Sword Master With One Strike Kill - Chapter 103

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

One-Strike Kill Swordmaster Episode 103

Episode 103. The Second Sacred Inquisition (1)

The Veteran Gamer.

He was a being summoned to the Holy City a few weeks ago to verify whether Gaon was qualified as a heretic.

The ‘test’ he presented to Gaon was simple.

─Right here, prove that you can kill me.

That was to prove he could kill an immortal being like himself.

Recalling this, Jaque fell deep into thought.

‘Although I didn’t witness the scene directly since I was visiting the Forest of the Heavenly Sea…’

According to the testimony of the priests who were at the Holy Sanctum at the time, the Sword Master’s test ended anticlimactically.

They said Gaon and Heukgol just glared at each other and then the situation ended.

Of course, Jaque knew all too well what that meant.

‘…Surely, a “mental battle” must have unfolded.’

Mental battle.

It was a phenomenon visible only to masters who had reached the ultimate realm.

Reading the opponent through breathing, eye contact, and all sorts of minute environmental changes, and predicting the outcome of battle through this.

Although it might have looked like nothing happened at the Holy Sanctum, surely an intense sword battle must have taken place in the minds of Gaon and Heukgol.

‘In other words, Heukgol knows Gaon’s abilities more accurately than anyone else.’

But if even such a Heukgol pointed out that three Sword Masters would be insufficient to stop Gaon…

‘Could it be.’

Suddenly, Jaque’s expression hardened.

─If you believe you can stop me with just three Sword Masters, you’re still underestimating me.

‘…Those words weren’t just empty boasting?’

It was shocking beyond belief.

He had thought they were lies meant to intimidate him, but they were actually words spoken from the heart.

Just as Jaque’s pupils began to shake at this unexpected truth.

“Ha!”

At that very moment.

Tyrant Dragon, who had been walking alongside them, burst into mocking laughter.

Tyrant Dragon turned to look at Heukgol and suddenly spoke up.

“You cowardly fool. You’ve been thoroughly frightened by Gaon.”

“…What?”

“Three Sword Masters can’t handle just one person?”

Tyrant Dragon snorted and continued.

“That’s ridiculous. Such a strong warrior doesn’t exist on this continent in the first place.”

“Wait, hold on.”

Heukgol immediately objected.

“This is absurd. What do you even know about Gaon to spout such nonsense?”

“Well, I’ve also fought against Gaon in Labyrinth Village.”

“What! But Gaon had restrictions on him back then!”

“It’s the same now.”

“Oh, is that so?”

Heukgol sneered sarcastically.

“But you still couldn’t recognize that Gaon was your kin?”

Tyrant Dragon’s pupils shook.

“That’s…”

“You admit that Gaon’s restrictions have been somewhat lifted, don’t you?”

“…”

Clench-.

Tyrant Dragon, who was about to say something, soon shut his mouth tight.

It wasn’t wrong.

Compared to when they first met in Labyrinth Village, Gaon’s condition had definitely improved.

His body, which had been extremely frail, was now filled with solid muscle, and the Dragon Clan aura that couldn’t be felt at all now emanated clearly.

He had to acknowledge it. As Heukgol said, it seemed certain that Gaon’s restrictions had been somewhat lifted.

What was even more surprising was that even when Gaon’s physical condition was poor, he had displayed incomprehensible ‘strange movements.’

“…”

Then what level would Gaon’s abilities be at now that he had somewhat recovered his body?

Tyrant Dragon couldn’t even dare to guess.

Having finished his thoughts, Tyrant Dragon slowly nodded his head.

“Right. You’re correct.”

“…”

“Indeed, the current Gaon… it’s uncertain whether the three of us can stop him.”

In the first place, it wasn’t even confirmed what level of martial power Gaon was hiding.

Therefore, Tyrant Dragon had no choice but to regard Gaon’s martial power as an ‘unknown quantity.’

When Tyrant Dragon agreed with his opinion, Heukgol began nodding with a much more relaxed expression.

“See? I told you I was right.”

And…

Stop-.

Jark von Haibrunn, who had heard this conversation between the two Sword Masters, had no choice but to halt his steps for a moment.

‘What?’

His mind suddenly began to grow complicated.

Though several questions arose throughout the conversation, what confused Jaque the most was…

The story about Gaon’s ‘race.’

‘…Tyrant Dragon’s kin? Gaon?’

Dragon Clan.

Gaon was of the Dragon Clan.

He definitely looked like a human on the outside, so what was this about?

While Jaque was in confusion, Tyrant Dragon, who had somehow gotten ahead of them, scratched his neck and continued speaking.

“But it really is puzzling.”

“…”

“When I saw him in Labyrinth Village, he was definitely human… How did he hide the Dragon Clan aura so perfectly? Even considering the influence of restrictions, it doesn’t make sense.”

Tyrant Dragon turned to look at Adelia and continued.

“Hey, Adel… whatever.”

“It’s Adelia.”

“Right. You’re that guy’s disciple, so you’d know well.”

“…”

“Gaon, what exactly is that bastard’s identity?”

At Tyrant Dragon’s following question, Adelia fell into contemplation for a moment.

“…”

What was Gaon’s identity?

Well.

That was a question even Adelia, who had been by Gaon’s side for the past few months, couldn’t easily answer.

“The Protagonist is…”

After being lost in thought for a long while, Adelia carefully began her answer.

“He is a transcendent being for whom even physical form is meaningless.”

“…?”

“…?”

