Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Volkan
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Volkan.
A place where everything lay in ruins.
There, Ermé realized she was having a dream.
This was a remnant of the past.
The sky was dyed red, an image of black, toxic rain pouring down relentlessly.
‘Ridiculous.’
The arrogant ones had been defeated.
They had overestimated their own power, and their enemies exploited the gaps born from that arrogance every time.
That was why.
That was all there was to it.
The reason humanity fell.
And the reason the heroes fell.
‘What nonsense.’
No, that wasn’t it.
It was all because of that Demon King.
That being composed entirely of blackness.
It had simply destroyed the world.
It was that simple a tale.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ “What a creepy dream.”
Her back was damp with sweat.
Cold sweat drenched her entire body. On days like this, she just wanted to hop in for a quick bath.
She had these kinds of dreams every now and then.
Strange dreams that hinted at the future. But they always felt so distant.
Even as she thought that, she dragged her body upright.
There was plenty to do.
She had to prepare for the future.
Even now, that existence was no doubt scheming busily.
Plotting ways to annihilate humanity.
‘Annoying bastard.’
A being with the raw power to overwhelm all of humanity alone.
And it wielded a brilliant mind on top of that.
That was why humanity had been crushed without a chance to fight back.
The time left was barely a decade.
No, as she altered the future, that being would adapt and move accordingly.
‘How the hell did that person pull it off?’
She pictured one woman.
A woman who carried herself with unshakeable confidence, unlike her. But even mimicking that existence was beyond her.
‘Haa.’
The road ahead was overgrown with thorns.
Just surviving here was brutally tough.
‘…But I’ve got information on my side.’
She could make it work somehow.
She hauled herself up. Luckily, she’d run into some solid people.
‘Berserker Teresa. Support Enchanter Marcel. And Han Yuseong.’
Teresa and Marcel were already big names.
Their influence only grew massive down the line.
But Han Yuseong? No clue.
One thing was dead certain.
‘Not the type to die to some punk like Hanul.’
Hanul’s goblin hunt.
She’d headed there to save one of the future buds that creep would’ve killed.
And purely by chance, she met that man.
The instant she laid eyes on him, her body shuddered like it sensed mortal danger.
Cloaked in a robe, but those eyes… ice-cold.
‘A dangerous man…’
She’d known it the second she saw Han Yuseong.
This guy was something she’d never encountered before.
A question hit her at the same time.
How had Hanul taken him down?
Did goblins really swarm him to death?
She’d wanted to watch the whole thing play out.
‘He killed him too damn easily.’
He still had tons of strength in reserve.
Her heart pounded.
The more she watched him.
Layers peeled back like an onion, endlessly.
Too damn talented.
And that sparked unease.
She hadn’t revealed much of her own hand yet.
But how long would he stick around? Ermé fretted as she stretched.
After wrapping up at the settlement desk and grabbing a light nap.
Now it was time to hit the training hall and work her body.
Exercise was routine.
Way better than actual fighting. Before stepping into the training ground, she paid up with Hilda.
And inside, she saw it.
The straw dummy she’d targeted to smash once she hit level 2.
‘…What the hell.’
Han Yuseong in the middle of pulverizing it.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The straw dummy lay in pieces.
Volkan and Lucia had said it wouldn’t break under normal circumstances.
Shatter this thing, and you’d be an instant prodigy—top clans would come knocking to recruit you.
‘…Way too many eyes on me.’
It felt awkward.
No, downright creepy.
“…He smashed that in one hit?”
“Isn’t that guy a rank 1 adventurer? Heard he’s level 1.”
“Insane potential. Rare to break it at level 1, right?”
“Rare, yeah. Not unheard of.”
Volkan tossed that out casually.
“Do you even grasp what you just did?”
Volkan’s tone was dead serious.
His eyes told another story. Sparkling, thrilled, practically gleaming.
And his mouth? Grinning like a fool.
‘This guy.’
If you’re gonna sound grave, at least match it with your face.
Why’s he staring at me like I’m the best entertainment ever?
Or maybe the whole situation tickles him pink.
Either way, not welcome.
I glanced at Lucia’s reaction.
Lucia had hearts practically floating in her eyes.
“Fuck, I wanna fuck him so bad.”
“…?”
What?
Misheard maybe.
It was so quiet, easy to miss.
And then.
Ermé gawking at me, mouth agape, eyes wide as saucers.
Why’s she pulling that face?
“Y-you broke that thing?”
“…Yeah.”
“H-how?”
Her eyes quivered as she stared.
I eyed the dummy.
‘Asking how I broke it…’
I just broke it good.
No real way to explain.
‘Telling them I used elven swordsmanship? Nah.’
Rishiel had warned me.
Humans can’t wield elven swordsmanship.
Elves struggle with human styles too.
Each race’s techniques are tailored specifically.
That’s why they don’t mesh.
Degraded adaptations exist, but they’re uncommon.
And so watered-down they hit the trash heap eventually.
