Chapter 661

Huh, would you look at this guy?

At Su-ho’s immediate answer, Spear Venerable swallowed a hollow laugh.

Just what kind of clever trick was this guy hiding to be so confident?

At Su-ho’s immediate answer, Spear Venerable also rose from his seat at once.

- All right, then. Let’s go.

The two immediately left the tavern and headed toward Black Rocky Mountain.

Sure enough, just as Spear Venerable had said, Black Rocky Mountain was not far from Rocky Mountain.

When they reached the summit, Spear Venerable pointed at the largest rock among them and spoke.

- See that? That is the largest rock here. I call it Black Chief. Break it. It will not be easy to put a hole in Black Chief unless you use Ten Thousand Consecutive Strikes. Ah, for reference, Ten Thousand Consecutive Strikes is the nickname for using Ten Thousand Strikes consecutively.

“Understood. But since we are making a wager, may I make one proposal?”

- What is it?

“If I comprehend Consecutive Strikes within five attempts, what will you do for me, Spear Venerable?”

- What do you want?

“Please give me the Strike Eye.”

- You want me to give you the Strike Eye?

“Yes, please grant it to me without any training.”

- Ha!

Laughter burst from him.

This guy.

So this had been his goal from the beginning?

- You cunning brat.

“It is fine if you refuse.”

- Then I refuse.

“Understood.”

- Would you look at that? This brat does not even look disappointed. You did that on purpose, didn’t you?

“How could someone like me possibly dare to do such a thing?”

- What a boring fellow. Look at you acting just as spiteful because I played a little trick on you. You already goaded me into the wager, and now you intend to make me look narrow-minded? Fine, very well. If you comprehend Consecutive Strikes within five attempts, I will grant you the Strike Eye immediately.

“Thank you. Then, since you have already agreed, may I ask one more thing?”

- What is it?

“What if I succeed not within five attempts, but on the very first attempt?”

- What?

“You never know. There is always the possibility.”

Su-ho grinned.

At the same time, Spear Venerable’s brows narrowed.

Then, shortly afterward, the corners of his mouth rose.

- Then you should shoulder an even greater risk as well, shouldn’t you?

“Come on, I am already shouldering a risk equivalent to everything by agreeing to give up spear arts. And if I succeed on my first attempt, would that not also be something for you to celebrate as the one who passed the art down to me?”

- You cunning brat.

Spear Venerable laughed.

The reason he laughed was because Su-ho was adorable.

It did not feel as though Su-ho was being insolent at all.

Perhaps because it felt like the cute provocation of a child, Spear Venerable accepted Su-ho’s request.

- Fine. If you succeed on your first attempt, I will grant you an additional reward appropriate to that achievement.

“Thank you.”

As expected of Spear Venerable.

He was generous.

This was why Su-ho liked Spear Venerable.

Having achieved even more than he had intended, Su-ho bowed politely before immediately raising the wooden swords.

He had already achieved more than he had expected.

Now, all that remained was to accomplish it with his own power.

‘Whew.’

He swallowed a breath inwardly.

Consecutive Strikes.

It had the grand name of Consecutive Strikes, but it was ultimately nothing more than thrusting.

To be precise, consecutive thrusts.

That was why he was confident.

No matter how much swordsmanship focused primarily on slashing, it was not as though it lacked thrusting techniques.

The tip of a sword was the same as the tip of a spear.

The same was true of spears.

Spears were used primarily for thrusting, but that did not mean they were never used for slashing.

In truth, if one considered only the frequency, the two might even be similar.

The same was true of swordsmanship.

When one went through battle after battle in chaotic melees, every possible method was used.

It had been especially true when he fought Sword Demon.

That was why Su-ho had never neglected thrusting either.

Therefore, he was confident in consecutive thrusts, which belonged to the category of simple principles.

Spear Venerable had even given him a condition.

He had told him to thrust consecutively within an instant so brief that one second would feel long.

Then he simply had to do exactly that.

It was not as though he lacked stats or skill.

And he had used consecutive thrusts many times in actual combat.

He became one with the swords in his hands.

The wooden staff had become wooden swords.

Therefore, it was not Unity of Body and Spear, but Unity of Body and Sword.

That made it even easier.

The difference between handling a spear like a sword and handling an actual sword was as great as the difference between zero and one.

After taking his stance, Su-ho focused his attention on the tips of the swords.

The stage had been set.

Now he only had to do it.

His stance resembled that of a fencer, and after concentrating for a moment, he suddenly shot forward.

[ Ten Thousand Strikes is activated. ]

Boom!

The tip of the wooden sword struck Black Chief.

A single impact.

There was no change whatsoever.

He knew.

Spear Venerable had told him as much.

But the sword had only just touched it.

Therefore, he immediately thrust the sword forward once more.

[ Ten Thousand Strikes is activated. ]

Booom!!

The time required for that sequence of movements to repeat was around one second.

More precisely, it was closer to half a second.

Was that why?

The moment the two thrusts landed, the corners of Su-ho’s mouth rose.

Crack-

A fracture appeared.

At the same time, the tip of the wooden sword had sunk precisely one handspan into Black Chief.

Su-ho slowly released the wooden sword he had driven into it.

Then the wooden sword, its tip embedded in Black Chief, remained perfectly straight as it supported its own body against the rock as though proudly displaying the result.

Su-ho turned toward Spear Venerable and spread both palms.

“I did it.”

- ......

Spear Venerable said nothing.

More precisely, his mouth had fallen slightly open.

