Sword Master With One Strike Kill - Chapter 112

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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One-Strike Kill Swordmaster Episode 112

 

Episode 112. The Haibroon Subjugation War (6)

 

* * *

 

Buuuuuung-!

 

Heukgol’s sword drew a massive semicircle.

 

The Tyrant Dragon, reading that trajectory, momentarily aimed for Jaque’s opening, but his wounds healed instantly.

 

‘His regeneration speed is disgustingly fast…’

 

The Tyrant Dragon’s brow furrowed.

 

He had heard about the tremendous recovery power that those who made contracts with evil deities possessed.

 

However, Jaque’s case was far too fast even for regeneration. New tissue sprouted before the severed flesh could even fall – that said it all.

 

Kwaaaaang-!

 

Once again, Pokryeomdo and the Beheading Sword clashed.

 

Shockwaves spread in all directions, and the Tyrant Dragon, caught in the recoil, staggered involuntarily.

 

In contrast, Jaque stood firmly in place without losing his balance. It was proof that he was gradually adapting to his transformed body.

 

‘Damn it.’

 

Confirming this, the Tyrant Dragon gritted his teeth.

 

‘The longer the battle drags on, the more disadvantageous it becomes for us.’

 

The more Jaque became accustomed to his body, the more troublesome the battle would certainly become.

 

Of course, neither the current Tyrant Dragon nor Heukgol were fighting at full strength.

 

If they fought seriously without thinking about the consequences, they could surely subdue the corrupted Jaque.

 

However, the aftermath was the problem.

 

If they unleashed their full power against the corrupted Jaque here, there would be more than one or two problems that would arise.

 

‘…Should I pour out all my strength even if it means enduring the backlash?’

 

It was when the Tyrant Dragon was caught in such contemplation.

 

Thud, thud-.

 

Right at that moment, he sensed someone approaching.

 

A man leisurely approaching with a pure white, slender sword.

 

The Thirteenth Sword Master, Gaon.

 

“…?”

 

For a moment, the Tyrant Dragon, who had been continuing the battle, slightly furrowed his brow.

 

‘…What is this?’

 

An alien aura felt from far away.

 

Something had changed.

 

Though his outward appearance was the same as before, the aura emanating from Gaon had definitely changed.

 

He had become stronger. And sharper.

 

‘Could it be…’

 

Suddenly, one possibility flashed through the Tyrant Dragon’s mind.

 

‘…Has part of the seal been released in real time?’

 

If that were the case.

 

It would somewhat explain why Gaon had spoken of the ‘appropriate time’ and hadn’t immediately entered the battle.

 

Perhaps he had been waiting for the moment when the seal would be partially released.

 

And now, that optimal timing had come.

 

“…Finally making his move.”

 

Swoosh-.

 

Naturally, it wasn’t just the two Sword Masters who noticed Gaon’s approach.

 

Jaque’s blood-red eyes flashed. His lips twisted grotesquely at the appearance of a new opponent.

 

His right arm began to swell more and more. At the same time, an ominous aura began to settle on the Beheading Sword.

 

“Take my sword, Gaon! This time I won’t be easily defeated like that day!”

 

Kwaaaaang-!

 

As Jaque roughly swung the Beheading Sword, demonic energy exploded and spread in all directions.

 

Blood-red energy shot toward Gaon.

 

Of course, that attack never reached Gaon.

 

“Where do you think you’re going!”

 

Kaaaang-!

 

The Tyrant Dragon, who reacted quickly, deflected the sword strike, and Heukgol, not missing that opportunity, immediately prepared a counterattack.

 

Even as the battle between Jaque and the two Sword Masters continued, Gaon only leisurely moved his steps as he approached.

 

Swoosh──.

 

It was the very next moment.

 

Gaon, who had approached within arm’s reach, inserted his sword into a peculiar position.

 

He didn’t swing his weapon with force. It was merely the level of bringing his sword to a specific point.

 

Like Heukgol’s swordsmanship, it was a method of predicting the path the opponent would move and placing the sword there.

 

‘This much is nothing!’

 

Jaque, who had been blocking the attacks of the Tyrant Dragon and Heukgol, perceived the position of that sword.

 

It was annoying, but there was no need to worry about it greatly.

 

A blade with no power behind it.

