Chapter 41: Buffalo Dungeon (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 41: Buffalo Dungeon (5)
As the cord wrapped around Murasame unraveled, its razor-sharp blade gradually revealed itself.
Weapon stood with a look of absolute readiness, his lips tightly pursed around the mouthpiece of his recorder.
I gave him a nod and stepped forward, looking down at Murasame, now almost completely stripped of its bindings.
'This is my first time using it in real combat.'
The weapon itself was one thing, but the real gamble was facing an enemy without relying on the Blessing of Painlessness.
Fortunately, even though Murasame was only E-rank, its quality was leagues above a Daixo Sashimi knife, and I had Weapon's support to back me up.
Still, it was bound to be painful enough to make me grimace. A shiver ran down my spine at the thought of the agonizing pain that was about to hit me.
I raised my gaze slightly and looked straight ahead.
The half-human, half-bull magical beast approached, its nostrils flaring. Its majestic, piercing gaze was that of a true warrior—as if it had been eagerly waiting for a worthy opponent.
Seeing that, my furrowed brow began to smooth out. Come to think of it, even when we were noisily swallowed by this hidden dungeon, the beast hadn't made a move.
The Minotaur had only opened its eyes when I drew Murasame to slash the door. Its ears had twitched, as if catching the faint ring of steel.
Moreover, it had plenty of opportunities to launch a surprise attack. Yet, it chose to light up the cavern and wait for me to finish preparing.
‘…….’
Trapped inside this sealed hidden dungeon, how long had the Minotaur and the twin beasts been waiting here?
I met the Minotaur's gaze. Its eyes were locked solely on me. The twin beasts had also spread out, keeping their distance, as if determined not to interfere with the impending duel.
Their behavior was remarkably reverent for magical beasts. I couldn't view them as mere beasts anymore. A chuckle escaped my lips at the thought.
They were simply a trial. In the original storyline, they were meant to be a crucible to temper the protagonist, Leon.
I gripped the hilt of Murasame with renewed resolve.
I recalled the mindscape sparring I had with the old Sword Emperor a few days ago. The sparks that flew when our blades clashed—that was more than enough to ignite a swordsman's heart.
My chest, usually cold and detached, burned like red-hot iron at the mere thought of swinging my sword.
'At this rate, I might actually grow fond of these beasts.'
Shaking my head with a wry smile, I looked forward. Even though it was an enemy of humanity, I wanted to clash weapons with this Minotaur with everything I had.
"Moooooooooooo!"
As if responding to my resolve, the Minotaur threw back its head and roared. Hot steam billowed from its nostrils.
The twin beasts leveled their spears. Their movements were slow, but their heavy steps gouged deep into the ground.
Ssshh.
"You must have been bored all this time. I'll play with you a bit longer than usual."
The pointed tip of my sashimi blade caught the torchlight, scattering brilliant sparks of light. I closed my eyes and took a short, sharp breath.
[The Blessing of the Sword God is manifested.]
An intellectual female voice echoed in my ears as my eyes slowly drifted open.
++++++++++++++++++++++
《May the Blessing of God be with you.》
++++++++++++++++++++++
Immediately after, Speed Weapon's melody pierced my eardrums like needles.
* * *
Kang Geomma’s face contorted in agony. A sharp pain, as if his lungs were being pierced, flared within him. He forced down the bloody phlegm rising in his throat.
He wanted to scream and writhe in pain, but he managed to limit his reaction to a mere tremble of his lips.
A single moment of distraction could mean the difference between life and death. Geomma focused his vision, forcing his eyes wide open.
“…Haah.”
White steam leaked through his clenched teeth. Facing him, the Minotaur snorted, hot breath puffing past its nose ring.
The heat radiating from both human and beast filled the cavern. The air, thick with a mixture of intellect and wild instinct, settled into a tense silence.
Piiii-ri-ri-ri!
The sound of Speed Weapon's recorder rang out, signaling the start of the duel.
Even with the pain-reduction blessing active, the agony clawed at his insides. Yet, Geomma raised his head and grinned. If anything, the excruciating pain tearing through his body made him feel more alive than ever.
