Sword Master With One Strike Kill - Chapter 95

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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 95

Episode 95. The Calm Before the Storm (2)

* * *

The true name of The Mysterious Person.

That was what I desired from Demarion the Great Sage.

Upon hearing my request, Demarion pondered for a moment before asking a question.

[Why do you specifically seek The Mysterious Person’s true name?]

Demarion’s question carried weight beyond simple curiosity.

Had the intuition of one who had lived for thousands of years seen through my intentions?

Instead of giving a straightforward answer, I posed another question.

“Because a true name is not merely a ‘name.'”

[Ho.]

Upon hearing those words, Demarion wore an expression of interest.

[Indeed. To transcendent beings, a true name holds meaning far beyond just a ‘name.’ It’s been a while since I’ve met a child who understands this.]

He raised his hand and began drawing something in the air.

Whooom, whooooom-.

Following his movements, blue light flowed from his fingertips.

Soon, ancient characters floated in the forest air.

[A true name is existence itself. It’s not an exaggeration to say it’s a vessel containing essence and karma, the echo of the soul.]

Demarion continued his explanation.

[All the deeds and experiences from when one was mortal, and the nature of transcendence formed accordingly, are all contained within.]

“….”

[In other words, a true name is a crystallization of the subject’s soul and history compressed together.]

Crack-.

Demarion’s hand grasped the letters floating in the air.

The blue letters then disappeared like smoke.

With a dark expression, he continued in a low, sunken voice.

[Some divine beings can completely dominate or even absorb an existence simply by knowing their true name.]

“….”

[That’s why The Great Ones use aliases. It’s their intention to conceal their true names.]

I listened silently to Demarion’s explanation.

These were all settings I had learned while playing the game, but I listened carefully without missing a single detail in case there might be new information.

Fortunately, the settings regarding true names were exactly as I knew them.

Knowing the true name of a divine being or one who had reached transcendence was tantamount to having the key to approach their essence.

‘Even Demarion the Great Sage right now is merely an alias, not a true name.’

Like this, all those who had reached transcendence used aliases to hide their true essence.

Of course, the other Twelve Sword Masters were no exception.

Tyrant Dragon, Black Bone, and so on… Those who knew their true names were extremely rare. Aliases acted like barriers protecting the Heretics.

[Above all, the true names of Sword Masters work even more specially because they made pacts with The Great Ones.]

“….”

[Therefore, if one knows a Sword Master’s true name and can properly speak it…]

Demarion paused for a moment, then looked at me with meaningful eyes as he finished his words.

[…interfering with the sacred pacts they made with The Great Ones would not be impossible.]

Hiss-.

Demarion smiled as he looked at me.

[Do you understand now, child? How heavy the meaning of your request to know a true name is?]

A hollow laugh escaped me without realizing it.

Demarion’s explanation was uncannily precise, as if it had pierced through my heart.

Indeed, I had been planning to ask him about a specific Sword Master’s true name.

“You already knew I would ask about a Sword Master’s true name.”

[Yes.]

Demarion nodded.

[And I also know well that your desire for a true name is not merely out of curiosity.]

The forest leaves rustled.

[Go ahead and speak. Whose true name do you so desperately wish to know?]

I paused for a moment.

Then I began to voice the question I had been carrying in my heart since the moment I arrived here.

“I am…”

Information I hadn’t known even when playing the game.

A secret I couldn’t access even after 200 playthroughs.

However, a key I absolutely needed to discover to save the world from the approaching apocalypse.

“The owner of Seorineul.”

[….]

“The Heretic who killed the first chancellor of Wintershield Magic Academy.”

I stared directly at Demarion. For the first time, I saw agitation pass across his previously serene face.

“Your kinsman who promised to grant the ‘Seal of the Sword Master’ to the heads of House of Haibroon for generations.”

I finished in a calm voice.

“The Sword Master of Pean.”

[….]

“I want to know his true name.”

That was the ‘final piece’ needed to annihilate the Middle Temple Traditionalists.

* * *

Flicker-!

In the dark and deep dungeon.

A Hybrid Human-Dragon sat cross-legged on a wide rock formation.

Dozens of candles burned quietly around Pokryeomdo, which was planted right beside him.

“….”

As the Sword Master of the Raging Dragon continued his meditation, a certain memory suddenly flashed through his mind.

─I don’t understand. I definitely didn’t sense any energy, so how exactly did he block my attack…?

The day he met Gaon in Labyrinth Village.

That mysterious swordsmanship that had blocked his fist.

“Haa…”

The Tyrant Dragon slowly opened his eyes and let out a sigh.

“…Damn, I just can’t get a grasp on it.”

His sincere strike had been blocked so futilely.

Gaon’s sword had arrived at the impact point first, as if it had foreseen the future.

He had fought countless battles in his mental world to break through that swordsmanship, but no matter how many times he tried, he couldn’t penetrate Gaon’s defense.

In a way, it was natural.

After all, the Tyrant Dragon still didn’t ‘understand’ his swordsmanship at all.

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

Recalling the statement Heukgol had made in the past, the Tyrant Dragon let out a snorting laugh.

Right.

Even Heukgol was helplessly defeated by him, they say.

Rather than crossing swords, he was subdued by mere presence alone?

‘…Interesting.’

A bold smile crossed Tyrant Dragon’s lips.

The stronger the enemy, the greater the excitement he felt.

