Chapter 61: What Is This Now?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 61: What Is This Now?
“Follow me, you prick.”
Silence fell over the guild lobby as every eye turned toward a single spot.
Slap!
Lance, having had his hand swatted away, lowered his voice to an uncharacteristic growl and glared at me.
“Yoo Eon, you’ve developed quite the attitude. You used to be so obedient.”
“I always had it. I just chose who to show it to.”
Lance let out a smirk at that.
“A month ago, or right now—I’m the same guy, aren’t I?”
“You’re still as weak as ever, but I’ve changed. I’ve changed enough to beat an Iron Grade like a dog on a hot summer day.”
Wait, Theodora was standing right next to me. Maybe that wasn’t the best metaphor to use.
“A hot summer day...? You still use the strangest analogies, Yoo Eon.”
“Well, since there’s nothing in that head of yours, you wouldn’t understand if I tried to be subtle.”
Lance’s eyebrow twitched. This guy—he was trying to act unfazed, but I was definitely getting under his skin.
“I’m telling you now, we’re each responsible for our own medical bills. Got it?”
“My thoughts exactly.”
* * *
“Aven.”
“Don’t stop me, Theodora.”
“I’m not stopping you. It’s obvious who’s going to win, so why would I?”
“Well, true.”
A chuckle escaped me at her words. About a month ago... in my last memories, Lance didn’t really have any skills. But seeing as he’d racked up enough points to nearly reach Silver Grade, he must have picked up something decent.
“I’m just saying, take it easy. You might actually kill him. You didn’t exactly hold back on the 11th Floor, did you?”
“Ah. Well...”
I had been looking at it the wrong way. Just because these guys had higher grades and had acquired some useful combat skills didn't mean they had become superhuman tanks.
The people of this world had mana flowing through their bodies, so they did feel sturdier than the people from my old world. But that didn't mean they could survive having their guts spilled for a talent show.
They were fine despite the abysmal hygiene standards and rarely caught minor illnesses like the common cold, but they didn't seem to have much resistance to blunt force trauma. Their healing speed seemed a bit better, though.
“I got it. Don’t worry.”
Between the Northwest and Northeast lobbies of the guild building, there was a massive open plaza.
It was a path cleared specifically for transporting the enormous monster carcasses brought out from the Labyrinth portals. Since most giant monsters were subjugated by high-ranking explorers, and most of those explorers were from the North, a wide road had been opened in that direction.
Of course, seeing an intact carcass of a giant monster on the surface wasn't a common occurrence. It happened maybe once or twice a month, but it happened often enough to justify the space.
When disputes arose between explorers, they were settled here. Since it was designed for moving massive monsters, the space was wide, but the width was only about 20 meters. While the path was long, the crowd of onlookers blocking the way meant the actual fighting space wasn't as generous as it looked.
“Yoo Eon, I can’t believe it’s come to this. My heart is heavy!”
“Really? I’m actually starting to feel refreshed.”
“We haven’t even started, and you’re already overflowing with confidence? I like that! I wish you’d been that confident when we went into the Labyrinth together.”
“You talk too much. Let’s go.”
A sizable crowd had gathered. Honestly, I didn't expect this many people to watch. There were several people in guild attendant uniforms, and quite a few explorers wearing gear that looked to be anywhere from Lead to Silver Grade.
After all, there’s no entertainment quite like watching people fight. Though, being the one providing the entertainment felt a bit awkward.
Theodora seemed to have blended into the crowd, her hood pulled down low.
Did I really need to use my skills visibly? Honestly, I could probably just modify my internal muscles and be fine. The problem was that I hadn't brought a weapon.
Shring—
“Look at this, Yoo Eon! This sword. What do you think?”
Lance spoke with a smug expression as he drew the sword from his waist. It was a well-crafted two-handed sword with a peculiar hue.
“Do you know what Rare Metal is? I told you before, didn't I? This sword is a Phantasmite Titanium Alloy Sword! Even if it’s only ten percent.”
“How impressive.”
I’d heard the name. It was a metal with quite a reputation, even among Rare Metals. I guess he had a reason to be confident.
Still, it wasn't a problem. I had materials that were just as good as Rare Metal, didn't I?
I didn't want to use my skills too conspicuously, but I really wanted a decisive victory. If it were anyone else, I wouldn't care, but my grudge against Lance ran deep.
“Whew...”
I rolled my shirt sleeves up to my elbows and tucked my leather boots into my storage artifact. Lance gave me a look that asked what the hell I was doing, and the murmuring of the crowd grew louder.
Crack—
Black scales sprouted from the skin below my elbows, instantly covering my forearms and hands. Starting from the right, the joints of my legs twisted as lizardman feet suddenly burst forth.
The muscles and bones of my legs were from a Minotaur, but I had swapped the feet for those of a lizardman. On the solid, flat stone tiles of the 2nd Stratum, Minotaur hooves were useful.
However, on uneven, bumpy dirt ground, the supple feet of a lizardman were better than hard hooves. That didn't mean I was going to leave a weakness exposed. I reinforced them with Drake scales, making them look like the legs of a true dragon.
