Episode 30: Wielding the Sword"All Ability Users possess abilities. The same goes for F-Ranks - they simply failed to recognize their power due to something going wrong during awakening."
It was a fundamental truth.
A phrase resembling the only hope for F-Rank Ability Users.
Yet few ever found that hope.
"Most spend their entire lives without discovering their ability, but there is a way to find clues."
He wheeled in a tray.
On the tray sat a crystal orb.
Inside the orb swirled various elemental magics - fire, water, lightning, and more.
"This is a Spirit Stone crystal orb. Channel your mana into it. If you have talent for a particular attribute, it will react. Don't worry if nothing happens - there are other methods. Ah, and don't just brute force mana into it like in the movies. This thing's expensive. Break it and you'll pay."
Gwanjang laughed heartily.
No need to worry. Seol-hwa didn't have enough mana to shatter a Spirit Stone.
"Choose fire. You're most attuned to flame."
I displayed Seol-hwa's traits.
[Traits]: [Perfect Mother], [Mana Domination], [Flame Attribute Affinity], [Blood Domination]
Flame Attribute Affinity.
Seol-hwa was so naturally aligned with fire you could call them soulmates.
"Yes."
Seol-hwa whispered softly enough that only I could hear, placing her hand over the fire Spirit Stone.
The flames trapped within the stone instantly flared brighter.
"Oho! Miss Seol-hwa is highly compatible with fire! Excellent. Your efforts won't be in vain. I'll immediately design a fire-related ability curriculum."
Gwanjang rejoiced.
He resembled a teacher genuinely happy for his student's growth.
"Seol-hwa, ask about other methods."
Flame affinity wasn't Seol-hwa's only trait.
"Is there... another way to know?"
"Hmm? Another method? Well, there is one... but it's basically wasting money..."
"That's fine."
Seol-hwa answered decisively.
Her firm attitude left Gwanjang no choice but to explain.
"Using Magic Stones. It's a form of doping."
I summarized the explanation:
Eat a refined Magic Stone when your mana is fully charged.
The overflowing mana spreads throughout your body.
They say you feel mana settling into every cell.
That you vaguely grasp the nature of your ability.
He emphasized it's merely a vague sense - no further advice or training can be given.
Success rates were below fifty percent,
but surprisingly effective, so wealthy F-Rank Hunters often buy them.
"...Each pill costs 1 million won."
1 million won for something offering neither advice nor training.
Expensive. But no other options existed.
"Buy."
We knew the ability's nature.
Knowing the destination, all that remained was firmly grasping the path.
"Gulp! Please! I'll buy them!"
Seol-hwa shouted.
"Thank you, valued customer. Here are the refined mana pills. Buy ten and get 1 million won discount... Interested?"
He didn't abandon his merchant mentality even with students.
"I'll buy! Give them to me."
Three months of hard-earned money vanished instantly.
Seol-hwa sobbed over her emptied bank account.
We'd take the pills home.
I planned to explain her ability in detail then.
Since no advice or training was possible anyway,
keeping the ability hidden seemed better.
"Haha, thank you for your purchase..."
Gwanjang smiled, having struck gold. Anyone would be happy making 10 million won instantly.
"The next curriculum was swordsmanship training, correct? Weapon training is excellent. True Hunters shouldn't rely solely on abilities - they must learn techniques too."
I'd requested swordsmanship.
I wanted to gauge what Swordsmanship Factor Level 3 could do.
"Wooden swords are over there. We have various types - take whichever you prefer."
Gwanjang pointed to a corner.
Wooden swords of diverse styles stood arranged.
"Pick the greatsword."
"Yes."
Seol-hwa lifted the wooden sword. I equipped Swordsmanship Factor Level 3.
"Imagine enemies before you and swing freely."
The greatsword moved.
Goblin swordsmanship unfolded from Seol-hwa's hands.
* * *
Isia headed to the gym.
Her first visit in ages.
The gym she hadn't visited since joining her guild, buried under work.
The familiar path felt welcoming.
In her car, she recalled Gwanjang's words:
'Found a jackpot.'
'Might disappear in a month. Come meet them now.' he'd said.
