Chapter 322. Attack Design Option (1)

‘This is what they call many a little makes a mickle!’

Lloyd clenched his fist. He opened the system window. He had more than enough RP.

[Level up Mana Heart skill to the next stage.]
[RP required for level up: 3,800]
[Current RP: 4,612]

[Do you want to level up the skill?]
[YES / NO]

‘Of course.’

Now was not the time to save RP. Lloyd selected ‘YES’ without hesitation.

Ding-dong!

[Skill Rank Up!]

[Skill Name: Mana Heart]
[Stage: Sword Master Beginner Lv.1]
[Physical Ability Enhancement Rate: 4,000%]
[Current Skill-Specific Options: ① Shock Absorption / ② Poison Immunity ③ Berserk ④ Half-Dragon / ⑤ Time Freeze]
[RP required for next level up: 10,000]
[Current RP: 812]

[The rank of Mana Heart skill has been elevated to <Sword Master Beginner>.]
[Your Mana Heart has surpassed its grand limit through extensive training and has now marked the brilliant milestone of Sword Master. This special and successful experience has brought changes to your Mana Heart skill options.]

A wave of messages appeared without pause. Each contained vital information about new skill options that needed immediate use.

[Option Removal Notification]
[Skill-Specific Option ⑥: Sword Master Syndrome has been removed.]
[You have now fully reached the realm of a Sword Master and can control the previously extreme sensitivity of your senses at will.]

A shackle that had recently been binding him was now gone. In its place, new wings had been given.

Ding-dong!

[New Option Generation Notification]
[You have become one of the Sword Masters recorded in the history of the Lorasia continent. Moreover, you are the first individual to reach the realm of Sword Master through an unprecedented method. This unique growth process and achievement have had a significant impact on your skills, resulting in a grand reward.]

[One of your owned skills will be randomly selected and fused with the Mana Heart skill, generating a new fusion option.]

‘A fusion option? It’s linked with another skill?’

What kind of option would it be? Lloyd focused on the message window. The answer came soon.

[The generated fusion option will be registered to the Mana Heart skill.]
[Skill-Specific Option ⑥: Attack Design – According to the skill usage history, the skill you have used the most time on, other than the Mana Heart skill, is the ‘Design’ skill. You have spent countless days and nights on building designs, and this grueling constructive experience has fused with the Mana Heart skill. From now on, you can design and store the actions and outcomes of your attacks and apply them in reality during combat.]

[For more detailed usage information, select ‘Option Details’ below.]

‘Design? Attack design?’

Lloyd swallowed dryly. Even at a glance, he could tell it was something extraordinary.

‘Option Details.’

He clicked on the option details. Information immediately flowed.

[Skill-Specific Option ⑥: Attack Design]
[Detailed Information (1): Attack Design is an option that allows you to design and apply the movements of both the target and yourself in reality.]
[Detailed Information (2): You can bring the physical information of the target measured by surveying into the design space.]
[Detailed Information (3): You can manipulate, design, and set the spatial position, posture, movement sequence, and weight transfer of the target brought into the design space. However, actions that violate the target’s physical structure cannot be arbitrarily designed.]
[Detailed Information (4): You can bring your own data into the design space, setting your position, actions, attack path, speed, strength, and impact points. However, as with Detailed Information (3), you cannot design actions that violate your physical structure.]
[Detailed Information (5): You can combine and store the movements of the target and yourself as designed in the design space.]
[Detailed Information (6): Stored attack design data can be applied to reality at any time by loading it.]
[Detailed Information (7): You can store up to 3 attack design data slots. This number can increase as the skill option grows.]
[Detailed Information (8): You can only design one target’s actions at a time.]
[Detailed Information (9): The duration of the actions designed at one time is limited to 5 seconds.]
[Detailed Information (10): There is no cost to design and store the attack data. However, it costs 250 RP each time to apply the stored data to reality.]

“…”

Lloyd read the detailed information without breathing. Or rather, he couldn’t breathe while reading it. His fist clenched tightly.

This new option. He immediately sensed how amazing it was.

‘This is incredible.’

It allowed him to design the opponent’s movements. He could set their actions according to his will, store the data, and apply it to reality.

‘For 5 seconds, I can completely control the opponent as I want?’

Five seconds might seem short, but in a fierce and urgent situation, an immense amount could happen in that time.

Moreover, the option’s effect didn’t stop there.

‘I can even design my own movements. I can match my actions to the manipulated movements of the opponent. It’s like choreographing a stunt in an action movie.’

That’s exactly what it was. The dazzling, impressive fight scenes in action movies. Yet, movies were just that – movies. No matter how skilled the martial artist, no matter how flashy the techniques, real fights often degenerated into chaotic brawls. The same went for swordsmanship.

To move as intended, slicing and parrying perfectly? That was something only a natural swordsmanship genius like Javier or Queen Alicia could achieve.

For him?

‘Not even close.’

That was reality. Until now, that is. Now?

‘The story changes completely.’

Looking at the Attack Design option, Lloyd was convinced. For those 5 seconds, he could move precisely as intended. Manipulate the opponent’s actions and design his own attacks to fit perfectly, then apply it to reality.

Moreover, he had gained more than just the option.

Thump… Thump…

His heart was beating. No, his Mana Heart was roaring. Holding all his growth experiences, it transmitted an even greater pulse and resonance throughout his body. Muscles and tendons. Bones and skin. Internal organs. Arteries and capillaries. It brought an unprecedented vitality. It was a storm of senses. A flood of power. Yet all that power was his.

