Sword Master With One Strike Kill - Chapter 30

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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 30

Episode 30. Earth Dragon Subjugation (7)

“….”

The moment I saw the adventurers, I couldn’t help but furrow my brow.

The sinister gazes directed at me were far too blatant.

Eyes filled with a mixture of killing intent, jealousy, and greed toward those who had achieved what they couldn’t.

Their intentions were obvious.

…They clearly intended to kill me and steal the credit for defeating the Earth Dragon.

〔MP : 1/1〕

I reflexively checked my MP window.

Thanks to conserving 【Soul of the Sword Master】 during the standoff with the Tyrant Dragon, I still had one chance left.

But that didn’t mean I could feel completely at ease.

Because….

‘…Up until now, I’ve only used this skill on single targets.’

Barbarian the Slayer of Men.

Peterpan, the kidnapper from Dawnguard.

And even the Celestial Dragon.

Like this, all the opponents I had dealt with using my skill so far were single targets.

‘Then.’

Could I really handle all of them at once with 【Soul of the Sword Master】?

And within 0.01 seconds at that?

I didn’t know.

Since it was an unprecedented skill, even I couldn’t give a definitive answer.

‘If I fail to kill them all….’

Swish-.

I glanced to the side.

Adelia was fast asleep, recovering from her injuries and absorbing the mandrake’s energy.

Having blocked the Sword Master of the Raging Dragon’s strike, 【Ultimate Auto-Parrying】 still had a long cooldown remaining.

‘…I’ll have to deal with the rest using only my swordsmanship talent.’

【Lv. 70】

【Lv. 56】

【Lv. 58】

【Lv. 21】

Coldly speaking, it was impossible for someone like me at level 2 to survive against them.

No matter how much of an “irregular” I was who transcended level limitations, there were still limits.

‘Still….’

Shing-!

I picked up the feather sword that had fallen to the ground.

…If I couldn’t overcome obstacles of this degree, I wouldn’t have achieved such overwhelming rankings in the first place.

* * *

Three years.

That was the time Kain, the ponytailed swordsman, had devoted to subjugating the Earth Dragon.

He had explored Labyrinth Village for a long time with skilled party members.

‘At first, I just rushed in looking at the massive commission fee….’

As time passed, this turned into an obsession with the Earth Dragon.

Those three years felt too precious to waste.

Was it due to compensation psychology? His stubbornness about absolutely having to subjugate the Earth Dragon only grew deeper.

“Huh?”

Then one day, something strange happened.

While exploring the lower layers of Labyrinth Village as usual.

The guide began tilting his head as if something was odd.

“Why did the tremors stop? The ground should definitely be shaking once around now….”

The Earth Dragon’s tremors had stopped.

This meant that the structure of Labyrinth Village wouldn’t change.

“…Quickly! Use this opportunity to find the door leading to the deepest layer!”

A once-in-a-lifetime chance.

The party used all their strength to search for the deepest layer.

“Found it!”

They finally arrived at the deepest layer of Labyrinth Village they had so desperately sought, but….

“…Huh?”

The Earth Dragon was already dead.

And by the hands of other adventurers at that.

‘Those bastards are….’

Kain furrowed his brow.

He was trying to get a good look at the faces of those who had killed the Earth Dragon.

But what was this?

The opponent was that coward he had encountered in the upper layers a few days ago.

─Thanks for the advice. I’ll end this adventuring game here. Well then, we’ll be heading back now.

“…Ha.”

A bitter laugh escaped without him realizing it.

He felt like his blood was boiling backwards.

“How did you find the deepest layer?”

He was genuinely curious.

The path he couldn’t find despite wandering for three years, they had found on their first attempt.

What method could they have possibly used?

Then The Cowardly One chuckled and answered.

“None of your business.”

“…Arrogant bastard.”

Kain drew his sword.

The other party members followed suit, preparing for battle one by one.

Seeing this, The Cowardly One frowned.

“What are you scheming.”

“Isn’t it obvious.”

Kain growled.

He couldn’t let three years of blood and sweat go to waste.

To prevent that, he had to eliminate those bastards who had ‘stolen’ his achievement.

“I’ll kill you and take ownership of the Earth Dragon.”

“….”

