Chapter 130
Chapter 130
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 130
Chapter Title: Heroes' Contest
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Gotash chased after Han Yuseong.
Ja-an's Sword Ghost.
The moment he heard that story, Han Yuseong had come to mind.
A man cloaked in monstrous fighting spirit in some unknowable way.
Yet infinitely stealthy at the same time.
>He often moved just like those elves.
>‘I don't know what trick he used.’
>But he was different from the other elves.
Those who hid as a daily routine couldn't stand up to him.
>‘So.’
>He would have to go all out.
The moment he dared to use petty tricks against me, I'd be disappointed.
>But Han Yuseong's words crushed Gotash's expectations.
>“Let's keep it light.”
“I'm serious. If you don't go all out, you'll be humiliated.”
>Gotash growled and took a step forward.
Han Yuseong lightly stepped forward despite Gotash's growl.
>‘……?’
>For a moment, it seemed like he was seeing things.
Han Yuseong was clearly walking forward, but the movement wasn't visible properly.
Or more precisely, it was blurry.
>Han Yuseong, who was standing still yet not fully visible.
And then.
>Swish.
He vanished as if sinking into the ground.
>‘……What the hell.’
>Gotash stared at where Han Yuseong had disappeared with a ghostly expression, as if possessed.
>Nothing was there.
Nothing could be felt.
Unlike the elves.
>They used spirits to whip up massive winds and hide themselves.
They could never mimic a divine technique like this in broad daylight, vanishing mid-step as if walking away.
>However.
Apart from the chill.
>‘……I acknowledge your skill.’
>Crunch.
A strange mysticism settled into his flesh.
His Gift, [Monstrous Divine Strength (S)].
>If the Heavenly Martial Physique was a special constitution for cultivating martial arts.
This constitution was simply that.
>Monstrous strength.
Fearsome monstrous power began to infuse his body.
>The massive wave of power started from his arms and gathered at his fist.
>After that, Gotash's action was simple.
>Just smashing it down.
>KABOOM─!!
>A terrifying roar like a bomb exploding echoed everywhere.
His monstrous strength, filling the entire arena, shattered it to pieces.
>“Now, even you can't hide……”
>Gotash smugly searched for where Han Yuseong had vanished.
Even faster than that.
>His senses signaled danger.
>A glimpse of a black slash.
As it targeted him, he swung his fist at it.
>CLANG─!!
A horrifying clash.
The sound of the black line striking his fist reverberated through the air.
>Only then did Gotash realize the black line targeting his throat.
>‘An arrow……?’
>An arrow?
Gotash blinked for a moment.
>Arrows themselves weren't special.
But the power was the issue.
His body, empowered to the max by Monstrous Divine Strength, trembled.
>The impact from the arrow's shockwave.
Truly monstrous power.
>‘Different from the elves, huh.’
>Gotash was filled with ecstasy.
>They called him Ja-an's Sword Ghost.
That meant his true weapon was the sword.
If arrows used as support were this strong, how powerful would he be with a sword?
He couldn't help but anticipate it.
>Gotash, thrilled, tried to find Han Yuseong.
>Swoosh!
CLANG─!!
>“You bastard, come out! As a warrior, face me with swords!!”
>Swoosh!
CLANG─!!
>“You planning to act like those filthy elves?! If you don't come out……”!
>Swoosh!
CLANG─!!
>“……”
>Gotash wore a dazed expression.
>*
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Gotash's words had vanished.
He was probably parched with blood dried up by now.
His expression must be pretty funny too.
>Imagining it made his stale fatigue melt away.
Yeah, this was how games should be played.
>-Are you a demon, you bastard?
‘Teabagging's basic.’
>Fights weren't originally about beating the opponent.
They were about teabagging them.
>‘But honestly, the power's better than expected.’
>I lightly stepped through the darkness, aiming my arrow.
Screech.
I drew the bowstring.
>‘Shadowless · Phantom. Piercing 3 stacks.’
>Swish!
The arrow soaked deeply into the darkness. I fully drew the arrow, now thick like a black line.
>And then.
>‘Steal Strike.’
>I stole the space between the arrow and Gotash.
>Swoooosh!!
The arrow spun ferociously at a whole different level of speed.
It crossed space in an instant and flew at Gotash.
>CRACKCRACKCRACK!!
It pierced through Gotash's fist and shoulder.
>‘Whoa, insanely strong, for real.’
>Amazed, I used Steal Strike to steal space again.
My head spun a bit, but I could still handle it.
>“……”
>Gotash's dazed expression came into view.
I grinned and waved at him.
>“How……how are you hiding?”
>I quietly smiled and said.
>“Next.”
“What?!”
“Don't linger pathetically if you've lost. Come out.”
“Kuh……!”
>Gotash glared furiously at his fist.
A monstrous wound pierced by the arrow.
In the modern world, he'd live the rest of his life as a one-armed man.
>‘But there are priests here.’
>The pinnacle of priests, Saintess Veronica, was even present.
>Veronica stood motionless, watching me with haughty eyes.
A subtly upturned lip corner. Eyes curved in delight.
>“My god, Gotash of great strength has lost?”
“What was that first technique? He just walked, yet vanished like sinking into the earth……”!
“And the arrows passed through space! How many Gifts does he have?”
