Sword Master With One Strike Kill - Chapter 255

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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 255

Episode 255. Descent (6)

* * *

Creak, thud-.

As I closed the door, silence settled in.

“Phew.”

I sat down on the edge of the bed and let out a small sigh.

My conversation with Muwolcha had ended.

I had explained the future plans to her, along with the fact that she would need to maintain her bizarre appearance for the time being and the reasons why.

‘To be honest…’

Fluorescent purple skin and fifteen eyeballs.

Throughout our entire conversation, that grotesque appearance bothered me.

I wanted to rush to the Sunken Temple right away and find her a customization change ticket.

‘But I can’t do that yet.’

Rather, Muwolcha’s appearance was a useful tool.

Ah, of course.

It would be painful for both Muwolcha herself and those who had to face her…

“…”

I’m sorry, sister.

Please bear with it just a little longer.

“Ugh.”

Having finished that thought, I lay down on the beds.

Creak-.

The old beds squeaked.

The reason I say ‘beds’ is because these were made for dwarves, so I had to connect three of them together to comfortably lie down.

‘Anyway.’

I recalled the question Muwolcha had asked earlier.

What was the reason for going this far?

I had given her an emotional answer. The World of Loel had given me much, and I couldn’t pretend not to know that now.

It wasn’t wrong. It was a world I had devoted twelve years to. Now that it had become reality, I couldn’t turn away from the countless people I had become involved with in the process.

However.

‘That’s not everything.’

Rustle-.

I closed my eyes and slowly organized my thoughts.

Memories from the past began to surface one by one.

─That’s why the gods of the Heavenly Realm make ‘contracts’ with beings from the Lower Realm to wage proxy wars.

─…

─If the continent is a chessboard, then we’re moving pieces on it and fighting battles, Upapa.

The facts that the “Master of Latent Potential and Rebirth” had revealed at the Order of the Holy Maiden.

At the same time, content I had already suspected through various hints even when playing the game.

This continent was a giant chessboard where proxy wars between Elders and Outsiders unfolded.

We were the pieces moving on it.

‘Then what am I?’

What kind of existence am I, a Possessed One, on that chessboard?

─The salvation of the world. That is the entirety of why you were brought here.

The answer was clear.

I had to save the world.

There was no room for choice. It was a semi-forced mission assigned to me after being kidnapped into this world.

‘But what if.’

What if I didn’t walk the path of a savior?

What if I didn’t care about the world’s end and only pursued a comfortable life?

‘Surely that end wouldn’t be good.’

The Elders brought me to this world to use me as a savior.

But if I refused that role and just lazed around, the Elders would never tolerate such behavior.

According to Upapa, even now within the Pantheon, opinions about the Possessed Ones were divided.

That meant if I failed to meet expectations, I could be discarded at any time.

‘In the end.’

I was walking this path semi-forcibly due to external pressure.

Snicker-.

The moment I recalled that fact, a hollow laugh escaped me without realizing it.

To be honest, it was somewhat absurd.

Being forcibly kidnapped into a game world and then having the heavy responsibility of saving the world thrust upon me.

I truly had to shake my head at the shamelessness of the ancient deities.

─The aunts are asking back whether their choice isn’t actually natural.

─…

─They suffered such terrible torture for decades because of Middle Temple, so isn’t it normal to hate the Elders? Wouldn’t it be stranger not to side with the Evil Deities?

In that sense, what the Hooded Girl had said a few days ago also strangely resonated with me.

The Sisterhood of the Forsaken’s argument applied to me as well.

‘The Elders arbitrarily kidnapped me and forced me to save the world.’

Objectively speaking, there was absolutely no reason for me to harbor favorable feelings toward them.

Perhaps the reason why Elders who are wary of me and Outsiders who view me favorably coexist is because of this.

I was like a bat walking a tightrope between the two factions, able to switch sides at any time.

‘Both sides are desperate to make me their chess piece.’

And.

This applied not only to me, but to all Possessed Ones.

‘Well, it’s not bad.’

I opened my eyes and slowly raised my upper body.

Creak-.

The connected beds made their old sounds again.

‘I need to make the most of this situation.’

The Pantheon and Oeyeonhoe.

While continuously extracting what I can from both these factions.

‘To do that…’

I must continue to grow stronger.

I must increase my influence on this continent.

So that I appear as a tempting chess piece to both factions.

My next course of action could also be seen as an extension of that.

* * *

Two days later.

The entrance to Villopoze, the Dungeon Town.

Adelia waited for me with a bundle of luggage packed. Behind her stood Muwolcha, silently wrapped head to toe in clothing that covered every inch of her skin.

We planned to return to Middletemple according to our original plan.

There, we needed to have Muwolcha officially recognized as a hero, and then discuss the dwarves’ relocation plans.

‘And…’

We also needed to hurry and establish countermeasures against the Intruder.

“Tyrant Dragon.”

Swoosh-.

Just before departing, I turned my head back.

Tyrant Dragon was staring intently at me with his hand placed on the Hooded Girl’s head.

“Please take good care of Vilopozy for the time being.”

“Do not worry.”

Tyrant Dragon nodded his head as he replied.

Although the source of the monster wave had disappeared and the attacks from the Worshippers of Evil Gods had ended, that didn’t mean Vilopozy was completely safe.

The Tunnel Village was located in the Outer Citadel. With the defense systems collapsed, attacks from monsters could happen at any time.

That’s why Tyrant Dragon and Mangnyeom decided to remain in Vilopozy until troops were dispatched to help with the great migration.

“Now.”

All preparations were complete.

I took my first step toward the Uncharted Wilderness.

“Let’s get moving.”

Thud, thud-.

