Sword Master With One Strike Kill - Chapter 229

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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 229

Episode 229. The Ancient Dragon’s Spring (2)

* * *

The entrance to Vilopozy.

The watchtower defense line surrounded the area like a folding screen along the sheer cliffs.

Only silence lingered between the watchtowers, where targeting devices had been clicking as they searched for targets.

“T-This is terrible, Village Chief…!”

Thud thud-.

A Technician came running frantically through the wreckage of the devastated watchtowers.

He was a Dwarf with a fluffy beard and tools hanging all around his waist.

“This is serious! This is really serious!”

The Technician’s face, usually optimistic by nature, was deathly pale.

Just from that expression alone, the Village Chief could sense it. The current situation was far more serious than expected.

“What’s the problem?”

“The watchtowers aren’t just broken or malfunctioning!”

The Technician shook his head frantically as he looked back.

The wreckage of watchtowers scattered throughout the cliffs.

The metal was twisted, the gunpowder barrels had exploded, and the precision targeting devices were shattered to pieces.

“Critical components have been damaged!”

“What?”

“The mana circuits completely reversed flow, causing all the engravings on the power transmission devices to break off, and the pressure control valves had their internal structures completely warped! Someone with a deeper understanding of watchtowers than us cast a curse…”

“Wait. Calm down and just tell me the conclusion, just the conclusion.”

Haa, ha-.

At the Village Chief’s words, the Dwarf Technician began gasping for breath.

Soon he hung his head low and answered.

“With the technology we currently have… we can’t repair them at all…”

“…?”

Thud-.

The Village Chief’s hand froze.

His hand, which had been unconsciously fidgeting with the handle of the hammer at his waist, froze in place.

‘Wait…’

It was shocking news like a bolt from the blue.

‘…Can’t repair them at all?’

Vilopozy was a dangerous area where monster waves occurred periodically. Without a defense system, the village would be ravaged by monsters in an instant.

The problem was that this defense line was built with lost technology.

Technology created in ancient times.

Without even properly understanding its principles, their ancestors had barely maintained it for hundreds of years by carefully repairing broken parts.

Creating new ones was impossible from the start.

The only method was to manage them with utmost care to prevent breakdowns.

‘But…’

One person.

A single Worshipper of Evil Gods had completely destroyed the defense line that had protected Vilopozy for hundreds of years.

And casually, as if breaking some toy while passing by.

“…”

A chill ran down his spine.

‘According to The Protagonist, attacks from Worshippers of Evil Gods will become more frequent in the future.’

What if another monster like that appeared?

No.

What if something even more terrible invaded?

“…”

Of course, there was Mangnyeom, the Sword Master who had made a contract with Vilopozy.

But could she alone stop all the waves?

Even if she could, what would happen when the contract period, set as payment for creating the notebook, ended?

‘Damn it.’

The Village Chief’s brow furrowed deeper.

Responsibility weighed down on him.

The duty to protect the safety of the villagers settled on his shoulders like a boulder.

Just then.

“What are you worrying about?”

“…!”

A calm voice came from behind him.

Whoosh-.

The Village Chief hurriedly turned around.

Gaon had arrived at this place with his companions before they knew it.

In the golden eyes revealed between his dark blue hair, there wasn’t a trace of wavering.

Along with confidence as if he had already seen through everything.

“The defense system won’t be needed for a while anyway.”

“Excuse me? What do you mean…”

Swish-.

Instead of giving an answer, Gaon looked around the surroundings.

He could see the companions who came with him.

Tyrant Dragon and Mangnyeom, and even Adelia, Gaon’s disciple.

It meant that as long as they stayed here, Vilopozy’s defense facilities had no meaning.

‘Ah.’

That was certainly true.

As long as Gaon and his companions stayed here, there seemed to be nothing to worry about.

Hadn’t Gaon dealt with the Worshipper of Evil Gods who single-handedly destroyed Vilopozy’s defense facilities with just a few words?

