Chapter 121
Chapter 121
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 121
Chapter Title: Stealing Space
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East Continent.
'Oops.'
The moment I stole the space, I let out a dizzying sigh inwardly.
I quickly looked around.
What I saw were Volkan and Ermé.
Diago and the crown prince had gone somewhere, and the others had headed outside to prepare camp.
Fortunately, only those two from the party had witnessed it.
Ermé and Volkan.
'Those two.'
They wouldn't blab about the scene of me stealing space just moments ago. They weren't the type to bend under outside pressure anyway.
And even if they did say something, they'd tell me about it.
-That was reckless of you. Not like you at all.
'...Sorry.'
-Well, it's not bad. At least I got to see the guy who always seems so icy-cold get all flustered like that.
What a rotten personality.
Though he does seem to be enjoying it.
After getting an earful from the holy sword, I turned to Ermé and Volkan, who were staring in shock.
"...What the hell was that just now?"
"I just thought of it after seeing the crown prince expand the space."
"You thought of it and then did that?"
"You know stealing is my specialty, right?"
"Yeah... I know you have talent as a once-in-a-millennium swordsman, but you're even better at thieving, which is why I gave up calling you a Sword Hero candidate."
"Right? I can frontline and backline, but even with a +1 to every level, it's not enough. No one can find talent like Yuseong here."
"Don't praise him too much. It'll go straight to his head."
"Isn't that what makes it cuter?"
"That's why women are..."
"That's sexist, you know? Not afraid of the guild master, are you?"
When Ermé brought up the guild master, Volkan cleared his throat awkwardly and looked back at me.
"Ahem, anyway. How'd you do it?"
"It just hit me while watching the space expansion. Space expansion increases space, right?"
"That's right."
"Yeah."
"And then it suddenly occurred to me..."
"Hold on. Don't tell me... you stole the space?"
Volkan's eyes went wide as he stared at me.
Ermé nodded along from the side, then her eyes widened just like his at Volkan's words.
"N-no, wait. There's no way that's possible..."
"What else could explain what just happened?"
"To be precise, it felt like I stole the distance between Ermé and me."
"...So it really happened."
"... "
A brief silence fell.
Ermé's mind was spinning like crazy, her eyes sparkling.
Volkan watched me with a mix of worry and fascination.
"Hmph. That's more like it for my prized disciple."
"Oh? Is this the same guy who was thrilled when I used Plum Blossom Swordsmanship to catch that Racter or whatever last time?"
"I didn't laugh like an idiot."
"Hey, I never mentioned that story."
"... "
So Volkan laughed like an idiot when I won.
Good to know.
"So how do you plan to use it?"
"...Hmm."
I pondered.
I could use it in combat.
By stealing the distance to my opponent, I'd always get the first strike.
Whether mage, assassin, or warrior.
I could land one solid hit right from the start.
My instincts told me I could force it even if I had to.
However.
'...Can I really use this properly?'
That thought crossed my mind.
Because after using it once, the throbbing headache wouldn't stop.
My body had become incredibly sturdy. My skin could blunt a blade pressed against it. My bones boasted absurd hardness.
Yet stealing space once left my head pounding so badly that in a fight, it might keep me from focusing properly.
'...Maybe I should save it for true emergencies.'
Still, having another tool meant I could make it work somehow.
I'd have to experiment a bit and figure out its applications.
I organized my thoughts and shared them with Volkan and Ermé.
"Not sure yet."
"Something bothering you?"
"The risks outweigh the rewards right now."
"Hmm... Sounds like there's some kind of limiter."
"Well, it's specialized for ambushes, so anyone seeing it for the first time would drop dead."
"You could handle up to level 7 with assassinations."
"Or use it once to mess with their head psychologically."
Before I could even act, Volkan and Ermé were already strategizing how to counter my new ability.
Realizing their slip, Ermé glanced at me sheepishly and flashed a friendly smile.
"S-sorry. Occupational hazard."
"No, it's fine. I'd think the same."
"As expected of Yuseong. Such a big heart."
Ermé beamed and hooked her arm in mine. This girl is something else.
-The enemy of women, idol of men.
'...No need to say it.'
At least our clan members didn't bare their fangs at Ermé...
That was my thinking when.
"Quit playing around and get ready."
Veronica said sharply.
She wouldn't bare her fangs, right?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Hoo... This is it."
Veronica said with a melted expression.
Her lips slack, cheeks flushed red. If you pictured a face of pure bliss, it'd look just like this.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [...Cheating. Protesting that the difference is too great.] Cheongju grumbled at me in dissatisfaction.
Couldn't be helped.
Even with the Thief's Extremity bonus, the gap was huge, but now that Extremity had evolved into a divine rank.
The difference could only widen further.
