Sword Techniques

"Damn it, what do I do?" Ronnie's voice trembled, his heart pounding as he stood in the Dream World's vibrant meadow, now tinged with an ominous chill. The memory of the sleeping beauty's lethal aura—Elizabeth Hart—haunted him. With his Guardian King class heightening his senses, the once-idyllic landscape now screamed danger. Unlike his first visit, when he'd seen only beauty, his instincts now urged him to flee.

"Should I cancel the skill?" Sweat beaded on his forehead, the idea of testing his equipment no longer a priority. Fear gripped him, his breath shallow.

A System window flashed, its blue glow stark against the lush greenery:

[This world is an ideal training ground.]

"What?" Ronnie's eyes darted to the window, confusion knitting his brow.

[This world may be dangerous, but it is saturated with mana.]

[Entities of extremely high levels can craft dreams as tangible as real worlds.]

"Is that for real?" Ronnie's eyes widened, his mind reeling. "What kind of level creates a world like this?"

Training here sounded incredible but perilous—a double-edged sword. The thought of Elizabeth, the sleeping beauty in her coffin, sent a shiver down his spine. "What if the dreamer doesn't want me here?" he asked, his voice tight with dread.

[If the dreamer didn't want you here, you wouldn't be.]

The simple statement carried profound weight. Ronnie exhaled, relief washing over him. "Right. If someone as powerful as her hated my presence, I'd already be gone." His confidence returned, the tension easing from his shoulders. He was welcome here, or at least tolerated.

"Alright, let's test the gear!" A manic grin spread across his face as he laughed, acting like a kid unleashed in a toy shop.

He summoned his equipment with reckless enthusiasm, piling it into a haphazard stack. First, he donned the Iron Armor, its weight settling over him like a second skin. The dull gleam of the metal transformed him into a knight from a bygone era, exuding a fearsome aura as if its previous owner had slain demons. Next, he slipped the Protection Bracelet onto his left wrist, its intricate blue runes pulsing faintly. Finally, he gripped the Valier Sword in his right hand, its balance perfect—neither too heavy nor too light.

"This sword… it's perfect," he murmured, admiring its sleek design.

The scene was complete: Ronnie stood as an ancient warrior, his presence commanding. For a fleeting moment, his Guardian King class stirred, a primal urge awakening within him. His blood thrummed with a thirst for battle, for slaughter. Without realizing it, he swung the sword, envisioning an army of foes before him. He saw himself cleaving enemies in half, blood and entrails spilling, his blade igniting in flames that consumed all in its path. A grin spread across his face, unbidden, as if he relished the carnage.

But the sensation faded as quickly as it came, snapping him back to reality. "That was weird," he gasped, staring at his hands, which gripped the sword with unnatural intensity. "I felt like I needed to kill something."

"What just happened?" he muttered. "I'm sure I don't know how to wield a sword like that."

A new System window appeared:

[This is due to your second class.]

Ronnie blinked, the explanation clicking. His Guardian King class granted him weapon mastery skills, including swords. "So, my second class lets me master the sword this fast?" His eyes gleamed as he stared at the Valier Sword. Who wouldn't want to wield a blade like this? Countless others had failed to master swordsmanship due to lack of talent, but he now possessed what they lacked.

[Even with high sword affinity, without guidance and fundamentals, you cannot master it.]

The words hit like a bucket of cold water, grounding him. Ronnie scratched his head, deflated. "So, what do I do?"

[You must learn sword techniques.]

"Huh?" Ronnie's jaw dropped. "System, are you messing with me? How am I supposed to learn techniques when I don't have any?" he shouted, half-tempted to punch the blue window.

[Sword techniques are available in the System store.]

"…" Ronnie froze, embarrassment flooding him. He'd forgotten the System wasn't just a screen—it held the legacy of an entire era. "Ahem, I knew you had sword techniques," he mumbled, cheeks flushing.

