Chapter 13: Volcan – 2

It was during my fight with Volcan.

He had confidently told me to unleash everything I had, promising to handle whatever I threw at him.

“This kind of opportunity doesn’t come around often.”

A chance to reveal my full strength.

Truthfully, even I didn’t know my limits.

Without a proper battle experience, it was impossible to gauge my true abilities.

But as the fight progressed, I noticed something.

Each time I swung my blade, something became clearer.

“Thief’s Pinnacle (S) is feeding me information.”

With every strike, it provided guidance: how to adjust my stance, how to evolve my technique further.

It wasn’t just about movement anymore.

Then something else emerged.

“What the…?”

The swordsmanship of the elves—the techniques of Darkmoon’s Shadow, the style Rishiel had used—began to flow into my mind.

“Dual-wielding?”

The motions of my blades changed, carving circular trajectories into the air—arcs and curves I hadn’t consciously thought about.

“You’re in danger!” Rishiel’s panicked voice echoed in my head.

I didn’t ask why.

Volcan had already shifted into a stance, preparing to bring his massive blade crashing down from above.

“I need to block—no, evade.”

I quickly leapt back, just as Rishiel’s voice grew more urgent.

“The elves’ swordsmanship is exclusive to them. Only they can use it!”

“What?”

“Look at that old man’s eyes! Don’t they seem… unhinged?”

I glanced at Volcan’s face, skeptical.

Honestly, his eyes always looked a little unhinged.

Even now, as I focused on him, they didn’t seem any different.

“Ah, this might actually be dangerous.”

Volcan’s eyes were now even more wild and unsettling than before.

Initially, I thought this was a safe way to test my abilities, but…

“Yeah, no, this is definitely dangerous.”

Time to run.

Just as I was about to surrender, a notification appeared.

[Encounter Quest]

You have encountered Volcan, the Sword King.

Either earn his interest or make him lose it entirely.

Reward: ???

Failure Penalty: None

“Oh?”

Perfect timing.

If I surrendered now, it’d probably kill his interest.

Raising both hands, I quietly declared my surrender.

As expected, Volcan didn’t pursue.

He simply let me go, albeit with a dumbfounded look on his face.

“That’s not just a blank expression—he looks downright stunned,” Rishiel commented, her tone laced with humor.

Hold on.

“Wait, I was only thinking that. How did you…?”

“Your stray thoughts seem to leak through sometimes. Probably because we’re connected,” Rishiel replied.

“Connected? Really?”

“Anyway, your thoughts and actions don’t exactly match up, do they?” she added.

“Whatever. Let’s just get out of here.”

Taking her advice, I quickly made my way out of the training ground.

From behind, I could faintly hear Volcan yelling something incomprehensible, likely upset.

“Where’s the old man? You look perfectly fine. Did you ditch him or something?” a smirking adventurer asked as I passed him.

I ignored him entirely, picking up my pace.

As I exited, Erme spotted me and waved.

“Oh? You’re already done, Yuseong? That was quick!”

“Let’s go,” I said curtly, not slowing my stride.

“W-Wait, where are we going?!”

I grabbed Erme’s hand and hurriedly led her out.

Once we were outside the guild, I finally let out a breath of relief.

“What just happened?!” she asked, clearly confused.

“I ran into some strange old man.”

“An old man? Wait, don’t tell me… the Sword King Volcan?”

“You know him?”

“Of course I do! He’s super famous! Wait… did you… fight him?”

“Is that guy famous for picking fights with anyone he meets?”

It only made me more certain I’d made the right call by running away.

“After all that, he’ll probably think I’m spineless and lose interest.”

I knew the type. He didn’t see anything worth pursuing, so he’d move on.

“No, you’re wrong,” Rishiel’s voice interrupted.

“The moment you used the elves’ swordsmanship, he was hooked. You’ve already lost the chance to avoid him.”

“What’s so special about the elves’ swordsmanship, anyway?”

