The Return of the Genius Ranker of All Times - Chapter 254

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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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Chapter 254

Episode 254.

Kwaaaaang-!

Jihad frowned at the shockwave that swept through the sparring room and shouted.

-What happened?

-Risa!

“It doesn’t look like the match is over yet?”

-I think the same.

Ast casually remarked from beside Jihad, and Charlie agreed with him.

Those who had been watching separately without any close combat had somehow become united in their observation.

It was such a breathtaking duel.

And the end of that duel had not yet been decided.

The two silhouettes visible through the darkly rising dust were neither of them collapsed.

“Still, the tide of victory has turned.”

“That’s right.”

However, it seemed like it would be decided soon.

As the dust cleared, what was revealed was a blizzard split in half by the Sword Master’s blade, and within it, the White Lion collapsed and breathing heavily.

And behind that was Dohyun, staggering.

He had been slashed along with the White Lion by a single strike that seemed to cut through space itself, suffering fatal wounds.

-How is that even possible!?

-R-Risa…

To think that was merely swordsmanship.

As Jihad and Eliza gaped at the sight they were seeing for the first time in their lives, Ast beside them chuckled.

“You guys are seeing this for the first time. That’s what happens when you train swordsmanship to its limits. Among them, that guy’s quick-draw technique is amazing. It cuts through magic and everything else.”

-…Is that possible?

To Charlie’s question, Ast answered nonchalantly.

“There’s nothing that can’t be done. They’re signature sword techniques after all. The ridiculous thing is that guy created those signature sword techniques himself.”

-Indeed… They are Master’s companions. What an incredible person.

The Sword Master is an unprecedented player who fills most of her skill slots with swordsmanship.

The fact that four of them are signature sword techniques she created herself is already known by most players.

And she has trained all of those sword techniques to their limits.

As if that wasn’t enough, she seeks out new sword techniques, and if she can’t obtain them as signature skills, she learns and executes them with her body rather than skills.

As a result of her fanatical obsession with swordsmanship, she has reached a position where no one can match her with a sword.

“That’s no longer just a concept. She’s someone who genuinely wants to see the end of the sword.”

“…Though to package it that way, there have been quite a few times when I wondered if this was right. Does it make sense to sit cross-legged under a waterfall for mental training? And the technique names like Tyrannical Single Strike and Quick-Draw Technique… Ugh, this is all martial arts addiction, I tell you?”

“Ahem. Keep it down a bit. Let me maintain some dignity in front of these guys.”

“They probably can’t hear us. Their hearing can’t be that good, right?”

-…We can hear everything. Let’s pretend we didn’t hear anything, Eliza.

-Rizariza.

Jihad’s group tactfully played dumb, but they were quite shocked.

They thought the Owner’s companions would be impressive, but seeing them directly exceeded their expectations.

However, it was still too early to make hasty judgments.

“By the way… I felt this during raids too, but Kaiser’s swordsmanship is no joke either. Seeing that it couldn’t cut through that much.”

“Right. If it’s not magic, then does that mean it’s pure physical force?”

“Where did he learn something so strange again? How much stronger is he trying to get?”

That was because even the Sword Master’s quick-draw technique seemed unable to handle Dohyun’s strike, as the traces were clearly visible.

Thud.

In front of Dohyun, who barely managed to maintain his balance, the floor and walls were completely destroyed as if a bomb had exploded.

It was the aftermath of the second form of Reverse Heaven Technique, Destruction.

The power was incredibly impressive, befitting a skill that had established itself as the strongest dealing technique, but Dohyun’s eyes looking at it were furrowed with dissatisfaction.

“That was excellent swordsmanship, Kaiser. To think such swordsmanship existed… Indeed, the world of the sword is vast and endless.”

“…You didn’t even get hit, so what.”

“No one would stand there with their eyes open to take such a sword technique with long startup time. It would have been dangerous if I had been hit.”

Because that explosive power hadn’t even touched a hair on the Sword Master’s head.

