Chapter 67
Chapter 67
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: The Flow of Battle
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Players Chapter 67
What Kang-seok lacked compared to Edward Price.
The reason he was so soundly beaten, even if he hadn't been going all out.
Kang-seok knew.
Few Players had learned a proper way to fight. Among those living in the modern era, how many would have deeply honed their skills with weapons?
It was only natural to fight centered on skills, just as one would in a game. And because of that, the ‘flow of battle’ was bound to become strange.
Park Gwang-sik, who came from playing AOS games, was a typical example. He fought using only skills from beginning to end.
Players were strong.
With superhuman physical abilities combined with extraordinary skills, most opponents stood no chance even if they just spammed skills.
But that was also their limit. There was a ‘level’ where such a haphazard fighting style no longer worked.
‘Fighting games.’
Having fought only giant monsters, Kang-seok himself had forgotten this fact. The mind games he had employed against Park Gwang-sik were not enough.
‘Combos made with basic attacks.’
Beginners in fighting games often tried to fight using only flashy and powerful special moves.
But one could never become an expert that way. In fact, in most fighting games, it was the ‘combos’ made of basic attacks that dominated the battle.
You create a ‘flow’ by mixing basic attacks and skills.
This was reality.
It wasn't the world of Asura Online. Thus, it was impossible to perfectly replicate combos like in a game.
Nor would Kang-seok’s ‘swordsmanship’ suddenly improve just because he had an epiphany.
‘But I get it now.’
How he needed to fight.
What he himself needed to emphasize in this battle.
Black flames erupted brilliantly over his right arm, its chain seal broken.
A stir spread among the onlookers, and life returned to Edward’s indifferent eyes.
Life.
Kang-seok stomped forward.
*CRASH!*
A boom echoed twice. Durandal struck Edward, and Edward, who had reflexively raised his sword to block, was pushed back significantly. It wasn't just a step back to reduce the impact. His stance had crumbled. Moreover, the hand holding his sword was trembling.
A single strike. But the power was different.
*CRASH!*
Another boom resounded. By the time Edward snapped back to his senses, Kang-seok was already right in front of him.
Kang-seok’s and Edward’s eyes met. A moment later, sword and sword clashed violently once more.
Edward couldn't deflect Kang-seok’s strike. It was too fast, too powerful.
A blow that came crashing down from above, as if swinging a blunt weapon.
Edward staggered backward. Kang-seok, too, should have had a natural recovery time after swinging his sword so fiercely.
But Kang-seok ignored it.
Normal Cancel.
His bones and muscles screamed in unison. They carried out the unreasonable command Kang-seok had given. As he pulled back his right arm holding Durandal, he simultaneously lifted his right foot.
Unleashing a powerful push kick.
↓↙←+K
Lightning Kick!
Black lightning erupted from the point of impact. Though Edward somehow managed to block Kang-seok’s strike with a pure white wall that materialized in front of him, it wasn't enough. With the sound of shattering glass, Edward was sent flying far back. He managed to break his fall, but he was clearly thrown to the ground.
If I'm behind in technique, I'll admit it.
If I'm lacking in combos, I'll accept that too.
There was no need to play to the opponent's strengths.
Drag them into my own pace. Overwhelm the opponent with my own strengths.
Power and speed that overwhelm technique.
Kang-seok charged once more toward the hastily rising Edward. He ran straight ahead, then suddenly leaped high into the air.
Edward looked up at Kang-seok. Kang-seok looked down at Edward and kicked off the air. With an air dash, he shot right over Edward’s head.
Someone gasped at the movement, which could have been called walking on air. But it wasn't over yet. Kang-seok, who had been crossing over Edward’s head, suddenly vanished. He descended in a flash with a high-speed drop, positioning himself behind Edward, who had quickly turned to follow Kang-seok's movement above him.
And then Kang-seok moved. The moment his feet touched the ground, just as Edward turned with a horizontal slash as if he'd been waiting, Kang-seok aimed for a cross-up once more.
Edward’s sword cut through empty air. And beneath that sword, Kang-seok rolled. It was too fast to be a simple forward roll.
By the time Kang-seok was behind Edward again, Edward’s swung sword was reaching its peak momentum. It was impossible to hastily retract it now.
Instead of standing up, Kang-seok swept Edward's legs with a powerful spinning kick. The blow, delivered with an almost full-body rotation, didn't even need to be enhanced by the Black Flame Dragon. An afterimage of black flames seared the air, and Edward's body was momentarily lifted into the air as his legs were kicked out from under him.
Kang-seok stood up, pulling Durandal back. Edward landed on the ground with a thud.
*CRASH!*
Durandal slammed into the ground. Edward, who had narrowly dodged the blow by rolling to the side, tried to kick off the ground and create distance from Kang-seok as he stood up.
But Kang-seok didn't allow it. He rushed in relentlessly, swinging Durandal.
*CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG-CLANG!*
He struck so fast it was impossible to count the blows. Pain spread across Edward’s face as he barely managed to block.
The transcendent skill, Black Flame Dragon, was an enhancement skill, just like Overdrive.
A skill that amplified not speed, but the power and impact of his techniques with black flames.
Kang-seok, at full power, was fast. Moreover, his strength was more than double what it had been.
This was no longer a situation to be feeling a competitive spirit. What appeared in Edward's eyes was desperation.
Kang-seok drew Laevateinn. With a renowned sword in each hand, he unleashed a storm of attacks.
*CRACK!*
It wasn't the sound of swords clashing. Edward’s sword had broken. Struck repeatedly by the ‘unbreakable sword’ Durandal, it was no surprise that an ordinary sword couldn't withstand it.
