Chapter 81
Chapter 81
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 81
Chapter Title: Home
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Home.
Purple eyes. Jet-black hair and looks that could overwhelm most women.
That man's name was famous.
Han Yuseong.
The man from the East was currently the hottest topic in Cradle.
The reason was simple.
He held the record for the fastest level-up in the Labyrinth.
He was also someone the Sword King, Volkan, was paying close attention to.
There were even rumors that Volkan had taken him as a disciple. It wasn't strange, given how much interest Volkan seemed to show him.
And it was well deserved.
He'd smashed a scarecrow at level 1.
He'd been involved in nearly every major incident in the Labyrinth.
On top of that, he seemed to draw intense interest from Luciana, the Execution Princess, the Saintess, and Veronica.
Naturally, almost everyone living in Cradle had no choice but to pay attention to him.
"Han Yuseong..."
Of all people, that man had to show up here.
This made kidnapping anyone else a lot harder.
He was a man who drew that much attention.
As the man pondered...
The woman was smiling.
"Ha, so you're that famous Han Yuseong?"
"Tarin, shut it."
"Crug, aren't you embarrassed by those muscles? Getting pushed around by a scrawny pretty boy like that?"
"Tch, we're screwed. Of all places, he had to be here."
Crug sighed as he thought it over.
At this point, there was no wrapping things up quietly.
'Even if I take him down, I won't break even.'
Or better yet, flip it around.
If he killed everyone here and just kidnapped him...
That would actually be a win.
But if it came to that...
'Hiding out in the Empire for a while is off the table.'
The Sword King, Volkan, would tear the place apart looking for him.
The problem was...
If he was famous in Cradle, he had to have the power to match.
If any adventurers passing by got involved, they could be in real trouble.
Crug drew his sword.
Thud!
A greatsword as big as he was, easily over 2 meters long.
Shing.
Tarin drew her daggers with both hands.
"What a shame, young master. If you'd just kept walking, nothing would've happened. But you've got a nice face, so this big sis will go easy on you."
"You've got a nasty temper, auntie. Is that why?"
"Crug, cut off that bastard's fingers and give them to me, no question."
Tarin's tone turned icy in an instant.
Crug nodded silently, eyes fixed on Han Yuseong.
'But...'
Something was off. Would a guy like that really come alone to stop them?
He was level 5, and Tarin was level 4.
No ordinary level 4 could handle that.
'That guy isn't ordinary.'
Ever since he'd hit level 4 recently...
The attention on him had spiked. Empire nobles were trickling into Cradle.
There were even moves to recruit him under the table.
Of course, the Starlight Spiral Clan's new star, the Gold Witch Ermé, had crushed those efforts.
Anyway, that was the kind of guy he was.
"What a shame. I'm Crug. This one's Tarin."
"Why are you suddenly saying our names..."
"A guy like you must've made your name elsewhere. With time, you might even surpass Lord Volkan."
"...And?"
"So remember my name. The name of the man who stood in your way."
What nonsense.
Han Yuseong twisted his lips into a smirk.
Right then.
Whoosh!
A chilling wind howled.
In that instant, Crug and Tarin felt as if their throats had been slit.
'What the...'
Their bodies trembled.
Tarin didn't get it.
But Crug, a level 5 warrior, knew exactly what this was.
Fighting spirit.
A rare talent that only the elite among warriors awakened.
He'd simply released it.
But he'd never felt fighting spirit this intense before.
Unless...
'No, that can't be.'
Fighting spirit grew with the user's potential.
But a guy who'd just hit level 4...
'On par with the Sword King?'
That would mean everything he knew was wrong.
*
'What?'
The moment he released his fighting spirit...
An overwhelming surge blasted out in all directions.
Crug and Tarin were frozen solid by it.
The woman, Tarin, was pale with terror.
-Hey, if you spam fighting spirit like that, you might kill the paralyzed ones.
"......"
He dialed it back gradually.
No harming civilians.
Just focusing it on Crug and Tarin.
-Already refining it like that... Well, with your top-tier Fighting Aura Mastery (S) for fighting spirit and mana, it's no surprise. And yet you have Purple (A) on top.
'What's wrong with Purple?'
-It's the power of overload. When you forcibly draw out conflicting energies, the backlash is called overload. Purple is the catch-all term for it. Didn't you feel it when you got it?
'...No, I didn't.'
He'd thought it was just purple lightning attribute.
So Purple held that kind of power.
-Anyway, not important right now. It's a rare real fight. And conveniently, they're mostly like you.
'Like me?'
Those guys?
I eyed the pair.
Roughly speaking...
'Tarin's 3~4. Crug's generously 5.'
-Your standards are sky-high, huh.
'...What?'
-That woman's at least level 4. The man's 5 and seasoned at it.
'Those guys?'
I gave them a puzzled look.
But the power I sensed was nothing special.
The woman even seemed less tricky than Ermé.
