Chapter 10
Chapter 10
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: 3 Years
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3 Years
I now knew how the Instant Kill skill worked.
The moment I faced a monster
Flash!
Groooar!
My vision went white, and when it cleared, the monster was already bisected and slammed into the ground.
“......What?”
The real problem came after.
Once the fight ended, my stance froze with my sword planted in the ground, like some prayer pose.
It happened every single time Instant Kill triggered.
If it was just a victory animation, I could accept it, but doing this every time made it annoying to draw my sword again.
Still, riding the momentum, I cleaved through monsters one by one with Instant Kill and pushed to the dungeon's depths.
The Golem Dungeon's boss was, naturally, a golem.
The moment its massive rock arm slowly lifted, I raised my sword high.
Flash!
'Huh?'
When I came to, the golem's torso was already sliced from the waist up.
'It even works on the boss?'
If only I knew the trigger conditions for Instant Kill, I could use it more effectively... but of all places, it had to trigger in the dungeon where I came to figure that out.
Of course, the Golem Dungeon was on the easier side, but thinking positively, it was a good sign.
Instant Kill working on bosses meant farming efficiency would skyrocket.
Though I'd need to check if it worked in other dungeons too.
[Blue Shard]
"At least it drops something."
Expecting a special shard from a boss that Instant Kill nuked was probably greedy.
I picked up the shard from the floor, pocketed it, and trudged out of the dungeon.
Besides Spider Dungeon and Golem Dungeon, what else was there?
Ah, Lizardman Dungeon and Slime Dungeon too.
Time for a dungeon tour, huh.
It was pretty tempting.
So why hadn't I tried this sooner? There must've been a reason I stuck to only Demon Beast Dungeon and Spider Dungeon.
"Halibal."
Adelin was waiting outside.
The moment I saw her, I remembered why I'd forgotten about the other dungeons.
'I have no permission slip.'
I'd shoved it out of my mind.
"Ah."
Shit.
"Ah."
“......Ah.”
“Ah.”
“...Please don't make me say it.”
I also had no acrostic poem prep.
⁎⁎⁎
Off to the stockade.
'You idiot! Body not even fully healed and you're wandering off on your own? Do you even know you're a soldier!?'
Couldn't exactly say 'The princess went incognito and started a WWE match...' so I got properly dragged off by Adelin and the MPs.
Luckily, it was just a day in lockup. Less punishment, more like 'take a day to rest.'
Or not? It felt like I was on the verge of mortal danger getting beaten.
No combat log popping up despite the hits was getting infuriating.
Silver lining though: Adelin caught on to my intent and got me entry permits for all the dungeons around the camp.
Starting tomorrow, I'd be a shard farming pro.
"Halibal. There's visitors."
“Yes. One moment, please.”
“Lady Senia and Cecil, huh. Heh heh. I'll step out, so make it good.”
The MP unnecessarily cleared out, grinning like an idiot despite there being no need for it.
What's so funny?
Was it my situation?
“Oh dear, are you alright? I came as soon as I heard about the confinement. Really, you always surprise us.”
“My apologies for worrying you.”
“Hee hee, going AWOL... Never thought you'd do something so reckless. You've got a wild side, huh?”
Senia finished speaking and started peeling a fruit like last time.
Except now, through the bars.
Kinda atmospheric.
But didn't the MP say two visitors?
Glancing at the door, a familiar silver ponytail poked through the iron grate.
Why's she lurking like that?
“Cecil. Come say hi since you're here.”
“I-I can handle it myself!”
Cecilia shuffled over timidly.
“I heard. You invented a new sword style?”
“Hardly worth calling it an invention. I can't compare it to the Ren family swordsmanship.”
“What... You're not fooling anyone.”
She said that, but praising the Ren family made her lips twitch up.
Grumpy attitude as always, but honestly, my impression of her had already tilted positive.
Think about it: Unlike Senia who just peels fruit, isn't Cecilia the giving type?
She woke up my Arts inspiration, gave me an Abyss Core, gave shards. Even helped with my Break indirectly.
She'd done it all. So I'd planned to repay her next time we met.
“Thank you, Lady Cecilia.”
“......Huh?”
“I survived thanks to you.”
“R-Really?”
“So I've prepared a little something in return.”
I reached into my pocket, gripped the item I'd set aside as thanks, and held out my fist.
“Hah...!”
Cecilia saw my fist, let out a shaky breath, flinched, and took a small step back.
“Th-Thanks? Wh-What's that?”
“Yes. Thought it'd help you.”
“G-Gathered...? What? N-No way... power...?”
What the hell?
“Th-This time... make it not hurt... please...”
She closed her eyes and leaned her face toward me.
“?”
Ignoring her nonsense, I opened my hand.
“Oh my.”
“......Huh?”
“White Shards.”
My thank you gift: seven White Shards.
I picked up extras from my kobold runs.
Useless for a swordsman like me boosting magic power.
But for Cecilia? Different story. Her Ren sword style was a hybrid type.
Both Red Shards and White Shards worked for her.
Plenty built pure White setups for her.
“Hey!!!”
Whoa, scared me. She nearly blew out my eardrums.
“N-Next... next time say it clearly so I don't misunderstand!!”
“...Sorry?”
Her outburst made me apologize on reflex. Her face was tomato red for some reason.
She immediately snatched the shards from my hand.
Ah. Not refusing, huh.
Then she glared sharply.
“......How'd you know? That our family's style uses magic power.”
Yeah, Ren swordsmanship being magic-based was probably a family secret.
So her suspicion was natural. Senia's too.
Maybe they're wondering if I was a church plant.
But I had a perfect excuse.
“I took Shatter Light firsthand, remember?”
“......Right.”
