Leveling Up by Executing Monsters

Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Comparative Test

Lloyd went to the prison cell on Sublevel 2, locked the door tightly behind him, then activated the [Twist] system and revealed his fundamental human nature.

"In the name of Veto!"

"In the name of Veto!"

"In the name of Veto!"

After using the Twisted version of [Veto Declaration] three consecutive times, he deactivated the [Twist] system and recited the normal version of [Veto Declaration] another three times.

He then approached the Demon, which was still breathing, and inspected the damage.

The original [Veto Declaration] was like striking the target with a sledgehammer, causing basic physical effects like crushing and concussive force.

The Twisted version of [Veto Declaration], on the other hand, was like boring into the target with a sharp drill. It left a spiral-shaped, penetrating wound and had a degree of armor-piercing capability.

However, the overall attack power wasn’t very high. Six skill activations hadn’t been enough to kill a Danger Level 2 Demon Ghost. In terms of efficiency, he would have been better off just using a blade...

"It seems this skill isn’t suited for direct application. I should try its second function instead."

After coming to this conclusion, Lloyd drew the Spiritual Short Sword from his waist and once again declared aloud:

"In the name of Veto!"

This time, the Spiritual Power didn’t manifest on the Demon directly. Instead, it was infused into the Short Sword. The blade, which had been faintly glowing and humming, grew dimmer and fell silent, looking completely unremarkable.

Lloyd swung the sword a few times, carefully assessing the change in its feel.

The blade’s sharpness had increased significantly, allowing him to easily slice through tough spots he would normally have to avoid.

At that moment, the Demon finally gave out, turning into 200 Madness Value.

"Hmm, so at low levels, it’s better to infuse than to project externally. It works on blades, so it should work on bullets too, right?"

Lloyd mused to himself as he carved out the Demon’s organs, completing the required harvesting.

He then went to the armory to request a firearm from Andrew, the Military Supply Priest.

"Oh? So you’ve finally come around to using a gun? I thought you were one of the old guard, like Judge Weiya..."

As he spoke, Andrew produced two firearms and placed them in front of Lloyd.

One was an old-fashioned flintlock pistol, and the other was the latest-issue bolt-action rifle.

Then, he flashed a sly grin, gave Lloyd a knowing look, and whispered:

"I’ve got some *real* good stuff here!"

He glanced around, making sure no one else was looking, then pulled an exquisite, ornate box from a safe.

He opened it to reveal an artisan-grade Matchlock Gun.

Lloyd glanced at it and noticed a faint trace of Spiritual Energy, but it was too weak to be of any practical use. He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

"What year is it?" he asked.

’This thing is practically an antique. It’s nothing more than a collector’s item. It belongs in a museum display or a craft shop window, not the armory. I have no idea what it’s doing here.’

But Andrew treated it like a treasure, quickly closing the box and whispering an explanation:

"I sometimes help... ’move’... certain fine items. Wondering if you might be interested?"

"Not in the slightest. This one will be fine."

Without hesitation, Lloyd picked up the old-fashioned flintlock pistol.

His choice was mainly driven by portability; that’s why he didn’t pick the more modern bolt-action rifle.

As for Andrew’s "fine items," he couldn’t be bothered to ask any further.

’In an organization as massive as the Radiant Sect and the Holy Judgment Court, things like this are inevitable. Especially in Tower Nine, a place for training and assessing recruits. There are always a few wealthy newcomers who’d be interested in "fine items" like that.’

Andrew didn’t push the sale. Seeing that Lloyd wasn’t interested, he acted as if nothing had happened and processed the paperwork for the gun. The procedure was far more relaxed than requisitioning a Spiritual Blade, suggesting firearms were not highly valued pieces of equipment.

Lloyd thought for a moment, then asked in a low voice:

"And what if I happen to find some ’fine items’ myself in the future?"

"You know where to find me."

Andrew smiled and handed a box of shot to Lloyd.

’It seems anyone working in the armory has to have some skills and connections.’

......

After that brief interlude, Lloyd returned to Sublevel 2 to continue his testing.

He loaded a round into the barrel, shouted his slogan, and fired at the nearby Demon.

BANG~

A shallow scratch appeared on the wall behind the Demon.

’A miss? This gun feels really weird.’

Lloyd grumbled to himself. In disbelief, he reloaded and fired again.

This time, he succeeded in leaving a shallow scratch on the floor at the Demon’s feet...

Fortunately, the prison cell was exceptionally sturdy and couldn’t be damaged by this type of firearm.

’*Ahem.* The sensitivity is set too high!’

Lloyd made an excuse for himself, then closed the distance until he was face-to-face with the Demon and fired his third shot.

Right on Target!

He continued to infuse his shots with power, firing several more times.

Not a single miss!

"What do you know? I’m actually a pretty good shot..."

Lloyd blew on the gun’s muzzle, feeling rather pleased with himself, then inspected the wounds the bullets had left on the Demon.

The damage was surprisingly good, even a bit better than the infused Short Sword. After just those few shots, the Demon turned into 200 Madness Value.

The Twisted version was particularly effective. It made the round shot tumble as if fired from a rifled barrel, and its penetration was impressive—it went clean through the Demon’s thick torso.

"Not bad, not bad. Another powerful attack option."

Lloyd nodded in satisfaction, mentally comparing the destructive power of [Veto Declaration] and [Twisted Realm].

’Objectively speaking, to be perfectly fair, [Twisted Realm] still has a slight edge. The skill’s second function creates a physical twisting effect. The force isn’t strong, but if I dare to lock on with my inspiration, I can apply it directly to an enemy’s weak points for more effective damage. [Veto Declaration] doesn’t have that function for directly striking vitals, but it consumes less Spiritual Power, doesn’t depend on inspiration, and is much more straightforward to use.’

’But at the end of the day, the real strength of these two skills isn’t simple, brute-force damage. One is focused on control, while the other is focused on versatility. When it comes to pure damage output, they’re actually subpar. Just using Swordsmanship would be faster.’

"They’re both good skills, just low-level. I’ll just have to keep at it!"

Lloyd whispered, clenching his fist with determination. He then deftly finished the harvesting procedure and left the prison cell.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!