In that moment, The Cowardly One’s eyes turned coldly calm.

Shing─!

He gripped his sword. With a chillingly expressionless face.

Flinch-.

Cain, who witnessed this sight, instinctively stepped back, but soon let out a sneer.

“…Ha.”p>

Because the way that bastard held his sword was so clumsy it was painful to watch.

‘What a fucking idiot. He reeks of being a complete amateur.’

Cain’s eyes swept around the surroundings.

Was it because of the battle with Tolong? The female swordsman had collapsed unconscious.

Her armor was dented and she was covered in dark red blood.

Seeing how she didn’t budge despite the commotion, it seemed she wouldn’t wake up anytime soon. Or maybe she was already dead.

‘Either way, it’s good news.’

It meant the only enemy he had to face was that coward.

With this newfound confidence, Cain began toying with his opponent.

“You’re going to face four of us alone?”

“….”

“For a coward, you’re overflowing with courage? Or did a few days of playing adventurer suit your taste?”

As Cain giggled, his other party members began bursting into mocking laughter as well.

A young master who came to Labyrinth Village with skilled escorts for the sake of playing adventurer.

An idiot who luckily discovered the Deepest Layer and defeated Tolong, but ended up getting the escorts he brought killed.

Right.

In Cain’s eyes, that man could only be seen as such an existence.

“Hey, boss.”

Just then, a comrade called out from behind.

It was the Guide who had been working together with Cain for three years.

“Don’t you want to see this bastard cry and whimper?”

Click-.

The Guide said this while loading a bolt into his crossbow.

“Let’s just put one shot in his knee first. I’m curious how much he’ll whine.”

“Oh?”

Upon hearing those words, a cruel smile spread across Cain’s lips.

“That sounds interesting. Do it.”

“…Kekeke, alright.”

Creak-!

The Guide aimed at his target with a disgusting smile.

He was the weakest member of the party.

That’s why for the past three years, he had lived by appeasing his comrades.

Playing the jester by entertaining his comrades like this was his role.

“You bastard who doesn’t know your place! I’ll cripple your legs! I’ll make sure you can never even dream of playing adventurer for the rest of your….”

KWAAAAAAANG──!

That was the moment.

With a noise like the sky was collapsing, his vision was instantly dyed golden.

Dust began swirling in all directions along with fierce winds that felt like a storm was raging.

“Wh-what!”

At this far too sudden situation, the Guide frantically looked around.

Thud-.

It was right at that moment when something touched his feet.

“…?”

At first, he didn’t know what it was.

Because the thick dust cloud blocked his vision.

‘Ah.’

But a few seconds later.

When the dust settled and the objects rolling on the ground finally came into view….

The Guide felt his mind go completely blank.

‘Fuck.’

…The cleanly severed upper bodies of his three comrades were rolling around on the ground.

“….”

Swoosh-.

The Guide looked straight ahead with endlessly trembling eyes.

The man holding swords in both hands while staring directly at him.

His appearance, which had seemed utterly ridiculous just moments ago… now looked like nothing but a monster.

* * *

Whoooosh-!

The Feather Sword radiated intense heat.

The energy from the intensely heated blade reached even the two hands gripping the handle.

The next moment, as the corpses that had lost their upper bodies fell one by one, dust rose with squelching sounds.

“Y-you monster bastard….”

The Guide staggered backward.

His eyes were filled with indescribable fear and confusion.

Watching that sight, I let out a sigh of relief inwardly.

‘…I succeeded.’

Sword energy.

With a single sword strike, I had annihilated multiple enemies in one blow.

Just like when Adelia swept away the pack of Scavenger Wolves.

‘I can’t believe this actually worked.’

That day, the arc drawn by Adelia’s sword. Even the trajectory of the swordsmanship that cut down dozens of wolves in a single stroke.

Recalling that scene, I simultaneously cast 【Ritardando】 and 【Soul of the Sword Master】.

The sharply swung sword energy took three lives in an instant.

Cleanly and certainly, just like when I bisected the Celestial Dragon.

‘Of course….’

There was still one more opponent remaining.

【Lv. 21】

…Namely, that Guide trembling in fear.

“Didn’t you say you’d cripple my legs?”

Step-.

