Broken was eager to fully explore the mechanics of the Gravestone Greatsword’s first skill, Elemental Rune Cataclysm. Unlike the usual cast-and-forget abilities, this one had a more intricate system to master.
[Rune Charging: Runes are collected when the greatsword blocks attacks that exceed a certain damage threshold.]
To test the Rune Charging, Elincia launched a magic skill, and Broken braced himself to block the attack. She started with a single magic missile, which didn’t pose much of a threat. It was fast, but Broken, now fully accustomed to the greatsword’s weight, easily blocked it.
The impact was negligible, and he took no damage. However, no rune appeared from blocking the missile.
They guessed the damage might have been too low to trigger it. So, Elincia fired off multiple magic missiles at once. After blocking them all in rapid succession, a single rune finally began to charge.
“The rune color is white. Is that because the magic missile I cast doesn’t contain any elemental magic?” Elincia wondered aloud.
“Let’s test with elemental magic damage,” Broken suggested.
Elincia moved on to casting higher-damage spells with elemental properties. It quickly became clear that the runes charged relative to the amount of magic damage absorbed. When the damage came from regular magic, the rune glowed white. But when the damage was elemental, the rune took on a vibrant hue matching the element’s color.
They also discovered that the number of runes charged depended on the magnitude of the damage from the skill. If the skill dealt very high damage, sometimes two or even three runes charged simultaneously.
Broken then asked Ivana to attack him with a melee attack. To avoid damaging her own weapon, he lent her the Thorned Vindicator Sword.
“What skill do you want me to use, Broken?” she asked.
“Any skill. Start with the lowest damage one without any elemental properties. Then try one with elemental ones,” Broken instructed.
Ivana nodded and got ready. After Broken had also prepared himself, Ivana launched at him with surprising speed. It was the first time he had seen her in combat, and her movements were incredibly sharp. She executed a crescent arc slash with the sword, releasing a powerful energy wave that collided with him. Broken blocked the attack with the flat side of his blade, but the force pushed him back a few steps.
Two white runes charged from that single strike.
“I said the attack with the lowest damage, right?” he said, slightly taken aback.
“That is the lowest damage skill I have,” she replied softly.
Elincia giggled at Ivana’s response. “Looks like all the women close to you are monsters, Broken.”
“That’s quite harsh, calling me a monster, right?” Ivana giggled along with Elincia.
“You said you’re a shielder but have attack skills with damage like that. No one would believe it,” Elincia remarked.
After numerous trials, Broken concluded that his block could absorb both magic and physical damage, but the runes charged more efficiently when the damage stemmed from skills rather than regular attacks.
Now, with all 12 runes fully charged in his greatsword, he resisted the urge to unleash them for area damage. He first wanted to test the third skill: Durability Drainer.
Durability Drainer worked effectively only when the greatsword made direct contact with melee damage. This skill was a nightmare for any melee opponent. It didn’t matter whether the clash was a parry, block, or even just two weapons colliding-any contact triggered the Durability Drain.
Though the percentage of durability drained wasn’t overwhelming at first, it spiked sharply if the clash happened during an enemy’s attack skill, making this ability a true menace to melee fighters.
The worst-case scenario? An opponent’s weapon could break completely if they weren’t monitoring its durability closely. Typically, durability decreases slowly during regular combat, and players check and maintain their gear before or after battles. But if durability plummeted mid-fight and the opponent failed to notice, they risked losing their prized weapon-and all the upgrades attached to it-in the heat of battle.
The Gravestone Greatsword had indeed proven effective against both magic and physical damage. However, Broken noted that the greatsword lacked offensive skills. He hoped that by unlocking another set of skills designed for greatswords from his Super Novice class, he could optimize its usage even further. The more opponents he faced simultaneously, the greater the potential of the greatsword would become apparent.
Once confident with the skills he had analyzed, Broken asked Ivana to use her taunt skill.
