Sword Master With One Strike Kill - Chapter 279

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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 279

Episode 279. Ravenhil (6)

Silence flowed.

The twin siblings knelt with their heads deeply bowed, staring only at the ground.

The Boy in White Robe and the Girl in Black Robe. Both children’s expressions were mixed with dejection and despair.

The swordsmanship they had honed for hundreds of years at Ravenhil. The skills they had built up daily to take revenge on the Golem Knight.

All of it had crumbled in just a few seconds.

Shring-.

Gaon slowly sheathed his sword and stepped back.

Only the sound of the Feather Sword entering its scabbard broke the silence.

No emotion appeared on his face. As if he had merely confirmed an expected result.

‘This is…’

Through her slightly parted lips, Adelia’s lips trembled.

The Sword Masters of the Divided Soul were strong.

At least among the Heretics she had met so far, they were the most intimidating and possessed the sharpest aura.

Their method of attacking simultaneously with two bodies was threatening, and their ability to instantly teleport swords through Day and Night was both eerie and deadly.

Yes.

They were certainly not easy opponents.

And yet…

‘…The Protagonist completely overwhelmed those Diviners.’

As if playing with children.

Gaon had perfectly toyed with them without giving his opponents even a hint of initiative.

He had easily blocked the Diviners’ attacks using Avatars, deflected the enemy’s swords, and then displayed various other abilities to render the Diviners completely helpless.

However.

What truly shocked Adelia was not the various abilities Gaon had displayed.

─Don’t resent me, Diviner. This is what you wanted.

As soon as those words ended, the swordsmanship Gaon displayed.

That was what shocked Adelia.

‘…I could see it clearly.’

Until now, the mysteries of the one-strike kill that Gaon showed when executing enemies were always difficult for Adelia’s eyes to follow.

The moment the sword moved, the result was already there.

The process was invisible, leaving only the sight of the enemy falling.

She couldn’t grasp what trajectory the sword followed, at what moment the blade was thrust, nothing at all.

Everything just whooshed past.

Faster than light. Faster than thought.

But.

‘This time was different.’

The moment the Diviner swung their sword.

Gaon’s blade pierced through that gap.

It cleverly slipped through the opponent’s defense line to shake their center, and without missing the instant their stance crumbled, delivered the decisive blow.

Each movement was clear.

The intention was visible, the trajectory was visible, and the timing was visible.

‘But…’

Adelia’s hands trembled.

‘…I don’t even dare to try copying it.’

Because she could see it, it was all the more despairing.

She could painfully realize just how different a realm that swordsmanship existed in, how incredible it was.

The minute gap between acute and obtuse angles. The fleeting moment when sword pressure weakened. The disruption of balance as weight shifted to one side.

Gaon read, calculated, and perfectly pierced through all of it.

And that, in just 0.1 seconds.

“…”

Battles between Sword Masters are decided in an instant.

The unit of seconds was like an eternity to them.

Within that brief moment, dozens of psychological battles flashed by, and a single mistake led to defeat.

And.

Gaon had shown an unbridgeable gap within that 0.1 seconds.

‘…The Diviner must have felt it too.’

That no matter how much effort, no matter how much time was spent, it was a realm that could never be reached.

Yes.

That was not a wall but an abyss.

Not something that could be climbed, but an absolute difference that could only be gazed upon.

Therefore.

The Diviner had obediently acknowledged defeat.

‘In other words…’

Various complex emotions flashed through Adelia’s gaze.

Clench-.

She clenched her fist so hard that tendons bulged on her forearm.

‘…It means one must reach that level of realm to make the Diviner submit.’

Her breath caught short.

Indeed.

Could she rise to that level and break the Diviner?

* * *

“It’s already been two days.”

Yakov, the Captain muttered quietly while looking at the dim forest entrance.

The campfire crackled as it burned. Around the flickering crimson flames, members of the Relic Investigation Team sat gathered in small groups.

Gaon, Pheahn, and Adelia. It had been two days since those three had entered deep into Ravenhil to find the Diviner.

The forest was still filled with silence, with only the occasional echoing cries of crows.

“…”

Pshhhhhh-.

Steam leaked from Jeungmu’s body.

Jeungmu stood facing the forest with his back to the campfire.

Though the eyes visible through his monocle were calm, the rougher steam sounds than usual fully represented his complex inner state.

Jeungmu, who had been silently gazing at the forest, muttered in a low voice.

“Going to and from the peak of Ravenhil shouldn’t take two whole days…”

“Hmm.”

Yakov, the Captain turned his head toward Jeungmu. After gauging the mood for a moment, he carefully offered a response.

“Meister Zengmu, are you perhaps worried that your companions might have encountered danger at Ravenhil?”

“…”

“If that’s the case, you don’t need to worry too much.”

Yakov, the Captain’s voice carried conviction.

“Even our Investigation Team’s veterans can reach the Upper Layers without problems. So with two Sword Masters together, there should be no difficulty reaching the summit…”

“Captain.”

Jeungmu interrupted Yakov, the Captain’s words.

“I’m not worried about them being harmed at Ravenhil.”

“…What?”

“The Protagonist is overwhelmingly strong among the Sword Masters. And Pean’s skills need no explanation either.”

“….”

“Moreover, Adelia von Goldhart who accompanies them possesses the most outstanding talent among the geniuses I’ve seen recently. So something like Ravenhil’s forest couldn’t possibly take their lives.”