I took one step forward.

That footstep echoed hollowly through the Deepest Layer.

“My knees are still perfectly fine though.”

Tremble-.

The Guide’s hands holding the crossbow shook like aspen leaves.

The shock of witnessing his comrades brutally die in the blink of an eye must have been great.

“When exactly do you plan to make good on the nonsense you spouted?”

“Eeeek!”

The Guide’s eyes rolled back.

“You bastard! Die…!”

The guy charged at me in a desperate, all-or-nothing rush.

His completely twisted face clearly showed he had given up on everything.

Since his opponent could use sword energy, he probably thought there was no point in running away.

Swoosh, whooo-.

I took a deep breath and corrected my stance.

‘Finally, my first real combat.’

The reason why only the Guide was left alive?

It was nothing special.

I had simply deliberately avoided him when I unleashed my sword energy.

Because….

─I think I can handle that level of attack now… If I get the chance later, I should try fighting a goblin for practice.

…There was no better living practice dummy than this guy for gaining real combat experience.

‘Here it is, a living, breathing goblin.’

Of course, he was about 10 levels higher than dungeon goblins, but even so, he was still in the low-level range.

I could definitely handle an opponent of that caliber.

This wasn’t baseless confidence. The 180 million points of talent I had invested were telling me so.

“Hyaaaah!”

Whoooosh-!

The guy pulled out a hand axe from his chest and charged forward with a battle cry.

The sound of the axe blade cutting through the air.

Instinctively, the movements I needed to take began to surface.

I stepped back one pace as my body guided me. Then, following my senses, I slowly swung my sword.

Claaang─!

Sparks flew with a clear metallic sound.

The axe swung with full force was pathetically deflected by my lightly thrust sword.

It was just a glancing collision.

Yet the axe’s trajectory began to bend bizarrely, as if defying the laws of physics.

“…Huh?”

The Guide let out a confused sound.

His center of gravity collapsed instantly along with his hand axe.

Meanwhile, my sword maintained its original stance as if nothing had happened.

“Your skills are utterly pathetic.”

That was the last thing I would say to him.

Crack-!

A chilling sound of flesh tearing echoed in my ears. And a fishy sensation covered both my hands.

The Guide, who couldn’t even qualify as a third-rate villain, died just like that.

“….”

Drip, droop-.

I silently lowered my gaze.

The pure white feather sword was now stained with dark red liquid.

The sensation of cutting through skin and muscle before touching bone at the sword’s tip… remained vividly in both my hands.

It was the first unpleasant sensation I had felt since falling into this world.

Well, when I used 【Soul of the Sword Master】, everything passed by in an instant, so I didn’t even have time to perceive it.

Ding-!

〔Agility has increased slightly. (1→2)〕

〔Senses have increased significantly. (1→5)〕

〔Level has increased. (2→3)〕

…Of course, with the following message, that unpleasant feeling completely disappeared.

‘Level up.’

My Agility and Senses stats had increased significantly.

Was it because I fought this battle without using skills, relying purely on my swordsmanship talent?

Lost Elder’s system had acknowledged my achievement.

‘That makes sense.’

The moment I gripped my sword, everything became clearly visible to my eyes.

The weapon’s trajectory.

The point where force was concentrated.

And even the gaps where I could break my opponent’s balance.

My sword demonstrated the most ideal movement based on that perfect reading.

Through this, I defeated an opponent whose stats were easily several times higher than mine.

Overcoming the limits of my pathetically low Strength and Agility with pure technique alone.

‘…This is beyond my imagination.’

The power of my swordsmanship talent was far more tremendous than I had thought.

So much so that my previously pathetic stats seemed meaningless.

‘Most importantly….’

The Heart of the Toryong.

If I obtained that, my growth would accelerate even further.

Of course, to maximize the item’s effects, I would need to go through the next stage.

‘Well, I can take that step by step.’

Thud-.

I sat down on the ground.

Was it because I had overworked this pathetic body? A heavy fatigue washed over me.

After catching my breath a little, I should quickly escape Labyrinth Village. This dungeon was starting to feel suffocatingly cramped.

‘First, Adelia needs to wake up before I can do anything….’

Grumble-.

“….”

This won’t do.

Let me get up now.

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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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