His eyes had narrowed as well.

This madman.

He had wondered if it might happen, but he had never truly expected him to succeed.

“Spear Venerable?”

- ......Ah, yes.

Spear Venerable rose from his seat.

He approached Black Chief and examined the wooden sword Su-ho had embedded in it.

Exactly one handspan.

That was the depth created when Ten Thousand Strikes was used twice in succession while maintaining a state of unity with the wooden staff.

It was exactly that deep.

- ......Explain.

“Explain what? How I succeeded on my first attempt?”

- Yes.

“I succeeded on my first attempt because they were swords. It might have been different with a spear, but I have handled swords for an extremely long time.”

- ......

There was nothing he could say.

Good grief.

What an absurd fellow.

Fine. I lost. I admit defeat.

Spear Venerable let out a chuckle and kept his promise.

[ Spear Venerable completely acknowledges you. ]

[ The System has also decided to completely acknowledge your talent for Heavy Strike Style. ]

[ As a result, your ‘Heavy Strike Style’ has fully earned the qualifications to advance to a higher realm. ]

[ You have comprehended ‘Heavy Strike Style, Sixth Form - Near-Pinnacle: Consecutive Strikes (SS).’ ]

[ You have accomplished a great achievement, and the System grants you 10 bonus stats. ]

Notifications appeared before his eyes.

It was the Near-Pinnacle of Heavy Strike Style, Consecutive Strikes, which Su-ho had earned with his own hands.

Su-ho smiled and spoke.

“Thank you for granting me Consecutive Strikes. Then, now.......”

- I was already going to give it to you.

Spear Venerable pouted as though displeased and waved his hand.

[ A truly astonishing achievement. ]

[ Spear Venerable completely acknowledges you. ]

[ The ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) System has also decided to completely acknowledge your talent for Heavy Strike Style. ]

[ As a result, your ‘Heavy Strike Style’ has fully earned the qualifications to reach the realm of the Pinnacle. ]

[ You have comprehended ‘Heavy Strike Style, Seventh Form - Pinnacle: Strike Eye (SS).’ ]

[ The information for Heavy Strike Style has changed. ]

[ You have accomplished a supreme achievement, and the System grants you 30 bonus stats. ]

Notifications appeared one after another.

He had finally obtained it.

The Pinnacle of Heavy Strike Style, ‘Strike Eye.’

The 30 bonus stats were an additional reward, and just as had happened with Vacuum Style, the skill grades of every existing form of Heavy Strike Style were raised to SS-rank.

After checking the acquisition information, Su-ho gave a fist-and-palm salute.

“Thank you, Spear Venerable.”

- A wager is a wager. Good grief. Still, I never imagined you would obtain the Strike Eye in this manner.

“Ha ha, neither did I.”

- Then everything is finished now, correct?

“Come on, surely not. You still have to give me what remains.”

- What remains?

“You said that if I succeeded on my first attempt, you would grant me an additional reward appropriate to it.”

- You have quite the memory, don’t you?

How could he possibly have forgotten something said only moments ago?

When Su-ho smiled and rubbed his hands together, Spear Venerable thought for a moment before waving his hand.

Then three face-down cards appeared before Su-ho.

“What are these?”

- Choose. Your reward is one of those three.

It was unexpected.

Su-ho had assumed he would simply toss him an appropriate reward, but he had not expected him to offer a draw like this.

Was this one final act of spite?

Just as he was about to choose, he asked.

“Are there any losing cards?”

- Would you like me to add one?

“I apologize.”

As expected of Spear Venerable.

He did not play tricks.

After considering it, Su-ho chose the card in the middle.

The card spun around, the two cards on either side disappeared, and the selected card flipped over to reveal its contents.

A lightning bolt was drawn on the card.

[ Spear Venerable grants you a new power. ]

[ You have comprehended Thunder Strike (SS). ]

“Thunder Strike?”

- It is the power of lightning. Whenever you successfully perform any thrusting action, lightning will burst from the tip of your weapon.

“......!”

Su-ho’s eyes widened.

It was because he had received a reward beyond his expectations.

- I had not originally intended to give you Thunder Strike as well, but I never imagined I would end up handing it over like this.

“Thank you. I will put it to good use.”

- Yes. Since it has gone into your possession, you had better use it well. And to give you a few more pieces of advice, Thunder Strike also grows stronger as your thrusts accumulate. And although the Pinnacle is the Strike Eye, the true power of Heavy Strike Style lies in Consecutive Strikes. Do not underestimate the power of consecutive thrusts. Consecutive Strikes grows stronger the more thrusts you accumulate.

“What are the conditions for strengthening Consecutive Strikes? Do I have to force every thrust into a single second?”

- Of course not. If that were the case, there would be a limit to the number of Consecutive Strikes unless you could control time. Then how could Consecutive Strikes grow infinitely stronger? Consecutive Strikes is a technique that allows you to continue thrusting for as long as your circumstances permit. However, you must keep the delay between each thrust below one second.

“One second is a long time. I will remember that.”

- Good. Then I have told you everything there is to tell, so you should leave now. I believe I have done everything I can for you.

“Thank you, Spear Venerable. I will never forget this kindness.”

- You had better not. Ah, right. One more thing.

“Yes?”

- Make sure you win.

A wish for his victory.

At those words, the corners of Su-ho’s mouth rose into a broad grin.

“Yes, I certainly will.”

- Good. Once you win, let us have another drink together.

The two bumped their fists together.