Sword Master With One Strike Kill - Chapter 261

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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 261

Episode 261. The Relic Investigation Team and the Assembly (1)

“What?”

Whoosh-.

The director of the Relic Investigation Team was startled.

He looked up from organizing the ancient documents on his desk and asked.

“Now? You’re saying the Thirteenth Sword Master has already arrived?”

“Oh, that’s not it… A messenger bird just arrived!”

Swoosh-.

Natalya Koshat held out a small scroll.

Even while catching her breath, she didn’t lose the smile on her lips.

─Make sure to visit. I’ll need the Relic Investigation Team’s help for the next exploration too.

A few weeks ago.

It was a promise Gaon had made before parting with the Koshat siblings.

Since that day, the Koshat siblings had been waiting for their meeting with the Thirteenth Sword Master.

‘And today.’

Finally, the messenger bird had arrived.

The message said that in a week, Gaon would visit the Relic Investigation Team headquarters with two other Sword Masters.

Thump, thump-.

Natalya Koshat’s heart began beating wildly.

She was overjoyed at the prospect of exploring another relic site with the Sword Master.

“Oh, and it says Pean and Meister Zengmu are coming together too!”

“…”

She felt secretly excited.

She had seen Pean before, so that was fine…

‘The Sword Master of Jeungmu!’

He was Natalya Koshat’s favorite heretic.

Actually, Jeungmu wasn’t as famous as other heretics. With little activity, his name was rarely mentioned among people.

But for Natalya Koshat, the Sword Master of Jeungmu was a more interesting subject than any ancient artifact.

One of the few remaining Ferric Clan members in this world. A mysterious race and a living embodiment of lost technology.

‘To think I can actually meet such a Jeungmu!’

Natalya’s eyes sparkled.

“…”

Hesitation-.

But right at that moment.

“The Sword Master of Jeungmu… is joining this exploration…?”

For some reason, the director’s voice began to tremble.

He wasn’t happy. Rather, it was the opposite.

Tremble, tremble-.

His face turned pale. His expression hardened. His fingertips trembled slightly.

Natalya Koshat looked at the director and asked cautiously.

“Director? What’s wrong? Is there some problem…?”

Huuu-.

Instead of answering Natalya’s question, the director let out a long sigh.

Then he slowly rose from his seat and walked to the window.

“Natalya.”

“Yes?”

“Do you know what kind of person the Sword Master of Jeungmu is?”

“Well… He’s from the Ferric Clan, and he’s one of the Sword Masters who has lived the longest after Pean…”

“That’s not all.”

Stop-.

The director’s words cut off. His gaze looking out the window darkened.

“That person is.”

A moment of silence passed.

“Someone who destroys relics.”

“…Excuse me?”

While Natalya looked bewildered, the director slowly turned his head to look at her.

“Jeungmu is obsessed with rare metals.”

“…”

“To get them… he’s a madman who smashes everything, relic preservation and all.”

“…!”

Hesitation-.

The moment she heard those words.

Natalya Koshat could immediately sense it.

That this exploration would be anything but smooth.

* * *

A few weeks ago.

The reason I headed to Vilopozy was to save Muwolcha.

Through the “Player Search Function” I received as a reward from Upapa, I could know in advance where she would possess someone.

〔Muwolcha has started her 199th cycle.〕

〔Cycles remaining until world entry: ‘1’〕

〔Spawn time: About one week later〕

〔Spawn location: Villopoze, the Dungeon Town〕

‘Of course, there was a separate official reason for visiting Vilopozy.’

Project Seraphim.

At the time, Arwen had expressed deep concern about the experimental subjects.

Clone humans created through the Traditionalist Faction’s secret project. Since they were specially made to withstand holy power, it was impossible to predict what kind of strength they might possess.

What Arwen feared most was their choice.

Those who had been subjected to terrible experiments might burn with vengeance and side with the Evil Deities. Or they might band together and look for an opportunity to attack Middle Temple.

‘It wasn’t an unnecessary worry.’

Rather, it was a sharp insight.

In some cycles, the Mute Sisters actually fell to corruption and sided with the Evil Deities.

When their anger and hatred turned toward all of humanity, their destructive power was beyond imagination.

But this cycle was different.

Thanks to my intervention, they chose to side with humanity. They chose salvation over revenge, hope over hatred.

