Sword Master With One Strike Kill - Chapter 198

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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 198

Episode 198. Summons (1)

Murmur murmur-.

The area outside Dawnguard’s fortress walls was bustling with considerable activity from early morning.

Merchants were sweating profusely as they carried heavy loads, while coachmen checked horseshoes and tightened saddles in preparation for their journeys.

Among the carriages lined up in long rows before the city gates heading to various destinations, the Wintershield delegation’s carriage stood out particularly.

‘It’s definitely worn out.’

A cart that was excessively old and shabby compared to other modes of transport.

Considering Wintershield’s prestige, it was a rather ridiculous carriage.

However, none of the delegation members complained about it.

During their journey to Dawnguard, the Dark City, everyone had confirmed Dano’s abilities.

“Well then, I’ll see you next time, Lord Gaon.”

Professor Biyolf politely bowed as he offered his farewell. A quite satisfied smile spread across his face.

“Thanks to you, my top disciple Targon has grown to the 4th tier in one go.”

“…?”

“Haha, well now… I really don’t know how to express my gratitude.”

Hearing this, Selena responded as if she couldn’t believe it.

“Just when exactly did Assistant Targon become your top disciple….”

“Hey! I recognized Targon’s talent from the moment I first saw him in Wintershield’s infirmary! That’s why I immediately promoted him to assistant!”

“…Yes yes, I understand.”

Selena, who had been about to argue something, gave up on the conversation and boarded Dano’s cart.

Clatter-.

Soon after, the cart carrying all members of the Wintershield delegation began to move slowly.

Clip-clop-. Clip-clop-.

The sound of hoofbeats gradually faded away.

As Dano’s cart moved farther into the distance, I could see Biyolf in the back seat muttering something.

The sight of him pointing at Strawberry Latte and having Isaac Beriloff write something down.

It seemed he intended to devote even travel time to new research.

‘Anyway….’

Snicker-.

A chuckle escaped me without realizing it.

To think his passion for learning hadn’t cooled even at that age.

The way he seemed to become even more vigorous as he aged was truly admirable.

Dano’s cart grew smaller and smaller as it disappeared along the Uncharted Wilderness.

Watching until the very end, I sent a personal message to Strawberry Latte.

[Middle Finger] : Work hard.

[Strawberry Latte] : (°⌓°;)

Ding-!

An immediate reply came back.

Seeing Strawberry Latte’s emoticon, I burst into laughter.

‘He’ll have a hard time being tormented by research for a while.’

But Strawberry Latte would definitely leap higher through this experience.

Since he was someone who had possessed this world based on hexagonal stats.

During the research process, potential he hadn’t even realized would emerge one by one, and combined with his genius magical sense, his growth rate would accelerate even more.

I was curious to see what kind of amazing mage he would have become when we met next.

“Let’s head back now too.”

Nod-.

At my words, Adelia and Sikan Bauer simultaneously nodded their heads.

Taking one last look at Dawnguard, the Dark City, I moved my steps along with my companions.

Now it was time to head to the Holy City.

* * *

“Phew….”

I had finally achieved my first objective.

Wintershield Magic Academy and the Shadow Conclave. The Ruin Guild. And even Middletemple.

Those with different ideologies and purposes had begun to look in the same direction one by one.

Of course, it was still insufficient to call it a complete alliance.

With everyone’s schemes and interests complexly intertwined, it would require much more patience and strategy to achieve true unity.

‘Well, still….’

The foundation had been laid.

Just moving up that starting point much earlier than expected could be considered a great achievement.

“….”

Of course, I couldn’t become complacent.

The real beginning was from now on.

【Outlands】

The continent of Lost Elder is vast.

Beyond the great cities protected by the Silk Road, a massive world stretched out.

In the vast lands that begin at the end of the uncharted territory’s borders, all kinds of forces existed.

‘Among them are many enemies I’ll have to face someday.’

Ataraxy’s dark mages were representative of this.

Having eliminated Puppet Master Batu, a clash with them was unavoidable.

‘But….’

At the same time, there were many who held the possibility of becoming reliable allies.

The Relic Investigation Team, the Sisters of Mercy, and so on.

They were all forces I had to contact after finishing business at Middletemple.

“I’ve prepared a carriage over here.”

Following behind Sikan Bauer, Middletemple’s carriage came into view.

‘Oh.’

It was so splendid that it couldn’t even be compared to Dano’s shabby cart.

Sacred emblems carved on the pure white body gleamed softly in the sunlight.

Creak-.

The moment I opened the door and entered the carriage.

“Ahaha, we meet again.”

“…?”

An unexpected voice was heard.

Silver-white hair. Bandages completely covering both eyes. And even the characteristically pointed ears of an elf.

“I’m glad to see you again so quickly, Gaon.”

“….”

Pean was already sitting in the seat.

‘Why is he here again?’

After the incident concluded, Pean had left Dawnguard suddenly with a brief farewell.

Because of that, I thought there would be no occasion to meet for a while, but who would have thought we’d reunite so soon.

‘I thought it would be difficult to see his face until that event officially began….’

It was when I was harboring such doubts.

“I also suddenly have urgent business in the Holy City.”

Just then, Pean began explaining the reason he would be accompanying us.

“I received a revelation to immediately gather at Middle Temple.”

“…?”

“Not just me, but all the other Sword Masters as well.”

What kind of situation is this now.

* * *

The Saintess’s oracle that I heard from Sikan Bauer was as follows.

Guide the Thirteenth Sword Master to the Holy City.

The Third Entity has begun to set foot on this land, and those footsteps will become the starting point of disaster.

Only his sword will be the sole answer that can save everything.

‘I thought it was a coincidental oracle that came down just when I was planning to head to Middle Temple.’