‘As expected, it’s useless without applying a bind.’

A fraudulent sword technique that breaks everything in its trajectory unless there’s a significant difference in level.

It’s also a sword technique with excellent damage, but the accuracy difficulty is extreme.

You can only hit if they openly take the hit like the Guardian did, or if you create a situation where they have no choice but to take it.

“It seems like it’s time to wrap things up. It was an enjoyable duel, Kaiser.”

The Sword Master approaching while saying that was sincere.

She had properly experienced the true nature of new swordsmanship, and it was a more thrilling duel than expected.

There was no way she couldn’t be satisfied.

But that was from her perspective, and Dohyun couldn’t be satisfied yet.

His health was already at rock bottom and he had no more sword techniques that could serve as trump cards, but,

‘End like this? Says who.’

He had properly grasped the weakness of the second form, Destruction.

He needed to find even a little bit of a way to overcome this.

No, before that, he felt like he needed to land at least one hit to feel satisfied. Being beaten up like this wouldn’t save face.

Thud. Scrape-

As Dohyun stepped forward again and circulated his energy, the Sword Master swung her sword.

That alone stopped his steps.

The second weakness of the second form, Destruction.

“A form that circulates the energy of Mount Tai gained through continuous steps from the previous form and explodes it in one place.”

“…”

“It’s certainly a great form, but it’s a form that can be stopped by simply not allowing the chain to continue. It’s over, Kaiser.”

Grasping the principle of the sword technique and responding to it after seeing it just once was truly befitting of the Sword Master.

Unlike others, Reverse Heaven Technique would no longer work on her.

Because her air superiority was absolute.

[Reverse Heaven Technique]

[Using First Form: Beginning.]

But Dohyun stepped forward again.

It wasn’t simple stubbornness.

Because his opponent was the Sword Master, he could research ways to compensate for weaknesses.

If it worked on her, it would mean it would work on most others, wouldn’t it?

Scrape- Whoosh-

Swish-

He swung and thrust his sword and executed footwork.

Even when she interfered to prevent him from continuing his footwork, Dohyun stubbornly moved his steps.

Using parrying and his characteristic distance control, he somehow advanced, and as a result, the frequency of overlapping energy was gradually increasing.

Thud. Thump.

But ultimately, the third time was the limit.

Though he might have been discouraged by the energy that scattered and disappeared futilely, Dohyun paid no mind and started over from the beginning.

Rather, the Sword Master watching him was impressed.

‘Incredible concentration… That’s not stubbornness or obstinacy.’

He was definitely attempting something.

Those were the eyes of someone who could see nothing in the world but the sword and himself.

Perhaps that’s why. The Sword Master could see it.

Swish.

Dohyun’s posture was gradually becoming more stable.

Thud.

The width of his steps and the hand gripping his sword, even the breath he inhaled and exhaled.

Everything was becoming perfectly systematic without flaw.

Clearly there was nothing to criticize, yet the moment he took his next step, an even more perfect footwork technique emerged.

Minute differences were gathering to create significant results.

“That monster of a man. He’s still growing even in the midst of all this.”

“Damn… he’s making my body itch again. I’ll have to spar with him after this ends, I can’t help it. I’m getting some kind of feeling.”

“Ugh, these talent-gifted bastards anyway. How is a common citizen supposed to live with this injustice.”

Even Ast, who could be called a complete outsider in this field, showed admiration as the Empress cracked her knuckles.

Her brown eyes gradually turned red.

The Empress’s body trembled with excitement as if expressing her desire to jump in right away with her entire being.

Regardless of that, Dohyun was in a state of complete absorption.

Thud, scrape-

Swish.

When did it start?

While repeatedly reorganizing without giving up despite repeated failures, a message appeared before his eyes.

[Your strong will to overcome resonates with obsession.]

[The obsession that was dormant within activates.]

[As long as you don’t give up, obsession will lend strength to your will.]

