Sword Master With One Strike Kill - Chapter 55

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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 55

Episode 55. Sacred Covenant (4)

Heukgol was slightly flustered.

Because the Tyrant Dragon’s reaction was completely different from what he had expected.

‘What, what…?’

He naturally thought Gaon had hidden the fact that he was a dragon to mock him.

But seeing the Tyrant Dragon growling with displeasure, that didn’t seem to be the case either.

“Don’t tell me you had absolutely no idea that he was from the Dragon Clan? Really?”

“Huu.”

The Tyrant Dragon let out a sigh and replied with an irritated voice.

“Say something that makes sense. Gaon, that bastard was definitely human.”

“What? But…!”

“Are you trying to spout nonsense that I couldn’t recognize my own kin?”

“…”

Hesitation-.

Heukgol shut his mouth tight. Because he had nothing to refute with.

Just as the Tyrant Dragon said, he would know far more accurately about anything related to the Dragon Clan than himself.

But that’s exactly why the current situation was all the more confusing.

‘It was faint, but I definitely felt the aura of the Dragon Clan from Gaon.’

…Then was everything he felt just a mistake?

“Grr.”

Heukgol scratched his skull with a complicated expression.

“This is really strange. That was an aura that could never emanate from anyone without a dragon body…”

“…”

At this point, even the Tyrant Dragon couldn’t help but feel something was off.

Sword Masters are beings with extremely developed senses.

In other words, there was no way Heukgol would mistake Gaon for a dragon without any basis.

Besides, there was no reason to keep insisting on such an absurd claim even at the cost of incurring his wrath, was there?

‘Wait a minute.’

Hesitation-.

It was at that very moment.

The words that Gaon had casually uttered on the day he encountered him in Labyrinth Village flashed through his mind.

─I guess these days even half-breeds are considered part of the Dragon Clan.

The insult of calling him a half-breed.

And the arrogance of continuously calling him a lizard.

‘Could it be…’

Suddenly, one possibility came to mind.

‘…Is this also the effect of the seal being lifted?’

What if Gaon’s seal being lifted meant he was freed from various adverse conditions?

What if racial characteristics that he couldn’t sense before had manifested?

Finally, all of this made sense.

It also explained why Gaon had particularly looked down on him in Labyrinth Village.

“Ha!”

Having finished that train of thought, the Tyrant Dragon burst into laughter.

“He really is an unpredictable bastard, that one.”

Heukgol nodded eagerly as if agreeing.

“Right, right. If he had wanted to, he could have easily killed someone like me in this test, right?”

“…?”

“He was a real monster. I ran dozens of simulations in my mind, but I couldn’t win even once.”

The Tyrant Dragon’s eyes flashed upon hearing those words.

It seemed certain that Gaon’s seal had been partially lifted.

If so, he couldn’t help but be curious about Gaon’s abilities that Heukgol had experienced.

“You couldn’t win even once in mental combat?”

“Yeah.”

“Explain it in detail.”

“Hmm…”

Mental combat between those who have reached high levels is usually esoteric.

Because high-level psychological warfare takes place in a short time.

But Heukgol’s answer was surprisingly concise.

“0.01 seconds.”

“…What?”

“Every fight ended in 0.01 seconds.”

Upon hearing that, the Tyrant Dragon couldn’t help but let out another hollow laugh.

“Is that really true?”

“Yeah.”

0.01 seconds.

To subdue a Sword Master who had reached the ultimate level in that instant, of all people.

Even though it was mental combat, the moment he heard those words, the Tyrant Dragon’s blood began to boil hotly.

‘…He definitely said he’d let me know when the seal was completely lifted.’

Hiss-.

A sinister smile slowly began to form on the Tyrant Dragon’s lips.

He was very much looking forward to the day of the decisive battle that would come someday.

“I’ll be going now.”

“What? Already?”

“…Yeah.”

The Tyrant Dragon stood up and picked up Pokryeomdo.

“I need to do some training. Very rigorous training.”

For the moment of the decisive battle that would come soon, the Tyrant Dragon resolved to make full preparations.

* * *

“…”

Rustle-.

When I opened my eyes, what I saw was a familiar ceiling.

Elaborate golden patterns drawn along the walls. Between them, murals of patients receiving treatment from priests.

It was the infirmary of the Middle Temple that I had seen countless times inside the game.

“You’re awake.”

Just then, Almond’s voice could be heard.

When I turned my gaze to the side, I could see him standing right next to the bed.

For some reason, his expression looked a little sulky.

“Didn’t I specifically tell you to be mindful of the time?”

“…?”

“You almost died if you had been just a little later. Your internal organs were rotting away because of those Evil Deities’ curse.”

6 minutes.

That time limit wasn’t set for no reason.

Because the “Dimensional Rift” that separates the space where divinity resides from this world couldn’t withstand any longer than that.

If the Dimensional Rift weakened, there was a risk that not only the ancient deity Elder, but also the Evil Deities could invade the Order of the Holy Maiden.

‘And the Evil Deities would definitely try to kill anyone who came to meet with the Saintess.’

That was the reason I collapsed and lost consciousness as soon as I left the Saint’s Domain.

It was because all kinds of curses cast by the Evil Deities had weakened my body.

Ah, of course….

“I didn’t die, so it’s fine.”

Since I somehow survived, it was no longer a relevant story.

“Haah.”

Upon hearing my answer, Almond made an expression as if he was dumbfounded, then shook his head back and forth.

