108. Real talent (3)
Changcheon Big Sword (蒼天飛劍).
I still vividly recall the technology that Namgoong-hyeok introduced in Shinjuku for the first time, even muttering the name.
Could it be because he was a divine being who erased all the sparks created by his authority with just a sword?
Even though I had only seen it once, I was convinced the moment I saw the Changcheon Secret Sword.
It’s not a skill or authority, much less a unique characteristic, but an ability to do it.
That skill could really surpass the skill, as Namgoong-hyeok had been talking about.
However, Changchun’s Blade wasn’t a skill, and it wasn’t even in the realm that I could learn.
Because of that, I decided that I couldn’t master all the techniques Namgung-hyuk showed off.
however….
‘Could it be that Changchun Blade Sword was a skill…?’
As if denying my conclusion, the current replica contained Namgoong-hyeok’s swordsmanship with twin swords.
Even that is not exactly the same swordsmanship as Namgung-hyeok, but it looks like he has undergone his own improvement.
Even in the midst of my astonishment, I realized that Replica’s twin swordsmanship was still clumsy.
「The skill ‘sixth sense’ is activated.」
It was no different, it was because the sixth sense skill activated during the battle whispered like instinct.
The swordsmanship of the twin swords of this replica, which is currently growing, has not been completed.
But even so, Replica’s swordsmanship was stronger than Namgoonghyuk’s.
The Blue Sky Blade, which I witnessed before, was a technique that had the trick of a sword that could be swung at high speed.
If it was a technique suitable for a defensive posture, the Replica’s spearhead was a one-sided attack.
I don’t know if you can even call it a change of mind.
It is because the sword force, which is focused on quickness, does not give me a chance to break through as if attack is the best defense.
In fact, I was able to adapt to this sword force only after increasing the increase in combat focus to three times, so it wouldn’t be wrong.
Kagagakak…!
‘This is the same level as me…! It’s a complete monster, this…!’
It is no longer my replica in that it overwhelms me not with skill but with prowess.
Rather, this is just one swordsman who has reached the same level as the challenger of the Moorim dimension.
‘I heard that it’s a cloned self, but what and how do I have to clone it to create a monster like this?’
However, I don’t know if it’s because of that, but the replica isn’t using its skills properly yet.
‘…but there are odds. Just kill it before the replica’s growth rate accelerates.’
If you can use all your skills to the limit in an instant, it won’t be too much to reverse.
It was the moment when he clenched his teeth under that one thought and let out a torrent of twin swords.
Pew!
“…!?”
At the same time as he struck the twin swords, the replica’s arms burst into fresh blood as if they were about to explode.
I was taken aback by that, and immediately slipped back and straightened my posture.
‘I don’t know what kind of technology this is again…’
After securing a certain distance, I was able to properly grasp the situation.
No, to be precise, seeing the process of repairing the blood that fell on both arms of the replica, I can understand the full extent of the body explosion.
The arms that just exploded in melee state were largely ruptured inside the replica’s body due to the skill ‘Blood Seeker’.
‘Did you make me retreat by bursting both arms with your blood control ability…? why?’
The seeker of fresh blood is a skill that not only controls blood, but also has detailed effects that automatically recover the blood consumed in the body at regular intervals.
Even so, it is not possible to erase the momentary gap caused by bursting both arms, and it takes quite some time even for blood to be restored.
‘If I tried to create an unexpected variable with an explosion in close proximity, it would be close to a mistake.’
Recognizing the situation right away, I tried to rush at him with a tight grip on the blood demon sword, but…
In that instant, I noticed his emotionless eyes staring at me coldly.
The eyes were full of strange confidence, as if he had designed all of this.
I had no choice but to stop rushing at him for a moment and widen my eyes.
And that judgment led to conviction the moment I saw the replica’s linkage.
Kiyiying—!
In the replica’s hand, the “counterattack shield” improved like a sword was emitting light.
It seemed that the iron-blooded sword had already canceled the summons, as if to control the recoil.
‘Did I use a counterattacking shield-like skill like a sword for this…!’
The counterattack shield that has sufficiently absorbed the impact through sword union with me…
I could never underestimate its power, and I had no choice but to unleash the same counterattack shield.
「The skill ‘Counterattack Shield’ is activated.」
A moment when half of the mana currently in the body is stored in the shield and deployed in the air.
The replica’s waist twisted, and its sword followed, turning as if drawing a line.
and.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Chang Chun Yun-Geom (蒼天輪劍).
