The entrance of the cave glowed faintly with light, while drops of liquid echoed faintly as they fell.

Drip. Drip.

“Huff… Huff…”

Still in the stance of swinging my dual swords, I panted, trying to steady my breath after the intense battle.

Behind me, Swallow, silhouetted against the light streaming into the cave, hovered in place with his beak wide open, seemingly at a loss for words.

“This is truly…”

Then, as if unable to contain himself, his voice rang out, thrilled and almost giddy:

“Incredible, Master!!”

Swallow’s praises came rapid-fire, overflowing with excitement.

“I knew your swordsmanship talent was powerful, but not to this extent! Seeing it with my own eyes is completely different from just understanding it theoretically!”

The reason for his exuberance was simple: scattered across the floor behind my dual swords, glistening with oozing fluids, lay the mutilated corpses of countless venomous insects.

I finally dropped my stance, wiped the sweat dripping from my chin, and turned to survey the aftermath.

‘Hah… It’s undeniable. Wielding dual swords does feel like my swordsmanship has doubled in strength.’

Having just acquired Dual Wielding, the Hidden Piece from Choi Taehun, I had unleashed its full potential on the venomous creatures that swarmed into the underground cave.

Despite the overwhelming disparity in levels and being outnumbered by more than a hundred to one, I had turned the battlefield into a slaughterhouse. With fluid movements, I weaved through the enemy ranks, cutting them down with precision and force.

Such was the overwhelming power of Dual Wielding.

Without this hidden trait, using two swords simultaneously would normally limit you to wielding the skill of only one blade at a time. But Dual Wielding allowed both weapons to utilize their skills in perfect harmony, doubling their destructive potential.

For example, the skill Raging Blade had its power and range amplified. Instead of the usual 10 meters, its destructive radius expanded to 12 meters, and the impact was devastating.

This was the very skill that had elevated Choi Taehun to the pinnacle of warriors.

The result?

[You have defeated Lv 117. Cavernous Venomous Insect.]

[Level Up! You have gained 2 Strength, 2 Agility, and 1 Intelligence.]

[You have reached Level 60.]

[You have completed Swordsman Quest 15.]

[Reward: +5 Strength, +15 Sword Mastery.]

I had eradicated the swarm of Cavernous Venomous Insects, reaching Level 60 in the process.

Compared to my previous life, my growth was incomparably faster.
Thanks to the high levels of the monsters and the experience points I earned as the sole fighter, I had effectively power-leveled myself.

This brought another significant reward:

[Sword Mastery: 42]

[Condition Met.]

[Sword Mastery has surpassed 40.]

[You have acquired the Sword Skill: Charge (D).]

[Skill: Charge (D) – Dash forward to close the distance to your target. Mana Cost: 5.]

This new skill, Charge, while only D-rank, was a game-changer.

Not only did it allow me to close the gap with my opponent quickly, but it also laid the foundation for more advanced swordsmanship combos. In short, its utility was immense.

‘At this rate of growth, reaching the title of Sword Emperor isn’t just possible—it’s inevitable.’

The image of my future seemed painted in bright, promising hues.

Of course, Dual Wielding wasn’t without its drawbacks.

Handling two swords simultaneously required much more precision in tracking their trajectories and synchronizing skills.

Moreover—

[You are sweating profusely, and it is dripping from your chin.]
[Your clothing emits a slight odor from sweat.]
[Appearance Power has decreased by 1.]

[Appearance Power: 11]
[Appearance Power Effect: +22 to All Stats.]

Using two swords also meant increased physical activity, leading to more sweat and, consequently, a drop in Appearance Power.

[Absolute Beauty Quest 2]
[Maintain Appearance Power above 10 and defeat a Level 100+ Boss Monster (0/1).]

Thankfully, I still had one point to spare. For now.

I wiped the sweat from my chin with the back of my hand and glanced at Swallow.

“It’s going well, but it’s not perfect. Is there a way to restore lost Appearance Power?”

“The current decrease is due to sweat-related body odor and reduced fashion appeal from damaged clothing. The ultimate fix would be a shower and a change of clothes. Do you have a spare outfit, Master?”

“…Do I look like someone who would carry around extra clothes? All I have is leather armor, and that drops Appearance Power by one point, doesn’t it?”

“Yes, that would indeed be counterproductive. As a stopgap, I suggest applying some perfume. Shall we try it?”

“Oh, right. I packed that.”

I pulled out a towel and perfume from the duffle bag in my inventory.

Spray. Spray.

After wiping off the sweat and lightly spritzing the perfume over my clothes and hair, the results were immediate.

[The odor has been reduced.]
[The pleasant fragrance now masks any unpleasant smells.]
[Appearance Power has increased by 1.]

[Appearance Power: 12]
[Appearance Power Effect: +24 to All Stats.]

It worked. My Appearance Power had been restored.

However, Swallow quickly reminded me of the limitations.

“This is only a temporary fix, Master. Without a proper shower and fresh clothes, your Appearance Power will decline even faster as you continue exerting yourself.”

He wasn’t wrong. Between wielding dual swords and the heat of battle, I was perspiring more heavily than ever.

But that wasn’t an issue.

“It doesn’t matter. I’ll end this before it becomes a problem.”

With the boss monster just ahead, it was time to finish this.

I stepped out of the cavern and into the dense jungle.