“I guess I’ll have to make the hourglass a 5-minute one from now on.”

…Suddenly, because of me, other people’s meeting time had been reduced by a whole minute.

“Well, at least it’s fortunate that you came out alive and well. How’s your body feeling?”

“Fine.”

I nodded my head.

“I’m perfectly fine except for feeling slightly dizzy.”

“Of course. Who do you think healed you?”

Almond shrugged his shoulders as he answered.

As I mentioned before, despite being a “Novice Priest,” he possessed genius-level healing abilities.

Even at this point in time, I remember he had outstanding skills that ranked within the top five healers of Middletemple.

That’s probably how he earned the qualification to enter the Saint’s Domain. Since he could treat visitors in emergency situations like this one.

“How much time has passed?”

Almond checked his wristwatch and answered.

“It’s 11 AM.”

“….”

“About 7 hours have passed since you came out of the Saint’s Domain.”

Wait a minute.

Only 7 hours have passed?

‘That’s less time than I thought…?’

To begin with, it was rare for someone to wake up in such a normal state after meeting the Saintess.

Usually, people would lie bedridden for several days.

I should have suffered much greater damage, so it was quite fortunate that it ended with just this much.

Of course, it was probably also thanks to Almond’s excellent healing abilities that my recovery was so fast.

“Protagonist.”

Then, Almond spoke up again.

“You absolutely must not exceed the time limit in the next meeting. You understand, right?”

“…I understand.”

I obediently responded to Almond’s nagging and sat up.

“My belongings?”

“I put them in the basket under the table over there.”

Swoosh-.

Almond pointed to the table beside the bed.

Inside the basket were the Feather Sword, the subspace pouch I received from Karayan, and the 【Easter Egg】.

As I held the egg with its subtle rainbow colors in my hand, Almond asked a question.

“Is that egg the reward for the Sacred Covenant?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm….”

Almond’s eyes became drowsy.

“…For such a grand covenant to save the world, the reward seems a bit lacking, doesn’t it?”

It was an honest impression befitting a child.

“To begin with, receiving a reward for a Sacred Covenant is extremely rare. Usually, they grant new traits or ‘Divine Skills’ in most cases.”

“….”

“Even when they give objects as rewards, they usually present divine artifacts that match the seeker’s disposition… This kind of compensation is my first time seeing it. How curious.”

Well, yeah.

It was reasonable enough to think that way.

That’s because no energy could be felt from the 【Easter Egg】 at all.

Honestly, except for its slightly fancy appearance, it looked no different from an ordinary egg.

‘But….’

I know.

That the Easter Egg is an item with infinite potential.

No energy can be felt from it?

Of course that would be the case. This Easter Egg was still in a state like a blank sheet of paper.

‘Depending on what I draw on that white paper, the rewards obtained upon hatching will vary tremendously.’

And….

─You’re wise, so you’ll know well what to do with this excellent reward. I won’t give you any more clues.

…Just as the Saintess said, I knew all too well what I should do with this item.

‘But there’s one problem.’

─Don’t think it’s strange. I gave you two abilities.

The first reward, the 【Easter Egg】.

I definitely know how to utilize this.

However, I had no information about the second ability the Saintess had granted me.

‘She said I couldn’t perceive this ability right now.’

Various questions swirled in my mind.

So is that hidden ability manifesting even now?

Or can it only be unlocked by achieving specific conditions?

After continuing such speculation, I eventually gave up on these complicated thoughts.

‘Ugh, I don’t know.’

There was too little information.

There was nothing I could figure out by worrying about it right now.

It seemed better to forget about the second ability for a while and just live my life.

Anyway, according to the Saintess, I would naturally come to know the ability, so I probably didn’t need to worry about it too much.

‘That aside.’

I recalled the final warning the Saintess had given me.

Perhaps it was the most important piece of information from this entire meeting.

─Be careful, possessor. You may be the only one now, but in the future, the number of □͆̄͠■҇̐̎͂̃이́̄͛͡□̏̓͡ will gradually increase…

‘It’s the worst-case scenario, but….’

I bit the inside of my lip.

Although part of the keywords were “censored” making it difficult to fully understand her words, I could roughly understand what the Saintess wanted to say.

All sorts of anxious thoughts began to swirl around. Somehow I had thought things were going too well up until now.

‘…Don’t tell me I’m not the only Possessed One.’

* * *

“This is ridiculous, really.”

Inside a Dark Room.

In the midst of a large monitor being the only source of light, a young man continuously tapped away at his keyboard and mouse.

The young man quickly flipped through the customization window he had seen countless times and muttered irritably to himself.

“Seriously, just how fun could it be to mess around with a hidden skill that you’d go radio silent for half a year…?”

Click, click-.

It wasn’t anything new. That person was someone who often went out of contact anyway.

But the timing of this particular communication blackout was far too coincidental.

Sure enough, he had disappeared for half a year right after obtaining a 12-star skill.

Honestly, it was a bit annoying. What harm would there be in at least leaving a short review?

“Tsk, whatever.”

The young man clicked his tongue and started a new game.

“I need to hurry up and gather points to get a hidden skill myself…”

* * *

〔Hidden Message: Strawberry Latte has started their 199th playthrough.〕

〔Hidden Message: Remaining playthroughs until World Entry: ‘1’〕

〔Hidden Message: Preparing #͆̈̔̂̃͞%҇͐̆̉̍̀@̏̐͋̓͊̀͒̕͡$…〕

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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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