Sword Master With One Strike Kill - Chapter 178
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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 178
Episode 178. Puppet Master (1)
Dungarrd, the Dark City had always been a complex city where outlaws and merchants mingled together.
What if it was the time when the Secret Auction of the Ruin Guild was being held?
It was natural for the streets to be bustling with wealthy people and collectors who had flocked from all over the Continent.
Murmur murmur─.
But today, the atmosphere was different from the start.
The last day of the auction.
People overflowed on every street. Beyond simply being numerous, it was as if the entire city had been engulfed by crowds.
“Why are there so many people today?”
“I don’t know. Since it’s the last day, maybe some special items are coming out at the auction.”
“Kahahat! This is actually great! Business is doing well too!”
The tavern owner at the street corner greeted customers with a satisfied laugh.
His mouth stretched from ear to ear with sales twice as much as usual.
Whisper whisper-.
Meanwhile, in a back alley a little distance away.
Outlaws drinking in the corner of a shabby tavern whispered quietly.
“Those guys, where the hell did they all come from?”
“Just stay quiet. It’ll be troublesome if we get into unnecessary conflicts.”
The Man with a scarred face muttered while tilting his drink.
His instincts, honed from surviving decades in Dawnguard, were strongly warning him.
That something was different from usual.
“But it really is strange. Did you see those guys standing at the alley entrance? Their eyes looked crazy.”
“What can we do about it? What could we possibly do?”
“I have a bad feeling. I should go home early today.”
The residents of Dawnguard had an iron rule.
Namely, to abandon unnecessary curiosity.
In this city, the most dangerous luxury was curiosity.
Often the price was one’s life, so that said it all.
Even if suspicious people filled the streets, there was no need to pay attention. After all, the Dark City was originally a place teeming with dangerous individuals.
So the residents instinctively covered their eyes and closed their ears. Convincing themselves that the auction was an annual event held every year, and this year was just a bit more bustling.
However….
“Damn it.”
The major customers of the Ruin Guild were different.
They immediately sensed something strange in the alien atmosphere of the streets.
Four days ago, in the VVIP Meeting Room.
The warning left by the Spokesperson of the Ruin Guild came to mind once again.
─Last night, what attacked our guild was the Five Nightmares.
The Five Nightmares.
Monsters that had been passed down across the entire Continent for hundreds of years.
Beings that were thought to be nothing more than oral fairy tales to frighten children, or ghost stories that only came up at drinking parties.
Those monsters, dismissed as mere stories, began to reveal themselves in reality.
“Are you certain? That all of those are Puppet Master Batu’s puppets?”
“Yes. According to the official document from the Ruin Guild, that’s correct.”
“But they’re proceeding with the auction as scheduled? Even in this situation?”
Nod-.
At the wealthy man’s question, the servant nodded repeatedly.
An official document had come down from the Ruin Guild.
A notice that Puppet Master Batu, one of the Five Nightmares, had taken control of the city. Nevertheless, the auction would proceed without changes, but until then, going out should be avoided as much as possible.
There was also an added warning not to take a single step outside the guild’s protected area.
“And….”
The servant who had been reading the official document for the wealthy man recited the last sentence.
“…A Sword Master is controlling this entire situation, so don’t worry.”
Ha-.
The Guild Master let out a short breath as if incredulous and looked out the window.
The suspicious crowds filling the streets were still loitering around.
The threat was vividly visible before their eyes, yet the Sword Master or Middle Temple members who were supposed to protect them were nowhere to be seen.
“A Sword Master….”
Suffocating anxiety gradually engulfed the city.
“…Damn it, I don’t know if forcing the auction to continue is the right decision.”
* * *
Dungarrd, the Dark City.
In the middle of the central district, on the second-floor terrace of a Small Cafe.
The Girl in robes quietly looked down at the street. In her hands were star-shaped black masses of flesh.
“Hmm, hmm~”
Wriggle-.
Following The Girl’s humming, the black stars danced as if alive.
At first glance it was a bizarre sight, but fortunately it was hidden deep under the table, out of reach of passersby’s gazes.
No.
Even if it were visible, it wouldn’t matter much.
After all, most of the people coming and going below were Batu’s puppets anyway.
Even the staff and Customers of this cafe, all of them.
“This is interesting.”
Grin-.
An innocent smile spread across The Girl’s lips as she looked at the crowds filling the streets.
That smile looked endlessly bright, but was somehow chilling as well.
Sip-.
The Girl, who took a sip of tea, looked across the table.
A Knight with his face completely hidden by a helmet stood motionlessly.
Next to him sat a man of small stature wearing a baggy robe pulled deep over his head, his shoulders hunched up, and the hands visible outside the robe were trembling.
The Golem Knight and Puppet Master Batu. The Girl giggled for a while looking at the two of them before speaking.
“You know, Batu. When you said you’d step forward, I thought you’d move more secretly? Like always hiding behind puppets and controlling them sneakily.”
“Th, that’s….”
“But to openly make such a big scene like this! Really amazing!”
The Girl’s voice became even brighter.
Under the table, the star-shaped flesh wriggled more actively as if responding to her emotions.
“Batu, I only thought you were a coward, but you have surprisingly big guts! To cover the entire city with puppets! Hehe, you’re finally living up to the name ‘Five Nightmares’!”
Looking at The Girl laughing brightly, Batu could only glance around nervously.
Because he knew the First Apostle’s fickle personality better than anyone.
She seemed to be in a good mood now, but there was no telling when or how it might change.
Then, the Golem Knight carefully opened his mouth.
“Great First Apostle.”
“Huh? Why?”
“I’m sorry to say this, but this attempt seems rather reckless. Even now, if we could withdraw Batu’s puppets…”
“Reckless?”
The Girl tilted her head.
