Sword Master With One Strike Kill - Chapter 186

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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 186

Episode 186. Apostle (3)

* * *

I hate variables.

Everything had to be thoroughly controlled, and unexpected emergencies should never have existed in the first place.

There was a reason this value system had taken root within me.

‘It was because of a certain incident in the past.’

Ever since that incident, I had strived to calculate and predict everything, trying to eliminate even the slightest risk factor.

Perfect planning. Perfect control.

That was the only way to give me a sense of stability.

‘However.’

That doesn’t mean I can’t respond to variables.

#1. [Middle Finger]

#2. [Strawberry Latte]

#3. [Muwolcha]

#4. [Kongiabum]

I was ranked first from the beginning. Always.

My ranking in Lost Elder had never wavered, not even once.

Of course, after multiple playthroughs, I was able to maintain that position thanks to my almost obsessive playing style…

But what about in the early stages when quick reflexes and improvisation were most important?

I was first place then too.

Why? Simply because I was lucky?

‘Of course not.’

Well, it’s because I was naturally good at those things.

Until that ‘incident’ happened, I enjoyed variables more than anyone else.

Instantaneous judgment to survive in extreme situations. The ability to turn unpredictable situations into opportunities instead.

Those were the qualities I originally pursued.

‘And even now, those aspects haven’t completely disappeared.’

Just looking at the situations I’ve experienced since my possession proves this.

There have been countless crises.

The Celestial Dragon’s attack, the encounter with the Tyrant Dragon, Barba’s pursuit, and countless other unexpected situations.

But in the end, all those unforeseen circumstances turned into greater benefits for me.

‘This time is no different.’

Haven’t I said it many times?

From the moment I opened the auction in Dawnguard, I was already moving while accepting variables.

Rather, I was thinking of strategically utilizing those variables to gain even greater benefits.

In the end, the most important thing is to move flexibly according to the changed situation and seize the initiative.

And this was precisely the field I was most confident in.

‘Therefore…’

I gripped the Feather Sword even tighter and thought.

Turning misfortune into fortune.

I would turn this crisis into an opportunity as well.

─I, I…!

Batu, who had transformed into a spider, trembled on the web and screamed.

All eight limbs writhed simultaneously, taking a threatening posture.

─D-do you think I’ll be fooled so easily?

“…”

─You were clearly flustered and your eyes were shaking, but now you’re pretending to be calm! Do you think I’ll be scared? Stop talking nonsense!

His excited voice grew increasingly sharp.

Perhaps gaining confidence after transforming into a spider, there was no trace of his previous cowering appearance.

─N-no matter how much of a Sword Master you are, you couldn’t have anticipated this situation! Before the blessing I received from that person, even you will eventually kneel!

“…”

Right.

It was true that my expression acting had broken when I first met Batu.

Certainly at that time, something other than Sword Master Gaon’s stoic expression had crossed my face.

Batu seemed to have caught that too.

And then he must have used this as evidence to be convinced that I was flustered.

‘But…’

I thought to myself.

‘…That wasn’t panic, but rather piqued interest, Batu.’

That’s right.

In predictable repetition, that excitement when first facing an unexpected variable.

An emotion I could feel before I changed, and only in the early rounds of Roel. A small expectation that I could escape from boredom.

Batu completely failed to distinguish that subtle difference and simply dismissed my emotion as ‘bewilderment.’

Rustle, rustle rustle-!

I looked at Batu, who was still moving threateningly on the web, and muttered quietly.

“Continue.”

─What, what…?

“Your long speech, I mean.”

Shing-!

The Feather Sword made a sound as it cut through the air while emitting a subtle light.

“Camillo von Taribas, The Adversary, those so-called Immortals always whine before dying. Spouting words full of self-justification.”

─…!

“Surely your prepared speech won’t end so tediously, will it?”

Crack-.

Batu, his face contorted, shouted with a voice dripping with murderous intent.

─Die, you bastard! I’ll avenge Camillo!

I let out a snicker.

Even when given the chance to prepare a cool line, he spouted predictable last words until the very end.

That level was simply disappointing.

Rustle, rustle rustle rustle-!

Batu began moving rapidly across the web.

Thanks to the spider web covering the entire room, he could move freely regardless of walls, ceiling, or floor.

‘Fast.’