“How has a man like that remained veiled……! Does no one know his moniker?”
“……Ja-an's Sword Ghost.”
>Someone uttered my title, and silence fell.
>“Sword Ghost? Bow Ghost would fit too.”
“It was Sword Ghost. One of the hottest men in Cradle right now.”
>Murmurs arose.
Amid the noise, a man strode confidently toward me.
>The narcissistic freeloading brother-in-law Brandil, with golden hair and blue eyes, stepped forward.
He eyed me warily.
>“From your expression, you still have plenty left. Well, that brute is strong head-on, so fighting fair would've cost you……”
>I hadn't fought head-on.
I'd whittled away at the enemy's stamina bit by bit.
Gotash fell to my one-sided assault.
>-Honestly, even I'd panic in that situation.
>The holy sword said.
The method I'd used when first facing Gotash.
>‘That was nothing special.’
>Just stole the dirt under the arena with Steal Strike and moved my body there.
>With Shadowless · Phantom's stealth bonus in the darkness, Gotash had no idea where I was.
>-That's the problem. How do you find someone who drops 100 meters underground in an instant?
‘……Well.’
>That happened because of my Gift, right?
If he's jealous, don't let me do it.
>-You truly have no conscience.
‘No reason to be conscientious with guys who annoyed me like this.’
>With that, I looked at Brandil. He still eyed me warily.
>“I won't ask how. But it must've cost you too.”
>Brandil drew his sword.
A turquoise blade flickered with green flames.
>-Oh, that's Deadfire.
‘Deadfire?’
-Flames of death. High value as a Gift, but low versatility.
>High value but low versatility meant.
>‘All-in on firepower, huh.’
>I needed to be cautious.
>DONG!
The bell signaling the match's start rang.
Brandil kicked off the ground immediately. Green flames targeted my arm.
>“I won't take it like that musclehead!”
>He closed the distance in one go.
Intending to prevent me from going underground.
>‘……Implanting a misconception isn't bad either.’
>I made a troubled face and drew my sword.
>Originally, I'd chosen ambush against Gotash because using sword aura was annoying.
>But.
>‘You think I'll take it?’
>I lightly stepped back.
>“Useless!”
>The green flames from Brandil's sword swelled larger.
As if with no intent to control, the green flames ballooned in size.
>Toward the flames, I took one step forward.
>‘Formless Step.’
>A hero's step that deflects the opponent's attack in one stride.
My body tilted diagonally.
The green flaming sword slid past.
>Brandil's eyes widened.
His expression screamed it made no sense.
>‘I get it.’
>Even I found this step bizarrely illogical.
>The green flames scattered.
And I reached out.
>Unlike Gotash, he had few ways to nullify my attacks.
>Green mana formed like a barrier before Brandil.
>‘Hero swordsmanship is too flashy.’
>Even Black Void recognized it at once.
Dark Moon, Black Sea, Void Heaven too.
I couldn't reveal them for the same reason.
>‘Then.’
>The sword moved.
Swinging toward the green barrier.
>Plum blossoms bloomed from the blade tip.
Purple flames blazed fiercely. The scattering flame plums gathered into one.
>‘Roughly……Purple Flame Sword Cloud.’
>Purple Flame Sword Cloud blazed—! and flew at the green barrier.
>SHATTER─!
A sound like breaking glass rang out as the green barrier shattered to pieces.
>“……I lost. A complete defeat.”
>Brandil smiled satisfied, despite the loss, refreshingly.
>“This is unfair! Why does that guy get a fair fight, and I'm ambushed?!”
>Gotash raged.
Of course.
>‘To catch that guy, even I have to go all out.’
>Monstrous Divine Strength, was it?
>I'd realized while probing with Shadowless · Phantom.
>Shadowless · Phantom's Piercing 2 stacks had extreme attack power among my abilities.
Yet he'd blocked it stupidly with his fist.
>‘……Probably would've taken ages.’
>He'd even have needed Dark Moon, Void Heaven, Black Sea.
>‘That's why he came at me so confidently.’
>But no obligation to tell him.
This fight started because of him anyway.
>Sighing inwardly, I looked ahead.
>So Yeonhwa watched me with great anticipation.
Barely any expression, but her lips twitched, eyebrows relaxed happily.
>‘Honestly, don't wanna fight her.’
>Fighting her let me directly feel my swordsmanship improve.
But she grew too.
My growth was higher, but the trigger differed—she could surge ahead in an instant.
>“Impressive.”
>So Yeonhwa said as she entered the arena.
Her eyes sparkled at me.
I raised both arms toward her.
>“I surrender.”
“……?”
“Surrender, surrender. Too tired to fight now.”
“Don't lie. You're full of energy……”!
“My heart hurts. It's tough, so I surrender.”
“Don't run, you coward……!”
“Yeah, I'm a coward.”
>Using Fleet Foot, I leaped high and bolted away.
Glancing at the nobles' seats while running.
>The princess watching me with strange fervor.
And the crown prince staring piercingly with a subtle smile.
>‘……Such a hassle.’
>But I'd proven I was a thief.
And a coward who fled from So Yeonhwa.
>They wouldn't bother me anymore.
>-……As if.
>Ignoring the holy sword, I kept running.