Through the scattering fragments of the blade, Kang-seok glared at Edward. Edward didn't let go of his broken sword. He let out a yell and swung the fractured blade at Kang-seok.
It was short. It should never have been able to reach.
But it did. Not a blade made of steel, but a glowing blue sword aura sliced through the air.
It was more than a simple blade. Its length and thickness surpassed that of most greatswords.
Aura Blade.
The sword of faith wielded by the Knights Templar.
It grazed past him. The black flames covering Kang-seok’s body were momentarily suppressed by the blue aura and died down. Kang-seok twisted his body to narrowly avoid it, but the tip of his shoulder was sliced off.
This time, it was Edward who glared at Kang-seok. A competitive spirit once again filled his eyes. It was a mixture of goodwill and anger toward Kang-seok for pushing him to the point of using Aura Blade.
As expected of the Captain of the Knights Templar.
He had lost the flow. Just as Kang-seok had been pressing the attack, it was now Edward's turn to counter.
If I let him, I lose.
Kang-seok smiled. He answered his own question of whether he really had to go this far.
I will win.
Having come this far, I will absolutely win.
[First Movement: Overdrive]
The 10-second miracle.
If the opponent gets a little faster and stronger, I will become even faster and stronger.
A simple theory.
But overwhelming power!
He paid 1,000 Kron. The black flames subsided, and a pure white energy surged forth. By the time Edward noticed the momentary change, Kang-seok was already out of his sight.
A black trajectory was drawn above Edward's head. Once again, the sound of shattering glass was heard as an invisible barrier briefly blocked Kang-seok’s attack. Thanks to it, Edward was able to dodge the strike. But that wasn't the end. The assault had only just begun.
A storm raged.
That's how it looked to Edward. Among those watching from outside the training grounds, there were almost none who could properly track Kang-seok's movements.
The black trajectories Kang-seok drew covered both sky and ground. With double jumps, air dashes, and the Skywalker Boots, attacks poured down from nearly every angle.
The sound of shattering glass rang out repeatedly. By the time 5 seconds had passed, Edward had already reached his limit. The twelve barriers generated by the sacred artifact he held to his chest had all been shattered.
6 seconds into Overdrive.
The sound of shattering glass no longer rang out. Kang-seok's sword struck the ground, and Edward's shoulder, which he had barely managed to protect, was stained red.
Right in front of him.
Edward swallowed his pain. He gave up on tracking Kang-seok's movements and released his divine power all at once.
A pure white force pushed Kang-seok back. A translucent wall enveloped Edward.
One of the secret techniques passed down in Gawain's Knights Templar, specialized in ‘defense.’ A sacred barrier created by the power of faith.
7 seconds into Overdrive.
Within his accelerated mind, Kang-seok found the answer. Instead of rushing toward the barrier, he pulled back Durandal.
What he was about to unleash.
A single strike, forfeiting the remaining 3 seconds.
Durandal responded. Even though Black Flame Dragon had already ended, it mixed obsidian into Overdrive's pure white.
The strongest sword to break the strongest shield.
Vivian gasped at the power condensing at the tip of Durandal. Beyond the barrier, Edward roared, strengthening the sacred power.
10 seconds into Overdrive.
Kang-seok pierced the air. He unleashed the strongest technique that had never once disappointed him since he came to this world.
Knight of Knights.
The Crest of the Absolute Knight!
A colossal sword of light collided with the barrier. They ate away at each other's power. Almost simultaneously, they both shattered.
And so, a path was opened.
A giant crest of light followed immediately after. It struck the now-exposed Edward, who was without any barrier.
*KRA-KOOOOOOM!*
The entire training ground trembled. Cracks ran across the floor, and Edward, struck by the crest of light and pushed back several meters, collapsed with a single groan.
Overdrive was over. Thanks to his promotion to Intermediate Warrior, he didn't lose consciousness immediately as before, but his knees buckled.
But Kang-seok gritted his teeth and stood firm. With foolish pride, he raised Durandal high into the sky.
An undeniable, clear victory.
The onlookers were speechless. The one who had been defeated was none other than the Captain of Gawain's Knights Templar.
Of course, the power Edward had shown in this duel was not his all. He was not wearing most of the sacred equipment that made the Captain of the Knights Templar a true Knight Templar.
But Vivian swallowed dryly. Tristan, the Captain of the Royal Guard, imagined a fully armed Edward and shook his head.
Galahad shot up from his seat. He broke the silence with a loud clap.
A trumpeter belatedly blew his horn. Yang Jun-gyu and Choi Yu-ra, who had been holding their breath, cheered, and Seong Yu-jin let out a sigh of relief. Abigail rubbed her eyes repeatedly, as if in disbelief.
Amidst all the commotion, Kang-seok smiled. He heard Iris's voice.
[Quest Cleared]
[Quest: Defeat Edward Price, the Captain of Gawain's Knights Templar.]
[Good work!]
[I didn't see you this way, but you have a slightly childish side to you.]
[It seems Edward has accepted his defeat quite gracefully. He seems the type to find the cause of his loss within himself rather than blaming others, so you don't have to worry too much.]
Iris's voice sounded distant. It seemed he was reaching his limit.
Using Overdrive right after Black Flame Dragon, it was a miracle he had lasted this long.
[That was cool. A man needs this much pride!]
[The atmosphere isn't bad. So feel free to pass out.]
He blinked once, and he was already lying on the floor.
It seemed like Seong Yu-jin and Choi Yu-ra were running toward him. He didn't see it, so did he hear them? Or did Iris's voice, now barely audible, tell him?
It didn't matter. Kang-seok formed a faint smile and closed his eyes.
He let go of the thread of consciousness.