Sword Master With One Strike Kill - Chapter 225

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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 225

Episode 225. Jaque’s Trial (2)

* * *

This won’t do.

At this rate, recruiting Tyrant Dragon’s disciple was going to fall through.

‘When I was playing the game, he didn’t act this foolishly…’

As the girl who could be called his prospective disciple kept showing interest in me, Tyrant Dragon was getting impatient and kept making blunders.

Anyone could see the situation was going to get twisted.

In the end, I had no choice but to take drastic measures.

“Tyrant Dragon.”

“…Huh?”

“Follow me for a moment. I have something to discuss.”

Tyrant Dragon, frowning slightly, reluctantly followed behind me.

After walking for quite a while along the branching corridors, an unused warehouse appeared.

Creak, thud-.

After closing the door and turning around, I could face Tyrant Dragon who was looking at me with a puzzled expression.

“So.”

He crossed his arms and asked a question.

“What do you want to say?”

“That girl is the one mentioned in the revelation.”

“What?”

“The disciple you’ve longed for your entire life.”

“…!”

As soon as I finished speaking, Tyrant Dragon’s face instantly brightened.

Clenching his fist, he shouted.

“I knew it!”

“…”

“I felt a fateful attraction from the moment I first saw her! This is definitely destiny!”

I shook my head inwardly.

‘No.’

The fateful attraction Tyrant Dragon felt had nothing to do with heaven’s will.

It was simply.

The influence of a special skill that girl possessed.

【Myriad Fate-gaze】

【Myriad Fate-gaze】

As the daughter of the Saintess, she was granted one talent from birth.

‘Myriad Fate-gaze.’

A skill better known among players by its English name ‘Fate-gaze’.

It was a case where the English name became more famous because Western users frequently used builds utilizing this ability.

‘It’s an ability that instills unconditional favor in those who look at her.’

The skill’s mechanism was simple.

Anyone who makes eye contact with the owner of Myriad Fate-gaze instinctively feels a fateful attraction.

In game system terms, it was a passive ability that greatly increased charm stats.

This was why Tyrant Dragon had been strangely obsessed from the moment he first saw the girl. It was also the reason he felt a strong urge to take her as his disciple.

But since there was no need to explain all of that in detail, I just nodded and played along appropriately.

“Right. It seems like a bond tied by fate. I too felt a ‘special connection’ between you two.”

“…!”

“That’s why I also hope you’ll become that girl’s master.”

As soon as I finished speaking, Tyrant Dragon loudly objected.

“Lies! Didn’t you also covet that child and try to seduce her!”

“…?”

No.

What kind of bullshit is this.

“I never did such a…”

“Don’t make excuses, you scheming bastard! Do you think I don’t know you’ve been tempting the girl as naturally as breathing?”

“…”

Sigh-.

I exhaled and shook my head back and forth.

Though I had expected it to some degree, having a conversation with this hot-tempered lizard was no easy task.

“Don’t worry. Adelia alone is enough as my disciple. I have no intention of increasing the number of people I need to take responsibility for here.”

“Do you think I’d believe that…!”

“I swear on the name of The Great Ones.”

“…”

Thud-.

At the suddenly appearing invincible logic, Tyrant Dragon shut his mouth.

I didn’t miss that opportunity and drove the point home.

“I’m offering to connect you two, but will you refuse even that goodwill, Tyrant Dragon?”

“…”

Stare-.

Tyrant Dragon looked directly at me.

His expression seemed like he was trying to read my true intentions from my face somehow.

After staring at me for a long while, he asked in a much softer voice.

“Then what should I do…?”

“Don’t do anything.”

“What? Then I won’t have a chance to show my charm!”

“No… just don’t try to do anything… please…”

I’ve thought about it carefully.

That’s the right answer for you, Tyrant Dragon.

* * *

Munch munch-.

After Gaon and Tyrant Dragon left.

Only Adelia and the girl remained alone in the kitchen.

The girl who was eating bread deliciously glanced at Adelia and asked a question.

“Sister.”

“…Yeah?”

“Why were you crying earlier?”

Freeze-.

At the girl’s sudden question, Adelia’s body stiffened.

After pondering her answer for a moment, she hung her head low and muttered.

“Well… there are adult circumstances…”

“…?”

At the vague answer, the girl tilted her head.

Adelia couldn’t lift her head anymore. Embarrassment engulfed her entire body.

‘Sigh.’

It was embarrassing.

The fact that she had burst into tears, and that she had been caught doing so in front of several people.

Her face had turned as red as a beet, making it impossible for her to even lift her head.

‘Well, still….’

Was it thanks to having an open and honest conversation with Gaon?

Before she knew it, Adelia’s heart had become much lighter.

─I understand your concerns well. So you’ve been harboring such worries all this time.

A few minutes ago.

After listening to Adelia’s worries to the end, Gaon had honestly revealed his own condition.

To cut to the conclusion, Gaon’s physical condition was indeed at its worst.

Every time he used his power from his prime, tremendous strain was placed on his ‘vessel’?

‘…Still, he said there was no need to worry.’

According to Gaon, the curse bound to his soul was gradually improving.

The fact that his physical condition looked much better than when they first met was proof of this.

─As you said, it’s true that I don’t have much lifespan left.

─…!

─However, don’t try to measure the scale of my ‘lifespan’ with mortal eyes.

Gaon was using his power by burning his lifespan.

His remaining life had already reached its final stages.

But….

