Chapter 192
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 192
Chapter Title: Mana Man Kim Katt
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Days of training passed like that.
Contrary to my worries, Karin didn't pull any real pranks on me, nor did she bring up that incident much. She just diligently gave me personal instruction.
Though our physical contact had subtly increased.
No, she kept playfully trying to touch mine.
Anyway, once sword training ended, we moved straight into physical conditioning. With Sheight in full hell-mode, whenever our schedules aligned, we paired up for training, boosting efficiency even further. I should teach him the basics of machismo soon. He's got the qualities for it.
I still couldn't sense mana precisely.
But perhaps due to mana's influence, my stamina felt better lately. I could run farther than before, and my strength seemed greater relative to my muscle mass.
They even said my sword strikes had grown sharper.
Mana permeating the body had a strengthening effect.
Back at the lodging, I immediately donned the circlet. I'd worried about side effects, but after nearly two weeks of use, there didn't seem to be any. Lisha wouldn't give me a defective item in the first place.
"I'm here."
—I'd gradually gotten a feel for my inner world.
Beyond merely recalling the past and replaying those sensations, I could now even summon illusions and phantasms directly.
It was simple.
This was my inner world, so everything I'd experienced up to now was naturally stored here.
"I'm here, I said."
I was no longer naked.
I'd equipped my real-world armor and focused my mind.
—Swoosh.
Then, up ahead, a dryad appeared as if a flower were blooming.
The wicked dryad from the promotion battle that had pushed our party to the brink of annihilation. The being that had ultimately submitted to the power of science. A fishy scent of blood flowers descended, and petals flew in from somewhere.
—Shaaaah...!
Light green skin and radiant golden hair. A nature-affiliated female monster with large breasts, her body covered by leaf underwear. I'd summoned it based on my experiences, but since I couldn't remember everything, her face was blurry.
But it didn't matter.
The face wasn't important.
What mattered was combat prowess.
"Combat experience. That's what's key."
—Shaaaaah...!
The dryad extended her claws long and bared her fangs as she shrieked at me. I had no idea what she was saying. She was just a being pulled straight from past experiences. I pointed my sword at her—
"Come."
—Flash!
She charged at me immediately.
At the speed from my memories.
Fast.
Incredibly fast.
Though I'd leveled up myself, that speed still felt blistering. However. I'd beaten her once already. I knew her weaknesses, and above all, that she lacked raw power.
—Shaat!
The swift attack—I couldn't dodge it perfectly. Her claw grazed my body, scraping my breastplate. It didn't have the power to cut through the plate... But if I could block the attack with my gear, then I would.
That's why we equip gear in the first place.
"That's your limit."
—Thud!
If I knew her attacks couldn't get through, there was no reason to flinch.
I reached out, grabbed her by the throat, and drove my knee into her gut. —Shaat...! The dryad groaned. I slammed her to the ground using my body weight and stabbed my sword into the nape of her neck.
"Knowing the counter lets you kill faster."
To kill the dryad even more perfectly, I repeated such battles over and over. Even if I encountered another dryad later, I could dispatch it without needing to awaken as a flame demon swordsman.
"Next. Burverza."
—Chiiieeeek!!!
Before I knew it, the gate of the arena had formed and opened, and Burverza stepped out. A body wrapped in fortress-like muscles. Hand axes and clubs stained with the blood of prisoners. Green skin symbolizing absolute evil.
The orc gladiator Burverza.
—A formidable foe.
"You're strong."
—Chiiieeeek!!!
The gladiator Burverza showed no hesitation.
"But."
He charged at me right away. In the arena, I'd used the peerless martial art Starfall Bullet and the Heavenly Demon Divine Art simultaneously to claim victory, but since I couldn't die in this inner world, I decided not to use such methods here.
—Chiiik!!
"Even without martial arts."
