Sword Master With One Strike Kill - Chapter 294

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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 294

Episode 294. Creepy Creepy Rashutku (3)

Hodupayi couldn’t understand Dorico Shiro at all.

‘Why is she being so anxious about this?’

The Tentacle Woman isn’t responding to contact?

So what if that’s the case?

If someone’s busy, they might not be able to answer.

‘The claim that the Golem Knight is suspicious is just as ridiculous.’

It wasn’t even an argument with any basis.

She just said her intuition was telling her so.

‘Rather than wasting time worrying about such things…’

Swoosh-.

Hodupayi turned his gaze to look into the distance.

‘…I’d rather hurry and go procure chimera materials.’

The entrance to Ravenhil, which had grown close, came into view.

Whether the Tentacle Woman could be contacted or not. Whether the Golem Knight was suspicious or not. None of that was Hodupayi’s concern.

What was most important to Hodupayi right now?

Precisely, the First Apostle’s order to mass-produce chimeras.

Securing the military strength needed for the Wintershield assault plan.

“Phew.”

Having finished his thoughts up to that point, Hodupayi let out a sigh as if frustrated.

“So what are you going to do?”

“What?”

“I need to procure materials quickly.”

Hodupayi paused briefly before adding.

“If you’re that concerned about it, let’s split up here.”

“…”

“You handle your business, and I’ll head to Ravenhil with Zahhar.”

Pause-.

Dorico Shiro fell silent for a moment.

Her two eyes stared piercingly at Hodupayi.

“Hey, are you good at fighting?”

“…Excuse me?”

It was a sudden question.

“Last time I saw, your physical abilities seemed pretty good.”

“…”

“Seeing how you dragged Baekryong’s corpse alone without showing any signs of fatigue…”

Dorico Shiro scratched her chin and muttered.

“Ah, come to think of it, you said you did a lot of human enhancement experiments, right?”

“…”

“Then your strength itself must be considerable. Though I don’t know how long you’d last against a Golem Knight.”

Hodupayi was momentarily speechless.

Just as he was wondering what that question had to do with this situation.

Pause-.

He couldn’t help but freeze upon seeing Dorico Shiro’s changed expression.

Her usual carefree demeanor had completely disappeared.

Instead, only sharp eyes filled that space.

“Right.”

Nod-.

Soon Dorico Shiro nodded as if she had decided something.

“Let’s go to Ravenhil.”

“…?”

“We’ll go there, set up formations and techniques thoroughly to make full preparations, then subdue the Golem Knight. We can ask about his intentions after that.”

“What?”

“If we strike first, the odds seem higher on our side.”

“Ah, ah, no, wait a minute.”

At Dorico Shiro’s sudden declaration of fighting the Golem Knight, Hodupayi began to respond with a bewildered expression.

“That’s paranoid delusion!”

“…”

“At this important time, there’s no reason for the Golem Knight to harm you. Why do you keep barking up the wrong tree…”

“Shut up and follow me.”

Thud-.

An eerily chilling voice cut off Hodupayi’s words in one stroke.

“If you don’t want to die.”

“…!”

Instantly, goosebumps rose all over his body.

Dorico Shiro was glaring at him fiercely.

A face without a trace of laughter remaining.

Cold eyes from which no emotion could be read.

Even the surrounding air seemed to gradually freeze around where that gaze was directed.

‘That’s…’

It wasn’t the appearance of Dorico Shiro he usually knew.

‘…Ah.’

Belatedly, one very obvious fact came to mind.

Something he had momentarily forgotten because of her seemingly friendly and careless appearance.

Dorico Shiro was also one of the prominent figures on the continent.

This meant that standing before Hodupayi now wasn’t an innocent girl who giggled and made silly jokes.

Right.

Dorico Shiro was a powerhouse who could trample opponents at any time, and an Immortal who made Worshippers of Evil Gods throughout the continent bow their heads with just the reputation of the Five Nightmares.

“…I understand.”

Slide-.