“But…”

Even so, his worries hadn’t completely disappeared.

The Village Chief carefully continued speaking.

“…The Protagonist and your companions won’t stay here forever, will you?”

It was an honest question.

The Sword Masters hadn’t come to protect Vilopozy.

Each had their own purpose, and when that was finished, they would leave.

Then what about after that?

In the end, the people of Vilopozy would have to survive on their own. In the desperate situation where the defense system had been destroyed.

However, Gaon replied as if wondering why he would worry about such a thing.

“Have you already forgotten that I said I would eliminate the source of the monster waves?”

“…!”

Gasp-.

The moment he heard those words.

Suddenly, a memory surfaced in the Village Chief’s mind.

The deal Gaon had proposed to make contact with the Sisterhood of the Forsaken.

─We will eliminate the source of the monster waves for you. In return, guide us to the Sisterhood of the Forsaken first.

‘If…’

The Village Chief’s heart began to race.

‘…If monster waves truly no longer occur?

Vilopozy will become much safer.

Being in the Outer Citadel, free from Silkroad’s influence, we can’t be completely free from monster attacks.

But if the monster waves disappear, we’ll be completely liberated from the disaster that has plagued our village for hundreds of years.

“And.”

Gaon continued speaking.

Swoosh-.

His gaze turned toward the broken watchtower.

After briefly scanning it, Gaon looked back at the Village Chief and spoke.

“I know the technology to restore Lost Technology.”

“…?”

“…?”

Pause-.

Suddenly, the surroundings became quiet.

The dwarves who had been bustling around the broken watchtower began lifting their heads one by one.

Hands holding tools froze in mid-air, and those clearing debris stopped their movements and turned to look at Gaon.

“What did he just say?”

“Did you hear? He said he can restore Lost Technology?”

“That’s impossible. Even Vilopozy’s greatest technician couldn’t do that?”

“No matter how great a Sword Master is, does it make sense for him to know technology lost in the distant past?”

“Right. Aren’t Sword Masters just mentally unstable people who are only good at swinging swords? How could he possibly restore Lost Technology…”

“Shh! Watch your words, you fool! Those people don’t have dementia, so they’ll remember what we said for a long time!”

“Gasp.”

Murmur murmur-.

Whispers erupted from all directions.

Among them were some irreverent words toward the Heretics, but the Village Chief was in no state of mind to care about that right now.

With a shocked expression, he looked at Gaon and asked.

“Do you truly know a way to rebuild the defense system…?”

“Yes.”

Gaon nodded briefly.

It was an answer filled with confidence.

“H-how do you know that…”

“First, guide me to the Ancient Dragon’s Lair.”

“…Pardon?”

Pause-.

The Village Chief asked back in bewilderment.

Ancient Dragon’s Lair.

Just that name alone made the people of Vilopozy flinch.

Deep within the volcano. A forbidden realm located in the deepest underground where magma bubbles up. The place where the remains of an ancient dragon, said to have met death along with the primordial era, lie sleeping.

For hundreds of years, no one had dared set foot in that place.

After all, those who entered the Ancient Dragon’s Lair died from terrible curses.

But…

“The source of the monster waves is sleeping there.”

“…”

The Village Chief looked into Gaon’s eyes.

A cold yet resolute gaze.

In those eyes, not a trace of fear could be found.

Only conviction lingered there.

“I will personally eliminate it for you.”

* * *

Outskirts of Vilopozy.

Deep within the Hidden Cave beneath the Cliff.

Thud, thud-.

Dorico Shiro walked along the damp passage.

Instead of humming as usual, she kept her head down, only looking at her feet.

‘That’s too much.’

Gaon’s face kept coming to mind.

‘We’re friends. Friends are supposed to help each other.’

But why did Gaon refuse her request?

She couldn’t understand it.

If they’re friends, shouldn’t he naturally help her?

Isn’t that what friends are supposed to do for each other?

‘Could it be…’

Suddenly, a memory from the past came to mind.

The words she had said to Puppet Master Batu.

