Chapter 85
Chapter 85
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: Hero of Sodomora
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Now, here's a shameful confession at this point: honestly, I wasn't all that good at fighting.
Unless you train in martial arts or something like MMA, where's a twenty-something guy living in the 21st century supposed to pick up real fighting skills? At least, as far as I knew, nowhere.
The laws, norms, and morals of the 21st century do a pretty solid job of protecting people, so there's no way you'd end up in a life-or-death duel.
My fighting experience? Pretty much just scrapping with friends in elementary or middle school when my hot-blooded impulses got the better of me. But once I hit high school and the blood stopped rushing to my head so much, even that dried up.
Things changed after I got thrown into this world, though. From guys cowering in front of my big frame to others picking fights with me outright, I had to roll in the dirt and trade punches with all sorts of bastards.
When I was bought as Elfriede's slave, I didn't have to deal with that anymore. But before that, during my time as a slave in the fighting pits? It was nonstop beatings and assaults. Pure hell.
Honestly, I don't even like thinking back on it. Nothing good ever happened, and I was bruised and aching every single day.
If I had to pick one thing from that time that helped me survive, though, it'd be the fighting and dueling experience I racked up.
"Hoo."
The first few fights? I'd get so hyped up, blood rushing to my head and heart, totally losing my mind. But after going through it over and over, now I can at least stay a bit calmer even facing an opponent head-on.
Take this cultist of the Dragon Helm, Skizo, for example—clearly way stronger than me. I wasn't screaming and running or collapsing in terror anymore. I'd built up some guts.
"If you don't come out, I was gonna smash your house."
"Fuck, figured as much."
"Looks like that rundown shack means more to you than your own life?"
The man in black armor—Skizo—slowly drew the massive greatsword slung across his back like a sack of luggage.
Whoooosh—
The huge, broad slab of iron swept a wide arc toward the ground. No matter how you sliced it, that thing was less a weapon and more siege equipment.
I couldn't fathom why anyone would carry something like that around, let alone swing it. I was curious, but not curious enough to find out.
"Here I come."
Clank—
With the sound of his iron greaves kicking off the ground, a black bullet of a man charged straight at me.
Already built like a tank, and now clad in that heavy-looking armor? It was a goddamn chariot.
Even more insane: those two hands gripping the massive iron slab lightly swung it up from low left to high right. Like flicking a broomstick!
Screeeeech—!
The iron slab tore through the air with a howl that could wake the dead. If that hit, you'd be less "smashed" and more "pulverized into paste."
So I whipped my sword hand around fast, blocking the strike with the solid steel of the blade.
Clang—!
Metal on metal exploded in a burst of noise, and my body flew like a baseball off a bat, crashing straight into a pile of trash.
If not for those junk heaps cushioning the blow, something on me would've shattered for sure.
"Fuck...."
I'd blocked the attack, somehow. But that strike was so powerful my sword hand went numb, my whole body buzzing with shock.
While I struggled to get my footing, the greatsword warrior Skizo looked fresh as ever. No sign of fatigue.
"No chance of winning. Surrender quietly."
"Fuck off, you know that much now, don't you, you moron! I'm not one of your cult buddies!"
"Yeah, even blind, I can see that much now. But you've got talent. Receive Pluto's grace, and you'll make a fine priest."
This world's cults apparently preached with greatswords. Shit, magic and voodoo go physical, and now proselytizing's physical too?
"If you won't come, then I'll take that girl inside the shack instead. Faint breath, light footsteps. A little girl, right? Girls have all sorts of uses."
"F-Fuck...!"
The fact that he'd sniffed out Luna's presence sent chills down my spine. From what I'd heard, Skizo was blind.
Just like Luna had an uncanny nose for smells, maybe this blind bastard had superhuman hearing.
"Get lost!"
"Even if you rush death, all living things end up with Lord Pluto anyway. Just a matter of sooner or later."
Whoooosh—
The greatsword rose high like a guillotine blade. Then came the patter of feet leaping across the distance, and that massive slab plummeted straight down at me in a vertical chop.
Screeeeech—!
Not enough time to dodge with my legs.
So, figuring I'd rather lose a finger or an arm than my head, I crossed my two swords in an X over my skull.
Kakakaka!
Sparks flew amid a deafening crack. My sword, tensed for the worst, somehow held back his greatsword!
"Grraaah...!"
Fuck, but the force was unreal. My knees buckled, my grip threatening to give any second.
"I hear your joints and muscles screaming. Decent build, but not trained for the sword."
"Graaah!"
"I'll crush you flat right here."
Even though I'd blocked his downward strike, the sword kept pressing with even greater power, bearing down on me.
Kaka-krrrk—
The screech of clashing metal dragged on. Finally, under elephant-weight pressure, one knee hit the dirt.
"F-Fuckaaaa!"
This was it—I'd die for real! Brain scrambling for any trick.
Nothing. If only I could buy time till Luna finished her ritual. Shit, how long does that take?
"Give up."
Then, the weight pinning my body suddenly eased off his greatsword.
