‘Outside the gate.’

The support team was seated together, their eyes filled with curiosity.

In front of them, a monitor screen was infolding the events in real-time.

“Ya-! Trolls were all cut at once.”

“That’s why he’s nicknamed One Cut Man.”

“Is that sword hero-grade?”

“I heard that that contract required a deposit costing hundreds of billions of won and If this much is

spent, it will be a hero Item.”

It was not new that he envied Kang Jin-woo’s life for extraordinary skills and a hero grade Item.

Anyone would want some event like this to happen to them just one, if not for a lifetime.

“He’s already passed the 7^th level, what monster is next?” one of them said.

“Isn’t it the wolf?”

“There are level 77 wolves?”

“Usually, no.”

“Do you think he can also kill it in one cut?”

While sitting there, their curiosity heightened. They were watching every move he made.

“Huh?”

“Why did he sit down?”

They saw Kang Jin-woo sitting down on the floor.

* * *

The last troll blew.

[Level Up.]

A pleasant notification popped up.

He was at level 62.

[The level of the Sleeping Sword has risen.]

Another notification window popped up.

[The level of the Sleeping Sword is now 10.]

The support team looked at each other as if silently wishing them luck.

[Sleeping Sword wakes up.]

Oh-oh-! finally!

[what?]

An SD character said in a nasty tone.

It was dressed in a uniform, and his hairstyle matched the aesthetic. A strange red tattoo covered the

side of his face.

[Warrior, who are you?]

This was entirely unexpected.

[Where are the octopus pups? and who are you!]

It used an ability-!

‘Scream.’

It had made a loud noise.

‘What the hell is this?’

[What? This? Did you call ‘Genma’ ‘This’?]

‘The sword…?’

He’s played a lot of games over the years.

He’s read lots of novels.

He knows what it looks and feels like.

Above all, his Sword was given to him by his uncle.

Was the sleeping Sword that special?

He knew that Sword had some sort of unique ability, but he wasn’t expecting this.

“Are you really a sword? Were you trapped in the Sword?”

[Oh-ho! Surely a simpleton like you has heard about this great being’s name, but since you haven’t let’s just assume that I’m the captain of the millennium magyo.]

“Fool!”

[Smile?]

“No, I’m not going to smile.”

The SD character puts his hands on his waist, then did a small dance, and raised his chin with an elate expression.

No matter who saw it would put on a cute smile.

But that just offended him even more.

First, he had to gather more information.

“That…You said something about an octopus baby?.”

[Are you not an octopus as well?]

“Are you talking about that octopus who uses the eight pieces of Muramasa and kendo?”

[Yes!  Where is he ?]

He wondered how the two knew each other.

His curiosity was aroused.

He had to take advantage of the situation.

Once they were seated, Kang Jin-woo collected himself.

“So, you want to meet Uncle octopus?”

Kang Jin-woo asked the SD character.

[Of course! This time, I am finally going to cut his head off! No, I think I’ll cut off one of his legs first and cook it over a charcoal fire, the meat will be chewy!]

Based on his reaction, the two seemed to have had a duel, that much was obvious.

“Did you lose?”

Kang Jin-woo asked.

[Me? Lose? He couldn’t beat me even if he used his four sword technique!]

But it seemed like he lost.

[I didn’t lose!]

He obviously lost.

“We can meet him.”

[Oh! Let’s do that now!]

Said the SD Character.

“It’s not possible right now.”

Kang Jin-woo said.

[Why?!]

Asked the SD Character

“We can meet him for six months. I’m busy right now with something else.”

He explained.

[What?!]

“If we go there, I can only stay for a minute? Can you finish your fight by then?”

The Sword crossed his arms.

And he made a painful expression.

[1 minute? Oh ~ I fought for three consecutive days and nights last time. You couldn’t defeat me if I gave you a week. ]

“Wait, there is a way to increase the time I can stay there.”

[What?]

“You have to increase my level.”

[level?]

‘Item Information.’

A hologram appeared in front of him.

To see that, you have to shout the public command.

[Your name is Kang Jin-woo?]

“Huh? How did you know? You can see this?”

Kang Jin-woo asked.

[Of course, I can.]

‘That’s amazing.’

Kang Jin-woo thought.

Item information should only be visible to him.

It’s an optional command that most people can do, but only the person who said it should be able to see it.

He remembered that he and the Sword shared an experience point, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that it could see his stats.

[What is ‘Level’?]

“It can measure one’s strength as well as their offense and defense abilities. “

[Are you talking about the state? Is it like Hwakyung or Hyunkyung]

Those words seemed acquainted with him.

“Yes, they’re similar.”

[Hmm, that’s interesting.]

The Sword was sitting cross-legged now.

Then, he looked down and studied the status window.

“So the higher my level gets, the longer you can stay there.”

Kang Jin-woo said while pointing at the stats window.

[there?]

“Yes, there, where the octopus is.”

[Ah-! # @! @ # Mean?]

He could not understand the Sword.

“What?” He asked himself.

Linguist is a passive skill.

It should always be active.

He should be able to understand any language.

“What?  Could you repeat that?”

[# @! @ # I mean.] the Sword said again.

The words sounded like cracking sounds instead.

He listened, but he did not understand.

The Sword realized Kang Jin-woo did not understand, then smiled brightly.

[You are not qualified.]

“Not qualified,” he whispered.

Again, those words are familiar to him,

“Where have I heard that before?”

‘Yes, if you qualify, you’ll understand what I was saying.’

“Aha- that is what Uncle Octopus said.”

