Sword Master With One Strike Kill - Chapter 78

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

One-Strike Kill Swordmaster Episode 78

Episode 78. Wintershield Magic Academy (3)

* * *

Selena Servich couldn’t hide her confusion.

‘What… is this…?’

At first, she had planned to start the conversation with a warm cup of tea.

After expressing her gratitude to Gaon for the “Tolong subjugation,” she would engage in academic discussion about cultivating Labyrinth Village specialties.

Then naturally transition to talk about the Shadow Sect, revealing that she was the Crimson Empress.

After apologizing for having him followed and presenting the prepared ‘gift,’ she would resume her conversation with Gaon in a much more relaxed atmosphere.

Yes.

That was exactly Selena Servich’s plan.

But unfortunately, the meeting didn’t flow as she had anticipated.

From the moment Gaon suddenly demanded leadership of the Shadow Sect, all her plans went up in smoke.

‘…Damn it.’

Gulp-.

The atmosphere at what had become a negotiation table was suffocatingly tense.

It felt like sitting on a time bomb that could explode at any moment.

And the reason Selena Servich felt such despair during her meeting with Gaon was none other than this.

‘I know absolutely nothing about Gaon.’

The Thirteenth Sword Master, born for the first time in hundreds of years.

Gathering information about him was virtually impossible.

After all, it had only been a few days since Gaon ascended to the realm of sword mastery.

She had tried having him followed through Isaac Beriloff, but that operation had failed spectacularly.

‘In contrast, he…’

For some reason, he knew far too much about the Shadow Sect.

The Organization’s ultimate goal. And even the crisis The Organization currently faced.

Information she couldn’t fathom how he’d obtained flowed smoothly from his lips.

“…”

Clench-.

Selena Servich unconsciously bit the inside of her lip.

This situation was utterly unpleasant. She felt like she’d been stripped naked before a complete stranger.

But among all this, what confused her most was…

‘Why can’t I trust him at all?’

…the fact that Gaon seemed far too weak.

Every Sword Master she’d encountered before had displayed clear force and presence.

Just being near a Sword Master made breathing difficult, and she’d been crushed by their overwhelming aura, unable to move even a finger.

But from this man, she felt no such ‘intimidation’ at all.

Though she’d observed him carefully throughout the meeting, to Selena Servich’s eyes as a 9th-tier mage, Gaon appeared to be just an ordinary adventurer.

Yet this same person was boldly claiming he would kill the Defiant One, so naturally she couldn’t help but doubt his sincerity.

Especially when he was shamelessly demanding leadership of the Shadow Sect as payment.

“Your Majesty.”

But at that very moment.

“If it’s anyone else, perhaps not, but if it’s Lord Gaon, it should be possible.”

“…?”

The story that flowed from Isaac Beriloff’s lips instantly crumbled all her doubts.

Gaon’s achievements were that shocking.

Instantly seeing through Isaac Beriloff wearing Tristan’s cloak.

Easily subduing Dorico Shiro, one of the Five Nightmares.

Killing a corrupted divine beast with a single strike.

And above all…

“Lord Gaon is said to have killed Camillo von Taribas.”

“What, what did you say?”

Selena Servich’s heart sank.

She responded in a voice that suggested she couldn’t possibly believe it.

“Camillo von Taribas? He killed one of the ‘Five Nightmares’?”

Camillo von Taribas.

For the past several hundred years, no one had succeeded in killing that immortal lich.

Even the Twelve Sword Masters who had grasped the extremes of the sword couldn’t find a way to kill the creature, ultimately having no choice but to tolerate the lich’s atrocities.

But he had killed an immortal being?

‘If that’s true…’

A dream she’d thought impossible suddenly became reality.

It meant his talk of killing the Defiant One might not be mere boasting.

The monster that had devoured the Shadow Sect for decades and twisted their true purpose… the being capable of eliminating the Defiant One was sitting right before her eyes.

“Phew.”

Selena Servich took a deep breath.

Calming her excited heart, she looked at Gaon with a much more composed expression.

“Fine. I understand that you can kill the Defiant One. Beriloff wouldn’t lie.”

“…”

“But separately from that, I need to know why you’re demanding leadership of the Shadow Sect.”

Hearing that question, Gaon answered without a moment’s hesitation.

“To kill the Defiant One, the ‘Seal’ is absolutely necessary.”

“…The Seal?”

Selena Servich’s eyes narrowed.

The Shadow Sect’s Seal.

This was a token given only to the current leader.

Not merely a symbol, but a powerful enchantment imbued with mystical power that amplified the leader’s authority and strength.

‘Once the Seal is transferred, it can never be returned.’

An immutable law that had existed since the Shadow Sect’s founding. Not a custom, but a rule created by the mystical properties inherent in the Seal itself.

‘In other words, handing over the Seal means permanently giving up the position of Shadow Sect leader…’

Just as Selena Servich was having such thoughts.

“You don’t need to worry.”

Gaon continued speaking.

“After killing the Defiant One, I’ll return the ‘practical’ operational authority of the Shadow Sect to you.”

“Practical operational authority means…”

“I’ll rarely interfere with the sect’s affairs. I only want the Seal and the nominal position of leader.”