Because Skizo, who'd been about to squash me dead, had hoisted it back overhead.
He swung it down hard again.
Kwachak, kwajik!
Both my swords I'd been clutching shattered to pieces, flinging me back hard.
My wrists stung, fingers and joints throbbing like they'd scream. Maybe fractured.
"Weapon's broken. What's next?"
"Fuck you! I still got one more!"
Shing—
I drew a dagger from my belt. Shit, three-sword style for the win. If it'd just been dual blades, that would've been game over.
"Lie down nice, and it'll be easier. Don't worry—I won't kill you. I'll tell Somnia and Anxius to crack your skull and rewire that brain."
His words conjured images of brain surgery in this backwater world with no proper tools. Fuck, maybe death's better.
Well, shit. Bottom's fallen out—might as well go big.
"Hoo...."
I let out a deep sigh from the depths of my gut.
"Finally giving up?"
Skizo took it as surrender. But unlike what he thought, I wasn't quitting. Nah, time to roll the dice.
"Hoo... haa...."
Heart pounding. Ragged breaths. I forced them steady.
"...Lady Nox, lend me your strength."
Once I felt it kick in, I sucked in a huge breath—Huuup—and held it.
『Grace of the Night's Cloak activates.』
『Consuming Karma Value to reduce detection chance for stealth actions.』
『Current Karma Value: 17.』
16.
15.
"What? Your presence vanished...?"
I could feel his confusion. Damn, ultimate skills are worth it when they react like that.
No time to lounge, though. I had maybe ten seconds. Had to make them count.
Slink, slink—
"Don't know what trick you're pulling, but it's useless. Your mana can't lie. I know exactly where you are!"
He'd pinpointed me. Greatsword raised, the warrior charged through the mist. The blade slammed down.
Boom—!
Like a backhoe stabbing the earth, the greatsword cratered the uneven ground.
Chunks of rock and sand sprayed like shotgun pellets.
But it didn't slice me open.
"Gone...? Then what the hell was that...."
The flustered guy slapped the ground to check what he'd hit. Crunch—In his palm:
"Star of Kallan—using the necklace as bait!?"
Skizo started unfolding his knee, rising up.
Too late. He'd noticed.
I'd been holding my breath beside the necklace, heart barely beating.
I yanked his helmet back, then plunged the dagger precisely into the one gap in his full plate—the eye slit.
Kwaduk—
The stiletto dagger pierced bone and flesh, twisting viciously. The sensation shot through my palm. Then, muffled screams from under the helmet.
"Gaaaargh—!"
"Go tell Pluto I said hi, asshole."
No warrior survives a vital sneak attack like that.
Watching Hippolyte lose to Luna taught me: even the strongest bleed and fall.
This iron slab monster would die from a critical hit too.
Pshuk, pshuk, kwajik.
Still paranoid, I stabbed the eye socket over and over till he was done.
Skizo's trembling body finally went limp, collapsing under its own weight.
Thud.
Fuck.
I'd won.
I beat him.
His blindness was a huge factor. And my grace power turned the tables big time.
Ding—
『Achievement 'Egg Against Rock' unlocked: First time defeating an opponent 20+ levels higher.』
『Karma Value +200』
『Current Karma Value: 204』
"Fuck yeah! I won, you bastards!"
Relief from cheating death, thrill of toppling this unbeatable giant—blood rushed straight to my head.
Held-breath backlash hit: breaths heaving, heart ready to burst.
That's when it happened.
Step. Step.
Presence at my back—I reflexively swung the dagger. More cultist buddies maybe!
Whap.
My elbow hit something solid, locked in place.
"Felt like a friend calling, so I came to check. Well... looks like quite the show."
It was a pervert draped in a single red cape over a thong. Pumpkin-orange hair flowing wild, rugged handsome face. But fuck, that outfit.
Instinct screamed: This guy's a powerhouse. No way I beat him.
"What, so scared? Samaritan buddy, forget my face already? It's me, Actaeon. Hero of Sodomora!"
Actaeon. That snapped me back.
Him showing up meant Luna's ritual worked. Which meant I didn't need to stand here posturing anymore.
Legs buckled, and I slumped to the ground.
"Heard you were raiding the Minerva Guild hall, so I was waiting around. Didn't expect to find you tangling with a black warrior here."
"Hah—know the guy?"
"Pluto priest. Black warrior with split personality. Pretty infamous. Heard he wrecked a Mars Guild building with some weird trick."
No idea what trick—didn't use it on me.
Maybe he underestimated this scrub and skipped the ult? Fuck, whatever—thank god. Lived 'cause I looked like deep-sea bronze trash.
"Anyway, knew you had skills, friend. But taking down a cult priest? You're even more my type now. Second most fun Samaritan I've met! Kinda look alike too!"
Actaeon hauled me up, then slung an arm over my shoulder like old pals.
His armpit grazed my shoulder—gross. Fuck, is this dude actually gay?
"Anyway, you pulled off something huge! Expect a reward!"