Sword Master With One Strike Kill - Chapter 133

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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 133

 

Episode 133. Auction Preparations (7)

 

Thud, thud—.

 

Adelia’s footsteps were unbearably heavy as she walked through the streets of Dawnguard alongside the guards of the Ruin Guild.

 

Their destination was the Fortress of the Ruined Guild.

 

It was the place where all the major facilities were gathered, including the Underground Arena, auction house, and Secret Collection Warehouse.

 

“Sigh….”

 

Adelia let out a sigh as she recalled the situation from earlier.

 

─Th, this is…!

 

The moment the guards burst in.

 

A suffocating silence fell over the tavern.

 

A headless corpse, a blood-stained sword. And Gaon standing blankly in front of it all.

 

It was a scene that anyone would misunderstand, but Gaon, as always, summarized the situation with his calm voice.

 

─You’re late.

 

─…?

 

─This bastard was the root of everything.

 

Swish—.

 

Gaon sheathed his sword with an utterly indifferent expression.

 

He continued speaking while looking at the guards.

 

─Take care of the corpse, then guide me to the Guild Master. I have urgent matters to discuss with Karayan.

 

A blunt yet concise statement.

 

His overly confident attitude left the guards unable to hide their bewilderment.

 

Their eyes showed doubt about whether he truly had connections with Karayan, given how casually he mentioned the Guild Master’s name.

 

─Um….

 

At that moment, the innkeeper cautiously spoke up. He then testified that Gaon had paid with gold coins before his meal.

 

‘Though I only learned this later….’

 

A fact Adelia only realized after hearing Gaon’s explanation later.

 

The act of offering gold coins at an establishment under the Ruin Guild’s protection was an implicit signal that one was a VIP of the guild.

 

Even Adelia, who was naive about worldly matters, had felt something was strange about spending ten million shillings on a single meal.

 

As it turned out, it wasn’t simple extravagance, but blatant showing off.

 

In Dungarrd, the Dark City where power equals authority, being able to spend such money safely meant being under the Ruin Guild’s protection.

 

─Uh, young master? I believe there’s no scheduled meeting with the Guild Master until the day before the auction…?

 

However, the guards still didn’t lower their guard.

 

The guard gripping his halberd looked Gaon up and down.

 

Swoosh—!

 

Right then.

 

When Gaon removed the hood he was wearing, the guards’ eyes widened.

 

─…!

 

The surrounding customers and innkeeper were equally startled.

 

At first, no one recognized Gaon immediately.

 

When a familiar sense of déjà vu was lingering, someone shouted loudly.

 

─Th, that person is…!

 

─Ah!

 

─Barba! That’s the gladiator who killed Barba…!

 

The belated outcry spread instantly, and soon everyone in the tavern knew Gaon’s identity.

 

The gladiator slave who defeated the long-standing champion of the Underground Arena against all expectations. The person who had been the hottest topic in Dungarrd, the Dark City, for the past few weeks.

 

He had gained weight and looked much cleaner than before, making him hard to recognize at first….

 

But his cold appearance, standing before a headless corpse with a blood-stained sword, was the image of the ‘Barba Slayer’ that remained in everyone’s memory.

 

“Th, this way.”

 

Thud, thud—.

 

Thus, the guards began guiding Gaon to the Guild Master, and the situation had led to this moment.

 

“Hah.”

 

Adelia let out a light sigh as she finished her recollection.

 

Her expression carried a sense of defeat.

 

And rightfully so.

 

After all, she had been overwhelmed by Puppet Master Batu’s killing intent and couldn’t do anything.

 

“….”

 

She had believed she had changed. She thought she had grown sufficiently.

 

But….

 

‘…I’m lacking.’

 

Once again, she couldn’t do anything at the crucial moment.

 

Just like when she froze before Camillo von Taribas.

 

Just like when she faced The Adversary.

 

She had become equally helpless before Puppet Master Batu, one of the Five Nightmares.

