As soon as I entered the dungeon, waves of aura blades rushed toward me.
They moved so fast that by the time I registered their presence, they were already upon me.
But—
[Skill Activated]
[Acceleration (C)]
Using my enhanced speed, I dodged them effortlessly.
I didn’t even need the protective barrier of the Trust Armor.
I twisted my body and leaped to the side, evading the incoming blades with ease.
BOOM!
The floor near the portal where I’d been standing erupted as the aura blades collided, creating an explosion.
Had I not reacted in time, I would have been caught in the attack.
I turned my gaze toward the source of the blades at the far end of the training ground.
[Lv. 330. Swordsmanship Family Patriarch]
[Lv. 320. Swordsmanship Family Knight Commander]
[Lv. 315. Swordsmanship Family Knight]
[Lv. 315. Swordsmanship Family Knight]
[Lv. 315. Swordsmanship Family Knight]
Five knights clad in plate armor and helmets obscuring their faces stood in formation.
They surrounded the Patriarch, a figure draped in a crimson cape, their swords lowered in silence.
The moment I had entered the training ground, they launched a surprise attack.
It was an ambush meant to test me before I even had time to assess the situation.
“Well, this is the same as always, isn’t it, Master? Attacking the moment you step in.”
Swallow’s voice was calm as he hovered near me.
“You knew about this too?” I asked.
“Of course. Don’t forget, Master, fragments of your pre-regression memories are embedded in my mind. Thankfully, this detail wasn’t left out.”
Neither of us was surprised.
Having cleared this quest in my previous life and armed with well-documented strategies shared among Swordsmanship Talent users, I was prepared for what lay ahead.
The hallmark of this dungeon was its introduction of humanoid monsters and their relentless aggression.
For example—
“Hey, you tin cans! Long time no see. How’ve you been?”
Even as I attempted a friendly greeting, the knights responded by charging toward me with thunderous steps.
THUD! THUD!
Swoosh!
Three swords aimed for my head, chest, and stomach simultaneously.
I leaped backward to avoid the strikes, deflecting the aura blades that followed with my dual swords.
“Geez, you guys are harsh. I was just trying to catch up,” I muttered.
“Not like they’re the talking type, Master,” Swallow quipped.
My attempt at levity was also a test to see if these knights might communicate like the Death Knight from before. But as in my past life, that wasn’t the case.
Other hunters with Swordsmanship Talents had confirmed it—there was no way to converse with the Swordsmanship Family Knights.
While they appeared human, they lacked reason, making meaningful interaction impossible.
It was a bit of a letdown, but not an issue.
[Sword Adept Title Quest]
Defeat the Swordsmanship Family Patriarch to inherit the Legacy of the Swordsmanship Family (0/1).
Note: Losing your life or retreating via the portal will result in a 10% decrease in Swordsmanship Proficiency.
The quest objective was clear: defeat the Patriarch, a Level 330 opponent.
The challenge, however, was the process.
First, I had to deal with the three knights charging me while contending with the ranged aura attacks from the Knight Commander and the Patriarch.
Swoosh! Slash!
Clang! Bang!
As I dodged the knights’ strikes, two aura blades flew toward me from a distance.
I managed to deflect them with my swords, though the ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) impact left my hands numb—it was a close call.
This is what made the Sword Adept Quest so difficult.
The front-line knights kept up relentless pressure, while the Commander and Patriarch rained down ranged attacks from the rear.
Focusing solely on the Patriarch was impossible with the knights blocking my path.
In my previous life, it had taken me 30 minutes to defeat each knight, 40 minutes for the Commander, and 50 minutes for the Patriarch.
In other words, bypassing the minions to target the Patriarch directly wasn’t a viable strategy.
Thankfully—
‘Thanks to the Beauty Talent, my stats are nearly on par with my previous life. I can handle this.’
My boosted stats allowed me to bridge the level gap.
At this point, I was comparable to my Level 350 self from my previous life when I had first attempted this quest.
Moreover, I now had an additional advantage.
“Things are heating up. Shall I assist, Master?”
Swallow was gliding effortlessly above the knights and their leaders, his invisibility keeping him undetected.
“They probably can’t see you, but don’t overdo it. Help out when you see a good opening—nothing too risky.”
Swallow’s direct involvement was limited.
The knights were durable and clad in plate armor, so his wing attacks wouldn’t be enough to take them down.
Fortunately, I didn’t need his help just yet.
“Hup!”
THUD!
I lunged forward as the three knights resumed their attack. Their swords clashed with mine as I parried their strikes and counterattacked with a flurry of precise blows.
Each of their attacks was disciplined and sharp, making countering them a challenge. But my experience from my past life made it manageable.
Some of their techniques were ones I had mastered as a Sword Emperor, making them easier to predict and counter.
The difficulty level had noticeably dropped compared to my previous life.
Back then, I had relied on advanced-grade swords that often broke under the strain of these fights. This time, I wielded weapons capable of enduring the knights’ ferocity.
Even more, the Flame Sword’s blazing aura caused the knights to falter, their hesitation evident in their movements.
Each swing of my swords left scratches and dents in their armor.
