Chapter 129
Chapter 129
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 129
Chapter Title: Birth of Martial Resolve
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Woojin could feel it.
'Pensir is alive.'
He didn't know how to put it into words, but he just knew it intuitively.
It was probably because all his senses had been heightened by [Ancient Knowledge].
'Not the time for this.'
Woojin didn't let the opportunity slip away.
He sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes.
"Hoo—."
As he slowly inhaled, he began recalling each phrase of the Sword Emperor's incantation from the scroll, savoring them one by one.
Like a sponge absorbing water.
Woojin started rapidly devouring everything about the Sword Emperor.
-M-Master...?
Setsuna fidgeted anxiously, watching Woojin sit there.
Sweat poured down like rain, his lips turned pale blue, and sometimes his cheeks flushed bright red.
Gulp.
A tense feeling gripped her, as if even touching his fingertip would cause something disastrous. All she could do was clasp her hands together and watch.
Plop—.
How much time had passed?
Woojin, who had been sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed, suddenly shot to his feet.
-Master! Are you okay?!
But Woojin, his eyes unfocused as if he couldn't hear her, drew his sword.
-W-Wait a second! Master!!
Whoosh———!!!
His sword cleaved through the empty air.
Startled, Setsuna hurriedly retreated.
Whoooosh———!!
The sword's speed gradually increased.
As if a mighty foe stood before him, Woojin began swinging his sword madly.
Thud—!!
Then the sword halted above his head.
The downward vertical slash produced a whooshing sound like that of a massive greatsword, unlike before.
"Sssup—."
Inhaling sharply, Woojin lifted the sword he had slammed into the ground and swept it horizontally.
The air sliced by the slow-moving blade exploded with a bang! as if detonated.
His sword was fast yet slow, light yet heavy.
Setsuna stared at him in shock, unable to hide her astonishment.
Swaaaaah———!!
Kwang—!!
It was truly a state of no-self.
The moment he thrust his sword toward the final point,
"...Hah!!"
Woojin opened his eyes.
The raging sword wind died down, and the sweat soaking his body evaporated in an instant.
His body felt light.
Not figuratively—it was so refreshing he felt like he could float away. Woojin himself was surprised, checking every part of his body.
"H-How is this...?"
He looked around in bewilderment.
-Master!!
Setsuna, who had been hiding in the corner watching over him, flew over hurriedly and inspected him.
-A-Are you alright?!
"Y-Yeah..."
He answered, but Woojin couldn't hide his puzzled expression from the sensation he'd just felt.
"W-Wait a sec."
As if afraid to forget that sensation, Woojin gripped his sword again.
Using skills in reality.
It was distinctly different from the game, so even skills he could wield freely in-game required relentless effort here.
Especially ones he had never used in the game...
Whoosh——!!
Woojin swung his sword.
Shook———!! Shuuuk———!!
Amid the continuous sword strikes, the sound from the blade mysteriously sharpened.
Scang—!!!
The dull thud that had been battering the wind finally began slicing through it.
"..."
When even the whoosh of displaced air vanished, Woojin felt a shiver at the realm he had reached on his own.
"This is... the Sword Emperor's swordsmanship I comprehended after hunting Fenrir."
Goosebumps prickled across his skin.
Sensing something beyond the game, Woojin realized his mind had gained new enlightenment and his body had advanced to the next level.
"But..."
Gazing at his sword, Woojin tilted his head slightly.
"Some moves feel unnecessary..."
It was strange.
Raoul's swordsmanship and Bolton's secret techniques.
Was it because he had mastered top-tier sword arts?
Or because this was reality, not a game?
After fully absorbing the Sword Emperor's swordsmanship, a question arose in his mind.
"Here, instead of slashing the sword like this..."
Drawing his sword diagonally, he shook his head, pulled his arm inward, and thrust forward.
"Thrusting..."
Rather than an upward slash from below, a horizontal cut.
Rather than retreating, stepping half a pace forward to close the distance.
Little by little.
But definitively, Woojin began modifying the Sword Emperor's swordsmanship.
Serak—.
Now, even the sound of slicing wind was gone.
"...!!!"
It was an amazing experience.
Thump— thump—.
When the final sword strike halted,
Woojin's heart began pounding wildly.
"I did it..."
An indescribable euphoria made him grin without realizing it.
-What's the name of the swordsmanship?
"Swordsmanship name...?"
Setsuna asked, breathing heavily.
"Army Breaker... No, not that."
Woojin started to say the name from the scroll but shook his head.
The Sword Emperor's swordsmanship had now been reborn completely through his hands.
A sword art purely for him.