In the end, Hodupayi immediately bowed his head and submitted to Dorico Shiro’s words.

He knew how to humble himself before the strong.

It was precisely because he thoroughly adhered to this principle that he had been able to survive until now.

Right now, there was nothing good about opposing Dorico Shiro’s words.

Of course.

‘If a fight with the Golem Knight really breaks out…’

Hodupayi thought to himself.

‘…I’ll just fight halfheartedly and then run away.’

Loyalty and trust?

Such things weren’t important at all.

For him, safety and survival were always the top priority.

“Hodupayi.”

“Yes?”

“If you’re thinking of betraying me, you’d better stop right now.”

“…!”

“Unless you give it your all, we’ll both die.”

“…”

“Please trust me. My instincts have never been wrong. Our only way to survive is to subdue the Golem Knight first.”

“Ah, understood….”

…The escape plan was canceled.

* * *

The third night had arrived.

I followed behind Muwolcha while wearing Tristan’s cloak, wandering around the Imperial Palace.

Thud, thud-.

Her footsteps carrying the lantern echoed through the quiet corridor.

“Ppakgyu… you’re by my side, right…?”

Muwolcha asked again.

This was already the fifth time.

I lightly placed my hand on Muwolcha’s shoulder.

Tap, tap-.

A signal that I was here.

“Phew.”

At this, Muwolcha let out a sigh of relief.

Her eyes visible through the silver jelly were still covered with fear.

‘But….’

I looked around and muttered to myself.

‘…Why isn’t that ghost appearing?’

It had already been an hour since we started wandering the Imperial Palace.

But I couldn’t see the ghost I was looking for, let alone any other living creature.

‘I need to have a conversation with that ghost for the Quest to progress.’

That was when it happened.

Stop-.

“Damn… that scared me.”

Muwolcha clutched her chest and stopped walking.

In the middle of the corridor.

A translucent figure was standing there blankly.

“Ppakgyu. Is that the ghost you mentioned? It looks like the one who talked to me yesterday.”

“….”

That’s right.

The starting point of the hidden Quest I was looking for.

I slightly lifted Tristan’s cloak and whispered in Muwolcha’s ear.

“Go try talking to it, sis.”

“…Me?”

Muwolcha asked back with a suspicious voice.

“Is that okay? That bastard suddenly ran away while talking to me last time.”

Well, yes.

Honestly, if I were a ghost, I probably would have run away after seeing your face too.

“Just be careful not to let the Mukyoo slip off today.”

“….”

“And you remember what I told you earlier, right? If you bring up that story first, the conversation will work this time.”

“Mmm….”

Thud, thud-.

Muwolcha approached the ghost slowly with a reluctant expression.

The ghost showed no particular reaction. It was just staring blankly at a portrait hanging in the corridor.

Ahem-.

Muwolcha cleared her throat to get the ghost’s attention.

“We meet here again.”

[…?]

The ghost slowly turned its head. Toward Muwolcha.

Suffocating silence filled the corridor.

And.

[Never seek me out again.]

“Excuse me?”

[Because of you, I suffered nightmares for the first time in a long while.]

“No, what do you mean….”

While Muwolcha was stammering.

The ghost’s form began to fade.

[Then… I’ll be going….]

“W-wait! Hey!”

Muwolcha urgently reached out her hand.

“Let’s have a conversation!”

Fade-.

But the ghost paid no attention to her words and continued to fade.

The situation clearly showed it was about to disappear.

Muwolcha shouted in an urgent voice.

“I-I’m a monk! I can help you!”

[…?]

Stop-.

The ghost’s form stopped fading.

Its lower body was half-gone, with only the upper body remaining.

It asked in a puzzled voice.

[How strange. Why would a monk who follows the will of the Evil Deities want to help us?]

“No!”

Muwolcha frantically waved her hands.

“I follow the will of The Great Ones! I really came to this Imperial Palace to help you all!”

[…?]

The ghost tilted its head as if puzzled.

[Do you think I would believe such words? Anyone can see you have the appearance of one who followed the Evil Deities across the Dimensional Rift….]

