TDWAD 09

Chapter 9

All directions?

That phrase wasn’t enough.

Straw warriors were charging in from every possible direction.

Countless sword blades flashed between the incoming hay bundles.

If he stayed still, he’d be shredded.

“Hah!”

As Do-yoon kicked off the ground and jumped, the straw warriors instantly filled the empty space he left.

Chae-chae-chaeng!

The straw warriors raised their swords like spears and looked up simultaneously.

Their faces were woven from straw.

Their hollow eyes revealed no emotion.

They simply waited silently for Do-yoon to fall.

It was a bizarre sight.

But Do-yoon had seen far too much in his long life to be unnerved by something like this.

“…What are you expecting?”

[Activating ‘Guardian’s Sword (D)’]
[Specify coordinates for summoning.]

Swwoong.

A radiant sword appeared, its blade facing the sky.

Do-yoon stepped on it and leapt again.

He broke free from the encirclement with ease and landed at a distance.

The straw warriors, like dogs that lost their prey, turned and charged again.

“Let’s see…”

As Do-yoon flicked his fingers, the radiant sword spun through the air and sliced through the backs of the straw warriors.

Thud, thud.

Like straw practice dummies, they were sliced in half with a single strike.

Thunk.

The solid grip of the sword settled into his hand.

“…Do you guys learn at all?!”

Chwaaah!

The radiant sword glowed brightly.

[Straw Warrior has been defeated.]
[Straw Warrior has been defeated.]
[Remaining: 93]

‘No honor points gained. Well, I guess trials don’t count as real threats.’

Do-yoon’s relentless momentum faltered slightly.

Even he couldn’t easily break through a tightly packed wall of dozens of enemies.

Tssss…

And now, they were even targeting his rear.

Do-yoon threw the radiant sword over his shoulder, sweeping his back.

Then he kicked up two swords from the ground, grabbed them mid-air, and spun violently.

Ka-ga-ga-ga-gang!

Slash, slash!

The straw warriors weren’t going down without a fight.

Two of them lunged from a blind spot, extending arms and blades toward his chest.

‘From here—’

Do-yoon twisted his torso sharply.

Instead of bending forward, he bent all the way back.

Time seemed to slow, the world freezing like a paused video.

Two sword blades flew toward him head-on.

The gleaming edge was crystal clear.

A glance—

Two more warriors approached from either side, aiming for his flanks.

Once he confirmed the direction of those blades—

‘Input complete.’

A blade grazed his forehead, slicing the air.

The world resumed normal speed.

The radiant sword, boomeranging back—

Swooooooosh—

Barely missing Do-yoon’s chest by a paper-thin margin, it swept forward.

Simultaneously, he thrust the twin swords to both sides.

Thwack, thwack!

[Straw Warrior has been defeated.]
[Straw Warrior has been defeated.]
[Remaining: 77]

The straw warriors kept pressing in, shrinking the space.

Tah!

Do-yoon leapt once more.

‘Dismiss summon.’

[Activating ‘Guardian’s Sword (D)’]
[Specify coordinates for summoning.]

This time, he calculated the peak height and summoned the radiant sword in advance, stepping off it instantly to leap again.

Do-yoon had worried about tricky tactics—

But the straw warriors showed no signs of throwing swords or blocking his landing spots.

“Totally unadaptive. You guys… what you see is what you get, huh?”

He smirked, lips twisting.

They only swarmed the surface like a 2D wave.

Now that he confirmed they were locked in a flat attack pattern—

He could exploit them from a higher dimension, targeting their vulnerabilities.

[Straw Warrior has been defeated.]
[Straw Warrior has been defeated.]
[Remaining: 66]

He kept slicing through them indiscriminately, retreating into the air when they got too close.

Pure domination.

[Straw Warrior has been defeated.]
[Remaining: 51]
[Remaining: 46]
[Remaining: 30]
[Remaining: 13]

Once they dwindled to about ten, there was no need to back off anymore.

‘Their net’s already in tatters.’

Do-yoon dove into their ranks and slashed without pause.

Papat!
Papapapat!

Straw burst apart in rapid succession.

[Remaining: 6]
[Remaining: 3]
[Remaining: 1]

Thud.

Finally, the last one fell.