It needed a new name.
"Well..."
But unexpectedly, to Setsuna's question, Woojin answered with an awkward face.
"Doesn't have one."
-No name?
"Yeah. Never bothered naming my sword arts before."
He wondered if his personal swordsmanship even needed a name.
-It still needs one!
For some reason, Setsuna stubbornly shook her head and shouted.
-You created it, Master.
She spread her arms wide, grabbed Woojin's cheeks, and met his eyes.
-This isn't just any sword art. It's proof of your existence.
Throb.
Woojin felt a mix of emotions at her words.
"Proof of my existence..."
Him in the game world and him in this other world.
He wandered between two worlds, but his true self was elsewhere.
Reality.
Ultimately, the world where Woojin belonged was there.
-Even if you disappear, Master, the sword art you created will remain.
She smiled brightly.
-So name it, something both worlds will remember.
It was wondrous.
She seemed utterly convinced he could return to reality.
"...Martial Resolve."
In that moment,
Woojin uttered the name without thinking.
A vow to remain unshaken.
-What a cool name.
Setsuna repeated it several times, smiling at him.
His face heated up for no reason, but Woojin was grateful once more for her presence.
"Anyway... it's about time."
Putting sentiment aside, Woojin slowly stood.
-Huh?
"I used the power from the spirit contract while learning the sword art from the scroll. He probably sensed it."
It was intriguing.
Woojin's attitude toward this world had subtly changed.
A sense of leisure, perhaps?
No, more accurately, he had come to understand it.
[Kaaaaaang———!!!]
Then.
A sharp wolf's howl rang out.
Kwaaaang———!!!!
An explosion erupted below the nest, and amid black dust, sharp fangs charged at them.
A wolf as massive as Fenrir.
But different.
Unlike Fenrir's grayish fur, this wolf—stained with dust—was clearly pure white.
"Pensir!!!"
Woojin shouted at the charging wolf.
Out of joy, but
Kwaaaang———!!!!
What returned was a merciless kick.
-Master!!!!
Woojin's barrier shattered, sending his body flying back.
As Setsuna cried out, hands burst from the ground to protect him.
[Kaaak———!!!!]
In that instant, yellow-white lightning flashed in Pensir's eyes, followed by kwararararak——!!
Blue lightning spewed from the horn on his forehead.
Pum-pum-puk...! Puuung...!!!
The lightning shattered Setsuna's hands and kept coming for Woojin.
"Hey!!! That's too rough for a greeting!"
Woojin gritted his teeth at the incoming lightning and slammed his sword into the ground.
"Calm down already!!"
Creeeak...! Crraaackle...!!
Pure white chill poured from the sword like waves, overwhelming the lightning and surging toward Pensir.
Paat—!!
After halting his movement with [Blizzard], Woojin dashed into his embrace with [Dash].
Concentrating his will, a black mark appeared above Pensir's head.
[Krruk?!]
Pensir twisted in panic.
Woojin felt his body lighten suddenly.
He had likely stolen Pensir's [Agility].
Pabababat———!!!
Not missing the opening, Woojin charged at insane speed and swung at Pensir.
Kang—!!
Woojin's sword struck his forehead squarely.
Scang—!! Kagagak———!!
Fierce sword strikes continued too fast for the eye to follow, and Pensir staggered back bit by bit.
-Whoa!! Master!! Why didn't you use this on that monster?
Setsuna shouted, spamming her bullet comments.
"Wasn't that I didn't use it, but that I couldn't."
Lips twitching, Woojin replied to her cry.
"Back then, I couldn't use skills as freely as you."
Using skills in this world was like knowing it in your head but your body not cooperating.
But by manifesting his enlightenment as a new sword art, Woojin had fully adapted to this world.
That was why he seemed so at ease.
[Acceleration].
Swaaaaak———!!!
A vortex wind swirled around him.
[Hoof Strength].
Thud—!!!
Power surged into his legs pressing the ground.
[Attribute].
Fwoooosh——!!
Flames roared around his sword.
Now he could use every skill from the game.
[Grrrrrr...]
Pensir lowered his stance warily, realizing this wasn't an easy opponent.
Kwang—!!
Kagagak———!!!
Woojin swung with all his might, but Pensir didn't budge.
"You've grown so much."
Yet Woojin smiled happily at the sight.
The pup he could cradle in his arms had become such a magnificent adult.
"I got too familiar. To you, I'm just some stranger human."
To an outsider, it looked like a fierce battle, but strangely, the two tumbled playfully like they were at play.
"So let's start over."
Woojin grabbed Pensir's mane, mounting his head, and said,
"Who your master is."