Immediately—

“Keerrk! Keerrrk!!”

[Lv 118. Jungle’s Venomous Giant Insect.]

[Lv 118. Jungle’s Venomous Giant Insect.]

[Lv 118. Jungle’s Venomous Giant Insect.]

From the underbrush, dozens of massive insects emerged, charging at me from all directions.

They were larger and more ferocious than the venomous insects in the cave, but their combat ability wasn’t significantly different.

【Skill Activated】

[Raging Blade (B)]

“Hup…!”

Crossing the swords I had taken from Seo Jieun and Choi Taehun, I unleashed a wave of aura.

Slash! Slash! Slash!

The violent arcs of sword energy expanded in a spherical wave, shredding the attacking monsters instantly.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Their mutilated bodies crashed to the ground, lifeless.

And then—

“Kerrooaaahhh!”

The boss monster of the dungeon emerged.

[Lv 120. Jungle’s Venomous King Insect.]

With a thunderous flapping of its wings, it cut through the dense jungle, slashing through trees as it charged straight toward me.

Its enormous size and razor-sharp wings made it a menacing sight.

“Quite the fierce opponent, Master. I’ll step in if necessary!”

Even Swallow sounded concerned, preparing himself for intervention.

But I brushed off his offer with a smirk.

“Don’t bother. Just sit back and watch.”

After all, I already knew exactly how to kill it.

I gripped the swords tightly and charged straight at the monster, ready to end it in one decisive blow.

【Activated】

[Charge (D)] [Raging Blade (B)]

Thud! Whoosh!

The dense jungle foliage was shredded by the violent flapping of the Venomous King Insect's wings. I used the opening to kick off the ground, closing the distance between us in an instant, swinging my dual blades in a relentless assault.

Clang! Clang! Screeching metal sounds echoed!

The impact reverberated across the jungle. My Raging Blade collided with the monster's razor-sharp wings, creating sparks and sending shockwaves rippling through the air.

Amidst the chaos, I saw an opening.

Keeping one sword engaged with its wings, I shifted the other blade, aiming for the vulnerable underside of the Venomous King Insect.

A perfectly timed strike.

But—

Clang!

The opportunity vanished.

Despite my precision, the strike lacked the power to pierce through the monster’s tough belly. Pulling my sword back, I prepared to strike again, but—

“Kreeeaak!!”

Whoosh!

“Tch…!”

I had no choice but to retreat.

As soon as I attacked its underside, the boss monster retaliated, thrashing its scythe-like forelegs wildly in a frenzy.

I widened the distance and caught my breath, glaring at the Venomous King Insect as it loomed before me.

‘This is tougher than I thought. Guess fighting solo is a lot harder.’

In my previous life, defeating this boss monster hadn’t been so challenging.

Back then, we’d had three people—me, Seo Jieun, and Choi Taehun—working together. I’d distracted the wings and forelegs while they exploited the opening to attack its weak spots.

But now, I was alone.

Even with Dual Wielding giving me the equivalent of two fighters' worth of skill, I was still lacking in finesse and battling a considerable level gap.

That said, it wasn’t impossible.

If I kept trying, I could likely break through its defenses within five or six more attempts.

The real problem was:

[Increased activity has raised your body temperature.]
[Sweat has soaked into your clothing.]
[Appearance Power -1.]

[Appearance Power: 11]
[Appearance Power Effect: +22 to All Stats.]

If I dragged this out, my Appearance Power would drop below 10.

Already, the previous clash had cost me another point.

‘Raging Blade's movements are too intense. It makes me sweat too much. I need another approach.’

Biting my lip, I racked my brain for a solution.

I didn’t have long to think.

“Kraaak!”

“Tch…!”

As I hesitated, the Venomous King Insect opened its massive maw, spewing a stream of venomous green liquid.

I sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the acidic attack.

But even dodging meant expending energy and risking more sweat.

‘This has to end in one strike. If this drags on, the Beauty Quest will fail.’

I bent my knees, shifting into a throwing stance.

The only way to turn this around was with that skill.

But—

‘Can I even pull it off?’

I couldn’t be sure.

Even if I knew the flow of mana and the technique’s movements, if my circuits weren’t properly open, the skill wouldn’t activate.

That much had been proven during earlier battles. No matter how hard I tried, I could only mimic the moves, not execute the real thing.

Still, I had no choice.

It was this or nothing.

‘Let’s give it a shot. If it doesn’t work, I’ll figure something else out.’

I crouched lower, focusing my energy.

Pulling mana from my heart, I directed it to my head, then down to my dantian, and finally into my fingertips.

And then—

“Haaaahhh!!”

Whoooosh!

I hurled Choi Taehun’s sword with all my strength, aiming straight for the Venomous King Insect's abdomen like a spear.

No skill was activated.

It was nothing more than a crude imitation of a technique I had used often in my past life.

The sword flew slower than it should have, giving the boss monster enough time to raise its scythe-like foreleg to block.

But then, something unexpected happened.

Crack! Splinter!

“Kreeeaaahhh!!!”

Despite the lack of proper activation, the sword struck with enough force to crack the monster’s foreleg.

It shouldn’t have been possible. If the blade had carried only raw mana, it wouldn’t have had this effect.

At that moment—

‘Wait… Could this actually work?’

A faint glimmer of hope emerged.