Chapter 12
[Junhyuk[Solo]: Brother, this isn’t like the story you told, is it?]
[Taesan[Solo]: What are you talking about all of a sudden?]
[Junhyuk[Solo]: About the holy knight. He just spat and left, didn’t he?]
“Alright! There’s no reason to delay, let’s start right away.”
Ainshar began to explain the skill.
“There are numerous skills in the labyrinth.”
Indeed, there were many. There were thousands of skills that Taesan hadn’t learned simply because he didn’t need them. Including those he didn’t know, the total would probably reach ten thousand.
“However, I can proudly claim that Levinenof’s techniques are among the finest skills. They may not appear flashy, but they are genuinely useful. The goddess herself praised these techniques.”
Ainshar continued with a proud expression.
“Do you know what a basic skill is?”
“The most easily acquired skills in the labyrinth. You can obtain them with just a single action.”
“You’re well informed.”
Ainshar looked at Taesan with admiration.
“It’s basic information, but not something adventurers on the 1st floor would typically realize. You’ve even mastered the skill of enduring. It seems like your world is well-acquainted with the information about this place.”
“Yes.”
A world that knows about the labyrinth’s information. Taesan casually replied while storing the information in his mind.
“Since I’m teaching, let me give you a brief explanation. If there’s anything you didn’t know, feel free to ask.”
Ainshar cleared his throat.
“Taesan, what basic skills are you learning?”
“Swordsmanship and Shieldmanship.”
“Very orthodox.”
Ainshar nodded.
“If you wield a sword, you gain Swordsmanship. If you use a shield, you gain Shieldmanship. If you handle a spear, you gain Spearmanship. It’s the basics.”
Basic skills.
You immediately obtain these skills the moment you wield a weapon. As your proficiency increases, so does your knowledge and effectiveness with that weapon. Every player typically learns these skills.
For Taesan, however, these skills were meaningless. He was a player who relied on skills rather than techniques. The effectiveness of spears and swords didn’t matter to him, so he never bothered with their proficiency.
But now, things were different.
Now he could gain normal stats. It was better to increase the proficiency of basic skills as well.
“The technique of Levinenof, which we call the Iyrak Weapons Technique. Its effect is the integration of basic skills.”
“…I see.”
Taesan’s expression cooled. Ainshar smiled thinly.
“You must be thinking it’s meaningless right now.”
“Even if skills are combined, it doesn’t change anything.”
One might mistakenly think it’s beneficial to increase proficiency all at once. If it were a different skill, that might actually be good. But not for basic skills.
Because of systemic issues, utilizing many weapons isn’t significantly meaningful.
Ainshar seemed to understand Taesan’s thoughts and began to speak.
“What’s your current additional attack power?”
“1.”
“…A cute number. With that, you should have about 4.”
“Considering the base attack power, yes.”
“Good.”
Ainshar stood in front of Taesan.
“Probably that’s the attack power of the shield. Try attacking me with it.”
“It won’t even register damage.”
“Don’t worry about that.”
Ainshar laughed heartily and used a skill.
[Ainshar has activated Target Lock. Ainshar will receive all attacks as fixed damage.] “Go ahead, try.”
If he insists.
Taesan tapped Ainshar’s head with the edge of his shield.
Clang!
[Ainshar receives 4 damage.] “…Was it necessary to hit the head?”
“My mistake.”
“If you say so…”
Ainshar looked somewhat disgruntled and spoke again.
“Now, try hitting me with your fist.”
As if indicating where to hit other than the head, he pushed out his chest. Taesan, not wanting to upset him by hitting the head again, complied and struck his chest.
[Ainshar receives 2 damage.] “Did you catch what I’m trying to say?”
“Are you referring to the variation in damage depending on the weapon used?”
“Exactly. You catch on quickly. It’s precisely because of this that adventurers usually stick to one weapon.”
It was a simple issue.
Each weapon has its own + attack power stat. Although it’s a meager 1 now, it will eventually reach hundreds, even thousands.
And the additional attack power only applies when you actually use that specific weapon.
“For instance, if you’re wearing gauntlets with 50 attack power and a sword with 20, when you strike with the sword, only the 20 attack power applies. If you hit with the gauntlets, only the 50 applies. You never get 70.”
“Isn’t that obvious?”
If the attack power of multiple weapons were combined, every player would be overloaded with weapons. They’d wear a dagger on each finger.
But since that’s not the case, players focus on their primary weapon, increasing its proficiency.
