45

Chapter 45: The Weapon Battlefield

The first hundred projections charged at once.

Subin stood at the center of the enormous battlefield with Simple Edge in his hand.

Swords.

Spears.

Axes.

Hammers.

Halberds.

Shields.

Bows.

Chains.

Every type of weapon imaginable appeared among the approaching figures.

Their levels ranged from 42 to 52.

The strongest among them were clearly above Subin's current level.

But Subin didn't retreat.

He lowered his stance.

The first spear arrived.

He moved sideways.

A sword followed.

He blocked it.

An axe came from the opposite direction.

He ducked.

An arrow flew toward his head.

Subin tilted his body.

The arrow passed beside his ear.

Then he stepped forward.

Simple Edge flashed.

One projection disappeared.

[Weapon Projection defeated.]

Another attacked immediately.

Subin turned.

The sword collided with his blade.

The projection pushed forward with tremendous strength.

Subin didn't resist.

He allowed the force to guide his movement.

His body rotated.

The attack passed beside him.

Simple Edge moved across the projection's chest.

Another fell.

Subin continued moving.

He didn't fight the projections individually.

He moved through the battlefield.

Every step changed his position relative to multiple opponents.

That was the lesson he had learned in the previous chamber.

A battlefield was a single structure.

Not a collection of enemies.

The first wave surrounded him.

Subin's eyes sharpened.

Predator's Sense.

He sensed the attacks before they arrived.

His sword moved.

Seamless Edge.

One attack became another.

Defense became movement.

Movement became attack.

He slipped between a spear thrust and an axe swing, redirected the spear into the axe wielder and cut the swordsman approaching from behind.

Three projections disappeared almost simultaneously.

[Weapon Battlefield understanding: 4%.]

Subin continued.

---

The battlefield became chaotic.

But Subin's mind became calmer.

A hammer projection attacked.

Its weapon had enormous destructive power but limited speed.

Subin moved outside its range.

A spear projection followed.

The spear controlled the distance.

Subin entered its range.

A shield projection blocked the path ahead.

Subin didn't attack the shield directly.

He attacked the ground beside it.

The projection moved instinctively to maintain its defense.

That movement opened a gap.

Simple Edge passed through.

[Projection defeated.]

Subin continued.

A chain weapon suddenly wrapped around his sword.

The projection pulled.

Subin released Simple Edge.

For half a second, the weapon remained trapped.

The chain wielder reacted.

That was enough.

Subin stepped forward and struck the projection with his empty hand.

The system registered the hit.

The projection disappeared.

Simple Edge returned to his hand as the chain faded.

Subin smiled.

"Even without a sword, the battlefield is still part of the sword."

His understanding deepened.

[Sword God Foundation: 59% → 60%.]

He barely noticed the notification.

His attention was completely focused on the battlefield.

A group of archers appeared.

Twenty of them.

They immediately spread out.

Subin's expression changed.

The previous enemies had forced him to understand individual weapons.

These archers forced him to understand formations.

The first volley came.

Dozens of arrows filled the air.

Subin moved.

Fang Step.

He changed direction rapidly.

An arrow passed his shoulder.

Another struck the ground.

A third flew toward his leg.

He jumped.

Then he saw the next wave.

More arrows.

Subin didn't have enough space to dodge everything.

His sword moved.

Sword Intent.

A thin invisible edge traveled through the air.

The arrows split apart.

Subin landed.

He looked toward the archers.

Their formation was based on distance.

If he remained in the center, he would eventually be overwhelmed.

He needed to close the distance.

Subin sprinted.

The archers released another volley.

He accelerated.

His body moved through the gaps.

One arrow.

Two.

Three.

He avoided them.

The fourth arrow grazed his arm.

The fifth was cut apart.

He reached the first archer.

Simple Edge moved.

The projection vanished.

He continued.

Second.

Third.

Fourth.

The formation collapsed.

The remaining archers disappeared.

[Weapon Battlefield understanding: 11%.]

Subin took a breath.

Then the battlefield changed.

The floor shifted.

The weapons disappeared.

A massive circular arena formed.

Ten projections appeared.

Unlike the previous opponents, they were all heavily armored.

Each carried a different weapon.

Their levels were between 48 and 52.

