Declaration of War! The Lightsaber of the Galactic Emperor
Declaration of war! The legendary emperor's beloved sword that ruled the Galactic Empire, the lightsaber.
It was a blade symbolizing ten thousand years of domination. Countless alien races had fallen to the power contained within its glowing edge.
[Then I shall go.]
The Sword Ghost leaped forward lightly, swinging his sword in a diagonal slash. Thanks to the blade's trait, it weighed next to nothing, reaching a dizzying speed.
I can't block that.
Hyunwoo instinctively realized that parrying it would slice him clean in two along with his scythe. Instead of facing the slash head-on, he chose evasion. The Sword Ghost smiled at the acrobatic maneuver unfolded in mere seconds.
His agility has improved dramatically. To chain that move from such an impossible posture requires not just flexibility, but raw strength as well.
But the Sword Ghost, at the peak of manhood, struck the moment Hyunwoo's feet touched the ground again. He pursued relentlessly, swinging his sword in a frenzy.
The complex flurry of strikes couldn't sever the nimble Hyunwoo's head, but it succeeded in carving a chunk from his side.
"Kuh…!"
[Should I have tucked my wrist in a bit more? What a shame.]
As he clenched his left hand, a special power engraved in the lightsaber activated.
An invisible force. The Galactic Empire's emperor had executed many rebellious subordinates with it.
In an instant, Hyunwoo was hurled twenty meters away. The impact of the fall shook his organs.
That bastard… he's toying with me.
If he'd grabbed him with that power and simply slashed, Hyunwoo's body would've been bisected.
[Did you instinctively predict the moment your strength would give out and roll with the fall? Impressive.]
The moment Hyunwoo hit the ground, the surviving goblins charged from all directions, aiming to finish off the nearly dead player.
Of course, Hyunwoo didn't just lie there. He spun his scythe, harvesting their life force and cleanly healing his side wound.
"Bind."
Regathering his strength, Hyunwoo unleashed every tool at his disposal. An inescapable rope coiled around the Sword Ghost's neck.
[Haha, the war god's authority, eh? Interesting…]
Ignoring him, Hyunwoo summoned a valkyrie. They attacked from different directions.
He can't dodge this.
But there was something Hyunwoo hadn't considered: the valkyries were far faster than him.
Due to the timing mismatch, the valkyrie entered a step too soon. Even with his neck bound, the Sword Ghost twisted his waist and restrained her.
"Ugh…!"
The incoming lightsaber pierced his thigh precisely. Sizzle—! The sound of flesh searing echoed loudly.
[This sword boasts the sharpest edge in the universe, but it doesn't draw blood. It's too hot—the wound cauterizes itself. Painful, sure, but you'll stand.]
Crack—! Clenching his hand, the Sword Ghost finished off the valkyrie. He gazed down at Hyunwoo with cold eyes.
[Can't stand, huh? Hmm, disappointing. Does the binding skill break if the user gets hurt?]
With the valkyrie destroyed and his legs wounded, movement was impaired.
But swinging the scythe is fine.
He somehow regained his stance and glared at his foe. Seeing his spirit unbroken, the Sword Ghost hummed a tune under his breath.
[I'll mimic your strategy.]
Vmmm—!
The lightsaber, which had pierced his leg and flown off, returned under the Sword Ghost's power.
At the same time, he charged straight at Hyunwoo. Even barehanded, he could kill him easily.
Pinned from front and back.
Step forward, and the lightsaber skewers his skull. Turn back, and the Sword Ghost crushes his face.
So, the countermeasure?
Slash them both at once.
It was the technique Ryu Ga-eul had taught him. Recalling his master's movements, he followed instinctively.
[Hm?!]
Amodius's Scythe was coated in solar blade. Its trait to cleave anything sliced even the lightsaber's edge.
It grazed the Sword Ghost's abdomen simultaneously. Blood fountained from the wound.
[Oh, quite the… growth.]
He didn't die. Hyunwoo had meant to kill him with that strike, but the leg injury sapped his power.
But the follow-up would land properly… Absorbing the Sword Ghost's life force, Hyunwoo fully recovered.
"Now I'll end this!"
The next attack was set: smash the Sword Ghost's left shoulder, ripping his upper body diagonally. It was the weak point his eyes had revealed.
[Little one, I'm honestly impressed. A fledgling growing this fast.]
First Sword, Plum Blossom Sword Style. Second Sword, Pinor's Revenge.
The Sword Ghost deployed two swords at once. Their power doubled, naturally.
Hyunwoo flew back like a leaf, losing his grip on the scythe.
[But you're not ripe yet. You could grow stronger.]
"Guh…"
[Hmm… Your master must be Ryu Ga-eul. The movements confirm it.]
The greatest foe he'd met in Babel, Ryu Ga-eul. Her disciple Hyunwoo was truly strong.
[In my eyes, your talent surpasses your master's. That's when the pupil outshines the teacher. A fine fight, my friend.]
If Hyunwoo grew stronger as a player, he could surely aim for Babel's pinnacle.
When that day came, the Sword Ghost would face his lifetime's greatest battle.
[I'll await that day. Oh, almost forgot. A gift. An item I got from slaying Babel's master before.]
◈ Embodies the fury of Thor, the god who felled giants.
◈ All stats increase. Grants absolute resistance to electricity.
◈ Stronger Fells the Mighty: If the wearer is smaller than the enemy, electricity flows through your weapon.
For the short-statured Hyunwoo, it was essentially a free electric passive.
[Until we meet again.]
After meeting the Sword Ghost, Hyunwoo grew even stronger. But an inescapable fate was also sealed.
When he opened his eyes, three days had passed.
The party had disbanded. More precisely, the members had quit voluntarily.
Guess they can't risk their lives anymore.
Even without fighting the Sword Ghost directly, their morale had shattered.
Well, at around level 30, they could live comfortably anyway. Retiring now might be smart.
"Feeling better?"
"Yeah, sorta… You okay, Chae-young?"
Only the party leader had come to visit. His master had stopped by while he slept, but she was the only one here now that he was awake.
"No injuries, thanks to you."
"Haha… I didn't do anything. What're you talking about?"
"Hyunwoo."
Suddenly, Chae-young grabbed his hand. Her eyes were so earnest he couldn't speak.
"Let's keep the party going. Just us."
"Huh? But they quit…"
"With the two of us, we can clear floor 41. I can bring in a few people I know through connections."
He'd planned to solo from 41 onward. Hmm…
But party hunting had proven more efficient.
So, maybe it was fine?
"Sure. Let's do it."
"And if we reach the highest floor…"
"Ahem."
That's when someone entered the room.
Tall and slender, with stunning beauty.
His senior fellow disciple.
"What, you two dating or something?"
"Senior…"
"Hmm~ I never permitted my disciple to date."
Chae-young stood immediately and bowed to her senior.
With their height difference over 10cm, standing together shifted the vibe dramatically.
"We're not dating."
"Oh?"
"Really. We're not together yet. But."
What was she saying?
"Someday, I want to become a woman worthy of Hyunwoo."
"Ho?"
Her senior narrowed her eyes, clearly enjoying the situation.
Probably reveling in that superiority complex of hers.
Did Chae-young know? Probably not. Ever.
"So, you think you two are in that ambiguous flirting phase?"
"That's what I think. But Hyunwoo might not see it that way."
"Heh."
"But someday, I'll make him see me as a woman."
Haa… Dragged home again, and she'd fuck him till the condoms ran out.
Truly dizzying. So dizzy.