Ainshar smiled thinly.
“But isn’t it inconvenient? To use only one weapon during combat! What an absurdity! Perhaps others wouldn’t understand, but you, with your understanding, should see the point!”
“That’s true.”
Combat is a life-or-death struggle, naturally utilizing every part of the body. Not just wielding a sword, but also kicking, punching, and shouldering.
When only meager basic damage is dealt with each action, it indeed felt inconvenient. But as it was a systemic issue, there was nothing to do but accept it.
“Our order, serving Levinenof, disliked that notion. My body is my weapon, and my weapon is my body. There shouldn’t be a difference in handling them. Hence, after extensive research, we developed the Iyrak Weapons Technique. I played a big part in that.”
Ainshar laughed heartily as he spoke.
“The effect in the labyrinth is straightforward. Integration of basic skills. And the integration of all equipped gear’s damage. Those are the two main points.”
Taesan’s eyebrows twitched.
“Combined attack power?”
“You’ve understood correctly. Meaning, if you’re wearing a 20-attack sword and 50-attack gauntlets, the total would be 70.”
“…And the scope of application?”
“Of course, it includes every part of the body! Whether you strike with an arm, a shoulder, or kick with a leg, 70 attack power applies!”
“…”
Taesan let out a groan. It essentially meant his entire body became a weapon.
Players stick to using one weapon because only its attack power applies.
However, with the Iyrak Weapons Technique, there’s no need for that. You can wear combat gauntlets, a main weapon, and various pieces of armor with attack power, including rings that were considered useless before. You could wear them all.
Right now, its value might not seem significant, but as you progress through the labyrinth and acquire more equipment, its value skyrockets.
“A splendid skill.”
It was hard to describe it merely as “good.” It was a skill Taesan had not acquired in his past life. The Iyrak Weapons Technique certainly had the value of a main skill.
“Although you already have the skill of enduring, it might not be as surprising, but for the average adventurer, it’s a value they couldn’t achieve even with a lifetime of effort. Do you want to learn it?”
“Of course, I will.”
Ainshar smiled satisfactorily at the immediate response.
“Then, I shall grant you the Iyrak Weapons Technique. Relax your body and be receptive.”
“Can you give it just like that?”
“This isn’t like other skills; I’ve mastered it through personal acquisition. Transferring it is no issue. It’s possible just like this.”
Ainshar placed his hand on Taesan’s shoulder.
“Uh.”
Taesan let out a soft groan. Something flowed into him. The types of techniques, how to control them, and various other pieces of information.
It was a sensation he had never experienced before.
[You have received the Iyrak Technique directly from its founder. You have acquired the supreme skill [Iyrak Weapons Technique].] [Basic skill [Shieldmanship] has been integrated into Iyrak Weapons Technique.] [Basic skill [Swordsmanship] has been integrated into Iyrak Weapons Technique.] “How does it feel?”
“…It’s surprisingly simple.”
“Because my proficiency in the Iyrak Technique is 100%. Otherwise, it would have taken quite a long time.”
Ainshar laughed heartily. Hearing this, Taesan learned new information.
‘A physical technique created by oneself can be easily transferred.’
This was information he didn’t have in his previous life. Users only focused on learning basic skills and didn’t bother to develop anything from them, so the existence of advanced skills remained unknown.
“Try checking it now.”
Taesan opened the skill window.
[Supreme Skill: Iyrak Weapons Technique] [Proficiency: 1%] [A technique for handling weapons and the body. It’s still clumsy, and there seems to be a loss in power transmission.] “The higher the proficiency, the more adept you’ll become. It’s best to train every day without fail. And here’s something else for you.”
Ainshar handed him a rusted ring.
[Faded Ring] [Attack Power +1] [A ring that has been used for a long time. It seems like it was quite valuable once.] “I wish I could give more, but this is all I can afford without undermining the importance of the gift. I’m sorry.”
“It’s enough.”
Had it been before, he would have discarded it as useless. After all, you can’t hit with a ring. But now that he had learned the Iyrak Technique, the value of this ring was equivalent to a rusted sword.
Taesan accepted and wore the ring.
“Hmm. That’s all I can convey for now, but… I’m slightly regretful. Since you can’t immediately go deeper into the depths anyway…”
After pondering, Ainshar made a decision.
“Taesan, how about a sparring match?”
Ainshar drew his sword.
“You’ve just learned the technique. Isn’t it best to test it before actual combat?”
“Agreed.”