 

Even if he was grazed by the sword, with his regenerative power, it would surely only create a light wound that wouldn’t affect the battle at all.

 

‘With my regenerative power, I can endure enough…!’

 

Puk─!

 

Gaon’s sword grazed past his body.

 

As expected, it was a very minor wound.

 

It was nothing more than a shallow scratch that barely scraped the surface.

 

“…?”

 

But something was strange.

 

Certainly, other wounds had healed instantly. Even the deep sword wounds left by Heukgol and the Tyrant Dragon had already disappeared without a trace.

 

But the wound left by Gaon was different.

 

Blood-red blood dripped down. For some reason, no matter how much time passed, there wasn’t even a sign of regeneration.

 

‘Fuck, what the hell is this…’

 

At that completely unexpected situation, bewilderment began to settle on Jaque’s face.

 

* * *

 

Inhale, exhale-.

 

I let out a deep breath and calmly read the battle situation.

 

The newly acquired [Command·Leadership], its sub-stat made the flow of the battlefield unfold like a painting.

 

The Tyrant Dragon’s breathing, Heukgol’s attack trajectory, and the choices Jaque could make were clearly visible like stones placed on a Go board.

 

Once I grasped that flow, mixing into the movements of the three transcendents wasn’t difficult.

 

Of course, even so…

 

‘…I must never intervene excessively in the battle.’

 

Level 40.

 

It was remarkable growth for the very early stages, but still insufficient to directly interfere in the fight of transcendents.

 

If I overexerted myself here, I could be swept up in the vortex of fierce battle and die instantly.

 

Even right now, my whole body was tingling from the air currents and shockwaves bursting out intermittently during the battle.

 

But it’s fine.

 

Because I now possessed abilities beyond mere ‘pure force.’

 

Saaaaa-!

 

My vision narrowed, and only one ‘point’ became clearly visible.

 

My explosively heightened cognition and senses meshed with [Sword Lv. Max] to read the gaps in battle.

 

Even between the teeth of precisely interlocking gears, minute gaps inevitably exist. Naturally, I could find the intervals even within the movements of the three transcendents.

 

Slipping my sword into that space was all I could do right now.

 

Swish-!

 

Once again, I thrust my sword through the visible gap.

 

Between the pressure created by Heukgol’s zweihander and the choices limited by the Tyrant Dragon’s Pokryeomdo. Toward the path that Jaque would ‘inevitably’ have to pass through.

 

Thunk─!

 

“Grrrgh…!”

 

This time was also a success. A long gash appeared on Jaque’s abnormally swollen right arm.

 

Though the wound was shallow, that alone was sufficient. Red blood trickled down from the wound that wouldn’t regenerate.

 

“…!”

 

By now, the Tyrant Dragon and Heukgol had also noticed the anomaly. They realized that among the dozens of wounds on Jaque’s body, only the ones I had inflicted wouldn’t heal.

 

Swish-.

 

Heukgol’s hollow eye sockets flashed as they turned toward me, and the Tyrant Dragon’s vertically split pupils also looked at me.

 

Though no words were exchanged, we understood each other’s intentions at a glance through our eyes alone.

 

Kwaaaaang-!

 

Kwang-!

 

From the next moment, the movements of the Tyrant Dragon and Heukgol began to subtly change.

 

Like hunting dogs driving prey into a trap, the two began guiding Jaque toward paths where my sword could reach him.

 

“Damn…!”

 

Jaque wasn’t a fool either. The moment he realized my sword ignored his regenerative ability, hesitation crept into his movements.

 

‘He’s taken the bait.’

 

Heh-.

 

A faint smile began to form at the corners of my mouth upon confirming this.

 

That was exactly what I had truly wanted.

 

Swish-!

 

I used Jaque’s excessive wariness of me against him. I feinted thrusting my sword to the left, then changed direction to the right.

 

Jaque, already distracted by the Tyrant Dragon and Heukgol’s attacks, was flustered by my unexpected attack trajectory. He had assumed that since my sword had been stationary before, it would naturally be so again.

 

I didn’t miss that fleeting opportunity.

 

Kwadrrrrrk──!

 

‘Ah.’

 

The terrible sensation piercing through my fingertips.

 

The sharp tip of the Feather Sword penetrated Jaque’s carapace and embedded deeply.

 

Pshaaaak-!

 

As the sword was pulled out, dark red blood gushed like a fountain.

