Sword Master With One Strike Kill - Chapter 286

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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 286

Episode 286. Ruins of Rashutku (5)

Dorico Shiro crossed her arms and fell into thought.

‘This is an important time.’

Just thinking about the tasks piled up before her eyes, there were more than one or two.

‘And that must be the same for the Golem Knight.’

He, who received the thick trust of the Outer Gods, must be handling an equally busy schedule.

If anything, it would be busier than hers, not less.

But…

‘…He wants to meet without even telling me what it’s about?’

Dorico Shiro’s eyes narrowed.

It was strange.

No, it was more than just strange.

When the first contact came, she thought it was natural.

She thought there must be urgent business, or perhaps important information to convey.

But when she actually asked about the matter, the Golem Knight didn’t answer. He just kept repeating that they should meet and talk in person.

“The Golem Knight isn’t usually like that. He’s never once met privately with other members of the Five Nightmares.”

Swoosh—.

Dorico Shiro’s gaze turned to the distant air.

It was a look that recalled the past.

“In the first place, whenever he called meetings, he always clearly stated the reason. What agenda would be discussed, why we needed to gather, he told us everything.”

“…”

“That was his way. Efficient, clear, and he hated wasting unnecessary time.”

Hodupayi said nothing.

He just quietly listened to Dorico Shiro’s words.

“Besides, we just saw each other at the gathering a few days ago, didn’t we?”

That’s right.

Recently, Worshippers of Foreign Deities scattered across the continent had gathered in one place in Atalaxia.

The Golem Knight was there, and Dorico Shiro herself had also attended.

“If he had something to say, he could have said it there. There was plenty of time even after the gathering ended. He could have called me aside to talk.”

“…”

“But he didn’t say anything then, and now he suddenly wants to meet…”

Dorico Shiro’s eyes gleamed sharply.

“It means something new happened in those few days.”

“…”

Hodupayi looked at Dorico Shiro silently.

Honestly, he was a bit dumbfounded.

‘Why is she acting so sensitive?’

Thinking of the usual Dorico Shiro, it was just absurd.

After all, wasn’t she someone with a careless, sloppy personality?

But now she was suspecting every single action of the Golem Knight like a paranoid patient.

“Um…”

Having finished that thought, Hodupayi asked back.

“When a colleague asks to meet, shouldn’t you just think there must be a reason?”

“Huh?”

“But why are you being so suspicious?”

At least in Hodupayi’s opinion, the relationship among the Five Nightmares seemed harmonious.

Even during the gathering, he didn’t feel any signs of wariness or rivalry toward each other.

But Dorico Shiro’s reaction now?

For some reason, she was being sharp as if dealing with hostile forces.

“Hah.”

Hearing that question, Dorico Shiro let out a deep sigh.

“You don’t know because you haven’t experienced it.”

“…?”

“I don’t know about other things, but I really have good instincts. And this time feels particularly fishy.”

Dorico Shiro’s eyes sank seriously.

It was an expression that suggested she had an ominous premonition.

Hodupayi didn’t say anything more. It seemed pointless to speak anyway.

Just as silence was flowing.

“Ah, shit.”

Pause—.

Dorico Shiro frowned as if she had realized something.

“Don’t tell me that bastard is also trying to confess to me like Batu?”

“…Excuse me?”

No.

What did she just say?

Confess? The Golem Knight? To Dorico Shiro?

“Hmm, there doesn’t seem to be any other reason besides this? Maybe he couldn’t find the right timing to be alone during the gathering?”

“No, what is this flow of conversation…”

“Think about it. Originally, when a man likes a woman, he treats her like a daughter. But the Golem Knight particularly treated me like a daughter. Every time I made mistakes, he didn’t scold me and just quietly cleaned up after me, and he never assigned me dangerous or complicated missions.”

“…Isn’t that just because you’re careless?”

“No. He liked me. And for quite a long time too.”

“…”

“But why is he trying to confess now of all times? Ah, is it because I’ve been hanging around with other men like Gaon and you, Hodupayi, lately? Maybe he felt threatened?”

Hodupayi couldn’t continue speaking. That delusional patient was only saying what she wanted to say.

“Hey, but why are you looking at me like I’m a delusional patient? Don’t just keep your mouth shut and give me an answer.”

“What? Ah, well…”

“Don’t you think my argument makes some sense? Honestly, I’m pretty cute. If he’s been around me for hundreds of years, it’s natural he’d fall for me. Right?”

“Sorry, but I can’t feel beauty from living beings unless they’re chimeras with multiple body parts.”

“…Ah, right. You’re also a psychopath.”

