hotmtlnovel Chapter 62
Chapter 62
Achieving a perfect score on a test.
Anyone who has ever studied knows how difficult it is to answer every question correctly and earn a flawless score.
Back in my school days, before the Great Cataclysm, I worked relentlessly to claim the top spot in my class.
Not a natural genius, I spent countless nights pouring over books. Through this, I learned one critical truth: achieving a perfect score is incredibly challenging.
Raising your score to 90 was already a feat, but pushing from 90 to 100? That was a different beast altogether.
Eliminating wrong answers with logic would only take you so far. To succeed, you needed to memorize every detail and know how to apply that knowledge effectively. If you didn’t master it all, you had to rely on luck. But without skill, luck rarely brought a perfect score.
Perfection allowed no room for error.
This principle held true outside academics as well.
Take Absolute Beauty Quest 1, for instance: avoiding every single enemy attack was like striving for a perfect test score—a near-impossible task.
Even with regression granting me full knowledge of monster attack patterns, the smallest misstep—a brush against a wolf’s fur—was enough to fail.
The new quest I had received wasn’t any easier.
[Absolute Beauty Quest 7]
Clear a B-rank or higher dungeon solo without taking a single hit (0/1)
It was an advanced version of Absolute Beauty Quest 1, with the difficulty cranked up by the dungeon’s increased rank.
The challenges weren’t just steep—they were nearly insurmountable.
[Lv. 290. Skeletal Soldier of the Emperor’s Tomb]
“Karrrk!!”
“Kyaaahk!!”
“Damn these bony bastards, still relying on sheer numbers.”
“Master, another squad is approaching from behind!”
Inside the Emperor’s Tomb dungeon, undead monsters in tattered armor surged toward me, wielding spears and swords.
The enemies numbered over a hundred, their levels brushing against 300. Their attacks were powerful, and their speed relentless.
Dodging all of them was an overwhelming task—each attack precise and unyielding.
But...
“Hup...!”
[Skill Activated]
[Acceleration (C)]
[Dash (D)]
I darted through their ranks with nimble movements, plunging straight into the heart of the battlefield.
Then, as the skeletal soldiers swarmed me, I retaliated.
[Skill Activated]
[Blade Storm (B)]
A tempest of blades erupted around me, carving through the undead.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
[You have defeated Lv. 290 Skeletal Soldier of the Emperor’s Tomb.]
[Experience gained.]
[Level up!]
[Reward: Agility +2, Stamina +3]
Hundreds of enemies fell, their bones scattering through the air like brittle snowflakes.
Of course, this single skill didn’t end the fight entirely.
Ping! Ping! Ping!
[Lv. 290. Skeletal Archer of the Emperor’s Tomb]
At the far end of the cavern, a squad of skeletal archers launched a barrage of arrows. The B-rank dungeon’s monsters didn’t allow much room for dodging; their arrows created a near-impenetrable wall.
But I had a solution.
If I couldn’t avoid it, I would destroy it.
I leaped forward, swinging my dual swords with all my strength.
[Skill Activated]
[Crimson Flame (B)]
[Skyward Blade (B)]
Fwoooosh!
Flaming auras shot forth from my swords, tearing through the oncoming arrows—and the archers themselves.
[You have defeated Lv. 290 Skeletal Archer of the Emperor’s Tomb.]
The devastating power even left Swallow stunned.
“Wow... I didn’t think it was possible. These monsters have high levels and attack in such numbers—I thought dodging them would be nearly impossible.”
“Well, that’s what most people would think.”
After receiving the Absolute Beauty Quest, I spent time strategizing.
How could I avoid every single attack in a B-rank dungeon?
As fragments of bone scattered to the ground and the reward message appeared in the air, I smirked.
“You’re finally starting to pull your weight.”
Swallow’s intervention had been timely. The captain’s speed was nearly overwhelming, and without the assist, I might have taken a hit.
As I grew stronger, Swallow’s abilities also improved, making him increasingly helpful in dire situations.
Of course, there was still one drawback.
“Hmph, I’ve always been useful, Master. It’s just that you were too weak and unattractive before to fully appreciate my brilliance.”
“...You’re great at everything except keeping your beak shut, you damn bird!”
I reached out to grab him and put him in his place, but Swallow flapped into the air, effortlessly dodging me.
Another chance for discipline lost.
Not that it mattered much. There would be plenty of opportunities in the future, and my focus was on more pressing matters now.
Swallow knew that as well.
As we approached the corridor leading to the boss room, Swallow hovered close behind me.
“Would you like some assistance, Master?”
His tone was more serious this time. The boss of the Emperor’s Tomb—a skeletal emperor adorned in golden armor and crowned with a gilded helmet—was known for launching an immediate assault upon entry, backed by a squad of twenty elite guards.
This particular quest didn’t allow the use of the Trust Armor for defense. Most attacks had to be dodged, with only Swallow’s shields permitted as a fallback.
However, I shook my head.
“No, it’s too dangerous. Stay back.”
I had a specific strategy in mind, and Swallow’s involvement might complicate things.
[Lv. 305 Skeletal Emperor of the Tomb]
“Haaaaah!”
[Skill Activated]
[Sky Splitter (S)]
As soon as I stepped into the spacious boss room and locked eyes with the golden skeleton standing at its center, I swung my Flame Sword in a wide arc, initiating the first strike.
BOOOOM!
[You have defeated Lv. 298 Skeletal Mage of the Emperor’s Tomb.]
[You have defeated Lv. 298 Skeletal Sorcerer Commander of the Emperor’s Tomb.]
The fiery slash obliterated the lesser monsters positioned behind the skeletal emperor in a single blow.
However, the battle wasn’t over yet.
Though the underlings disintegrated without so much as a scream, the Skeletal Emperor crouched low, his shield absorbing just enough of the attack to survive.
Without hesitation, I closed the distance.
[Skill Activated]
[Skyward Blade (B)]
I launched an aerial slash while using [Acceleration (C)] and [Dash (D)] to cover the remaining ground in an instant.
Crossing my dual swords, I channeled the power of the sun into the next strike.
“Been a while, bonehead.”
The Skeletal Emperor’s empty eye sockets seemed to flicker with confusion, as though recognizing me.
He swung his golden sword in a desperate counterattack, but it was too late.
[Skill Activated]
[Solar Flare: Black Sun Explosion (Unfinished)]
BOOOOOOOM!
A massive explosion erupted from my crossed blades, unleashing every ounce of power I had.
Even with my body wrapped in mana for protection, the sheer heat filled the room, searing through my senses.
When the blinding light and infernal heat finally subsided, the scene before me confirmed my success.
The once-crowded boss room was now eerily silent, devoid of enemies.
[You have defeated Lv. 305 Skeletal Emperor of the Tomb.]
[Experience gained.]
[Level up!]
[Reward: Intelligence +2, Magic Power +3]
Only scattered bones and floating messages remained, the once-mighty monsters reduced to ash.
“Did I... succeed?”
I wiped the sweat from my chin, glancing at the now-empty room.
I had shown everything I had prepared. Now it was time to tally the results.
But as my eyes settled on the message screen, I froze.
“......!!”
I was greeted with an unexpected—and utterly shocking—scorecard.