"I Can Copy Any Skill — But Only If I Kill Its User"

After buying and admiring the Sword of Olympus, which I got at a discounted price of 8,000 gold from some old man...

> [System Notification: "He Who Fell from Olympus" says: "Who are you calling an old man?"]

"I've only got 2,000 gold left, so I better make it count. System, show me a list of armor priced at 1,000 gold or less."

> [System Notification: Displaying available armor under 1,000 gold.]

1. Battle-Scarred Cloak

Effect: +10% resistance to slashing damage and +5% stealth when moving in shadows.

2. Vanguard Armor

Effect: +15% protection against melee attacks (blades, fists).

3. Warden's Chestplate

Effect: +20% reduction in damage from projectiles (arrows, crossbow bolts).

4. Hunter's Cloak

Effect: +10% resistance to environmental damage (rain, wind) and +10% evasion when in natural surroundings (forest, wilderness).

5. Gladiator's Harness

Effect: +10% damage reduction from physical hits and +5% attack speed.

6. Nomad's Tunic

Effect: +10% movement speed and +5% stealth in open areas.

7. Stormbringer Coat

Effect: +10% resistance to lightning damage and +5% movement speed in stormy conditions.

8. Berserker's Armor

Effect: +15% resistance to blunt damage (maces, hammers) and +10% attack speed when HP is below 30%.

9. Phantom Cloak

Effect: +20% stealth in dark environments and +5% evasion while moving quietly.

10. Ironhide Vest

Effect: +15% resistance to slashing and piercing damage.

I need to pick the best armor to survive. The Ironhide Vest is my choice. Most monsters use slashing and piercing attacks—just like that one I couldn't defeat before. The vest offers resistance to both types of damage, so I'll be better prepared if I ever face something like that again.(he's referring to the ??? monster).

I'm down to my last 1,000 gold, and it's a tough choice—do I go for an accessory to boost my abilities, or invest in a second weapon for more flexibility in combat? Both would be useful, but I need to decide what will help me survive the most.

After hours of thinking it over, I finally decide to go with the second weapon. It'll give me more versatility in combat, and right now, that's what I need the most.

"System, show me a list of secondary weapons that cost at least 1,000 gold."

[System Notification]

You have requested to view secondary weapons worth 1,000 gold or more. Displaying options available in the shop...

As I scrolled through the secondary weapon slots in the System Shop, something caught my eye. On the right side of the screen, near the bottom corner, a small golden bell was jiggling, its soft chime faintly echoing with each scroll. It almost seemed to be calling out to me, as if urging me to click it.

I paused for a moment, my fingers hovering over the screen. The bell kept ringing, persistent and inviting. The system had a way of making even the smallest things feel important. What was this? A random draw for a weapon?

[System Notification]

You have noticed the Gacha Bell! Spend 1,000 gold for a chance to win a random secondary weapon.

It's tempting... but risky. I couldn't help but weigh my options. I only had 1,000 gold left, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to gamble it away on a random weapon. But... it could be something I really needed. Or maybe I'd get a useless trinket. Either way, I had to decide.

[YES] | [NO]

I glanced back at the bell, then back at the remaining slots for weapons. Maybe it was worth a shot. What was the worst that could happen?

Just as I was about to tap [YES], something light landed on my shoulder.

Yuna—my familiar—hopped up and sat beside my neck, unusually quiet. Then, without a sound, she closed her eyes and began chanting. Her voice was soft, almost like a whisper, and a gentle shimmer of light gathered around us.

[System Notification]

Your familiar Yuna is casting a skill…

Skill Activated: "Fortune Whisper"

Temporarily increases the user's Luck by 50%.

My eyes narrowed.

That was new.

Back during my first awakening, a portion of the experience had been shared with her. This had to be her third skill.

She glanced at me, her expression unusually calm. No teasing grin, no playful flick of her ears. Just quiet focus and a faint shimmer of light around her.I clicked on the gacha spin icon, my finger hovering above the button as I prepared for the inevitable.

The wheel began spinning immediately, and a loud, mechanical whirring noise filled my ears. The sound was almost deafening—like someone cranking an industrial-sized blender at full blast. I winced, leaning back slightly, trying to block out the cacophony.

"Couldn't they make this quieter?" I muttered, my eyebrow twitching. "I feel like I'm about to go deaf just trying to get a weapon."

The wheel spun faster, blurring the colors as they sped by. The noise kept increasing, and now it felt like a jackhammer was going off inside my head.

[System Notification]

Gacha spin in progress…

I groaned, rubbing my temples. I could've sworn I heard the system chuckling at my expense.

[System Message]

"What's the matter? Can't handle the sound of potential greatness? It's a gacha spin, not a lullaby."