At this rate, I could take them down efficiently.
‘Still... this is taking a while.’
Even though I was progressing faster than in my past life, the pace felt slow compared to my usual quick dispatching of monsters.
‘Let’s ramp it up a notch.’
I momentarily eased my attacks, luring the knights closer.
When they closed in—
[Skill Activated]
[Ground Slam (C)]
[Blade Storm (B)]
A stunning wave of force erupted from my foot, immobilizing the knights, followed by a storm of blades that tore through the air.
BOOM!
Clang! Clang!
“......!”
“......!!”
The three knights were engulfed in the dome-shaped storm of aura blades, unable to escape.
This combination of skills had felled countless enemies before, and the knights were no exception.
Although they tried to defend by swinging their swords, it was futile.
Just as their armor began to crack under the relentless assault—
Swoooosh!
Two aura blades streaked through the air toward me.
The Patriarch and Knight Commander had intervened to support their subordinates.
But their attacks never reached me.
[Skill Activated]
As soon as the knights swung their swords, I conjured a blade of aura far larger than theirs and brought it down in a devastating strike.
The ones who now found themselves in danger weren’t me, but the Patriarch and the Knight Commander.
A massive aura blade descended upon their heads, the Sky Slash threatening to end the quest in one fell swoop.
CRAAACK!
Dust and debris filled the air as the Sky Slash tore through the training ground.
But as the dust settled, the results weren’t what I’d hoped for.
The figures of the Patriarch and the Knight Commander emerged, battered but intact, holding cracked shields.
“Wow, their defensive capabilities are still top-notch!” Swallow exclaimed, clearly impressed.
“Tch, I had a feeling this might happen.”
I hadn’t expected much, to be honest.
The defensive strength of the Patriarch and Knight Commander was infamous, with many hunters attempting the Sword Adept Quest failing to defeat them without first eliminating their supporting knights.
Even an S-rank skill like Sky Slash wasn’t quite enough to take down shield-bearing swordsmen in one go.
It wasn’t impossible to break through if I could repeat the attack multiple times, but that was the problem—
[Remaining Mana: 40%]
With my current mana reserves, I couldn’t use an S-rank skill more than once or twice without serious risk.
I could use a mana potion to restore my reserves, but the relentless pressure from the knights made that nearly impossible.
That left one viable option: getting close enough to use Black Sun Explosion, my most powerful attack.
THUD! THUD!
Just as I prepared to charge at the Patriarch, the three knights lunged at me again.
“Should I drop my invisibility and distract them, Master?” Swallow suggested.
“That won’t work. These guys prioritize protecting the Patriarch, even if it costs their lives.”
I dismissed Swallow’s idea—it wasn’t practical.
‘There has to be another way...’
While parrying the knights’ attacks with my dual swords, I wracked my brain for a solution.
Then, as our swords clashed, a realization struck me.
‘Oh, right. I can use that.’
Remembering the overlooked skill, I immediately acted.
[Skill Activated]
[Summon Wraith Knights (C)]
I raised the Command Sword—the rare-grade weapon I had just acquired—and activated its unique skill.
Dark energy swirled around the blade as it emitted an ominous hum.
RUMBLE! RUMBLE!
<Summoned>
[Lv. 250. Wraith Knight of the Fallen Empire]
[Lv. 250. Wraith Knight of the Fallen Empire]
[Summoned Wraiths: 10/10]
Ten knights clad in dark armor materialized, their forms forged from shadowy smoke.
These were the same wraith knights I had faced as enemies in the Emperor’s Tomb Dungeon, now summoned as my allies.
[Skill: Summon Wraith Knights (C)]
Summons the wraith knights who once protected the empire. Up to 10 wraiths can be summoned.
Mana Cost: 300
Such was the power of the Command Sword.
“Take on the knights and the Knight Commander!”
The wraith knights charged into battle as soon as they were summoned, fearlessly confronting their enemies.
CLANG! CLANG! WHOOSH!
The Swordsmanship Family Knights hesitated, momentarily thrown off by the sudden appearance of the wraiths.
Unable to advance toward me, they were forced to redirect their efforts to fend off the relentless assault.
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Despite being weaker individually, the sheer number of wraith knights overwhelmed the enemy knights’ defenses.
Even the Knight Commander, who tried to provide support by launching aura blades, found himself under pressure as four wraith knights charged at him.
With their forces occupied, the path to the Patriarch was left unguarded.
“Oh! You found a solution, Master!” Swallow cheered.
“Not bad, huh?” I replied, smirking.
The Patriarch stood in full view, his armored form imposing as ever.
Though his entire body was encased in steel, the way he gripped his sword and glared at me suggested he was rattled.
It was a reaction I hadn’t seen in my past life, but it made sense.
After all, this was the first time I had summoned wraith knights to aid me.
Additionally, the Sky Slash I had just unleashed was of such a high caliber that even the Patriarch, at the pinnacle of swordsmanship, couldn’t help but be impressed.
“Well then... how about I give you a personal swordsmanship lesson?”
I raised the corners of my mouth into a confident smirk and began advancing toward the Patriarch.