There was no reason to refuse. Taesan gripped his shield.
Every action in the labyrinth is evaluated.
Even in seemingly useless rooms, if you meticulously search and find something, your proficiency in Observation increases, and if you continuously block an opponent’s attacks, your proficiency in Shieldmanship increases.
Therefore, fighting a strong opponent is inherently meaningful.
Ainshar began sparring with Taesan for a full two days, and Taesan gained a lot.
Firstly, a skill.
[Special Always-Activated Skill: Sustained Combat] [Proficiency: 3%] [You can sustain combat for a long period. You don’t tire easily.] A skill that allows for prolonged combat, making a clear difference in endurance with or without it. Taesan could fight S-rank monsters for days on end thanks to this skill.
However, he had almost given up on acquiring it here since the requirement was to fight other players, and Alone mode was for solo play.
According to Ireon, adventurers exist but aren’t in a position to leisurely spar. Taesan was able to acquire it thanks to Ainshar.
Besides, the proficiency of most skills increased.
“Is that enough?”
“It’s more than enough.”
The achievements of two days were immensely valuable. Taesan sincerely thanked Ainshar. Ainshar waved his hands dismissively.
“I enjoyed it, too, so it’s fine. Moreover, it was a fun experience for me.”
Ainshar looked at Taesan with wonder.
“With such sense and skill that doesn’t seem fitting for a 1st-floor adventurer… Indeed, I have an eye for talent.”
He smiled contently and spoke.
“Taesan. Just promise me two things.”
“Tell me.”
“Now that you’ve learned the Iyrak Technique, you can teach it to someone else. But if that person is worthless, a scoundrel, never teach them. If you break this promise, I’ll come to kill you myself.”
His tone was serious, filled with a murderous intent. Taesan nodded.
“Understood.”
“And the other thing, if you find any information about Levinenof, please let me know.”
“It’s unlikely I’ll meet you again in the labyrinth.”
Ainshar had done the same to Ireon. He left her after showing disdain. Ainshar gave a wry smile.
“I don’t have much hope for that. Just clinging to a miracle.”
He looked worn out. He probably spent a significant amount of time here without finding anything.
And at the end, he would find the goddess dead.
Whether to tell him or not. That was a branching path.
Chapter 12 : First Floor (7)
[Kang Junhyuk[Alone]: Brother, this isn’t like the story you told, is it?] [Kang Taesan[Alone]: What are you talking about all of a sudden?] [Kang Junhyuk[Alone]: About the holy knight. He just spat and left, didn’t he?]
“Alright! There’s no reason to delay, let’s start right away.”
Ainshar began to explain the skill.
“There are numerous skills in the labyrinth.”
Indeed, there were many. There were thousands of skills that Taesan hadn’t learned simply because he didn’t need them. Including those he didn’t know, the total would probably reach ten thousand.
“However, I can proudly claim that Levinenof’s techniques are among the finest skills. They may not appear flashy, but they are genuinely useful. The goddess herself praised these techniques.”
Ainshar continued with a proud expression.
“Do you know what a basic skill is?”
“The most easily acquired skills in the labyrinth. You can obtain them with just a single action.”
“You’re well informed.”
Ainshar looked at Taesan with admiration.
“It’s basic information, but not something adventurers on the 1st floor would typically realize. You’ve even mastered the skill of enduring. It seems like your world is well-acquainted with the information about this place.”
“Yes.”
A world that knows about the labyrinth’s information. Taesan casually replied while storing the information in his mind.
“Since I’m teaching, let me give you a brief explanation. If there’s anything you didn’t know, feel free to ask.”
Ainshar cleared his throat.
“Taesan, what basic skills are you learning?”
“Swordsmanship and Shieldmanship.”
“Very orthodox.”
Ainshar nodded.
“If you wield a sword, you gain Swordsmanship. If you use a shield, you gain Shieldmanship. If you handle a spear, you gain Spearmanship. It’s the basics.”
Basic skills.
You immediately obtain these skills the moment you wield a weapon. As your proficiency increases, so does your knowledge and effectiveness with that weapon. Every player typically learns these skills.
For Taesan, however, these skills were meaningless. He was a player who relied on skills rather than techniques. The effectiveness of spears and swords didn’t matter to him, so he never bothered with their proficiency.
But now, things were different.
Now he could gain normal stats. It was better to increase the proficiency of basic skills as well.
“The technique of Levinenof, which we call the Iyrak Weapons Technique. Its effect is the integration of basic skills.”