The charging Burverza swung his hand axe. —Swoosh! An explosive strike bursting from muscles honed by murder. Fast. So fast it was hard to track with the eyes. He was old, but his age had brought him skill.
"Now I win."
Burverza had an eye impairment.
But I didn't want to exploit that.
I dodged the hand axe and thrust my sword, taking advantage of the long interval. Naturally, the attack was blocked. Burverza was an expert, after all. But I'd grown stronger than when I'd been clowning around as a gladiator in the arena.
—Chiiik!
"Slow."
Burverza blocked the attack with his hand axe and pressed in, swinging his club. Coming in? Then I'd have to retreat accordingly. I widened the gap to evade the club, then stepped in myself for a slash.
Pretending to engage in a contest of strength, I withdrew my sword and took his life. It required a bold decision, but as I'd said, I couldn't die here.
Boldness.
That led straight to victory.
—Chii, chiiieeeek...!
Burverza collapsed with half his neck severed. "Not enough." I summoned Burverza again. The dead Burverza turned to ash and vanished, and a new Burverza stepped out from the arena entrance.
"Come at me."
Fight,
—fight again.
"Not enough."
—Chiiieeeek!!!!
I kept summoning and fighting Burverza until I was satisfied. Each time, my sword grew sharper and deadlier. But? Still not enough. It couldn't quench this thirst.
"Come out! Burverza!"
Keep fighting Burverza!
I crave blood!
"Kieeeek—!!!"
Repeated battles!
—Clang!
Surging passion!
—Chiiik!
Courage! And power!
All of it seeped into me, expanding my senses! I could feel the mana! More vividly than yesterday, than the day before! The dark red mana boiled over my entire body, almost tangible!
Of course, I could sense it because this was the inner world.
I still couldn't properly feel mana in reality...!
More!
I need to get even more accustomed to it!
I'd killed Burverza to the point of boredom.
I needed a new opponent.
"Next. Kobold Guardian."
—Rumble rumble rumble!!!
The ground split open.
Visible in the crack was the abyss's darkness.
From beyond the deep subconscious, cursed Kobold Guardians crawled out, roaring. —Thud! —Kyusat! Not one, no—two, three, four, five of them!
Yes! All of you, come!
"Come on!"
And charge at me!
—Kyuaaaaaaah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
—Kyuuuwaaah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
—Kyuuuuwu—!!!!!!!!!!!!
—Kyasasasasas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
—Gyuaaaasasasasat!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The five guardians barreled toward me with their massive bodies. Roars filling the inner world! Thud, thud, thud! Hulking muscle masses over two meters tall charging—overwhelming!
However!
You can't beat me!
"I am the Sword Saint."
Imagining one's strongest self.
"Kim Katt."
I gathered mana.
The same sensation from bisecting the orc surged through my fingertips. —Slash! An unbelievable overflow of power. Transcendent speed beyond perception.
Thus, the path to Buddhahood.
That was the power of mana, my potential.
Step forward, swing the sword.
"Extreme Moon Slash."
The sword's trajectory
was invisible.
—Sching.
Only the dark red, rippling aura
severed space.
「 """""Kyuuuwaaaaaah!!!!!""""" 」
The five guardians were sliced apart, spilling their innards. They crashed to the ground in their charging pose, split in two, wailing in agony. They turned to black ash and scattered away simultaneously, spilling blood.
Even beings from the abyss's darkness couldn't defeat me!
"Absolute power!"
This was the power of mana!
Absolute might!
The primal force allowing humans to transcend humanity and touch divinity!
That was mana!
"Mana—!!!"
Krooooaaah—!!!! My affirmative roar echoed through the inner world. The sound reflected off massive walls, reverberating everywhere. What did that sound awaken? —Rustle!
"This place."
The Jar of Solitude was empty.
Then what had been inside it?
"Were they already the brew of solitude."
—Fizzle.
—Kik.
—Kirik kirik.
—Grrk!
—Tss tss...!