[You have overcome the First Trial.]
[Next phase begins in 3… 2… 1…]
[Phase 2: Defeat the Straw Giant.]

“Hm…?”

The scattered straw and broken warriors began to stir and gather into one.

Do-yoon’s mind raced.

While riding in a moving vehicle, he had visited the [Great Library of Memory] and borrowed the following books:

1. Complete Trial Conquest Guide – 87 Patterns

2. Because Pain Means It’s a Trial

3. Inside the Trial – A Strategy by Difficulty

4. In the Path of Blossoming Growth After the Trials, I Smelled Your Shampoo

‘This “Trial of the Sword” may be my first, but I can find common ground with others.’

‘…All trials are designed with clear intentions.’

Even now—

Phase one had tested swordsmanship and physical ability.

Despite their aggression, the straw warriors had laughably low durability.

They fell apart even before the blade fully struck.

‘So it wasn’t power, but agility—escaping a forest of swords. Once you know what’s being tested, the strategy follows.’

Then, this phase—

All the straw combined to form a straw giant.

It looked down from above and—

“Graaaargh!”

Without giving Do-yoon time to prepare, it slammed its massive fist down.

KABOOOOOM!

‘So phase two’s about power!’

Do-yoon fled the crater made by the impact and clicked his tongue.

The punch had gouged the ground to waist depth.

Wooooooom!

The giant’s follow-up attacks filled his field of vision.

Do-yoon raised the radiant sword to block.

KWAANG!

It felt like being hit by a dump truck.

Another shock hit him, then a rain of earth fell from above.

He had been slammed hard enough to collapse a wall.

Fwoooosh!

As the giant swung its arm, a gust sent fallen swords flying at him.

‘This is insane!’

Do-yoon scrambled up, swinging his sword to deflect the incoming blades.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang…! Clangg!

Sparks flew with every clash.

Scratches appeared across his forearms.

‘…This isn’t someone I can overpower.’

This wasn’t like when he faced Jo Yong-bae.

The giant’s arms were as thick as columns, its torso massive.

But—

‘This is it.’

The giant charged.

Instead of dodging, Do-yoon ran toward it.

Just as he aimed for its weak-looking legs—

Shu-shu-shu-shu-shu-shuut!

Countless straws fired like darts from its groin.

‘Equip Blackblood Armor.’

[‘Blackblood Armor (Advanced)’]
– A sinister-looking armor with a crimson sheen. Despite its disturbing appearance, it’s light as leather and stronger than steel.

KWAACK!

Chunks of straw exploded from the giant’s shin.

“GRROOOOAAAAR!”

“…?!”

Do-yoon narrowly escaped as a rain of straw arrows struck the spot where he had stood.

Kwak, kwak, kwakwakwakwak…!

It looked more like a bombardment than arrows.

He gulped.

‘Even with Blackblood Armor, that’s too much. What’s the condition here?’

Power and agility? Even then, it’s barely survival, not victory.

‘Maybe it’s not about stats.’

He recalled how he defeated the straw warriors.

Strictly speaking, it wasn’t agility—he reused the [Guardian’s Sword] multiple times.

‘Targeting weak points… That’s the key across all phases!’

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

The straw giant limped forward.

Still fast, still ferocious.

He had to make a decision.

With certainty in his chest, Do-yoon dashed between the giant’s legs.

KABOOOOM!

The second bombardment was beyond what he imagined.

Feeling the threat on his skin, he stepped on the radiant sword.

‘Dismiss summon.’

[Activating ‘Guardian’s Sword (D)’]
[Specify coordinates for summoning.]

He stepped again, now at the giant’s waist.

‘Dismiss summon.’

[Activating ‘Guardian’s Sword (D)’]
[Specify coordinates for summoning.]

Again on its back.

‘Dismiss summon.’

[Activating ‘Guardian’s Sword (D)’]
[Specify coordinates for summoning.]

At last, he reached the back of its head.

Clench.

He gripped the radiant sword.

‘If I understood the trial’s intent correctly…’

He gathered all his strength.

A blinding flash—

CHWAAAAAASH—!

And he cleanly sliced off the thinnest part of its body: the nape of the neck.

“…The real weak point was somewhere else, after all.”