“No. This isn’t reckless, it’s desperate.”
“But…”
“What’s hairless is your spherical head! You black spherical bald bastard! Hehehe!”
At the sudden mockery, the Golem Knight silently turned his gaze away. A long, heavy sigh leaked through the gaps in his helmet.
After a moment of awkward silence, the Golem Knight spoke again in a serious voice.
“As you well know, Apostle, the one called Gaon is a peculiar existence.”
“…”
“He can kill Immortals, and just by destroying Batu’s puppets, he can inflict direct pain on the main body.”
Batu shrank back.
The terrible experience from a few days ago came back vividly.
The Golem Knight continued methodically.
“In this state, controlling the entire city with puppets could instead become a fatal weakness for Batu. There’s also the possibility that the main body could be exposed in unexpected ways…”
“Hey.”
Thud-.
The Girl’s voice changed to an irritated tone.
The cheerful and bright atmosphere from just moments ago disappeared instantly.
“Then fucking bring me the brain core yourself.”
“…”
“You’re just bitching without any solutions. Our ‘Black Star’ wants a new body quickly, so will you solve it? Do something like Batu!”
Batu frantically interjected. He could no longer bear the First Apostle’s anger.
“I, I will…!”
Having raised his voice, he shrank back again when everyone’s attention focused on him and began muttering quietly.
“I, I, I’m prepared for everything.”
“Oh?”
“I, I will get the brain core by any means necessary for the Second Apostle. Even if it costs me my life.”
The Girl’s face instantly brightened. The murderous expression from moments ago melted away like a lie.
“Kiya! This is it! I didn’t know you were such a cool guy, Batu! I really made the right choice selecting you as one of the ‘Five Nightmares’!”
“And, and…”
Batu continued speaking with a trembling voice.
“This time, I’ll also… definitely kill that bastard Gaon…”
“Good!”
The Girl jumped up from her seat.
“Batu! Then when will the operation begin?”
“…”
Rustle-.
Instead of answering, Batu fumbled inside his robe with trembling hands.
Soon, a small purple potion appeared.
Batu brought the bottle to his lips and downed the liquid in one gulp.
“Ugh, urgh!”
Instantly, his body began trembling violently. Veins under his skin swelled black and climbed up to his neck.
“Hee, hicc, kehihik…!”
The scream that burst from Batu’s mouth mixed pain with mad ecstasy.
After writhing for a while, Batu gradually began to calm down.
His rough breathing slowly stabilized, and the swollen veins gradually subsided.
Saaaaa─.
Batu, who had exhaled deeply, slowly raised his head.
His eyes had completely changed.
His usual terrified appearance was nowhere to be found, replaced only by a cold and sharp, calculating gaze.
It was the effect of the potion.
A state where all pain and emotion had disappeared.
The emotion of ‘fear’ that had dominated him his entire life had completely vanished.
Dong, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang─!
Just then, the clock tower’s bell rang out.
Six times.
6 PM, and the sound announcing the start of the auction.
Puppet Master Batu looked straight at the Girl and declared with a confident voice.
“Now.”
* * *
‘If I were Batu.’
I calmly organized my thoughts.
Someone who overestimates his own intelligence but is actually stupid.
A coward with needlessly strong pride and rebellious tendencies – a real loser.
When would such a guy launch his attack?
The answer was obvious.
The final day of the auction. The very moment the brain core appears. Right when the auction begins.
By attacking the auction house where all the VVIP merchants had gathered at once, he would throw the entire continent into chaos while stealing the brain core.
Yes.
That was truly a Batu-like idea.
─Then there’s no choice. Blow up the auction house, kill all those bastards who came to show off their money, then directly steal the brain core.
‘Somehow, the situation has unfolded just like Batu said it would.’
Dong, dang, dang, dang, dang, dang-!
Right at that moment.
The clock tower’s bell announcing 6 o’clock.
Swoosh-.
Simultaneously, as if waiting for the signal, crowds began gathering around the auction house.
Hundreds, thousands of people all walking toward the same direction at once. The overwhelming scale took my breath away.
Thump, thump, thump-!
There was something eerie about their movement.
Too uniform steps. Too mechanical posture. As if they were being controlled by a single will.
“You can kill them without mercy.”
I looked around and gave the order decisively.
Gulp-.
The Ruin Guild guards, the Wintershield Expedition, and even Adelia.
Everyone was looking at me with tense faces.
“Those are not residents of Dawnguard. They’re all puppet legions that Puppet Master Batu has been carefully crafting for decades.”
In essence, they were no different from monsters.
Batu hadn’t hastily turned residents into puppets for battle.
Instead, he had brought out his entire collection that he had carefully crafted over a long time in his hideout.
The result was now unfolding before our eyes.
Thousands of perfectly crafted dolls.
They were flawless soldiers that moved according to Batu’s will.
“Prepare yourselves.”
Kugugugu-!
Thousands of dolls began charging toward the auction house all at once.
The earth trembled. The air shook.
Before long, even the sky was filled with the roars of the puppets.
‘Just hold on a little longer.’
Until Pean pinpoints Batu’s hideout.
‘If that happens….’
Ding-!
〔Active Skill: Formless Sword has been used.〕
…Today, the second nightmare will lose its life.
* * *
Ding, ding, ding, ding-!
〔Skill: 【Formless Sword 】 proficiency has increased. (3%→4%)〕
〔Skill: 【Formless Sword 】 proficiency has increased. (4%→5%)〕
〔Skill: 【Formless Sword 】 proficiency has increased. (5%→6%)〕
…
〔Skill: 【Formless Sword 】 proficiency has increased. (9%→10%)〕
〔Active Skill 【Formless Sword 】 proficiency has risen from ‘Lowest ‘ to ‘Low ‘.〕
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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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