I muttered a few more choice words under my breath, but kept my eyes on the wheel, waiting for it to stop.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of ear-splitting noise, the wheel began to slow. It came to a stop with a loud ding, and the system immediately flashed its message.

[System Notification]

Congratulations! You have unlocked: Scorpion's Grasp (Legendary Secondary Weapon)

I blinked, finally relieved that the noise had stopped. I looked at the new item and sighed.

> Scorpion's Grasp

A chain-linked dagger crafted from the venomous fangs of a mythical scorpion. The blade pulses with dark energy, and each strike delivers a sting, leaving enemies in agony as the poison seeps into their veins. The chain not only extends the reach of the dagger, but it allows for quick pulls, drawing enemies close as they struggle against the venom's bite.

Effect: The blade inflicts a paralyzing poison on enemies. The longer the chain remains in contact with the target, the more venomous it becomes, leaving the victim with a lingering weakness.

Skill – Whiplash: With a swing of the chain, the weapon pulls enemies in close, disorienting them with the force and leaving them open for a follow-up attack.

System Notification:

"Get over here!"

I raised an eyebrow. "Well, that's one way to make an entrance. Could've been a little less dramatic, though."

Maybe next time, I'd add my own tagline. "How about 'Hey, get over here, and I'll show you something cool'?"

I can't believe I got two legendary weapons, on top of unlocking my awakening and higher-tier skills.

Well, time to put all of this to the test.

I opened my inventory and pulled out the pendant Seraphine had given me—an orb-shaped charm strung on a worn leather cord.

Too bad we separated.

Hope I can meet her again someday…

That soft brea—

I shook my head, smirking. Focus, idiot. You just rang the dinner bell for something that eats hunters for breakfast.

No glow, no fancy carvings. Just quiet power. One-time use only. Meant to detect the nearest high-tier or rare-class monster.

Everyone else saw it as a death sentence.

I saw it as a shortcut.

With a deep breath, I crushed it in my hand. The moment it shattered, a sharp pulse rippled through the air—silent, but heavy. The ground seemed to shift beneath me, and a faint tremor rolled down my spine.

System Notification:

[Detection activated. Nearest Rare-Class Monster: 1.8 km Southwest]

[Warning: Your presence has been detected.]

[The hunt begins.]

…Well, that's new.

"Great," I muttered. "Not only did I find it... it found me."

Thanks, Seraphine.

As soon as I sprinted southwest, I felt it—

A presence. Heavy. Unrelenting. Closing the distance fast.

I wasn't just hunting it.

It was hunting me.

Every step brought us closer, like two trains on the same track.

I didn't slow down. Neither did it.

After 13 minutes of nonstop sprinting, we came to a sudden halt. We stood there, facing each other in opposite directions, breathing heavy, the silence thick between us.

"System," I panted, eyes locked on the beast, "What am I up against?"

System Notification:

Name: Ironhide Ravager

Type: Rare-Class Beast

Combat Style: Unarmed / Fist-Based

Description: A hulking creature with skin like reinforced steel and arms thick as tree trunks. It uses brutal punches, ground slams, and grappling techniques to crush its prey. Swift despite its size, the Ironhide Ravager's body generates shockwaves with every blow.

Seriously? No claws, no piercing—just punches? What the hell did I even get the Ironhide Vest for?

Without warning, it sprinted toward me, throwing a straight punch. Too bad it was slow.

I dodged his strike with ease and countered with Serpent Vengeance, landing a critical blow on his weak points. Without hesitation, I unleashed a flurry of attacks, each one faster and more powerful than the last, the Blade of Olympus marking him with a godly seal with every strike.

He staggered, struggling to keep up, barely able to block or defend as my blows rained down.

System Notification: Status Effect – Wrath of the Gods: Every hit marks your target with the Godly Mark, making them take 10% more damage from anything for 5 seconds.

Then, I slashed upward, leaving his stomach vulnerable, before smashing it with brutal force, sending him flying. His body writhed in pain, but before he could even think of recovering, I activated Whiplash, dragging him back toward me with a vicious yank, pulling him into my next strike.

I kicked his face sideways, sending him crashing to the floor with a grunt. He barely had time to push himself up before I stepped forward, my grip tightening around the handle of my weapon. Without hesitation, I channeled every ounce of my strength into a single, devastating strike.

With a roar, I swung downward, activating Iron Fang: Cataclysm. My weapon gleamed with the crushing force of iron as it descended, the air itself seeming to shudder with its power.

The monster's eyes flickered with rage. In a desperate move, he raised his fists, his muscles bulging as he prepared to counter the full force of my strike. With a guttural roar, he slammed his fists together in a powerful defensive motion, unleashing a shockwave that collided with my blow. The impact was explosive, sending tremors through the ground, but he wasn't able to fully absorb the power of the strike.

