Chapter 163
Chapter 163
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 163
Chapter Title: The Stolen Beard
Sintu.
To others, it might seem like nothing at all.
But to someone, it could become an incredibly precious possession.
For example, Luffy's straw hat, the one belonging to the protagonist of the manga One Piece.
It's not particularly strange.
I had something like that too.
Except mine was the opposite.
A tale from my previous life... right before I fell into this world.
I possessed something that was worthless to me but incredibly dear to others.
Thanks to it, I made some friends.
'Of course, that relationship fell apart.'
All because of the guy who clung to my side, yapping endlessly about Arcadia RPG day and night.
In any case, what seems trivial to one person can be treasured by another.
For instance...
'This beard clutched in my fist.'
I stared at the beard.
And at the guy called Sintu, his face blank as if the world itself had crumbled.
'Sintu.'
-I recommend you run away.
Shingung's voice trembled unusually as he spoke.
-Th-that's the beard the previous previous Thief Hero groomed like a sacred family heirloom...
'So you're saying I stole it.'
Sintu stared vacantly at the twig I'd handed him.
If we're judging by theft, that puts me firmly in the superior position.
"Neeeeeoooom!!"
A lion-like roar reverberated everywhere.
And Sintu fixed his blazing eyes on me.
Yet something felt off.
An orc with green skin glaring at me like that.
'His eyes, though...'
Slit narrow like a rat's—trustworthy for a thief, somehow.
No, that's not the point.
I retreated backward, quietly sizing up my opponent.
He glared at me like I was an arch-nemesis under the same sky, all for swiping a single beard hair.
'You tried to steal from me first.'
If my crime is a crime, does that make counterattacking one too?
Thieves through and through.
No matter if previous gen or previous previous—never trustworthy types.
As I backed away, I called out to my party members.
"Everyone, pack your gear and get out of the labyrinth first!"
I bolted off in the opposite direction from the party.
All the while, my hand brushed my sword.
'More than I expected.'
His combat prowess didn't look all that impressive.
Unlike his name Sintu, he didn't seem particularly fast either.
-Absolutely do not fight him! He's like cowardice personified!
Shingung practically shrieked it, sparking my curiosity.
How utterly vile did someone have to be to earn a label like that?
That instant.
A chilling premonition crawled up my spine.
A foul sensation—like something was zeroing in on me.
An attack? What kind?
As those thoughts flashed and I moved to evade—
-No! It's a trap!
'A trap?'
-One of the previous previous Thief Hero's signature moves. He emits killing intent to make it feel like an incoming attack!
'Why bother...?'
-In meetings and such, if the target reacts and swings first, it looks to bystanders like you attacked out of nowhere. He uses it to intimidate, sweet-talk, and seize the upper hand in deals.
'Wow.'
I let out an internal gasp of admiration upon hearing Shingung.
Now that's a technique worth coveting.
As my eyes sparkled while eyeing the Thief Hero, the menacing killing intent before me vanished.
'Clever ploy.'
I got it the moment I saw it.
Maybe from hyper-focusing.
Or because it meshed perfectly with my talents.
'Pair it with intimidation, though...'
I was dying to test it out.
But what if I nailed it on the first try?
'Wouldn't end well.'
The previous previous Thief Hero already bore me ill will.
No sense stoking the flames further—he was called Sintu for a reason.
-...I really picked the perfect master.
'Hm?'
-Already scheming to fleece him dry amid all this. More of a street rat than the previous previous...
'Hey, don't just spring praise like that.'
A tad embarrassing.
I flashed a sly grin, and Sintu's scowl deepened.
Did he take it as mockery?
I considered clarifying but held back.
'Might coax out even better tricks.'
As if reading my mind.
Light began to radiate from Sintu's body.
-Watch out!
'Light-based power?'
Not barreling toward me at lightspeed, I hoped?
-He couldn't pull off something that absurd!
'Aw, bummer?'
-Yes! But why do you sound disappointed?!
No, wouldn't the heart pound if he could zip around at light speed?
Whatever. Sintu channeled light power into something.
-Careful! Sintu loves crafting light clones or marks, then blinking to them for enemy confusion!
'Now that's tempting.'
That instant, my head prickled.
I reflexively ducked.
Swish.
A few strands of hair sliced clean off.
"Sharp instincts."
A nasally, grating voice—laced with reluctant admiration.
