Chapter 22 - Riding the Chimera
Riding the Chimera
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Translator: Dusky90
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Riding the Chimera
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Sword Control.
A technique that allows one to wield a sword freely from afar using mana and mental focus.
Even among hero-class units, only a handful could use it, a skill considered to be among the highest tier.
One could say it’s the kind of skill melee characters who use swords as their main weapon dream of.
A technique that completely breaks through the natural limitation of their short attack range.
“Is that… really Sword Control…?”
As Otto stood frozen in disbelief.
*Bang!* *Boom!*
The mace moved on its own, like a living thing, slamming again and again into the chimera’s goat head.
But Otto wasn’t the only one stunned by what he saw.
“S–Sword Manipulation?!”
Camille gasped in disbelief.
“My god…”
“The Lord… he’s actually using Sword Manipulation…?”
“To think I’d see such a skill in my lifetime…”
Even the knights and soldiers watching were stunned.
The Lord is actually using Sword Manipulation!
But why?
Why did that old song about a northern kingdom’s tyrant using Step Technique suddenly pop into his head?¹
'Don’t tell me… this is really Sword Control?'
Otto asked Kairos in shock.
- Heheheh...
Kairos let out a mocking laugh.
- So you recognize Sword Manipulation. Guess you’re not completely blind after all.
‘What did you just say?’
- Did you think I became the emperor who ruled one-third of the continent by playing ttakji² like some kid? I built an empire with nothing but a single mace in hand because I possessed overwhelming power.
Kairos’s voice, as he said that, was brimming with pride in himself.
Otto had to admit it.
Anyone capable of using such a skill would be among the five strongest across the whole continent, even in the present era.
- I’ll lend you my strength.
'Alright.'
Otto snatched the mace as it spun back to him, then dashed toward the chimera without hesitation.
“Grrrrrr!”
“Skreee!”
“Baaaaaa!”
The chimera let out furious cries, clearly consumed with rage.
Blood was dripping from the goat’s head, proof that it had suffered a heavy blow.
‘Start with the wings.’
The chimera was a monster with a specific attack strategy.
The first step was none other than its wings.
Taking out one wing was essential to stop the chimera from flying.
“Roar!”
As Otto rushed forward, the chimera lashed out with its clawed front paw.
*Rolls*
Otto rolled and effortlessly avoided the chimera’s strike.
With Kairos’ power supporting him, he was capable of movements beyond his usual limits.
‘The wing!’
Otto swung his mace at the chimera’s shoulders.
Since his weapon was a mace and couldn’t cut the wings, he aimed to shatter the wing bones entirely.
*Boom!!!*
With a sound like a bomb exploding, the chimera’s right shoulder collapsed.
Exactly as Otto intended, his mace had completely smashed the shoulder bone connected to the wing.
Next?
‘Goat.’
Otto’s next target was the chimera’s goat head.
Each of the chimera’s three heads had its own unique ability.
The lion head in the center spews a terrifying flame, and the wyvern head on the right exhales poisonous gas filled with deadly toxins.
The goat head on the left fired a petrifying beam that could turn its foes to stone.
Just like now.
*Ziiiiing!*
Gray beams shot from the two eyes on the goat’s head, aiming at Otto.
“Eup!”
Otto bent his waist backward like a bow to avoid the petrification beam.
*Ziiiiing!*
“Ahhh!”
Otto darted around, trying desperately to dodge the petrifying beam.
- You fool!
Kairos yelled at Otto.
- Get on its back!
‘Huh?’
- If you ride on its back, none of its attacks can hit you!
‘Y-You’re right!’
- Don’t bother dodging, just make it so you won’t get hit in the first place!
‘Got it!’
Taking Kairos’ advice, Otto jumped and clung onto the chimera’s back.
And then?
“Die, you bastard!”
Otto swung his mace furiously, hammering down on the goat’s head.
“Baa! Baaaaaa!”
The goat’s head screamed in agony.
“ROOOOOAAARRR!”
“SKREEEEEAAAA!”
Even the lion and wyvern heads seemed to shriek in pain.
Otto held the chimera’s hide firmly with his left hand while relentlessly swinging his mace with his right, focusing on the goat’s head.
As a result.
*Smash!*
The goat’s head cracked open, spilling its white brains.
‘Next is the wyvern.’
Otto rode the momentum and started pounding the wyvern’s head.
“Ssssccchhhh!”
The wyvern’s head released a cloud of deadly poison, but it didn’t touch Otto on its back.
*Smash!*
Like the goat’s head before it, the wyvern’s head was half-crushed.
“Grruaaaaa!”
With only one head remaining, the chimera rolled across the ground.
As a result, Otto had to climb down from its back.
If he stayed on its back any longer, Otto risked being crushed by the chimera’s massive body.
“Grrrrrr…!!!”
The lion’s head glared at him, growling fiercely.
- Don’t panic.
Kairos gave Otto some advice.
- The moment it breathes fire, that’s when you strike.
‘What?’
- Throw the mace the moment it opens its mouth.
'....!'
- Now!
*ROAR!*
The chimera’s lion head gaped, ready to breathe fire.
‘Ah, whatever! I’ll do it!’
Otto hurled the mace with all his might.
*Swoooosh!*
The mace shot like a missile, striking the chimera’s throat just as it was about to unleash fire.
Then, something incredible occurred.
“Roooar! Rooooaaaaar!”
The chimera writhed in pain and suddenly burst into flames.
The fire it was about to unleash backfired, trapped by the mace in its throat!
* * *
Shooting oneself in the foot with an axe.³
That was exactly the right expression for the chimera.
“Graaaaaaa! Rooaaaaaaaaaarrr!”
