‘I know there are many weaknesses in the sword dance.’

The sword dance was literally a dance. A dance while wielding the sword. There were some unnecessary and unhelpful movements in combat. There were many forced movements because each sword dance visualized a specific object or concept. A typical example was when he needed to take a stride—the gap was a deadly weakness and many talents had targeted it.

However, the reason Grid was able to survive until now was that he sublimated his weaknesses into strengths. Grid had reached a point where he used most of the movements in the sword dance as defensive or evasive maneuvers. He also minimized the useless behavior by evolving the sword dance itself. It wouldn’t have been possible without his bone-deep efforts.

However, at this moment, the sword dance was once again attacked. Grid once again felt the limits of the sword dance and was in a great sense of disarray. Nevertheless, he didn’t become frustrated. It was just a part of Grid, not the whole Grid. The days when denying the sword dance meant denying Grid was long over.

‘It will be different.’

Grid calmly looked at Biban’s eyes. Biban’s gaze was clearly scanning Grid’s lower body. It was to read the direction of the stride and to block the sword dance. However, Madra’s swordsmanship didn’t use legs. Madra had annihilated hundreds of thousands of empire soldiers while standing in place like a rooted giant.

“100,000 Army.”

Grid twisted his waist in the air. 

“Massacre Sword!”

“...!!”

The legacy of the Undefeated King was revealed. Beyond the baptism of the sword energy spreading out like hot wind, Grid identified that Biban’s eyes were shaking. He was very flustered when facing a different swordsmanship than he expected.

‘It will work!’

It was the moment Grid thought with confidence.

“...!?”

An aura of death reached Grid’s neck. His transcendent senses warned him to be careful. The surprised Grid pulled his neck back and a cutting noise was heard right in front of his face. The effect of intangible will appeared without leaving any traces and cut the space.

‘Crazy!’

It wasn’t the Heart Sword. Kraugel had once showed the sword that ‘always cut what he wanted to cut.’ In other words, it could never fail to hit. A chill went down Grid’s spine.

‘Is this intangible will?’

Intangible will—it was the technique of the absolute masters who suppressed the target with the power of their pure will. It wasn’t a fraudulent skill like the Heart Sword that cut a target ‘without fail’, but it was a useful way of exercising physical force without touching it directly. Of course, the power was greatly reduced compared to Heart Sword. Even so, the power of Biban’s intangible will couldn’t be ignored. 

The screams of the torn air made his skin numb. The idea that his neck would’ve been cut if he was even a bit slower caused Grid’s hairs to stand up.

“Ah...!”

Was it one second? Grid, who had been stiff for a short time, belatedly came to his senses and turned his attention to the ground. The baptism of sword energy was pressuring Biban in all directions. As Grid expected, Biban failed to break it. He was forced to use Sword Curtain to defend himself. Biban hadn’t taken more than two steps and his eyes were fixed on Grid.

[It was great that you avoided it. Your senses are still dull but you have a body that overcomes the dull senses.]

‘Really a monster...’

Sending a sound transmission in the midst of this? Grid raised an index finger and pointed it at Biban.

“Magic Missile!”

There was a white light at the tip of Grid’s finger. Grid aimed at the Sword Curtain with a vision that overcame a player’s limitations and started to fire a rampage of light rays. He didn’t care about conserving his mana. The sword energy blocked by the Sword Curtain scattered in all directions and collided with the ground, causing the entire area inside the barrier to shake. The Magic Missiles streamed down like rain while the God Hands threw Mjolnir. Biban raised his sword at an angle and blocked all of them.

“Pant...”

Grid gulped. He was dumbfounded by the incredible sight.

Biban muttered, "You have learned it through tinkering... Braham’s magic and Madra’s swordsmanship aren’t perfectly reproduced.”

“Gulp.”

Was it because he could only communicate with the Pioneer? There seemed to be no limit to Biban’s strength because he was a person who had no direct influence on the worldview. It was clear that his strength was a few degrees above the grandmaster or the yangban Garam. Perhaps he was the only human who could deal with Marie Rose.

‘Run away as much as possible.’

Striking first was useless. Rather, it only revealed the gaps. The determined Grid was prepared to use Queen’s Distortion or Revolve at any time. In the first place, this confrontation required persistence, not winning. It was even a simple game that lasted only one minute. It was still too early to give up and Grid had no doubts.

Meanwhile, Biban’s eyes were deep as he watched Grid.

‘He is an uncontrollable child.’

Biban was simple and his emotions honest. He wasn’t wise compared to the other members of the underground association and due to this, he made mistakes. Still, he wasn’t incompetent. He had the skills with a single sword to make up for a thousand mistakes. Hundreds of years ago, when thousands of demons invaded the Behen Archipelago, it was Biban who cut off one wing of Stone Dragon Gujel, who had tried to intervene.

‘Inheriting the skills of Pagma, Braham, and Madra...’

Biban was a saint of the sword. He was able to connect with the sword. He was able to guess what path the other side would take based on their strength, skills, techniques, and purpose, yet even Biban didn’t dare measure Grid—it wasn’t impossible but it wasn’t polite.

‘That kid... it isn’t innate.’

Grid was clearly strong. The ‘body’ had already been completed and the lacking ‘skill’ was met using various tools. Despite this, he was shabby in many ways. The finished body had scattered signs of overuse and there was no talent in the traces of his effort to make up for the weaknesses of the sword dance. He was a completely different type from the former Pioneers. That’s why Biban thought it was even greater.

‘How much effort did he put in?’

It was unimaginable and he couldn’t make an estimate. Just like an ordinary person couldn’t understand a genius, a genius couldn’t understand an ordinary person.

