Chapter 103
Chapter 103
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 103
Chapter Title: I Obtained a Slave
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I stared blankly at the holy sword.
After saying so many things, to drop a line like that now...
-Huh? Did it notice something off about my condition?
The holy sword's reaction was strange.
-Hmph. What in the world happened to make you so flustered? Because of you, you damn thing.
I almost snapped back at the holy sword's words but held my tongue. From the way things were going, it seemed like this guy had been hit by something too.
'...This is seriously suspicious.'
The holy sword knew quite a bit about the First Hero in detail.
However, artifacts called divine weapons only appeared after the First Hero.
That's why I'd been puzzled.
According to what Volkan and Heukmanggong had said, the holy sword shouldn't have seen the First Hero.
Neither the orthodox swordsmanship of the heroes nor their orthodox footwork.
It shouldn't have had anything to teach me.
Because those things predated the First Hero's exploits.
I could understand knowing about them superficially.
But not in the detailed way it had taught me.
Which led to this.
'The rough guess I can make is...'
The entity slumbering within the holy sword might be the First Hero.
Or perhaps a fragment of that being.
And the Demon King.
Those entities had made a contract with beings even the First Hero couldn't handle.
And created the existence known as the Demon King.
Those Demon Kings were said to be apostle-like beings to those untouchable figures.
But what I'd seen was different.
They had invaded this world on their own whim.
And were destroying everything.
I didn't know who was showing me this crap.
But I'd seen it.
......
'For now.'
I'll tuck this away in a corner of my mind.
This wasn't the place for it.
I stared straight ahead.
Volkan and So Yeonhwa were tilting their heads, looking at me.
"What the hell? Why the sudden dumbass face?"
Volkan was giving me that "Did this guy eat something bad?" look.
So Yeonhwa was cocking her head too. Everyone was staring at me like I was weird.
'First things first, sort this out.'
What I'd seen in those past scenes wasn't important right now.
No, it was important, but...
I needed to recall what I'd just said here.
I'd talked a big game. If I suddenly canceled the spar or something now...
'I'd be teased for life, no question.'
Hoo.
I took a deep breath.
Calmed my heart. My mind cleared. Was it the effect of mana, something my original world didn't have?
My body and mind settled in an instant.
As I cooled down a bit, the thoughts in my head started organizing themselves.
I raised my sword.
"Hold on."
So Yeonhwa stopped me and drew her sword.
A pitch-black demonic sword inscribed with blood-red letters.
"Let's use real swords."
"Real swords?"
"Yeah. It's better that way."
"......"
Real swords are more dangerous, aren't they?
I didn't say it. I could see So Yeonhwa's resolute expression. The faint upward tug of her lips too.
She didn't say it outright.
But it was screaming that she wanted to clash with me at full power.
-Looks fun, huh. 'Fun?'
I felt my own lips curl up slightly at the holy sword's words.
'......'
Had I caught the medieval bug from these people? Sighing inwardly, I tossed aside the wooden sword.
What I drew was...
Shring.
The Thunder Dragon Sword, a gift from the crown prince.
I don't know if he planned it, but it suited me perfectly with Extreme Thunder God.
The moment I drew the sword, my heart chilled, and everything looked different.
"Don't worry about needless things. If it gets out of hand, we'll step in. You two just go all out."
At Volkan's reassuring words, I lightly loosened up.
-Test the waters first. Show her a light taste of orthodox hero swordsmanship. 'Got it.'
I took one step forward.
Tyrant's Tread.
A step that unleashed pressure to overwhelm the opponent.
Boom!
So Yeonhwa's body swayed. Her stance crumbled at the same time.
Shing.
A sharp sound echoed.
A light swing.
Slash.
But So Yeonhwa raised her demonic sword and blocked it easily.
However.
"......!"
So Yeonhwa's eyes widened.
Six slashing waves flew at her simultaneously.
So Yeonhwa moved nimbly, dispersing the six slashes and batting them away with her sword.
In that gap.
I raised my sword.
'To be honest.'
I couldn't lose to a human in a duel.
In the labyrinth, monsters could withstand my slashes and come at me to kill.
But against humans, it was different.
Even if their attack power was high, they lacked the defense to block my slashes.
That's why I was confident I wouldn't lose in a spar.
In fact, So Yeonhwa was one level higher than me.
Yet I was convinced I'd win.
However.
Smirk.
Heukmanggong's lips curled up.
'......?'
At the same time, changes began in So Yeonhwa. She gave up dodging or blocking the slashes.
Whoosh!
Red qi began gathering around her.
-Qi Armor. 'Qi Armor?'
The moment the holy sword spoke, the whirling slashes hit.
But with metallic clangs! They bounced off So Yeonhwa.
"My god, Qi Armor at her age! A true prodigy!"
"No, wait, what the hell was that sword? One swing and six slashes?"
The mages were shocked by her Qi Armor.
The swordsmen were stunned by my swing.
-It means armor made of qi. Further advancement leads to the absolute art called Protective Aura... but you two, stuck at sword qi, couldn't possibly use that. In other words, armor made of sword qi?
Boom.
So Yeonhwa, having blocked all my slashes, began her counterattack.
She swung her sword.
If my attacks were fast and tricky...
Hers were straightforward and relentless.
From above downward.
A strike packed with power.
I knew without being hit. Getting tagged properly by that would mean bed rest for a while.