The chimera writhed in agony as the flames backfired, rolling across the ground.
It was only natural, having searing flames burn from deep inside its throat through its body would be excruciating for anyone.
- End it.
Kairos once again gave Otto his advice.
‘Do I really have to? It looks like it’ll die on its own.’
- You idiot!
‘What?’
- said, show them! Show your knights and soldiers who you are!
‘Ah.’
Otto finally understood what Kairos meant.
A performance.
Kairos wanted him to show everyone around just how powerful he was by finishing off the chimera.
That way, the soldiers’ loyalty and respect toward Otto would increase even more.
Indeed, as the saying goes, the one who has eaten meat before eats it well,³ Kairos, having even been an emperor back in his day, knew extremely well how to control his subordinates.
‘Come.’
Otto stretched out his hand and summoned the mace.
*Swoosh!*
The mace that had been stuck deep in the chimera’s throat flew back toward Otto.
He tried to snatch it in midair… but, of course, failed miserably!
"Ah! Hoooot! Ughhh!"
Otto yelled in pain.
The mace had become scorching hot from blocking the chimera’s throat, and he accidentally burned his hand.
- Endure it! This is the mace you summoned! Hold on with sheer grit!
‘Aaaah!’
- Go finish it! Hurry!
Otto’s hand burned from the scorching-hot mace, but he gritted his teeth and lunged at the chimera.
“Roarrrrr!!!”
The chimera writhed in pain as Otto swung the mace at its last remaining lion head.
*THUMP!*
With a sound like a watermelon being smashed, the last remaining lion’s head caved in.
*Crash!*
The chimera fell.
“T-The L-Lord… Lord Otto defeated the chimera… Lord Otto defeated the chimera!!!”
One soldier shouted.
“Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah-!!!”
The triumphant cheer rang out.
[Notification: You have defeated the Chimera!]
Otto gazed at the fallen Chimera with a smile.
[Notification: The trade route has been secured!]
[Notice: 'Kingdom Construction!' quest progress increased!]
Defeating the chimera boosted the progress of the <Kingdom Construction!> quest.
Now the area could be transformed into a bustling trade route for merchants, allowing them to collect tolls.
“Honestly, I didn’t expect to take down a chimera before awakening…”
Right then.
*Smack!*
“Uh…?”
Otto felt a sudden jolt, like something had hit his head.
*Thud!*
Immediately after, Otto collapsed in front of the chimera’s corpse.
The reason Otto fell was not because he was exhausted.
Behind the collapsed Otto, Camille stood holding a poker.
Fearing that Kairos might have taken over Otto’s body, Camille hit him on the back of the head with it.
* * *
The next day.
“Ugh… my head.”
Otto woke up with a headache that felt like someone had hit the top of his head with an hammer.
"Are you awake, my lord?"
Camille, who was keeping watch nearby, called out to Otto.
“Huh? Where… am I~?”
Otto asked Camille with a blank expression.
"It’s your sleeping quarters."
“Why am I here?”
“Don’t you remember this time either?”
“Mm.”
Otto nodded.
“My head just hurts…? Ugh!”
“You defeated the chimera.”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm.”
Otto fought through his headache, trying to piece his memory together.
“Ah, that’s right. I did take down the chimera.”
“Do you remember now?”
“Wait a moment.”
Otto narrowed his eyes.
“Wait… did you hit me on the back of the head? Again?”
“Yes.”
“Hey, you…”
Otto shot a glare at Camille.
“I never told you to hit me! Why would you do that? Ugh!”
“Huh…?”
“Why would you do something I didn’t order?”
“I thought that your body might be taken by that mace.”
“Ugh!”
Otto writhed in pain.
“Uhhhh... It wasn’t like that this time?”
“R-Really?”
“Argh! I even got a bump on the head again!”
Otto yelped.
“You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Don’t say you didn’t! You smacked me on the back of the head with the poker even though I never asked you to!”
“That may be true, but….”
“I discussed it with Kairos, so there was no risk of my body being taken!”
“Is that so?”
“Yes!”
“I’m sorry. I only acted out of concern for your lordship…"
“Concern, my foot.”
Otto shot Camille a sharp glare.
“Just~ how could I hit this guy once~ You probably only schemed about that~.”
“Absolutely not.”
“Funny.”
“I swear, it’s not true.”
“I’ll let it go this once, but if you do it again next time, don’t think I’ll let you off. If I end up with dementia from this concussion, are you going to take responsibility? Huh?”
“…I’ll be careful.”
“How long was I out?”
“Only a day has passed.”
“A whole day?”
Otto’s eyes went wide.
“If it’s just one day… what time is it now?”
“It’s 1 in the afternoon.”
“Let’s see… the date now… the time is…”
After checking the date and time, Otto shot up from the bed.
“No!”
“Huh? Why the sudden outburst?”
“I need to go greet the guest!”
“Is there anyone coming to visit?”
“Yes.”
“If there’s an appointment….”
“What appointment!”
Otto began hurriedly changing his clothes.
"The Ego merchant group should be passing nearby right about now!"
“Eh…?”
“We have to make the deal! The deal!”
With that, Otto quickly hurried off.
** ** **
TL/N:
1. The phrase “북부 왕국의 독재자” is a veiled reference to North Korea, and 축지법 is famously mentioned in the North Korean propaganda song 《장군님 축지법 쓰신다》.
In South Korea and online communities, the song became a meme and parody source, often used satirically due to its exaggerated claims.
2. Ddakji (딱지) - Ddakji is a traditional Korean toy used primarily to play variants of a category of games called ddakji chigi.
3. This is a Korean idiom meaning, “To bring harm upon oneself through one’s own actions.”