Hastily, he opened the store, and a list of techniques materialized:

[Sword Techniques: (Due to the user's low level, only basic techniques are displayed)]

[Moon Slash Technique: 10,000 Platinum Points]

[Demonic Sword Technique: 25,000 Platinum Points]

[Purple Cloud Technique: 15,000 Platinum Points]

[Hua Mountain Technique: 30,000 Platinum Points]

[Void Sword Technique: 35,000 Platinum Points]

[Hellblade Technique: 20,000 Platinum Points]

[Dark Sword Technique: 50,000 Platinum Points]

[…]

Ronnie's eyes widened, his jaw dropping. The techniques sounded extraordinary, but their prices twisted his stomach. "System, how am I supposed to afford these? They're ridiculously expensive!" he roared, veins bulging on his forehead. Just moments ago, he'd felt rich with 1000 Platinum Points; now, he was painfully poor. The System was toying with him.

Seeing those prices, he realized he'd need to uncover the world's secrets to afford even one.

[Do you think these prices are high?]

[If any System technique reached your world, it would be priceless.]

[Every technique in the store is extinct, from the Last Era.]

The words shook Ronnie to his core, sweat beading on his brow. The System never ceased to astonish him. He reread the techniques, realizing they were unlike anything in his world. Though not an expert, his school readings gave him enough knowledge to know these were unique. But the prices still fueled his frustration.

"Damn it, I'll have to work my ass off to afford these," he grumbled. "Am I supposed to grind forever just for one technique?" The thought of wasting time gnawed at him.

Suddenly, the Dream World trembled. The idyllic paradise began to fracture, cracks spiderwebbing across the ground. The Protection Bracelet on his wrist glowed a celestial blue, warning of imminent danger. From the fissures emerged small, black creatures with ten glowing eyes, their gazes piercing from every angle.

"What's happening?" Ronnie's heart raced. The creatures were terrifying, as if born solely to kill, all staring at him.

[Warning! Warning!]

[This world is on the verge of collapse.]

"What?" Ronnie's voice cracked. "Isn't this just a dream?"

[The dreamer is under attack within their dream.]

"What?!" Panic surged as Ronnie instinctively gripped his Valier Sword, facing the creatures. His earlier fear morphed into a growing bloodlust, his Guardian King class urging him to fight.

Thousands of the creatures poured from the cracks, their eyes locked on him. But then, as one, they turned toward the hill where Elizabeth's coffin rested. Oddly, while the world crumbled, the hill remained pristine, its beauty untouched.

[Preparing to exit this world.]

[Canceling Dreamer skill.]

The System began its extraction process, but Ronnie noticed the creatures no longer focused on him. They surged toward the hill, toward Elizabeth. A strange urge gripped him—she was in danger, and he couldn't leave her.

"Wait!" he shouted, halting the System's cancellation. He sprinted toward the hill, outpacing the creatures to reach the coffin first. Swallowing hard, he stole a glance at Elizabeth. Her breathtaking beauty was unchanged, her serene expression untouched by the chaos, as if she slept in eternal peace.

The thunder of thousands of tiny feet shook the ground. A massive army of creatures advanced, encircling the hill. Ronnie tightened his grip on the Valier Sword, standing protectively before the coffin. "System, can't you take her with us?"

[That is impossible.]

"Damn it," Ronnie muttered. "What am I even doing?"

He didn't know why he hadn't fled. He had no ties to Elizabeth Hart, knowing only her name. Yet, an inexplicable urge drove him to protect her. As the creatures closed in, now just twenty meters away, Ronnie's sweat-soaked hands clenched the sword with iron resolve. His Guardian King class fueled his courage, his bloodlust surging.

He was ready to swing at the first creature that approached, but a transparent barrier suddenly enveloped the coffin and Ronnie, sealing them from the world. "Huh?" he gasped, watching the creatures claw and slam against the barrier, unable to breach it.

"what is this barrier ?" He touched the barrier, finding it solid. Unbeknownst to him, Elizabeth, still asleep in her coffin, had smiled faintly when she saw him grip his sword, ready to defend her, even if his reasons were unclear.