“No! Here!”

Muwolcha frantically looked around.

“Here, there’s also a heretic who follows the will of The Great Ones!”

Rustle-.

I slowly removed Tristan’s cloak.

The concealment effect was lifted and my appearance was revealed.

Nod-.

I gave a short bow toward the ghost.

The minimum courtesy toward an old resident of Rashutku.

“I am Gaon, the Thirteenth Sword Master who follows the will of the Elders.”

[….]

The ghost remained silent for a while, staring intently at me.

Though wariness and suspicion still remained thick in that gaze, it seemed it had no intention of refusing conversation.

Eventually, it continued speaking carefully while frowning.

[Hmm. Seeing you wander around at night unaffected by the Evil Deities’ curse, I guessed you might be one blessed by The Ancients.]

“….”

[However, now that I face that eerie appearance directly, I wonder if my judgment was wrong….]

“Th-there are circumstances. But please, at least believe that we are on the Elder’s side. Please.”

Muwolcha hurriedly intervened and activated a skill.

Wooong, woooooong-!

A 7-star buff, 【Blessing of the Great Ones】.

Witnessing that brilliant radiance, the ghost opened his empty eyes wide.

[This is….]

He muttered as if he couldn’t believe it.

[…truly the aura of the old things. And it’s a blessing of tremendous level at that.]

For a moment, Muwolcha’s eyes wavered slightly.

The opponent was a ghost remaining in the Rashutku Imperial Palace.

In life, he must have been a resident of the empire.

But….

From the mouth of an imperial citizen who had worshipped the Great Ones, the derogatory term ‘old things’ was flowing out without any concern.

That fact alone would give rise to many thoughts.

However, Muwolcha couldn’t continue his reasoning any further.

Swoosh-.

Because the ghost, who had glanced somewhere at the end of the corridor, muttered in a low, sunken voice.

[First, we must leave this place.]

“…?”

[Because that thing is coming.]

Keeeeeeeeeeeeek──!

At that moment.

A bizarre noise coming from somewhere.

It seemed ‘that existence’ that appeared from the third night had awakened.

[Hurry and follow me.]

Swoooosh-.

The ghost began to take the lead.

[I’ll guide you to a safe place. We can continue our conversation there.]

Phew-.

The moment I heard those words.

I was able to let out a sigh of relief inwardly.

‘The starting got a bit twisted because of Muwolcha’s appearance, but….’

In any case.

I was able to safely begin the hidden quest of the Rashutku Imperial Palace.

* * *

“Huff, gasp… kkeuk…!”

Tremble tremble tremble-.

In the dark forest of Ravenhil.

Behind a tree covered with talismans, Hodupayi was trembling like mad while covering his mouth with both hands.

He couldn’t even make breathing sounds. If caught, he would die.

Every instinct in his body was warning him so.

‘Why….’

Hodupayi’s mind went completely blank.

‘…why did I ignore that woman’s words?’

Tremble tremble tremble tremble-.

The words Dorico Shiro had said came to mind like fragments.

That Sister Corel wasn’t answering her calls.

That the Golem Knight was suspicious.

That they needed to strike first because of this.

“….”

He had ignored it all.

Mocked it all.

Dismissed it as paranoid delusions.

But….

‘…she was right about everything.’

That’s right.

The situation Dorico Shiro had feared had become reality.

“Gasp, hkeuk….”

Hodupayi squeezed his eyes shut and then carefully opened them.

Glance-.

Slightly poking his head out from behind the tree, he surveyed the surroundings.

Saaaaaaaa──.

In the darkness.

The Golem Knight was standing there.

Holding something in his hand while slowly looking around.

Sniff, huff, huffff-.

Wild, rough breathing sounds echoed through the quiet forest.

And.

When the moonlight of Ravenhil illuminated the Golem Knight’s hand….

The form of the ‘object’ he was holding became clear.

Drip, droop─.

…It was a head.

Dorico Shiro’s head was being held in the Golem Knight’s hand.

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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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