Chapter 126
Chapter 126
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 126
Chapter Title: Knight Tournament (3)
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‘Damn it…….’
Rokan’s face twisted upon seeing the auras rising from Hashimoto’s sword. He knew that skill all too well.
Hashimoto’s master skill, Elemental Sword.
It looked like an ordinary strike, but the power contained within surpassed each and every one of Bombardment’s blasts.
‘It’s impossible.’
It wasn’t fully perfected like in his previous life, but blocking it head-on was still beyond even him. His axe would shatter instantly, or its durability would plummet to zero. His health would crash alongside it.
The best option was to avoid it, but damn it all, that skill was an area-of-effect attack. There was no way to dodge it completely.
The funny part was that Bombardment wouldn’t work either, so even if he blocked or evaded somehow, the fight wouldn’t end.
That left only one option.
“Bombardment!”
“As if!”
Rokan quickly drew a hand axe and hurled it at him.
He wasn’t aiming to deal damage. Sensing that, Hashimoto sneered and swatted away Bombardment.
Boom!
He deflected Bombardment with ease, but the energy in Elemental Sword didn’t weaken in the slightest. It was a technique that could unleash one-shot kill power in a single strike, yet it could also be sustained continuously like Force.
However, Rokan hadn’t expected it to deplete Elemental Sword either. He knew what kind of skill it was from the start.
Instead, he seized the opening when the enemy’s vision was blocked and closed in right up to him.
“You’re shoving your body into the tiger’s maw!”
Hashimoto welcomed Rokan’s Dash instead. No matter what he tried, Hashimoto didn’t think he could surpass him or Elemental Sword.
“Wind Cutting!”
He swung his sword, chaining a follow-up skill onto Elemental Sword to slice Rokan to pieces.
“Rampage!”
“Guh……”
At that moment, Rokan activated his generation skill as if he’d been waiting.
A counter skill that boosted defense and unleashed a flurry upon using Berserk!
In terms of raw power, Elemental Sword still held the edge, but Rokan had no intention of clashing head-on in a battle of strength.
A thorough war of attrition! That was his goal, so he took Elemental Sword with his body while pouring his own attacks relentlessly onto Hashimoto.
‘It’s working.’
His armor split badly, and his health dropped sharply, but it wasn’t empty yet.
The enemy’s hits weren’t as devastating as expected, but that didn’t matter. The fact that they were landing was what counted.
‘I’ll finish it before Berserk ends.’
Even level 300 armor couldn’t fully block a +8 reinforced unique-grade weapon. That was enough.
Rokan’s eyes turned feral, like a beast’s.
“You madman!”
A berserker who wouldn’t stop unless his throat was slit or heart destroyed. Rokan reverted to his form before gaining Unyielding Will, ignoring all damage and unleashing reckless attacks.
Hashimoto, with his honest knight style, blocked steadily and countered while panicking, but it was meaningless against the current Rokan.
His health had long since hit zero. Defense was no longer in Rokan’s mind.
“Whirlwind!”
“Sword Shield!”
Thanks to that, Hashimoto was gradually getting dragged into Rokan’s pace, but he still held the advantage. By just defending solidly, he could easily win once Berserk’s duration ended.
Knowing this, he threw up every defensive skill to block Rokan’s attacks, but the damage kept accumulating.
‘This isn’t bad either.’
But Rokan couldn’t keep moving at zero health forever.
Enter Blood Mark.
Each time its power activated while Hashimoto focused on defense, health proportional to the damage was siphoned into Rokan.
“This is…….”
Realizing it as Rokan’s color returned, Hashimoto’s face grew troubled.
He’d paused Elemental Sword, which guzzled mana disproportionate to its power. At this rate, he might kneel first before the enemy tired.
“Knight’s Code! Sixteen Chain Strikes!”
Calming down, Hashimoto unleashed combo skills in succession.
Knight’s Code for extreme defense, followed by a 16-hit combo! He too transitioned to offense by taking hits with his body.
‘Can’t let him go.’
But Rokan read his intent. This wasn’t a mere switch from defense to attack. It was just a ploy to create distance.
Next would surely be Elemental Sword for a one-shot dominance. It needed a brief prep time due to its power.
So Rokan stuck to him tenaciously.
He took the advancing 16-combo with his body and swung his axe in response.
He only blocked the rare strikes at his heart or throat, clinging like a total lunatic otherwise.
“Emergency Escape! Chain Magic!”
Then Hashimoto was the one fleeing. He pulled back after his final combo, then generation skills rained down spells.
“Dash!”
Rokan chased swiftly, but he was too late. Flames and lightning surged anew from Hashimoto’s sword.
‘Damn.’
But the momentum had shifted. Rokan gritted his teeth and charged again.
‘Now.’