At one point, the waves of swords that destroyed the entire Tokyo area horizontally raged fiercely.
***
moment.
At the moment the counterattack shield was shattered, thought accelerated by combat concentration quickly contemplated.
In Hunter’s world, talent refers to systematic growth.
Skill acquisition aptitude, stat increase aptitude, and characteristic bloom aptitude.
These three aptitudes are combined to be evaluated as talent.
But soon I realized that systemic talent is literally just aptitude.
It’s because the system is not an absolute indicator of talent in Murim.
If the aptitude of the system was really all about talent, the Moorim people would not have disdained skills and characteristics…
Baek Seon-hak, Namgung-hyeok, and Moorim people generally despise and hate the fact that they depend on the system itself.
To the challengers of the Moorim dimension, the system is just something they have no choice but to use.
Then, what can be called a talent that is common to challengers of another dimension?
The answer to this was in ‘technology, not skill’.
How far you can handle ‘non-skill skills’ such as racial characteristics, magic, and martial arts.
Starting with that as a starting point, basic talent is measured by understanding and comprehension of technology.
Then, the key is how freely the technology can be reconstructed with that level of understanding and comprehension.
That’s the concept of talent across all dimensions.
However, all of the challengers at the global level were not interested in their talent for ‘non-skill skills’.
It was worth it.
Skill is specialized knowledge, and it was a miracle of the system that brought technology at once.
A challenger at the global level would not know why they should be obsessed with ‘technologies that are not skills’.
In fact, I trained for several years and just tried to acquire skills related to weapons.
I had no intention of seriously polishing my weapon skills.
I couldn’t help it.
Weapons without skill effects were no different from empty gangjeong.
Climbing the tower and learning new skills, that thought was completely solidified.
Skills were certainly ten times more efficient than polishing proper skills.
So, I had never really thought about why the Moorim people despised skills.
but….
‘Now I understand.’
Through this ordeal, all the doubts I have accumulated so far have been cleared.
Why did Baek Seon-hak hesitate to use the skill and why did Namgoong-hyeok despise the skill as a fake?
Unlike skills, to those who used real skills, the miracle of the system was witchcraft.
In the fierce battle against the replica, I figured out the true value of skills, not skills.
and.
‘Replicas are just duplicates of my talents and experiences.’
From the perspective of another dimension, the fact that I have a great talent.
‘Then I can do the same.’
The reason I’ve been pushed back in the fight against Replica so far is because I wasn’t obsessed with technology.
He had never thought of reproducing the replica’s technology and denied even the existence of his talent.
therefore….
「The skill ‘Counterattack Shield’ is broken and it is impossible to reflect the accumulated damage.」
Now is the time to face everything you’ve been denying.
Not about skill, but about true skill.
‘Focus on battle.’
「The skill ‘Focus on Combat’ is greatly activated.」
「The user’s concentration increases tenfold.」
「You have entered a state of concentration beyond the limit.」
“When the skill is released, a large recoil may occur.”
Looking at the shattered counterattack shield, I raised my cognitive realm to the limit.
Even the counterattack shield went into the waiting period right away, so I had to buy some time.
Of course, later, a message came to mind that the concentration beyond the limit would come back.
I passed the message indifferently and looked at the slowly approaching replica.
Even the posture of holding the twin swords and the sword flame around the sword seemed to have completely stolen Namgung-hyeok’s.
I imitated his sword to such an extent that it felt quite different from my previous combat stance.
It wasn’t like he had acquired the relevant skill, but he could use the same skill.
From my point of view, I can’t understand it, but…
From now on, you will have to think a little differently.
‘So I have to throw away all of my dependence on skills that I’ve built up until now.’
In the cognitive world that had slowed down to the limit, I adjusted my breathing and gripped the sword.
and.
‘All I have to do is empty everything and get used to it.’
I slowly began to empty out the things accumulated in my images.
“…”
Abandon common sense.
「Due to independent realization, the skill of ‘Magic Operation (A-)’ has increased by 10%.」
Abandon the egotism.
「The achievement ‘Enlightenment’ has been achieved.」
“Your physical strength increases by 1.”
Eventually, the image itself is emptied.
「You have achieved the achievement ‘Trance.」
「Magic power increases by 4.」
It took a long time to shake off everything related to skill dependence, but in actual time, it was less than a few seconds.