This time it was Dorico Shiro’s turn to give up on the conversation.

“This won’t do.”

After pondering for a while, Dorico Shiro covered her face with both hands.

“I felt this with Batu too, but I hate receiving confession attacks.”

“…”

“If the atmosphere gets weird, work becomes difficult, we start being conscious of each other, and then the organization itself might shake.”

Having finished that thought, Dorico Shiro suddenly stood up. Her expression was already hardened with determination.

“I should consult with Sister Corel about this.”

In this situation, the only woman who could listen to her concerns was the Tentacle Woman.

Thud, thud—.

Soon Dorico Shiro began walking toward somewhere.

Watching her retreating figure, Hodupayi let out a deep sigh and slowly shook his head.

“Phew…”

Looking down at his feet, he saw Zahhar, the Cockatrice’s Tail, gagged.

He too was looking at Dorico Shiro with an expression of disbelief.

* * *

I silently looked around my surroundings.

‘It’s exactly the same as what I saw in the game.’

A dimly lit space. The ceiling was not visible. Instead, massive tree roots from Ravenhil stretched down from above like tentacles.

Drip, drip-.

Red energy flowed along the roots. The vivid red light, bright as blood, was the only source of illumination in this underground ruin.

In front of us, illuminated by that faint light…

‘…Spires.’

Pointed spires were scattered about, their tops poking through the mist like islands floating on the sea.

Among them, the tallest was undoubtedly the spire we had descended from.

The only tower that reached all the way to the ceiling. The spiral staircase had penetrated through its interior, leading us to this place.

Suspension bridges made of old wooden planks and rope connected spire to spire. The bridges were tangled together like spider webs, filling the air with their complex network.

“…”

Swoosh-.

I looked down beneath the suspension bridge.

White, hazy mist completely covered the area below, making it impossible to see what lay beyond.

I couldn’t even gauge how deep it was.

“This is…”

Just then.

Markus Koshate broke the silence.

“These are the spires of the Imperial Palace.”

He had already visited the Rashutku Ruins before. Though they had become ruins, he seemed to remember their structure.

“The layout matches what I saw at the ruins. A concentric structure spreading outward from the center…”

Markus paused for a moment. His gaze turned downward. Staring at the mist-covered depths below, he carefully spoke.

“If that’s the case, we’re currently in the upper district, and to explore the entire empire, we’ll need to slowly descend from here to the lower levels.”

Markus’s gaze turned toward me.

His expression showed he wanted confirmation of his hypothesis.

“That makes sense.”

Instead of declaring that I knew everything, I supported his argument. Of course, Markus Koshate’s claim was accurate.

The parallel world we had explored in the past, the “Rashutku Ruins,” had a structure where you gradually entered the Imperial Palace from the main entrance.

But this time, the order was reversed.

‘Since the entire empire was buried underground beneath Ravenhil.’

We had to start from the Imperial Palace spires, pass through the interior of the palace, arrive at the village, and finally exit through the main gate.

Having finished that thought, I took the lead and walked toward the suspension bridge.

Creak-.

The wooden plank creaked as I stepped on it.

Of course, there was no need to worry. Though it looked old on the surface, it retained enough strength to bear our weight.

The rest of the party followed behind me in a line.

Pean, Jeungmu, Adelia, Balhwan. And even the Expedition Members.

‘There are dozens of spires.’

I muttered to myself while looking around.

Actually, no matter which spire you entered, they all connected to the interior of the Imperial Palace. You would end up reaching the same place eventually.

However.

‘If we want to start from a place that can accommodate about thirty people long-term and is relatively safe…’

There was only one spire we needed to find.

I walked toward that place without hesitation.

Creak, creak-.

I crossed the suspension bridge and passed the first spire. I crossed the second bridge and stood before the third spire.

During this time, no questions came from behind me.

‘In the past, someone would have definitely said something.’

Where are we going, why did you choose that spire, what’s the plan?

Such questions would have poured out.

But now it was different.

Everyone was quietly following behind me. They seemed to assume I naturally had a plan and thoughts.

‘It is convenient, I suppose.’

After proving my abilities, I no longer needed to explain the reasons for my actions one by one.

Of course.

“…!”

As always, there was an exception.

The moment he saw the spire I had chosen, Muwolcha’s eyes widened.

Like a veteran gamer, he seemed to immediately understand what I was trying to do.

Ding, ding, ding-!

[Muwolcha] : (˃̵͈᷄⌓˂̵͈᷅)

[Muwolcha] : (ʘᗩʘ)!

[Muwolcha] : (˃̵͈᷄⌓˂̵͈᷅)

[Muwolcha] : (ʘᗩʘ)!

