The legendary Moonlight Sculptor

V56C7P3 - Construction Site

A quest log appeared in Oberon's view.

Blink!

< The Hunt For Kaybern.

The time has come for every dwarf to gather their strength.

Lift those honed weapons!

Let the war cries echo!

It is time to take down Kaybern.

The battle against Kaybern must take place within a month.

With victory, the dwarves will take back their lost pride.

Difficulty: Race quest

Requirement: Dwarf.

Must be top 3% of player level in all of the race.

Reward: The dwarven race trait, Pride. >

"Uh… A race quest just came up for dwarves."

"A race quest?"

"It says to defeat Kaybern together with a dwarf named Weedhand."

Weed decided to go to battle against Kaybern with the dwarven warriors.

With his decision, the quest activated for all dwarf players in the top 3% pool.

"I will gladly fight against Kaybern."

Oberon spoke after he had already accepted the quest.

"I can't wait for the day we will fight in Morata."

Python and Pale shared similar feelings.

"It's thrilling. It will be an awesome battle."

"Yes. Fight without regrets."

***

After visiting the Hermes Guild, Weed still had more to do before going to hunt the dragon.

"You wish to learn how to use the axe?"

"Yes."

The east side of Hilaya Forest.

He had to convene with Lumberjack Patin and acquire the secret technique of the axe.

Patin was a lumberjack with long legs and broad muscular shoulders.

"I don't really know about noble or royal families. But, even I know your name because you are that famous."

"Having fought a lot of villains spread my name around. I eradicated monsters for the peace of this world."

"You are not a bad guy. I heard you are an adventurer and sculptor who has done countless good deeds. I on the other hand am a knucklehead in the arts field."

Lumberjack Patin, whenever he came across an infamous player had a tendency to chop their heads in an instant.

Status or honor did not mean anything. He was just a simple lumberjack who despised bad guys.

Patin scavenged the well cooked, oil dripping boar hind leg from the bonfire.

"I really love boar meat. This is cooked nicely."

"Boars roasted in the mountains are a true delicacy. The salt was dug up from deep within the mines."

"The seasoning is perfect."

He had received information about Patin's background in advance from Mapan.

- Mapan: Patin has no profound form. Players who acquired axe techniques all visited him but… He doesn't give out quests but rather you must become friends with him.

He loves cooking, but he prefers common dishes over expensive cuisine.

When your friendship level exceeds a certain point, he will offer an opportunity to learn the secret axe technique.

He won't be teaching you kindly firsthand but instead you will be able to watch him apply the technique on a tree.

The secret axe technique has to be acquired by examining with your eyes. There are 6 individuals who have learned it until now. I know Weed-nim is more than capable of joining them.

Weed knew the basics of how to wield an axe.

'Compared to a sword, the weight is overwhelming. A weapon with the least minimal breaking transitions but displays destructive force.'

It was much more simple than wielding a sword or spear.

On the other hand, swinging an axe while stationary did not bring out its true power.

Moving randomly and applying body weight would bring the best out of an axe.

"Do you care for a glass of beer?"

"You have beer?"

"I have enough to get us completely drunk. This is beer from Morata that even the dwarves would die for."

"Beer from Morata… My mouth is already getting watery."

4 hours.

The time taken to soften up Patin with meat, beer and flattery.

"I don't do well with explaining. You will have to see it and pick it up if you can."

"Sure. That will be more than enough."

Patin got up to his feet and began swinging his axe on a thick tree.

Boom! Crack! Cruck!

WIth each swing, the thick limbs of the tree fell.

'The power is plain awesome. As expected from a pure strength invested skill.'

At first he thought of the grain sword technique, but he soon realized within a few swings that it was different.

'He isn't slashing the weak spot. It is more like he chips into it with force.'

The concentrated power of the axe was backed up with speed and resilience, striking the massive tree. The tree was sliced clean in half as if slashed with a sword.

- Mapan: Two players went about together with Patin for about 2 weeks. The battle with Kaybern is close, but rushing won't help.

'I got the gist of it. It is a weapon in a different form from a sword.'

Weed took out a recklessly dense large axe.

The Dragon Slayer Axe was not a weapon to be used lightly due to its stat reduction trait.

Boom!

He swung sideways on a giant tree with his heavy axe.

The tree managed to fall on his second swing, but the cut was not clean like Patin's demonstration.

'The power and speed was similar… So there's more to it.'

Weed after multiple axe swings was able to cut down a tree in a single swing.

"Splendid."

"I still have a long way to go."

Gradually, his axe form more closely resembled Patin's.

Bang! Crack! Creek!

His wrist, shoulder movement and swing trajectory became similar.

'It's something like this. This form is highly suited for cutting down trees.'

The empowered axe slices through concisely.

The sensation from the impact was exhilarating!

Weed believed he could acquire Patin's secret in a day.

He had trained sword techniques systematically and spent breathless hours moving from one dangerous hunting ground to the next.

Wielding a weapon was familiar like a part of his own body.

'But, do I need to learn this with my head?'

Not too long ago he erased the concept of sword technique from his mind.

When needed he did utilize the fixed forms of sword techniques, but for the most part he wielded as his heart intended which was the answer.

In a split-second duel, the best answer did not come from thinking.

'Even though this is a new weapon, would it be so new that I need to start from scratch?'

