Sword Master With One Strike Kill - Chapter 48

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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 48

Episode 48. Middletemple, the Holy City (2)

* * *

The room built on Cheongyeong’s back was quite comfortable.

A space prepared for distinguished guests of Middletemple.

Intricate patterns were carved into the walls, and comfortable chairs were placed by the windows.

‘This is much more spacious and comfortable than most carriages.’

Whoooosh-!

Clouds swept past beyond the window.

Though we were moving at considerable speed, thanks to the various magical enchantments spread throughout the room, there was no significant shaking or noise.

I looked around at the other people in the room.

Sikan Bauer was trying to maintain a calm expression, but I could sense subtle excitement in his eyes. All the other investigation team members were the same.

‘Adelia seems fascinated too.’

Adelia, sitting across from me, was gazing endlessly out the window.

She couldn’t take her eyes away. At this rate, she might press her nose against the glass.

Well.

Even as a member of the Noble Families, opportunities to ride “Cheongyeong” were rare.

Flying through the clouds on the back of a divine beast soaring through the sky. That alone was a romantic experience she’d never forget for the rest of her life.

‘Well, that aside…’

I withdrew my gaze and became lost in my own thoughts.

‘…It hasn’t even been a month since I was possessed, and I’m already heading to Middletemple.’

What if everything had proceeded according to the standard route?

That is, if I had been killed by Barbarian the Slayer of Men and then coincidentally received help from a “Necromancer” wandering the Corpse Pit to be resurrected?

I would have just barely escaped the Corpse Pit in a newly undead state.

From that point, it would have taken at least 5 more years in the game system to establish contact with Middletemple.

Yes. 5 years.

This was the minimum time calculated under the assumption of not having irregular skills like [Soul of the Sword Master].

‘But…’

Not only was I already heading to Middletemple, but I had even made contact with the “Ruin Guild” and “Shadow Sect.”

‘…Thinking about it this way, I can really feel how quickly I’m progressing through the main scenario.’

Swish-.

With such thoughts, I turned my gaze toward Adelia beside me.

Watching her look out the window with an enchanted expression, the ‘familiar’ image of Adelia came to mind.

『Filthy and hypocritical beings. Stop making excuses and humbly accept death.』

Eyes full of venom visible beyond the monitor.

A swordsman who was once a member of the Noble Families, but after being excommunicated, lived only for revenge and eventually rose to the position of Sword Master.

That was exactly the image of Adelia I had seen countless times while playing Lost Elder.

“Uh, yes…? Why are you staring at me so intently all of a sudden, Lord Gaon?”

“It’s nothing.”

But what about the current Adelia?

She still maintained an infinitely pure appearance.

It was hard to believe that she was the same person as the ‘Sword Master Adelia’ in my memories.

‘…But is this really a good situation?’

Well.

I couldn’t simply accept Adelia’s personality change due to my intervention as entirely positive.

Like a butterfly’s wingbeat causing a storm, her change could bring about an unexpected future.

‘Actually, just look at Hakun Durdamel’s case.’

Originally, he should have died in the Celestial Dragon attack.

But because I was there, he was able to preserve his life.

Thanks to that, Bertas didn’t lose a capable merchant, but the future of Lost Elder that I knew had changed.

‘These kinds of things will keep happening.’

Situations where the lives of major NPCs like Adelia change. And moments when fates heading toward death are overcome and new possibilities open up.

‘Of course, unexpected butterfly effects might occur because of that…’

There’s nothing to worry about.

That too would just be a new ‘variable’ I could utilize.

The encounter with the Tyrant Dragon, Barbarian the Slayer of Men who became undead – everything was the same.

In the end, everything depended on how I utilized these unexpected situations.

‘The future I knew had already changed from the moment I survived the underground fighting arena.’

The future I had seen nearly 200 times in the game.

Among those, some things would never change, while others could change at any time.

Immutable and mutable.

I just needed to classify all the situations I knew into these two categories and prepare countermeasures accordingly.

