The Third Time-This Is the Current [Scholar] Advancement Task (Continued)

[9: [Peerless Swordsman] — Specialty: Swordplay attack power and attack speed increased by 30%; all melee Swordplay skill levels +2. Note: Cannot exceed the level cap!]

[10: [Sword Aura Penetration] — Specialty: Even if an enemy blocks your melee Swordplay attack, they still take 1%–20% of its damage. The effect depends on the difference between the two Swordsmen's levels, attributes, combat condition, and other factors.]

The Second Old Man?

"Ten glorious draws!!!"

The ability rewards kept appearing on the panel, leaving Adrian dazzled and practically drooling.

He had thought completing the S-Rank Challenge—even by killing Golden Lion Shiki—would offer only five abilities to choose from. Instead, it had given him ten!

Ten options, four picks!

Best of all, nearly every one was excellent!

"So this is the special reward for meeting the S-Rank Challenge's hidden requirement?"

"I love it!"

"If I'd killed the targets of all those earlier S-Rank Challenges during our fights, wouldn't I be unstoppable by now?"

"Then again, I probably couldn't have killed those true top-tier fighters..."

"The Golden Lion I took down this time wasn't in his prime."

"And those other powerhouses of the sea stay in their prime for a terrifyingly long time!"

"Plenty of them hit their peak the moment they debut and stay there for life..."

"Forget it. The rewards come first!"

Adrian pushed aside those irrelevant thoughts and focused entirely on the ten options on the panel.

The first to catch his eye was the long-awaited [Conqueror's Haki]!

But...

When Adrian read the reward description closely, he couldn't help frowning.

"I already knew skills drawn from enemies can't be upgraded."

"[Demon Swordsman], which I first drew from Moria, [Dragon Power], which I later drew from Kaido, and [Ikoku Sovereignty], which I got from Charlotte Linlin—they're all versions that can't be upgraded."

"But