Weed's swing no longer referred to Patin's form and he stopped thinking deeply.

He did not follow through with his thoughts but let his instincts and body carry on their own.

Weed began finding his own way of sensing the axe and the most optimal form of tree cutting.

About 30 minutes passed.

Blink!

< You have acquired the axe technique of Lumberjack Patin.

You have learned the secret technique, Empowered Axe Strike.

Patin wielded the axe all his life on cutting down trees.

He was able to bring out the full potential of the axe.

Empowered Axe Strike performs 500% of attack damage.

Destructive force deals 250% splash damage in 30 meter radius.

Even non-living things such as rocks and terrain will be destroyed.

Enemies with low health points and defense will be executed in a single swing.

Max attack damage and splash radius will increase with each skill level. >

< Your understanding of the axe technique has expanded greatly.

Axe technique level has increased to Novice level 9. Destructive force has increased by 15%. It grants 4% additional armor penetration. >

< Strength increased by 10. >

< The Warrior's Achievement increased all stats by 2. >

It took a bit of time, but he managed to master the secret axe technique fairly easily!

Patin spoke in admiration.

"The axe technique that I have sharpened my entire life; you picked it up so quickly. I have never met a man as excellent as you."

"I appreciate it."

"I am hungry after all that swinging. Do you have any meat left?"

Weed had lots of meat packed in his bag.

He originally estimated about 4 days to acquire the secret axe technique.

"I do. Do you want them?"

"Mmm. Share some with me."

Weed took them out from his bag and roasted them once again.

Since he already possessed the axe technique, he could have ignored him and walked away. Still, an axe master could prove to be useful sometime in the future, so he decided to maintain the friendship level.

"Chomp-chomp. You are a decent man."

"It's nothing. Thank you for teaching me the way of the axe."

"You are an amazing student. A true genius."

"I was able to learn it much quicker because it was a superb axe technique."

"The last two who learned my axe technique left instantly without any show of gratitude."

"They are sick to the core."

Weed bit into his meat while chiming along with Patin.

"Are we out of beer?"

"There's more. Have as much as you want."

Their stomach filled and Weed was about to pack up and leave.

Then Patin spoke to Weed in a serious tone.

"Hey, do you want to learn my axe technique?"

"Axe technique? I already did."

"That's an axe technique that doesn't need teaching."

Weed's head began processing rapidly.

'There's still more.'

The Empowered Axe Strike was not the end to Patin's axe skills.

"There is one more skill born from the axe technique you acquired. I made it for the occasions where I encounter a boar in the woods. Look closely."

Patin took a stance like a swordsman ready for a duel!

"Hyaah!"

He swung left right consecutively 6 times.

With each movement, a menacing sonic boom split the air.

The swing and strike of the axe scarred the ground and blew away the trees like bowling pins.

"Hiryahhhh!"

The final moment, Patin shouted and threw his axe.

The axe spun at high speed, completely smashed a boulder directly in front of his path and flew back to him.

"Gasp. How's that? This is Boar Slaughter Skill. Do you want to take a shot at it?"

Blink!

< The Axe Master Patin is willing to pass down a skill.

Boar Slaughter Skill: It is a consecutive strike skill after acquiring Empowered Axe Strike.

The 7-strike skill possesses extreme power.

Each attack activates critical strike, penetrates armor and crushes the opponents.

The use of this skill requires extraordinary stamina and strength. >

"Of course I will."

Weed nodded frantically.

***

The predetermined day of destruction.

Kaybern appeared and destroyed everything of Castle Mistress.

Such misfortune already had repeated several times and people had grown used to the destruction. Their interest was on the next city to be destroyed.

The buildings set aflame and crumbled.

After Castle Mistress was turned to ruins, a message log appeared.

< The Dragon's Revenge

The Black Dragon Kaybern is on the move once again to destroy human civilization. The spirits and fairies are warning again.>

"A week later, Kaybern will be headed to Morata."

The players all over the continent and the ones in construction at Morata also checked the alert.

- Agh! So it is Morata.

- It's Morata for real…

- Guessed right! The battle of the century will be unveiled.

- To fight in a major city like Morata… Isn't it too disadvantageous for Weed-nim?

- It was until 2 days ago. Now, Morata is becoming a huge fortress. Did you see the 7 layers of walls? What about the 10 level iron traps? Morata will slap the impregnable Odain Fortress right across the face.

- I'm sorry, but what good are those walls? The dragon has wings.

- They are raising dense walls around vital structures so that they will not be easily destroyed. They are digging trenches in case the dragon decides to land inside the city.

- I heard that siege weapons like ballistas are under mass production.

- Buildings are also being taken down for emergency fire escape routes.

- Merchant councils are transporting massive siege weapon parts all the way from Haven. They are on a rush.

Once Kaybern's next target was announced, the discussion boards were in uproar.

Footage was uploaded constantly, showing scenes of Morata's transformation and the movements of each merchant council.

War supplies and siege weapons were being summoned from all of Versailles Continent.

- It seems this will all come down to an intense battle.

- Us players against a single dragon…

- A massive war that will be unmatched in the next 4, 5 years.

- It's because of Weed-nim that we can even hope to see such an event. Utterly insane.

- But… What if they lose?

- Let's not think too far ahead…

- Complete annihilation of Versailles. Geez…

- Ah, I told you not to think about that.

(To be continued…)