─Since when were we friends…?

‘Am I the only one who thought we were friends?’

That thought made her chest feel stuffy. Could it be that Gaon also doesn’t consider her a friend?

‘Or… did I do something wrong to upset him…?’

She wasn’t sure.

It had been a long time since she made a new friend.

Maintaining the relationship was more difficult than she thought.

“Ugh.”

Creak-.

Just as Dorico Shiro opened the door to the Black Mage’s Laboratory.

“Huh?”

Pause-.

For some reason, the atmosphere was different from before.

“Huh, huuuk…”

Tremble tremble-.

The Black Mage crouched in the corner was shaking.

“What’s wrong? Why are you like that?”

“Th-that’s…”

The Black Mage muttered with a trembling voice.

“I-I didn’t trust you, so I requested support from headquarters… but someone much bigger than I expected came…”

“What?!”

Dorico Shiro shouted angrily.

“Look at this guy? Why can’t you trust me!”

“If-if I were to list the reasons, there would be no end…”

“Whatever! A big shot came? Who is it?”

“Th-they’re over there…”

Swoosh-.

The Black Mage pointed to a corner of the laboratory, but it was too dark to see clearly.

Just as Dorico Shiro tilted her head and was about to approach.

Thud-.

A middle-aged man revealed himself from the shadows.

He appeared human on the surface.

However, his vertically slit pupils and golden irises revealed that he was no ordinary person.

“Huh?!”

Dorico Shiro’s eyes widened in shock.

She knew this man well.

“Z-Zahhar…?”

Zahhar.

A pure-blooded dragon and black mage.

On top of that, he was an executive of Ataraxy, and also one of Dorico Shiro’s few old friends.

“It’s been a while, Dorico Shiro.”

A cold and domineering voice.

But Dorico Shiro paid no mind to such atmosphere and smiled brightly.

“Nice to see you! It’s been way too long!”

* * *

The Village Chief, who had been hesitating for a moment, opened his mouth.

“This way.”

I instructed Adelia and Mangnyeom to guard the entrance to Vilopozy. Just in case of any unforeseen circumstances.

Both nodded without saying much. Adelia had a worried look in her eyes, but she followed my will.

“Tyrant Dragon.”

“…?”

“You follow me.”

Tyrant Dragon reluctantly nodded. If he didn’t follow my words, he might not be able to get a disciple.

Thud, thud-.

The deeper we went into the volcano, the hotter the air became. The faint sound of boiling magma could be heard from afar.

Vilopozy’s hidden dungeon.

Ancient Dragon’s Lair.

‘…Finally here.’

I stepped deep into the darkly sunken cave.

The practically only means to improve constitution and raise mana was here.

〔Magic Power : 1〕

This damn initial stat.

No matter what elixir I consumed, no matter what training I did, nothing could be accomplished with such ability values. The efficiency itself was zero.

It was truly like pouring water into a bottomless jar.

But Ancient Dragon’s Lair was different. This place was a stage that rebuilt the very foundation of the body.

‘The problem is…’

I slowly exhaled.

‘…with my current abilities, this dungeon won’t be easy.’

Perhaps.

It could be more dangerous than any trial I had faced so far.

More than when I faced the shell of an Outsider in Rashutku’s Nightmare. More than when I confronted an apostle in Dawnguard.

However.

Ding-!

〔Vilopozy : You have entered the ‘Hidden Dungeon’.〕

‘Now is the time to roll the dice.’

* * *

“You’re saying the Sword Master of the Raging Dragon is in Vilopozy?”

“Yeah!”

“…”

Zahhar frowned upon hearing Dorico Shiro’s answer.

“What’s wrong? Do you know each other?”

“Know him. Of course I know him.”

Zahhar’s eyes flashed with murderous intent as he slowly nodded.

“That disgusting half-wit bastard whose very existence defiles the dragon bloodline.”

“…”

“Back then, I should have killed him properly… After hundreds of years, the opportunity has come again.”

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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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