Sword Master With One Strike Kill - Chapter 59

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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 59

Episode 59. Jark von Haibrunn (4)

‘…What?’

The first emotion that flashed through Jark’s mind was confusion.

Why had the executioner’s sword fallen to the ground? And whose arm was that, convulsing while covered in blood?

It had happened so instantaneously that he couldn’t grasp the situation.

It felt like he was dreaming, as if reality had become detached and floating.

But that was only momentary—with the terrible pain that came rushing in belatedly, everything began to become clear.

“Kuh, kuaaaaaaak…!”

A scream echoed throughout the training ground.

Jark clutched the severed stump where blood was gushing out and collapsed to the ground.

“H-Hiverun Lord!”

“Damn it!”

“What are you all doing! Go call a healer! Right now!”

The paladins and clerics who had been watching the situation came running frantically. They rushed to Jark’s side and began emergency treatment.

Wooong, woooong-!

Divine power enveloped the wounded area.

Even in the midst of this, Jark remained in a dazed state with a blank expression.

‘What on earth…’

His mind went completely blank. It wasn’t just because of the pain from his severed arm.

In his extreme shock, the confusion wouldn’t subside as he struggled to comprehend this surreal situation.

‘…How did this happen?’

He had definitely been the one to swing his sword, yet his arm had been cut off instead.

A situation where cause and effect were completely twisted.

Jark began to survey the scene once more, trying somehow to make sense of this absurd contradiction.

“…”

Jark slowly moved his gaze, following the trail of blood.

Fresh blood scattered around his arm.

And at the end of that crimson trail…

Drip, drop-.

…he could see Gaon standing there blankly, still holding his sword.

‘Ah.’

Only then could Jark finally accept the reality he had been denying.

Gaon had cut his arm. And at such tremendous speed that his own eyes couldn’t even follow it.

Just then, Gaon opened his mouth with an indifferent voice.

“You didn’t even swing your sword, just released a bit of killing intent… I never thought you’d be unable to endure even that and charge in like a frightened puppy.”

Jark looked up at Gaon with trembling eyes.

No emotion whatsoever could be felt on his chillingly dry and expressionless face.

The gaze looking down at him felt strangely familiar somehow.

It was exactly the same look that had been indifferently wandering through the air just before the executioner’s sword nearly crushed his skull.

“…”

That’s right.

Gaon hadn’t failed to ‘perceive’ his attack.

He simply hadn’t felt it was even worth reacting to.

An attack that would be infinitely threatening to someone else had appeared boringly slow in his eyes.

His bored gaze, coldly indifferent as if everything was trivial, testified to that unbelievable fact.

‘Wh-what…’

Jark trembled violently as he avoided Gaon’s gaze.

‘What… kind of monster…’

He was afraid. On the other hand, it was also very humiliating. The fact that he couldn’t control his trembling even in this situation where dozens of people surrounded him.

“Disappointing.”

Then, Gaon, who had been looking down at him like an insect, slowly parted his lips.

An unpleasant sneer lingered at the corner of Gaon’s slightly twisted mouth.

“Is this truly the skill of one called the fortress of Middle Temple?”

The very insult he had spat at Adelia returned like an arrow to pierce through Jark’s chest.

* * *

Despite the shocking commotion, the situation was quickly resolved.

This was because Jark von Haibrunn didn’t cause any particular disturbance and quietly headed to Middle Temple’s infirmary.

I looked around the training ground.

The floor that had been soaked with blood just moments ago was now spotless as if nothing had happened.

The cleanup had finished quickly.

“There shouldn’t be any major problems with Hiverun Lord’s treatment.”

Arwen, who was beside me, spoke to me.

“Middle Temple is where the most skilled healers on the continent gather. Since the cut was so clean, he should be able to recover quickly.”

I nodded silently. I had cut off Jark’s arm in the first place because I trusted Middle Temple’s healers.

“You don’t need to worry about political retaliation either.”

“Even though I cut off the arm of a member of a noble family?”

“Yes, well… it was Hiverun Lord who provoked his opponent first, and he was also the one who swung his sword.”

Arwen shrugged.

“Since there are many witnesses, the traditionalist faction won’t have anything to say either.”

Unintentionally, the paladins and clerics who had been watching the sparring from the outskirts of the training ground became our witnesses.