Messages flew at me like crazy.

The way he spammed emoticons reminded me exactly of Strawberry Latte from the past.

‘Well, it’s not unreasonable for him to react like that.’

Depending on which spire you entered, the Quest you had to perform within the Imperial Palace would change.

And the spire I had just chosen…

Was one of the places Muwolcha hated most in Roel.

* * *

Creak-.

I opened the door and entered the interior of the spire.

It was a spacious room.

A space that was presumably an office of the Imperial Palace. But all the furniture had rotted away, and there were cracks in the walls.

And.

“That is…”

Yakov, the Captain pointed to one side of the wall.

There hung a stone tablet. It was a notice densely carved with something in ancient script.

“Markus, could you interpret this for us?”

“Yes.”

Markus Koshate approached the stone tablet.

He stared at the text for a long while, then slowly opened his mouth.

“It says ‘Imperial Palace Residence Rules.'”

“Rules?”

“Yes. Rules that must be followed while staying in this place…”

Markus’s voice trembled slightly.

He swallowed hard, then began to read the contents written on the stone tablet one by one.

[1. Do not speak when walking through the corridors of the Imperial Palace. Your voice may awaken other things.]

[2. After 10 PM, no more than 5 people should stay in one room. If 6 or more people gather, one of them is not someone you know. You will never be able to tell who it is.]

[3. If you see a child in white clothes in the corridor, look away and pass by quickly. If that child looks at you first, do not look back, enter the nearest room and lock the door.]

[4. Lock all doors when it becomes 10 PM. Even if you hear knocking sounds, you must never open them. Even if it’s the voice of someone you know.]

[5. You must eat meals only at noon or midnight. Even if you get hungry at other times, endure it without eating anything for 12 hours.]

[6. Never look at mirrors. If you unavoidably see a mirror, check your expression in the mirror. If you are smiling, commit suicide within 1 hour. That is the least painful choice.]

[7. The curse of the Evil Deities has eroded the Imperial Palace. To purify your mind, look out the window every 3 hours. Without fail.]

[8. When going up or down stairs, you must hold the handrail. All staircases in the Imperial Palace are unified to 12 steps. If you see a 13th step, close your eyes and walk backwards down, then count from the beginning again.]

[9. Never go down to the basement. If you discover the basement door is open, immediately leave that corridor.]

[10. If someone calls your name at night, only respond after the third call. The first two times are not looking for you.]

[11. You must only relieve yourself in the restroom at the end of each floor’s corridor. If you excrete in other places, ‘they’ will track your traces.]

[12. Sometimes you may discover corpses of acquaintances in the restroom. Don’t panic, quietly exit and re-enter after 10 minutes. However, if you encounter your own corpse, enter after 1 hour.]

[13. If you violate even a single rule among the above, Rashutku cannot protect you.]

Right then.

“Huh? Wait a moment.”

Markus, who had been reading through the stone tablet, muttered in a trembling voice.

“At the end… there’s one more line.”

“…?”

“Rule number 7 does not exist in these regulations.”

Markus’s voice became even thinner.

“If there is content written in that rule, absolutely do not follow it.”

“…”

“…”

Silence flowed.

Everyone stood frozen with their mouths tightly shut. Their expressions looked as if goosebumps were rising all over their bodies just from hearing the rules.

Pushhhhh—.

Steam rougher than usual leaked from Jeungmu’s body.

Even Pean was frowning and swallowing hard.

And.

Swoosh—.

I turned my gaze to the side.

‘As expected…’

The most rigid person was Muwolcha.

She was trembling in the corner.

A fact I couldn’t help but know from Muwolcha’s past review of Camillo’s corpse exhibition hall.

[Muwolcha]: Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck I quit the game at the entrance of the 2nd floor.

[Muwolcha]: Isn’t the developer a psychopath? Why do they really make stuff like that? How did this not get caught by the rating board?

[Muwolcha]: Ah really, I think I’ll see it in my dreams, save me, I really don’t think I’ll be able to sleep tonight

That’s right.

Muwolcha was an extreme coward.

‘It’s ironic that she’s such a coward despite creating that kind of karma, but…’

Of course, the reason she was trembling now wasn’t simply because she was scared.

Didn’t I say it?

That Muwolcha would play a very crucial role in this Rashutku Ruins exploration.

‘A martial artist with Mukyoo is the only class that can roam the Imperial Palace at night and clear hidden quests.’

In other words.

Muwolcha would have to wander around this eerie Imperial Palace alone every night.

…That was the reason she was trembling.

—————
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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