Shouting Duel at the Center of a Dead Game

A moment later.

─Buzzzz.

The shape of a slime began to rise from the magic circle. It was the same 1st stage as the other four people.

'Now!'

I kicked off the floor and started running without hesitation, and swung the hoe with just two steps left.

One, two.

The hoe drew a beautiful curve and hit the slime.

─Splat.

Its tip pierced the core of the slime. Mucus splattered in all directions, and Paimon's eyes were visible beyond it.

In the square pupils, a little 'interest' was visible.

"Finding the core in one blow, your luck is pretty good."

The slime has terrible attack power and terrible defense power, but it can only be completely killed by finding the 'core' inside and detonating it.

However, in order to find that core, it is usually necessary to rummage through the slime's body and be covered in mucus.

'I'm different.'

I rushed in and caught the slime as soon as it spawned. The slime's core is almost the same as the surrounding mucus, so it is impossible to distinguish it with the naked eye, but it shows a slight gloss within 3 seconds of its creation.

Even so, it's only visible properly when you take a screenshot and look at it, but not to my eyes.

'How many slimes have I caught?'

Even a slight difference is clearly visible to my eyes. It's like a grain of brown rice mixed between white rice.

Then I heard Paimon's voice.

"Mortal, it's truly ridiculous to be so high and mighty after catching something like a slime."

He's still a jerk.

Paimon moved his fingers with a smirk on his face. Then, light filled the magic circle in front of me, and the next monster spawned.

"Let's see how far you can go wielding such a thing."

***

Some time later.

─Clang.

The hoe was blocked by the shield. And when I was pushed back a little while being pushed by the shield, I rolled to the side instinctively.

And at the same time, a loud sound was heard.

─Bang.

A sharp sword struck the floor. The one wielding the sword was a skeleton that was about a head taller than me.

It was the 5th stage, the 'Elite Skeleton Shield Soldier'.

"Hoo."

I stood up and stepped back, calming my breath.

Then.

"As expected, you were not a very great mortal either."

Paimon, who had somehow propped up his chin and lay on his side, said.

"Still, you were a little better than the other trash. It doesn't change the fact that you're at the trash level."

Paimon mumbled, throwing an apple into his mouth.

"Just give up quickly. I want to rest a bit."

I glared at Paimon for a moment.

'He's been so damn noisy since a while ago.'

He's imprisoned in a jail and being roasted, but the way he speaks is so annoying. The little sympathy I had in my heart disappeared completely.

'First of all…….'

I looked at the front again.

The empty pupils of the skeleton shield soldier, the rusty shield he was holding, and the thin and sharp sword were visible.

'It's definitely not easy.'

It wasn't difficult up to the 4th stage Lizardman. It was easy to pass as long as you knew the weaknesses well.

'Maybe they're testing if I've played the game.'

Even RabbitBoneSoup, who I challenged first, is embarrassing to call a veteran, but he passed up to the 4th stage.

But this time it's different.

'It's too hard to catch that with a normal method… The specs are too lacking.'

The elite skeleton shield soldier is a monster that guards the road in the game, never attacks first, and only counterattacks thoroughly. It has a simple mechanism of pushing away the attack with the shield when it recognizes the attack, and then immediately swinging the sword to counterattack.

However, the problem is that this simple mechanism of parrying and then counterattacking is too fast for the level of the skeleton shield soldier.

The so-called newbie cutter elite skeleton shield soldier, or ESSS for short.

'The setting was that skeletons are light and fast because they're bones.'

I understood when I saw it in front of me. The skinny bones moving around looked very agile.

Originally, the strategy is either 'raise agility enough to avoid the counterattack and dig in', or 'raise strength enough to break the shield'.

But right now my level is 1, both are impossible.

'Duel…….'

If I declare a duel with the newly acquired trait 'Duelist', my stats will increase. But…….

'Who knows what will happen in the future.'

It's a trait with a cooldown of a month. I didn't want to spend it on a mere newbie cutter. And above all, I have another method.

'It's been a while since I used this tactic.'

I've caught ESSS at a low level before.

"Hoo."

I put strength into the hand holding the hoe. And I stared at the skeleton in front of me.

And I slowly started to approach.

Even if I run in quickly, I can't outrun the skeleton's movements with agility 5. Instead of rushing, I didn't miss a single movement of the skeleton and kept it in my eyes.

And I took a stance to swing the hoe. Then, at the same time, the skeleton reacted.

─Squeak.

The skeleton immediately tried to push the hoe away with its shield, and I slightly moved the hoe and tilted it. While doing so, I swung it as if scratching it out.

─Clang.

'Good.'

The hoe got caught on the edge of the shield and changed the pushing trajectory. It wasn't enough strength to break the shield, but it was enough to slightly change the trajectory.

─Whoosh.

The skeleton's parry failed. With that recoil, the shield was slightly pushed to my left, and I pushed my body into the small gap. With the movement as planned, without any unnecessary movements.

And the sharp edge of the sword approached my eyes.

'As expected, a counterattack.'

It's fast as expected. I can't avoid it and dig in with agility 5. But I have no intention of avoiding it in the first place.

'There.'

I stretched out the hoe, held upside down, towards the sword's edge.

─Clatter.

The moment the curve of the hoe and the straight line of the sword met, sparks flew with the metallic sound.

'I can do it.'

I rotated my wrist and gave it a snap, rotated the deltoid muscle of my shoulder with all my strength, and moved my arm outwards.

─Clang.

The skeleton's sword was pushed out as if bouncing off. While doing so, it moved smoothly outwards along the gentle curve of the hoe.

