Chapter 72: The Trial of the Divine Throne - (5)
//s_win
//win_h 【Endurance's Defensive Techniques】
■ Title Grade: S-Class
■ Title Description: You can enhance defensive-related skills a total of three times.
Once the three enhancements are used, no additional chances will be available, and your defense stat will increase by 100.
//e_win
"It’s limited to defense, but it still seems like a pretty good perk."
Skill enhancement is always a great opportunity, regardless of the reason. It allows skills to evolve into much better forms.
Moreover, once the enhancement is complete, the title does not simply become an empty shell; instead, it converts into a stat increase.
Sanghyun decided to test it by enhancing one of his most frequently used defensive skills. It was Defensive Sword.
[Would you like to use the 【Endurance's Defensive Techniques】 title to enhance 『Defensive Sword』?]
"Enhance immediately."
Without hesitation, he chose to enhance it.
//s_win
//win_h 『Defensive Sword』
■ Skill Level: Stage 5 (0.1%)
■ Skill Description: (……Omitted)
After forming a defensive barrier at a desired location, the caster is free to move.
(……Omitted)
//e_win
"So, when I use Defensive Sword, my movement restrictions disappear?"
Sanghyun’s face brightened.
This greatly reduced the burden of using Defensive Sword.
It became much easier to set up defensive barriers where needed since he no longer had to remain in place.
"Huh? Come to think of it, during this time, the skill level…"
Distracted by the title, he had overlooked the change in skill levels.
Though it was just a short experiment, Defensive Sword, Recovery, and Full Charge had all reached level 5.
■ Skill Description: (……Omitted)
By consuming an additional 10 mana, you can triple the thickness of the existing barrier.
"With this thickness, even if Shin Taeri landed a one-hit-kill strike head-on, I could withstand it once."
Sanghyun nodded as he examined the thickness of the Defensive Sword barrier.
As the description mentioned, he could move freely while maintaining the barrier.
Rumble—
Meanwhile, the floating land in the sky began to rapidly descend.
The Archer Master, who had been relentlessly attacking moments ago, waved at Sanghyun with a benevolent smile.
Having just experienced a life-threatening situation, Sanghyun couldn’t immediately return the greeting.
While he stood in a daze, the distance between them widened in an instant, and he quickly returned to his original position.
At the same time, Sanghyun checked the status of Recovery and Full Charge, both of which had reached level 5.
//s_win
//win_h 『Recovery』
■ Skill Level: Stage 5 (11.3%)
■ Skill Description: Instantly removes all status effects affecting you and grants complete immunity for 5 seconds.
During the complete immunity period, no status effects can be applied.
A 30-second cooldown is required before reuse.
//e_win
"Complete immunity has been added."
Though the duration wasn’t very long, it was an effective way to cover any gaps.
During the 30-second cooldown, he could spend 5 seconds in a completely safe state.
Conversely, he could deliberately use Recovery to gain complete immunity.
//s_win
//win_h 『Full Charge』
■ Skill Level: Stage 5 (0.4%)
■ Skill Description: (……Omitted)
Regardless of the target's skill resistance, inflicts a 0.25-second freeze effect with a 100% chance on monsters or players exposed to an attack.
//e_win
"A freeze effect that ignores skill resistance. The duration is short, but it’s still far from useless."
His overall evaluation was positive.
Even a brief freeze with a guaranteed success rate meant he could interrupt an opponent’s skill activation or concentration.
Backstep, Sacrifice, and Brave Charge had also leveled up significantly.
Brave Charge, despite being a newly acquired skill, had already reached the mid-levels of stage 2.
Rumble—
In the meantime, the ground settled perfectly back in place as if it had never floated over a kilometer into the sky.
Not a single trace remained, making it hard to believe such an event had occurred.
Chirrr. Chirrr.
"They won’t even give me time to rest."
Before he could even relax from landing safely, new opponents greeted Sanghyun from the front.
Orc Berserkers, Orc Mages.
A massive horde of orcs appeared—hundreds, perhaps even over a thousand.
"Orcs alone won’t be enough to stop me. Especially now that I’ve upgraded my specs so thoroughly."
Sanghyun smiled.
【The unknown Divine Throne says to stop flapping your lips and prove it with results.】
“Of course.”
Sanghyun adjusted his grip on the greatsword.
Perhaps because he had just undergone hard training under Angel Archer and Archer Master.
He didn’t even feel intimidated by the orcs, who were sniffing the air and sluggishly moving their thick, fleshy bodies.
This was a battle where he would be fighting one against a hundred or more, but rather than feeling tense, he was more interested in the experience points.
He was already anticipating how many levels he would gain once he passed this section.
『Over Psychedelic』
There was no need to overthink it.
Sanghyun immediately decided to unleash his maximum firepower and engage in the battle. A straightforward group battle was actually easier.
Some time later.
The vast plains became completely filled with sorrowful squeals, like pigs being slaughtered, signaling the start of the massacre.
He fought to his heart’s content.
Each time multiple orcs were torn apart like sheets of paper under Sanghyun’s attacks, the Constellations marveled.
They realized that the various clever tactics and adaptations Sanghyun had previously displayed were not just coincidences.
The unidentified Constellation even emphasized that Sanghyun had prepared a means of revival in case he found himself in a crisis during the battle against the orc horde.
But by the end of the battle, it turned out to be an unnecessary worry, and the Constellation admitted to underestimating him.