"Moooooooooooo!"
The Cow King let out a thunderous battle cry. Slamming the butt of its spear against the ground, it charged at Geomma. It was a beastly charge. The torches on the walls flickered wildly with every thundering hoofbeat.
Dash!
Geomma dashed forward, his arms hanging loose.
He wasn't as fast as usual, but his movements felt freer than ever.
Now that the Blessing of Painlessness was gone, his dormant combat instincts awakened his senses. He could feel the hilt of the sword pressed firmly against his palm. The corners of Geomma's mouth curled upward.
Crash!
The Cow King’s axe slammed down with terrifying force. Geomma dodged by simply twisting his upper body. A few strands of black hair, sheared off by the sheer wind pressure, drifted slowly through the air.
Utilizing the momentum of his twist, Geomma swung his arm. The crescent arc of his blade aimed straight for the beast's arm.
Clang!
The Cow King angled its spear shaft to block the strike, then immediately retaliated. The fierce axe blade swept through the space Geomma had occupied a split second prior.
The beast's kinetic vision tracked the human. Geomma's shadow flickered in the air. Airborne, Geomma curled his body to gain momentum and lunged forward.
The screech of metal grinding against metal echoed through the cavern. The human's sword strikes came from bizarre, unpredictable angles. Even when the beast turned toward the sound, it found itself chasing nothing but Geomma's shadow.
Clang!
The beast's massive arms trembled as they blocked the blow. It was a heavy, crushing force, unbelievable for a human half its size. Thick veins bulged along the beast's muscular arms.
"Moo!"
The Cow King snorted and swung its spear shaft to force Geomma back.
Their entangled weapons parted. Geomma executed a breakfall, his movements so fluid and acrobatic that even the beast seemed mesmerized.
The Cow King thrust its axe forward, utilizing the superior reach of its weapon and massive frame. As the battle progressed, a cold intellect began to temper the beast's bloodthirsty instincts.
The ominously glowing axe blade slammed deep into the ground. As the beast's muscles flexed, the very earth trembled.
Boom!
A cloud of dust erupted from the impact. The Cow King quickly scanned the area, trying to locate its target.
"M-Moo?!"
Geomma was standing casually atop the spear shaft, balanced like a coiled snake. The cow's wide, clear eyes stretched even wider. The pupils of the onlookers dilated in shock.
"Unbelievable..."
Saki Ryozo muttered, catching a glimpse of Geomma's fierce battle.
Seizing that brief distraction, Zuoujeong's spear swept toward her in a crescent arc. Ryozo bent backward to dodge the strike, then immediately loosed an arrow, aiming for the beast's blind spot.
Thwip! Thwip!
In a split second, she calculated the thermal updrafts, air density, and light refraction, translating the data into perfect physical movement.
Every arrow she nocked flew with lethal precision, striking the enemy's vital points without a single wasted motion.
Though the beast was no easy opponent, it stood no chance against her meticulous calculations combined with the S-rank Armament, Red Bow, White Arrow. Before long, the beast was riddled with arrows like a hedgehog.
"Phew, that's mostly taken care of."
Catching her breath, Ryozo wiped the sweat from her brow and turned her gaze toward Geomma. Her eyes widened in astonishment.
She had assumed Geomma would rely on his superhuman speed to fight the Minotaur.
Instead, he had slowed down and was overpowering the beast through sheer physical force. Normally, a human's physical strength couldn't even compare to a magical beast's claws.
Yet, the massive beast was slowly buckling under Geomma's pressure. Ryozo's sharp archer's eyes quickly deduced the reason.
It was the absolute pinnacle of technical precision.
By perfectly coordinating his muscle groups, posture, stride, and potential energy, his sword strikes relentlessly targeted the beast's weak points, systematically destroying its center of gravity.
Even a magical beast was still a mammal. It couldn't exert its full strength when its joints were forced in unnatural directions. As proof, the Minotaur's massive frame tottered under the weight of Geomma's relentless onslaught.
Of course, this was all theoretical. The gap between theory and actual combat was as vast as heaven and earth.