Still, I couldn’t shake the memory of that one technique—the circular movements from earlier.

Even I could tell there was something exceptional about it, despite knowing next to nothing about swordsmanship.

“Darkmoon’s Shadow… that’s what it was called, right?”

Maybe I should find an open field and practice it, I thought to myself.

But before I could dwell on it further, Erme interrupted again.

“Wait a minute. You ran into Volcan, and you came back in one piece?”

“Yeah. And since he seemed like a hassle, I ran away.”

“…Did you manage to land a hit on him? Or did he just… freeze with that stunned look he gets sometimes?”

“The latter.”

Erme’s face twisted into an expression I’d never seen before—a mix of disbelief and utter disappointment.

“Do you know how hard I’ve worked to try and get his attention?!” she groaned.

“…What?”

Her sudden sulking was unexpected, but I didn’t have time to dwell on it.

Right now, there were more pressing matters to deal with.

“Do you think I could sell Whisper of the Wind?” I asked.

“Whisper of the Wind? Oh, you mean that rapier the elf was using?”

“Yeah.”

“Wait, hold on, my dear! That weapon is one of my precious treasures!” Rishiel’s voice rang out in protest.

“Not my problem. Survival comes first,” I replied internally.

“I don’t think that’s possible,” Erme said, shaking her head.

“If something of that level gets leaked outside, it’ll be nearly impossible to keep your identity hidden.”

“Really?”

It was only a B-graded weapon.

Could it really cause that much of a stir?

“I wonder if I should just stick to the Blood-Soaked Dagger. It’s less conspicuous, but still dangerous.”

I wanted to avoid drawing too much attention.

“How does the loot distribution work, then?” I asked.

“Huh? Oh, you mean because of Whisper of the Wind?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, since it’s technically contraband and a risky item to keep, it won’t account for much in the distribution,” she explained.

“That makes sense,” I muttered.

“Still,” she continued, “if you become more famous—or, wait, are you already famous?—anyway, once you’re in the clear, you could either use it or sell it for a lot of money. So, in the long run, it’s actually an asset.”

She wasn’t wrong. I didn’t really need money right now anyway.

“I feel a little bad, though.”

Erme had been footing a lot of the work for me, even sharing resources.

But I’d repay her eventually.

Once I had my footing, I’d make sure to pay off any debts.

“Well, should we head back?” I asked.

“Sure,” she replied with a nod, and we began our walk home.

“Yeah, well. Training is good and all, but on the day you come out of a labyrinth, it’s better to rest,” Erme said, her footsteps steady as she walked ahead of me.

I followed behind her.

“I really want to check the reward already.”

Up until now, the focus had always been on attracting attention to complete quests or achieve objectives.

But this time, I had done the opposite—actively avoiding interest.

“This time, I should finally get a failure reward.”

If the alternative was being stuck with unwanted attention, I’d much rather take the so-called failure reward.

[You have completed the Encounter Quest.]

I wasn’t wrong.

[You have successfully drawn the Sword King Volcan’s interest to an unprecedented level!]

[You have earned an additional reward.]

“…What?”

What did that mean?!

Later at the inn’s courtyard

It was a quiet and secluded space, perfect for a training ground.

No one else was around, and I felt at ease.

I decided it was finally time to check the quest reward.

[Encounter Quest Complete.]

[You have obtained the Gift, Swordsmanship Prodigy (B).]

[Swordsmanship Prodigy (B) has been merged with Innate Combat Instinct (B).**]

[You have obtained the Gift, Master of the Sword (A+).]

“Oh.”

I immediately opened my status to confirm.

[Gift]

Master of the Sword (A+)

Growth-Type.

My eyes widened in excitement.

A growth-type Gift meant that the more I trained and used it, the stronger it would become.

“This… is better than I expected.”

◇ Master of the Sword (A+) Details

You can wield any weapon categorized as a “sword” with the skill of a master.

Enhances combat instincts, speed, and slash potency.

