Sword Master With One Strike Kill - Chapter 15

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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 15

Episode 15. Enlightenment from a Single Moment (3)

“G-good heavens.”

“What in the world was that…?”

The mercenaries stared at the female swordsman with their mouths agape.

What on earth had just happened? Even after witnessing the situation with their own eyes, they couldn’t comprehend it.

Dozens of Scavenger Wolves had been swept away in a single sword strike.

The pack of wolves that had been charging ferociously lost their balance and collapsed in a heap, and the blood flowing from their limp corpses soaked the withered wasteland into a muddy mess.

“…”

It was truly a tremendous strike.

The mercenaries couldn’t help but be shocked at witnessing such overwhelming force.

Swish-!

The person who had actually performed the feat casually shook the blood off her sword as if nothing had happened and returned to the carriage. The man who appeared to be her companion greeted her with an expressionless face.

Faced with the endlessly calm demeanor of the two, the mercenaries could only wear dazed expressions once again.

‘This is… insane…’

Of course, Karayan was just as confused.

‘…What exactly did I just witness?’

He had already known that the mysterious man was an incredibly skilled individual.

After all, he had clearly seen with his own eyes how the man had killed the human butcher of the Underworld Arena with a single strike.

But he never could have imagined that even the follower who had been trailing behind him would be this strong.

‘Moreover, that woman definitely used a teal-colored aura.’

The mysterious energy that Adelia had emanated was still vivid in the Guild Master’s eyes.

A teal-colored aura.

It was certainly a power granted only to a chosen few among the members of the Noble Families.

“…”

The existence of the Noble Families wasn’t well known to people.

Any rumors that happened to spread were simply dismissed as ridiculous nonsense.

‘But…’

The Guild Master knew well.

He knew that the Noble Families, dismissed as mere conspiracy theories, actually existed in reality.

Having worked as a merchant for many years, he had been able to pick up bits and pieces of information about the Noble Families through hearsay.

“…”

A secret society shrouded in mystery.

The established powers operating in the shadows at the highest levels of the power structure.

The shadow forces that controlled all the political situations in Middletemple, the Holy City, and so on.

All the epithets that followed the Noble Families were equally menacing and intimidating.

‘If I think about their main characteristics that are known…’

Glance-.

The Guild Master stole a sideways look at Adelia.

Overwhelming force. And even that mysterious aura glowing with a teal light.

Yes.

These were all representative characteristics of the Noble Families.

‘…There’s no doubt. That woman is connected to the Noble Families.’

Gulp-.

The Guild Master swallowed dryly.

A stream of cold sweat ran down his spine.

‘But…’

The Guild Master silently looked at the man sitting on the opposite side.

‘…A person presumed to be a member of the Noble Families is showing such a humble attitude before that man?’

Just what was that guy’s identity?

He had known from the first time he saw him that he was no ordinary person.

Suddenly, the man seemed like a far more remarkable being than he had initially thought.

“…”

Well, regardless of anything else, one fact was certain.

─Here’s the advance payment of 500,000 shillings. I’ll pay an additional 500,000 shillings once we safely reach our destination.

One million shillings.

That was the amount he had proposed as payment for escorting the merchant guild.

‘I thought it was sufficient at the time…’

The Guild Master’s complexion turned pale.

‘…Even ten times, no, a hundred times that amount wouldn’t have been enough.’

From that man’s perspective, how laughable must he have seemed?

* * *

‘Everyone’s lost their minds.’

Even though the situation had ended quite some time ago, all the mercenaries still wore dazed expressions.

Well, that was understandable.

Encountering a level 77 expert was something that might happen once in a lifetime, if at all.

Unless one specifically sought out special places like the Underworld Arena.

Whooom, whooooom-!

Just then, the surroundings brightened as a transparent barrier spread across the sky above.

The Silk Road’s barrier, which had been temporarily unstable, was beginning to reactivate.

Confirming this, I glanced at the Guild Master and spoke.

“What are you doing instead of departing quickly?”