At the center stood a warrior carrying a huge halberd.

[Weapon Commander]

Level: 52

Rank: B+

Subin looked at it.

The commander raised its halberd.

The other nine projections moved into formation.

Subin immediately understood.

This was no longer a simple test of individual weapons.

It was a test of fighting against coordinated weapon users.

The commander attacked.

Subin blocked.

The force nearly knocked him off balance.

A spear attacked from the left.

A sword from the right.

An axe from behind.

Subin jumped.

The halberd swept beneath him.

He landed.

A hammer came down.

He moved.

The spear thrust again.

He redirected it.

But the sword projection was already waiting.

Its blade came toward his neck.

Subin blocked.

The impact pushed him sideways.

The commander attacked again.

Subin retreated.

For the first time since entering the Weapon Battlefield, he was being overwhelmed.

Not because any single opponent was unbeatable.

Because the weapons complemented one another.

The shield protected the swordsman.

The spear controlled distance.

The axe restricted movement.

The hammer forced him to dodge.

The halberd controlled the wider area.

And the commander coordinated all of them.

Subin's eyes became sharper.

[Sword Comprehension activated.]

[Battlefield analysis: 19%.]

He watched.

The formation had a weakness.

The shield projection was the center.

Every other fighter adjusted according to its position.

Subin moved toward it.

The spear attacked.

He avoided it.

The axe followed.

He blocked.

The shield advanced.

Subin smiled.

"Found it."

He didn't attack the shield.

He attacked the space beside it.

Battlefield Control.

The shield projection moved to maintain the formation.

That was exactly what Subin wanted.

He stepped through the opening.

Fang Step.

His sword flashed.

The shield projection disappeared.

The formation immediately changed.

The spear moved into the center.

The halberd covered the gap.

Subin didn't allow them to reorganize.

He attacked the spear user.

One strike.

The spear disappeared.

The axe attacked.

Subin turned.

Silver Flow.

The axe's momentum was redirected.

The swordsman moved in.

Subin stepped forward.

Flowing Edge.

The swordsman's weapon was pushed aside.

Simple Edge stopped at its throat.

Another projection disappeared.

The formation was breaking.

The commander roared.

Its halberd came down.

Subin blocked.

The impact cracked the ground beneath his feet.

His arms trembled.

Level 52.

B+ rank.

The difference in raw attributes was becoming obvious.

Subin couldn't overpower it.

He didn't need to.

He stepped backward.

The commander followed.

Another strike.

Subin moved.

The halberd struck the ground.

Subin attacked the weapon rather than the body.

One Absolute Edge.

The halberd cracked.

The commander immediately released it.

Its empty hand moved toward Subin.

Subin ducked.

A fist passed above his head.

He stepped inside.

Simple Edge touched the commander's chest.

The projection didn't disappear.

Instead, a barrier appeared.

[Direct attack blocked.]

Subin's eyes narrowed.

The commander was the strongest projection.

It wasn't going to fall from one strike.

The commander attacked.

Subin blocked.

The two exchanged blows.

Ten.

Twenty.

Thirty.

Subin's breathing became heavier.

The commander was faster than expected.

Subin couldn't simply rely on his existing techniques.

He needed to understand the opponent.

[Battlefield analysis: 34%.]

The commander's weapon was gone, but its combat ability hadn't decreased significantly.

It used its body like another weapon.

Elbows.

Knees.

Shoulders.

Fists.

Every movement remained connected to the battlefield.

Subin suddenly understood.

The commander wasn't representing one weapon.

It represented weapon mastery.

The weapon was only an extension.

That was why it could continue fighting after losing the halberd.

Subin's eyes brightened.

"That's the point."

The commander attacked.

Subin moved.

Their bodies crossed.

Simple Edge touched its back.

The barrier appeared again.

The commander turned.

Subin was already gone.

He moved around it.

Not faster.

Better.

He stopped trying to attack the strongest point.

Instead, he began controlling the commander's position.

Left.

Right.

Forward.

Backward.

The commander slowly lost access to the other projections.

Subin had separated it from the formation.

Now it was alone.

The battle changed completely.

The commander attacked.

Subin blocked.

The commander followed.

Subin redirected.

The commander attempted a counter.

Subin anticipated it.

Sword Intent.