'Doesn't match her looks.'
Brutally straightforward.
I retreated once with Flying Swallow Step.
Such heavy attacks always exposed openings after one strike.
Crackle.
Purple lightning sparked. The sword qi blade began sharpening as it devoured mana.
Slither.
And at the same time...
Something was slithering and expanding from So Yeonhwa's shadow.
'Shadow?'
No. Something made of mana was spreading like clouds.
"Heukmanggong. The duke title the empire granted him brings despair to enemies."
"They say fighting him feels like facing a black sea. But what's with those clouds?"
I focused intently.
This was similar to my absolute arts. Black Sea, Dark Moon, Void Heaven.
I could tell it was a similar sword art.
As the shadow grew...
So Yeonhwa's sword began emitting black sword qi.
"Cloudmidst Black Sword."
Clouds made of sword qi formed. Dozens of sword qi blades at once.
'Different from my method.'
Orthodox hero swordsmanship creates slashes from one swing.
If mine felt passive...
'Hers is active.'
It had a casting motion, chaining sword qi into slashes.
Rumble.
The moment I saw it, inspiration struck like lightning. I instinctively shifted my Dark Moon stance.
-You... Before the holy sword could finish...
My sword moved faster.
'Chain the sword qi.'
Clouds of sword qi.
Purple lightning rumbled! Black-wrapped purple lightning began forming a shape.
"What...?"
With Heukmanggong's dumbfounded voice...
Clouds of black and purple appeared.
'Roughly...'
Cloudmidst Sword Thunder?
The purple clouds clashed with the black clouds.
The purple and black clouds began devouring each other.
And...
'Dark Moon.'
The purple clouds began to change.
In the midst of black clouds...
Darkness descended fully.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Back home...
I finally had some alone time after a long while.
The clan's bustle wasn't bad.
But I liked these solo moments occasionally.
My mind felt incredibly at ease.
'...Though I actually have a ton to do.'
Procrastinated tasks were piling up, so it wasn't that relaxing.
The top priority was...
'Why the holy sword acted like that.'
And why it led to that conclusion.
I wanted to ask the holy sword about it.
But its words came back to me.
-Names hold power. The moment you know it, a bond forms with you. We call that 'fate.' The more I fixated on it...
The closer it drew to me, as the holy sword had said. That made me hesitate.
'Even if I asked, it probably wouldn't know anyway.'
So better to bury it and figure it out myself.
Next up...
'Retinal.'
Not long ago, I'd tried buying some on the black market.
They didn't sell well in regular markets, so I'd gone to the place Ermé recommended.
'Insanely expensive.'
Couldn't afford it.
But the crown prince handed over a whole batch when he met me.
-Why do you want those metals anyway? The holy sword couldn't comprehend it.
'Know what the sweetest thing in the world is?'
-What? 'Making others do my work without lifting a finger.'
-......? The holy sword reacted like it didn't get it.
Fair enough.
I wasn't even sure if it'd work myself.
I checked the blue metal ingots from the crown prince.
⚔ ITEM ⚔ Retinal ◇ A shape-memory alloy. It can learn skills based on the user's mana. Insanely expensive for real.
Buying just 10kg would've wiped out all my money.
'If it turns out as the guy said...'
I closed my eyes and recalled my friend's words.
-Get Gift: Synthesis (B), and any skill B-grade or higher related to techniques, then hoard this metal no matter what. Even if you have to borrow money, he'd said.
I quietly prayed and synthesized the retinal.
Flash!
The retinal alloy glowed and shifted into a single form.
Something like a spider with eight legs appeared.
-Wh-what is this thing? The holy sword sounded flustered.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [...Verifying user. Confirmed created by user's mana.] A mechanical voice rang out.
I looked at the retinal robot with eager eyes.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Please state your name as per procedure.] "Han Yuseong."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Recognizing as owner... Registration complete. Please name it.] I pondered for a moment.
It looked spider-like with a blue hue.
'Spider island plus blue for cheong...'
Cheongju it is.
Sounded tasty too, like the rice wine.
"Let's go with Cheongju."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Name confirmed... Registered as Cheongju. You may now grant it one of your skills.] Cheongju wiggled its front two legs as it spoke.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [I desire Steal Strike or Extreme Thunder God from Master's skills.] "Elf Compounding."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Me, wielding lightning with front legs to slay foes, or Cheongju stealing enemies' items—I strongly recommend.] "Elf Compounding."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [......Acquiring Elf Compounding due to Master's strong desire.] The somehow sullen tone tugged at my heart a bit, but oh well.
'Made it for that purpose from the start.'
I looked at Cheongju and said,
"Try making a Medium Recovery Potion."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Understood.] Cheongju acquired Elf Compounding and headed to the alchemy cauldron.
It busily manipulated its arms, adding leaves and liquids.
-Don't tell me you're using that for... Finally getting it, the holy sword spoke in surprise.
Meanwhile, Cheongju worked away, crafting a cauldron and bottling red liquid into flasks.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Produced Medium Recovery Potion.] I checked the item.
⚔ ITEM ⚔ Medium Recovery Potion ◇ Moderately restores stamina. '...Not as good as what I make.'
But factoring in material costs, it was still a profit.
More importantly...
'With this guy, I'm free from cooking too?'
I gazed at Cheongju with warm eyes.