Sword Master With One Strike Kill - Chapter 132

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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 132

 

Episode 132. Auction Preparations (6)

 

“Haaaak! Cough! Kehek…! Krhaaaak!”

 

Thud-.

 

Puppet Master Batu clutched his throat and rolled on the floor.

 

He fumbled at his neck with his fingers, but fortunately, no wound could be felt. Only pain beyond imagination tormented him.

 

Haa, ha-.

 

Batu, who had barely calmed down, gasped for breath.

 

The illusion that his throat had truly been cut.

 

No, it was too vivid to call it an illusion—the pain pressed down on his nerves.

 

‘How… how could this happen…!’

 

His mind went blank.

 

The “Link” with the puppet was severed, yet the pain was transmitted to the main body?

 

It was bewildering. Having lived as an Immortal all this time, he had never experienced such a thing even once, making the phenomenon completely incomprehensible.

 

The shell was literally just a ‘shell.’

 

The puppet was an entity completely separate from the main body.

 

Even if it were brutally destroyed, it shouldn’t have had the slightest effect on Batu who controlled it.

 

Yes.

 

It certainly should have been that way…

 

“Damn it, damn it… Do, Dorico Shiro… that bastard…”

 

Kuk, kruk-.

 

Batu muttered while sniffling.

 

His voice, squeezed out as if wrung dry, was parched and cracked.

 

Partly due to fear, but it was difficult to compose his emotions because of anger and humiliation.

 

His pride was shattered to pieces.

 

His status as one of the Five Nightmares had long since faded.

 

What remained here now was only a pathetic coward huddled in a corner of the room.

 

“Ga, Gaon… you didn’t tell me he had such abilities…!”

 

Crack-.

 

Puppet Master Batu ground his molars and vented his anger at the innocent Dorico Shiro.

 

“My plan… was definitely perfect…”

 

Haa, ha-.

 

Batu leaned against the wall and breathed roughly.

 

He had positioned dozens of ‘puppets’ throughout Dungarrd, the Dark City, waiting for Gaon to appear.

 

And as soon as a person matching the physical characteristics Dorico Shiro had provided was spotted, he immediately began tracking.

 

The approach went smoothly.

 

The other party seemed to have noticed his identity, but showed no particular wariness. Even sharing a table and conversation flowed naturally, so everything seemed perfect.

 

But who would have thought all of this was a trap.

 

“Kriiik!”

 

Batu let out a shriek and angrily struck the wall.

 

Thud-.

 

However, from his weakened fist, only a pathetic sound barely emerged.

 

“Too complacent! Too…!”

 

If he had known in advance that Gaon possessed such abilities, he wouldn’t have approached so hastily today.

 

More cautiously.

 

And more secretly, he would have prepared.

 

“More… it needs to be more perfect! I should have planned more meticulously from the start!”

 

Madness gleamed in Batu’s twisted face.

 

Now he realized it. With a ‘conventional’ approach, he could never deal with Gaon.

 

Gaon was a monster beyond imagination. The fact that the Second Apostle had descended to this world to face him was no coincidence.

 

“Huu, hu…”

 

Batu exhaled deeply. His eyes glowed eerily.

 

Only one week remained until Dungarrd’s illegal auction.

 

“…”

 

Yes.

 

From now on, he needed to disguise himself more perfectly and thoroughly.

 

Unless one was exceptionally sensitive.

 

Unless one possessed truly transcendent senses…

 

To the point where they couldn’t even tell if the shell before their eyes was a ‘puppet.’

 

Only to that degree could he deceive the monster called Gaon.

 

* * *

 

“Huu.”

 

I let out a small sigh.

 

The moment I cut Batu’s throat, the killing intent that had been pressing down on the tavern disappeared like a lie.

 

Kuuung-!

 

The headless corpse belatedly lost its balance and collapsed to the floor.

 

However, just because the culprit who caused all this chaos had disappeared didn’t mean the aftermath would immediately subside.