 

I hadn’t forcefully pulled out the Feather Sword. Jaque had simply tried to hastily create distance, causing the sword to naturally slip out.

 

In any case…

 

‘…It went in properly.’

 

Trickle-.

 

Blood flowed from my torn palm. The skin had been scraped off because I couldn’t properly withstand the strong impact and friction transmitted to the sword handle.

 

But a wound of this degree was nothing. Considering the ‘hit’ I had landed on Jaque von Haibrunn.

 

Whoooom, kwaang-!

 

The ground shook greatly.

 

Jaque retreated a full ten meters with a single leap.

 

The fierce battle entered a brief lull, and the Tyrant Dragon and Heukgol also caught their breath and stopped in their respective positions.

 

Having created distance, Jaque glared at me with eyes filled with rage.

 

“How dare… How dare you…!”

 

Though he snarled like a beast, I didn’t even blink. Rather, his agitated behavior only seemed like struggling to hide his fear.

 

“You’re hesitating again.”

 

I slowly raised the corners of my mouth. It was a smile mixed with mockery and certainty.

 

“You’re always like that. At every crucial moment, you can’t trust your own choices. A few days ago at the training ground, you hesitated needlessly in your attack and gave me your forearm.”

 

“Shut that mouth…!”

 

Jaque shouted as if scolding.

 

But his voice was already wavering.

 

“It was the same in the Forest of the Heavenly Sea. Before the Evil Deities’ temptation, you acted indecisively, unable to do this or that. Even just before, when making a full contract with that thing, didn’t you hesitate until the very end?”

 

Swish-.

 

I lightly swung the Feather Sword, flicking off the sticky blood.

 

The dark red blood stained the parched wasteland.

 

“But Adelia was different.”

 

“…”

 

“She didn’t run away even when facing a wall. She collided knowing she would crumble, and fought knowing she would lose.”

 

Jaque’s expression gradually contorted. With anger, shame, humiliation, contempt… all those emotions mixed together.

 

“That is precisely.”

 

I calmly concluded my words.

 

“The reason you’ve only been marking time for the past forty years.”

 

Not long ago, the Tyrant Dragon had carelessly said to Jaque.

 

How nothing had changed in forty years.

 

Grind-.

 

Receiving those words thrown back at him, Jaque clenched his teeth tightly.

 

Despite the considerable distance, the sound was clear, showing just how much rage had built up inside him.

 

“Yes.”

 

Jaque’s voice dropped low.

 

“You’re right. I always hesitated. At every crucial moment, I looked back and wavered.”

 

Creak, crrrreak-!

 

The massive body that had been tilted to the ground due to the weight of his arms slowly rose.

 

Jaque, who had been on all fours, precariously stood on two feet.

 

“But now it’s different.”

 

“…”

 

“If I can’t turn back, then I won’t turn back.”

 

Jaque looked up at the sky. The dark red light seeping from his eyes began to grow even more ferocious.

 

“I will offer everything of mine. My soul, my body, and my beliefs…”

 

Kwarrrrrr-!

 

Thunder that seemed to split the sky echoed.

 

The demonic energy emanating from Jaque’s body increased explosively, and the dark red aura formed a whirlwind that shot high into the sky.

 

“Hey, wait. We need to stop that…”

 

“Wait.”

 

“…?”

 

Click-.

 

Heukgol urgently took a battle stance, but I stopped him.

 

I had to leave Jaque alone.

 

Indeed, it was part of my plan for him to make a ‘second contract.’

 

Crackle─!

 

More noise began to interfere with the level display above Jaque’s head.

 

An tremendous sense of intimidation pressed down on the surroundings.

 

The air itself seemed to grow heavy, making it difficult to even breathe.

 

“Hey! Are you crazy? Don’t you know how strong that bastard will become if he makes another contract?”

 

Heukgol shouted.

 

But….

 

Hiss-.

 

…I only showed a satisfied smile instead.

 

“It’s fine.”

 

“…?”

 

“I’m sure I told you. Countermeasures and whatnot – one sword strike is more than enough.”

 

Gooooo-!

 

As I finished speaking and looked straight ahead, I could see the form of a monster covered in ominous demonic energy.

 

Corrupted Zack von Haibrunn.

 

His final phase.

 

At last, the moment to use the Soul of the Sword Master had arrived.

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