Rumble rumble rumble…

As he landed, Do-yoon watched the now headless straw giant collapse.

[Straw Giant has been defeated.]
[You have overcome the Second Trial.]
[Final phase begins in 3… 2… 1…]
[Phase 3: Defeat the Swordmaster.]

“To think you’d make it here on your first attempt… even solve the trap phase.”

An old man appeared, clad in robes.

He gazed at Do-yoon with piercing eyes.

“However, I have no intention of passing down the Heavenly Fortune Sword Art. I’d rather avoid unnecessary bloodshed. Leave now.”

“What if I don’t?”

“In that case…”

As the Swordmaster extended his palm toward the ground, swords began to float and hover toward him like magnets.

“…you’ll see blood!”

Swish!

A blade brushed past.

A sting on his cheek.

Do-yoon touched it—blood.

“Damn, he’s fast. I didn’t even have time to blink.”

“Then leave.”

“Hey, Swordmaster.”

“…?”

“Do you know what ‘-1 to all stats’ means to an awakened being?”

“I don’t care for such corrupt techniques. You think I should thank you for disturbing my rest?”

“To me, that’s 20,970 points.”

“What are you—”

[Strength: -22]
[Agility: 18 → 22]
[Combat Skill: 19 → 22]
[Combat Sense: 20 → 22]
[19,750P will be consumed. Proceed with stat enhancement? Y/N]

‘Enhance.’

[Remaining Points: 56,944P]

That was his level of resolve.

With “+1 to all stats” included, his combat stats now reached superhuman levels.

Flaaash!

The radiant sword’s light reflected on the Swordmaster’s face.

He smirked.

Sss…

Then he vanished.

Too fast for the eye to follow.

Shack!

A red line appeared on Do-yoon’s left arm.

Another on his right.

His side. His thigh.

Even with upgraded stats, he couldn’t react.

He couldn’t even feel the approach.

Shaaaash—

Blood burst from his chest.

“Guh…!”

He gritted his teeth and swung the sword, but the Swordmaster had already vanished.

“Your whole body’s a weak point. Yet you seek my sword?”

The Swordmaster clicked his tongue.

“The Heavenly Fortune Sword Art identifies and cleaves an enemy’s core in one strike.”

“I know. That’s why I came for it.”

“Foolish. The prerequisite for fortune is having no weakness yourself. Until you reach flawlessness, you can’t touch me.”

“Guh…”

“Give it up.”

“Not until I obtain the Heavenly Fortune Sword Art.”

Do-yoon staggered, picking up a fallen sword and using it as a cane.

“…I need to save this country. Swordmaster Lee Sung-bin, this land where you once lived and where your descendants now breathe.”

“Appealing to blood ties? You’ve misunderstood something.”

The Swordmaster looked completely indifferent.

He didn’t care about Do-yoon’s mission.

“My sword died with me. I didn’t even want a memorial. Told them to let the school rot.”

He continued expressionlessly.

“I owe nothing. Even if you held a blade to my descendant’s throat, I wouldn’t blink.”

“What kind of man are you…?”

Do-yoon’s vision blurred.

The bleeding grew worse, his consciousness slipping.

[Critical condition detected!]
[‘Limit Break (EX)’ has been activated.]
[All stats +1]

‘Equip Blackblood Armor.’

He summoned the radiant sword behind the Swordmaster.

He tensed every muscle in his body.

“…No. This won’t work.”

Clang.

He threw the sword aside.

“Oh? Giving up?”

“The gap is too wide. Right?”

“Glad you realize.”

Do-yoon dismissed both the radiant sword and the armor, then leaned against the stone wall.

“Huff… ‘Cheonun’—Heavenly Fortune—is fascinating.”

“What are you rambling about?”

“Piercing the clouds. It means no matter what, you’ll find the weakness.”

The Swordmaster nodded.

“Even flawlessness has weak points.”

“That’s why it’s interesting.”

Do-yoon smirked and gestured beside him.

“Come, take a seat.”

“You talk too much. Just go.”

“You’ll want to hear this, Lee Sung-bin—no, Dan Seol-woo.”

The Swordmaster’s real name.

As it rang out—

A crack appeared in Dan Seol-woo’s confident expression.

“H-How do you know that name…?”