“…I see.”
Taesan’s expression cooled. Ainshar smiled thinly.
“You must be thinking it’s meaningless right now.”
“Even if skills are combined, it doesn’t change anything.”
One might mistakenly think it’s beneficial to increase proficiency all at once. If it were a different skill, that might actually be good. But not for basic skills.
Because of systemic issues, utilizing many weapons isn’t significantly meaningful.
Ainshar seemed to understand Taesan’s thoughts and began to speak.
“What’s your current additional attack power?”
“1.”
“…A cute number. With that, you should have about 4.”
“Considering the base attack power, yes.”
“Good.”
Ainshar stood in front of Taesan.
“Probably that’s the attack power of the shield. Try attacking me with it.”
“It won’t even register damage.”
“Don’t worry about that.”
Ainshar laughed heartily and used a skill.
[Ainshar has activated Target Lock. Ainshar will receive all attacks as fixed damage.] “Go ahead, try.”
If he insists.
Taesan tapped Ainshar’s head with the edge of his shield.
Clang!
[Ainshar receives 4 damage.] “…Was it necessary to hit the head?”
“My mistake.”
“If you say so…”
Ainshar looked somewhat disgruntled and spoke again.
“Now, try hitting me with your fist.”
As if indicating where to hit other than the head, he pushed out his chest. Taesan, not wanting to upset him by hitting the head again, complied and struck his chest.
[Ainshar receives 2 damage.] “Did you catch what I’m trying to say?”
“Are you referring to the variation in damage depending on the weapon used?”
“Exactly. You catch on quickly. It’s precisely because of this that adventurers usually stick to one weapon.”
It was a simple issue.
Each weapon has its own + attack power stat. Although it’s a meager 1 now, it will eventually reach hundreds, even thousands.
And the additional attack power only applies when you actually use that specific weapon.
“For instance, if you’re wearing gauntlets with 50 attack power and a sword with 20, when you strike with the sword, only the 20 attack power applies. If you hit with the gauntlets, only the 50 applies. You never get 70.”
“Isn’t that obvious?”
If the attack power of multiple weapons were combined, every player would be overloaded with weapons. They’d wear a dagger on each finger.
But since that’s not the case, players focus on their primary weapon, increasing its proficiency.
Ainshar smiled thinly.
“But isn’t it inconvenient? To use only one weapon during combat! What an absurdity! Perhaps others wouldn’t understand, but you, with your understanding, should see the point!”
“That’s true.”
Combat is a life-or-death struggle, naturally utilizing every part of the body. Not just wielding a sword, but also kicking, punching, and shouldering.
When only meager basic damage is dealt with each action, it indeed felt inconvenient. But as it was a systemic issue, there was nothing to do but accept it.
“Our order, serving Levinenof, disliked that notion. My body is my weapon, and my weapon is my body. There shouldn’t be a difference in handling them. Hence, after extensive research, we developed the Iyrak Weapons Technique. I played a big part in that.”
Ainshar laughed heartily as he spoke.
“The effect in the labyrinth is straightforward. Integration of basic skills. And the integration of all equipped gear’s damage. Those are the two main points.”
Taesan’s eyebrows twitched.
“Combined attack power?”
“You’ve understood correctly. Meaning, if you’re wearing a 20-attack sword and 50-attack gauntlets, the total would be 70.”
“…And the scope of application?”
“Of course, it includes every part of the body! Whether you strike with an arm, a shoulder, or kick with a leg, 70 attack power applies!”
“…”
Taesan let out a groan. It essentially meant his entire body became a weapon.
Players stick to using one weapon because only its attack power applies.
However, with the Iyrak Weapons Technique, there’s no need for that. You can wear combat gauntlets, a main weapon, and various pieces of armor with attack power, including rings that were considered useless before. You could wear them all.
Right now, its value might not seem significant, but as you progress through the labyrinth and acquire more equipment, its value skyrockets.
“A splendid skill.”
It was hard to describe it merely as “good.” It was a skill Taesan had not acquired in his past life. The Iyrak Weapons Technique certainly had the value of a main skill.
“Although you already have the skill of enduring, it might not be as surprising, but for the average adventurer, it’s a value they couldn’t achieve even with a lifetime of effort. Do you want to learn it?”
“Of course, I will.”
Ainshar smiled satisfactorily at the immediate response.
“Then, I shall grant you the Iyrak Weapons Technique. Relax your body and be receptive.”
“Can you give it just like that?”
