Chapter 56
Chapter 56
Translator: Penny
Chapter 56
I looked at Hover.
I wasn't planning on using Visographica, a new feature on the Transcender Gallery Terminal, this time.
Fighting a Rank 5 wasn't exactly a new experience.
Hover said to me,
"So, we're fighting right away?"
I pointed to the wide space next to us with my index finger.
"Yes, we can fight over there."
Hover scanned me, his gaze moving from top to bottom.
"What will be the criteria for determining victory or defeat?"
Hover pointed to his neck.
"We can't make it life or death, can we? Huh?"
I shrugged both shoulders.
"Until one person yields."
A voice came from beside me.
"That too."
It was Riselinn's voice.
"Let's end the fight when I tell you to stop. I won't just say stop. I'll tell you to stop when one person has a clear advantage."
Riselinn added an explanation to Hover's gaze.
"I'm saying I'll be the judge so that neither of you ends up unable to participate in the battle."
Hover grinned and nodded.
"You two seem to know each other well. You're trying hard to prevent injuries. It's okay, it's okay. I have no intention of deliberately spilling the blood of helpful troops either."
Riselinn ignored Hover's long-windedness and approached me.
"Are you sure you'll be okay? He's still Rank 5."
"I won't die."
"You, or him?"
"Both of us."
Riselinn sighed.
"Alright. You must have a plan."
Murmur, murmur—
People flocked around.
Many mercenaries and soldiers.
And mages in robes also caught my eye.
Knights were also visible among them.
Hover opened his mouth.
"Quite a lot of people are gathering."
It was evident how notorious the monster Skaldmagra was in this world.
Hover seemed to be enjoying the attention focused on us.
"What do you think about using Sword Qi? If it feels threatening, we can decide not to use it. But you know that to fight as close to a real battle as possible, we have to use Sword Qi."
"Let's use it."
Hover grinned at my answer.
He seemed surprised that I chose to use Sword Qi.
To fight as close to a real battle as possible, we have to use Sword Qi.
I agreed with that.
As I kept experiencing while traversing the Tower.
That was physical strength. And skills close to technique, as well as the ability to properly use Mana, were essential for survival.
If any of those three were lacking, I would die without anyone knowing.
'Moderately.'
I was planning to end this situation by showing a moderate amount of skill.
The Rank 5 mercenary Hover's weapon appeared to be a huge Straight sword he was carrying on his back.
A double-edged Straight sword.
Hover charged, his crimson hair like a lion's mane fluttering.
Still, Rank 5 was Rank 5.
As the battle began, his face became serious, and he began to emit a sharp aura.
Bang—
Hover's left foot stomped on the bare ground.
A cloud of dust soared from the ground.
Red Sword Qi swirled around the Straight sword in Hover's right hand like a whirlwind.
Hover's right hand moved.
It was a thrusting motion.
I watched the trajectory of the sword rushing through the space until the end.
I didn't intend to drag this fight out.
I extended my sword towards Hover's sword.
Clang!
I struck Hover's sword downwards.
Hover, perhaps flustered by the unexpected shift in weight, emitted Killing Intent in all directions.
I didn't even care about that Killing Intent.
"You wanna try me?"
Gritting!
Hover gritted his teeth and raised the Straight sword with both hands again.
What followed was a chaotic brawl.
Clang, clang, clang, clang!
Fragments of Hover's red Sword Qi and the white Sword Qi on my sword scattered.
Even in the chaos, I could see what kind of principle Hover's swordsmanship contained.
It was a sword that focused more on power than speed.
It was more orthodox than unconventional.
The Dragon Slayer Sword was also a swordsmanship with a strong overbearing aspect.
I continued to maintain a strength that didn't falter against Hover's attacks.
Clang, clang!
Several more exchanges followed.
Countless diagonal lines covered the front.
Hover, thinking he couldn't end the battle like this, held the sword with both hands, raised it high, and quickly lowered his arms.
Coo-woo-oong!
He slammed the double-edged sword into the ground.
The ground shook for a moment.
I faced the Sword Qi that surged like a wave.
It was threatening, but not to the point where I couldn't avoid it.
I stepped lightly.
Dragon Slayer Sword Footwork Style 3.
Micatus.
The goal was to move to a blind spot where Hover couldn't react properly.
I flowed uniform Sword Qi onto the blade of Mundum Exstinguit.
Dragon Slayer Sword, Form 9.
Sword Break.
A swordsmanship where the goal is not the opponent, but the opponent dropping their sword itself.
Clang!
The moment Hover's sword and my sword met.
I released a wave-like energy, like ripples in a river.
Ting!
Hover's sword soared into the air.
Crack!
"……."
Hover stared at his sword stuck in the ground with a dazed expression.
I opened my mouth.
"The dagger in the holder. You can use that."
My words were directed at the dagger that Hover was wearing on his belt, a secondary weapon that seemed to be in a sword holder.
Hover's face was stained with anger.
As expected, even among Rank 5s, there were differences in skill.
Basic force.
And the ability to assess the situation.
Everything felt below the Rank 5 Knight Kailas I had faced last time.