Provides proficiency correction for sword techniques up to Level 5. Unlocks swordsmanship if not previously acquired.

Curious about the full scope of this Gift, I opened my status window to take a closer look.

Status Window

Name: Han Yuseong (Lv. 1)
Strength: 4
Agility: 4
Endurance: 4
Mana: 4
Willpower: 4
Perception: 4

◆ Gifts

[Thief’s Pinnacle (S)]

[Absolute Theft (S)]

[Master of the Sword (A+)]

[Fatal Allure (A)]

◆ Skills

[Hidden Space (B)]

◆ Techniques

[Swordsmanship (Lv. 6) (1 + 5)]

The status window had undergone a remarkable transformation.

Not only had my attributes improved, but I now had a clear sense of progression—especially in swordsmanship.

“How does this swordsmanship actually work?”

I gripped my blades and swung experimentally.

Swish.

Even the act of swinging the sword felt different now.

Before, I had relied entirely on intuition, each swing a clumsy, reactive motion.

Now, every strike felt sharp and precise, like my body knew exactly how to execute the movements without hesitation.

An odd pang of embarrassment crept over me.

“It’s like comparing the first time you tackled a task at work to how you approach it years later. Why was I so pathetic back then?”

Still, I was thankful to have gained clarity.

At least now I had the tools to do better.

Swish, swish, swish!

My blades sliced through the air, each arc cleaner and faster than the last.

Both swords moved in tandem, weaving an intricate pattern as I pushed myself to refine my movements.

For now, the only swordsmanship I knew was the one I had stolen—Darkmoon’s Shadow, the elves’ technique.

“But it’s a good start.”

I resolved to master it further, feeling the exhilarating potential of my new Gift.

However, the elves’ swordsmanship was undeniably impressive—far more than I had expected.

“This doesn’t even make sense. How is this so good?”

“What do you think?” Rishiel’s voice echoed in my head, eager for validation.

“It’s… remarkable, I guess,” I admitted reluctantly.

Still, I didn’t take her words at face value.

Of course, she would say it was amazing—she needed to stay on my good side.

As I continued practicing, I lost track of time.

By the time I looked up, the moon had risen high into the night sky.

“Guess I got a little too carried away.”

But it had been fun.

For someone like me, who had always avoided physical activity, this newfound enjoyment of training was a surprise.

“Maybe I’m more of an exercise type than I thought.”

All in all, it had been a satisfying day.

The Next Morning

I headed to the guild again, Erme by my side.

She was going to handle the final loot distribution, while I wanted to look for a swordsmanship manual.

“I wonder if that old man’s going to be there.”

The thought worried me.

Though I had bolted from Volcan during our last encounter, I wasn’t sure if his interest had diminished or intensified.

“He probably won’t be there… right?”

I reassured myself as we reached the guild.

The moment we stepped inside, we were greeted by a familiar sight.

“Yo!”

It was Theresa, waving at us energetically.

Beside her was Marcel, half-dead and sprawled on a bench, looking utterly exhausted.

“What’s with the glasses over there?” I asked, nodding toward Marcel.

Theresa grinned mischievously.

“Oh, that? He tried to keep up with me during training. Let’s just say it… didn’t go well.”

“…Of course.” I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose.

“Glasses over there got into some kind of competition with elemental mages yesterday,” Theresa explained.

“The challenge? Who could drink the most.”

“Men are all the same,” Erme said, throwing Marcel a judgmental glance.

Then, as if catching herself, she quickly turned to me with a softer expression.

“Of course, Yuseong, you’re a bit different.”

What makes me so different from him?

Was it Fatal Allure? Even when I deactivated it, people tended to think too highly of me for no apparent reason.

Still, that wasn’t important right now.

Erme finished her calculations, grabbed a heavy pouch of coins, and stuffed it into her bag.

“We’ll handle the rest in the accounting room,” she said.

“Accounting room?” I asked.

