Sword Master With One Strike Kill - Chapter 57

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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 57

Episode 57. Jaque von Haibrunn (2)

* * *

“Ugh, urgh…!”

Her entire body throbbed with pain.

Adelia, who had been collapsed on the ground, gritted her teeth and barely managed to steady herself.

Breathing heavily, she raised her head and glared at her opponent before her.

“I don’t understand.”

Jaque von Haibrunn.

The giant-like old man looked down at Adelia and spoke with cynical coldness.

During the entire sparring match, Jaque had never once swung his sword. Rather, he had toyed with Adelia by not using the hand that held his weapon at all.

Yet the result was one-sided. As if proving that Jaque’s title as a giant star of Middle Temple wasn’t given for nothing.

“Is this truly the skill of a Sword Master’s disciple?”

Clench—.

Adelia’s eyes blazed at the continued provocation.

Instead of frustration, a flame-like fighting spirit began to settle within her blue pupils.

Adelia gripped her sword tightly and assumed her stance once more.

“It’s not… over yet…!”

“Oh?”

A bitter smile crossed Jaque’s lips.

“Yes. I don’t know about anything else, but that tenacity of yours is worth acknowledging.”

The Paladins gathered around could only quietly watch this situation.

Even Sikan Bauer couldn’t step forward.

That was only natural, since Jaque von Haibrunn wasn’t simply the leader of the Traditionalist Faction, but practically the real power behind Middle Temple.

Before his political influence and overwhelming force, no one dared to restrain him.

“That’s enough.”

Pause—.

Just then, someone’s cold voice was heard.

Only one person.

The sole being in the Holy City who could put a stop to Jaque’s outrageous behavior began walking toward the center of the training ground.

It was Arwen von Goldhart, another giant star of Middle Temple and the young leader of the Reformist Faction.

Step, step—.

And following behind him was a stern-looking man.

“Ha.”

Jaque von Haibrunn let out a hollow laugh upon witnessing that scene.

Then he whispered in a low voice that no one else could hear.

“…So you finally make your appearance.”

* * *

‘This is a complete mess.’

I surveyed the situation in the training ground.

Adelia was barely maintaining her balance while standing, completely battered.

Her physical condition was terrible. To exaggerate slightly, it was similar to when she had fought the Celestial Dragon.

Arwen, who had been watching the situation with cold eyes, gave an order.

“Take her to the Temple for treatment. Immediately.”

“…Yes.”

A Paladin nearby carefully supported Adelia.

Arwen watched the two figures growing distant, then turned his gaze toward Jaque.

His usual gentle smile was nowhere to be found, leaving only a murderous expression.

“Just when exactly did you arrive in the Holy City, elder?”

“I just returned moments ago.”

“And the first thing you do is ‘this kind of thing’?”

Jaque burst into laughter at Arwen’s sarcastic question.

“This kind of thing? I was merely trying to give guidance to the young lady of the Goldhart Family.”

“It looked like one-sided violence rather than guidance.”

“Sometimes rough methods of teaching are necessary. Rather, wouldn’t it be problematic if someone claiming to be a Sword Master’s disciple couldn’t endure even this much?”

“…”

Jaque shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

“Receiving guidance while facing off against a giant star is every Paladin’s dream and goal. Since you’re too busy to make time, I simply stepped in instead.”

“…”

“Yet here I am being treated like a criminal when I should be receiving thanks. It’s quite bewildering.”

“That’s…!”

Clench—.

Arwen, who was about to say something, shut his mouth tight. His expression clearly showed he was struggling to contain his rising anger.

Seeing this, Jaque let out a snicker and casually shifted his gaze to the side.

“Well, that aside…”

The old man’s sharply honed eyes began scanning me up and down.

“So you must be the rumored Sword Master.”

“…”

“I’m called Jaque von Haibrunn.”

Swoosh—.

Jaque extended his hand as if requesting a handshake. I made no reply and simply looked down at his hand quietly.

Though his handshake was refused, Jaque continued speaking with a snicker as if he hadn’t expected otherwise.

“I was truly sorry to miss the sacred trial. I had to briefly leave the Holy City for an urgent mission.”

“…”

“I never imagined that Heukgol, summoned by Middle Temple, would arrive so early. I certainly didn’t expect the sacred trial to end in less than a day.”

Sharp thorns were hidden in Jaque’s seemingly casual words.

His dissatisfaction that the sacred trial had ended too hastily during his absence was clearly evident.

‘…So it wasn’t a coincidence after all.’

There had been a reason why Arwen tried to hurry the meeting to an end on the day the sacred trial concluded.

He had definitely taken advantage of Jaque’s absence from Middle Temple.

“So, when do you plan to accept my handshake?”

Jaque continued to smile at me while keeping his hand extended. I answered him with a cold voice.

“You beat my disciple to a pulp, and you plan to act shamelessly to the very end?”

Jaque sighed as if tired.

“Haah… Why is even our Sword Master being so disappointing?”

“…”

“As I said before, I was merely trying to provide guidance.”

…Guidance?

I slowly shifted my gaze beyond Jaque’s shoulder.

In the distance, I could see Adelia being carried away with support.

A translucent window appeared above her head.