“......”

27 seconds had passed since the test began. Biban knew it exactly but he didn’t try to overpower Grid. He stood silently and wondered why Braham and Madra had taught this person their techniques.

‘Sympathy? No, it is respect.’

A man with no talent who became the Hero King. Braham and Madra might’ve found it difficult to understand the ordinary person, who was completely different from them. This impression would’ve turned into interest and liking. That’s how Biban felt now.

“Interesting...”

30 seconds had passed and Biban smiled. Grid saw this and felt cold.

‘Shit, what is he up to?’

Grid—floating in the air—prepared for Biban’s counterattack. He was prepared to use Queen’s Distortion and Revolve at any time as he thoroughly observed Biban from top to bottom. He was so nervous that his body was soaked in sweat and his concentration was raised to the extremes.

One second was as long as an hour for Grid. He felt like he had entered a world where time had stopped. Then Biban smiled in an unspeakable way and Grid was terrified. He felt like a trick was going to be played.

‘How much time has passed? Is it now 10 seconds?’

“Throw away your distractions and focus on the opponent in front of you. Your deep thoughts will grab onto your ankles.”

“Kuek...!”

Biban’s knees bent like he was going to jump straight away. Grid was floating high in the air but he still didn’t feel safe. Biban finally flew up. The land was smashed by the jump and the storm that ensued devoured everything around it. The ground swirled roughly and disrupted Grid’s vision. The four God Hands protecting Grid were swept away by the vortex.

‘It isn’t possible. I can’t stop it!’

Grid instinctively sensed as he watched the incoming sword that was like a dragon’s claws. His transcendent senses weren’t a system help. Grid himself was aware of the situation based on his many years of experience. It was an accurate judgment. Grid didn’t understand the concept of ‘breathing’ but every strong person he faced so far had been aiming at Grid’s breathing without knowing it. They targeted the gap between breathing to deal a blow to Grid. Grid instinctively knew that he couldn’t pinpoint the timing of Biban’s attack.

In the midst of his despair.

“200,000 Army Crushing Sword!”

Grid pulled out a secret technique instead of Revolve. It was the Undefeated King’s swordsmanship that cut down the skill of all enemies in sight. The stronger the skill he wanted to cut, the more severe the backlash that occurred. Nevertheless, it was better than letting his head fly away. The Enlightenment Sword and Biban’s sword collided. This caused a great roar to ring out.

[You have been injured by the recoil from 200,000 Army Swordsmanship.]

[You have lost 50% of your health!]

“Cough!”

Blood burst from Grid’s eyes as he spewed out dark red blood. Grid felt the pain of all the muscles in his body tearing.

“Hah.”

Biban’s eyes widened. The strike that Grid blocked was the one that cut off one wing of the dragon Gujel. Then...

“Ohhhhhh!”

Grid had realized the difference in strength from that engagement but he wasn’t frustrated at all. The bloody Grid swung his sword as he divided into several people. Biban stood in the center of the sword dance unfolding from all directions and smiled deeply.

‘I want to help this child.’

At the same time, Biban returned the sword to the sheath. Then hundreds of lines were belatedly drawn around Biban and the multiple Grids were torn apart and destroyed. Only one Grid remained because his body was in the Lightning God state and not cut by Biban.

“I will stop taking a break now.”

Once Biban decided to ‘cut’ it, he slammed toward the ground. It was the manifestation of Heart Sword.

“Keok...! Cough, cough!”

[Your health has fallen to a minimum.] 

[The test has ended.]

Grid sat on the cold floor in despair. Had he held on for 10 seconds? He was anxious because he couldn’t be sure. He was sorry that he didn’t last 30 seconds. The contents of the notification window were updated.

[You have lasted exactly one minute.]

“Ugh...! Huh?”

Grid was stunned. He sat like a stone statue on the floor while Biban approached him.

“Now, this is the Dragon Pill.”

[The Dragon Pill has been acquired as compensation for the test.]

“Next I will pass on the Matchless Heart Technique.”

“......”

Biban’s explanation followed. Knowledge and wisdom in an incomprehensible language were forced into Grid’s mind, making the flow of energy in his body smoother than before. 

[The Matchless Heart Technique has been acquired as compensation for the test.]

[From now on, the natural recovery of the Sword Energy resource will increase dramatically!]

“Ah...”

From now on, he didn’t have to swing his sword like a shovel in the air to recover sword energy? He was happy. Grid couldn’t understand Biban’s favor but he left his questions behind for a moment and just felt gratitude. It was at this time...

[Your knight Mercedes has acquired the Matchless Heart Technique.]

“...??”

A series of incomprehensible things happened. Grid was shaking his head when Biban suggested, “Would you like me to help repair Madra’s swordsmanship as a last minute resort?”

“...Huh?”

“You might already know this but the 100,000 Army Swordsmanship and 200,000 Army Swordsmanship that you have acquired aren’t the original. That doesn’t mean it is fake. It is definitely good since it was made by Madra... it was like he changed it in consideration for being used by a weak person.”

“...!!”

Grid was astonished. It was because Biban’s point was correct. As expected of the second generation Sword Saint, he had great insight. Biban smiled at Grid, who was lost for words in his admiration.

“However, isn’t your body very strong? You can learn Madra’s swordsmanship that is closer to the original. Ah, don’t expect too much. No matter how much of a genius I am, I can’t fully reproduced the swordsmanship created by Madra.”

“Thank... thank you...”

Grid’s eyes were red. He realized that it was purely due to Biban’s favor that he lasted one minute. Grid was grateful that a great person like Biban was full of expectations for him and thrilled that Biban remembered Madra. He thought that even Madra would be pleased.