 

“….”

 

Compared to before meeting Gaon, she had certainly accomplished many things.

 

However, through this incident, Adelia came to realize clearly. The path she had to walk was still long.

 

‘But….’

 

Clench—.

 

Adelia clenched her fist tightly.

 

Acknowledging her shortcomings wasn’t shameful. The real problem was turning away from her weak self and running away.

 

There would be no giving up. No despair.

 

She would only move forward steadfastly.

 

If she couldn’t overcome it this time, she would resolve to definitely overcome it next time.

 

─Don’t be impatient. You have sufficient talent.

 

Therefore….

 

─Someday, you’ll surely be able to reach the ranks of Sword Masters.

 

Let her repay Gaon’s faith.

 

And someday, let her be reborn as a swordsman who could fight shoulder to shoulder beside him.

 

“…?”

 

Pause—.

 

Adelia was deeply absorbed in such thoughts.

 

A massive shadow fell over her.

 

Adelia slowly raised her head.

 

Towering walls and spires rising above them. Magnificent structures built from black stone befitting a dark city blocked out the sky.

 

Windows glowing with red light scattered throughout and entrances sealed tight with iron doors.

 

At the very center.

 

On a blackened iron plate, a single crest was engraved in gold leaf.

 

【Ruin Guild】

 

“….”

 

Gulp—.

 

Adelia unconsciously swallowed her dry saliva.

 

Finally, they had arrived at their destination.

 

* * *

 

As soon as we entered the main gate, the guards bowed politely and departed.

 

In their place, a servant in neat attire came to greet us.

 

“Welcome. The Guild Master is waiting for you.”

 

Nod—.

 

I nodded with a deliberately indifferent expression.

 

Though I acted nonchalant on the outside, once I actually entered the fortress of the Ruin Guild, strange emotions began to surge within me.

 

‘How nostalgic.’

 

I recalled the moment I first opened my eyes in the world of Roel.

 

It was truly chaotic.

 

The memory of putting on airs in front of Karayan to escape danger felt as vivid as if it happened yesterday.

 

After receiving 100 million shillings and obtaining the Feather Sword, I even got lost when leaving the Ruin Guild….

 

That’s right.

 

Back then, the future seemed truly bleak, and each day was nerve-wracking. Those were the days when I struggled desperately to survive, relying solely on the 【Soul of the Sword Master】.

 

‘But now… the situation has really improved a lot.’

 

At least I no longer had to worry about dying alone somewhere.

 

‘Come to think of it, even when I left this place, I never imagined I’d return so soon.’

 

Stop—.

 

While I was having such thoughts.

 

The servant stopped in front of a familiar door.

 

The VIP Room.

 

In the past, on the day I cut down Barbarian the Slayer of Men.

 

This was the very place where I had walked a precarious tightrope between life and death.

 

【Lv. 84】

 

Swoosh—.

 

Then, I noticed someone leaning against the wall beside the door.

 

A knight draped in a shadow-like black robe, wearing a mask over his face with arms crossed.

 

Shadow Knight Roren.

 

The Guild Master’s bodyguard, and the one who had worn an eagle mask and disguised himself as Karayan when we first met.

 

‘…Like Adelia, he’s one of the few irregulars in this world.’

 

Roren was someone who transcended the gap between levels and realms through special skills, excellent adaptability, and experience-born expertise.

 

According to the story, he fought the Sword Master of the Raging Dragon at full strength and lasted a whole four minutes.

 

He even forced the Tyrant Dragon to use “Transcendent Command,” which said it all.

 

‘That aside….’

 

Though his eyes weren’t visible behind the mask, I somehow felt like Roren was looking at me with displeasure.

 

A slightly wary feeling, perhaps?

 

He might be somewhat reluctant about me meeting with the Guild Master.

 

“….”

 

Swish—.

 

But when I didn’t look away, Roren nodded his head first in greeting.