【Lv. 80】

There was no change in Adelia’s level.

In other words, it meant she had achieved no growth whatsoever.

It made no sense that Adelia, who had outstanding potential, would show absolutely no growth from a sparring match of this caliber.

Especially considering her opponent was Jaque von Haibrunn.

And for good reason, since he was…

【Lv. 99】

…a level 99 powerhouse who stood on the very threshold of transcendence.

‘The two pillars of Middle Temple.’

However, in truth, even the expression ‘two pillars’ was somewhat misleading.

Though both Jaque and Arwen were exceptional fighters, there existed an unbridgeable chasm between them.

While others might not perceive it, to me who could see the clear numerical values of levels, that difference was all too apparent.

‘In that sense…’

If Jaque had truly intended to provide guidance, Adelia’s level would have increased.

Therefore, the intent behind this action was clear.

Pure violence disguised as teaching. Nothing more than that.

“Lord Haibrunn.”

Naturally, there was no way Arwen wouldn’t realize this fact.

Considering the relationship between Goldhart and Haibrunn from the start, this incident was tantamount to an outright declaration of war.

Arwen barely suppressed his anger as he spoke.

“Whatever your purpose may have been, this incident has crossed the line. Our House of Goldhart will never take this situation lightly…”

“Listen here.”

With Jaque’s single word, the air in the training ground froze. A murderous aura flowed down everyone’s spines.

“That line was crossed by you people first.”

The old man’s gaze changed. The leisurely smile he had shown moments before was nowhere to be found, filled only with killing intent.

“Slaughtering a member of House Haibrunn inside the Holy Sanctum, then barging into the council chamber with swords drawn to make threats.”

Anger seeped into Jaque’s voice.

“While I was away from Middle Temple… you pulled this kind of dog-like stunt and still dare to have something to say?”

* * *

─I! Sedric von Haibrunn cannot accept this situation!

Sedric von Haibrunn.

The Middle Temple scoundrel who died split in half during the sacred trial.

As could be told from the family name following his given name, he was a member of the same Haibrunn family as Jaque.

If my memory serves me right, he was something like Jaque’s nephew.

“Count Sedric merely paid the price for committing blasphemy.”

Arwen spoke with an unwavering voice. Hearing this, Jaque let out a scoff as if finding it absurd.

“Ha! Blasphemy? Since when did expressing opinions in a trial become blasphemy? If you apply such strict standards, half the council should rightfully die.”

At this point, one might expect him to back down slightly, but Arwen refused to retreat to the end.

“Setting aside right and wrong, holding us responsible for that doesn’t make sense. It wasn’t us who executed Count Sedric, but the Veteran Gamer.”

“…”

“If you have complaints, why don’t you go directly to the Veteran Gamer? We too find Count Sedric’s death regrettable.”

Pause—.

Jaque clamped his mouth shut.

Rage blazed beyond his eyes, and his lips visible between his white beard began to tremble.

Honestly, even I would be quite infuriated if someone spoke to me in such a mocking tone.

Of course, Arwen, who had just witnessed his sister being severely injured before his eyes, was no less angry.

“I see…”

Nod—.

Jaque nodded his head slowly.

His anger hadn’t subsided. Rather, the compressed fury churned precariously as if it might explode at any moment.

A chilling smile that would make anyone’s skin crawl hung on his twisted lips.

“Arwen, I should take your advice and pay Heukgol a visit too.”

“…”

“I’ve heard quite a few people have grown displeased with that Death Knight fellow.”

A defiant attitude that would never yield even before a Sword Master’s name.

But I knew. That this wasn’t arrogance, but that Jaque had sufficient qualification for such confidence.

A terrifying powerhouse who had reached level 99.

A superhuman who sought to walk the path of a seeker by becoming a transcendent himself, not merely following the Elders’ will.

No one could ignore such fury from Jaque.

“But now that I see him in person, I understand why everyone had so many complaints.”

…And that chilling rage began to turn toward me.

Swish—.

Jaque stared directly at me, and I met his gaze in return.

Deeper emotions resided within that blazing anger.

Jealousy, hatred, even inferiority complex.

“I can understand all the other bastards, but I have no idea how this kind of punk was chosen as a seeker.”

It was blatant contempt.

Of course, I could understand Jaque’s feelings.

He had missed witnessing the sacred trial directly due to his absence. In such a Jaque’s eyes, I would appear to be nothing more than an ordinary mercenary of merely level 30.

A pathetic existence that made the title of Sword Master seem meaningless.

Moreover, as a traditionalist who viewed the existence of a new seeker unfavorably, he could only look at me through prejudiced eyes.

“Maybe it’s because I’m old, but I’m quite fond of old sayings.”

“…”

“I believe that if something goes out, something should rightfully come back.”

Scraaaape──!

A beheading blade that scraped across the training ground floor flew toward my throat.

A blue-green aura began to ripple across the broad blade surface.

I felt my throat burning from the intense heat, but I didn’t blink an eye.

…No, it would be more accurate to say I couldn’t even react.

It was truly an attack that came in the blink of an eye. It was so fast that I didn’t even have time to flinch or close my eyes.

“How about it, Sword Master?”

Jaque sneered.

“Will you teach me a lesson this time?”

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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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