“This isn’t like other skills; I’ve mastered it through personal acquisition. Transferring it is no issue. It’s possible just like this.”
Ainshar placed his hand on Taesan’s shoulder.
“Uh.”
Taesan let out a soft groan. Something flowed into him. The types of techniques, how to control them, and various other pieces of information.
It was a sensation he had never experienced before.
[You have received the Iyrak Technique directly from its founder. You have acquired the supreme skill [Iyrak Weapons Technique].] [Basic skill [Shieldmanship] has been integrated into Iyrak Weapons Technique.] [Basic skill [Swordsmanship] has been integrated into Iyrak Weapons Technique.] “How does it feel?”
“…It’s surprisingly simple.”
“Because my proficiency in the Iyrak Technique is 100%. Otherwise, it would have taken quite a long time.”
Ainshar laughed heartily. Hearing this, Taesan learned new information.
‘A physical technique created by oneself can be easily transferred.’
This was information he didn’t have in his previous life. Users only focused on learning basic skills and didn’t bother to develop anything from them, so the existence of advanced skills remained unknown.
“Try checking it now.”
Taesan opened the skill window.
[Supreme Skill: Iyrak Weapons Technique] [Proficiency: 1%] [A technique for handling weapons and the body. It’s still clumsy, and there seems to be a loss in power transmission.] “The higher the proficiency, the more adept you’ll become. It’s best to train every day without fail. And here’s something else for you.”
Ainshar handed him a rusted ring.
[Faded Ring] [Attack Power +1] [A ring that has been used for a long time. It seems like it was quite valuable once.] “I wish I could give more, but this is all I can afford without undermining the importance of the gift. I’m sorry.”
“It’s enough.”
Had it been before, he would have discarded it as useless. After all, you can’t hit with a ring. But now that he had learned the Iyrak Technique, the value of this ring was equivalent to a rusted sword.
Taesan accepted and wore the ring.
“Hmm. That’s all I can convey for now, but… I’m slightly regretful. Since you can’t immediately go deeper into the depths anyway…”
After pondering, Ainshar made a decision.
“Taesan, how about a sparring match?”
Ainshar drew his sword.
“You’ve just learned the technique. Isn’t it best to test it before actual combat?”
“Agreed.”
There was no reason to refuse. Taesan gripped his shield.
Every action in the labyrinth is evaluated.
Even in seemingly useless rooms, if you meticulously search and find something, your proficiency in Observation increases, and if you continuously block an opponent’s attacks, your proficiency in Shieldmanship increases.
Therefore, fighting a strong opponent is inherently meaningful.
Ainshar began sparring with Taesan for a full two days, and Taesan gained a lot.
Firstly, a skill.
[Special Always-Activated Skill: Sustained Combat] [Proficiency: 3%] [You can sustain combat for a long period. You don’t tire easily.] A skill that allows for prolonged combat, making a clear difference in endurance with or without it. Taesan could fight S-rank monsters for days on end thanks to this skill.
However, he had almost given up on acquiring it here since the requirement was to fight other players, and Alone mode was for solo play.
According to Ireon, adventurers exist but aren’t in a position to leisurely spar. Taesan was able to acquire it thanks to Ainshar.
Besides, the proficiency of most skills increased.
“Is that enough?”
“It’s more than enough.”
The achievements of two days were immensely valuable. Taesan sincerely thanked Ainshar. Ainshar waved his hands dismissively.
“I enjoyed it, too, so it’s fine. Moreover, it was a fun experience for me.”
Ainshar looked at Taesan with wonder.
“With such sense and skill that doesn’t seem fitting for a 1st-floor adventurer… Indeed, I have an eye for talent.”
He smiled contently and spoke.
“Taesan. Just promise me two things.”
“Tell me.”
“Now that you’ve learned the Iyrak Technique, you can teach it to someone else. But if that person is worthless, a scoundrel, never teach them. If you break this promise, I’ll come to kill you myself.”
His tone was serious, filled with a murderous intent. Taesan nodded.
“Understood.”
“And the other thing, if you find any information about Levinenof, please let me know.”
“It’s unlikely I’ll meet you again in the labyrinth.”
Ainshar had done the same to Ireon. He left her after showing disdain. Ainshar gave a wry smile.
“I don’t have much hope for that. Just clinging to a miracle.”
He looked worn out. He probably spent a significant amount of time here without finding anything.
And at the end, he would find the goddess dead.
Whether to tell him or not. That was a branching path.