 

Regardless of his personal feelings about me, he showed proper courtesy to his master’s benefactor.

 

‘Well, even though that guy adores his master, he’s not someone with his head completely stuck in the sand.’

 

While I was thinking this, the servant spoke up.

 

“The Guild Master wishes for a private meeting.”

 

“….”

 

“Please have your companion wait here for a moment.”

 

Swoosh—.

 

Adelia glanced at me with a slightly anxious expression.

 

I nodded as if telling her to behave, then silently walked toward the door.

 

“….”

 

Creeeeak—.

 

Opening the door and entering, a room decorated with splendid ornaments and expensive furniture came into view.

 

The scenery beyond the large window was still striking.

 

A structure that allowed one to look down at the Underground Arena at a glance.

 

Though it was empty now, the massive circular arena that could accommodate tens of thousands exuded an overwhelming presence by itself.

 

Red carpets and golden candlesticks. And the long desk and sofa placed in the center of the room. Everything was exactly as it had been before.

 

And at the center of it all….

 

“I have been waiting only for the day to see you again, Benefactor.”

 

“….”

 

Lea de Karayan.

 

Meeting her after so long, she quietly bowed her waist while greeting me with a faint smile.

 

That meaningful gaze made it impossible to easily distinguish where sincerity ended and calculation began.

 

* * *

 

Clatter, clank—!

 

The Old Man with the Donkey’s cart entered the streets of Dawnguard.

 

Everyone glanced over briefly, but soon looked away as if uninterested.

 

“We arrived quickly.”

 

Biyolf, who had been observing the scenery of the dark city, muttered with admiration in his voice.

 

Thanks to the transportation means sent by Sword Master Gaon, they could arrive much faster than expected. If they had traveled through the Silk Road, it would have certainly taken much longer.

 

‘Indeed, that person has meaning in everything.’

 

Thinking so, Biyolf looked at Selena sitting across from him and spoke.

 

“By the way, Selena. There’s something I’ve been curious about for the past few days.”

 

“…?”

 

“Didn’t you say you formed the ‘Sword Master’s Bond’ with The Protagonist decades ago?”

 

Selena nodded quietly with a slightly uncomfortable expression, unable to grasp what he was trying to ask.

 

“But The Protagonist was only recently chosen as the Thirteenth Sword Master, right? How is it possible to have formed a bond decades ago?”

 

Flinch—.

 

At Biyolf’s sharp question, Isaac Beriloff trembled slightly.

 

Taragon also quietly watched Selena with an unreadable expression.

 

Regardless, Selena answered with a calm voice, showing no sign of disturbance whatsoever.

 

“Originally, great beings and the Heavenly Laws cannot be understood by appearances alone.”

 

“….”

 

“There are circumstances I dare not reveal.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

Nod—.

 

Biyolf nodded as if it was no big deal.

 

It seemed like a question he had asked without much thought to begin with.

 

“Hey, you thief!”

 

That was the exact moment.

 

Someone’s shout could be heard from far away.

 

However, the group in the carriage passed by indifferently without even turning their heads once.

 

After all, pickpocketing was a common occurrence in Dungarrd, the Dark City.

 

“You sorcerer bastards!”

 

“…?”

 

“…?”

 

But at the words that followed, everyone turned their gazes with a whoosh.

 

“You steal our belongings and instead of hiding, you brazenly walk around like this?”

 

Startled—.

 

Strawberry Latte’s eyes widened.

 

Only then could he realize.

 

A voice that somehow sounded familiar. It was a character’s voice he had heard countless times while playing the game.

 

‘No way.’

 

Through Gaon’s explanation, he knew he would encounter them here, but….

 

‘…Already, I’m meeting those siblings?’

 

* * *

 

Ding—!

 

〔Hidden Message: Causality is being twisted.〕

 

〔Hidden Message: The encounter with the Koshat siblings from the ruins Investigation Team is being moved up.〕

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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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