"Ah, I see. So Runes are about using the world's rules to deduce their sequence and produce corresponding effects? That fits with the world's laws quite well."
Simply put, it means that the world allows rules to reach certain extents, and the characters inscribed on the "world" segment can manifest these rules to their full capacity.
Bell finally understood why using Runes required a so-called foundation. Without the proper foundation, one couldn't effectively use Runes.
That foundation was essentially the rule base granted by the world itself.
Only with this base could one master the Runes and unleash various abilities.
Bell extended his hands, and the eighteen Runic characters materialized in his palms, each glowing with the truth of the universe.
"Ah... unconscious, unconscious."
Noticing the strange transformation of these characters, Bell blinked in surprise, then dispersed them with a wave.
"Still, my Authority does resemble me in some ways."
But that was just a resemblance. For the current Bell, the Runes had lost their usefulness. The power he wielded now had surpassed the scope of Runes.
Moreover, Bell sighed softly. Although his earlier manipulation had been unconscious, his truth had instantly eroded the Runes. If it weren't for that, what had flickered wouldn't have been his own truth's light, but rather the light of the world's principles.
"Too exclusive."
Shaking his head, Bell turned his gaze back to the "Bell" emerging from the melting gelatinous substance.
"That's enough."
The figure of "Bell" froze, then transformed into a wisp of smoke and vanished.
The techniques and powers Bell needed to master had already been reflected in his eyes earlier. There was no longer any need for his past self to continue demonstrating.
"The technique is sufficient, but the power is lacking."
The exclusivity of his unique Authority was so severe that even if he mastered Runes, it would instantly be consumed by his own truth, instead of allowing him to wield other powers.
Knowing that other powers would be consumed, why bother? Retrieving the technique alone was enough.
"What a pity."
As a power alone, Runes was versatile, but it wasn't suitable for him. Moreover, Bell knew that his own mastered powers far surpassed Runes, which led him to feel more regret than anything.
Still, this experience confirmed that external powers were fundamentally impossible to harness. They were best left to the imagination—unrealistic.
Gathering his thoughts, Bell continued on to the next floor.
The lower levels were similar to the "Great Tree Labyrinth," with little difference in layout. Even the monster configurations were strikingly similar.
However, this time, Bell chose to deal with the monsters himself.
Not by using his Authority, but by applying the techniques he'd just analyzed and understood.
Practical combat had always been important to Bell. He had always valued it, and he wouldn't ease up now.
Thus, Bell pulled out his personal dagger, the "Hestia Knife," from his four-dimensional space.
"Well then, let's begin."
Bell walked at a steady pace toward the swarm of Killer Bees coming at him.
In that instant, his sensory time slowed to an almost infinite degree. His eyes glanced at the Killer Bees, and the dagger in his hand began to swing.
A quick sidestep, and a spray of blood.
In Bell's world, he instantly pinpointed the Killer Bees' Magic Stone and struck with precision.
At first, he used a bit more force than necessary.
He had feared that a single strike might not be enough to kill them, so he applied extra strength just to be safe.
"Good. I'm gradually mastering the attack angles."
Bell immediately reduced his strength and focused more on precision, aiming at the Killer Bees' weak points.
During the massacre, Bell gradually lessened his strength, while his technique steadily improved.
Before long, after killing a hundred Killer Bees, Bell felt his technique had returned to its former level.
"Though it's a bit clumsy, at least it's efficient."
Bell was well aware of his own skill level. This technique was barely above the level of brute force. But even brute force, with sufficient Cognition, could become a deadly weapon against monsters.
"Yeah, as long as it works, who cares if it looks good?"
With that thought in mind, Bell wielded his dagger more fluidly. His body instinctively eliminated unnecessary movements, refining his assault into something purer—a technique solely for killing.
Then Bell's speed began to slow, his strength began to wane, but his attacks grew more aggressive.
Not enough strength? By layering breath across space and time, attacking the same spot repeatedly could break through defenses.
Gradually, Bell began to master the ultimate technique.
How to unleash maximum offensive power with minimal strength and speed? The answer was in technique.
By pushing it to the absolute limit, anything was possible.
Before Bell knew it, half an hour had passed.
He walked alone across the land littered with monster corpses, slowly heading toward the passage to the Lower Floors.
The journey had been intense.
Bell had shown everyone what pure technique-based annihilation looked like.
"... What a daring move."
Finn couldn't help but break into a cold sweat.
Amid a horde of Level 5, Level 6, and even Level 7 monsters, he used less and less force and speed, yet in such a situation, he still ended the lives of all the monsters with just a short dagger.
As for the power Bell was using? Barely Level 2—probably closer to Level 1.
"Hmm, it was indeed a bold move. At first, he was using speed and strength to overwhelm them, but then, little by little, he adjusted—lowering his speed and power, all to refine his technique."
"Remarkable observation, extraordinary composure, and technique that's almost abnormal."
Even Riveria, with her rational eyes, revealed a hint of disbelief.
If Bell had relied on sheer force to break through the floors, that would have been expected.
But Bell had used technique, gradually wearing down the monsters. With just a bit of strength and speed, combined with his honed skills, he had slain a group of high-level monsters.
Moreover, Riveria could tell that those techniques had been quite clumsy just moments ago.
Yet after only a brief period of use, those techniques had become much more proficient.
What did this mean? Riveria understood it better than anyone.
It meant that Bell wasn't just growing rapidly in his abilities—he was also learning at an astonishing pace.