Chapter 78. Imperial Capital (3)

Skills and traits.

The growth system of ‘Warlord Conquest’ was defined by these two things.

Basically, skills and traits were complementary.

A trait without a skill was like a steamed bun without the red bean filling, and a skill without a trait was, well, just the red bean filling.

However, if I had to say which was more essential, it would have to be the traits.

Just as a steamed bun without red bean filling wasn't bad to chew on, it was rare to see someone slurp up red bean filling in a bowl like it was bone broth.

In that context, the same skill did not produce the same power.

Even if the proficiency was similar, a gap in basic capabilities arose from the traits.

For example, let's say a hero with no traits related to physical ability obtains a level 5 swordsmanship skill.

No matter how high the skill proficiency was, without the physical ability gained through all sorts of elixirs and training, as was common in knightly orders, it could not exert its proper power.

On the other hand, if you had great traits, even a low-level skill could have a completely different power.

This was especially true for physical ability-related traits.

The axe came flying.

It was only a level 1 skill.

But its speed was nearly twice that of an arrow shot from a crossbow.

Fweeeee- Kang!

[[Imperial Knight Swordsmanship] is activated.]

[[Ironclad Defense] is activated.]

The unconsciously swung sword deflected the axe.

My fingers tingled.

Even with the assistance of a trait for my swordsmanship, my wrist was ringing.

A power unimaginable for a level 1 skill.

It would have been fatal even if it had been a glancing blow.

[[Holy Aura] is activated.]

I corrected my broken stance.

A pure white aura undulated and covered the sword.

I corrected my broken stance.

A red aura undulated and covered the sword.

In the meantime, something else came flying.

This time, it was not an axe.

It was a person.

The huge figure grew to fill my vision in an instant, and in the middle of it, something flashed.

A sword.

A thrust.

Kaang!

I stepped back with my left foot and struck upwards.

I took another step back and deflected the downward strike to the side.

It was not the end.

The next attack followed like flowing water.

Kang! Kwang!

Two sword strikes.

Two deflections.

An impact that sent a jolt up to my forearm.

Fragments of red aura scattered like sparks in all directions.

It was not a skill.

It was just that his monstrous physical ability, specified by traits like [Giant’s Strength], [The Hand is Quicker Than the Eye], and [Wyvern’s Sense of Balance], was producing results greater than a decent skill.

He swung a greatsword, which a normal adult male would struggle to swing even once, as lightly as if he were swinging a tree branch.

Right after I barely deflected another sword strike, a shadow fell over me.

A kick.

“[Barrier]!”

[[Barrier] is activated.]

Kwaduk!

“…….”

It was a sight I had never seen before.

A person's body, not a weapon, shattering a spell.

I swallowed dryly as I looked at the leather travel boots that had broken through the barrier.

I quickly retreated and took my stance again.

Soon, the barrier shattered with a cracking sound.

Randal, who had touched his toes to the ground and rotated his ankle a couple of times, asked casually.

“A spellcaster?”

“Yes.”

“Swordsmanship and spells. Unique.”

Randal bared his teeth.

It was a beast-like smile.

He picked up the axe that had fallen to the ground.

The axe, which had rotated once at his fingertips, was tucked into his belt as if sucked in.

“Spellcaster mercenary commander, let me ask you one thing.”

“What?”

“Why did you say you would recruit me?”

Well.

Did I want to recruit a muscular barbarian like him as a master from the beginning?

In fact, Randal was not a good hero to be someone’s master.

And for good reason, as this guy didn't even have any proper skills.

What changed my mind was Olif’s advice.

‘You need a master who is like a blank slate, Commander. Or a master who is like a hodgepodge would also be fine.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I chose one path in the way of the sword. Most do. It takes a talented person more than ten years just to learn one sword. But you, Commander, have already perfectly digested several kinds of swordsmanship.’

‘So?’

‘My teaching could create a biased perspective for you, Commander.’