“Moreover, Hiverun Lord swung his sword with the intention of killing you. No one here failed to notice that murderous attack.”

“…”

“In contrast, you only severed his arm to subdue Hiverun Lord… this is more than sufficient to be treated as self-defense.”

“I see.”

After hearing my response, Arwen began to stare at me intently.

An expression as if hoping for a specific answer.

Even so, when I didn’t speak up until the end, Arwen, unable to bear it any longer, started the conversation first.

“Protagonist.”

“…”

“Harming a seeker without just cause is a serious crime.”

Arwen continued speaking with a serious expression.

“Of course, in Hiverun Lord’s case, it only ended in an attempt, but if you wish it, we could also discuss additional punishment through a sacred trial…”

“That man has already paid for his crimes.”

I cut off Arwen’s words.

There was a way to use this incident as an excuse to punish Jark and suppress the traditionalist faction, but this would only bring about adverse effects.

Didn’t I say so earlier?

I know a good way to use Jark.

For that plan, it was best to leave him alone for now.

Of course, Arwen, who didn’t know these circumstances, might feel slightly regretful about missing the opportunity to crush the traditionalist faction…

“…Yes. If that is your will, Protagonist.”

When the victim himself says it’s fine, it would be strange for a third party to get worked up about it.

Moreover, Arwen had heard about my ‘plan’ to some extent.

She probably understood that for now, it was wise to follow my words exactly.

“Well, that aside… the final strike you showed earlier was truly remarkable.”

Was she trying to change the atmosphere?

Arwen began expressing his admiration for my swordsmanship.

“My eyes couldn’t even dare to follow the trajectory of your sword’s movement. Beyond simply being a swift blade, it seemed to contain some special profound principle…”

“…?”

“It’s regrettable that my insufficient insight couldn’t gain any deeper understanding. If I could witness that beautiful sword strike just once more, I would have no other wish.”

Let me correct myself.

Arwen wasn’t trying to lighten the mood – he was genuinely expressing his admiration.

His eyes sparkled endlessly.

His behavior was exactly like Adelia’s – you could tell they were siblings.

‘But Arwen.’

…To be honest, I don’t really know what I did either.

“…”

I reflected on the duel from earlier.

The initial plan was simple. I just intended to reuse the same technique I had used against Heukgol.

The idea was to stack killing intent while activating two skills: 【Ritardando】 and 【Soul of the Sword Master】.

‘It’s a method to cleanly subdue an opponent without killing them.’

The effect was undeniable.

Even Heukgol couldn’t overcome his fear and dropped his weapon – that said it all.

I thought Jark von Haibrunn, a level 99 who hadn’t yet crossed the transcendent threshold, would show a similar reaction.

‘But…’

…I never expected the guy to get so scared that he’d wildly swing his sword.

Well, there was nothing to worry about anyway.

I still had 【Ultimate Auto-Parrying】 that could block any attack.

Just before Jaque’s beheading blade could smash my head, the skill activated in the infinitely slowed time.

‘Huh?’

Whooooom-.

But at that very moment, a strange feeling enveloped my body.

It was a sensation I’d never felt before.

Instead of my body being dragged along by the skill as it had been until now, I felt confident that I could actively control the skill’s trajectory.

As I was about to deflect the beheading blade with the skill’s assistance, I twisted the sword path to target Jaque’s forearm instead.

I used the skill’s power while adjusting the feather sword’s trajectory to where I wanted it.

Crack-!

The result was successful.

A violent yet eerie sensation covered my fingertips. When I came to my senses, my feather sword had cleanly severed Jaque’s arm.

Due to the recoil, the beheading blade that Jaque had been gripping tightly flew up into the air before crashing to the ground.

‘…I didn’t expect this to work.’

Anyway.

With this, I had become able to control 【Ultimate Auto-Parrying】 according to my will.

Not only could I defend against opponent’s attacks, but I could even counterattack.

It was practically like gaining a new offensive tool.

〔Sense has greatly increased.〕

〔Level has increased. (30→31)〕

Sense stat that rose in an instant. And even my level.

It was truly an enormous harvest.

But it was too early to rejoice. The unexpected growth didn’t stop there.

Ding-!

Along with a notification sound ringing in my ears, another message appeared streaming across one side of my vision.

