Sword Master With One Strike Kill - Chapter 168

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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 168

Episode 168. Hunting Outer Gods (5)

* * *

“Ah.”

Pean let out a sigh.

As the oppressive force that had been crushing the world disappeared, his senses that had been suppressed slowly began to return.

The warm wind blowing from the west.

The warmth of crimson twilight gently enveloping the world.

Even the faint scent of soot and stone dust mixing between the collapsed pillars.

It was beautiful.

Even though the empire was half-destroyed, the world was still terrifyingly brilliant.

“….”

Of course, all of this was merely a world painted by Pean’s heightened senses.

In reality, what Pean faced was always only pitch darkness.

Vibrations in the air. The flow of wind. Changes in temperature.

The information detected by his heightened senses was ‘reconstructed’ as images in Pean’s mind.

In fact, that alone was sufficient.

He had never felt any inconvenience until now.

But.

Never before had he felt so regretful about not being able to see as he did in this moment.

──!

The strike Gaon had unleashed toward the Outer God.

The sword that tore through the perfect silence of the Ebony Forest and split the world itself.

Pean had vividly felt the entire process through his heightened senses.

The eerie vibration of space twisting.

The shocking resonance of reality being split apart.

Even that fleeting moment when the absolute existence called an Outer God was annihilated.

However.

He couldn’t quite ‘see’ it.

More precisely… he couldn’t visualize it.

Nowhere in Pean’s memories existed the very concept of a sword that cuts through the world. There was no image of a strike that defied the laws of reality.

No matter how excellent one’s imagination, it was impossible to completely picture in one’s mind a scene never witnessed before.

“….”

On the other hand, he also felt this way.

Even if I had seen that strike directly with my own eyes, would I have been able to properly understand it?

Perhaps vision too was ultimately just a sense with limitations?

Before such wondrous swordsmanship, perhaps no sense could fully accept its true meaning?

Yes.

Thinking that way provided some comfort, at least.

“….”

Swoosh-.

Pean slowly turned his head to the side.

He could sense Gaon’s presence.

With his pure white sword hanging at his side, he was silently gazing at the world he had saved.

Like someone lost in deep contemplation after finishing everything.

Thud-.

Pean approached Gaon’s side and sat down on the ground as he spoke.

“Congratulations.”

“….”

“You’ve fulfilled your long-cherished wish.”

Gaon gave no response.

Though Rashutku was half-destroyed, he had saved the empire from complete doom.

There would surely be survivors if one looked for them.

This was certainly a mythical achievement. He had accomplished alone what no one else could have done.

But Gaon, who had achieved all this, simply gazed at the Rashutku Empire with an indifferent expression.

“….”

Pean couldn’t dare to guess what his feelings might be.

Had the long guilt of failing to protect the empire finally been washed away?

Or was the regret of not being able to accomplish such things in the past digging even deeper into his heart?

Rather than the joy of victory, was belated self-reproach tormenting him?

“….”

He didn’t know.

It was impossible to tell.

All Pean could do was quietly sit beside Gaon, looking at the same sky and sharing silence with him.

Sometimes silence could be a greater comfort than words.

* * *

This is burdensome.

Really, truly burdensome.

Because….

…Pean had been looking at me with a profound expression since earlier.

‘This is driving me crazy.’

He’s definitely misunderstanding on his own.

He must be mistaken that I’m lost in contemplation after saving the empire.

‘But Pean.’

Sorry to shatter your fantasy, but….

Ding, ding, ding-!

…I’m not currently immersed in some pathetic emotions.

‘There are more notification windows than I expected.’

Whoosh-.

Notification windows filling one side of my vision.

From messages about defeating the Outer God’s remnants to all sorts of rewards and achievement notifications endlessly pouring out.

I tried to check them one by one, but I couldn’t focus at all.

My head was foggy. It was a signal that my brain wasn’t functioning properly.

In fact, that was understandable.

I had entered the ruins and explored all day, passed through the trials of the two-way path, and then perfectly cleared the impregnable 「Rashutku’s Nightmare」.

Having experienced so many things in succession, my mind and body seemed exhausted to the limit.

“….”

Swish-.

I dismissed all the notification windows.

It would be better to organize them later after getting some rest once I left the Rashutku Ruins.

I didn’t even have the strength to stand anymore.

I followed Pean’s lead and slumped down in place.

Then the guy next to me quietly asked a question.

“Isn’t it beautiful?”

He continued speaking with a gentle smile.

“Though I cannot see, I can feel the scenery of Rashutku.”

“….”

“It has the same ruins and form, but a completely different atmosphere. Perhaps it’s because of the sunset.”

I answered.

“At this point, your blindness seems like a lie too.”

“Ahaha, I wish it were a lie. Then I could actually see this scenery instead of just imagining it.”

Pean laughed heartily and turned to me, asking again.

“By the way, Gaon. You still haven’t answered my question.”

“….”

“This sight, isn’t it beautiful?”

Slowly-.

I slowly raised my head to look at the Rashutku Empire.