The moment the enemy thrust his sword with full power, Rokan threw himself onto it.
“Charge!”
“Elemental Sword, Point Break!”
Splat!
With a burst like a leather drum exploding, part of Rokan’s upper body was pierced. A hole twice the sword’s width tore through his heart. He’d executed the only way to stop Berserk.
“Gurrgh.”
Unable to overcome his momentum, Rokan’s body slid down the sword. And when he finally closed in nose-to-nose, a fierce glint flashed in his fading eyes.
“Got you, bastard.”
Rampage.
The axe of slaughter heralding death danced once more.
“Kraaaah!”
Critical damage-amplified連撃 poured onto Hashimoto in an instant.
Stab stab.
Each rampage made Hashimoto’s sword stir inside him, but it was fine. Berserk was still active.
With two-heart effect, as long as one remained intact, he wouldn’t die instantly. Even as the sword ravaged his insides, he kept swinging the axe.
“Clone Summon!”
He even summoned a clone identical to himself. A full-throttle measure in case the damage fell short.
“Geh…….”
The Elemental Sword dangling near his heart threatened the other if misplaced, but doubting two hearts, Hashimoto recalled it hastily for pure defense.
Not one hit, but two. Hashimoto curled up like a beaten child, channeling Elemental Sword’s power into defense, but the replicated clone’s damage under Berserk was no joke.
Even with reduced stats, gear copied perfectly, attack power up 30% from Berserk, and [Rage] giving 3% chance per hit for 5% attack speed boosts.
It was on par with the original Rokan.
Plus the real one poured attacks nonstop, so even Elemental Sword wavered, and the combo-boosted defense got pierced inevitably.
‘I’ll end it like this!’
Time was short. Elf’s Tear Necklace prevented death by bleeding, but the foe was master level. Who knew what reversal he’d pull.
“Wheel Wind!”
“Wheel Wind!”
Double Wheel Wind!
Weak on defense, but unmatched for sustained damage. Two Rokans spun axes like hurricanes from both sides, unleashing merciless bombardment.
“Damn it!”
Boom!
Then Hashimoto played his last card. Sacrificing not just Elemental Sword’s power but the sword’s entire durability for a massive explosion.
Sword Bomber.
The final skill exploding damage by destroying the weapon burst from him.
“Gah!”
The immense force flung Rokan’s body away.
Followed by another skill.
“Absolute Barrier!”
An absolute defense spell. It wasn’t even his skill originally. Like Rokan, a master-grade defense from an artifact.
Proving it, one accessory crumbled to dust, forming a 5-minute absolute defense barrier around him.
“Fuck…….”
Five minutes. Trivial for some, fatal for Rokan. Berserk’s remaining time was just that.
His 30-minute clone had already vanished, health depleted. Other Berserk effects applied, but not immortality.
Sword Bomber wiped the clone’s health.
‘The guy preaching Knight’s Code does this…….’
Unlike players, self-proclaimed knight NPCs had high pride. Most wouldn’t drop their sword even in death or sully their honor.
But for this fresh master, pride in not losing trumped all. He discarded his life’s sword for a desperate gamble.
‘At least no inventory.’
He’d be stuck fighting through Berserk backlash. The silver lining: NPCs had no inventory.
Meaning the bastard had no more weapons, so while Rokan suffered backlash, Hashimoto fought bare-fisted.
Even master level, combat power would plummet. Biting his lip and glaring, his health began regenerating.
[Elf’s Tear Necklace effect: 1% of max health recovers per second.]
Unique but priceless, the necklace’s effect pulled his body back up.
Berserk backlash would still erase 40% max health instantly, but he had the Investigation Squad Ring.
‘What’s he up to…….’
As all held their breath during the staring contest, Hashimoto subtly turned and fiddled with something.
Probably nothing, but from a guy who’d tossed pride, Rokan stayed alert.
Five minutes later.
[Berserk duration has ended.]
“Guh.”
“Vow Charge!”
Berserk ended, and he dropped Absolute Barrier, diving into the staggering Rokan whose health had been shaved.
[Afflicted with Hialrama’s Deadly Poison.]
[Poison level too high; Hundred Poison Immunity ineffective.]
[100 health decreases per second.]
‘You bastard!’
Poison! Deadly poison beyond remedy. The moment his small round wrist shield bumped, it invaded Rokan’s body.
His 60% health plunged sharply.
Artifact effect? Or cheating?
No time to quibble. He offered his ruined chest and swung the axe to split the skull.
Clang!
The powerful swing shook his skull. The helmet did its final duty, blocking once.
“Knight’s Code! Defensive Stance!”
“Rampage!”
The bastard stacked even defense skills to endure, and Rokan unleashed his finisher.
Spear and shield—no, axe versus shield clash!
It wasn’t about who broke first. This was a battle of time.