Chapter 184: A Lucky Day (2)

Ding!

[Swordsmanship of the Dawn level has increased to Advanced Level 2.]

[Swordsmanship of the Dawn level has increased to Advanced Level 3.]

Kai’s skill level leaped two stages in an instant.

At the same time, his body twitched.

... Huh?

He glanced down at his hands, but nothing seemed to have changed. He looked around at his body, but nothing about his appearance had changed either. Yet, his senses kept telling him that something about him had transformed.

It reminds me of... when I suddenly raised my Strength stat by a large amount.

While his appearance remained unchanged, it felt as if something profound had shifted within him. It was a sensation, a feeling that if he held a sword now, he could cut through anything.

I want to try swinging my sword right now.

That restless urge naturally led his right hand to grip the hilt of his sword, the extraordinary Ironwill Longsword made by a blacksmith player who was presumed to be a hidden class.

He had been wielding this sword for quite some time now.

But... something feels different.

The sword, which had felt familiar just moments ago, now felt like a new, living entity.

Is this enlightenment?

It wasn't an understanding achieved through his own efforts. It was as if the system had forcibly elevated his state of awareness. Though it wasn’t complete, he had indeed realized something.

What is a sword?

Kai's expression became serious. The meaning of a sword varied depending on its wielder. It could be a tool to protect loved ones or a weapon to loot the weak. However, the common point was that it was a weapon to face enemies.

"A weapon should cut down its enemies."

Kai slowly walked toward the edge of the garden.

Helik, watching him, warned, "Th-that area is dangerous! If you fall, not even you can survive..."

As if he couldn’t hear Helik’s words, Kai stood at the edge of the floating island and let the wind blow past him as he gazed at the clouds below.

Mastering a skill level signifies the completion of that area.

Reaching Advanced level 10 in swordsmanship meant attaining the ultimate essence of swordsmanship.

It’s the same as the Swordmasters you see in fantasy novels or sci-fi movies.

Those beings were often described as one-man armies, capable of facing a thousand enemies alone.

If that were the case, Kai wondered where he was with swordsmanship at Advanced Level 3?

I’m still far from discussing the sword’s true essence, but...

The soft rustling of his cleric robes spread gently into the air. Along with it, a sound so faint that only the keen ears of elves would be able to detect it echoed.

Shing...

It was the sound of his sword being drawn.

It’s so quiet. I can barely hear it if I don’t focus.

This indicated that his skill in handling a sword had advanced to an entirely new level, one that was incomparable to before. Realizing this, Kai lightly swung his sword down. What came to his mind as he swung his sword was none other than Yoo Ha-Rin.

Her sword was soft, fast, and quiet.

It was so quiet that even the sound of her blade cutting through the air could barely be heard.

Whoom!

Unfortunately, Kai’s sword had not yet reached that level of silence. However, if his previous strikes had been like firing a shotgun with loud blasts, now it was as if he were shooting a silenced pistol.

Baaaaang!

However, the fact that the sound had lessened didn't mean its power had lessened. In fact, his sword displayed such tremendous power that it was hard to believe only two skill levels had increased.

The clouds split in half and drifted in opposite directions as if they were lovers parting ways, not looking back.

“

Phew

.”

There were more clouds beneath the one that had been cut, but the current level only allowed him to slice through one. Still, cutting something so far away with just the wind pressure from the sword was an impressive feat.

Ding!

[You have gained enlightenment about the sword.]

[You have learned the passive skill, Sword Wind.]

“Sword Wind,

huh

...”

Speaking in a voice filled with lingering emotion, Kai silently sheathed his sword and checked the skill information.

[

Sword Wind

]

Grade: Unique

By focusing your mind and swinging your sword, a fierce wind strikes distant enemies.

50% of physical attack damage.

(No cooldown)

I won’t be able to use it much with my current mental strength.

He had used it only once, but his head was slightly throbbing. He would be able to use it, at most, about five times if he pushed his limits. It wasn’t many, but it was enough to create variables in a situation.

Kai then turned around and approached Helik, bowing deeply as he thanked her, “Helik, thank you very much.”

“

Huh?

” Helik, still unaware of what she had done, blinked in confusion. “Why are you suddenly like that?”

“I’ve gained great enlightenment thanks to you opening the box. You truly are the Solarian God.”

“

H-hmph

. Didn’t I tell you that everything will be fine if you trust me?”

Upon receiving respect from her snack... no, envoy, Helik began to hum a tune. It was obvious to anyone that her mood had lifted!

“No, no. Letting this pass with just a few words seems like the mindset of a thief. I’ll buy you five cakes, each with a different flavor.”

At Kai’s declaration, Helik’s eyes widened, and her mouth hung open.

Expressing disbelief, she stammered with a voice trembling like a leaf, “F-Five cakes...? And all with different flavors? I am a god. You must not lie to a god.”

“It’s not a lie. Five cakes, each with a different flavor. I promise.”

As Kai spoke with a smile, Helik’s lips twitched. Though joy sparkled in her eyes, she tried to maintain her dignity in front of Kai.

“

A-ahem

. Then go to the mundane world right now and buy the cakes...”

“Well then, let’s finish the rest of the tasks quickly since I need to buy cakes.”

“

Huh?

The rest of the tasks? What else is there to do?”