She'd never heard him so excited before.
'Who could cause such a reaction?'
No guesses came. He'd remained stoic even when his daughter got into a top university.
She wondered who could excite such a person.
The gym door opened.
Gwanjang waited at the entrance.
No warm greetings despite their long separation.
"Where's this jackpot?"
"See for yourself."
He jerked his chin. She belatedly noticed everyone's gaze fixed on one spot.
Following their stares,
she saw a woman her age swinging a sword.
Smooth, Swift, Precise, Strong, Fluid, Light, Heavy.
The blade had no fixed form.
Sometimes dazzling
Sometimes rapid
Sometimes serene
The sword was both powerful and supple.
A heavy downward strike transitioned seamlessly into a light upward flourish.
Beautiful.
As a fellow swordswoman, she purely admired it.
A lifetime's dedication manifested through her contemporary's blade.
"Ah..."
The sword stopped.
She sighed.
Regret surfaced. Had the sword continued, she might have grasped something.
"See? Told you."
"Yes. You were right. It's a jackpot."
Indeed. A jackpot.
An undiscovered super rookie.
She felt grateful Gwanjang contacted her first.
"If this works out, send guild members my way."
Gwanjang playfully patted her back.
"Sure, if it works out."
Sia smirked.
"But first things first."
She removed her coat. Competitive fire burned in her eyes.
* * *
I equipped Swordsmanship Factor Level 1.
The sword accelerated, as if the goblin specialized in swiftness.
Most swordsmanship factors worked this way.
Sometimes dazzling, sometimes heavy
The swordplay changed based on how the original goblin wielded it.
Enhancement didn't alter the style.
Rather, it became cleaner.
Superfluous elements vanished, leaving only core techniques.
More fusion than enhancement.
The problem was Seol-hwa's height difference made the swordsmanship imperfect.
Average goblin height: 120cm.
Seol-hwa: over 160cm.
Nearly 40cm difference.
Goblins mainly fought larger enemies.
Their swordsmanship reflected this.
The height gap created subtle discrepancies.
'...A solution...Ah, Dexterity.'
I found the solution. The height gap couldn't shrink.
But I could replicate the goblin's dexterity.
Sword handling required dexterity.
I equipped Dexterity.
The swordsmanship refined.
Dexterity bridged the physique gap.
People marveled at her sudden improvement.
Seol-hwa straightened up, shrugging nonchalantly.
She'd grown accustomed to surprising others.
Initially, she'd squirmed with embarrassment.
'A waste... With enough Swordsmanship Factors, we could aim for Level 4...'
I wanted to merge all swordsmanship factors.
To devour and assimilate countless goblins' accumulated techniques.
But we lacked enough factors.
Even enhancing all factors would only yield two Level 3s.
'If they were easier to get...'
Swordsmanship factors were rarer than stars.
We hadn't encountered civilized groups since the Hidden Dungeon.
Proper swordsmanship required systematic study - techniques honed through long training and passed down generations.
Goblin tribes living day-to-day couldn't afford such training.
Survival took priority.
'There must be another way.'
I shelved the swordsmanship factor issue.
Headache-inducing. It could wait.
The Hidden Dungeon couldn't be the only goblin city.
There must be dungeons with stronger monsters - orcs, lizardmen.
Probably.
"Huff huff. Which sword should I try next?"
Seol-hwa asked excitedly.
"Hmm... Should we head back and rest?"
We'd trained enough.
I wanted to return home, take the pills, and confirm Seol-hwa's remaining abilities.
"Huh? We've only done half of yesterday's training! Can't we practice more?"
She rebelled for the first time in ages.
The praise must have gone to her head.
"No?"
I transformed.
Into Seol-hwa's favorite knobby, bumpy tentacle with protrusions.
"Gulp! N-no! Let's go home now..."
Seol-hwa shrank back, returning the wooden sword.
As she headed to the changing room:
"Hello."
A beauty blocked Seol-hwa's path.
A striking woman with fierce features.
"Y-yes... Hello. Can I help you?"
Timid Seol-hwa asked.
"Care to spar?"
The beauty raised her sword.
Her eyes burned with competitive fire.
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