-Hm, that talentless girl?
'Ermé's talentless?'
-More precisely, no talent as a hero. In other areas, plenty. Though it's funny she'd lack talent if she's gunning for 'that.'
'Is that so?'
I pictured Ermé. Never felt she lacked talent.
'If anything.'
In that party, over the Saintess candidate Rozenta...
I'd judged her more dangerous. Assuming precautions, of course.
What if she turned enemy?
I'd thought that.
'Burkan and Lucia too.'
They were threats.
But I'd ranked Ermé higher.
I drew my sword.
The blood-soaked blade gleamed crimson. I stared silently at Crug and Tarin.
-Anyway, those two make great opponents. Perfect for practicing orthodox hero swordsmanship.
Agreeing with the holy sword, I swung.
Clang!
Crug reacted fast, blocking just the blood-soaked blade.
Slash.
Crug's ear split in two, and one of Tarin's daggers cracked.
"Won't miss next time."
So try harder.
*
Boom! Boom!
Heavy greatsword swings using his bulk.
Daggers flashing in between.
I lightly parried the daggers and clashed with the greatsword.
'Something's...'
Easier than expected.
Even with both coming at me properly...
It wasn't tough.
Soon I realized why.
'Tarin's the issue.'
Tarin was a thief. Dual-wielding, throwing daggers.
And I had Thief's Extremity.
'Technically superior...'
Faster than her too.
In the thief world of skill and finesse, I held absolute advantage.
Even a higher-level thief would struggle 1v1.
'Let alone lower level.'
And without top thief knowledge...
I smoothly deflected Crug's blade and targeted Tarin.
"Fuck!"
Tarin spat curses.
She blocked with both daggers.
Slash.
Hero orthodox swordsmanship was bizarre, uncanny.
The slash severed both her wrists at once.
'It has flaws.'
First, my blade had to connect initially.
'And it's weaker than thought.'
Tarin's flesh cut easy.
Crug's didn't. His torso held firm when I aimed to cleave it.
Only his ear tip really got it.
-Everything has downsides. But hero orthodox swordsmanship grows otherworldly the more familiar you get. Don't worry!
'Well, other styles might be better.'
-What?!
Ignoring the flustered holy sword, I charged.
Blue sword aura gleamed on Crug's greatsword.
I met it with my blood-soaked blade.
Craaaash!!
A sound unbelievable for sword-on-sword echoed everywhere.
The shockwave from the clash shook the surroundings.
"Such a monster..."
"Weren't you talking about sending me to hell earlier?"
"......"
Crug clamped his mouth shut.
Yeah, loudmouths at the start rarely backed it up.
They usually folded.
"No choice."
Thud!
Crug slammed his greatsword into the ground. His body swelled massively.
-Oh? Even forbidden arts? He's dead set on feeding you EXP!
The holy sword sounded thrilled.
-Watch his attacks. With the forbidden art, he's roughly double strength.
'...Tempting.'
-Not proper body enhancement. And using that art means he's as good as dead.
As the holy sword finished...
Boom!
Crug closed in instantly. Eyes bloodshot like he'd lost reason. Veins bulging near them.
'Creepy.'
I met his blade casually.
Craaaaaash!!
This time, I lost the power clash.
'...Not exactly double like the sword said.'
But overall, felt about that.
-Yeah! Crush this arrogant prick's nose!
'......'
Who was it cheering for?
Almost glared at the sword in disbelief, but Crug's pressure was solid.
I gripped my blood-soaked blade.
Crimson lines traced. Multiple slashes poured at him.
'Shallow.'
Faster.
Stronger.
Slashes converged into one line.
I felt the hero orthodox swordsmanship merge into a single strike.
It smashed into Crug's greatsword.
Boooom!!
Crug reeled back. His blade cracked badly.
'...So that's its strength.'
Just three slashes overlapped now.
If I stacked hundreds like that guy I'd seen...
'...Isn't that an ultimate?'
As I thought that, Crug visibly weakened.
But instinct screamed he was prepping something.
'...Self-destruct?'
Then.
Cleave him like that.
Black Sea.
Splash!
Before Crug could react...
His body split in half.
'More importantly.'
Had to deal with that Tarin girl too.
I reached for my bow, then sighed.
"Just you wait! Next time we meet, I'll definitely..."
I looked at the yelling Tarin and spoke.
"Since when did you think I was alone?"
"What?"
Behind the panicking Tarin...
Diago appeared, who'd been silent till now.
"Feels like I'm just eating the scraps."
"You bastard...!"
Before Tarin could finish...
Slash.
Her head flew into the air.
"Slow... Even realizing it."
Diago sheathed his sword quietly.
Not scraps, just...
'No.'
Instead of a cold glare, I gave Diago a warm look.
Even I'd struggle if I went cold on him.
"Hey, why look at me like that?"
"It's fine."
No one's all good.
Or in this case, all bad?