Proof was in Ermé, who used to eat three bowls of Cheongju's cooking, now devouring an entire pot by herself with eyes rolled back.
"... "
Ermé sat there glumly after polishing it off.
"What do I do? My image..."
She was worried about her image?
Well, fair enough. She was leading the clan in place of me, the figurehead boss.
Of course she'd care about her image.
'But is that even necessary?'
I didn't think so, but some clan members turned pale or trembled just at the sight of her.
Lucia acted smug, but her seat was shaking a bit too.
'What the hell did she do to make them like that?'
Still, I figured there were unavoidable reasons.
I had no talent for leading, so I had to rely on Ermé completely.
-What if she gobbles you up whole one day?
'That wouldn't be so bad.'
Truth be told, that's what I'd hoped for.
Being a regular clan member doing as told sounded better than figurehead clan leader.
But she insisted on handling all the chores herself if I'd just be the nominal head.
So I had no choice.
-Well, with talent like yours, it makes sense.
At the holy sword's rare compliment, I turned away and stared into the campfire.
'Huh.'
I felt oddly good for some reason.
Staring into the flames, I wondered if I'd ever truly relaxed like this.
Lately, one incident after another kept piling up—no real rest.
Part of me wanted to lounge in bed all day.
'Miss my phone.'
As I spaced out, Volkan strode over to me.
"Good meal, eh?"
"Was it?"
"As your master, I'll assist with training since my disciple cooked."
"... "
Thinking about it.
Volkan had worked me half to death.
I hadn't updated lately, but I had 50kg iron weights on each arm and leg.
They disrupted mana flow, but at inns or home, I had to lighten up to avoid breaking furniture—great for training.
'Great for training means brutally tough.'
Honestly, lately it barely registered.
I hesitated briefly.
Keep chilling by the fire?
Or struggle a bit?
'Definitely the first... but.'
I couldn't.
Those beasts the holy sword mentioned.
Seeing them made the world feel far from safe.
With an inward sigh.
I looked at Volkan and spoke.
"Lately, it feels like something's blocked..."
"You?"
Volkan twitched an eyebrow at me.
"Don't say that anywhere else."
"Why not?"
"A 'blocked' guy hits level 5 in under a year? Even the fastest took at least two."
"I'm a bit exceptional, but by that logic, our clan members are abnormal too."
"Eh, think of it as saturation, and it makes sense."
"Saturation?"
"Sometimes... the labyrinth's mana saturates, producing guys like you more often. The so-called golden generation."
"And even in a golden generation, it takes two years?"
"Talent booms don't always align perfectly. But yours hit right when saturation peaked."
With labyrinths around for a millennium, you'd think alignments happened before.
'...Well, there's that 200-year gap thing.'
Lots of incidents back then, probably.
Not so surprising.
"Anyway, loosen up and come at me."
Volkan grinned and hefted a sword as tall as himself.
"...Come at you?"
"Yeah, full power. I'll thrash—er, train you for your meal."
This old man.
Just wants to beat me silly.
I sighed, stowed the iron weights in my hidden space.
Grabbed the holy sword and charged Volkan.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Volkan eyed Han Yuseong with a grave gaze.
Every time he looked, the kid had shot up, and at some point, even he couldn't gauge him anymore.
'Show me.'
He'd inherited his karma.
So Han Yuseong had to show something beyond his past growth. Volkan had bestowed many favors, but.
The name from his martial world days: Unhyeon.
That name had made countless enemies.
From the day he'd resolved to burn himself and slaughter every foe.
He'd become a vengeful ghost, killing all.
Karma.
Inevitable, irreversible past.
Mountains of corpses, rivers of blood.
Countless lives taken.
Not quite fitting as 'price,' but.
He poured himself into training adventurers.
'Killed those who deserved death, saved those who deserved life, but.'
Too much blood on his hands.
Hence, many enemies.
All the more reason.
He couldn't leave Han Yuseong, heir to the Volcano Sect's legacy he'd taken as disciple, alone.
'Show me.'
Han Yuseong fixed him with purple eyes.
Then leaped back.
"Ranged attack? That won't work on me."
Simple principle.
Mana fades the farther from its master. Long-range sniping is hard.
Why master archers are rare; why sacred bows are legendary, transformable into other weapons.
No need to change if bows were perfect.
But Volkan narrowed his eyes soon after.
'Blurry.'
Han Yuseong's form blurred.
But he could still track the movement.
Screee-.
The sound of a bowstring drawn.
Han Yuseong silently mouthed something.
"Spirit Dance: Illusion. Pierce, Explode, Split." ⟨ [Phantom Volley] ⟩
The arrow on the string turned pitch black.
The string released.
Twang.
A light sound.
But the arrow split into hundreds.
'Huh?'
And the night sky poured down.