“…?”

Selena Servich responded as if incredulous.

“Then how is that different from the current situation? I lead the sect under the name Crimson Empress, but I’m practically just the Defiant One’s puppet. Your proposal is essentially just changing the figurehead, isn’t it?”

“No.”

Gaon slowly shook his head.

“At least I won’t force those horrific human sacrifices.”

“…!”

“The periodic rituals. Being freed from that terrible duty of offering dozens of lives as sacrifices—wouldn’t that alone be worth it?”

“…”

“I’ll set this sect right. I won’t carelessly use the ‘Seal’ for any other purpose. I swear this on the name of The Great Ones.”

Selena Servich’s face hardened.

The Shadow Sect’s original purpose was the pursuit of knowledge and transcendence.

But what has it become now?

It had fallen into a slaughterhouse to satisfy the Defiant One’s infinite hunger. Every month they performed horrific rituals and sacrificed countless innocent lives.

No matter how much they rationalized it, this was not the path the Shadow Sect had pursued.

In that sense, if they could defeat the Defiant One, handing over the “Seal” as payment was a deal worth considering.

Though she would lose the title and authority of leader she had maintained all this time, if she could return the sect to its original purpose, it didn’t matter at all.

Of course.

Even so, Selena Servich could not immediately accept his proposal.

“I need time to think.”

“…”

“I’m curious about your ‘true intentions’ in making this proposal.”

After all, this was the first time Selena Servich had met Gaon today.

In a situation where she knew nothing about his goals, values, or inner thoughts, obediently following his claims made no sense.

“Crimson Empress.”

At that moment, Gaon spoke in a low voice.

“To be recognized as an official Sword Master, one must make a ‘Sacred Oath’ before the councilors of Middletemple. You know this fact well.”

Swoosh-.

Gaon rose from his seat and began walking toward her step by step.

A mage should instinctively be wary when the distance with an opponent closes.

But Selena Servich merely watched as Gaon approached. She felt no killing intent or threatening aura from him.

Perhaps it was a kind of arrogance.

Servich was confident in her power as a 9th Circle mage. Even if a Sword Master attacked, she was confident she could defend at least once.

But more important than that was her ‘will’ not to lose in this battle of wills.

If she showed fear or wariness before a Sword Master, it would be tantamount to admitting inferiority.

Therefore, Selena Servich deliberately did not take a defensive stance. She thought this was the way to maintain her dignity as the Crimson Empress.

“The oath I made with the Great Ones.”

“…”

“That was a promise… that all my actions would be premised on ‘saving the world from its end.'”

But at that very moment.

As soon as Gaon finished speaking…

Kuuuuuuung──!

…the world began to turn upside down.

“…!”

A resonance as if space itself was being torn apart.

At the same time, tremendous killing intent burst forth from Gaon’s body.

All strength drained from her body. Her entire body’s muscles stiffened rigidly. She couldn’t move a single finger.

Like a person thrown into cold water and drowning, she frantically searched for oxygen. But no matter how much she tried to breathe in, air wouldn’t reach her lungs.

It wasn’t simple fear or terror. It was panic where her very existence grew faint. The feeling of her ego and consciousness falling into an endless abyss.

Hwaaaaaaak-!

The overwhelming presence Gaon emanated disappeared like a mirage in an instant.

But in that brief moment.

Selena Servich experienced ‘horrific death.’

The pride of a 9th Circle mage who had pursued the extremes of magic for so long crumbled in an instant.

“Haa, haaak…!”

Extreme terror overwhelmed her. Selena Servich began breathing heavily, driven by instinct.

“Th-this is… what is this…”

“Listen carefully.”

Then, Gaon’s dry voice reached her ears.

Selena Servich looked up at him while trembling violently.

Gaon remained expressionless.

Though he had emanated tremendous killing intent just moments before, he continued speaking in a dry tone.

“If I had impure intentions.”

“…”

“If I had even the slightest desire to harm you.”

Gaon finished in a low voice.

“Your sect would have disappeared long ago.”

“…!”

Thump, thump-.

Selena Servich’s heart pounded frantically.

Having tasted the ‘fear of death’ under that momentary killing intent, she could finally realize one fact, albeit belatedly.

‘Ah…’

That’s right.

The reason she felt no aura from Gaon wasn’t evidence of weakness, but rather the opposite.

Gaon had deliberately hidden his power thoroughly.

If he had revealed such killing intent from the beginning… no ‘conversation’ or ‘negotiation’ would have been possible.

“So I’ll say this one last time.”

“…”

“Hand over the leadership of the Shadow Sect to me.”

* * *

In the deepest part of the Abyss.

In the darkness where light could not reach, something slowly raised its head.

A monster that took human form but could never be called human.

Its entire body was rotting and decaying, with crimson vapor seeping through the deeply cracked fissures.

Gooooooo-!

Around it swirled a heavy aura as if crushed by something.

The illusion that time and space were warping.

A sense of wrongness as if its very existence defied the world’s providence.

“Hmm…?”

Then, the corners of the monstrosity’s mouth began to slowly twist.

“…The seal has changed owners.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————