Yet I sensed this wasn't his true form.
'Light clone, huh?'
And it packed physical force?
-Gifts: Spectral Mirage for the refraction-based illusionary appearance! The strike's from Phantom Limb! It grants illusions like clones tangible substance!
'Annoyingly versatile.'
-Those two are bad enough, but the real nightmare hasn't dropped yet!
Fair enough.
I shot Sintu a sidelong glance.
Light-based fighting style? I could guess a few counters.
Crackle.
Purple lightning flickered in my palm.
The simplest bolt.
I infused it with sword intent.
Fancy term, but dead simple in practice.
'Just like swinging a blade.'
I wrapped the lightning and unleashed.
Crackle-crackle-crack!
"Ho?"
Sintu's brow arched faintly.
The purple bolt arced in a crescent, homing in on him.
But Sintu casually tilted his head aside, dodging.
"Not bad for a level 6."
Sintu drawled it with haughty poise.
I drew my sword.
"Right, you're that freak who wields a sword."
I fixed my gaze on Sintu as I spoke.
"Why the hell are you chasing me?"
"Because you stole something more precious than your miserable life!"
"This, you mean?"
I dangled the beard snippet before Sintu.
He grimaced and nodded.
"Couldn't be helped. You went for my stuff first—pure reflex."
"Do you even grasp what you've stolen?!"
Sintu bellowed back at me.
I scrutinized him up close.
Shingung had sworn never to tangle with Sintu.
'But worth a shot?'
Seemed promising.
Heroes typically earn full props by toppling their predecessor.
I'd failed against mine, so squaring off with the one before that? Solid backup plan.
But not now.
"Just some scruffy beard, no?"
Probably loaded with meaning.
Maybe his Achilles' heel.
Still, I played it cool.
"You wouldn't understand its true value."
With that, Sintu surged with killing intent.
Hard to buy it holding real worth.
But for a rat-faced creep like him, maybe it did.
If he treasured it that much, who was I to judge?
"Here, take it."
"..."
Sintu's eyebrow twitched.
Visibly displeased.
"You pilfer my dearest treasure and—"
No, his glare marked me mortal foe beyond redemption.
'...Tch. Figures.'
Torn whiskers don't regrow easy.
Steal Strike, you nabbed something utterly pointless.
Though nicking something precious to him? Check.
Might've snagged his obsession or some weird quirk.
-...You are keeping that under control, right?
'...'
Usually, yeah.
But it had a habit of pulling bizarre stunts outta nowhere.
I eyed Sintu.
"Any last words before you die?"
-Don't buy it!
Shingung wailed at Sintu's bait.
-That slimy bastard'll run you through the second you slip!
'Checks out.'
Of course, I figured my own sleaze factor held up fine.
-Huh? What do you mean?
'About time.'
I worked my lips while staring down Sintu.
Drawing out his focus just a beat longer.
"Hmph. You banking on those cowards who bailed earlier?"
"..."
"They faked retreating while circling back sneaky-like. Already handled it."
Sintu raised a hand.
Striding toward me, brimming with confidence.
-Don't fall for it! That's an illusion too!
'...No letting guard down?'
This guy's no pushover.
"Shingung must've blabbed my whole playbook."
"Said the ugly mutt finally scored a decent master—pass it on."
"Wh-what... you scum!!"
Whoosh!
A torrent of mana erupted as Sintu glared with murderous fury.
'Trauma or something?'
Way more heated than normal.
I locked in, glaring back at Sintu.
That Phantom Limb gift of his.
Made pinpointing his presence a nightmare.
Presences crammed everywhere.
'...Such a pain.'
-How about flexing those training gains?
'Yeah.'
Per Shingung, I thrust out my hand.
Too many decoys—tough to tag the real deal precisely.
Sintu or not.
Previous previous hero title or whatever.
'Irrelevant to me.'
My hand—Steal Strike—locked onto Sintu.
And Steal Strike pilfered the space between us wholesale.
"...!"
Rumble-rumblerumble!
Purple lightning coiled around the thunderclap blade.
Simultaneously.
Slash.
The sword whipped forth.
Purple sword aura enshrouded.
It plummeted like a bolt from the blue.
The Seven Luminaries sword arts.
Thunderclap.
Rumble-rumblerumble-rumble!!
In a heartbeat, violet radiance flooded everything.
Devouring the surroundings whole.