Much faster than expected. No, calling it fast wasn’t enough.

Whoosh, whirrr-!

With my current dynamic vision, I could barely keep up with Batu’s movements.

His physical abilities had clearly improved exponentially after transforming into a spider.

‘At this speed…’

Rustle rustle rustle-!

My supersense caught a faint afterimage and displayed it in my vision. But even that afterimage kept changing in real time.

While I was watching one direction, Batu had already moved to the complete opposite side.

What was most surprising was his adaptability.

Jark von Haibrunn showed awkward movements right after his corruption, unable to properly adapt to his changed body.

But Batu was different.

The guy had already perfectly completed his adaptation.

‘As expected of a puppet master.’

His long experience manipulating puppets of various builds and forms must have paid off.

Being accustomed to handling others’ bodies, he could quickly adapt even when his own body had changed.

Batu’s movements became increasingly smoother.

At first, he seemed to be testing things cautiously, but soon I could feel a freedom as if he had completely made those changes his own.

“Lord Gaon.”

Just then, Adelia spoke with a voice tinged with considerable tension.

Shing-!

She raised her Meteor Sword and turned her gaze toward the spider webs filling the room.

“How about we remove these spider webs first?”

“…”

Well, it was certainly a very Adelia-like idea, but…

“Stop.”

Hesitate-.

I firmly stopped her.

Hearing this, Adelia stopped her actions without a moment’s hesitation.

‘Those spider webs are threads made of Batu’s mana.’

If Adelia carelessly swung her sword trying to cut the spider webs?

The threads made of mana wouldn’t simply be cut, but would tangle and twist with each other.

In that process, Adelia would lose her sword, and the Meteor Sword entangled in the threads would become a weapon attacking us.

‘In the worst case…’

Adelia might be tied up by the threads and controlled like a puppet.

Subduing a superhuman who had reached level 92 without killing them would truly become a hellish situation.

‘But fortunately.’

Even if Batu had made a second contract with the Evil Gods, his main body was still Batu.

Though his abilities might have been enhanced, his essential structure had to be identical to the Batu I faced in the game.

Conversely speaking.

‘That means the method to break through is the same.’

Ding-!

〔You have used the Skill: 【Mana Interceptor】.〕

Whoosh-!

A special energy was imbued in the Feather Sword.

The mysterious aurora-colored light flowing along the silver-white blade writhed as if it were alive.

I drew my sword through the air.

Then the threads of mana were cleanly cut without any resistance. Like a sharp blade cutting silk, with smooth and precise cut surfaces.

─What…!

Rustle rustle rustle-!

As one strand of the spider web was cut, the entire structure instantly collapsed.

The threads that had been intricately intertwined began to droop powerlessly and lean to one side.

And Batu, who had been moving like lightning across them…

Crash clang clang-!

Fell straight to the ground and tumbled ridiculously.

The sight of eight legs tangled up randomly as he rolled around on the floor was utterly unsightly.

─Kraaaah!

“…?”

“…?”

Adelia and Pean were momentarily speechless at the scene before their eyes.

The being who had been freely roaming the ceiling and walls while emanating an overwhelming aura just moments ago was now flailing his legs while struggling on the floor.

The tightly built tension of the decisive battle had instantly transformed into a ridiculous scene.

─You, you dirty bastard! Don’t you know it’s an unwritten rule not to touch someone’s carefully crafted trump card?

Batu cursed while flailing his limbs on the floor.

Thud-.

I slowly approached Batu and continued speaking.

“Dirty?”

─…?

“That doesn’t seem like something you should say, considering you were the one wearing someone else’s skin and acting despicably.”

As soon as my words ended, Batu’s face contorted sharply.

─Then, how about this…!

Click, click-!

All eight of Batu’s limbs moved in unison.

He had instantly picked up the giant needles scattered on the floor.

Whoosh, whooosh-!

Needles the size of greatswords flew toward us. Thin threads were entangled at their ends, making their trajectories curve brilliantly.

It was an attack pattern I had seen in the game. But now the situation was completely different.

Whirrrr-!

The needles that were originally thrown and controlled with two arms had now increased to eight.

The firepower that had instantly quadrupled began pouring down like a silver rainstorm, filling the air.

“Be careful!”

Adelia shouted and leaped forward.