 

“Heok, huk…!”

 

“What, what was that just now…”

 

Several customers who had regained their senses looked around with pale faces, trying to understand the situation.

 

Most were relatively high-level skilled individuals. Meanwhile, those with lower levels were still trembling and sitting collapsed in place.

 

“…”

 

I silently looked around.

 

Heuk, heuuk-.

 

Someone covering their face and quietly sobbing.

 

Someone who couldn’t hold back the rising nausea and crouched under a table.

 

And even someone who had lost consciousness with their face buried in a plate.

 

‘Complete chaos.’

 

Although Batu’s killing intent had disappeared, his presence was still throwing the tavern into confusion.

 

“Kek, kehek…!”

 

Then, a pained groan came from behind me.

 

The impostor who had been controlled by Puppet Master Batu and held an axe blade to his own throat had belatedly regained consciousness.

 

Drip-.

 

As blood flowed from his neck, his companion who had regained consciousness hurriedly approached and frantically attempted to stop the bleeding.

 

“Damn! Hey! Stay conscious!”

 

“Kr, kruk, I, I’m fine…”

 

The impostor muttered in a trembling voice.

 

Fortunately, it wasn’t a fatal wound.

 

The depth of the wound was clearly shallow. Since it hadn’t touched an artery, there would be no problem as long as the bleeding was properly stopped.

 

“…”

 

Having finished that assessment, I shifted my gaze to Batu’s corpse collapsed on the floor.

 

Tap tap-.

 

I nudged the headless corpse with my foot, but there was no movement.

 

It meant the link was completely severed.

 

Since it was a shell that had been controlled by Puppet Master Batu for decades, the original owner’s ‘soul’ would have already been consumed.

 

So sending him off like this would be true rest for him.

 

‘By the way….’

 

Swoosh-.

 

As I continued my various thoughts, I looked again at the system window that had appeared in the corner of my vision.

 

〔You have used the Authority Skill: 【True Eternal Slayer】.〕

 

〔The effect of the sub-skill 【Soul Slaying】 is activated.〕

 

Soul Slaying.

 

Among the various effects this skill possessed, it was clear which one had activated.

 

‘The ability to directly attack spiritual forms.’

 

Batu must have felt the pain of having his throat cut directly. But he would have only taken damage, not reached the point of death.

 

The situation was a bit different from when I faced the Adversary.

 

Back then, soul and body were completely unified, so that bastard was annihilated without being able to resist.

 

On the other hand, Batu had only linked part of his soul using the puppet as a medium. In other words, his entire soul wasn’t completely exposed on this side.

 

‘In the end, my attack only grazed part of his soul.’

 

It was the same in the game, so it would be the same this time too.

 

Well, one thing was certain. This encounter would have served as a definite warning to Puppet Master Batu.

 

Given his personality, from now on Batu would try to move more meticulously and secretly.

 

Acting more cautiously than ever before to avoid having his identity discovered.

 

‘But….’

 

He probably doesn’t realize.

 

That actually, him acting that way would be more convenient for me.

 

‘…It would be more troublesome if he openly caused chaos instead.’

 

Puppet Master Batu’s meticulous actions would ultimately become self-defeating, digging his own grave.

 

Creak, thud-!

 

Rumble-.

 

Just then, the door opened and five or six men armed with halberds entered the tavern.

 

Guards belonging to the Ruin Guild.

 

These were the ones the innkeeper had called earlier to throw out the drunkard who had been causing a disturbance, claiming to be the Slayer of the Minotaur Dragon.

 

“Th-this is…!”

 

The guards were shocked to see the tavern in chaos.

 

The impostor collapsed on the floor bleeding, and his companion desperately trying to stop the bleeding beside him.

 

And….

 

Drip, drop-.

 

Me standing in front of a decapitated corpse, holding a blood-stained sword.

 

“…!”

