of.
– Heaven’s Devil: In the Tower’s waiting room, you cannot d*e. Unless your head is completely chopped off in an instant by a super-speed sword technique, all wounds heal due to the waiting room’s effect.
– Heaven’s Devil: … Definitely. In such a space where these blade techniques are unleashed, one can instantly enhance their practical combat skills, while enduring pain to quickly level up related techniques.
– Translation: Your skill’s level will rise faster.
– Heaven’s Devil: If the golem had a real blade, wouldn’t it be better for faster advancement?
– Translation: This guy is even crazier… What kind of moral code is that?
Real blades? That’s insane talk!
– Light Sword: I wanted to try it with a real blade and set the option for ‘real blade’ but got an error; trading isn’t permitted. I expected that.
– Tank (nicknamed): As long as the recovery system is used reasonably, it should be allowed. But don’t cross the line.
So, even if I get beaten endlessly by the golem, I can fully recover in this space.
This is the result of combining the ‘Tower Floor Waiting Room’ effect with the sparring golem that Light Sword gave me.
– Light Sword: The durability of the golem isn’t very high. I added the sword paths for the Dragon-Slayer Sword technique into the old version, which reduced its durability further.
– Light Sword: Thirty hits. If you land thirty effective hits, it will break.
– Thirty hits? Hahaha… Given the skill discrepancy, it’ll take half a year to manage even one. Is it even possible?
– Golem with a durability of 30 – expecting to survive for years.
– Sewer Sword Sage: … It’s not absolutely impossible, but it doesn’t seem very reasonable to say you can break it.
I feel like crying.
– Light Sword: This is the best I could prepare in a short time. You don’t need to thank me too much.
…Wow, I am truly grateful.
If this wasn’t aimed at me, I’d cheerfully applaud and praise Light Sword’s intelligence.
But it’s aimed at me.
– Anonymous: Alright, thank you for sending this.
I need to shake off the haze. Just because they act human, I can’t apply normal standards.
– Light Sword: Shall we give it a try now?
– Tank: Well, since I already have to live in the ‘Prison of your Sword’ from now, I need proper sleep. I’ll rest and come back later.
So, the only normal one around here is Tank?
– Tank: Even if we practice now, in your current state, it wouldn’t be half as effective. Rest is also part of training.
So it’s about calculated reasons? Corrected. There’s no one normal here.
– Tank: Ah, I’ve been meaning to ask because every time you return, there’s a big accident. What’s your name?
– Anonymous: Han Yuseong.
– Han… Yuseong? Typical name, as expected.
– Tank: Nice to meet you, Han Yuseong. Don’t d*e.
– Light Sword: I’ll remember you as my disciple.
– Heaven’s Devil: It’s a name with a nice ring to it.
– Sorceress: Hahaha, now that I know your name, I’ll read your destiny soon.
– Looking at the Gallery of names, everyone from 21st-century Earth has unique names.
– Anonymous: Some of us have long names, some short, fascinating indeed.
– Archmage: What did you do in the original world?
– Anonymous: Hmm… To explain it in terms you’d understand, I was a store clerk.
– What did you do before?
What should I say?
– Anonymous: Throwing balls. In ball games, they need someone good at throwing.
– Sewer Sword Sage: Throwing balls… What kind of world allows that to be a job?
– Anonymous: A world full of dreams, hope, and peace.
– Ice Queen: ?
– Archmage: So are you confident in throwing balls?
– Anonymous: Yeah, I’m somewhat confident.
What in this life would remain if I didn’t have that?
After all, I spent my teens on it.
According to Tank’s advice, I’ll sleep and wake up.
—
I vividly felt the baseball in my right hand.
The whole world was silent.
My gaze was fixed on the catcher’s mitt.
Lifting my left foot slightly, I pivoted.
Whoosh!
Extending my leg forward while pulling back my right arm extended to thrust forward.
The ball cut through the air and flew.
The ball was pulled into the mitt like it was home.
Strike!
The heavy voice of the umpire erupted.
Everyone cheered and rushed over.
My fingertips tingled.
I grasped my right arm and smiled bitterly.
Victory isn’t the priority. Yuseong, why did you push your arm so hard when you are rated as Big 3? Are you planning to continue with baseball? Let’s move faster.
It was the coach’s voice.
It was the coach who first pushed me to work harder than usual. Human bodies break so easily.
Let’s divorce. I never liked how you made Yuseong play baseball since the beginning.
It was my mother’s voice.
Families can fall apart easily. The screen flashed by.
Returning to the mound, the spikes on my baseball shoes felt alien today.
Clang!
Although everything—my mindset, the trajectory of my pitches—hadn’t changed,
the ball hit the batter’s bat and soared into the sky. Again, pain shot through my shoulder.
My eyes were bloodshot, and I dug into the dirt with frustration.
The future that seemed certain had been shaken so easily.
I grabbed the collar of my junior who asked if I was okay and shouted hoarsely.
I couldn’t hear what I was saying.
It was like being underwater.
My breath was being crushed.
“…”
My eyes opened.
It wasn’t a happy dream. I drank the water I had bought with coins the day before.
Though my dream had been dirty, my body felt refreshed.
I looked at the clock.
7:32 AM.
A good time to start the day.
Title: Good Morning, I woke up
Author: Anonymous
– Indeed, after sleeping, I feel refreshed.
Comments came in quickly.
Mostly, it was a conversation with Light Sword, who explained again about the Sword Manual and the Prison of the Sword he gave me. After closing the gallery, I read through the Sword Manual given by Light Sword.
Dragon-Slaying Sword.
It was difficult to understand the meaning right away.
But I skipped over those parts for now.
– Light Sword: Just read and pass over what you don’t understand.
– Light Sword: The golem will show you anyway.
Following Light Sword’s advice, I quickly read through the early parts and picked up the small square box.
A gray square box.
There was a red piece in the center that needed to be removed, and then I was to press the button, right?
Click—
After the part resembling a cube fell out, inside was a black button.
Pressing this button would activate it. Pressing the white button on the removed red cube piece would stop it.
Beep—
I pressed the activation black button and placed the box on the ground.
The box’s surface began to tremble, and mechanical arms popped out from both sides.
The tiny gears could be seen moving with the n*ked eye.
A blue light emitted as another square box at the bottom transformed into legs for bipedal walking.
The golem, upon recognizing my presence, began to move forward.
–Screeeech!
Before I could react,
A wooden sword crashed into my shoulder.
Crack—
The sound of a bone breaking echoed.
“Ahh.”
The wooden sword hurt like crazy.
Even with the ‘Pain Suppression’ activated upon being hit directly, pain was still pain.
However, recovery happened shortly afterward due to the waiting room’s effect.
[Concentration Enhancement Lv.1 – Skill activated.]
The gem embedded in the center of the golem glowed like a red cyclical eye.
I was hit three more times.
[Skill ‘Pain Suppression’ level increased. Lv.3]
Only now did I realize that the strikes that had repeatedly cut into me were the Dragon-Slaying Sword, 1st Form, Þursahǫgg.
– Light Sword: It might hurt a little.
– Light Sword: Though it’s a wooden sword, it’s specially crafted from the famous sturdy Setne Wood.
These were the comments Light Sword left before I closed the gallery.
– Light Sword: It might seem unfair. It might make you annoyed. You might not like it. But there’s nothing you can do. Just keep going.
I get it.
Even though these veterans progress too fast, it makes me want to cry.
Since the attacks have been visible,
I can see how to swing and correct myself. If I get it wrong, I’ll just have to take more hits.
He said I need to land 30 hits to break it.
Alright.
I’ll break you.
—