—Crack.
—Klik klik.
—Sssk!
—Sssrum.
—Kikikik!
—Kek!
—Gagak.
All around.
No, from every direction. No! From every existing bearing!
Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of red glowing eyes glared at me!
"Come at me, solitude."
—Crackle!!
It was a swarm of cursed insects. Too small to cut with a sword. Too small and too fast—they swarmed me, so I had to swat them all down one by one.
Impossible.
But that's why it was training.
Crashing against the impossible to surpass it!
That was Kim Katt's way!
"Devour my body—!!!"
—Kieeeek!!!! Slash, slash again! Training demanding utmost concentration and precision! Insects from my childhood trauma tore into my body mercilessly!
"Die! You vermin!"
I swatted them all away. Lost in battle and mania, I just roared and swung wildly. Beings I couldn't cut? Not many.
Beings I couldn't kill?
Not many either.
I'm Sword Saint Kim Katt!
—The moment I piled their corpses into mountains.
The world began to brighten simultaneously.
'Time' was up.
"...A shame."
With half my flesh devoured, I returned to reality.
"..."
More.
I want more.
But to do more, I needed regular exercise and sleep to recover mental and spiritual strength...! —Grind! My teeth gnashed! Why was I so weak! Still trapped by childhood trauma...! Kim Katt!
Thirst for greater power!
Unable to satisfy it, other desires rampaged.
—Lust!
"I am Erection King Kim Katt!"
"Oh my."
"...Darkie."
I ravaged Cloudy and Winia until satisfied, then fell into deep sleep. Thus, a perfectly refreshing morning greeted me. Perhaps because I'd tidied up the wrecked inner world. The darkness was short, dreamless sleep honing my mind sharper than ever.
No fatigue at all.
I was intoxicated by mana.
No.
By martial prowess.
Intoxicated by the martial way...!
"Behold! The secret technique I've perfected!"
"Oh?"
I blended insights from the inner world into my swordsmanship.
Of course, it was an unfamiliar sensation. It didn't go smoothly, but my sword was faster than before, gradually transforming into something deadlier.
"Not bad? At this level, you're on par with a seasoned mercenary. You could make a living anywhere now."
"Is that so?"
Karin praised me.
Even I thought that slash just now touched the essence of the 'Sword Saint.' I worried if I'd end up cleaving the heavens. If the sky fell, humans couldn't survive. That would be the apocalypse, and those who hadn't become Buddhas wouldn't survive it.
"What if I end up becoming a Swordmaster like this!"
"Bullshit. How many do you think there are in the country?"
Swordmaster.
A being who had overwhelmed the pinnacle of the sword.
Why was that?
Now, it seemed so small. Coldly speaking, I was the Heavenly Demon. Wasn't the Heavenly Demon above sword experts? Then becoming a Swordmaster was just a matter of time for me.
Definitely.
This mana aura would more than enable it...!
I am the Cleaver, Kim Katt!
"You're thinking some nonsense again. Go do your stamina training."
"Tch, that was a good moment..."
Training in reality felt a bit frustrating.
It didn't go as planned, and limits were clearly felt. Still, conditioning the body was important. Frustrating, but I could work it out with a run.
That was runner's high.
Feeling reality's limits.
Didn't that mean above all that I knew myself better? The more limits I felt, the more accurately and coldly I could gauge my skills.
When limits shattered,
I'd know right away.
—Daily repetition.
Nothing special, just devoted to training.
This was the most crucial time for me. They say opportunities come three times in life. Miss them, and you're screwed forever. Forever a loser. I couldn't live as a loser anymore.
I'm not a loser!
Knowing that, both Cloudy and Winia accommodated me. Now they spent time on personal work or other things, returning to the lodging around evening. Cloudy was happy with my growth, and Winia was just Winia.
If something bugged her, she'd just get annoyed and beat me up.
Wha, what?
For real?
Fuck, got beat again today.