The master Olif recommended was one of two types.

A person who was like a blank slate, not attached to any specific martial art.

Or a person who was like a hodgepodge, having learned all sorts of miscellaneous skills and martial arts.

The problem was that both were not common.

There were a few famous hodgepodges, but they were all people I couldn't meet at this point in time.

So I chose Randal.

A superhuman who would soon earn the title of the immortal warrior.

And yet, a unique hero whose learned skills were in the single digits.

Even the ones he had were all simple things like [Randal’s Rush] and [Randal’s Axe Throwing].

The reason why simple skills of level 1 or 2 could exert such destructive power was probably because he possessed well over dozens of traits.

A representative example of the blank-slate hero Olif mentioned.

To catch my breath for a moment, I briefly summarized this and told him.

Randal flicked his eyebrow.

“Does that mean you’re good enough at fighting to easily copy the swordsmanship of the knightly order?”

“…It might come to that.”

“This will be interesting.”

His smile grew a little wider.

He charged.

“……!”

He thrusted.

The tip of the sword aimed for my heart.

I took a step to the side.

The flashing blade passed by, grazing my forearm.

[[Wind Spirit's Aid] is activated.]

I rotated my body half a turn and pushed off the ground with the tip of my toes.

With the spirit's help, my body rose lightly from the ground.

Entrusting my body to the wind, I brought my sword down.

The anomaly appeared then.

[[Tuivat High Priest's Swift Sword] is activated.]

Teong-!

A rock-like back of the hand struck the side of my descending sword.

Hwoook-

The fist that had let go of the sword aimed for my lungs again.

Kwang! Teong! Kwagwang!

Randal, now bare-handed, began to press his attack.

Fists, knees, feet, and elbows deflected my sword and dug into my range.

If I were hit by even one of those ruthless blows, my organs and bones would be turned to mush.

Because his strength was not at all inferior when compared to a troll's.

[[Tuivat High Priest's Swift Sword] is activated.]

Come to think of it, this swordsmanship.

It was made to fight trolls.

According to the lore, it originated from the monks of the Tuivat Mountains who created it to protect themselves from the monsters of the mountain range.

Hwoong-

A large fist swung as if to crush my head.

I half-threw my body to the side and swung my sword briefly.

Swish!

A knee kick that could have put a hole in my stomach came flying.

I jumped back and scraped his shin with the tip of my sword.

[[Tuivat High Priest's Swift Sword] is activated.]

It was a strange sensation.

I was definitely activating the skill.

But it felt like it was activated even without being activated.

As if my hands and feet were moving reflexively on their own.

Randal, who had stopped for a moment, said.

“Are you warmed up now?”

“What?”

“The stiff movements you had at first have become much smoother.”

That couldn't be.

The skills obtained through Warrior’s Insight were at maximum proficiency.

Each movement was perfectly mastered from the beginning.

That's why when I first fought the Necro Ogre at Burken Fortress, I was able to defeat it by copying its sync motion as if I were duplicating it….

“……Ah.”

Was that it?

* * *

I remembered the first time I held a sword.

It was the moment the gates of Burken Fortress were breached.

I had defeated three Necro Ogres, saved the seriously injured Olif, and defeated the last one.

At that time, I had just learned [Imperial Knight Swordsmanship].

‘I had followed the sync motion from the game.’

It was a rational judgment.

My swordsmanship proficiency was maxed out, but I had no practical experience fighting with a sword in the first place.

I had to make up for the lack of experience with something.

I copied the movements from when an Imperial Knight fought a Necro Ogre in the game, specifically only the movements from situations where the Imperial Knight won.

‘The result was good too.’

With my weak physical ability, I defeated a difficult enemy called a Necro Ogre.

Naturally, I followed the sync motion in every battle after that.

Sometimes intentionally.

Sometimes unconsciously.

“…….”

However, now I knew.

After experiencing a considerable number of real battles, I realized.