“Phew…”

The reception room of Goldhart Estate.

Having heard all that story, Arwen let out a long, deep sigh of relief.

“That’s fortunate.”

I could see the tension visibly leaving his shoulders.

The afternoon sunlight gently filtered through the windows of the spacious reception room.

Along the walls, bookshelves were packed with books that the Goldhart family had collected for generations.

On the table sat steaming teacups, with the three of us seated around them. Adelia, Muwolcha, and myself.

Arwen lifted his teacup and took a sip. Then he slowly set it down and spoke again.

“Truth be told, I had too many concerns about Project Seraphim. I worried they might go down the wrong path.”

“….”

“But now I can rest easy. Thanks to The Protagonist, everything worked out well.”

His voice carried sincere gratitude.

“By the way, it all seems quite coincidental.”

Arwen continued.

“The Experimental Subjects settling in Vilopozy, and The Protagonist arriving at the village just as Atalaxia and the Worshippers of Evil Gods joined forces to attack Tunnel Village.”

Swoosh-.

Arwen paused briefly and looked at Muwolcha.

She sat quietly with Mukyoo transformed into Haewolsumo covering her face. The rainbow-colored jelly that concealed her fluorescent purple skin glowed softly.

“And after everything was over, the second hero appearing right there….”

“….”

“Don’t you think everything fits together a bit too perfectly?”

Swoosh-.

A gaze questioning the numerous coincidences and precisely interlocking events turned toward me.

I met Arwen’s gaze and answered calmly.

“Divine will is originally manifested in the form of coincidence.”

“No.”

Arwen shook his head.

His tone was firm.

“Whatever the case, it was The Protagonist who made that divine will reality.”

“….”

“Accepting Project Seraphim immediately, heading to Vilopozy… all that timing fit together perfectly, as if you had seen through everything from the beginning.”

He looked straight at me.

“Somehow I can’t shake the feeling that The Protagonist foresaw this entire situation and acted accordingly.”

Instead of answering, I took a sip of tea.

Arwen’s speculation was accurate.

Though it might look like coincidence on the surface, it was all inevitability I had intentionally created.

Of course, some timing had coincidentally aligned. The moment Muwolcha possessed someone, the timing of Atalaxia’s attack—these weren’t areas I could perfectly control.

But.

‘In the end, the reason all this was possible was….’

Because I had solidified my influence at Middle Temple and earned Arwen von Goldhart’s trust.

Without such groundwork, I wouldn’t have been able to create justification to go to Vilopozy as Middle Temple’s representative in the first place.

‘If I hadn’t intervened at this point.’

According to the original history, the Battle of Vilopozy should have occurred much later.

By then, one of the Mute Sisters would have already been kidnapped.

Hodupayi would have gathered sufficient data through samples and secured The Ancient Dragon’s corpse to complete a far more threatening Thunder Zombie Dragon.

But I intervened much earlier than that.

Thanks to this, the Mute Sisters weren’t kidnapped. I had secured and devoured The Ancient Dragon’s corpse beforehand.

As a result, Vilopozy suffered none of the massive damage it should have endured in the original story. The Mute Sisters didn’t fall and sided with humanity, and all the Dwarves were safe.

Everything had changed.

And the starting point of that change was from the moment I first set foot in Middle Temple.

“Through this incident, I’ve become even more certain.”

“….”

“That I cannot dare fathom The Protagonist’s grand intentions.”

Reverence tinged Arwen’s voice.

Beside him, Adelia nodded in agreement.

A slightly proud expression. Her face showed joy at seeing her master recognized.

Swoosh-.

But I straightened my posture instead.

Because….

‘Now we’re getting to the main point.’

The pleasant pleasantries were over.

Now it was time for him to bring up what he really wanted to discuss.

Sure enough.

Arwen lowered his voice and spoke.

It was the tone he used when bringing up important matters.

“In that sense, I’m sure The Protagonist has deep intentions regarding the Great Migration of Vilopozy as well… but since it’s such a major undertaking, various discussions are circulating within Middle Temple.”

The basis for the Great Migration of Vilopozy I had revealed in the meeting was as follows.

Dwarf technology was an asset for all humanity. Therefore, with their defense systems destroyed, they should be relocated to a safer place. This would be beneficial for humanity in the long term.