─Even with my short remaining lifespan, I can live longer than any other living being on this land.

Because his fleeting moment was no different from eternity to others.

At least while Adelia was alive, Gaon would absolutely never die, he had said.

‘Of course….’

Adelia knew as well.

That all of this was merely Gaon’s one-sided claim.

There was no way to verify its truth. Perhaps it was a lie made up as a temporary measure to reassure her.

Still, it was okay.

What truly comforted Adelia was none other than….

─Above all.

…precisely this one phrase that Gaon had given her at the end.

─I believe without a doubt that someday, you will share my burden with me.

─…!

─Don’t be impatient, Adelia. Only three months have passed so far. Think about what you’ve achieved during that time.

Gaon’s eyes as he spoke were filled with conviction more than ever before.

─You don’t need to desperately search for ways to lighten my burden. Just do as you’ve been doing. Then before long… very soon, you’ll achieve what you’ve been hoping for.

She had been anxious.

Every time she saw her master coughing up blood.

Every time she witnessed his body being strained after releasing his power.

Every time she faced the sight of his ‘vessel’ being torn apart by enemies’ hands.

Her own powerlessness, being unable to do anything, weighed down on Adelia’s chest.

The anxiety that Gaon might disappear before her eyes at any moment. That constantly made Adelia impatient.

Especially that terrible moment when her master’s ‘vessel’ first collapsed at the hands of Puppet Master Batu became a catalyst that amplified Adelia’s worries.

However.

When she heard Gaon’s honest voice. And the moment she confirmed his unwavering trust in her.

Adelia’s anxiety began to slowly subside.

‘Still, I shouldn’t feel relieved yet.’

Clench-.

As Gaon said, his lifespan shouldn’t be judged from a mortal’s perspective. He still had eons of time remaining.

But that was only from a relative standpoint.

From an absolute standard, the fact that Gaon’s condition was serious remained unchanged.

“….”

Clench-.

Adelia slowly regulated her breathing while clenching both hands.

Though her anxiety had subsided, a firmer resolve filled its place.

‘I….’

There was only one way to overcome all of this.

‘…I need to become The Protagonist’s solution.’

She had to grow as quickly as possible and then become a help to Gaon’s power.

Thus, she must repay her master’s faith. Without fail.

Cleeench-.

It was when Adelia was lost in such thoughts while clenching her fists.

“Sister.”

The Girl, who had been munching on bread, spoke to her again.

“I told the lizard uncle earlier too, but I also want to learn swordsmanship from Gaon oppa….”

“No!”

It was a reflexive outburst.

“…Huh?”

The Girl was startled and opened her eyes wide. She seemed not to have expected such an intense reaction.

“Why? Like the lizard uncle said, is Gaon oppa really a bad master who makes his disciples cry?”

“Th, that’s not it, but….”

Adelia was flustered.

She couldn’t think of what to say. She couldn’t explain a proper reason either.

In the end, she could only shake her head and brush it off.

“…Anyway, no.”

* * *

Yeonwoo the Feathered Sword accepted the fact that I was a regressor more easily than expected.

Thanks to that, my Avatar Manifestation proficiency rose from Low to Lower-Mid.

Ding-!

〔Skill: 【Avatar Manifestation】 proficiency increases from ‘Low’ to ‘Lower-Mid’.〕

The second thing I needed to resolve was Adelia.

I could tell the moment I saw the look in her eyes.

That no matter how much I told Adelia it was okay right now, it would be useless.

No matter what I said, she would obviously think I was lying to reassure her. If that happened, it would only create deeper misunderstandings.

So… I first acknowledged Adelia’s words to some extent, then shifted the focus.

What truly tormented Adelia wasn’t my physical condition. It was the helplessness of feeling she couldn’t be of any help. That was what was weighing her down.

“I believe without a doubt that someday, you will share my burdens with me.”

Just correcting that part made Adelia’s expression noticeably better.

‘Now for the last thing.’

Before enemies began pouring into Vilopozy in earnest, it was time to take the final means of growth.

【Jaque’s Trial】

The moment had come to clear what I had postponed for the right time.

“You’re ready, I assume.”

That night.

Adelia nodded without hesitation.

On the other hand, Tyrant Dragon grumbled with a displeased expression.

“Damn it, why do I have to come all the way to Vilopozy to challenge an Evil God’s trial?”

But that was all Tyrant Dragon could do.

Whether he liked it or not, he had no choice but to enter Jaque’s trial with me.

I had threatened not to help him make a disciple if he didn’t follow my orders.

‘And Mangnyeom is…’

…Well, she was just standing there blankly as usual.

She didn’t seem to need any particular attention.

“Then I’ll enter the trial.”

Swoosh-.

In the room with just the four of us.

I pulled out a dark red orb from my chest, then applied pressure with my fingers.

Crack──!

As the orb shattered, dark red energy spread in all directions.

Energy that instantly engulfed all four of us.

My vision distorted and space twisted.

And then…

Ding-!

〔Jaque’s Trial: You have entered the trial arranged by ‘■̸̨̹̀̃@̷͎̜̤̥͐̌̓͝■̵̲̳̳̻̈͘#̸̻̝̐̇̐͝!̵̤̼̈́̅͊?̴̡̧̠́́̏■̴̼̿͑̈́̾%̸̦͎̯̀’.〕

〔You who possess endless desire for growth. Challenge the summit that can never be reached.〕

…

〔The challengers’ levels are temporarily reduced to ‘1’.〕

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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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