Chapter 25: An Unimagined Method of Training

For other adventurers, a massive swarm of Killer Ants is something to avoid at all costs, but for Liang Yue, the situation is quite the opposite.

They are all experience points for leveling up his "Sword Soul Template."

Focusing on mastering his current combat style, he looks calmly at the approaching swarm. Frequent use of skills puts a strain on the body, especially techniques like Triple Slash. Moves like Moonlight Slash or the defensive Backstep Slash increase physical exertion, as the former is an explosive release of potential. It is the pursuit of the limits of speed.

"Ordinary sword energy."

"Against these Killer Ants, using basic sword energy attacks is quite effective."

Having decided on his combat approach, Liang Yue slowly stands up and resolutely steps toward the swarm. He pours his full concentration into the battle. Without even realizing it, a natural sword intent flows through him. The vibrations from his footsteps draw all the Killer Ants emerging from the cave, and they surge toward him like a tide.

Facing such a vast number of monsters, Liang Yue finally understands why Killer Ants are called "Newbie Killers"—it is entirely due to their sheer numbers. Their armor is sturdy enough that ordinary weapons cannot penetrate it, but with a casual lift of his blade, a streak of white sword energy flashes out. Armor that would be considered solid for an average adventurer cannot withstand Liang Yue's effortless strikes.

The Killer Ants at the forefront have their monster bodies sliced in half by the iron-cutting sword energy, dissolving into gray dust. The energy does not stop there; it sweeps through the ants blocking his path, clearing them away with unstoppable force.

"Too bad this isn't a tower defense game..."

Even after clearing the monsters in front of him, the surrounding area is still packed with swarming Killer Ants. Their attacks are not particularly fierce—at least, not enough to put any pressure on Liang Yue.

The upgrade brought by dual-wielding short swords is not just limited to the "Li-Ghost Sword Technique"; more accurately, it reduces the wind-up time for his skills. The basic Ghost Swordsman skill, "Moonlight Slash," usually requires two quick, opposing slashes when wielding a single sword. Now, by stepping forward while executing the move, he performs simultaneous, opposing swings, creating a slash as brilliant as moonlight with an incredibly wide range. The skill was already powerful, and with the addition of second-tier top-quality weapons, its damage is significantly amplified.

When faced with a monster's attack, he uses the evasive Backstep Slash, and the long-reaching energy blade tears the charging monsters to shreds.

"Exp+68"

These are low-tier monsters, and Liang Yue feels no ripple of excitement after slaying them. If this were truly the world of Arad, these Killer Ants wouldn't even be worth mentioning. After clearing the monsters in front of him, he leaves one alive, severing its limbs so it poses no threat, and continues his experiment. If he can lure other nearby swarms, he won't even need to explore this area; he can just keep clearing them while leaving one survivor to call for more companions.

Efficiency is the priority.

Liang Yue collects the deep purple magic stones that fell to the ground. As he picks up the loot, he catches a glimpse of someone in the corner of his eye: a supporter with a large backpack standing not far behind him. She has distinctive reddish-brown hair. Though she looks slightly different from his memory, her identity flashes through his mind: Lili, an adventurer from the Soma Familia.

He doesn't view her previous warning as an act of kindness. Instead, he glances at the short swords in his hands—two expensive second-tier weapons—and her true intentions become clear. Given her personality, it is hard for him not to make assumptions.

The one-sided massacre of the battle is something Lili had never imagined possible, especially as she watches the surviving Killer Ants near the front. It confirms her suspicion: Liang Yue is using the ants' characteristics to lure monsters to train himself! As a supporter, Lili has encountered many adventurers, even members of the Soma Familia who exploit her, and they all choose to avoid Killer Ants rather than fight them head-on like this.

"This guy..."

"What kind of monster from which Familia is he?"

Watching the battle, Lili cannot hide her inner shock. Setting aside Liang Yue's relaxed demeanor throughout, his combat methods are entirely new to her. The sword energy unleashed with every swing—is it magic? A skill? It completely shatters her understanding.

Soon, however, Lili has a bold guess: could it be the uniqueness of those two weapons? If that were the case, she dares not imagine how valuable they must be. But just as a seed of greed takes root, Liang Yue, having finished collecting the magic stones, turns his gaze toward her.

His look is calm, yet it feels as if he can peer into the deepest parts of her soul, leaving no room for her dark thoughts to hide. There is no verbal exchange, but Lili feels an inexplicable tension. She hates that sharp gaze; it stings, reminding her of her own miserable past. She considers turning and leaving, but her previous warning has already revealed her position. She knows she must provide a reasonable explanation.

"Um, I'm glad you're okay. It’s just that... very few adventurers would do something like this," she says, her tone tinged with timidity.

Taking a closer look at Liang Yue, Lili suppresses the twitching of her mouth and adds with forced sincerity, "Using a swarm of Killer Ants for training... I didn't mean anything else by it earlier; I just wanted to warn you that the situation was dangerous."

Liang Yue certainly does not believe her. He suspects her target was purely the two weapons he was using, but he doesn't call her out. He notes that she is acting alone. A supporter with no combat ability who can only passively hide when encountering monsters, yet she happens to be deep inside the dungeon. He suspects she might be trying to sneak out of the dungeon after having been abandoned by her own party. Even if it was a warning, it definitely had an ulterior motive.

Liang Yue knows how Lili eventually claws her way out of the mud in the original story. Only someone with Bell's personality—someone who, after being betrayed multiple times, still chooses to save others with sincerity—could change her. That was how she eventually left the Soma Familia and found her way. But Liang Yue finds it hard to judge the process, and he knows he could never go to those lengths. Suffering was not something he caused, and even if he offered help, the result would likely just be a knife in his back.

Liang Yue would rather deal with Freya than have any intersection with Lili. Even after her "kind warning," his expression remains unchanged, and he replies with a pointed tone:

"Instead of worrying about my safety, you should be more concerned about yourself. A supporter exploring the dungeon alone... shouldn't you be the one worried about safety?"