Collapsed walls. Broken spires. Earth cracked like from an earthquake and shattered statues scattered chaotically.

Over all of this, a tranquil sunset began to seep in. The crimson sky quietly embraced the wounded earth.

The chirping of birds heard from afar. The sound of leaves rustling in the wind. And even the faint voices of survivors heard from somewhere.

Ding-!

〔You have perfectly cleared the Rashutku’s Nightmare trial for the first time.〕

It was a scenery I had never seen once during 200 cycles.

Of course, Rashutku’s Nightmare had always been a trial that ended in destruction and doom.

‘Well, in that sense….’

This moment could be seen as proof of a perfect clear and another reward given to me.

Chuckle-.

Having finished that thought, I murmured with a smile.

“Beautiful.”

At that brief sentiment, Pean added as if he had been waiting.

“It’s the world you saved, Gaon.”

“No.”

I shook my head.

And slowly, as if reciting, I corrected Pean’s words.

“It’s the world we ‘must save’ from now on.”

* * *

[…?]

Pause-.

The first to sense the change was Emperor Tarosk.

The eerie aura felt from inside the sealed room began to gradually fade.

And not long after.

Whoooosh-!

Warm golden radiance filled the treasure room.

That sacred energy was so intense it pierced through the tightly locked door.

[Wh, what….]

Emperor Tarosk’s eyes were covered with shock.

The aura of the Evil Deities had disappeared.

The ‘remnants’ they left behind had completely vanished.

Merely surviving the trial couldn’t produce such results. This was an achievement of a completely different dimension.

Then.

[Re, really….]

Emperor Tarosk muttered with a trembling voice.

[…Really, did they succeed in god-slaying?]

At those words, the others remaining in the treasure room also gulped.

Everyone had been giving up.

They thought even Gaon would find this time impossible.

The opponent was none other than an Evil Deity.

Before the being that drove the world to the brink of destruction, no one would have any chance of victory.

But….

Creeeeak─.

…The tightly locked door opened, revealing two people.

Whoooosh-!

First came the dazzling brilliance pouring out.

Hidden by that brilliant light, even the faces of the two people walking out of the room couldn’t be properly distinguished.

Step, step-.

Slowly, but with firm steps.

The two Heretics crossed the threshold that had been sealed for thousands of years.

It was the moment when the Sword Master who saved the prophesied doom finally returned to reality.

Whoooosh─.

The radiance subsided.

Only then did the two people’s forms become clearly visible.

“The Protagonist….”

Adelia called her master’s name with a trembling voice.

However, after that single word, she couldn’t continue speaking.

“….”

Strawberry Latte was the same.

She wanted to say something, but her mind went blank.

She definitely knew.

That Gaon would return alive. That he would clear the trial.

But still….

When she actually faced that moment with her eyes, her words were completely blocked.

─I’ve never seen such a crazy cheater before, really.

At first, it was absurd.

That boldness of claiming to be great while deceiving Emperor Tarosk and Pean.

The shameless appearance of casually spouting lies.

Even the brazenness of making her participate in that act.

“….”

However.

Now she could finally realize.

That all that acting wasn’t just a disguise for survival.

It was merely one method Gaon chose to overcome a trial no one else could handle.

Strawberry Latte smiled softly.

‘Anyway, he’s truly an amazing person in many ways.’

* * *

Murmur murmur-.

The chaotic atmosphere settled down faster than expected.

At first, everyone had expressions of disbelief.

But as time passed, the surprise and worry subsided, and instead cautious curiosity began to arise.

Swoosh-.

People stared intently at me. More precisely… at my shoulder.

[Myumyueek.]

Because Mukyoo, who had returned to cube form, was sitting there.

Professor Biyolf spoke up with an exasperated voice.

“What… what on earth is this…?”

Mukyoo paid no attention to their interest and continued crying with myum-myum sounds.

I opened my mouth to give the prepared answer I had ready. Also to clear up Pean’s misunderstanding while I was at it.

But at that moment.

“Everyone please congratulate him. This is Gaon’s child.”

“…?”

“…?”

Pean beat me to it.

Thud-.

Silence instantly fell over the treasure room.

Regardless, Pean calmly continued speaking.

“I haven’t heard about the gender yet. Perhaps such a concept itself might not apply to this being.”

“…”

“…”

It was an absurd statement.

But since Pean spoke in such a serious tone, people showed reactions of not knowing how to respond.

Strawberry Latte’s appearance was especially a sight to behold.

She looked at me like I was insane while moving her lips.

─What the hell did you do for Pean to be spouting such nonsense?

It’s not like that.

I didn’t do anything.

That bastard Pean is playing both the drum and the janggu by himself.

“Lord Gaon.”

Swoosh-.

Then, Adelia approached from the side and whispered cautiously.

“Have you gotten married? I had no idea you even had children…”

“…”

Adelia.

Marriage and children aside, shouldn’t you first doubt whether that mysterious creature is actually my child?

‘This is driving me crazy, really.’

I don’t know why everyone around me has such strange thought processes…

‘Ah.’

…This is my karma!

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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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