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Chapter 69: Skill Acquisition (4)
[Proofreader – DVN-L ]
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「 Combination complete. 」
「 New skill generated. 」
Once—
「 Combination complete. 」
「 New skill generated. 」
Twice—
「 Combination complete. 」
「 New skill generated. 」
Three times—
“The footwork-type skill is now complete with this.”
The finished result after three skill combinations was quite pleasing.
「 Skill - Clandestine Shadow's Step(C+) 」
「 Proficiency - 0% 」
「 Basic Effect - The user's presence completely disappears from their footsteps, and the way the user walks is effectively restructured. 」
「 Additional Effect - Movement speed is increased by 30% when walking in dark places, and when stepping on the shadow of a creature, strength is amplified by 3. 」
First of all, I liked that it increases the movement speed by 30%, but what caught my attention was the fact that the strength stat was amplified when stepping on the shadow of a living creature.
‘It basically means my attacking ability becomes stronger when I catch them with their back turned.’
Of course, the situations in which it could be used were limited, but it was surprising that the strength could be amplified by 3.
Because an increase in strength meant that attack power would become stronger.
All that was left was the skill related to attack speed that could be activated based on ‘Chaotic Onslaught’.
I immediately activated the skill combination, and in addition to Chaotic Onslaught, I selected all the skills to be combined.
「 Skill - Light-emitting Sword (E+) 」
「 Proficiency - N/A 」
「 Effect - Upon declaring the skill name, attack speed increases by 1.25x and the sword weapon shines. 」
It was a skill of a slightly higher rank to recklessly use for combining, but it didn’t feel like a waste. fre(e)
Typically, I wouldn’t have used it for combining if this skill’s ‘sword weapon shines’ had any special effect…
‘Unfortunately, it just seems like there’s nothing special with the light.’
It was only an ability to simply decorate the weapon, so I had no choice but to use it for skill combination in the end.
「 The two skills aren’t identical in rank. 」
「 Skill ‘Chaotic Onslaught’ will become the core of the combination.」
And—
「 Skill combination will start with ‘Chaotic Onslaught’ as the core. 」
「 Current probability for a high tier skill is 93% 」
“Oh, it looks like the compatibility of the skills is good.”
After seeing the messages that were displayed, I immediately proceeded with skill combination.
「 Combination complete. 」
「 New skill generated. 」
Seeing those messages, I immediately checked the skill I had acquired.
「 Skill - Chaotic Sword-fighting Play (C+)」
「 Proficiency - 0% 」
「 Basic Effect - When swinging a sword, the blade glows red and attack speed increases by 2%. This effect can be stacked up to 10 times in total.」
「 Additional Effect - When the attack speed of the sword increases until the last stack, the attack speed is additionally increased by 5%. However, if the user doesn't immediately link the attack, the gathered stacks are initialized.」
A type of skill that could stack like Wind’s Blessing(A-) had been generated.
As I looked at the description of the skill, I soon admitted it.
“Should I say, as expected from Skill Combination…?”
The skills I had just acquired were great enough that it wasn’t a waste to combine all the skills I got from the public area.
Even now, the ability to frantically increase attack speed by stacking like Chaotic Sword-fighting Play was inevitably useful in many ways.
‘The higher the skill proficiency, the better the ability will become.’
Moreover, this was true not only for this Chaotic Sword-fighting Play, but also for the Clandestine Shadow’s Step I had just generated.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that both of them had an overwhelming ability compared to their skill ranks.
Of course…
“Thanks to that, I almost lost all the skills I had won from the arena, though.”
It took quite a lot of skills to combine to attain such an excellent skill.
Excluding the Gust Blade skill that I got from Katheryn Benett, the skills I’d acquired in the public area had been synthesized into three.
Counter Shield.
Chaotic Sword-fighting Play.
Clandestine Shadow's Step.
All of them were rare skills that exceeded C+ level, so it wasn’t a waste to consume quite a lot of skills.
Rather, it was safe to say that I was lucky since I was able to make these skills with the ones I’d acquired in the public area.
So I had to make a decision soon.
“I guess I’ll have to delay going back to the real world.”
It was the same when I checked Counter Shield by myself, but after combining all the remaining skills, I think that I’ll definitely be able to clear the 11th floor.
It wasn’t a groundless idea.
I acquired a whopping two C+ rank skills, and even Counter Shield had a higher skill level than the Ashen Blood skill I’d previously acquired.
In other words, I didn’t think it’d be difficult to go to the 11th floor, as not only had my abilities increased that much, but all of them were also of a high level.
In the end, after giving it some time to think, I came to a conclusion.
“It’ll be fine if I get to the 11th floor as quickly as possible.”
I changed my mind. Instead of returning immediately, I decided to go up to the waiting room on the 11th floor and then return to the real world.
Having decided like that, there was nothing to think about and prepare for.
It was because I didn’t think I needed to buy more items at the moment, and even if I didn’t have such things, I figured that my skills were enough to cover them.
「 Do you accept the 10th floor trial? 」
Without thinking about that matter more, I immediately responded to the trial on the 10th floor and stepped into the portal that appeared in front of me without hesitation.
And—
「 Entering Tower of Trials 10th floor. 」
「 Difficulty - Hard 」
「 The objective of the following trial is 'cooperation.’ 」
「 We wish the challenger a satisfactory ending to their choice. 」
‘Cooperation, huh…..’
Seeing the next message that appeared, I clenched the sword in my hand tightly.
「 The 10th floor trial is starting. 」
「 Remaining time - 3 hours 」
「 Trial success condition - Subdue the boss monster cooperatively within the remaining time. 」
「 Trial fail condition - Teammate's death or end of remaining time. 」
「 Trial success reward - Skill Proficiency Potion (B+) 」
「 Trial fail penalty - Death 」
After reading this far, I understood what the structure of the trial of the 10th floor was.
“It’s been so long since I did a combined trial.”
It was a combined trial with other challengers.
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