Swish! Thud!

The wolves, each over two meters tall, tore across the grassy plain, charging toward me.

Their speed was far beyond that of Earth’s wolves. As expected of the boss and its subordinates in a dungeon, their movements were incredibly quick.

But still:

“Too slow.”

I stepped forward, dodging easily.

The pack leader’s initial attack was avoided with a simple duck, and as the two subordinate wolves lunged at me from behind—

Slash!

“Yelp…!”

[You have defeated a Lv 31 Savage Wolf.]
[You have defeated a Lv 31 Savage Wolf.]
[You have gained experience points.]

Before they could even strike, I had cut them down with my sword.

Although these wolves were faster and stronger than Earth’s, they felt no more threatening than puppies to me—a former Sword Emperor in my previous life.

I was also 20 levels above them, and during my previous ten attempts, I hadn’t been hit once. This time was no exception.

But the real challenge was just beginning.

The dungeon’s boss, the pack leader, enters a frenzy state once it loses a significant portion of its health or its two subordinates are killed. In this state, its speed nearly doubles.

And, as expected:

“Grrrr… Awoooo!”

The pack leader’s eyes glowed crimson as it growled, baring its teeth. Its speed surged as it dashed toward me.

“Master, dodge immediately if you don’t want to be grazed!” Swallow called out from above, flapping his wings in alarm.

Swallow wasn’t wrong.

In my previous ten attempts, I had successfully defeated the pack leader but failed the Absolute Beauty Quest.

When in its frenzy state, the pack leader’s erratic movements made it impossible to predict its trajectory. Even a brush against its fur counted as a hit, nullifying the quest.

But this time, I didn’t dodge.

Whoosh!

The pack leader, its fur bristling, charged toward me.

“Grrraaahhh!”

Its razor-sharp teeth glinted as it lunged, mouth wide open. Yet, I stood motionless, gripping my sword firmly.

Just as the beast closed the distance, its breath hot against me, I stepped forward, crouching low.

Boom!

The ground shook with a reverberating wave as my foot struck it.

Then, something incredible happened.

“Huh? Yip…!”

The charging pack leader froze mid-stride, trembling violently.

“W-What just happened?!” Swallow exclaimed, his beak gaping open in shock.

But I didn’t stop to explain.

Using the momentary opening, I dashed forward and slashed the immobilized pack leader across its torso.

Slash!

Blood sprayed into the air.

[You have defeated a Lv 34 Savage Pack Leader.]
[You have gained experience points.]
[You leveled up.]

[Reward: Agility +2, Intelligence +1, Stamina +2.]

The massive wolf collapsed onto the plain with a resounding thud.

The boss raid was over in an instant.

[Remaining Health: 100%]

Once again, I hadn’t taken a single hit.

However, I didn’t let my guard down immediately.

Even in previous attempts, I hadn’t been hit, but a mere graze against its fur had resulted in failure.

Remaining in my final stance, I glanced at the message window.

Ding!
[Clear a dungeon without taking a single hit (1/1).]
[You have completed Absolute Beauty Quest 1.]

Success.

After eleven grueling attempts, I had finally completed the quest.

“I did it! I finally did it!” I shouted, thrusting my fists into the air in triumph.

And I wasn’t the only one celebrating.

“Wow… Truly amazing, Master! You’ve done it at last!” Swallow swooped down to my side, his tone brimming with excitement.

Adjusting his sunglasses, he continued in an animated voice, “I was sure you’d fail again at the last moment. But that new skill of yours—it’s incredible!”

“I told you I’d complete it this time.”

I chuckled and turned my gaze to the floating skill window.

[Activate]
[Stomp (C)]

It was the skill that had immobilized the pack leader.

[Swordsmanship Hidden Skill: Stomp (C) - Slam your foot into the ground to temporarily paralyze enemies within a 5-meter radius. Consumes 20 Mana.]

Stomp.

A hidden swordsmanship skill that could only be obtained by fulfilling specific conditions.

It briefly immobilized nearby enemies. I had discovered this skill by chance during my previous life when I was attempting to advance to the rank of Sword King.

In that life, I had entered a dungeon where monsters swarmed relentlessly. While completing a quest, I had unexpectedly unlocked the skill.

That skill had been instrumental in my promotion to Sword King. While I was thrilled at the time, I also felt a pang of regret.

The skill wasn’t just useful in combat but could also be combined with other hidden skills for devastating combos. I lamented not discovering it earlier when it could have been far more effective in lower-level areas.

‘If only I’d found it sooner, I could’ve used it to its fullest potential during those early stages!’

It was a missed opportunity I couldn’t let go of.

In my frustration, I had nicknamed it C-Stomp—a nod to its incredible power despite being a C-grade skill.

Even Swallow had to agree.

“So this is why you called it C-Stomp in your previous life. Its performance is downright unfair for a C-grade skill.”

“Exactly. Though its effectiveness diminishes against higher-level monsters, it’s almost unbeatable in low-level dungeons—unless the enemy can fly.”

“As you’ve said, it seems invaluable at this stage. It’s a hidden skill worth every bit of effort.”

“Phew… If it weren’t this good, I wouldn’t have gone through all that trouble.”

Wiping the sweat from my brow, I reminisced about my time in the Hunter Training Ground.

Thwack! Thwack!

The sound of practice strikes echoed through the training hall.

Once I had taken my place before the wooden dummy, I swung my practice sword without pause.

To unlock Stomp, one had to strike a target continuously for 24 hours. Swinging aimlessly into thin air wouldn’t suffice; the strikes needed to connect with a solid object.

It was a grueling task, requiring nonstop effort for an entire day.

That’s why I had eaten three hearty bowls of sundae gukbap—to fuel my body for the ordeal ahead.

In truth, I had stumbled upon the skill in my previous life while battling hordes of monsters. Had it not been for that, I might never have discovered it.

Still, even with thorough preparation, the challenge was daunting.

By the 23rd hour, my concentration had all but evaporated. My vision blurred, my body wavered, and I teetered on the brink of collapse.

But just as I was about to give in:

“Master, open your mouth! Water incoming!”

Swallow appeared, carrying a cup of water and pouring it into my mouth.

“Gulp…!”

Thanks to him, I regained my focus and finally completed the task.

[Hidden Condition Fulfilled.]
[Strike a target continuously for 24 hours (24/24).]
[You have acquired the Hidden Skill: Stomp (C).]

That’s how I unlocked C-Stomp and cleared the E-grade wolf dungeon.

It was a tale of perseverance, marked by sweat and tears.

And the rewards? Truly satisfying.

As I reminisced about the journey, another notification popped up.

[Absolute Beauty Quest 1 Complete.]
[Final Rewards Calculated.]

[Reward: Trait - Skin Improvement (E).]

A new trait had been unlocked.