Chapter 150
Chapter 150
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 150
Chapter Title: Ambush
-You! Who the hell are you, daring to touch me like this?! That pointy-eared bitch treating me however she pleases was bad enough!
A voice rang out in my head.
But it wasn't like the Holy Sword's usual voice.
Unlike that noble, somewhat androgynous tone.
This one was unmistakably girlish.
Still, I had no time to dwell on it.
Hot liquid streamed from my nose, and my head was spinning wildly.
I was barely holding on, staggering back, feeling like I'd pass out the moment I let my guard down.
-Are you okay?
-What the—it's the Holy Sword?
'I didn't die.'
I ran backward desperately, but at less than half my usual speed.
KABOOOOM!
Feeling an immense heat from behind, I glanced sideways at the Four Heavenly Kings.
Its black body was regenerating.
Surrounded by that green, radioactive-like energy.
But the speed was markedly different from before. The kind that regrew limbs in 0.1 seconds even after they were severed.
'...Slow.'
One of its arms was engulfed in Volkan's flames, burning fiercely, but it couldn't regenerate properly.
So.
'I stole its immortality for sure.'
It felt like the skill had finally pulled off something useful after so long, stealing weird crap on its own.
No, it had done useful things before, but whenever it stole something odd, it left me baffled.
This time, though, it had nabbed something proper.
I was a little pleased that Steal Strike had shone for once in a while.
'That bastard.'
It glared at me with murderous intent.
An intangible force like fighting spirit tried to bind me.
Each time, I invoked my gift, Overlord, batting away the formless energy.
But the power gap was clear.
I could sense its hand lunging to grab me.
KABOOOOM!!
Old man Volkan was holding it off somehow.
But even so, it wasn't enough for me alone.
'It's fine.'
Clutching the Holy Bow haphazardly while carrying the bastard's immortality.
-Damn it, do you know who I am to treat me like this?!
-Holy Bow, calm down.
-Do I look calm right now?!
-Take a look at the guy's face.
-Ha, the face of the jerk treating me like this—oh my, why is he so handsome? I'm the Holy Bow, young lady.
"...".
For a moment, the sheer absurdity nearly made me stumble.
But I gritted my teeth and fled from the bastard.
Yet its hand reached my nape.
"Good work."
At the same time, words of encouragement reached me.
What I saw was a man wrapped head to toe in black bandages.
The Imperial Sword, said to have died fifty years ago, as the Holy Sword had mentioned.
With his words, the bastard's hand was severed.
"To think a level 7 could do what five level 9s couldn't."
"And he hasn't even achieved Unity yet?"
Now that they had some breathing room, I overheard their conversation as they observed me up close.
"You bastards! Stop eyeing my disciple and deal with that thing first!"
"...Can't argue with that."
"And that guy's not even level 7—he's level 6."
Volkan slipping in the truth during the opening.
At his words, the blue-haired woman's eyes widened briefly before turning to me.
Her serene blue eyes rippled faintly.
'Greed?'
That emotion flickered, then faded.
As if something more important had her attention.
'Whew.'
I ran a bit farther, escaping to 500 meters out.
The Holy Sword and Holy Bow chattered, but it didn't register.
Maybe because I was so exhausted I wasn't sure if I was walking or running.
Feeling a familiar presence at the end.
"...Go!! ...!"
Then I blacked out.
*
I opened my eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling.
Huh, why am I here...?
'Ah.'
I'd passed out.
Fortunately, I seemed to have kept my life intact.
But where was this place?
It looked a bit familiar.
-It's the inn we stayed at before.
'The one we stayed at?'
It hadn't been this fancy back then.
I looked around.
The room was draped in red silk curtains on all sides, and a chandelier engraved with a golden phoenix on the ceiling emitted a soft glow.
'Chandelier?'
Wasn't this the Eastern Continent?
When did the Central Plains start using chandeliers like this?
As I stared at the chandelier in bewilderment, the Holy Sword spoke up.
-Awake now?
'Yeah.'
My head felt better now.
It had felt like it was splitting open earlier.
Then I sensed another presence.
Who was this now?
-I'm the Holy Bow, young lady.
'...'
Oh, right—I'd picked this one up.
But I didn't remember it having this personality.
-Exactly. Despite being a divine weapon, it wished for a male owner and hoped he'd be more beautiful than an elf. What a weirdo.
-...Please don't heed that blood-obsessed demon's words, my lord.
-It reads romance novels and wuxia romances, picking up that weird speech pattern—put up with it.
-How disgraceful. To try separating me from my predestined Thief Hero owner. Master, don't believe that feral sword's lies.