Yakov, the Captain tilted his head.

“Then what are you so worried about?”

“….”

Crackle, crackle-.

Silence flowed.

Only the sound of the campfire burning wood could be heard intermittently.

Jeungmu stared into the darkness wordlessly for a long while before opening his mouth.

“What I’m worried about is Balhwan.”

“….”

“I’m concerned because I know he won’t come out cooperatively.”

And.

Muwolcha, who was sitting in front of the campfire, fell into thought while listening to that story.

‘I am worried though.’

The past two days.

Many things had happened to Muwolcha as well.

At first, everyone was wary of her. It was because of her suspicious appearance with a silver jelly covering her head.

It was only thanks to the fact that she was the officially recognized “Second Hero” by Middle Temple and her guaranteed identity as a monk from the Haslpart Highlands.

If it weren’t for that, no one would have spoken to her.

Of course.

‘…The Koshat Siblings recognized Mukyoo and approached me.’

─Myumyup.

The moment Mukyoo babbled toward the Koshat Siblings, the siblings let out cheers of joy.

That became the catalyst for opening up conversations like this.

As the three naturally chatted together, other members also approached one by one out of curiosity.

Like that.

Muwolcha was able to become friends with the veteran members of the Relic Exploration Society.

‘At least my social work experience paid off.’

She was fundamentally excellent at communication.

She had conversation skills learned from dealing with countless people at the company.

And that wasn’t all?

Muwolcha was a Veteran Gamer ranked 3rd.

‘I already know all the tendencies and personalities of the Relic Exploration Society veterans, who are a major Outer Citadel force.’

She had countless conversations in the game, raised favorability, and completed quests.

Muwolcha continued conversations based on that knowledge.

She gave advice on worries and offered counsel.

She grasped each member’s characteristics and appropriately said what they wanted to hear.

Then.

Respectful gazes followed, and everyone began listening intently to her every word.

Before she knew it, Muwolcha had become the center of the Relic Exploration Society’s camp.

“Oh, monk?”

A voice suddenly reached her.

One of the members sitting beside her looked at her.

“Do you perhaps have some worries?”

“…Ah, no.”

Muwolcha gently smiled with her eyes and shook her head.

“I just had something to think about for a moment.”

“Ah, I see.”

The member nodded and withdrew, and Muwolcha, who had been watching his retreating figure for a moment, let out a small sigh inwardly.

‘…I don’t even have time to space out.’

Now even just sitting quietly would have someone approach and talk to her.

Because she had become the center of conversation, people’s gazes constantly turned toward her.

But.

Actually, she was worried about Ppakgyu… no, Gaon, and couldn’t think about anything else.

As Jeungmu and Yakov, the Captain had mentioned earlier, the Sword Master of the Divided Soul had a very picky personality.

‘Of course Ppakgyu is strong too.’

With Adelia and Pean together as well, there probably wouldn’t be any major crisis.

But.

‘…What if the situation gets twisted by any chance?’

Muwolcha was just anxious about this situation itself.

Although she didn’t show it to Gaon, she thought the current situation had too many risk factors.

Wasn’t exploring the Ruins of Rashutku at this point too early a choice to begin with?

There was plenty of potential for the situation to go wrong.

‘Moreover….’

She didn’t understand why they brought Adelia to meet Balhwan.

Would bringing together an enemy and an avenger in one place really be a good choice?

“Huh? Over there!”

“…?”

Whoosh-!

It was right then.

Someone pointed toward the forest entrance and shouted.

“They’re back!”

“…?”

“…?”

Swish-.

Everyone in the camp turned their heads in unison.

A human figure was visible between the dim forest.

It was Pean. He was slowly walking out of Ravenhil with a relaxed smile.

Behind him was Adelia von Goldhart. She had a complicated expression, but fortunately didn’t seem to be injured anywhere.

And.

Gaon.

He looked exactly the same as when he first entered Ravenhil.

The sight of him walking with a calm expression, Feather Sword at his waist.

‘Thank goodness….’

Just as Muwolcha was about to let out a sigh of relief.

“…Huh?”

A questioning sound involuntarily escaped her lips.

Thud, thud-.

Following them, a White-Robed Boy and a Girl in Black Robe appeared.

The Twelve Sword Masters.

Their appearance was completely identical to what she’d seen beyond the monitor.

They had always shown only arrogant and haughty behavior in the game.

Always lifting their chins, looking down at others, and maintaining indifferent and cold attitudes.

But now.

‘No, what the….’

Their shoulders were drooping.

Their heads were also deeply bowed, looking completely dejected.

The siblings were walking toward the campsite with dazed expressions, trudging along like people who had lost their souls.

‘…Why do those guys suddenly look so dejected?’

Muwolcha couldn’t help but be confused.

Even she, who had played Roel 200 times, had never seen the Diviner looking like this.

* * *

“Why!!”

Baekryong.

No, Zahhar, who had now become Cockatrice’s Tail, shouted with a voice filled with indignation.

“Why do I have to follow along to get chimera corpses!! Why on earth!!”

Phew-.

Hodupayi sighed as if frustrated and answered.

“I told you before. Having someone who’s quick-witted and good at calculations makes it much easier to estimate the chimera’s value, you know?”

“That’s exactly it! Why are you making me do what you’ve been doing all this time…”

“If you cooperate well, I’ll turn you back into a dragon, okay? Are you going to live as Cockatrice’s Tail for the rest of your life?”

“…”

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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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