Of course, the level and combat experience I had gained in the meantime were significantly different from when I faced Kailas, so I was feeling it more intensely.
There was definitely a difference in perspective.
If he had noticed earlier that I had a similar level of force to him, he wouldn't have dropped his sword, no matter how subtle 'Sword Break' was.
A clear red aura flickered on the dagger in Hover's hand.
I gripped the handle of Mundum Exstinguit.
And knocked the dagger off with the pommel of the sword handle.
—Clang!
Hover's eyes shook greatly.
Not missing the gap, I struck his abdomen with my left hand.
Hover's body staggered from the impact.
Defenseless.
Whoosh!
I aimed Mundum Exstinguit at Hover's neck.
Hover's movement stopped abruptly.
"Let's stop here."
A voice came from beside me.
Riselinn stepped forward.
"Hover, you dropped your main weapon, the sword. And the dagger you used next didn't achieve any meaningful results. And the last one was completely subdued. It's over."
Hover didn't add any excuses to Riselinn's words and just remained silent.
His expression was quite fierce, though.
The silence was quite long.
"...Okay, I lost."
Hover, still with a crumpled face, raised both hands, retrieved the dropped sword, and hurried away.
Probably to the barracks he was assigned to.
The commotion ended like that.
Only about 3 minutes had passed.
It was a quick and decisive battle.
I heard murmuring around me.
"Did he say that guy was Rank 4? He's not much different from Rank 5."
"No, that Rank 5 was careless."
"Careless? Even including that, if that guy is Rank 4, he's excellent."
I heard the voices of Rank 3 Knights and Rank 4 Knights like me talking.
The mages were also talking about me.
[NPC - Rank 4 Mage Elliard]
[NPC - Rank 5 Mage Kroit]
[NPC - Rank 3 Mage Magawin]
"That Footwork just now was like Blink."
"I agree. If someone like that is blocking the front, we can support him with peace of mind."
Still, causing a commotion once had one beneficial effect.
I had gained the trust of this subjugation force.
I needed this much trust to be able to act somewhat freely according to my will.
Among the mages, most of whom I was meeting for the first time, there was one familiar face.
[NPC - Rank 4 Mage Yunes]
I didn't see her next to Riselinn at first, so I thought she wasn't here this time.
When we were working on the Kyclev Castle wall defense, Yunes was part of the force that came to support us along with the Rank 3 Knight, but she wasn't a member of the Lucerna Mercenary Group.
The blonde mage approached me.
"It's been a long time, Yuseong."
"It's been a while, Yunes. Are you affiliated with the Lucerna Mercenary Group?"
Yunes, who had come up to me quickly, stood next to me.
"Yes, that's how it happened. I thought it would be good to work in a mercenary group to gain practical experience."
"Have you ever seen Skaldmagra?"
Yunes nodded.
"We can definitely subjugate a single individual. There won't be any problems as long as three or four don't suddenly appear, or... a swarm doesn't appear."
She meant that if there were more than three or four, or a swarm, it would be very difficult to deal with.
...Hmm.
But this is Pandemonium difficulty.
I felt a very ominous feeling.
The next morning.
As soon as I opened my eyes in the early dawn, I took out the Terminal and entered the Transcender Gallery.
[User 'Archmage' has requested an 'Interdimensional Trade'.]
[Do you accept?]
I pressed the blue button next to the text.
[You have accepted the trade request.]
A separate chat system that can be used during Interdimensional Trade appeared.
[Archmage: First, I've narrowed down the auxiliary magic that you can use as quickly as possible. It's in order of difficulty, so don't read from the middle or anything.Thank you, thank you. But is it really possible to activate magic with Aura Circuit?]
[Archmage: Don't you trust me?I do.]
Archmage was one of the people who said the right things most of the time.
I just had a big question about whether magic could be manifested purely with Aura Circuit.
[Archmage: Then just try it. According to the explanation. That's all.Okay.]
[Archmage: The food is what you said before.I'll write a post in the gallery after I use the magic.]
[Archmage: Okay, be careful.]
I held one of the storage boxes in my Inventory.
What Archmage had said before.
That was the food that reminded me the most of the place I lived in, among the menus available now.
In my opinion, it was naturally ramen and a small amount of kimchi.
From what I've eaten a few times, it was very well-cooked ramen, but I don't know if Archmage will like it.
Thanks to the storage box effect, the noodles wouldn't get soggy.
"Designate."
The storage box containing the ramen and a small amount of kimchi disappeared with a poof.
[The transaction has been completed.]
Tear!
What appeared by tearing through space was a book.
A magic book.
I slowly read through the magic book for now.
When the sun had fully risen.
The unit became noisy.
"It's Skaldmagra! They're coming over the ridge!"
"Everyone, prepare perfectly!"
Are they coming?
I was planning to activate the video recording function, 'Visographica', at the right time, so I didn't put the Terminal in my Inventory and put it in a bag like a small backpack.
I need to see the situation first.
"Yuseong!"
As soon as I left the barracks, Riselinn and Yunes approached me.