Constantly pondering how to surpass his rivals was one of Tyrant Dragon’s greatest pleasures.

Hissss─!

“Hmm…?”

That was the exact moment.

All the candles around him were extinguished along with a bone-chilling cold.

At the same time, a gentle and clear voice came from behind him.

“You look troubled from behind, Tyrant Dragon.”

“…!”

Tyrant Dragon whipped around.

An elf stood near the entrance of the dungeon.

Long, flowing silver-white hair. And pointed ears as well.

Among these features, what caught the eye most were the bandages completely covering his vision.

Despite having his eyes completely covered, his steps approaching Tyrant Dragon showed not a hint of hesitation.

As if he could see through everything with senses other than sight.

“…Pean.”

Tyrant Dragon muttered in a low voice.

His face held an inexplicable uneasiness.

“What brings you here?”

“I also came here for training. This is a space the Great Ones have carefully prepared for us Heretics.”

“…Can’t you kill any enemy you want without needing training?”

“Haha. There is no end to the path of a Heretic. You know this better than anyone, Tyrant Dragon.”

Pean continued with a gentle smile.

“By the way, I heard you couldn’t quite grasp something earlier… If you don’t mind, would you care to spar with me?”

“…”

“Meditation and utilizing the ‘mental world’ are excellent training methods, but sometimes there are insights that can only be reached by crossing swords.”

After pondering briefly, Tyrant Dragon shook his head.

“…I’ll pass on the sparring.”

Tyrant Dragon was a warrior who followed his instincts.

He felt most alive when clashing swords with his life on the line in burning passion.

But Pean’s sword was different.

Terribly cold and calculating swordsmanship. Restrained violence where every movement seemed born from hundreds of simulations. Combat that allowed not an ounce of emotion or spontaneity.

Sparring with him was closer to a ‘test’ with predetermined answers rather than actual combat.

This was why Tyrant Dragon avoided fighting Pean.

Regardless of winning or losing, such forced combat with predetermined answers gave him no pleasure whatsoever.

“Hmm. That’s unfortunate.”

Hearing this, Pean clicked his tongue.

“I’ll likely have occasion to use my sword soon, so I was requesting a spar as part of my training…”

“What?”

Pause-.

Instantly, Tyrant Dragon’s brow furrowed slightly.

He slowly turned around and stared intently at Pean as he asked again.

“You’ll have occasion to use your sword? You…?”

“Yes.”

“…”

This was strange.

After all, Pean was one of the Sword Masters who most disliked being involved with worldly affairs.

There were only two cases when he would reveal himself to the world.

When a new head of House of Haibroon was born, or when the Great Ones gave him a mission.

If the head of House of Haibroon had died, Heukgol, who had recently visited Middle Temple, would have informed them.

But since he said nothing, it meant there had been no particular incident with the Haibroon side.

Then…

“Have the Great Ones given a new mission?”

“No. It’s not that.”

Pean shook his head.

“Just a simple revelation.”

“…Revelation?”

“Yes. They said I’ll soon encounter a very strong opponent.”

“…”

Tyrant Dragon stared at Pean silently.

His sharp intuition began to tingle.

‘Could it be.’

It was speculation without any basis.

But if there was someone who would be evaluated as a ‘very strong opponent’ even by Pean…

There was only one person Tyrant Dragon could think of.

‘…Gaon, is it that guy?’

* * *

Ding-!

〔Hidden Message : Causality is being twisted.〕

〔Hidden Message : The encounter with Sword Master Pean is being accelerated.〕

* * *

Whoosh-.

Top Floor of the Magic Tower.

Biyolf, Selena, and several professors were waiting anxiously in front of the Chamber of the Great Sage.

They had been waiting here helplessly for already 15 minutes.

“Damn, how much longer do we have to wait?”

Biyolf grumbled quietly.

Selena scolded him with a reproachful voice.

“Biyolf. Have patience. A meeting with Demarion the Great Sage could never end quickly…”

Creak-.

Before those words could finish, the door began to slowly open.

Pure white light leaked through the gap, and a man’s silhouette appeared within it.

“…It, ended quickly?”

Selena couldn’t hide her bewilderment.

Soon murmurs arose among the professors.

Their expressions mixed surprise and awe.

The sight of a Sword Master walking out through doors that had been closed for hundreds of years was sufficiently wondrous.

“A Sword Master really met with the Great Sage…”

“My goodness.”

“What kind of conversation did those two have?”

“I envy the knowledge he must have gained. They say the Great Sage is a being who sees through all the secrets of this world…”

Murmur murmur-.

As the professors’ whispers spread throughout the Upper Floor, Gaon quietly approached Adelia.

Then he spoke in a low, subdued voice.

“Our business at Wintershield is finished.”

“Th-then…?”

Adelia asked with surprised eyes.

“Now it’s time to return to Middletemple.”

“…!”

Knowing all too well what those words meant, she instantly widened her eyes and held her breath.

─Lord Gaon! We must immediately return to Middletemple, the Holy City, and reveal this truth! We must hold a Holy Judgment and make Jark von Haibrunn, who walked the path of heresy, pay the appropriate price for his sins…

─Calm yourself. The time is not yet right.

─But…!

─I’ve told you repeatedly. There is an order to all things.

“…”

Yes.

Finally, the ‘time’ that The Protagonist had mentioned had arrived.

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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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