BOOM! CRASH! CRAAAAAANG!
The deafening sounds reverberated through the ice cave.
At the center of the wide cavern, from a hidden passageway, an immense shockwave erupted.
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Icicles fell from the ceiling, and the resulting tremors partially collapsed parts of the dungeon. Yet the person at the epicenter, Kang Hyunsoo, remained utterly unperturbed.
“What’s this? Why so slow? Swing faster, you idiot.”
“RAAAAARGH!”
BOOM! SHWEEEEK! CLANG!
The Frost Ogre lunged with its razor-sharp claws and gnashed its yellowed teeth, trying to tear him apart.
But Hyunsoo easily evaded its strikes, springing off the ground while taunting it further.
The one worse for wear was, in fact, the Frost Ogre.
Despite attacking with all it had—claws, teeth, and even its tail—it only received counterattacks in return.
Though the creature was swift in its assaults, Hyunsoo dodged each one with ease, slashing the ogre's body with his twin swords as he moved.
Even its frenzied thrashing was of no use.
“GRAAAAAAHHH!”
CRACKLE!
Enraged, the Frost Ogre opened its massive maw wide and unleashed a freezing breath capable of instantly encasing anything in ice.
But Hyunsoo had already repositioned behind it, out of the attack's range.
In the middle of the vast passageway, it was like a deadly game of tag.
But such games couldn’t last forever.
As the playful chase continued, the ground began to rumble ominously.
RUMBLE-RUMBLE!
The passage threatened to collapse.
“I’d love to keep playing, but time’s up. Let’s finish this, you yellow brute.”
Hyunsoo slashed the ogre’s back with his twin swords.
The Frost Ogre retaliated instantly, swinging its frost-coated tail toward him.
And at that moment—
[100 Combo Evade Achieved!]
[You have perfectly dodged consecutive attacks from your opponent.]
[Attack power, attack speed, and movement speed increased by 100%.]
[Fusion Talent: Beauty Swordsmanship is now available.]
As Hyunsoo ducked under the tail, a notification appeared: the conditions to activate the Beauty Swordsmanship skill had been met.
An unintentional, yet welcome surprise.
Hyunsoo immediately tore off the metaphorical wrapping paper.
The moment the Fusion Talent became available, he activated it.
【Activate】
[Bloom (SS)]
He unleashed the skill tied to Beauty Swordsmanship.
Both swords glowed with a soft pink hue.
“RAAAAAARRGH!”
The Frost Ogre quickly turned, exhaling a frosty breath.
But Hyunsoo didn’t bother dodging this time.
SWWOOSH! FWHOOOOM!
The pink-hued blades neutralized the icy breath upon contact, dispersing it entirely.
Hyunsoo’s twin swords cut through the frosty attack as if it were nothing, advancing relentlessly until—
SLASH!
[Lv. 405. Contracted Frost Ogre has been slain.]
[You have gained experience points.]
[Level up!]
[Rewards: Strength +4, Agility +1.]
The massive ogre fell, its enormous frame sliced clean through.
THUD!
The colossal creature crumbled helplessly.
As the Frost Ogre’s body turned to dust, Hyunsoo glanced at his glowing twin swords and commented, “Wow... This is just as insane as last time. It even defends me, too.”
“Indeed, Master. The Fusion Talent is exceptionally powerful, and using it with dual swords makes its destructive force twice as potent,” Swallow replied.
The Beauty Swordsmanship, first awakened during the battle with Ji Wonhoon, was a skill Hyunsoo still found awe-inspiring.
Unlike typical talents, which gradually offered stronger skills as their rank increased from F-grade, Beauty Swordsmanship had granted an SS-grade skill right from the start.
Its effects were extraordinary.
Not only did it nullify all magical effects, but its attacks were devastatingly strong, and its strikes scattered petals that paralyzed enemies for a full second.
Any one of these effects would have been overpowered on its own, but Hyunsoo’s skill combined all three.
Moreover, this Fusion Talent was something even Swallow hadn’t anticipated.
A top-tier ability unknown even to his beauty companion.
Thanks to this skill, Hyunsoo not only defeated Ji Wonhoon but also vanquished the Frost Ogre with ease.
In his previous life, the Frost Ogre had been nearly unkillable, its enormous health and resilience making it akin to a boss monster. Even after dozens of attacks with his twin swords, it had refused to die.
Back then, he had relentlessly pummeled the ogre like a dog on a hot day, earning it the nickname "Yellow Brute." But this time was different.
By dodging its attacks 100 times in a row, Hyunsoo unlocked the Beauty Swordsmanship and ended the fight with a single, decisive blow.
With the ogre defeated—
RUMBLE! CRACKLE-CRASH!
The icy wall at the end of the secret passage crumbled, revealing a hidden altar.
At the center of an icy chamber stood a stone altar.
“Ah, finally, we’ve arrived,” Swallow said.
“Even though I saw it in my past life, it still feels nostalgic.”
“Hurry, Master, let’s upgrade your power!”
“Yeah, but first...”
Ignoring Swallow’s impatience, Hyunsoo refrained from stepping forward immediately. Instead, he activated another skill.
【Activate】
[Summon Wraith Knights (C)]
Using his Command Sword, Hyunsoo summoned spectral knights.
“Shaaahhh...”
<Summon>
[Lv. 250. Wraith Knight of the Fallen Empire]
[...]
[Lv. 250. Wraith Knight of the Fallen Empire]
[Summoned Wraiths: 10/10.]