─Whoosh.

With a light sound, the skeleton's sword left the hoe.

'Success.'

As soon as I confirmed that, I held the hoe straight and stabbed the center of the skeleton's sternum.

─Shatter.

With the sound of the sternum breaking, the ribs attached to the sternum trembled. And the next moment.

─Rattle.

The bones collapsed and the skeleton crumbled. The thin sword and shield fell to the floor, and the pile of bones no longer moved.

"Hoo."

A smile appeared on my lips involuntarily.

'The one just now looks simple, but it's a combination of three veteran techniques.'

Predict the direction with the movement just before the monster's pattern, and invalidate the parry by twisting the attacking weapon.

But compared to the last technique, the above two can be said to be for beginners.

The so-called 'weapon parrying'.

Parrying done with a weapon other than a shield, a parrying that only true veterans among veterans can do.

It is the ultimate technique that is possible only when accompanied by a perfect understanding of the center of gravity and balance of the opponent's weapon, and the weapon in my hand.

I used to do that in the game as if it were a meal, and later even with my bare hands, but this is reality.

'As expected, I am me.'

While I was intoxicated with such pride, I heard Paimon's voice.

"Hoo, you are something different."

In Paimon's voice, interest was finally seen.

"Yeah……. Show me more of your skills. I hope you will give me some pleasure."

And he immediately moved his fingers. Then another opponent began to be summoned in front of me.

***

"Kege…… Ugh."

The hoe was stuck in the neck of a disgusting wolf with clear red veins, and the dying breath was heard. When the wriggling sensation that was transmitted to my hand subsided, I pulled out the hoe.

─Thud.

The wolf's large body fell helplessly to the floor.

6th stage, Goblin Chieftain.

7th stage, Lowest Orc.

8th stage, Red Wolf.

It didn't even take 30 minutes to pass through three stages.

'This is really driving me crazy.'

I shook my head.

'Have I already adapted? Ha, Han Hae-il, what an egoistic physical.'

The difficulty increased at each stage, but the perceived difficulty greatly decreased as I gradually became accustomed to the feeling in the game.

No, it was rather enjoyable.

Content to face these monsters with level 1 specs. Even sequentially stronger, and monsters with different habitats!

'How great would it have been if there was such content in the game?'

Such thoughts came to my mind naturally. Then even newbies would be able to enjoy it without dying.

Then.

"You seem to be a different existence from the other mortals."

Paimon's praise was heard. But I calmly looked at Paimon and said,

"Korean gamers can all do this much. Summon the next stage."

But Paimon smirked instead of moving his fingers. The smile seen on the large goat face was somehow grotesque and terrifying.

And his mouth opened.

"There's no need. There doesn't seem to be anything different even if I summon the guys after this, so I'll give you a perfect score. You move so well with that trashy weapon."

[Achieved 500 points in Paimon's test.]

It was the moment a window popped up in front of my eyes. But the feeling I felt when I saw it wasn't the joy of achieving it.

'It's already over?'

It was disappointment.

'It was a great opportunity to test what kind of monsters I can catch with level 1.'

"You, you're regretting it."

Paimon opened his mouth so much that his sharp fangs were visible and laughed.

"I am also. If I could do as I please, I would like to summon Balrogs and see you get trampled to death, but…… that damn Deia sealed my authority, so these paltry monsters are all I have."

The moment I heard that crazy sound, goosebumps spread all over my body.

No matter how much I'm a veteran, I can't catch Balrogs with level 1. Even if it's just a high-ranking monster, I can't even make a scratch with ordinary attacks. The weakness and whatever doesn't mean anything if the minimum specs are not met.

"Then."

I shrugged and moved towards the door that the system had opened. Although I received a good evaluation, now that the business was over, I didn't want to be in the same place as that crazy guy.

When I moved my steps a few steps.

"But you."

Paimon asked.

"I'll ask again. Have you ever seen me in that 'game'?"

Paimon's square pupils were looking at me. I didn't want to get annoyed unnecessarily, so I shook my head and said.

"No."

At that time, the smile that had been on Paimon's face disappeared. At the same time, the atmosphere of the space completely turned cold.

"You."

Paimon got up. And he grabbed the iron bars with his hands and brought his face close.

"You're…… lying."

"What?"

"My eyes see beyond words. Even the truth and falsehood of a mortal."

Did Paimon have such authority? There was no opportunity to talk to Paimon in the game.

I felt goosebumps for no reason. My instinct was warning me that I had to get out of here quickly.

"You, I'll ask you one more thing."

Paimon was glaring at me. The square pupils, without the slightest movement, were glaring as if they would swallow everything.

"An attitude that is not afraid even after seeing me, skills that are not like a mortal. Could it be that you are…… AoDaiAshichi?"

The moment I heard that voice, I knew something was wrong. I instinctively started running towards the portal.

But.

─Buzzzz.

Suddenly a magic circle rose in front of me, and a monster was formed. It was a large and undulating Elder Slime.

'Damn it!'

I immediately swung the hoe, but I couldn't attack the core right away because of its large size, and I heard Paimon's voice.

"Yeah, you're right. Finally…… the reason for enduring all these humiliations has fallen in front of me!"

A terrifying murderous intent was felt in Paimon's voice.

─Thud, thud.

While digging into the body of the Elder Slime that completely blocked the front and searching for the core, I began to hear a huge noise.

─Crash, crash.

Paimon raised his fists and began to strike the iron bars. Even while doing so, he shouted while fixing his square pupils on me.

"AoDaiAshichi……! The architect of Deia! You can't get out of here alive!"