Only then did I realize that I was on the same level as Replica.
That would be too…
‘I finally understand a little bit.’
Seeing him from a completely technical point of view rather than a skill, I began to understand the principles of technology itself.
And at an unbelievable speed.
Due to the cognitive world still accelerating to the limit, the replica could not reach me.
Two achievements were achieved with a brief consideration, and the stats of physical strength and magical power increased.
‘My physical strength has recovered a little, and my mana has risen considerably.’
It’s as if the penalty he learned while being on the defensive just now doesn’t exist.
Looking at it objectively, I have good qualities in terms of skills, not skills.
…Of course I still have my doubts about my qualities, but otherwise it doesn’t make sense that a replica could fight like that.
will exist
I have the same brilliant talent.
‘Let’s think slowly without doubt.’
If the difference in magic power or physical strength decreases, it will soon follow the replica’s technology.
Actually, after emptying my image and looking at the replica, I began to understand quite a lot.
From how to hold the sword to the direction the sword pursues…
The knowledge embedded inside the skill of the Blade Demon Sword (B+), combined with the thinking ability presumed to be the original talent, made it easy to understand the principle.
After I finished understanding the principle, I noticed that there was something superfluous about the replica’s twin swordsmanship.
It was the fact that he imitated Namgung-hyeok as closely as possible, consuming even his will.
‘I’m not even mixing swordsmanship.’
After thinking about it for a while, I came to a conclusion before I knew it.
That is, Replica is quite focused on imitating Namgoong-hyeok.
However, unlike Replica, I felt that strengthening Geomyeom through Sumjeon Swordsmanship was not bad.
Through Ui-nyeom, the sword spirit contains the quality of cutting everything, and the sword flame contains the quality of destroying the sword spirit.
So Geomchi has no choice but to collapse against Geomyeom, and Geomyeom can only be countered by Geomyeom.
That was the basic theory of geomyeom, and the more properties it contained, the weaker the effect of geomyeom.
That’s because the user’s mental power to extract intention is limited.
‘Even if I imitate Namgung-hyeok’s geom-yeom, the natural nature of geom-yeom will become lighter.’
If even the replica’s mental strength was exactly the same as mine, it was clear that it would act as a flaw in the replica’s flawless appearance.
I am the one who gains an advantage by mixing sword flames with the same properties of crushing swords with flash swords created as an aid to the system.
Of course, it’s only theoretical, so you’ll have to check it out for yourself…
「The user’s concentration increase is tuned by 2.8 times.」
That’s just a fact that you’ll find out soon when you directly clash swords against each other.
Without hesitation, I immediately set the slowed cognitive area to flow a little faster.
「The skill ‘Blood Seeker’ is activated.」
Papababak!
The blood of the replica quickly scattered on the floor was woven together like a dagger, and it gushed out of the replica.
Of course, the replica went back to inaction by casually messing with the bloody dagger with the same blood control ability, but…
The significance of the surprise attack through this bloody seeker was to distract the concentration even for a moment.
fault!
I boldly hit the ground before I knew it and came close to the replica like before.
Immediately, without even looking at the liver, he swung his sword at the replica and performed a swift sword fight.
It was as if the replica had swung its twin swords at me like flowing water.
Wow…!
In response, the replica spurted blood from her hand with still emotionless eyes, created a new sword again, and held it in her hand.
The moment the replica, equipped with twin swords again, chose the method of defending my attack by crossing two swords.
Every Kaga—!
Replica’s twin swords trembled fiercely unlike before and were pushed back.
For the first time, the replica’s eyes showed feelings of bewilderment, but…
Chaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!
Then, choosing to cut himself, he slowly stepped back, and at the same time, even that momentary agitation disappeared.
Chi profit.
Since it has a monster-like regenerative power, it was thought that it would probably not interfere with the battle.
However, in this sword-to-sword clash, I felt that I had found the answer to this 12th floor stage.
‘…As expected, wasn’t everything efficient even with the cloned self?’
I only focused on skills, not skills, but there was no big difference between me and me.
It’s just that he’s been a little quicker in recognizing and handling talent.
Is that why?
「You are dealing with an enemy you can handle enough.」
「The skill ‘Indomitable Will’ is deactivated.」
Before I knew it, I decided that the Replica was not a threat to me even with the skill.
Then I drew a thin arc over my mouth and thought confidently.
‘The position has finally been reversed.’
Now, it’s only a matter of time before we beat Replica.