The sheer force of the collision pushed him back, his arms shaking from the strain, but even as his counter skill activated, I could see it in his eyes—the monster was still reeling. My strike had torn through his defense, leaving deep gashes across his arms. Blood spattered across the ground, and he staggered, clearly winded, but still standing.

He didn't give up. Despite the damage, his eyes burned with defiance as he prepared for the next round. He wasn't done yet, but neither was I.

As soon as I dashed toward him, ready to land my strike, he disappeared in the blink of an eye. In that moment of confusion, I didn't see it coming.

A heavy punch slammed into my ribs, sending me flying backward. The impact wasn't as bad as I expected—just a sharp jolt, like being hit by a heavy gust of wind. My body skidded across the ground a few meters, but I quickly regained my footing, barely phased by the hit.

I chuckled to myself, brushing off the dust. "You call that a punch? That's not hitting me, that's giving me a light hug with your fists. Do you even know what 'aim' is, or do you just flail around hoping for the best?" Provoking him.

Sure, it surprised me, but it was nothing I couldn't handle. My ribs were fine, and my focus remained sharp. This fight was far from over.

I straightened up and spoke aloud.

"System," I said, cracking my neck, "what skill did he use to counter my Iron Fang: Cataclysm?"

[System Notification: Analyzing... Skill Identified — Classified as: Ironclad Retaliation specialized as a counter skill.

"Oh, a counter… so that's what that was," I muttered, piecing things together.

He didn't stop my Iron Fang: Cataclysm—he just managed to slip in a hit of his own before it fully landed. Bold. Suicidal, but bold.

I smirked. "Let's see how you like it."

"Activate skill: Transcendent Copy."

"Copying skill: Ironclad Retaliation…"

[System Notification: Skill copied successfully. Transcending…]

[Transcendence Complete — Ironclad Retaliation has evolved to Divine Ironclad Requiem. Effectiveness x2.]

Skill Effect – Divine Ironclad Requiem:

When struck by an enemy attack, the user instantly channels divine force to return the blow with double impact. The retaliation is automatic, striking back with divine-infused power that ignores 30% of the enemy's defense. If the user manually activates the skill, it delivers a follow-up combo strike, staggering the target and applying Requiem Mark, reducing their attack power by 20% for 5 seconds. Cooldown: 15 seconds.

As the dust began to settle from my last strike, a low growl rumbled from the crater. Cracks of red energy shimmered around the monster's battered form.

[System Notification: Warning — The enemy is preparing to use a skill.]

[Skill Identified: Savage Rush]

My eyes narrowed.

The ground began to tremble beneath us, pebbles jittering violently. The monster let out a guttural roar as blood-red veins of energy surged across its fists and legs.

"He's still got fight in him, huh?" I muttered, my stance shifting, ready.

[System Notification: Savage Rush — A berserk-style charge attack fueled by adrenaline. User enters a frenzied state, gaining explosive speed and damage. High risk, high impact.]

The air thickened with killing intent.

"Great," I whispered, lips curling into a smirk. "Let's see who breaks first."

The monster vanished in front of me—one blink and he was gone.

A flicker of movement behind me.

Instinct screamed.

I twisted and slashed behind me, but the blade tore through nothing—just an afterimage, dissipating like smoke.

"Tch—!"

Too late.

WHAM!

A heavy fist slammed into my side, sending a ripple of pain across my ribs.

Before I could fully react, he was already in front of me again—his stance low, eyes glowing, mouth curled in a savage grin. His fists blurred.

BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!

Each punch struck like a jackhammer, a flurry of brutal, precise blows hammering my chest, shoulders, and gut. The sheer speed was wild—like he was trying to fold me into the ground with raw force alone.

"You think that's enough to break me?" I growled through clenched teeth, the shockwaves rippling off my reinforced muscles.

Blood dripped from my lip, but my feet never left the ground.

After a storm of punches, the world blurred with impact. My body absorbed the shock, each strike a thunderclap against my frame. But then—

a gap.

Just for a second.

His rhythm broke.

My turn.

"Activate skill: Transcendent Counter – Ironclad Retaliation."

A deep metallic hum surged through my arm. Time felt slower, my senses sharper. As his next fist flew in, I shifted—not to dodge.

To meet it.

CLANG!

My forearm caught the strike mid-air. The force shuddered through my bones—then reversed.

A shockwave erupted.

I spun into a counterstrike, my fist glowing with divine energy, crashing into his ribs with the power of a collapsing mountain.

BOOM!

The impact rippled outward in a violent wave, cracks webbing through the earth beneath our feet as the monster was hurled backward like a missile, slamming into a boulder that shattered on impact.

Dust exploded everywhere.

System Notification: [Ironclad Retaliation – Transcended Form] Successful.

Effect: Nullifies incoming strike. Returns double force. Applies [Shatter] debuff.

I stood, breathing steady. "You done?"