“There are three more boxes left. Helik, please open them.” Kai handed her the three top-tier weapon random boxes, smiling.

“If I open them all...”

“Of course,

I'll go

get the cakes right after.”

“Okay! I’ll open them for you right now!”

Chuckling, Helik quickly opened the three random boxes in an instant.

Whenever she was happy, her golden hair shimmered brightly, bursting with radiance. And every time she opened a box, a dazzling light flashed, making it feel as if they were in a nightclub!

Two Uniques and one Rare.

Satisfied, Kai smiled as he received the items from her. There was one longsword, one belt, and the last item was a pair of leather shoes.

Let’s start with the sword.

If its performance was good, it would become his new beloved weapon. He checked the details with an excited heart.

[

Silent Longsword of Frost

]

Grade: Unique

Attack Power: 357-412

+30 Strength

+20 Agility

Has a 3% chance to silence the opponent on hit.

If the same area is hit three times, the speed of that area is reduced by 10% (stacks up to 3 times).

This sword was once famously used by Yulysses, the Ice Emperor who ruled the northern snowfields.

Requirements: Level 315+, Strength 1000+

Durability: 100/100

Kai’s fingers trembled as he raised the sword.

Now that I think about it, my level has become too high to use the Ironwill Longsword.

Thanks to his superior Benevolence stats and other overpowered skills, he had simply never paid attention to it. The Ironwill Longsword was a weapon with a level 80 requirement. Of course, its absurd usage requirements gave it performance comparable to most level 150 swords, but it was far below Kai’s current standards, who was almost at level 320.

It's cold. And resolute.

Some might question him since all he had done was merely hold the hilt of the sword, but that was truly what Kai felt.

It feels like I’m facing a proud woman.

If he had to compare it, the sword reminded him of Seol Eun-Yeong.

Kai marveled as he looked at the sharp, elegant design of the longsword, which reflected alternating shades of blue and silver depending on the angle.

Even the hilt design is to my liking.

The handle was intricately carved with a floral pattern of ice so captivating that his eyes kept returning to it.

Whoosh, whoosh.

Kai simply swung the sword to check its balance, and a smile spread across his face.

I’ll have to put in some effort to tame it.

Of course, he wasn’t too worried. He would soon need to swing his sword often to take down a giant, so the opportunity would come.

Kai swapped to the new sword and then inspected the other items.

[

Belt of a Giant

]

Grade: Rare (Set)

Defense: 1171

Magic Defense: 1052

+50 Strength

Requirements: Level 300+, Strength 800+, Stamina 450+

Durability: 100/100

“

Wow,

is this a Giant set item?”

It was a set item with six parts, each providing a Strength stat boost as its main feature.

Well, there’s no real need to complete this set since I have the Holy Pauldron Nike...

Even without completing the full set, the individual Strength stat on each piece was high enough to be useful as standalone gear.

Now, for the final Unique item.

𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Kai picked up the purple shoes with a slightly pointed tip, which looked a bit tacky for something labeled as a Unique item.

[

Clown’s Shoes

]

Grade: Unique

Defense: 841

Magic Defense: 841

+25 Agility

+18 Stamina

Once every 30 minutes, you can use the Confusion skill to move to a location within a 5 meter radius.

Requirements: Level 315+, Intelligence 350+, Agility 350+

Durability: 100/100

"

Hmm

...?"

As Kai read the item’s description, he tilted his head in confusion.

The effect seems quite simple for a Unique item.

And it wasn’t just any ordinary Unique item. This was an item drawn with the fortune of the Solarian God herself. Moreover, it wasn’t a low-level item either, but a piece of equipment with a level 315 requirement.

There are plenty of items with dash effects, even if it’s not this one...

As the saying went, one should strike while the iron is hot.

Kai first equipped both the Belt of a Giant and the Clown’s Shoes. There was no need to replace his top and bottoms since he was already wearing sacred clothing, but he could easily swap out items like the belt, shoulder guards, shoes, or hat for other gear.

“

Hm.

I do look a bit ridiculous...”

The oversized and bulky Belt of a Giant, and the purple Clown’s Shoes made his appearance look quite comical with his pure white cleric robe.

Well, what matters is the performance.

Kai turned his head toward Helik, who was watching him.

“Now, the cake...” Helik said.

“Confusion.”

The moment Kai activated the skill, his body instantly moved behind Helik as if he teleported.

Kai was stunned. It wasn’t a dash ability—it was teleportation!

Even though the cooldown was thirty minutes, this was on par with obtaining a high-grade Unique skill.

Wait a second...

And that wasn’t all.

At the spot where he had been standing, an afterimage of himself remained as if he hadn't moved at all.

One... two... three...

After exactly three seconds, the afterimage blurred like watercolors and vanished.

A teleportation skill that even leaves an afterimage to deceive the opponent...

It was truly top-tier Unique equipment in all of

Mid Online!

Kai immediately ran to Helik and lifted her up into the air. “

Oh

, dear Helik, why are you so especially admirable today?”

“Wh-What are you doing? Put me down at once! Th-the dignity of the Solarian God...”

“I’m just so filled with admiration that I want to look up at you. Please, just let me admire you a little longer.”

“I-is that what this was?”

After being persuaded by Kai, Helik had to endure being carried like an airplane for another ten minutes before finally being set down.