Clang, clang-!

Her Meteor Sword consecutively deflected the incoming needles.

Was it thanks to her experience facing Peterpan with multiple arms and constantly reviewing it with 【Reflection’s Surface】?

Adelia seemed to have already become accustomed to attack patterns coming simultaneously from multiple directions.

However, Batu’s attack didn’t end there.

Whirl-!

As Batu skillfully swung his eight arms, the needles we had deflected returned along their connected threads.

Eight needles drew complex trajectories in the air, performing a dazzling dance, and the room began to fill with silver lines.

‘This will be endless.’

To make matters worse, the more serious problem wasn’t the needles themselves.

Whirl-!

As Adelia vigorously deflected another of Batu’s attacks, the needle was knocked backward.

At that very moment.

The mana thread connected to the needle’s eye flew toward Pean, who was standing behind us.

“…!”

The thread wrapped around Pean’s wrist.

Slither-!

Once wrapped, the thread didn’t stop there but began crawling up along his body.

The restraint that started from his wrist instantly bound all the joints of his entire body.

─Kukukuk! The needles were just bait! The really scary thing is the thread!

Batu laughed triumphantly.

─Now! Meet your death at the hands of the companion you trusted so much, Gaon!

As soon as those words ended.

Crack-!

A terrible sound of flesh being torn was heard.

The sword of the puppetized Pean had pierced through ‘my’ abdomen.

“G-Lord Gaon…!”

Adelia’s sharp scream echoed through the room. She opened her eyes wide as if she couldn’t believe it.

“No! Don’t do it!”

Clang-!

Adelia, who had deflected the needle with her Meteor Sword, rushed toward me in a panic.

Puppet Master Batu stopped his attack and clapped his hands while giggling with amusement. He was delighted that the revenge he had planned for so long had finally succeeded.

Crack-!

Pean drew out Seorineul.

Fresh blood spurted out, staining his clothes. A dark red puddle began forming on the floor in an instant.

Even in the midst of this, Pean, who had been turned into a puppet, just stood there with a blank expression.

“Please! Lord Gaon, snap out of it!”

Adelia grabbed ‘my’ shoulders and shook them violently.

Her voice was trembling, and tears were already welling up in her eyes.

But ‘I’ showed no reaction whatsoever.

My clothes were stained red with blood flowing from my abdomen, and my already pale complexion grew even more ashen.

─Excellent! Truly excellent!

Batu struck the floor with his eight legs and burst into maniacal laughter.

─Could there be any more perfect revenge than this! To die betrayed by a trusted companion! Ah, what a wonderful sight!

“…”

─Now then, time for the final act! Kill that girl in the same way…!

And.

I, who was looking down at this entire scene from above…

[How dramatic.]

‘Indeed.’

…was casually chatting with Feather Sword.

As if I had experienced an out-of-body experience.

From the perspective of a complete third party.

Right.

The reason Pean was helplessly struck despite being fully capable of blocking Batu’s threads was none other than this.

Ding-!

〔You have used the Authority Skill: 【Avatar Manifestation】.〕

A conversation I had in Rashutku’s Nightmare a few days ago flashed through my mind.

─When that time comes, kill me, Pean.

─…Excuse me?

─If you eliminate the ‘vessel’ that has fulfilled its mission, you should be able to destroy the shackles that bind you.

At that time, the corners of Pean’s mouth had curved upward.

He had immediately grasped the true meaning of my words.

That’s right.

All of this was merely part of the plan I had devised with Pean in Rashutku’s Nightmare.

[But why didn’t you tell Miss Adelia about this plan?]

‘There’s a saying that to deceive your enemies, you must first deceive your allies.’

[Ah.]

…Of course, there was also the fact that I didn’t trust Adelia’s acting skills.

‘Anyway.’

I looked down at Batu, Adelia, and the puppetized Pean from my ‘Untargetable’ state of Avatar Manifestation and quietly curled up the corners of my mouth.

The real plan hadn’t even begun yet.

〔The proficiency of Authority Skill 【Avatar Manifestation】 increases from ‘Lowest’ to ‘Low’.〕

Now it was time to confirm the true value of the upgraded authority.

* * *

Ding-!

〔Hidden Message: The obligation of the 「Mark」 imposed on Pean, the Sword Master, is released.〕

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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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