He was curious.

‘What is that qualification?’

The Sword smiled.

[Strength!]

He expected that answer.

“Can you help me until I get that qualification?”

Kang Jin-woo asked the Sword.

[Then, will you take me there?]

The Sword asked him back.

“Yes”

Transactions take place when there is something to be exchanged.

For the Sword and Kang Jin-woo, they both needed something from the other.

[Okay, I can help you.]

Kang Jin-woo got the Sword to cooperate.

[I’ll understand your level once I see you fight.]

“Okay.”

Kang Jin-woo woke up.

Weing-!

Then the gate was opened.

“Are you okay ?!”

The support team came in through the wormhole.

“Yes? Why?”

Kang Jin-woo was confused.

“You suddenly sat down and didn’t move for a while…”

He lifted his head and eyed at the mini drone.

He realized his encounter wasn’t caught on tape.

He sighed exhaustingly.

“I have to be a little cautious  from now on.”

He said to himself.

“Yes, I’m fine. Can you leave now?”

He said curtly.

“Oh, yes.”

The support team exited through the wormhole, which disappeared later on.

Alone again.

[Who were they?]

“it’s not important. activate!”

Woo-oh!

A wormhole appeared as the jewel glowed, and the air was released from the gap where black objects slowly emerged.

“Grrrr!”

[Oh, there are werewolves.]

Five werewolves appeared.

Kang Jin-woo held the Sword upright and got into position.

“Then let’s begin.”

[Do your best.]

“Ye!”

The battle has begun.

* * *

Kuung-!

The last werewolf was down.

His level went up, so it wasn’t a difficult task.

“I had to cut twice.”

[That was terrible.]

The Sword’s evaluation was accurate.

[I might be biased, but I didn’t see any form of swordsmanship, you were just swinging your Sword around. That would be fine, but you can’t correctly yield the power of the Dokgogu sword like that.]

“Isn’t that normal?”

[What?]

Kang Jin-woo explained.

About this world

that everyone uses some type of skill.

He also explained how a skill is activated.

Upon hearing all the explanations, the Sword was shaken to the core with surprise.

[Huh! So, if you learn a skill, you can use swordsmanship without training?]

Kang Jin-woo nodded.

[Unbelievable, I’ve known people who had to yield their swords tens of thousands of times just to master swordsmanship!]

It was funny to see the Sword lose composure and start kicking the air.

[Good! As long as this helps you level up faster, so I can get on my way!]

The Sword smiled brightly, and Kang Jin-woo knew its meaning.

* * *

The dungeon quest is over.

Kang Jin-woo defeated all the monsters until the 20^th floor.

Leaving the support team, he went straight home.

[Ya-! Nice house.]

“Homes alone cost billions. I had no choice but to work hard.”

[Do you have an area where you can practice swordsmanship?]

They moved to the fitness center.

“After the world became like this, a fitness center had to have a separate training room. Here you can use your skills. There’s also an AI robot that allows indirect combat training.”

[This is enough.]

The Sword reached out.

Then it got enlightened from all directions, and the Sword began to transform.

[Remember the action of the Sword that I’m about to show you.]

Kang Jin-woo nodded.

The Sword closed his eyes then lowered his weapon, exhaling slowly.

He opened his eyes then blinked several times.

Then he raised his weapon high and then swung.

Ding-Ding!

The Sword went straight up in the air.

“Is that it. Are you done?”

[Yes.]

There was a lot he wanted to ask, but for now, he quietly copied what he saw.

He held the Sword high and swung.

Boo Boo-!

This time the sound was different.

“Should I go faster?”

[Do it until you hear the sound I made.]

Kang Jin-woo kept repeatedly swinging his Sword.

Once, twice, ten times, a hundred times.

His whole body got covered in sweat.

[Swing it with all you’ve got right now. All you’re doing right now is wasting energy.]

The Sword spoke out.

He closed his eyes, exhaled, then swung, again closed his eyes, breathed out, then pivoted, over and over again.

But after a thousand passes, he could no longer support his body.

The skin on his palms began to bleed and tear off.

“Huff! Huff!”

[Hmm, is that all you’ve got?]

The Sword stood up.

Then Kang Jin-woo raised his hand to stop him from approaching.

He opened his inventory.

[What’s that?]

Even while weary, Kang Jin-woo’s mouth opened slightly.

He took out a red potion from his inventory.

Kang Jin-woo drank it at once.

“Woo! That felt good.”

He was up and running once more.

Moments ago, he seemed like he was at the brink of death, but now his health and stamina had quickly recovered.

Kang Jin-woo took out another potion and poured it on his hands, and it quickly healed his injuries.

The torn wound was healed.

[Huh!]

The Sword said as he saw something unbelievable.

It was unlike anything he had seen before.

“Hoo-!”

Kang Jin-woo let out a sound of relief.

“If something like this was going to make me give up, I might as well have never started.”

[Puhahaha! I like your persistence. That’s right; let’s keep going.]

Kang Jin-woo had been waiting for this opportunity his whole life, and he wasn’t going to lose it.

“I’m not going to waste this opportunity by giving up.”

Jin-woo started wielding the Sword again.

He recalls what the Sword showed him.

“What did he do again?”

“Let’s see the first step was …”

“Oh- I almost forgot how to do it.”

He took a potion when he got tired and poured it when he got hurt.

And he wielded the Sword like a crazy man.

He only stopped when a notification appeared before him.

[?? I have learned the basics of swordsmanship.]

[?? The Sword is registered in the skill.]

Something unexpected happened.