 

Clang-!

 

The guards reflexively gripped their halberds tightly.

 

‘…Ah.’

 

I let out an internal sigh.

 

‘Damn it.’

 

I had simply wanted to enjoy a delicious meal.

 

Not only did I encounter Puppet Master Batu, but I got swept up in this situation too.

 

‘What a waste, all this food.’

 

Pause-.

 

Just then, I felt something strange.

 

“….”

 

A hollow laugh escaped me without realizing it.

 

How ridiculous. To be thinking about wasted food in this situation.

 

‘I’m not in my right mind anymore either.’

 

Haha.

 

Really, this damn world truly drives people insane.

 

‘I want to meet Strawberry Latte soon….’

 

I feel like I’ve been too consumed by the Sword Master concept.

 

I should have a conversation with my fellow Possessed One and do some mental care.

 

In those moments, I could be my complete self, not ‘Sword Master Gaon.’

 

‘But that’s something to think about later….’

 

I looked at the guards.

 

Now it was time to clean up the aftermath and then go meet her.

 

‘…It’s a bit earlier than planned, but it was something I had to do anyway.’

 

* * *

 

Clatter, clank-.

 

The Old Man with the Donkey’s cart still made loud noises as it traveled the bumpy road.

 

Berillov looked around and muttered with confusion.

 

“Why isn’t anything appearing…?”

 

Normally in such uncharted wilderness, monsters should appear, but the surroundings were eerily quiet.

 

“…This is really strange.”

 

Selena also muttered while looking out the window. Passing through the uncharted wilderness without a single attack was something she was experiencing for the first time too.

 

That’s when it happened.

 

“This place….”

 

Biyolf let out a low exclamation while staring out the window.

 

The landscape spread out in the distance was familiar.

 

Reed-like plants that had turned black. Poisonous mushrooms blooming here and there. Traces of mutant life forms. And sedimentary pollutants pooled on the ground.

 

A swamp of decay created by wastewater flowing from the drainage channels of Lower Dungard.

 

It was a unique terrain that could only be seen near the Dark City.

 

“We’ve already arrived near Dungard…?”

 

Selena was also surprised.

 

If they had moved along the orthodox Silk Road, they should still have much further to go.

 

But by taking this dangerous shortcut, they had reached their destination much faster instead.

 

The expressions of Selena, Biyolf, and Isaac changed subtly. Amazement crept into their gazes as they looked at the Old Man with the Donkey.

 

Chuckle-.

 

Seeing this, Strawberry Latte let out a small laugh.

 

Now they all seemed to realize what an amazing ability Dano possessed.

 

‘By the way… we’ll be arriving soon.’

 

Click-.

 

Strawberry Latte habitually opened the message window.

 

It was full of one-sided instructions from Gaon. There were no new messages since the last one she had read.

 

The next schedule was simple.

 

Once they arrived in Dungard, they would first move to the Ruins Stay Hotel to secure lodging.

 

Then meet with Gaon to plan in more detail before starting the Wintershield Expedition’s mission.

 

‘Let me see….’

 

Strawberry Latte looked over the instructions Gaon had sent once more.

 

Gathering auction-related information, monitoring other factions’ movements, and various intelligence activities regarding the Celestial Dragon corpse.

 

‘It’s definitely going to be busy.’

 

Just as she was thinking that.

 

Ding-!

 

A new message arrived with a sudden notification sound.

 

[Middle Finger] : Let’s postpone our meeting for a bit.

 

‘Suddenly?’

 

At the unexpected message, Strawberry Latte frowned.

 

It seemed there had been a change in plans, but what could have happened?

 

As that question crossed her mind, another message soon arrived.

 

[Middle Finger] : I just killed one of Puppet Master Batu’s puppets.

 

[Middle Finger] : Now I’m on my way to meet the Ruin Guild Master.

 

“…?”

 

No way.

 

Just what the hell is happening in Dawnguard?

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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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