And that notification window remained in one corner of my vision even long after the situation had ended.

〔You have gone beyond simply defending against a lethal attack and neutralized the enemy through a perfectly timed counterattack.〕

〔Reward: 【Ultimate Auto-Parrying】’s grade is enhanced to 10-star.〕

‘Oh…?’

Was it because I used 【Ultimate Auto-Parrying】 for the first time while Ritardando was activated?

Or was it thanks to the synergy between the dragon body characteristics and sword talent I gained this time?

In any case, the 9-star legendary skill had been enhanced to an even higher 10-star grade.

‘…Things seem to be going surprisingly well?’

I wanted to check the enhanced skill right away, but unfortunately, now wasn’t the right timing.

“Lord Gaon…!”

Adelia, who had finished her treatment, was approaching from the distance.

I’m glad she recovered quickly.

Seeing her return so promptly, it seemed the injuries weren’t as serious as I thought.

Of course, she still had bandages wrapped around several body parts and was using crutches, but her condition looked much better than when I saw her earlier.

“How’s your body?”

“Yes.”

Adelia nodded vigorously in response.

“They said I just need to rest well for about two days. Since I came for treatment quickly, there shouldn’t be any aftereffects.”

Two days.

That was just the right amount of time.

I should take this opportunity to rest before moving to my next destination. Honestly, I’m quite tired.

“But Lord Gaon.”

“…?”

“I encountered Lord Haibrunn while leaving the infirmary earlier.”

Adelia carefully posed a question.

“By any chance, Lord Haibrunn’s arm… did Lord Gaon do that?”

Nod-.

Since it wasn’t really something worth hiding, I just nodded.

So she managed to encounter Jaque at the infirmary.

But at that moment, Adelia’s expression darkened slightly.

Her face showed gratitude on one hand, but worry about the current situation on the other.

“I might be overstepping my bounds, but if this causes friction with Middletemple…”

“There’s no need to worry.”

“…”

“He simply paid the price for treating my disciple carelessly.”

I answered as if it was no big deal.

There was no need for unnecessary explanations like how Jark von Haibrunn attacked first, or that there were dozens of witnesses who could prove it was self-defense.

Hearing my answer, Adelia let out a dazed sigh.

Soon she smiled with a much brighter expression.

“Yes. Then I’ll stop worrying unnecessarily.”

“…”

“And… there’s one more thing I’d like to ask.”

Adelia glanced at me for a moment.

“Lord Haibrunn’s physical abilities are superior to Lord Gaon’s, aren’t they? He’s much larger in build and stronger too.”

“That’s right.”

“But how were you able to win so overwhelmingly?”

Jark von Haibrunn had a monster-like physique, well over 2 meters tall and packed with muscle.

In contrast, I was endlessly lacking in physical conditions.

Though things had improved considerably after consuming the Heart of the Toryong, it still wasn’t comparable to a level 99 transcendent.

No, in the first place, there were few in this entire world whose ‘pure physical ability stats’ exceeded Jark von Haibrunn’s. If I had to name one, it would be the Tyrant Dragon.

But….

“Such things are meaningless.”

…As long as I had the cheat-like skill called 【Soul of the Sword Master】 in my hands, all of this was meaningless.

No matter how powerful an enemy might be, I could eliminate them in 0.01 seconds with a single click.

“Ah….”

But Adelia’s reaction to my answer was strange.

“I see… so that’s how it was….”

An expression as if she had realized something.

At the same time, she even seemed deeply impressed by something.

“…I should hurry and work harder like you, Lord Gaon.”

I could only look at Adelia with a puzzled expression.

‘What?’

Why is she suddenly acting like that again…?

* * *

“….”

As the night deepened.

Moonlight seeped through the infirmary window.

Jark von Haibrunn sat alone in the dark hospital room.

Thanks to the healers’ efforts, his arm had recovered, but the throbbing pain still tormented him from time to time.

His breathing became rough. The negative emotions that had been sleeping deep in his heart began to intensify gradually.

Before he knew it, Jaque’s eyes were stained with sticky inferiority complex and jealousy.

“Just you wait….”

Grind-.

Jaque clenched his teeth.

With an expression as if he had firmly resolved something.

“…Someday I’ll definitely tear off one of your arms too.”

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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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