The Sword Masters were bewildered by the somewhat pedantic answer. Tyrant Dragon and Heukgol looked at each other and furrowed their brows.

“Heukgol.”

“Yeah?”

“Did you understand what that meant?”

“Hmm, well.”

Heukgol scratched his skull as he answered.

“If physical form is meaningless, does that mean he can freely change his racial characteristics? Sometimes human, sometimes dragon clan… like that?”

“What! Is that really true!”

Tyrant Dragon’s eyes widened as he shouted.

“Hey, Adel-whatever! Speak clearly! Are you saying Gaon can freely change his racial characteristics?”

“That’s not exactly what I meant to say…”

Adelia trailed off for a moment. After contemplating with her gaze lowered, she quietly nodded her head.

“Perhaps, if it’s The Protagonist, it might be possible.”

“….”

“….”

That’s right.

At least from Adelia’s perspective, nothing was impossible for Gaon.

…Of course, in reality, Gaon had no such ability, but there was no one present to correct that fact.

After hearing Adelia’s words, Tyrant Dragon and Heukgol looked at each other as if speechless, then shook their heads in disbelief.

“Damn. The world sure is vast. What kind of freak like that exists?”

“Right. Maybe generations of mixed bloodlines from various races resulted in such an impossible trait manifesting?”

“So what you’re saying, Heukgol, is…”

Tyrant Dragon trailed off for a moment before continuing.

“That Gaon comes from a perverted family line that’s been breeding indiscriminately across races for generations, making him a mongrel monster born from mixing with all sorts of races?”

“Tyrant Dragon!”

Adelia, unable to listen any longer, flared up and shouted.

“Please refrain from such vulgar remarks! Even if you’re heretics following the will of The Great Ones, I won’t tolerate insults to my master’s honor in my presence!”

“Hey, you brat. Did I insult Gaon? The hypothesis about Gaon being a perverted mongrel from a sexually deviant family was Heukgol’s claim!”

“What? When did I! Now you’re suddenly framing me!”

While the two Sword Masters bickered with absurd wordplay, Adelia began speaking with difficulty, her face flushed red.

“Why on earth would you imagine such ridiculous things! Our master would never engage in such… such…!”

Adelia finally hung her head low, her face red as a beet. Her reaction showed she found Heukgol and Tyrant Dragon’s remarks utterly indecent.

Pean, who had been silently watching the scene without saying a word, muttered with a sighing voice.

“…Why has the conversation level become so vulgar?”

And a few steps away from this farce, Jaque, still unable to move his feet, rubbed his face wearily with a troubled expression.

‘I’m going insane.’

Jaque shook his head as he thought to himself.

‘These guys are supposed to be seekers of the sword.’

* * *

The Sacred Inquisition was postponed.

This was because an emergency meeting was held regarding whether to proceed with the trial.

In a situation where three Sword Masters were insufficient to stop Gaon, concerns were raised about whether they should proceed with the schedule as planned.

“I don’t think this is simply a matter of ‘reinforcement.'”

A middle-aged man sitting in the council seat cautiously spoke up.

“Even if we hastily call in more Sword Masters, it will take time for them to arrive… and it would be difficult to keep the already summoned heretics detained in the Holy City during that time.”

Jark von Haibrunn let out a deep sigh.

“Then what do you suggest we do? If Gaon is indeed an existence capable of overwhelming three Sword Masters as everyone fears, the outcome would be obvious if he causes a disturbance, wouldn’t it?”

“That’s right. Surely you haven’t forgotten the tragedy just a few months ago when Cedric was murdered in the Sacred Temple.”

Murmur murmur-.

As the councilman beside him added, all eyes in the Conference Hall focused on Heukgol.

Regardless, Heukgol just hummed a tune as if he knew nothing.

“If we forcibly proceed with the trial in such circumstances and another tragedy occurs…”

“I have a question.”

Thud-.

Just then, Pean’s voice echoed through the Conference Hall.

The commotion died down all at once, and everyone’s gaze focused on the blindfolded elf.

“Even if Gaon causes a disturbance in the Sacred Temple… wouldn’t that also be an action to prevent the apocalypse, according to the ‘Sacred Covenant’ made with The Great Ones?”

“….”

“Then is there really a need to stop him?”

At Pean’s words, all the councilmen became speechless.

The point he raised wasn’t a simple question but one that shook the fundamental reason for Middletemple’s existence.

“What is the reason for Middletemple’s existence?”

“….”

“As we all know, the purpose of this Holy City is to protect the world. To follow the will of The Great Ones and prevent the apocalypse.”

That’s right.

Middletemple’s reason for existence was to pursue world stability.

That’s why they spent astronomical amounts maintaining the barrier protecting the “Silk Road.”

“Think about Gaon’s covenant again. His covenant isn’t a simple promise, but a contract with The Great Ones.”

“….”

“If he causes a disturbance in the Sacred Temple, it would mean that’s not mere violence but a necessary course of action to prevent the world’s end.”

Pean wore a meaningful smile.

Then he shrugged as if he truly didn’t understand.

“Then if Middletemple, and the Sword Masters, try to stop such actions by Gaon… which side would we be on?”

* * *

Thud, thud-.

Just like during the first Sacred Inquisition, I walked through the Corridor while blindfolded.

Surrounded by holy knights, I walked through the dark Corridor for quite some time.

Finally, I arrived in front of the Sacred Temple.

And then…

I waited in front of the door for about an hour.

“….”

What’s this?

Why aren’t they starting the trial?

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————