Chapter 346
Chapter 346
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: EP.72 – The Knight Wore a Suit (5)
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A famous swordmaster once said that the higher the level of a swordsman, the lighter their footsteps.
To move one's body lightly means to wield it freely, a mark of true mastery with the blade.
Of course, encountering such masters is no easy feat.
They're not exactly overflowing in number, which is precisely why they're held in such high regard.
Even in a renowned knight order, having a handful—maybe ten or so—is considered extraordinary.
From that perspective...
Whoosh-.
...meeting a hundred such masters at once left him wondering if it was fortune or calamity.
Dozens—no, hundreds—of knights moved in perfect unison, yet the ground beneath them remained utterly silent.
Their steps were endlessly light, endlessly swift.
Thud!
But the power surging from their swords was crushingly heavy, their aura razor-sharp.
Fighting energy.
The vital, resilient waves that only warriors trained in Fighting Techniques could unleash crashed down on him all at once. The sheer force from what must have been thousands emanated a pressure like a mountain range.
Masters.
Over ten percent of the Brass Knights bore that title with ease, their prowess as formidable warriors shining through even before their half-demon nature. The remaining ninety percent were no slouches either.
At minimum, upper-tier knight level.
If they set their minds to it, they could wipe out two or three territories in a single night. And here, over a thousand of them were arrayed before him.
An utterly hopeless disparity in power.
...Which was exactly why.
Krunch!
"Moving under that pressure...?"
His figure advancing as if casually brushing aside that pressure felt utterly alien.
Stab, stab!
Of course, he wasn't completely free of it—his feet sank deep into the ground with each step.
It was only natural. The fighting energy bearing down on this knight was intense enough to crumble a fortress wall like sand.
"Unleash Sword Resonance."
Vmmm!!
In the next instant, thirty men responded to Farhan's command, igniting their Sword Resonance.
They'd caught on that it resembled the principles of Reactive Aura Burst—their opening gambit against this monster.
No matter how terrifying the Sword Resonance cloaking his body...
"I wonder if he can withstand a clash from dozens."
Roar!
Dozens of Sword Resonances harmonized, the intense waves scorching the air and melting the marble floor.
No matter how sturdy the body, no living creature could block this assault.
Thud-!
...Or so it should have been.
"?"
"!!?"
"??"
The faces of those who unleashed it hardened.
"...Why?"
It should have pierced clean through. But it didn't.
Even without that bizarre technique.
Screeech!
Thrusting their resonating blades only made their swords scream, unable to penetrate his flesh.
The Brass Knights' fatal error: not grasping the nature of an intent that couldn't be shattered, let alone deformed.
They stared at him like some incomprehensible enigma, but he...
"Out of my way."
Swoosh!
Crossed his arms and slammed them down, shattering every blade aimed at him.
Swords infused with resonance exploded like mirrors, the forced disruption unleashing massive backlash that detonated on impact.
The knights caught in it didn't even have time to scream before losing limbs.
Horrific enough on its own, but...
Slash!
"Three down for now."
His sword flashed, cleaving three Brass Knights in half in an instant.
Thud thud thud...
Their bodies split apart in a blink. The others gaped in disbelief—but that was their mistake.
Boom!!
His feet still left craters in the ground.
Whoosh!
Lee Han unleashed a savage sword dance.
Lee Han rarely wielded a sword—or any blade, for that matter.
There were a few reasons. Fighting barehanded was simpler, easier to control his strength.
He favored hand axes sometimes, but those were for throwing, not swinging up close.
Yet there were occasions when he did use blades. Namely...
'Plenty of beasts today.'
When hunting beasts in human skin.
That's when Lee Han drew steel.
One might argue that if barehanded suited him better, why not stick to it? Wrong.
He'd said it was uncomfortable with a sword—not weak.
If anything...
Splorch!
...with a blade in hand, he was dozens of times deadlier than barehanded, awkwardness be damned.
Why? Because...
Thwack!
"I-I blocked it, so why...?"
"Shield was too thin. Should've brought a thicker one."
"......Hah."
Thud...
Every foe closing in was rendered irrelevant, no matter their defenses.
The Brass Knight in plate armor and heavy iron shield was bisected along with both.
But Lee Han spared his gruesome handiwork a single glance.
"Coming at me like moths to a flame."
Sslash!
Dozens already littered the ground behind him in similar states.
Lee Han didn't bother counting his kills.
He simply advanced on those trying to kill him.
Well, if they were truly 'people,' it might have given him pause.
Slicing through that many humans would weigh on the mind.
But...
Sizzle-.
'Gone without a trace—not people anymore.'