“I imagined it'd be even more beautiful infused with your magic.”
I'd felt it on my skin.
Best excuse ever.
“White Shards must've been hard to get.”
“It's all I can offer right now.”
“......I see.”
I had other spares, but I dumped only the useless Whites just in case.
“For the core and Yellow Shard.”
Gifting the heroines stuff I didn't need? Win-win.
“If you don't like them...”
“...No.”
Cecilia bowed her head briefly, then murmured softly.
“...Thanks. I like them.”
For hours after, we sat across the bars, chatting idly.
“Yeah. I cleared the Spider Dungeon a few days back too.”
“How were the Insect-Faced Arachnid's legs?”
“Burned up before they touched me.”
Yeah, you're powerful afterall.
“Oh my. The mid-boss in the Demon Beast Dungeon is called Shukarit? Sounds cute.”
“Electricity from its body? How'd you beat it?”
“It had speed more than strength but its electricity gave me trouble.”
Chatting away, the evening slipped by.
MP is still AWOL.
Where the hell is that guy?
Finally, as night fell after they left, he scurried back.
"Halibal, treat me to a drink if things go well for you?"
What bullshit.
⁎⁎⁎
“Guh!”
“Winner! Halibal Belder! One win!”
The soldier went flying from one hit.
“Crazy... what is that guy? Even with an Abyss Core, that fast?”
“Hey, no need to envy geniuses.”
“I'm proud of him.”
Next day, I switched up my training completely.
Sparring with the elite camp soldiers as base, ending with an Adelin bout routine.
I discovered a new Instant Kill effect there.
It started as an accident: I entered the spar with Black Calamity equipped.
Thought I was screwed when it triggered, but soldier just passed out unharmed.
Against allies, Instant Kill swaps to non-lethal takedown.
Knowledge gained.
“Why'd Halibal beat Greg then kneel praying?”
“Maybe he's saying 'Search quick and ascend to heaven, that it?”
And my misunderstandings further multiplied.
⁎⁎⁎
“......Oh?”
“What's wrong? You're staggering.”
It's the first time I got the first move on Adelin.
Thrilling. Punching this psycho first before eating her hits.
Wait. This doesn't change much though?
“Are you taunting me? Fun.”
I grabbed her back, used my chained Arts, and she looked up with an unusual expression.
Fluster? Fear? Pride?
Nah, it was like a predator eyeing prey.
“You're in for it. Was getting kinda bored.”
On our next bout, she stole the first move back.
Fuck. She was holding back this whole time?
Afterwards, I got wrecked as usual, I shifted my training to more cardio.
Damn woman.
⁎⁎⁎
“How are you? Feeling okay?”
“Yes. Always indebted to you, Saintess.”
“No... I'm the one sorry for not sharing your pain...”
Post-training, I often got heals from Mine.
Adelin breaks, Mine fixes.
I felt like I'm a human porcelain doll.
“Are you taking the potions steadily?”
“It's the easiest thing, yet the hardest habit to keep.”
“Still, take them properly.”
Mine loosened my knotted shoulder muscles as she spoke.
“I regret it so much.”
“Hm?”
“If I'd been there when you were hurt the worst... there would be no scars like this.”
Even her holy power couldn't erase them instantly.
My old wounds won't heal.
So, use steady high-potency potions to build holy power in my body.
But they tasted like ass.
Why would people make medicine taste bad?
Visible scar improvement would motivate me more, but no dice. So its just annoying.
Skipped a few potions, and Mine would sniffed it out like a ghost.
“Tch!”
I got scolded.
No choice, gotta choked them down.
⁎⁎⁎
I circled the other nearby dungeons, grinding exp and shards.
Kyuuuwaaah—!
Slimes were different though, why did it not trigger Instant Kill?
They're sticky body slam cracked my ribs after ages.
Wow.
Over-reliant on Instant Kill lately? The pain hit as if it was double.
I killed it, then realized: each monster type has different Instant Kill triggers.
Like, slime: embed a Green Shard, then boom Instant Kill.
Took a while to confirm this.
⁎⁎⁎
Post-base camp, I started doing deepest Demon Beast Dungeon runs.
Past the entrance, thick humidity and fishy smell reek hard on my nose.
After a short walk, my shoes got stuck in mud-mixed monster shit.
Here, the monster specs doubled.
Elite kobold are the baseline, occasional golem-boss tier are now trash mobs.
Yeah. Instant Kill fodder.
“Lord Halibal prays again.”
“Hoho, such a pious man.”
“Now I get why the Saintess favors him.”
Midway through was smooth with frequent Instant Kills.
That happiness didn't last long though.
“Lord Halibal! New specimen!”
“Escort Lord Halibal out! We need to plan!”
“Wait... hold on.”
Grrrrowl...!!
An elite has spawned: a monster with a giant direwolf body with wings, a chimera monster.
Yeah. Obvious no Instant Kill here.
A blue gem floated overhead.
'Been a while.'
I gripped my sword, scanned claws, fangs, and its wingbeats.
Getting hit would suck.
'Sigh.'
I Sighed inwardly, then pointed my blade at it.
“Let's go.”
After over ten turns of this brutal fight, I finally downed the chimera.
“L-Lord Halibal! Snap out of it! Call the medics... no, the Saintess!”
“Bleeding... too much bleeding!”
“Damn... he saved us again! Repay Lord Halibal's grace!”
I received a stretcher ride out, and my fading vision caught a sparkle.
[Red Shard II]
“Good... thing.”
Higher shards from here.
“What's good about it?! If lady Adelin finds out, we're dead!”
“Wh-What do we tell the Saintess...”
“Sword of Mourning... how much more must you sacrifice for us...”
...Someone please grab that?
And so, 3 years passed.