Sword Master With One Strike Kill - Chapter 24

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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 24

Episode 24. Earth Dragon Subjugation (1)

‘How can I grow stronger in a short amount of time?’

This was the question I’d pondered most since falling into this world.

Simply becoming strong wasn’t enough to satisfy me.

To avoid the destruction of this world, I had to become strong ‘quickly.’

‘The first solution that came to mind was raising stats related to magic power.’

If I improved my MP pool and mana recovery rate stats?

The duration of 【Soul of the Sword Master】 would increase accordingly. Then I could solve all problems with just a ‘click’ of the skill.

But before long, I abandoned that plan.

‘Obsessing over MP stats in my current situation would actually be inefficient.’

Magic power was a stat where innate talent was crucial.

No matter how much you trained, without a natural foundation, there would be limits to growth.

However, my current magic power stat was only 1.

‘My mana circuits haven’t formed at all. My related talent is also terrible.’

In this state, raising magic-related abilities would require enormous time and effort.

Even then, it wouldn’t rise beyond a certain level.

This would be like pouring water into a bottomless bucket.

‘Well, from the mid-to-late stages, methods to overcome this will appear one by one…’

Increasing MP was something I could think about when that time came. Until then, I should focus on building my foundation.

‘…For now, I need to raise my pure physical stats.’

My average stats still fluctuated between 1 and 2.

Even for skill embodiment, I had to secure basic abilities including strength, agility, and constitution.

No matter how excellent my swordsmanship talent, there would inevitably be limits to reproducing skill movements with a weak body.

‘Above all, I can’t even live normally in this state.’

Even slight vigorous movement made me breathless and shaky.

Throbbing headaches were common even when doing nothing.

Fixing this weak body was more urgent than mana circuits.

‘…That’s exactly why I must defeat the Earth Dragon.’

As I mentioned before, I knew a way to solve this problem.

The boss Earth Dragon of Labyrinth Village.

If I made good use of the reward from defeating that creature, everything would be resolved.

“G-Gaon? You’re saying we need this kind of thing to go to Labyrinth Village…?”

“That’s right.”

Anyway.

Before heading to Labyrinth Village, I visited a place with Adelia.

Central Market of Bertas. The largest marketplace on the Continent, a place where nothing couldn’t be found.

After purchasing essential items needed for the subjugation here, I nodded with a satisfied expression.

“This should be enough. Let’s start moving.”

“…Yes.”

With this, all preparations for subjugating the Earth Dragon were complete.

* * *

Step, step-.

While walking, Adelia kept glancing back.

She seemed concerned about the backpack she was carrying.

It was packed full of miscellaneous items we’d just bought at the market. Some were so odd that I wondered if we really needed such things.

Since the path was quiet, I asked Adelia a question.

“How much do you know about Labyrinth Village?”

Adelia quickly raised her head and answered.

“I don’t know the details. Only that it’s a dungeon village formed on the outskirts of Bertas, the Free City…”

I nodded and continued explaining for Adelia’s benefit.

People gathered to live near major cities.

The inside of barrier-protected cities were among the few safe zones where humans could survive.

And naturally, land in major cities was limited.

Especially inside Bertas, land prices had skyrocketed so high that ordinary people couldn’t even dream of setting foot there.

“Just the inn we stayed at charges around 1 million shillings per night.”

“…?”

Truly murderous prices.

But hearing this, Adelia only tilted her head in confusion.

She wasn’t shocked by the expensive accommodation fee, but rather seemed unsure how expensive that actually was.

Well, being from a Noble Family, she couldn’t help but be unfamiliar with the value of money.

Though in a sense, the very concept of ‘fiat currency’ was an illusion created by humans anyway…

I’ll have quite a lot to teach you, won’t I, Adelia?

“For ordinary people, it’s a price they couldn’t dream of for one night’s lodging. So people began gathering to live in places within the barrier’s influence.”

“…”

“That’s right. Outside the walls, or underground beneath the city.”

Labyrinth Village was also a town born that way.

Those who had nowhere to live above ground went underground to establish their territory.

Thus the tunnels grew deeper and deeper, intertwining like a maze.

Naturally, the deeper it went, the less law enforcement could reach. The farther from the surface, the more the village was stained with darkness.

The lanterns that first lit the village gradually dimmed, and accordingly, laws and institutions also grew obscure. This led to many criminals flowing into the village.

Swindlers hiding in the city’s underbelly, merchants fleeing debt, vagrants who crawled in penniless, and so on.

Adelia, who had been quietly listening to my explanation, nodded and added her words.

“Yes. I heard it’s practically a lawless zone. They say heretics gather to worship demons, and there are savages who practice cannibalism due to lack of food…”

Hearing that, I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“You think of Labyrinth Village as too brutal a place.”

“What? But according to what I heard, it’s a region almost similar in level to Dungarrd, the Dark City…”

“Put aside your prejudices and look around once. You’ve been inside Labyrinth Village for quite a while now.”

“…?”

Adelia’s eyes widened as she quickly looked around.

Wooden bridges connected like spider webs between sheer cliffs.

Buildings stacked layer upon layer lined the canyon walls between them.

Giggle-.

Cheerful laughter could be heard from various places.

Hot soup bubbled at street stalls, and children ran around playing tag on bridges installed at great heights.

It was a village far removed from the gloomy scenery of Labyrinth Village that people commonly imagined.