“…Ah.”

Snap-.

Finally coming to his senses, the Guild Master got down from the carriage and began organizing the situation.

I sat in the carriage and slowly surveyed the situation.

‘At least there wasn’t much damage, which is fortunate.’

Was it thanks to Adelia’s performance?

There were injured people, but not a single person had died.

Even those injuries were all minor ones like fractures or abrasions.

In a world where death was woven into daily life, this much was nothing.

“Excuse me…”

Murmur murmur-.

How much time had passed like that? It was when the surroundings were bustling with departure preparations.

The Guild Master, who had boarded the carriage again at some point, cautiously spoke up.

“…I’m truly sorry. I failed to recognize such distinguished individuals.”

Huh.

Why the sudden formal speech?

…That thought was brief, as I noticed the Guild Master stealing glances at Adelia.

For some reason, his gaze was filled with wariness.

“…”

He probably wasn’t showing such a respectful attitude simply after seeing Adelia’s force.

If that were the case, he would have acted like this from the moment he first saw me.

Well, that means…

‘…He must have noticed Adelia’s origins.’

There was nothing strange about it.

The man before me was a veteran who had traveled the Silk Road over a hundred times.

The most important thing for a merchant was ‘information’.

As rumors accumulated over time, it was natural to become aware of the Noble Families’ existence.

Through this process, he would have learned some of their key characteristics.

For example, that they used teal-colored aura. Or that they possessed unimaginable power.

‘Having our identity exposed isn’t necessarily bad. It might actually make things easier.’

Hadn’t I said from the beginning that Adelia could be useful in various ways?

This was exactly that kind of situation.

Some people with thicker heads knew about the Noble Families’ existence.

They also knew about the unfathomable power they possessed.

‘Those who know of the Noble Families tremble at the mere mention of their name.’

A secret organization that manipulated the world.

A family whose true nature was vague, but whose influence was immense.

Because they didn’t know their true information, they felt even greater fear.

Fear born from ignorance was the most terrifying kind.

Yes.

That was the true power possessed by the Noble Families.

‘Though Adelia herself became disillusioned with her family and ran away like a fugitive….’

I chuckled inwardly.

‘…Well, whatever.’

I had to utilize everything I could use right now.

As I’d said before, I intended not to be picky about means and methods.

“Erm….”

While I was lost in various thoughts.

The Guild Master asked another question.

“If it’s not too presumptuous to ask… what is the relationship between you two…?”

I looked at the Guild Master silently. Fear and curiosity coexisted in his eyes.

The intent behind his question was obvious.

He could roughly guess Adelia’s identity, but he couldn’t fathom who I was.

There was no need to ponder my answer. I calmly stated the plain truth.

“She is an apprentice learning swordsmanship under me.”

“…!”

A simple and clear answer. But that one sentence was enough.

The Guild Master’s eyes widened. Surprise and fear crossed his expression.

“An, an apprentice, you say? Then you, young master, are….”

I kept my words to myself with an expressionless face. In situations like this, silence was the most powerful answer.

“I, I apologize for my rudeness.”

“….”

“In, in any case, with just your presence, our guild’s safety seems guaranteed. Thank you so much.”

Sure enough, the Guild Master bowed his head and stepped back on his own.

Though it was a brief conversation, his attitude toward us had completely changed.

Now his eyes were filled with awe and fear.

‘Seeing how wary he is, he won’t go around blabbing about this.’

Since he seemed appropriately intimidated, we should be able to travel the rest of the journey comfortably.

Before long, the carriage began moving again.

The dark landscape of the Uncharted Wilderness passed by outside the window.

“Lord Gaon.”

Just then, Adelia beside me called out cautiously.

“…Does calling me an apprentice mean I still lack the qualifications to be your ‘disciple’?”

For some reason, Adelia’s voice carried a hint of disappointment.

‘No, Adelia….’

Why are you getting upset over such a trivial thing?

Sighing inwardly, I began to gently console her.