This world was a reality where countless variables intervened without order.

The sword strikes I swung out of habit.

The footwork that had become a hardened habit.

The very perfection of the technique learned without going through trial and error.

Against a strong enemy, it could become a weakness.

What Randal pointed out must have been such habits and customs.

“…Thank you.”

“For what. I just said you seemed warmed up.”

The warrior shrugged.

The problem started from now.

A technique that had become perfect without long training was accustomed to a fixed pattern called a sync motion.

How could I overcome it?

No, how much did I have to overcome?

In fact, imitating the sync motion itself was still efficient.

You could call it an excellent teaching material that directly showed victory and defeat.

But if it were truly effective, I wouldn't have been beaten up one-sidedly like this….

[[Tuivat High Priest's Swift Sword] is activated.]

Kwaaaang!

I swung my sword reflexively.

My vision flashed.

The impact was more than being hit by a motorcycle.

My body, which had flown over ten meters, rolled on the ground a couple of times.

I barely regained my balance and stood up, covered in dust and dirt.

“Too much thinking.”

It was what Olif had said.

He charged again.

Kagagak! Kwang!

The exchange continued.

It was a situation where he was one-sidedly beating me, and I was blocking.

Deflecting.

Parrying.

Warding off.

I bought time by putting up [Barrier] and [Shield].

[[Shield] is activated.]

[[Barrier] is activated.]

Kwajik!

It wasn't much help.

It was just stalling for time.

I blocked the descending sword as if to strike it away and twisted the pommel to entangle it.

Before being pushed back in a power struggle, I stepped back and blocked the axe aiming for my side by lowering my sword.

Chaenggang!

Drops of blood and white aura scattered and mixed like sparks.

My breath was ragged.

It seemed this was the limit, even though my strength and stamina had improved a lot.

[[Tuivat High new Priest's Swift Sword] is activated.]

I think I understood a little.

What he meant by ‘warming up’.

The reason why Olif repeatedly said I ‘thought too much’ was also beginning to make sense now.

Let's say I followed the sync motion.

Or let's say I chose an effective skill to activate.

In either case, judgment and choice were involved.

Meaning a momentary hesitation was inevitable.

[[Tuivat High Priest's Swift Sword] is activated.]

There was no need for that.

I erased unnecessary thoughts.

I looked at the opponent and at myself.

I read the flow, not the fixed movements and patterns.

[[Tuivat High Priest's Swift Sword] is activated.]

In the end, swordsmanship was just a tool.

It didn't change even with maximum proficiency.

In the end, it was my job to read, use, and break the flow.

I entrusted my body to the sword with that realization.

Like a dance that had not been practiced beforehand.

Like a chess game with a player I was facing for the first time.

I felt like I was about to reach something.

“…….”

I thought I could feel it.

The sword path, the footwork, the breathing, the stance.

And behind them, the emotions and will of the being who created all this.

Was it a stray thought?

Or a new realization?

Should I shake it off?

Or should I accept it?

The deliberation was not long.

This was the limit.

My stamina had run out.

“Spellcaster, are you out of strength!”

On the other hand, he was still fine.

I couldn't give up.

Having reached the edge of realization, I couldn't lose even more.

Because as Olif had advised, Randal was a more suitable master for me than anyone else.

[[Miracle: Blessing] is activated.]

[[Miracle: Steps of Faith] is activated.]

[[Miracle: Surging Strength] is activated.]

[[Miracle: Dawn’s Vitality] is activated.]

I slammed all sorts of miracles into my body.

I moved my body like pouring lubricant into a broken machine to make it run.

Until now, I had been fighting mainly with Indika's swordsmanship, but swordsmanship was not my only card.

The chance to recruit him was a one-time opportunity.

[[Imperial Infantry Doctrine] is activated.]

[[Ghost Step] is activated.]

[[Lightning Strike] is activated.]

I bet everything on this one chance.