-Ha... Do I have to hear that crap from a guy who judges based on looks, not ability?
-Looks are the greatest ability. With my power, even the lowliest could claim the spot just below the highest.
Usually, you'd say the top spot, right?
Somehow, having this chatty one around made my head throb gently.
Was this another headache after the Holy Sword?
-Hey, don't lump me in with this guy...!
-Oh...
The Holy Sword bristled, while the Holy Bow let out a sigh for some reason.
-Men like bad boys after all, it seems.
-If he's just pretty-faced, you're all over it.
-How dare you twist my tastes like that.
'Shut up, both of you for now.'
I clutched my pounding head.
Then I reached into my Hidden Space and pulled out a stone.
Something like a stone wrapped in green energy.
I stared at it blankly.
-How the hell did you steal that guy's immortality...?
-Did I pick this master for nothing? Better than that Soyeonhwan or whatever.
'...So what happened with the Hero Selection Tournament?'
-The Mage Hero's decided. Thief is you, Yuseong. And the Sword Hero...
The Holy Sword trailed off.
What? Who got it?
-It's on hold for now. Both Soyeonhwa and Ermé shone too much.
Wouldn't be surprised if those two pulled something off.
I'm almost unbeatable at similar levels, but if I lost...
'Someone higher level, or maybe those two as candidates.'
Whenever I said that, they'd give me looks like they were teasing me.
But that's what I think.
As I pondered, not knowing who the Mage Hero was...
-A man.
-A foul-looking man, at that.
The Holy Sword and Holy Bow answered my curiosity.
Hope his personality's good.
Working together as Heroes, compatibility matters more than anything.
'Though it's overshadowed by the Priests.'
Holy power hurts, using it like a drug is passive, drowning it in booze—Priests have a terrible rep, to the point people say only the truly virtuous can manage.
Of course, once you level up enough, you endure the pain and get gifts like pain resistance.
Anyway, Mages aren't easy either.
From what Viola and the glasses guy occasionally say, their profession's image is rock bottom.
As I thought about the Mage Hero, the door burst open with a crack.
Or rather, it swung loosely from his hand.
"You're awake, huh."
Volkan looked at me sternly.
But his eyes beamed with pride, and the corners of his mouth twitched in a grin.
Setting aside how annoying that was.
Usually, that look meant nothing good for me.
Feeling an ominous vibe, I spoke up.
"What's with that smile?"
"Heh heh, nothing like that. It's not because those old fools who treated me like a has-been changed their tune."
"...".
That was it.
He must've bragged about raising a fine disciple.
-Which is true.
-Oh, come to think of it, I haven't heard Master's age.
'...20.'
-...What?! Only 20?!
Why are you surprised?
I'm not even actually 20. Just my physical age.
"So what happened?"
"Nothing much. This incident has the Ming Empire courting you, Cradle paying more attention, and the Empire flooding you with offers."
"...".
"Kuhahahaha!!"
As I scowled, Volkan laughed like he'd die happy.
"But there's good news too."
"What?"
"Some of the selected Heroes live on the Western Continent... Most are human, so you won't have to drag yourself back to the East."
That was good news.
"Well, Cradle's suitable for training Heroes anyway... And by now, that Cradle incident should be wrapping up nicely."
Ah, definitely.
Though it'd be nice if those Eternal Disease guys stuck around a bit.
"So we leave right away?"
"...Knew you'd say that. No loose ends, so yeah, we can go."
"No loose ends?"
"Normally, you'd spar with the existing Heroes, beat or earn their recognition. They'd pass on their know-how."
"...? Didn't the previous Thief Hero survive?"
"Nah, his chest was pierced, but that weird power rotted him from inside. Organs all turned to ash—unsalvageable."
"...".
What.
A Hero dies to a single normal hit?
-That's their danger. Immortality that ignores death. Each attack's lethal to any living thing.
-To pierce that immortality, you need we divine weapons bestowed by the goddess.
The Holy Sword and Holy Bow bantered.
"Oh yeah, didn't you steal something weird from that guy?"
"Yeah, sorta."
The immortality or whatever.
Thanks to that, I nearly died as its target.
"Need it?"
"Good for research. I'll make it worth your while."
"Yeah, no use to me anyway."
I reached into Hidden Space for the immortality.
"...?"
It wasn't there.
I'd definitely put it in the third slot—no forgetting that.
'No, what the.'
Did they mess with my subspace?
Or someone else stole it. The Empire's bloodline can manipulate space, so not impossible.
In my panic, what I grabbed was...
⚔ ITEM UPDATE ⚔ Before:
[??'s Soul Stone]
After:
[Heavenly Demon's Soul Stone]
What the hell is this?.