Ten Wraith Knights blocked the secret passage.
Though the summoning required a substantial amount of mana and had a lengthy cooldown, making it difficult to use often, this was a perfect opportunity.
The reason?
“Ah, so it’s because of the incoming monster swarm later,” Swallow noted.
“Exactly. Once the altar’s power is activated, the Frost Elves will swarm in like a pack of rabid dogs.”
Activating the altar would alert the Frost Elves, causing them to charge en masse.
With his preparations complete, Kang Hyunsoo strode toward the altar.
At its summit, he paused and let out a breath.
“Alright, let’s get started.”
He thrust the Flame Sword into the central slot of the altar.
Shhh-click!
A perfect fit.
And then—
RUMBLE! FWOOOOOSH!
The silent altar sprang to life, flames surging out from the slot and roaring fiercely.
The fire rose high enough to melt the ice ceiling above, forming a dark, hollow cavern. Soon, the flames coalesced into the shape of a phoenix with outspread wings.
Hyunsoo recognized the entity immediately.
‘Aphelion, the divine beast of the Sun God.’
A protector of the Sun God, Aphelion appeared every time the Flame Sword underwent an upgrade, issuing trials and bestowing new powers.
It was a being °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° he had encountered numerous times in his previous life whenever matters related to the Sun God arose.
And this time was no different.
“My name is Aphelion. For countless eons, I have guarded the power of the Sun God. Are you the one seeking to reclaim this forgotten strength?”
With its wings unfurled and eyes glowing, Aphelion spoke.
SHIIIIING!
[The Faded Sun Flame Sword has been upgraded to Legendary Grade.]
The flames immediately engulfed the blade, transforming its power.
Through the blazing fire, an item info window appeared.
[Radiant Sun Flame Blade]
[Grade: Legendary]
[Effect: Attack Power +650]
[Skills:]
[Trait:]
[Growth Item: Progress unknown.]
[An ancient relic with partially lost information.]The Flame Sword had ascended to the next tier, transforming into the Radiant Sun Flame Blade.
The sheer might of Aphelion’s presence alone was enough to empower the item.
Now, only one task remained.
‘I’ll have to grab the hilt and withstand the flames.’
The trial was to prove his worthiness by enduring the flames and retrieving the sword from the altar.
This required Hyunsoo to enter the fire, bear its searing heat, and pull the Flame Blade from its slot.
It was a task that demanded immense resolve, as the flames would wrap around his entire body, burning relentlessly.
Though Aphelion assured him that any burns would be healed afterward, the pain of enduring the flames required sheer willpower.
In his previous life, it was a trial he had nearly abandoned halfway through.
“If you wish to claim the Sun God’s power, you must prove your worth. Now, the trial begins...”
“Yeah, yeah, let’s get this over with,” Hyunsoo said, cutting Aphelion off as he stepped into the flames.
But something unexpected happened.
Just as he was about to take a step forward, Aphelion abruptly declared:
“...Though it seems you are already worthy. The trial is unnecessary.”
“Huh?”
Aphelion had announced his success without him even starting.
Confused, Hyunsoo looked up at the phoenix, then glanced at Swallow.
“...?”
Swallow shook his head, just as baffled.
Aphelion, sensing their confusion, elaborated.
“Your appearance radiates with divine blessings. With such splendid beauty, how could you not be worthy?”
Beauty.
Aphelion had judged Hyunsoo’s outward appearance as proof of divine favor and declared him worthy without a trial.
This was a stark contrast to his previous life.
Back then:
“How pitiful. You dare seek the Sun God’s blessing with such a disgraceful form? Begin the trial immediately!”
Aphelion had been enraged by his appearance and made him endure the full trial.
But now, the entity’s attitude was a complete reversal.
The explanation was simple: Hyunsoo’s current appearance.
Swallow glanced between Aphelion and the Flame Blade before commenting, “It must be Master’s Absolute Beauty. Aphelion must have sensed the power of your divine looks and deemed you worthy.”
Not only had Hyunsoo’s appearance played a role, but there was something else.
“Furthermore, you possess an artifact of the Sun God. Your qualifications are flawless. Additional trials are meaningless. I shall now unlock all the power this place holds.”
Upon noticing the artifact around Hyunsoo’s neck, Aphelion dismissed any need for further testing.
FWOOOOOOM!
The flames from the altar surged higher.
[The Radiant Sun Flame Blade has been upgraded to Mythic Grade.]
The sword emitted a brilliant flash, ascending to Mythic rank.
[Exalted Sun Incarnation Blade]
[Grade: Mythic]
[Effect: Attack Power +1,150]
[Skills:]
[Trait:]
[Maximum growth achieved.]“Wait... seriously? You’re giving me all this?” Hyunsoo murmured, stunned.
The blade had gone from Legendary to Mythic in mere moments.
In his past life, the Exalted Sun Incarnation Blade had required defeating an S-rank volcano dungeon boss and collecting 10,000 volcanic essences—a grueling ordeal.
Now, it was handed to him instantly.
Dumbfounded, Hyunsoo approached the altar and drew the Incarnation Blade.
His wide-eyed expression betrayed his shock.
But it wasn’t over yet.
The moment Hyunsoo grasped the sword—
FWOOOSH!
Golden light burst from the necklace he had acquired in the temple.
[You have mastered Sun Swordsmanship.]
[The lost ultimate technique has been unlocked.]
The hidden techniques of Sun Swordsmanship, inaccessible until now, were finally revealed.