Like monsters, their remains crumbled away.
All that lingered were charred husks like burnt coal.
Proof these so-called half-demons were no different from beasts. No guilt stirred in the scene.
Which meant...
"—You've eaten people, haven't you?"
"......"
"Knew it. Devouring humans must've boosted your physical prowess far beyond other half-demons. Somehow you've kept your brain from demonizing, but your body's already nine-tenths demon—no, monster."
"......"
"......Worse than beasts."
Guilt gave way to seething disgust.
How many lives devoured to reach this level? Unimaginable.
Even great noble houses struggled to field this many elite knights, yet these seemed oddly weaker—now he knew why.
'Real blood cult material.'
Growing strong by eating people.
Flesh and fresh blood fueling their power.
No wonder they repulsed him.
"Keeps feeling nauseating."
There was good reason.
Disgust surged, but so did rage—like facing a spellcaster.
Killing intent pierced his brain, threatening his cool.
But he couldn't lose it.
Over half were just strong brutes, but among the rest...
"Oh dear. You lot weren't meant to go down so pointlessly here. Such a shame."
...were real threats. He had to stay sharp.
For now...
The squinting knight flashed an insincere smile, his tone devoid of regret.
"Hmm, what manner of intent is that? Boosts physical ability, but... uncanny. Not so easily defined."
Only those touched by intent could pierce it.
Recognizing Lee Han's barehanded block as intent's power, he tilted his head.
"Well, grind a bit more, and we'll find out."
Whoosh.
As if he'd uncover the answer by churning through lives. He sent his knights forward again.
Treating their lives like coins to buy his strategy.
Truly...
"Why do all you bastards act the same?"
...why did evil always think alike?
Vmmm!
Lee Han vibrated his sword, exasperation clear.
Sword hum.
Unlike the feather-light resonance of the recent Brass Knights, this was heavier, tougher. And in that instant...!
Fwaaah!
It bloomed like a flower bud.
A lotus, breathtakingly beautiful, bewitching all who beheld it...-
"Huh?"
...where'd the plum blossoms go?
Lee Han blinked at the sudden lotus—no plum blossom swordsmanship in sight—but as it unfurled...
Fwoooosh...!
—it engulfed the entire Brass Knight Order.
"...What weird thing did you eat this time? Or did you get another fairy blessing?"
The gray-haired boy, Derek, gaped via his [Clairvoyance] skill at his master's spectacle.
Not at the hundreds of lotuses devouring half-demons.
"Nothing but unknowns..."
He was speechless at the 'stats.'
Ding-.
Name: [Lee Han Turtle] Race: [??] Traits: [New—Diamond Powerhouse (Lv.8+0.3), Strong Regeneration (Lv.7), Extreme Poison Resistance (Lv.6), New—Grandmaster (Lv.8+0.2), Spell Slayer (Lv.7), New—Saintess's Blessing (Lv.3)]
(New) Diamond Powerhouse (金剛力士): Trait born when a diamond monk who sees women as stones gains the strength to overturn mountains. Grants use of divine power (法力), which subjugates demons and eradicates evil. +Sarira of divine power begin forming in the body. +Unintentional use of divine power possible. +Divine power constantly acts on designated foes.
Strong Regeneration: Trait only for those who've succeeded in body tempering. Increases regeneration across skin, bones, muscles, nerves, organs, etc. Repeated painful training toughens the flesh. +Can deflect most impacts.
Extreme Poison Resistance: Evolved from base resistance upon encountering the Demon King's poison. Handles poison traits, absorbs poisons like food, digests stone or iron, etc. +Can metabolize curses as nutrients.
(New) Grandmaster: Trait from merging master aptitude, hyper-senses, and indomitable will. A warrior who forges a new school transcending eras. +(Unknown).
Spell Slayer: Trait for completing the mages' natural enemy quest. Provides mana resistance and instills psychological terror in spellcasters. +Activates Judge based on mage hatred level; evolved from Berserker; stamina holds until total annihilation.
(New) Saintess's Blessing: Trait for those blessed by saints. Luck flows endlessly; free use of holy relics not one's own. +Divine spell use possible. +Learning holy power activates Holy Warrior—Monk. +Blessed by Great Saintess and others; resists not just curses but [Mysteries].
"......Diamond Powerhouse? Planning enlightenment or something?"
And now this unheard-of top-tier [Saintess's Blessing].
Could 'diamond powerhouse' and 'holy warrior' even mix? One hell of a hybrid.
Derek...
"......I give up."
...decided to just watch.
Wondering what came next.
The boy had surrendered to enjoying the unknowable.