Even a seasoned master would easily lose their composure when their life hung by a thread. Only a lifetime of experience could suppress such mental agitation.
As far as Ryozo knew, there was only one person capable of such a feat.
"...The Sword Emperor, Siegfried."
Ryozo muttered under her breath. Rumors had been circulating that Geomma had sparred with the Sword Emperor a few days ago—and that the Sword Emperor had actually unleashed his Aura against a mere cadet. Her mind raced.
As she connected the dots, the fragmented thoughts in her mind began to fall into place.
'Could it be...?'
Ryozo's eyes widened as she stared at Geomma.
Geomma adjusted his grip on his hilt. Sliding his foot along the spear shaft, he glided forward.
The beast realized.
This human was no ordinary opponent. He was the worthy adversary it had waited ages for—no, he was something far greater. The Cow King opened its mouth, its surprisingly even, herbivore-like teeth gleaming white.
Geomma's figure was reflected clearly in the Cow King's large, dark eyes. A long, trailing crimson light gleamed in the human's gaze.
Confronted by this sword-wielding demon, the beast's instincts momentarily paralyzed its massive body.
Driven into a corner, the Cow King instinctively threw a punch. It lacked sharp claws, but the sheer force of the blow was enough to punch a hole through any ordinary creature with a mere graze.
Geomma flicked his wrist, aligning his blade. He didn't dodge the incoming fist. Instead, the razor-sharp edge met the brutal punch head-on.
—Slash!
The cold blade sliced vertically through the air. Passing straight through the heavy fist, a red line split open all the way up to the beast's shoulder.
As Geomma ripped the blade free from the flesh, the Cow King's arm split open like a blooming flower.
"Moooooooo!"
The Cow King shrieked, its snout gaping wide. A primal emotion that paralyzed all reason—fear—seeped into the beast's soul.
Geomma glanced back to assess the rest of the battlefield.
Beads of sweat rolled down Speed Weapon's forehead as he frantically blew into his recorder. His face was deathly pale, and his pursed lips had turned blue from exhaustion.
Nearby, Chloe drove her katana deep into Uoujeong's neck. The beast snorted weakly, coughing up blood. As she wrenched the blade free, a fountain of crimson sprayed from its neck.
"...Geomma-kun."
Chloe stared at Geomma, biting her lower lip.
Watching Geomma push his body to its absolute limits to fight, warm tears began to stream down her cheeks.
Watching Chloe from the side, Ryozo took a deep breath. An inexplicable emotion welled up from deep within her.
Geomma glanced back and offered a faint smile. At that sight, Ryozo felt a strange flutter in her chest.
With a violent wrench, the Minotaur ripped its axe from the ground with one hand. It was clear its next strike would be its last.
"Moooooooooooo!"
Letting out a roar to rally its strength, the beast lowered its head, pointing the wicked horns on its temples forward. It was completely consumed by murderous rage.
"Kang Geomma! Finish it!"
The words slipped from Ryozo's lips before she could stop them. Her usual lethargic demeanor was completely gone.
Geomma closed his eyes, then slowly opened them. As he did, the raging flames of his passion suddenly began to subside.
“Haah.”
Geomma exhaled a long, hot breath. Weapon, who was playing his recorder with everything he had, nearly missed a beat at the sudden, drastic shift in Geomma's aura.
'This is different.'
Instead of his usual low, crouching stance, Geomma stood perfectly upright, his fingers wrapped tightly around his hilt.
The torches that had been burning brightly along the walls were suddenly snuffed out by a freezing gust of wind that swept through the cavern.
Darkness fell in an instant. Amidst the chilling silence, Geomma held Murasame steady and composed his breathing.
The wind began to flow backward. An artificial pressure weighed down on the entire cavern, heavy enough to crush one's shoulders.
Then, a brilliant blue flame flared to life, reflecting in the wide, stunned eyes of the onlookers.
Whoosh!
A surreal, otherworldly energy began to ripple against the backdrop of the pitch-black cavern.
Wrapped in a brilliant Aura, a chilling hum resonated from the sashimi blade.