Thus, the orc extermination was complete.
Thanks to the first-clear bonus, his experience points skyrocketed, reaching level 108 before he knew it.
He had already gained nearly ten levels within the Gapyung Station Rift.
Even with capitalism-driven power leveling, it was difficult to gain five levels in a single day.
In reality, even Kim Miso, with her luxurious artifact equipment and full guild support, barely managed to level up that much per day.
And that was only possible when she was lucky enough to gain exclusive access to an untouched gate, dungeon, or rift.
Yet, Sanghyun was leveling up explosively all on his own, in an unknown place, without anyone noticing.
【The unknown Divine Throne tells you to prepare for the final trial.】
“Just let me rest for an hour.”
Sanghyun looked down at the endless field of orc corpses beneath the hill he was standing on.
It was a scene that perfectly embodied the idiom “a sea of blood and mountains of corpses.”
Thud!
He stabbed the Greatsword of Fighting Spirit into the ground beside him and lay down on the dirt. The scent of earth filled his nose.
He had requested an hour’s rest because Over Psychedelic’s cooldown period was exactly one hour.
If possible, he wanted to take on the final trial at full combat capacity, no matter what kind of test it turned out to be.
One hour later.
As soon as Sanghyun stretched and got up, a message from the Constellation arrived.
【The unknown Divine Throne suggests that you fight against a special being specialized in status effects.】
【If you win, you will acquire that being’s status effect, but if you lose, all related skills will be permanently sealed.】
“Gaining something is expected and a good thing. But if I lose, I can never use that skill again? Even if I obtain the skill, I wouldn’t be able to use it?”
【The unknown Divine Throne says that nothing comes for free and whispers that you can always choose to give up.】
“That’s an empty suggestion.”
He refused to consider failure. Then, what was the most desirable status effect to obtain?
From an attacker’s perspective, the most dramatic options were blindness or forced summoning.
Blinding the enemy or pulling them right in front of him.
If he used such methods effectively, he could virtually guarantee the first move in any battle.
“Let’s go with blindness.”
He chose blindness.
Forced summoning could be turned against him by a quick-witted opponent.
It wasn’t a status effect he prioritized over blindness.
Ssssshh.
The moment he selected blindness, an opaque figure appeared about 20 meters away from him.
Its official name was Blind.
Even its name was ominous.
For a while, it remained semi-transparent, then it completely vanished from sight without a trace.
『Detection』
Just in case, Sanghyun activated his Detection skill, but no red light appeared. It was complete invisibility.
“Damn, this complete invisibility nonsense again.”
Sanghyun muttered in frustration.
Complete invisibility—a state where the opponent could hide without any chance of being seen.
There was a way to counter it in his own way, but even so, it was the form that Sanghyun hated the most.
The fact that something was invisible inevitably caused fear and terror. This was especially true for humans, who were highly dependent on their vision.
'It's the same method as when I fought Shin Taeri before.'
By utilizing mana reflux, he could confirm the flow of mana and pinpoint the location through isolation.
He had a definite method to track Blind, who had entered a state of complete invisibility.
'Recovery is really important. The five seconds of complete immunity, even more so.'
At that moment.
Suddenly, Sanghyun’s entire body was enveloped in a dark aura, and he was immediately struck with blindness.
//s_win
//win_h ◎ Blindness
◎ Unable to see anything for one minute.
//e_win
'A duration of one minute? Are you kidding me?'
The blindness had a duration on a completely different level compared to the status ailments he had experienced before.
He couldn't afford to wait for it to naturally wear off. Blind would just inflict blindness again.
『Defensive Sword』
Even though he couldn’t see, Sanghyun instinctively formed Defensive Sword in a distorted shape.
Then, just in time, there was a ‘thud’ sound as something collided and fell away.
It was probably a thrown shuriken, a dagger meant for assassination, or a skill aimed at a frontal attack.
'He disappeared!'
Sanghyun confirmed that the isolation state had deactivated.
This meant Blind’s position had instantly shifted to his rear.
『Recovery』
Without hesitation, he used Recovery.
Blocking an attack from behind while blind was nearly impossible. Let alone when he was in a state of total blindness.
//s_win
//win_h ◎ Complete Immunity
◎ For five seconds, no status ailments can affect you. Your body is perfectly protected.
//e_win
Srrrk.
During that brief moment, Blind attempted to inflict blindness once again, but this time, nothing happened.
The power of complete immunity.
Sanghyun’s movements became lighter.
And while he cross-verified Blind’s location using mana reflux and isolation—
『Breath of Gaia』
'Got him!'
He finally pinpointed Blind’s position when he moved.
Three seconds remained on his complete immunity.
There was no time to hesitate.
With acceleration, Sanghyun charged straight toward Blind, seizing the moment.
『Brave Charge』
『Crushing Blade』
It was a strike filled with the clear intent to end the battle in a single blow.
Noticing Sanghyun’s approach, Blind attempted evasive maneuvers, but Gaia’s Breath had already locked onto his trajectory.
And then—
Puuuk!
The exhilarating sensation of the greatsword piercing into flesh thrilled Sanghyun’s hand.
Pshhh!
A fountain of blood gushed into the empty air, confirming a successful hit.
But it was only for a moment.
//s_win
//win_h ◎ Blindness
◎ Unable to see anything for one minute.
//e_win
“Shit.”
He was blinded once again.