Sword Master With One Strike Kill - Chapter 50

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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 50

Episode 50. Middletemple, the Holy City (4)

A heavy silence descended upon the hall.

The eyes of the council members visible through the hazy mist wavered.

Everyone looked flustered at the thought of witnessing bloodshed in the sacred Holy Sanctum.

I tried to hide my complicated inner thoughts and surveyed the situation with a calm expression.

‘…Prove that I can kill him.’

It was an absurd request.

But it didn’t take long to understand the underlying meaning.

What Heukgol wanted wasn’t a simple sparring match.

From the beginning, there was only one way to prove you could kill someone.

‘A life-or-death battle.’

That’s right.

A so-called death match.

He wanted to see the primal swordplay that could only be witnessed in moments where life and death hung in the balance.

Having reached that conclusion, I posed a question to him.

“By death, do you mean the destruction of the body? Or do you mean the complete destruction of your immortality?”

Heukgol was a Death Knight who had overcome death.

Therefore, ordinary death wouldn’t bring him eternal rest.

Just look at Camillo von Taribas’s case. Even though his body was destroyed, he didn’t meet death until his Life Vessel was completely shattered.

That’s why I needed to know for certain.

What kind of death Heukgol was referring to now.

“Hahahat…!”

As soon as my question ended, Heukgol burst into laughter as if asking what I was even talking about.

“The latter, of course!”

“…”

Damn.

This makes the situation a bit more complicated.

“Friend, do you know when I feel the greatest thrill as a swordsman?”

A voice tinged with laughter leaked through the black helmet. That playful tone felt rather eerie.

“Right when I face the fear of death.”

Shing-!

Heukgol properly gripped the zweihander he had been dragging on the ground.

A spine-chilling sword cry echoed throughout the hall.

The blue sacred flames reflected on the blood-red blade flickered chaotically, scattering afterglows in all directions.

“You must know since you met Camillo, right? Immortals like us don’t die, so life becomes empty. Naturally, we turn our eyes toward art where we can find meaning.”

Step-.

While Heukgol was muttering to himself.

Someone wearing a gray robe quietly approached from the side.

It was one of the Middle Temple Investigators who had guided me here.

‘This is…’

The Investigator handed me something.

‘…The Feather Sword.’

It was the weapon that had been confiscated at Middletemple’s dock earlier.

The reason for returning the Feather Sword was simple.

It meant that Middle Temple had also approved of combat within the Holy Sanctum.

Seeing this, Heukgol continued speaking with even more excitement.

“I can’t remember when I last felt death. The most recent time I died was when I challenged Camillo’s Trial, but even then I didn’t really feel the fear of death. Maybe because I knew I’d resurrect anyway?”

I bit the inside of my lip hard.

Right.

Since the situation had escalated this far, a duel with the Veteran Gamer was now unavoidable.

“Well, for that reason… I was so delighted when I heard you had killed two immortals.”

While my opponent continued rambling, I drew the Feather Sword from its sheath.

Clang-!

If Heukgol’s zweihander howled with an eerie metallic sound, my sword produced a clear tone.

“Let me feel death after such a long time too.”

“…”

“Don’t end it boringly. Got it?”

Whooooo-.

With those final words, Heukgol took a stance as if ready to charge at any moment.

At the same time, my mind began racing rapidly.

‘Killing the Veteran Gamer isn’t difficult.’

If I used Soul of the Sword Master now, it would be over.

His immortality would be completely annihilated through the Immortal Slayer I had obtained before.

‘But…’

…That said, I couldn’t just kill Heukgol outright.

The reason was the same as with the Tyrant Dragon.

If he died now, the future scenarios would become complicated and tangled.

Though his personality was strange, Heukgol was ultimately on humanity’s side.

I had to keep him alive somehow until the later parts.

‘Therefore, what I need to do now is…’

Make Heukgol feel the fear of death without actually killing him.

And thereby satisfy him to pass Middle Temple’s test.

‘…Complicated.’

A hollow laugh escaped me unconsciously at this utterly overwhelming situation.

Wasn’t there some clever plan to navigate through this difficult situation this time too?

Like when I faced the Tyrant Dragon in the Deepest Layer of Labyrinth Village?

‘Of course a solution exists.’

It was a method I had already thought of before the divine trial even began.

A few weeks ago from now.

A technique I had conceived while watching Adelia train.

Whether this would work in actual combat was questionable, but there was no better option in the current situation.

‘Let’s do this.’

The Veteran Gamer was a strong opponent.

Being counted among the strongest in this world said it all.

Therefore, half-hearted bluffs wouldn’t work.

He had the skill to see through all of that.

So…

‘Instead of a half-hearted bluff, I’ll pull off a proper bluff.’

…Having finished that thought, I looked around and opened my mouth.

“Adelia von Goldhart.”

Flinch-.

In an instant, I saw one shadow beyond the mist shrink back.

From the reaction, it was definitely Adelia.

Seeing several people clinging around her, it seemed they were silencing her to prevent a commotion.

“You’ve witnessed my sword several times, so you know it well.”