Right.

It was certainly logical reasoning.

The technological prowess of Vilopozy’s Dwarves was continent-class.

Even Sword Masters like Heukgol and Mangnyeom relied on equipment and artifacts these people made, didn’t they?

Moving such people from an isolated region in the Outer Citadel to inside a major city for more active collaboration would certainly have a positive impact on all humanity.

However.

‘That justification alone isn’t enough.’

Questions would still remain.

Should such a large-scale escort be deployed for just that one reason? Should such a massive project involving Middle Temple, Ruin Guild, and even Wintershield be undertaken?

From Holy City’s perspective, what they’d gain was uncertain compared to the resources invested.

That was why some within Middle Temple had begun to harbor doubts.

“The Protagonist.”

Arwen leaned forward and asked cautiously.

“May I ask what the real purpose of the Great Migration of Vilopozy is?”

A moment of silence passed.

Tick, tick-.

The sound of a second hand.

How much time passed like that?

I gave Arwen an honest answer.

“The Worshippers of Evil Gods are preparing a total offensive targeting Wintershield.”

“…!”

Instantly, Arwen’s eyes widened. His hand reaching for tea froze in midair. The teacup trembled slightly.

“Therefore, I plan to relocate the Dwarves there first, then install a defense system to prepare for the attack. The same one from Vilopozy.”

The Battle of Wintershield.

The most important scenario in the middle part of Roel.

By now, the Worshippers of Evil Gods and Atalaxia would be joining hands.

Not stopping there, a third faction that would soon reveal itself would join forces to refine their plans.

I was trying to build defense systems faster than ever before to prepare for this.

“Wh-what do you mean.”

Arwen muttered with a shocked expression.

“Why didn’t you announce this fact at the meeting? If the Worshippers of Evil Gods are plotting a total offensive against Wintershield, you should inform everyone and devise countermeasures….”

“Don’t tell me.”

I interrupted him with a calm voice.

“You’ve already forgotten the conversation we had during the last assembly?”

“….”

Hesitation-.

Arwen paused briefly.

Then he made an expression as if recalling the meeting from the last assembly.

─The truth behind the events that will unfold. The depth of despair we must face. There are few who can maintain their composure to the very end after accepting all these truths.

─….

─My role is to prevent confusion and despair from unnecessary information in advance, while simultaneously allowing each person to focus entirely on their own role. That is my duty. It’s also why the Great Ones chose me as their representative.

A superficial reason I gave to calm Jeungmu.

But….

In the end, the core reason I control information was as follows.

─Can everyone here confidently say they could refuse the temptation of the Evil Gods even when their survival is at stake, or when the lives of those more precious than themselves are in danger?

No matter how devout a priest might be, they couldn’t escape the temptation of the Evil Gods.

Naturally, Sword Masters were no exception either.

“Remember this, Arwen.”

“….”

I concluded with a voice full of conviction.

“The conversation we had today must never be leaked to the outside.”

Especially not when the spy who changes randomly each cycle… that is, the traitor within Middle Temple, has yet to be identified.

* * *

At the same time.

Hodupayi muttered with a bewildered expression.

“You’re saying a gathering order has been issued to all heretics scattered across the continent?”

“Yep!”

Dorico Shiro nodded cheerfully in response.

Hodupayi’s complexion grew even paler.

“And you’re saying I have to participate in that assembly?”

“Yep!”

“Why? I’m not even a heretic….”

“Oh, what are you talking about!”

Dorico Shiro laughed brightly and waved her hand.

“Someone like you is an honorary heretic! An enemy of Middle Temple! A Class 1 elimination target! You’ve even completed the vessel for The Second Apostle! You should feel honored to be invited to this assembly!”

“N-no… I don’t particularly want to enjoy such honor….”

“What?”

“I’d rather just stay here quietly and do research. Assemblies and all that are bothersome….”

“Stop talking nonsense and hurry up and follow me. The First Apostle said she’ll tear you apart if you don’t come this time.”

“….”

Thud-.

A cold silence fell.

Dorico Shiro added one final remark as if driving in a nail.

“If you want to greet the Western Branch Head in the afterlife, feel free to skip it.”

“….”

Hodupayi’s eyes instantly welled up with tears.

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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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