“But can you make sure the number of monsters isn’t as overwhelming as last time, Ivana?” he requested.
“Uhm…” Ivana thought for a moment, looking around before pointing in a direction a little further away. “Let’s do it over there,” she said.
They moved to the spot Ivana indicated. She then cast her taunt skill. The vibrations from her shield spread outward, causing the sandy ground to tremble and swirl, summoning monsters with an average level above 230.
[Sand Serpent Lv. 231]
[Burrowing Beast Lv. 235]
[Sand Serpent Lv. 241]
[Inferno Scorpion Lv. 229]
[Glass Serpent Lv. 221]
[Inferno Scorpion Lv. 211]
“Let us know if you need help, Broken,” Elincia joked.
Broken grinned, stepping forward with the greatsword ready. “I’ll be fine. Let’s see how the Elemental Rune Cataclysm handles this.”
Monsters began surfacing from the sandy desert at varying distances.
Gripping the greatsword with both hands, Broken prepared himself. The feel of the weapon was entirely different from that of a normal sword or spear. He knew he’d need to adapt his combat style even further to master it. While his Kenjutsu training had honed his skill with a katana in both hands, the greatsword’s broad blade brought unique advantages-and challenges that the katana never did.
[Dash (Active Skill)]
He surged forward, activating his dash skill. Several scorpions rushed at him, their tails raised, ready to strike.
With a sweeping crescent motion, Broken parried a scorpion’s stinger attack. In one fluid motion, he leaped and brought the greatsword crashing down on the creature’s body. The impact was devastating, amplified by the Gravestone Greatsword’s physical attack bonus. Within moments, he found himself surrounded by six more monsters. Staying on the move, Broken maneuvered himself, quickly positioning for his next strike.
He tightened his grip on the greatsword, readying himself for the onslaught as the monsters closed in, each one fixated on tearing him apart.
[Sacrificial Edge (Conditional Active Skill)]
Broken triggered the skill, and almost instantly, visible cracks spread across the surface of the Gravestone Greatsword. Although the cracks were merely superficial, they gave the blade a dangerously fragile look. The ghostly aura surrounding the weapon flared to life, swirling violently as though the greatsword was straining to contain its power.
[Elemental Rune Cataclysm (Conditional Active Skill)]
Taking a deep breath, Broken activated Elemental Rune Cataclysm. The runes etched into his greatsword lit up with vibrant energy, each glowing fiercely as they absorbed the gathered elemental power. In a swift motion, he unleashed the charged runes, sending a massive burst of multi-elemental energy exploding outward in all directions. Scorpions and beasts crumbled under the pressure, their numbers rapidly thinning as Broken’s attack left destruction in its wake. The catastrophic explosion of energy obliterated everything in close proximity, leaving nothing but charred remains and shattered earth where
the monsters had once stood.
[You have successfully slain the Inferno Scorpion Lv. 211]
[You have successfully slain the Glass Serpent Lv. 221]
[…]
It was almost unbelievable that a single attack could decimate multiple high-level monsters
so effectively, but that demonstrated just how powerful the combination of the two skills
truly was.
Elincia and Ivana stood in awe of the display, as did Broken, who still couldn’t fully believe the devastation he had caused. The Gravestone Greatsword was truly broken in its power. Imagining the havoc it could wreak if it was a Legendary-grade weapon was almost too much. However, as time passed, more monsters began to emerge, their numbers increasing steadily. Broken realized that he might not be able to handle them all alone.
He switched his weapon to the Bedrock Breaker Pickaxe. Unlike the Gravestone Greatsword, the pickaxe’s skills were less complex, which made it a good opportunity to test it out as well.
“Elincia, Ivana, want to level up?” he asked with a grin.
Elincia smiled back and ascended into the air, electricity crackling around her. Ivana, equally
ready for combat, raised her shield.
“Let’s clear this battlefield together,” Elincia said.
“I’m ready,” Ivana added.