Forest Rift – Clearing
Once a foul wasteland littered with bones and swarming flies, the open clearing in the heart of the Forest Rift had undergone a radical transformation in the past two weeks.
After all, why not use a couple hundred trolls as free labor?
"RRAAAGH!!"
A thunderous bellow shattered the silence.
The troll known as Guu, a mountain of muscle wrapped in grey hide, charged forward, swinging a three-meter-long magic greatsword like it was a toy.
The blade sliced the air with a deafening whoosh, trailing a crescent of compressed wind.
Lyle leaned back ever so slightly, letting the massive weapon whistle past his nose.
BOOM!
The ground split as the greatsword slammed down, kicking up a thick cloud of dust and debris.
From that rising plume, Lyle burst forth.
He landed directly on the sword's spine and sprinted toward Guu in two nimble strides.
With a flash of steel, his iron longsword cleaved downward.
Squelch!
The blade tore into Guu's shoulder, drawing a furious, pained roar from the troll.
"Human... CURSE YOU!!"
Guu's massive arm swung up like a catapult, aiming to swat the annoying little meat-sack off his blade.
Lyle's eyes flicked sideways. He stomped hard on the greatsword's hilt and pushed off. In the same motion, he raised his free hand and slammed a punch into Guu's incoming palm.
THUMP!
A low, meaty thud rang out as the two forces met.
Lyle was thrown back several meters, skidding through the dirt before finally halting with a grimace.
"Okay, not gonna lie—dude hits like a mountain," he muttered, shaking out his numbed left arm with a wince and a crooked smile.
Guu roared again, enraged beyond words. He gripped his greatsword in both hands and charged.
This time, Lyle didn't dodge.
He stepped back with one foot, squared his shoulders, and grasped his sword with both hands, eyes locked on the descending hunk of enchanted metal.
CRASH!!
The enchanted greatsword came down like divine judgment.
And just before it landed—
"Fourfold Slash: BREAKTHROUGH!" Lyle bellowed.
Four blades of gleaming light tore through the air, merging into a single, brilliant arc that met Guu's weapon head-on.
BOOOOOM!!
An earsplitting blast echoed through the clearing.
The clash of force erupted into a shockwave that flattened the surrounding grass, rippling outward in every direction.
"GAH!"
Guu's arms trembled violently. Veins bulged from his forearms as the recoil forced him back, he dropped the greatsword and stumbled.
CLANG!
The enchanted weapon slammed into the dirt.
Lyle's iron sword, however, wasn't as lucky.
It shattered in his hands, metal shards flying in all directions. Blood trickled from his palms where the grip had split.
And yet—his smile widened.
"Hell yes."
The Fourfold Slash was a technique Lyle had been working on himself: four rapid slashes released simultaneously, each targeting the same point. It wasn't as refined as a real skill, but by overlapping the timing and focus, it packed a far stronger punch than his usual Quick Slash.
And the best part?
No cooldown. Unlike regular combat abilities logged in the system, this was pure martial technique, a weapon art, born from trial, error, and one very angry sparring partner named Guu.
He glanced at his stats panel. Nothing had changed.
"Huh… So the system doesn't recognize it as a proper skill. Probably because it's just a variation of an existing move."
Still, it was his move. His first real creation.
He smirked.
"Wonder if I can push it to a 'Sixfold Slash' next?"
This past half-month had been one hell of a growth spurt.
Thanks to Guu acting as a walking punching bag, Lyle's control over his strength had hit a new level. He wasn't just swinging hard anymore—he was striking smart.
With a muttered "Minor Heal", he sent a pulse of green magic into his hands, sealing the gashes in his palms.
Meanwhile, Guu had regained his footing.
The troll glared at him with barely concealed fear, yellow eyes darting like prey sensing a predator.
Then—he bolted.
"Training's over already, my friend?" Lyle called out with mock concern. "That's a shame."
He held out one hand.
"All Race Charm."
A ripple of violet mana burst from his fingers, washing over the area.
Guu froze mid-sprint, eyes glazing over, body trembling. Then… he stopped, head drooping like a scolded puppy.
Lyle strolled up to the fallen greatsword.
As he touched the hilt, the massive blade began to shrink, warping and folding until it resembled a standard longsword.
"Now this is craftsmanship," he said, giving it a few test swings. "Smooth grip, no wobble, lovely weight distribution. You spoil me, Guu."
He activated Item Appraisal.
[Magic Greatsword]
Grade: Mid-tier (Level 21–30)
Special Effects:
– Adaptive Size Adjustment
– Poison Slot (Level 10 toxin, reduces muscular strength)
"The poison gimmick's nothing special, but this size-shifting enchantment? Chef's kiss."
Clearly not some random loot drop.
"Where'd you really get this?" he'd asked Guu days ago.
The answer: a gift from Naga who ruled the Western Tob Forest, one of the three rulers.
Of course, Lyle hadn't been idle.
A week ago, he'd already sent a troll envoy to Naga's domain—an invitation to "chat."
"No idea if they'll show," Lyle muttered.
Still, with Guu's region nearly cleared of monsters and beasts, it was time to shift his attention elsewhere.
Next Target: Naga.
But the real endgame?
The Wise King of the Forest: Hamsuke.
He was the strongest. The most troublesome. The final step in the plan.
"I just hope Naga doesn't pull a 'Guu' and make me get rough."
Lyle raised his newly claimed greatsword and glanced at Guu.
"Gather all the trolls," he ordered.
Guu nodded dazedly and lumbered away.
Within minutes, dozens or hundreds of trolls poured into the clearing. Growling, mumbling, snarling. The whole place turned into a chaos of noise.
Lyle stood before them, sword slung over his shoulder like a bard with a lute.
Every eye was on him.
"Thank you for all your hard work these past two weeks," he said warmly.
"And now—please enjoy a well-earned rest."
SWOOSH!
He vanished, appearing in front of the nearest troll.
SPLAT!!
The blade cut through bone and muscle like butter, cleaving the creature in two.
[XP Gained: +321]
"Flight."
He spoke a single word, and mana enveloped him. With a gust of air, he shot into the sky, leaving the stunned trolls to panic below.
Then—he dropped.
BOOM!
Landing dead-center among the crowd, he whirled like a cyclone. The magic greatsword spun in his grip, mowing down everything within reach.
[XP Gained: +355]
[XP Gained: +326]
[XP Gained: +331]
…
The trolls screamed.
"RRAAGH!"
"PAIN! HUMAN BAD!"
"RUN!"
"IT HURTS! FOOD!!"
The clearing exploded into chaos.
But against Lyle's superior speed and flight advantage, they were helpless.
It took an hour and a half but in the end, over two hundred trolls were reduced to a steaming pile of flesh, gore, and viscera.
The air stank of blood and panic.
SHWIP!
Lyle soared back to the center of the Forest Rift, landing amid the carnage. His body was soaked head to toe in thick, near-congealed blood.
He looked like a demon born of a butcher's nightmare.
"Yep," he muttered, glancing down at himself. "Definitely need a bath."
He wiped his face with his sleeve and gave the blood-covered greatsword a nod of appreciation.
"Good weapon. If I'd been using a regular iron sword, it would've dulled after ten swings. This thing? Still slicing like a dream."
Then he checked his panel:
[XP Gauge: 145,422 / 30000]