Swoosh-.

I raised the Feather Sword horizontally and took my stance.

Then I looked directly into the black light shining from inside the black helmet.

“My sword does not aim for the opponent’s arms and legs.”

“….”

“It only takes the opponent’s life.”

Heukgol’s breathing became rough.

He seemed extremely excited by my words about taking only lives.

But what can I do about this?

Sorry, but I don’t particularly intend to fight you.

‘Well, still….’

〔Authority Skill: 【Ritardando True】 has been used.〕

‘…I’ll show you at least one thing you want.’

Tick, tick, tick-!

The now-familiar sound of a second hand echoed in my ears.

Everything in the world flowed slowly.

Heukgol’s movements, and the breathing of the council members heard through the fog.

In that endlessly confined time, I continued my solitary thoughts.

‘Those who have reached high levels can fight battles close to reality even in their minds.’

It was something that happened at Durdamel’s Inn.

At that time, I went to the inn’s backyard with Adelia to test the unlocked 【Sword】 talent.

Adelia swung her sword wildly in the air.

And watching her like this, I had the following thought.

─… Image training?

Adelia’s first opponent was Peter Pan.

Engaging in virtual combat with enemies through imagination alone.

Yes.

This was a privilege that only skilled practitioners who had reached high levels could enjoy.

‘And….’

…I was thinking of using this in reverse.

Tiiiiiiiiii──.

〔MP : 1/1〕

I can see it clearly.

In the slowed time, the number ‘1’ very slowly changing to ‘0’.

In sync with my heart, the 0.01 seconds when 【Soul of the Sword Master】 was activated flowed endlessly and heavily.

Kugugugugugu-!

The now-familiar sense of omnipotence began to envelop my entire body.

However, I did not swing my sword.

I didn’t move my body or lift my feet that were firmly planted on the ground.

“….”

Just quietly.

I only glared at the opponent in front of me.

─Who was the last opponent.

I traced back the memories of that day.

In the inn’s backyard, Adelia’s last opponent.

The unknown enemy that made even me, with ‘Max’ mental strength, freeze.

The owner who exuded such overwhelming presence that it pressed down on space itself.

─The Protagonist

Recalling the killing intent he had manifested.

─My last opponent was… you, The Protagonist.

During that endlessly stretched moment, I harbored an intense will to annihilate the enemy before my eyes.

‘I can kill you.’

It wasn’t mere bluffing.

For the moment this skill was activated, no one in the world could stop me.

Overwhelming.

That even gods couldn’t help but admire.

That sword talent… was whispering to me.

That if I swing my sword like this, that Death Knight will meet eternal death.

That right now, you have such transcendent power.

Tick, tick, tick──!

A brief moment of only 0.01 seconds.

In the time that felt like endless eternity to me using the authority skill 【Ritardando True】.

My killing intent toward Heukgol continuously accumulated.

‘I… can kill you….’

The idea of subduing an opponent with will alone might sound absurd.

However, in the world of those who wield swords, strict hierarchies exist.

Walls that ordinary people cannot reach even if they devote their entire lives. To distinguish such overwhelming differences, people gave them names.

Among tens of millions of ordinary people, the one with the most outstanding talent is called a genius.

Among tens of millions of geniuses, the most outstanding one is called a Sword Master.

‘And I am….’

━━━━━━━━━━━━

You are the one with the most outstanding talent among tens of millions, no… hundreds of millions of Sword Masters.

━━━━━━━━━━━━

…So the moment I grasp a sword, all the principles of the world will bow before me.

──Tiiiiiiiiik.

〔MP : 0/1〕

* * *

Freeze-.

The Veteran Gamer, who had been emanating fighting spirit as if about to charge at any moment, suddenly froze in place.

The very next moment, the massive zweihander fell powerlessly to the ground.

Even the fierce light leaking through the black helmet dimmed.

Clang clang clang clang clang─!

The blood-red sword began to clatter noisily as it rolled across the floor.

All the council members who had been watching the scene with bated breath began to stir.

─Hmm?

─What? Why did he suddenly stop trying to fight and drop his sword…?

─No matter how willful he is, does this mean he can’t bring himself to fight in the sacred Holy Sanctum?

Murmur murmur-.

The hall became noisy once again.

But while everyone was confused, a few remained frozen stiff as stone.

Adelia, Sikan Bauer, the Middle Temple Investigators and Paladins, and even a few Senior Council Members.

Only they had caught the dense killing intent that had dominated this space for that fleeting moment.

The very next moment, Gaon muttered in an indifferent voice.

“What a truly foolish test.”

─….

─….

Silence-.

The commotion in the Holy Sanctum died down in an instant.

Gaon began walking leisurely toward somewhere.

“It would have been better if you had made me suffer for 7 years, like the test you went through.”

Small footsteps echoed through the Holy Sanctum. Gaon slowly approached Heukgol, who was still frozen motionless.

“Almost.”

Gaon placed his hand on Heukgol’s shoulder.

Then he continued in a low voice.

“Just one day after the thirteenth Sword Master was born, we almost went back to twelve again.”

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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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