Not even 5 minutes into the battle, Ash was pushed into a tight spot far worse than before. The gap between level 10 monsters and level 11 monsters was not really noticeable for the like of Darius and co as the Supreme System's rules made such things irrelevant.
However, under the natural Faustian system of power, such gaps were like crevices. The gap between the various stages was even worse, as it was insurmountable for the average human.
Not just humans, but any species within their power system. Sure, an Amateur Giant might be able to beat a Journeyman Human to death due to racial difference, but an Amateur Giant could never beat a Journeyman Giant and an Amateur Human could never beat a Journeyman human.
It was the iron-law reality. Monsters like Darius and his two Branded Servants who had stats above their Rank as well as the various abilities were impossible in the human race.
Ash began to sweat as he felt a few attacks land on his body, the iron-like vines of some plant monsters tearing into his flesh with their bards while the large fists of Ent-like monsters pressured him even with how own high strength.
It would take him seconds to clear this lot with his power if he were moving, but since he wanted to achieve a certain realm in his swordsmanship, he could only maintain his stance and continue toughing it out.
The whips continued landing on him no matter how he defended as the Ent monsters worked to distract him. Even their tactics and IQ had increased from this point on, as the dungeon core had copied the teamwork tactics of the adventurers who delved here, so they learned how to give out roles and how to share the damage.
Unfortunately for the five lads, they did not have a special emblem given by the Adventurers Association of Safemoon, to the dungeon core did not recognize them as one of those it was supposed to go easy against.
This was done intentionally by Darius so that a life or death situation could push his Apprentices. Besides, to Darius, they were experiments at most to see how effective his resources could nurture a non-system bound being on Fallon, so if they died, he wouldn't really care.
As such, the monsters showed visible excitement in the blood that dripped from Ash's back and his lifeforce that was slowly weakening. The monsters knew that adventurers could drink some weird concoctions to restore their vitality and stamina, so they increased the intensity of attacks on Ash to prevent him from doing such a thing.
Ash was truly tempted at this movement to move his blasted legs and kill all these monsters brutally as anger was beginning to cloud his mind. After all, being pressured was already annoying, much less having someone repeatedly whipping your back while dodging your retaliations like slippery-eel.
Ash was on the cusp of breaking, yet his mind remained solid as he condensed his focus even further. So even though his eyes were bloodshot with rage, his movements were still calm and his expression stoic.
As his health reached a critical level, his anger reaching its boiling point and his focus condensing into its smallest point, Ash roared loudly. A shockwave emerged from his young body that blew the Ent-like monsters away and smashed many of the incoming vines into a mushy mess.
The lad himself manifested a silver-white aura that flowed around the external part of his body in a visual spectacle that would amaze any onlooker. His eyes remained closed, his hand on the hilt of his now sheathed sword and his left hand on his sheathe.
His legs were spread apart and his knees were bent slightly. Just like this, the awesome aura surrounding the boy all flowed through his body like water being slowed sucked into a drain, condensing on his sword and sheathe.
"I finally understand…" Ash spoke for the first time since he began his foray into the dungeon.
"True minimalism is not using less energy to move your body while swinging your blade… it's about using your energy as efficiently as possible to achieve greater effects." The lad muttered as he opened his eyes slowly.
"The quantity of energy used was never the issue, but the quality. A person with a sea of energy might deal the same amount of damage using it all as a person with a small river of energy, only because the river was used efficiently and to its fullest possible extent, while the one with the sea would waste more than 90% of it due to inefficiency."
Ash said this as he slowly drew his sword and swung it lightly towards an Ent. Despite the monster being more than 50 meters away from him, a wave of silver-white light emerged from his worn blade that traveled faster than the eye could see.
It swept through the Ent in question, cutting it in half from top to bottom as each side fell to the ground slowly.
Ash then continued to swing his sword lightly, waves emerged from his blade that cut through any monster it came into contact with regardless of their defenses or makeup. In a matter of seconds, the 11th wave was cleared and the 12th began to rush over, yet Ash looked to be at peace.
At this time, Martin who was in Ash's HoloBrace updated the lad's character sheet in the cloud secretly.
[Name: Ash Spencley
Race: Human
Class: Mage
Subclass: Multi-Elementalist
HP: 123/2,115 (1,935)
MP: 1,440/1,440 (1,541)
STA: 810/940 (1,035)
Level: 20 (23) (Author's Note: There was a mistake last time in making their levels above 20 as that is Journeyman grade, but they are still factually Amateur despite their stats.)
Strength: 45 (43)
Agility: 44 (41)
Endurance: 47 (45)
Intellect: 70 (67)
Charisma: 22 (20)
Luck: 30 (30)
P-Status: Severely Wounded
M-Status: Enlightened
Affection: Worship lvl 3
Notes: Target has just comprehended Journeyman-level skill 'Sword Aura' at Amateur-stage, an almost impossible feat. Increasing Talent and Potential grades to S.]