“Yeah. Trying to split things out here is just asking for trouble. Even with all the adventurers, you’ve got drifters, scavengers, and all kinds of shady types hanging around.”

Her explanation made sense. The last thing I wanted was to get stabbed over loose coin.

Our party headed to the accounting room.

Before we began, Erme spoke up.

“One thing to note—when we killed Rishiel, the elf, the rapier we got from her goes to Yuseong.”

“No complaints,” Theresa said with a shrug.

“That elf was strong as hell. I’m just glad we made it out alive,” Marcel muttered weakly, still recovering.

“Alright, moving on to the actual split,” Erme continued.

“Yuseong, after subtracting the rapier, your share is 3 silver coins.”

“Thanks.”

“Marcel, you’re getting 3 gold coins and 45 silver coins.”

Marcel’s eyes lit up slightly at the mention of gold, though his body still looked like it might collapse at any moment.

“Theresa, your share is next…” Erme continued.

“Thanks, Marcel,” Erme said with a nod.

“Theresa, your share is 3 gold coins and 50 silver coins. Plus an additional 30 silver coins for helping Yuseong earlier.”

“Appreciate it!” Theresa grinned as she pocketed the coins.

“As for me, I’m taking the rest: 6 gold coins and 75 silver coins.”

“Quite the hefty sum,” I remarked.

“Well, the gear those elves were wearing was top-notch. It was a pain to sell everything, but it paid off in the end,” Erme explained.

“When’s our next labyrinth dive?” I asked.

“How about tomorrow? We just went in yesterday, so we’ll have today to rest and recover,” Erme suggested.

“Fair enough,” Marcel said with a firm nod. His expression was serious as he added, “I’ll make sure I’m in top condition by then.”

“Good,” Erme replied. “In the meantime, I’ll recruit another party member.”

“Another member?”

“Yep. Someone competent enough to pull their weight. Plus, it wouldn’t hurt to have someone familiar with this area’s labyrinths.”

Knowing Erme, she’d handle it well.

I decided not to interfere.

“I’ll head to the orphanage,” Theresa suddenly chimed in.

“Orphanage?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I’m from an orphanage,” Theresa said casually.

“Because of my strong physical abilities, I was selected to become a holy knight.”

“But you can’t use healing magic?”

“Nope. Holy power requires a specific Gift, and I don’t have it,” Theresa admitted with a shrug.

“That’s unfortunate.”

Still, something didn’t add up.

Erme had called her a berserker.

“What exactly does a ‘holy knight’ have to do to earn the title of berserker?”

I was curious, but I decided not to press the matter further.

Some questions were better left unanswered.

She had her life, and I had mine.

With everyone heading off in different directions, I made my way to find a place to get some swordsmanship manuals.

Erme had already told me where to go.

The problem was…

“It’s near the training grounds.”

Peeking through a crack in the door, I checked the area.

Fortunately, it wasn’t the terrifying old man from yesterday.

Instead, a woman was stationed at the training ground’s entrance.

“Good. No sign of him today.”

I slipped inside and headed straight for the shelves where the training manuals were stored.

It was quiet, with hardly anyone around.

Of course, sword enthusiasts probably wouldn’t waste time here, flipping through dusty manuals.

As I browsed the selection, a realization hit me.

“The quality here is… surprisingly low.”

A quick skim was enough to grasp most of the techniques.

None of them stood out as particularly special.

“Are these all just beginner-level techniques?”

If they were, then why did the names sound so grandiose?

“‘Crushing Blade Technique?’ ‘Asura Swordsmanship?’ What kind of exaggerated names are these?”

I was in the middle of flipping through one of the manuals when.

“…Ran away yesterday, and now you’re browsing sword manuals?”

I froze.

Turning slowly, I saw him.

Volcan.

His face held an expression of disbelief, bordering on amusement.

“Oh, crap!” I shouted instinctively.

“You said that out loud, you know.” Rishiel’s voice rang out, bemused.

“Quiet, Rishiel.”

The old man continued to stare, and my heart sank.