With a grotesque sound, a Drake’s tail spilled out from my lower back onto the dirt, its deep obsidian color swaying threateningly as if boasting its power.
—W-What the hell is that...?!
—Is that a Drake?!
—But it looks a bit thinner than a Drake’s tail...?
—Hey, hey! Get back! We’re gonna get hit if we stand here, shit...!
Finally, since Cave Drake scales tended to increase in durability based on the amount of mana they held, I just had to summon the organ that was best at collecting mana from the air.
Pop...
“Lance, did you make sure to empty your bladder before coming here?”
Arms covered in scales, legs with reverse joints no human should have, a tail moving with lethal intent, and a blue-glowing horn sprouting from my head.
It was the horn of the Blue-Horned Deer I had bought and eaten after coming to the guild with Ravi. It was an excellent organ that maintained high durability by collecting surrounding mana and circulating high-quality mana through the body.
I hadn't used it until now because I didn't feel the need, but you never knew. I didn't know how strong Phantasmite actually was. It didn't hurt to be careful.
“Ha, haha...! Quite the show...! Are you ready?”
“Yeah. Come at me whenever. If I don't let you, you won't even get to swing that sword once.”
“What...?”
Lance’s expression soured at my words.
“Should I say it again? You’re so damn weak that you won't even be able to swing your sword unless I let you.”
“You...”
The provocation worked perfectly; his face turned beet red.
“I don't know how great that skill of yours is, but mine is nothing to sneeze at either...!”
“Is that so?”
“Do you really think that heavy body of yours can keep up with my speed—?!”
Boom!
Lance’s movement as he kicked off the ground was clear as day. Specifically, in the vision of the Umbra Valkyrie. I could see exactly where he was aiming and where I should strike. At least eight of Lance’s weaknesses were captured within the Umbra Valkyrie’s sight.
He was fit and healthy, but he hadn't properly learned swordsmanship. Having experienced Theodora’s two-handed swordsmanship, I could tell for sure.
Skreeee—
“Lance, aren’t you overextending yourself? Buying such an expensive sword.”
“Ha! Yoo Eon! I joined the Royal Guardians Clan! Our raid team goes in and out of the 9th Floor like it’s our backyard!”
Lance retracted his sword after it was blocked by my scaled forearm and swung it down again, dozens of times. It seemed like a meaningless repetition, but the impact didn't diminish at all. Was it a sword-related skill? Or strength?
“How’s that?! My sword keeps getting stronger! Are you just going to keep blocking, Yoo Eon?!”
Dozens of times per minute. It was certainly combat power worthy of reaching Silver Grade. A skill that allowed him to swing a sword incessantly without tiring.
I couldn't use the weaknesses the Umbra Valkyrie’s vision was highlighting. This was a duel, not a fight to the death.
Pierce the heart, stab the throat, gouge the eye sockets... It was highlighting all the most lethal spots.
Clang! Clang!
To swing a sword that fast and repeatedly without losing power—it was definitely a good skill.
The problem was that the user’s swordsmanship was garbage, so it wasn't threatening, just repetitive.
“Lance. Nice talent show. You’d probably fight better than me against a scarecrow.”
“What—?!”
He was so focused on swinging his sword that he seemed to have forgotten my condition.
Whoosh—!
“Gah...!!”
After slightly blunting the hard, sharp tip of the Drake’s tail, I delivered a Rivershot with perfectly adjusted force.
“Guh... ack...!”
Despite the adjustment, he immediately dropped his sword and clutched his side, unable to even speak. As expected, a Rivershot was practically a crime.
“Lance, hurry up and say thank you.”
I walked over to the collapsed Lance.
“I was choosing between your balls and your liver. What would you have done if I’d picked your balls?”
The Umbra Valkyrie had been blatantly targeting that area, but I’m a man too. What would be the difference between that and killing him? If I hit him wrong, he could actually die from shock.
“Hey, I’m taking this, okay?”
“Guh... no...”
“What do you mean, no?”
I picked up the sword Lance had dropped and gave it a wave. When I said I was taking it, he desperately shook his head, though he still couldn't get the words out.
“But Lance, isn't that for the winner to decide? This sword is now Excalibur Unit 2, and as of today, it’s mine.”
“N-No...!”
I hadn't brought anything back from the Labyrinth, but I’d made a big haul today.
“A Rare Metal two-handed sword, huh? Incredible.”
Despite how violently it had struck the Drake scales, there wasn't a single chip or bend. The performance was definitely the real deal.
“What is this now?”
The onlookers had already cleared a path, but as I tried to leave, about a dozen men blocked my way.
“What is it?”
“We are the Royal Guardians Clan.”
“Ah, I see.”
Royal Guardians—wasn't that the clan Lance was just bragging about? For a name that sounded so grand, they looked like a bottom-tier clan. Their gear was a mess.
“What? Are you going to try and get revenge?”
Why did I keep ending up having to hit people? Please, don't make me do this. I’m soft-hearted; I’m not used to beating people up.
“N-No... it’s just... could you give the sword back? We bought that with clan funds...”
“Tsk.”
What is this now?
“Ugh, fine. Take it.”