I looked toward Rishiel.
Rishiel stared back, totally spaced out.
-Th-that strike just now, my lord. How did you pull it off?
‘How?’
I just nailed it.
Condition was peak today, unusually so.
Couldn’t replicate it on command, probably.
But recapture that feel once, and I could swing it again.
-…Ah, no. Bad question. How did you even know that swordsmanship?
‘That swordsmanship?’
Rishiel’s gaze turned deadly serious.
I clocked it—this answer could make or break things with her.
‘She’s bound to me, sure.’
But if push came to shove.
If she went all-in and rebelled, I’d have no choice but to end her.
And I’d walk away empty-handed.
‘Plenty more to wring out of her.’
Time for the right play.
‘Copied your swordsmanship, but it felt… off somehow.’
-Copying my style felt lacking?
‘Yeah.’
-S-so you filled in the gaps yourself?
‘…Kinda?’
Sounds genius-level.
Wasn’t.
‘Rogue Mastery.’
Innate talent on top.
And the evolved Sword Master.
Those three clicked perfectly.
Rishiel stared, speechless for a beat.
-That’s Dark Moon swordsmanship.
‘Dark Moon?’
-Didn’t I mention it? If you wanted, I’d teach you the Dark Moon clan’s secret technique.
‘Yeah.’
Flashed back briefly.
-Ever thought about dual-wielding?
Right after that, she’d dropped it.
-No elf knows it anymore. It’s a lost art.
Something along those lines.
‘Weird.’
Learning Rishiel’s style, bits felt skipped.
That nagging sense hit during the Volkan spar—something flickered, illusory.
Rogue Mastery fed the intel.
Innate Combat Sense sketched the path.
I just traced it.
Learning it this way implies.
‘Swordsmanship with issues.’
Power’s off the charts, though.
Or maybe elves lost the knack.
No clue.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Skill: Swordsmanship level has increased by 2.] ‘…Oh.’
-What’s up?
Didn’t spill about swordsmanship jumping two levels. Keeper info.
She’s on my side now.
Could flip someday. Best to hold cards close.
‘Just had a nice surprise. Anyway?’
-Can you teach me that swordsmanship?
‘Teaching’s easy enough.’
Tried it once, got the gist.
Tough nut to crack, though.
‘Even me, stacked with gifts, felt the burn.’
Stumbled into Dark Moon by fluke.
Formal mastery? Rough.
-You’re underestimating me way too much. Sure, you’re a once-in-a-generation genius, but I was called the elves’ hope.
‘…You?’
-I got caught by your freaky trick! I didn’t lose!!
Rishiel protesting.
Kinda hilarious. Plunder tipped the scales, yeah.
‘Gap wasn’t that wide, though.’
She’d held back reserves.
I went all-out.
‘Still getting edged out a bit now.’
No Plunder, I’d be toast.
Her level was 3 back then.
I’m 1.
Levels hit absolute—overturning that ain’t simple.
‘Level 2 gap, though?’
Loses then spits excuses.
‘Pathetic.’
What a pitiful elf.
-…You’re the freak! I had an S-grade and an A-grade—elves’ golden child!!
‘One S, one A?’
-Yep! Prime Sword Hero material!
‘Names?’
-One’s Wind’s Waltz. Other’s Sword Master.
‘Sword Master?’
-Yeah. Full-on S-grade Sword Master.
S-grade Sword Master?
Fishy. Mine’s A+.
I pulled up my status to check.
⚔ GIFTS ⚔ Sword Master (A+) Growth-type. ◇ Regarding swords, you can wield them like a master. ◇ Enhanced combat sense, speed, and slash power. ◇ Bonus to Skill: Swordsmanship (Lv 5). Sword Master was A+.
-Heh, shocked, huh? The might of my Sword Master—evolves into Sword Demon, Sword King, or Sword Emperor.
‘What’s that mean.’
-…You don’t even know that?
The elf looked a bit stunned.
-Sword Master’s an S-grade growth gift. Meet conditions, and it evolves. Like that old timer probably went for the balanced Sword King.
‘Boils down to wielding a sword that fits me.’
-Exactly. Speed and variability chasers become Sword Demons. Heavy or broad blade users hit Sword Emperor. All swords? Sword Saint title.
‘Any hierarchy?’
-Nah. All about compatibility and user skill.
I asked on a hunch.
‘Anything like “Mastery” gifts?’
-Mastery? Sounds like some wild rumor. Legendary stuff—gifts said to unlock full potential. Heard they evolve beyond existing grades.
‘Beyond existing?’
-Researchers speculate. If S exists, why not above? Bull. Even elves barely have a handful of S-grades.
‘I see.’
I eyed my Rogue Mastery.
Her rundown didn’t line up with my reality much.
‘Starting with Sword Master’s grade.’
Keep evolving this, something might pop.
I sighed, scanning the room.
Everyone gawking like I was a gold nugget.
‘Well, surviving comes first.’
The road ahead looked exhausting.