With the expanded and controlled senses of a Sword Master, he felt a new spectrum of the world opening up. Lloyd raised his eyes.

At the same time, he realized. The Sword Master Syndrome had just been a joke. This was the true sense of a Sword Master.

‘I can see everything.’

Below the Jewel of Truth, near the foundation, Javier and the fallen angel clashed. He could see every movement. The Grand Master and the high-ranking angel. Although they were still far beyond his reach, he could somewhat see and feel their actions.

Especially the fallen angel.

‘Watching like this, I get it. Javier’s speed, precision, and variety of movements are at least two levels above the fallen angel. Instead, the fallen angel is… incredibly sturdy.’

Perhaps all angels were top-notch punching bags in their past lives. This thought crossed Lloyd’s mind as he watched their battle. The fallen angel was remarkably tough. Amid the storm-like tempo of the clash, it took hit after hit. Yet, with incredible resilience and recovery, it endured and counterattacked. It kept enduring and counterattacking despite taking hits.

‘If I were to compare them to animals, Javier is like a lethal weasel, and the fallen angel is… like a robust Ural Mountain boar. So, the solution to this fight is simple. Land a powerful blow that the boar can’t withstand.’

That’s what Javier couldn’t manage. Not because he lacked attack power. More precisely, he couldn’t find an opportunity to land a powerful blow.

‘The fallen angel’s skills aren’t a joke either. It accepts minor hits but avoids major ones with determination. A troublesome opponent. So, let’s create that opportunity now, Surveying!’

Lloyd activated the Surveying skill.

[Scanning starts.]

Whizz!

With the senses of a Sword Master, he captured the fallen angel’s movements. He scanned and measured all the physical information of the fallen angel, then brought it into the design space.

[Bringing the data of the surveyed target, ‘Third-Rank Fallen Angel Raphael,’ into the design space.]
[You can set the target’s actions using the Mana Heart skill’s exclusive option ⑥: Attack Design.]
[Do you want to activate the attack design mode?]
[YES / NO]

‘Of course, that’s why I’m doing this. Yes!’

Shwaa!

The attack design mode space unfolded before his eyes. The surveyed form of the fallen angel Raphael appeared in that space. From that moment, Lloyd’s hands got busy.

‘So, how should I cook you? Like this. Like that. And like this.’

Swish, swish, swish!

In the design space, he swiftly set Raphael’s actions. There wasn’t much to set for just 5 seconds of actions. Lloyd also set his own attack movements. Then he saved it.

[Please name the attack design data to be saved in slot 1.]

‘Munyeom Musang!’

[The attack design data in slot 1 has been named ‘Munyeom Musang’.]

Lloyd wasn’t satisfied with just that.

‘Might as well fill all the slots!’

He meticulously designed. He set everything without hesitation. He saved it in an instant.

[The attack design data in slot 2 has been named ‘PT 8’.]
[The attack design data in slot 3 has been named ‘Kkang’.]

[All three slots have been filled.]
[To save a new attack design, you must delete existing slot data.]

‘Alright, it’s done.’

Lloyd clenched his fist. Everything was ready. He kicked off from the top of the Jewel. He jumped down, gripping the shovel tightly. As he ran down the large steps of the Jewel, he collided the three mana circles. He infused that energy into the shovel, thrusting it toward the fallen angel. A triple blast shot out.

Boom!

A torrent of mana surged like a storm. It rushed toward the fallen angel. But the fallen angel didn’t even swing its mace. It punched the air with the fist that wasn’t holding the mace. The triple blast, which had once pierced the torso of Gigatitan, bounced off the fallen angel’s fist.

Bang!

The tail of the triple blast shot straight into the sky and disappeared. But Lloyd wasn’t disappointed.

‘The triple blast was just a greeting.’

The real deal started now. Whether the fallen angel fought on equal terms with the Grand Master Javier or possessed an overwhelming sturdiness that troubled even Javier, from now on, it would be nothing more than a toy moving according to Lloyd’s will.

‘Like this.’

As soon as he landed, Lloyd raised his head. The fallen angel Raphael stood like a towering iron pillar. Javier, who was startled by the sudden intrusion, tried to protect him. Ignoring everyone’s reactions, Lloyd pressed on with his plan.

He activated the Attack Design option.

Ding-dong!

[Activating the Mana Heart skill’s exclusive option ⑥: Attack Design.]
[Select the slot data to load.]

‘Munyeom Musang!’

He shouted as if he had been waiting for this. The response was immediate.

[Loading the data of slot 1 ‘Munyeom Musang’.]
[250 RP will be consumed for using the option.]
[Current RP: 562]

A message popped up on one side of his vision. Meanwhile, the surrounding situation was unfolding rapidly.

“Lloyd-nim!”

Javier shouted urgently. The fallen angel Raphael raised his mace. The target was Lloyd’s head. But Lloyd didn’t move. Despite the overwhelming intimidation from the fallen angel, despite Javier rushing to protect him, Lloyd remained calm and confident, looking up at Raphael’s face.

And then.

[The data of slot 1 ‘Munyeom Musang’ has been applied to reality.]

With the message in front of his eyes,

Click!

Raphael, who had raised his mace, lowered it. He took a hunched and defenseless Muyeom Musang posture.

“…Huh?”

A dumbfounded sound escaped Raphael’s lips.