Adelia and Muwolcha walked behind me.

The dwarves of Vilopozy lined up at the entrance to see us off.

Leaving that scene behind.

The three of us began heading toward the Holy City.

* * *

“I really don’t understand it.”

The First Apostle smiled as she looked at the scene before her.

A massive room.

It was the laboratory of the western branch that Hodupayi used as his main workspace.

Dozens of cultivation tanks. Countless chimeras writhing inside them. Research materials and magic circles filling the walls.

“What has Atalaxia been doing all this time? Why didn’t they properly support such an outstanding talent?”

The reason Hodupayi had been so obsessed with the experimental subjects of Project Seraphim was simple.

A vessel to contain holy power.

With just that sample, it would become much easier to create imitations.

Reverse engineering was always faster than creating something from nothing.

But.

What if he could accumulate data himself by repeating experiments indefinitely with overwhelming capital as backing?

He wouldn’t need any samples. He could just create them directly.

And.

Under the First Apostle’s full support, with access to the entire western branch’s budget, Hodupayi had…

Just one week.

In merely one week, he had made all of this possible.

“Ooooooh…”

Admiration leaked from Hodupayi’s mouth. His entire body trembled. With excitement and emotion.

In the center of the laboratory.

A massive undead dragon began to slowly move.

Its enormous body.

Baekryong’s scales, which had once shone white, had already lost their vitality, but were still imposing.

Black electricity crackled between the remaining flesh scattered throughout. The power of the Brain Core was flowing through the entire body.

Writhe-.

Something moved above the severed neck.

The Black Star.

The Second Apostle’s main body had split into multiple branches like a starfish and taken that position.

The tentacles burrowed deep into Baekryong’s neck and became one.

■̓̓̊̓͝&͂̾͞■̛̄̐@͗̃̈̃̀́͞͞#̎́͐͠■■҇̾̌̒̑́─̐͒̉͡─́͂̾͐̓̕─́́͋͡!͌̊̾͛̿͝

A roar that shook heaven and earth.

“…Perfect.”

Hodupayi muttered to himself.

Baekryong’s majesty. The power of the Brain Core. And perfect assimilation with ‘The Black Star’.

A supreme masterpiece with everything fused into one.

“I diiiiiid!! I did iiiiiiit!!”

Hodupayi raised both arms high.

Cheering at the fact that he had finally completed the Thunder Zombie Dragon, his lifelong dream.

* * *

Ding-!

〔Hidden Message : The vessel for Second Apostle 「#̷̢̑@̷̜̯̋̔&̷̼̐̔͆^̷̮̹̼̊̆!̶̝̓̂̈%̷̸̵̡̛̣̭͙̳̓̂̌̎̔̌̂#̵̍̌̕」 has been completed.〕

〔Hidden Message : An epithet is being granted for 「#̷̢̑@̷̜̯̋̔&̷̼̐̔͆^̷̮̹̼̊̆!̶̝̓̂̈%̷̸̵̡̛̣̭͙̳̓̂̌̎̔̌̂#̵̍̌̕」.〕

…

〔Hidden Message : The Undead Dragon Black Thunder Star has manifested.〕

* * *

We arrived at Middletemple.

It was thanks to using the Blessing of the Abyss waterway, just like when we first headed to Vilopozy.

Of course, since Muwolcha was accompanying us this time, we couldn’t make a forced march like before. We moved much more slowly and carefully.

Even so, the journey was arduous.

The rough terrain of the Uncharted Wilderness. Monster attacks. Poor camping conditions.

But true to the warrior class having the best early stat bonuses, Muwolcha followed along silently despite the hardships.

Ding-!

【Lv. 8】

Thanks to this, by the time we arrived at Middletemple, the Holy City, her level had grown to 8.

“The Protagonist.”

At Middletemple’s main entrance.

The High Priest was waiting.

It was thanks to Adelia sending a messenger bird from Central City Centerium.

“You must have had a truly difficult journey getting here.”

The High Priest bowed his head toward me with a gentle smile.

Then his gaze turned to Adelia. After exchanging brief silent greetings, the High Priest slowly shifted his eyes to Muwolcha.

Muwolcha had wrapped her entire face in cloth like a desert nomad, leaving only her two eyes visible.

Her body was the same. She was completely wrapped in clothing so that not even an inch of her fluorescent purple skin showed.

“Then….”

The High Priest paused for a moment.

“You must be the second hero.”

“….”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am High Priest Bermond von Uttenberg of Middle Temple.”

The High Priest’s voice was courteous yet maintained proper formality.

“Though they are a sect that separated hundreds of years ago, the Haslpart Highlands Monks also follow the Great Ones. In that sense, it is an honor to meet a sister who shares the same faith.”

“Yes. I feel the same.”

Muwolcha bowed her head deeply, showing proper respect.

The High Priest nodded with a gentle smile. Then he gestured toward a path with his hand.

“Well then, this way. You must be tired from your long journey, so it would be best for you to rest first.”

* * *

Meanwhile.

An interesting rumor began circulating in the Main Hall of Middletemple.

“Did you hear? The identity of the second hero is… supposedly a monk from Haslpart Highlands?”

“What? Really?”

“Yes. I heard the High Priest himself just went out to greet them.”

Thud, thud-.

Two priests passed by the training ground while conversing.

The paladin trainees who overheard them began whispering childish gossip among themselves.

“Hey hey, did you hear?”

“I heard all people from Haslpart Highlands are beautiful….”

“I know that too. It’s because of the geographical characteristics, right? They’re famous as the most beautiful and handsome people on the continent.”

“And if someone like that was chosen by the Great Ones to become a hero….”

“Wow, I’m really curious. Just how handsome and beautiful could they be?”

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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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