‘Obsession…’

The enhanced reward he had obtained from the Guardian.

The effect that had never activated even once since then was finally being triggered.

At the same time, he felt a strange sensation.

Drip.

As a sound like a water droplet falling echoed from deep within, a faint refreshing feeling settled into his body that had reached its limits.

Like when a fighter who had reached their limit in the ring was enduring through willpower alone. Should I say it gave him the strength to throw one more punch?

Or perhaps it was closer to sprinkling a sip of water for someone exhausted by thirst and on the verge of collapse, enabling them to cross the desert?

“…!”

The final handful needed to move forward.

That handful that couldn’t be reached no matter how desperately he tried felt like it was pushing him from behind.

It was a handful that broke through limits.

And people grow when they break through their limits.

Thud.

“The fourth step…!”

The moment he succeeded in taking the step that had consistently failed.

The Sword Master’s eyes widened as she quickly lowered her body and rushed in.

It was an instinctive judgment. And it could be said to be a very appropriate judgment.

His step, taken with perfect precision, was no longer something that could be blocked by simply swinging a sword lightly.

However.

[Breaking through limits and advancing opens the path to the next technique.]

[You have glimpsed a part of the next realm.]

[The image of the 3rd technique can be seen, albeit faintly.]

‘Ah. This is…?’

Dohyun’s swordsmanship was already nearing completion.

Through the misty, blurred vision, something could be glimpsed. It was a new realm different from anything before.

Before his mind could comprehend it, his body reacted first.

Hiss-

Eyes half out of focus.

Back drooping limply.

Yet the eerie aura proportional to that made the rushing Sword Master’s eyes widen in surprise.

Thwack!

When she came to her senses, she had already retreated far back.

‘…Why did I?’

She couldn’t understand why she had retreated.

It was purely instinctive action. Her intuition was crying out. That it would be dangerous if she went any further.

It was something she felt but couldn’t believe herself.

The spec difference between Kaiser and herself right now wasn’t at a level that could be overturned by skill.

Moreover, if it was a sword technique duel rather than sparring, there was no need for words.

‘Yet I felt it was dangerous.’

She had engaged in countless sword technique duels with Kaiser during their Demroc days, but this was a sensation she had never experienced even once.

Something utterly shocking had occurred.

She could be certain.

That her longtime companion was breaking through some framework and growing.

‘Interesting, Kaiser.’

At that, the Sword Master instead curved her lips into an arc.

Kaiser’s growth was interesting, but she was even feeling excitement about his stance that gave no hint of what kind of swordsmanship he would display.

“I should respond with sincerity as well.”

Feeling her chest grow hot, the Sword Master took her stance.

Among the four signature sword techniques she had created, the last one that could be called her secret technique.

The one she rarely brought out because power control didn’t work well with it – she intended to bring it out after a long time.

Whoosh-

Taking a sword stance and regulating her breathing.

She was a single sword.

Extremely calm and quiet, yet the sensation of one’s neck growing cold the moment eyes met.

Like an executioner looking down coldly at one who had placed their neck on the execution block. Just as she was about to slowly bend her body.

“Stop that. Do you intend to completely destroy this old teacher’s sparring room?”

A heavy voice that penetrated through the murderous atmosphere.

The moment she heard the benevolent yet powerful voice, the Sword Master’s eyes returned to normal as if nothing had happened.

The same was true for Dohyun.

Focus returned to his blurred eyes, and his drooping back straightened.

“…Huh?”

“Crazy.”

What he heard upon regaining his senses were the shocked reactions of the Empress and Ast, and the moment he turned his head, those reactions were immediately understood.

An elderly man with white hair and wrinkles covering his kind features, standing in front of the sparring room door.

The elderly man with a long beard that had turned white like his hair was someone Dohyun knew well.

“…Sword Emperor.”

The Sword of Seven Rivers.

The greatest swordsman of the continent, Sword Emperor Gawain Drew.

A legendary figure was looking at everyone while making eye contact.

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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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