But what do you know.

The Elders’ call was not directed only at me.

What they wanted was the gathering of all Sword Masters.

‘Then the reason the Saintess specifically designated only me was….’

Unlike other Sword Masters, I couldn’t communicate directly with the Elders.

That’s why they summoned only me indirectly through the medium called the Saintess.

“This is the second assembly I’ve experienced in my life.”

Clatter, clatter-.

Inside the swaying carriage.

Pean muttered with an expression lost in reminiscence.

“It was thousands of years ago.”

“….”

“When I had just begun walking the path of a seeker, there was a similar incident to this one.”

Thousands of years ago.

As you can guess from that time period, this was an incident that occurred right before the ancient era came to an end.

Right at the point when the Rashutku Empire was falling into chaos on the verge of destruction.

“At that time, I didn’t respond to the assembly.”

“….”

“I doubted whether I, having just become a seeker, had the capacity to properly follow the gods’ will. I thought it would be better to focus on training and advancing my skills.”

Pean paused for a moment before continuing his words.

“But….”

His expression suddenly darkened.

“When I finished my secluded training and came out into the world, all the Sword Masters except me had died.”

“….”

“….”

That’s right.

The full assembly of Sword Masters.

I knew better than anyone how serious a meaning that held.

Having gone through 199 cycles, I had witnessed that terrible ending countless times.

Actually, even in the game, the Sword Master assembly was an important turning point. Great disasters always followed after that.

The reason Pean no longer appeared in the latter part of the story was also because of that incident. The guy would lose his life swept up in a terrible disaster.

‘But….’

Could this assembly really be seen as the starting point of ‘that’ event?

Well.

I couldn’t be certain yet.

The content of the oracle itself was completely different, and the timing also felt too early.

‘There are two possibilities.’

Either a new incident that wasn’t even in the original work occurred due to my intervention.

Or a scheduled event was moved up for some reason.

“….”

From the circumstances so far, the former seemed more likely.

But either way, it was certainly an ominous sign.

It was when I was lost in such thoughts alone.

“Haha.”

Pean burst into laughter, changing the heavy atmosphere.

“Well, I’m not worried though. This time we have Gaon.”

“….”

“Whatever happens, Gaon will solve it well.”

You really think of me as all-capable, don’t you?

Then, Sikan Bauer, sitting in the opposite seat, carefully opened his mouth.

“According to what has been confirmed so far, the number of seekers who responded to the Great Ones’ assembly is six in total. Including Lord Gaon and Lord Pean.”

“….”

Six people including me and Pean.

In other words, four more Sword Masters were scheduled to attend.

“More than half the seats will be empty then.”

“That’s how it is for now.”

Sikan Bauer nodded and continued speaking.

“However, it’s still difficult to say for certain. There will be those who attend without saying anything, and there will be those who say they’ll attend but don’t show up at the last minute.”

Hmm.

It was an accurate analysis that penetrated the essence of beings called Sword Masters.

They all had unpredictable and capricious aspects.

‘By the way, I didn’t expect to meet so many Sword Masters at once at such an early point.’

In any case, it was a golden opportunity for me.

Sword Masters would ultimately be the most important fighting force in the crisis situations to come.

Each one of them possessed tremendous combat power.

Of course, dealing with those eccentric personalities wasn’t easy.

But….

I had learned how to handle each of them through 199 cycles.

I just needed to offer honor to some, profit to others, and interesting challenges to yet others.

‘…The problem is who will come to this assembly.’

I fell into contemplation.

Thus, a quiet silence flowed in the carriage for a while.

Pean entered meditation, Sikan Bauer looked out the window as if lost in thought, and Adelia dozed off nodding in the seat beside me.

Clatter-!

Right then.

The carriage suddenly shook and came to an abrupt stop.

“…?”

Sikan Bauer startled and sat up.

“Something seems to have happened. I’ll go out and check directly.”

“I’ll come with you.”

When I got up from my seat and answered, Adelia and Pean also followed us out of the carriage.

Swoosh-.

Actually, I had known the carriage would stop.

Because I had spotted a translucent level window in the distance.

【Lv. 100】

Level 100.

A new transcendent had appeared.

And at this moment, there was only one transcendent who would likely reveal themselves on the path to the Holy City.

‘A Sword Master.’

Right.

Whoever it was, they were certainly heading to Middle Temple after receiving the Elder’s summons.

Sure enough.

Looking down from the carriage, I could see someone standing in the middle of the wasteland.

More accurately, it would be correct to say they were blocking our path.

“….”

A woman in a dark black dress.

Layers of frills and lace decorations wrapped around her entire body.

The face revealed beneath her neatly tied hair was expressionless. Those empty eyes seemed to be gazing somewhere between the boundary of reality and dreams.

Whooooo-.

The surrounding air was rippling just from her presence alone.

The woman holding a purple rapier in one hand looked at us and spoke.

“Help me.”

“….”

“….”

The voice that flowed from her pale lips was languid and dreamy, like someone who had just awakened from deep sleep.

“I’m lost.”

She asked for help in an indifferent voice.

I quietly recited her name in my mind.

‘Sword Master of Delusion.’

As the twelfth heretic, though she hadn’t been chosen by the Great Ones for very long….

She was a genius who had instantly bridged the gap of years and stood shoulder to shoulder with the other Sword Masters.

“Oh?”

Pean, who had spotted her, smiled as if pleased and offered a greeting.

“Nice to see you, Delusion. How have you been….”

“Who are you to act familiar? Get lost.”

“….”

Pause-.

Ah, by the way.

Delusion was also called the ‘Sword Master of Dementia’ among users.

Because….

In exchange for gaining the powerful authority called 【Hyper Intuition】, she suffered from very severe amnesia.

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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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