The most important thing for the journey ahead was gaining the ability to control unpredictable situations.

There was no particular need to deviate from the existing path. Let’s steadily increase my tools. Consistently, as I had been doing.

“We should be arriving soon.”

In that sense, each and every move at ‘this place’ would play an important role.

Fortunately, I was currently moving to the optimal location to increase my tools.

Kuooooo─!

The roar of Cheongyeong cutting through the sky echoed.

As the massive body swimming above the clouds shone, I slowly opened my closed eyes and looked out the window.

Beyond the distant sky, a city built of pure white marble came into view.

Spires piercing the sky and magnificent temples.

And even the blue barrier embracing all of it.

“This is Middletemple, the Holy City.”

Middletemple, the Holy City.

The center of the continent and the source of the barrier protecting the Silk Road.

In this city where countless monsters including the Noble Families lurk…

I will definitely accomplish what I desire.

* * *

“He has arrived at Middletemple.”

Thud-.

Heukgol’s hand, which had been caressing his sword, stopped completely.

It was a fact he already knew.

He had just witnessed the scene of “Cheongyeong” cutting through clouds and entering the city through the window.

Clatter-.

The skull ornaments clinked together as they collided. The Death Knight who slowly rose from his seat muttered quietly in a voice completely devoid of playfulness.

“When will Middletemple’s council members be assembled?”

“They’re already all gathered in the Sacred Temple.”

“…”

Hiss-.

The Death Knight smiled slightly and took a step toward the exit of the reception room.

As he put on the skull-shaped helmet he held in his hand, white vapor began to slowly seep through the gaps.

Hazy frost began to form on the glass window. The Elderly Priest felt goosebumps rise all over his body from the bone-chilling cold he had never experienced before.

“If that’s the case…”

A voice that seemed to be forcibly suppressing excitement flowed out from between the helmet.

“…when will the seeker’s ‘trial’ be held?”

The Elderly Priest answered in a deliberately calm voice.

“It will be held immediately after the divine trial ends…”

Kiiiiing──!

The Priest’s words were cut off.

Because the sword that had been drawn from its sheath in one motion let out a strange cry.

The blood-red blade flickered ominously.

The Death Knight, gripping a zweihander as tall as himself, muttered.

“You know what.”

It was his usual playful voice, but simultaneously chilling.

“What if… just what if, that guy turns out not to be a Sword Master during the divine trial process? Hm?”

The crimson light shining from inside the skull-shaped helmet began scanning the Elderly Priest’s body up and down.

“Then what happens to the ‘trial’?”

A benevolent smile still floated on the Elderly Priest’s face.

However, deep in his pupils, a faint anxiety began to glimmer.

“If he is judged to lack the qualifications as a seeker during the divine trial process, the subsequent procedures will naturally be canceled.”

“Oh?”

Heukgol tilted his head.

“So I’d just become someone who made a pointless trip to Middle Temple?”

The High Priest stroked the staff in his hand while answering in a deliberately composed voice.

“Impersonating a seeker is a serious crime. One who blasphemes the sacred should rightfully be executed, but considering the skills of this Gaon fellow, it would be difficult for Middle Temple’s forces alone to subdue him recklessly…”

“I’m sure I told you, didn’t I?”

Heukgol interrupted with a sunken voice.

“Don’t needlessly drag your tongue out long, speak straight to the point.”

“…”

The High Priest, who had been choosing his words for a moment, answered.

“The moment Gaon is judged not to be a Sword Master, we will leave his execution to you, seeker. So regardless of the divine trial’s outcome, you will end up facing him.”

Heukgol tilted his head.

“Huh? Will the council members just stay put? While I’m wielding my sword in the Holy Sanctum?”

“I will arrange measures in advance.”

Silence flowed. The air in the guest hall became infinitely heavy.

“Ha…”

And suddenly, the Death Knight’s laughter burst forth.

“…Ha, hahaha! Hahahaha!”

At that spine-chilling mad laughter, the High Priest gulped down dry saliva.

“Right.”