“Whether apprentice or disciple, that’s just formality. What matters is your mindset in accepting my teachings.”

“…!”

At my words, Adelia’s expression brightened.

After hesitating briefly, she spoke again.

“Then, Lord Gaon. If you have any advice about that recent battle, please….”

Ah.

Time to spout nonsense again. I was hoping to just gloss over it.

Racking my brain desperately, I just said whatever came to mind.

“It was excellent, but there are still many areas lacking.”

“…Areas lacking?”

Adelia’s gaze became serious.

Her expression showed she desperately hoped I would point out her flaws.

But you know what, Adelia? Your swordsmanship looked perfect to my eyes.

However, I couldn’t say that outright, so I paused before giving my answer.

“They say seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times.”

“…?”

“When the time comes, I’ll show you my sword directly. Through this, you can discover your own flaws.”

“Ah….”

Adelia’s eyes began to sparkle. Soon she nodded vigorously.

“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Of course, contrary to Adelia’s bright expression, my face grew coldly serious.

“….”

Swoosh-.

I silently looked outside the carriage.

In the distance, I could see a pile of Scavenger Wolf corpses.

Scavenger Wolves were definitely creatures where adults went out hunting.

However, at the end of my gaze.

From old wolves to seemingly newborn cubs… I could see all specimens tangled together in death.

* * *

“You’ve noticed the strangeness as well, young master.”

About an hour had passed since then.

While the carriage was moving, the Guild Master spoke up.

“I noticed you carefully observing the Scavenger Wolf corpses earlier.”

“….”

“Usually Scavenger Wolves move while protecting their young and elderly. But just now….”

“All specimens were mixed together without order.”

“…Yes.”

The Guild Master nodded.

“I’ve traveled this road over a hundred times, but this is the first time I’ve seen such a thing. The unstable barrier is problematic, but the Scavenger Wolves’ abnormal behavior feels more ominous.”

“….”

“Because that appearance is….”

The Guild Master paused briefly before speaking.

“…similar to the behavior shown by creatures in extreme terror. As if they weren’t trying to hunt prey, but desperately fleeing from something.”

I gave no answer.

That was also a silent affirmation.

─They say seeing is believing. When the time comes, I’ll show you my sword directly. Through this, you can find your own flaws.

I promised to show Adelia my sword when the time came.

But that ‘time’ would never be a peaceful moment.

There was only one case when I drew my sword.

Only in moments of life and death when the shadow of death loomed.

〔MP : 1/1〕

I stared blankly at the MP window.

I vaguely hoped that the time to use 【Soul of the Sword Master】 would never come.

During this journey to Bertas, the Free City… no, if possible, for the rest of my life.

But Lost Elder was a world where endless hardships and trials lurked.

In such circumstances, I knew better than anyone how fleeting and futile this wish was.

Rummmmmmmble──!

The ground shook. The carriage swayed from the sudden vibration. The Guild Master’s eyes widened as he desperately grabbed the handle to keep his balance.

“Wh-what…!”

The Guild Master hurriedly turned his gaze outside the carriage.

Dust clouds began rising in the distance.

And behind them… an truly unbelievable sight unfolded.

“…Ah.”

A monster wave.

Dozens, maybe even hundreds of monsters were surging forward like a massive tide.

Even monsters that were natural enemies were mixed together.

Thud thud thud thud thud-!

Despite the barrier being deployed, the monsters blindly charged toward us.

For some reason, their eyes, which should show no emotion, seemed filled only with fear and despair.

‘So the situation is unfolding this way after all.’

It was the moment when my uncertain speculation finally turned into conviction.

Having finished that thought, I immediately spoke.

“Prepare yourself, Adelia.”

Adelia, who had been momentarily stunned by the shocking situation, nodded.

Her hands began gripping her sword’s handle tightly.

“Understood. If the barrier becomes unstable, I’ll handle those monsters…”

“No.”

I cut off her words.

“What we need to face isn’t those small fry.”

“…?”

“Instead, it’s the being that drove them to this state.”

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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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