The sword moved.

Seamless Edge.

The commander's defense opened.

Subin stepped forward.

One slash.

The barrier shattered.

Second slash.

The projection froze.

[Weapon Commander defeated.]

The remaining projections disappeared.

Silence returned.

Subin stood in the center of the arena.

Then the system appeared.

[Weapon Battlefield Stage One Complete.]

[Total projections defeated: 100.]

[Advanced Weapon Commander defeated.]

[Experience acquired.]

[Level increased.]

[Level 39 → Level 40.]

Subin exhaled slowly.

He looked at the battlefield.

There was no celebration.

No treasure chest.

Instead, the entire arena began changing again.

The system continued.

[Weapon comprehension trial progressing.]

[Sword God Foundation: 60% → 64%.]

[Personal Sword Path: 41% → 45%.]

[Battlefield Control: 49% → 56%.]

Then a final notification appeared.

[New understanding acquired.]

[Principle: Weaponless Sword.]

Subin stared at the words.

He opened the description.

[Weaponless Sword]

The sword begins with the swordsman, not the blade.

The user's understanding of distance, movement, intent and cutting remains active even when no sword is present.

The principle does not create physical attacks without a weapon.

Instead, it preserves swordsmanship principles through body movement and intent.

Subin thought about the moment when he had released Simple Edge against the chain wielder.

He had instinctively continued fighting as though the sword were still in his hand.

Now he understood why.

The sword wasn't simply the object he held.

It was the method through which he expressed his understanding.

The weaponless principle didn't mean he had to abandon the sword.

Quite the opposite.

It meant his dependence on the physical blade was decreasing.

His foundation was becoming his own.

Subin looked down at Simple Edge.

The sword vibrated.

99.92% → 99.94%

Subin's eyes widened.

"Another increase."

Only 0.02%.

But it was meaningful.

His sword was responding to understanding rather than power.

He slowly sheathed it.

Then the entire battlefield trembled.

A huge gate appeared on the opposite side.

Unlike the previous doors, this one was made from countless weapons fused together.

Swords.

Spears.

Axes.

Bows.

Shields.

Every weapon seemed to form part of the structure.

A message appeared.

[Stage Two unlocked.]

[The Hundred Weapon Trial.]

Subin read the description.

[Objective: Defeat weapon masters representing different combat paths.]

[Opponents: 100]

[Level range: 50–60]

[Recommended Rank: B+]

Subin's expression became serious.

Level 60.

That was considerably above him.

He had just reached Level 40.

But he didn't feel fear.

He felt anticipation.

The first stage had taught him how other weapons controlled the battlefield.

The second stage would teach him how masters used them.

Subin walked toward the gate.

Then he stopped.

He looked at his status.

Name: Subin Vans

Class: Sword God

Level: 40

Strength: 66

Agility: 65

Vitality: 59

Intelligence: 33

Mana: 29

Unassigned Attribute Points: 20

Sword God Foundation: 64%

Personal Sword Path: 45%

Sword Intent Comprehension: 32%

Simple Edge Synchronization: 99.94%

He still had twenty unassigned attribute points.

Subin considered them carefully.

His physical attributes had remained unchanged for several levels because he had deliberately saved his points.

Now he decided to distribute them.

Strength +5.

Agility +5.

Vitality +4.

Intelligence +3.

Mana +3.

His status changed.

Strength: 71

Agility: 70

Vitality: 63

Intelligence: 36

Mana: 32

He felt the changes immediately.

His body became slightly stronger.

His movements became lighter.

His mana circulation improved.

But Subin didn't feel fundamentally different.

That was because his greatest growth wasn't coming from attributes anymore.

It was coming from understanding.

He looked at the gate.

"One hundred weapon masters."

He smiled.

"Let's see what they can teach me."

The massive weapon gate opened.

Beyond it stretched another battlefield.

And waiting at its center were the first ten masters.

A swordsman.

A spear master.

An axe master.

A hammer master.

A shield warrior.

An archer.

A dual-blade fighter.

A chain wielder.

A staff master.

And a bare-handed martial artist.

All stood at Level 50.

All were waiting for him.

Subin drew Simple Edge.

His eyes became calm.

The first ten masters moved forward.

The next stage of his sword journey had begun.