Heukgol placed his hand on the High Priest’s shoulder with a thud.

“Among all the stuffy priests, you’re at least one I can communicate with reasonably well.”

With those words, Heukgol left the guest hall. The clattering sound of black armor gradually faded along the corridor.

Thud-.

The High Priest staggered and collapsed on the spot. He could feel all the strength draining from his body.

“Haaa…”

A sigh of relief escaped without him realizing it.

‘…Thank goodness.’

Decades ago from now.

Heukgol, who had visited Middle Temple, took the lives of five priests simply because they didn’t please him.

Yet the reason Middle Temple requested help from this unreasonable Death Knight was one thing.

‘Why are all seekers like that?’

It was because Heukgol the Sword Master belonged to the category of seekers who were relatively ‘easy to communicate with.’

* * *

Above the sky of Middle Temple, ferries and ships were flying around.

Gracefully avoiding them, “Cheongyeong” set us down at the aerial dock.

Kuooooo-!

Cheongyeong let out a roar and disappeared somewhere.

At the same time, Middle Temple’s investigation team members surrounded me.

The atmosphere had become noticeably heavier than before.

Even Sikan Bauer began glaring at me with an utterly cold expression.

“Close your eyes.”

At Sikan Bauer’s words, I closed both eyes.

“We will also temporarily take The Protagonist’s weapon.”

One of the investigation team members who approached from behind covered my vision with a blindfold.

Then he took the feather sword from my waist.

Since these were necessary procedures to enter the Holy Sanctum, I offered no resistance.

“Then we will move to the ‘Holy Sanctum.'”

Sikan Bauer spoke in a coldly sunken voice.

It was a more resolute tone than ever before.

Now that we’d arrived at Middle Temple, the special treatment was over. Here, he too had no choice but to be conscious of the ‘higher-ups’ gazes.

This time too, I said nothing in particular and followed the investigation team members.

Step, step-.

From the echo of footsteps reaching my ears, we were definitely passing through the corridor of a quite magnificent building.

Recalling the structure of Middle Temple from inside the game, I could roughly imagine what kind of place I was walking through.

We’d be walking through the complex yet magnificent building corridors. The floors and walls would be finished with pure white marble, with gold decorations here and there.

Then around here, there should be a fork in the path…

“Miss, please come this way.”

“…Huh?”

Sure enough, Adelia began being dragged down a different path from me.

“W-wait a minute! I need to go with The Protagonist…! Mmph, mmmmph…!”

From the sound, someone seemed to have covered Adelia’s mouth.

Her voice gradually grew distant.

Before long, only the sounds of the investigation team members walking silently could be heard near my ears.

The corridor grew progressively darker. Through the blindfold, light that seemed like flickering torches was spreading.

“Stop.”

Creeeeak-.

Soon the sound of a massive door opening could be heard.

Just from the breathing sounds of dozens of people reaching my ears, I could sense the solemnity of this place.

The blindfold was removed.

As my vision brightened, the magnificent and splendid interior of the Holy Sanctum revealed itself.

“…”

The scenery I had seen beyond the monitor spread out before my eyes exactly as it was.

Dozens of pillars rose up as if supporting the sky, and between them, blue sacred flames were burning.

─…

─…

─…

In the tiered seating, council members were seated in orderly fashion.

However, since the teal mist rising around them obscured the view, their exact features could not be discerned.

Only vague silhouettes were visible.

At the highest point directly ahead, a golden mural engraved with Middle Temple’s emblem gleamed, and below it, the Chief Councilor’s podium stood imposingly.

Kuuuung─!

The doors of the Holy Sanctum closed. Amid the heavy silence that settled, the presiding judge’s dignified voice resonated throughout the entire sanctum.

─We shall begin the divine trial.

The presiding judge’s eyes, hidden behind the teal mist, turned toward me.

─You who claim to be the thirteenth seeker.

“….”

─From now on, you must answer the 「Council’s」 questions truthfully, and any false testimony will surely be judged before the sacred flame.

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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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