“When all is said and done, Labyrinth Village is ultimately a place where people live.”

“…Ah.”

That’s right.

The entrance to Labyrinth Village was no different from any other lively town in Bertas.

* * *

Had we walked straight along the canyon for quite a while?

Along with the downward slope, sunlight gradually began to disappear.

At some point, young children were no longer visible, and the village’s atmosphere was also slowly changing.

If the entrance was like a bustling marketplace floor, now rough taverns frequented by mercenaries and adventurers filled the streets.

Naturally, aggressive solicitation flourished accordingly.

“You there, customer! Why don’t you rest here for a bit! A bowl of hot soup will wash away all your travel fatigue!”

“Come on in! We have clean bedding and warm bath water ready!”

“Premium headlamps on special sale! To explore dark dungeons, you absolutely need to get one…”

I was quickening my pace, letting the noisy solicitation flow past my ears.

Crack-!

Adelia suddenly grabbed the wrist of a man who had brushed past us.

“Aaaahhh!”

Thud-.

The screaming man trembled and dropped something from his hand.

It turned out to be the food pouch from Adelia’s backpack.

“Get lost right now. Before I cut off that wrist of yours.”

Adelia spat out a cold warning.

The pickpocket who had tumbled over started running away frantically without looking back.

Adelia watched his retreating figure quietly, then said briefly to me.

“We should be careful. There are many with dirty hands lurking everywhere.”

“…”

I looked at Adelia with a bewildered expression.

I knew there were many pickpockets in Labyrinth Village, but I never expected to have my belongings stolen in the blink of an eye like that.

Moreover, Adelia’s ability to instantly detect those stealthy hand movements was simply astounding.

“Hahaha! You’re truly skilled adventurers!”

Right at that moment.

A strange man’s voice came from beside us.

When I turned my gaze, I saw a man looking at us. The fellow with an amiable smile kept bowing as he approached.

Adelia frowned and became wary of him.

Her eyes seemed to ask what kind of person he was.

The man brazenly offered a handshake.

“Sorry about that. I’m late with my introduction. I’m Joel. I work as a guide here.”

“…A guide?”

“Yes. My job is to lead adventurers like yourselves to the depths of the dungeon.”

The guide immediately began his pitch once he realized Adelia was a newcomer.

He started giving a lengthy explanation about how guides were absolutely necessary to enter the depths of Labyrinth Village.

The deeper underground you go, the more complex the maze becomes, and even skilled adventurers often starve to death after wandering lost for days.

He didn’t forget to appeal that he was a guide who had entered and exited the dungeon hundreds of times.

“I also have maps I’ve made. From the upper levels to the deep layers, all meticulously detailed.”

“If you have maps, couldn’t we just purchase those?”

“Well, there’s a small issue with that… The maps are actually here, you see.”

Tap tap-.

The guide grinned and tapped his own head.

Meaning he had memorized all the routes in his mind.

“Even veteran adventurers always hire guides when entering the dungeon. For someone like you who’s visiting for the first time, it’s even more essential.”

“…”

“How about trying my services?”

Glance-.

Adelia, who had been listening to the guide’s explanation, looked back at me.

I immediately shook my head.

It meant we didn’t need a guide right now.

“…That’s unfortunate, tsk.”

The guide didn’t persist and backed off immediately.

He left saying he’d be around this area for a while, so we could come find him anytime if we changed our minds.

Once the guide was no longer in sight, Adelia cautiously spoke to me.

“You said the Earth Dragon is located in the deep layers of the dungeon, right?”

“That’s right.”

“According to what that man said earlier, the dungeon’s structure is incredibly complex. Are you planning to find it using only The Protagonist’s abilities without a guide’s help?”

As she spoke, Adelia’s eyes widened as if she had thought of something.

“Ah!”

She exclaimed and turned to me with an excited voice.

“Could it be that you received a revelation from the Great Ones…”

“No.”

“…”

When I cut her off immediately, Adelia’s expression quickly became dejected.

Of course, I don’t receive revelations or anything like that.

Moreover, there wasn’t a single false word in the guide’s explanation earlier.

No matter how excellent an adventurer might be, they absolutely cannot reach the deep layers of the dungeon without a guide.

There was a reason why people exploring Labyrinth Village paid high prices to hire skilled guides.

So…

“We’re going to hire a guide too.”

“…I see.”

Adelia nodded as if she understood.

“You already had a guide in mind? That’s why you flatly refused the earlier proposal.”

“That’s right.”

I continued speaking while thinking of the guide I had already planned for.

“His skills are definitely reliable, but he’s a somewhat peculiar guide.”

“…?”

“The reason I bought all that miscellaneous stuff earlier was entirely to recruit him.”

Adelia stopped walking for a moment and made a puzzled expression.

She pondered the items we had purchased at the market, then asked me a question.

“Could it be that the spice pouch is for that guide?”

“No.”

“Then the premium silk?”

“No.”

“…The empty chest?”

“That’s not it either.”

“…”

Adelia’s expression became even more confused.

“Then what item are you referring to exactly…”

“Earplugs.”

“…?”

Pause-.

Adelia stared at me blankly.

An expression of being at a loss for words.

Her face showed she couldn’t understand why earplugs would be needed to recruit a guide.

‘Innocent Adelia…’

…Originally, veteran gamers use all sorts of bizarre methods to clear games.

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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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