The Swordmaster Wants to Fall in Love 55. Monghwanhyang (2)
Come on!
Evan shouted at the giant man standing before him. The giant, who had received Evan’s challenge, cautiously began to unfold his body.
Just as if he had deliberately bent it, the giant’s body started to stretch twice, three times. Evan figured the massive frame was enormous enough to swallow him whole.
After swallowing hard, Evan cautiously placed his hand on his waistband. And only then did he realize.
“Oh, I’m in a dream.”
That there was no sword.
When he saw Evan touching his waistband in bewilderment, the giant cautiously reached out and pressed Evan’s head down with a heavy thud.
Thump, thump.
“……?”
“Kid, this must be your first time, huh? Making a provocation like that in broad daylight.”
“……How did you know?”
“People who want to fight don’t come here. This place is for those who’ve already had their fill of violence and are now here to satisfy whatever desires remain.”
While saying this, the giant laughed heartily. His hand began to thoroughly tousle Evan’s hair.
It was very light, playfully ruffling the strands, but Evan could feel the immense strength behind it. He realized this giant possessed terrifying levels of physical power.
“I’m sorry for starting a fight.”
“Hahaha! If it’s your first time, that’s understandable! It’s also amazing that a little runt like you has wandered onto this street.”
“I’m actually a grown man, you know?”
“Sounds like a grown man. Just by looking at you, I can tell. You’re starting to get joint pain, aren’t you?”
While speaking, the giant poked his own knee with a finger. Hearing this, Evan clamped his mouth shut. It was on the mark.
Just as Evan had spotted that these people were Transcendents by their appearance alone, they had also identified Evan’s issue by his appearance.
“How did they know?”
His limbs had started to ache recently. Since it was a tolerable pain, he had simply not mentioned it to anyone.
Yet it stung a bit that someone who had never seen him before had caught on.
“That’s just growing pains. What kids your age go through.”
“Growing pains…….”
“Yeah. In other words, you’re just a kid experiencing growing pains. By the way, they invited you here in your teens…… I only got invited when I was in my twenties.”
The giant exhaled in admiration and then squeezed the succubus’s breasts while hugging her.
At the same moment the succubus let out a cute squeal, the giant turned and began to leave the spot.
“Anyway, if you want to fight, ask the succubus who came with you. I’ll guide you.”
Leaving the giant waving as he departed, Evan immediately turned to look at Penelope.
She was suppressing giggles, trembling all over. Evan realized he had been the one who had suffered.
“……Penelope?”
“Hah, huuuu— p-p-please, M-Master. Did you have a good time?”
“You knew, didn’t you? That if you want to fight, you should go somewhere else instead of here.”
“Haa, huu. ─Of course I knew.”
“……Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It’s because the Master who charges in like a spoiled brat is so cute…… Oh, I slipped. My true feelings came out.”
Penelope covered her mouth as if she had made a mistake and acted surprised.
“The important thing is the Master’s desires, after all.”
“……Desires?”
“Yes. The Master challenged the first person he saw simply because he wanted to fight right there. Just to satisfy his own desires.”
The succubi here prioritize satisfying the desires of the client they serve above all else. Even if the outcome might not be good, they won’t try to stop it.
If they did stop it, they would be priests instead of succubi, nuns running a pure church.
Hearing this, Evan made a sullen expression and said,
“Please guide me.”
“Of course, Master. Then from now on, the place built for the guests.”
We will take you to the Dream Arena.
As they left the quiet VIP street and entered the circular arena set up in a perfect circle, many spectators sat in the stands watching fights accompanied by drinks, food, or succubi.
Evan looked at the scene with a puzzled expression, wondering how this could be acceptable even if a lot of people were watching.
“Fighting between Transcendents… is it really okay to have so many people watch? They probably won’t like it.”
“It’s fine. They’re just spectators, after all.”
“Huh? They’re not real people? It looks so real!”
“They are real people, though?”
“Then how exactly are they called spectators?”
Puzzled by the question, Penelope manipulated something floating in the air and replied.
“This arena requires a lot of resources to operate. We receive a little bit of each guest’s memory and spiritual energy as they come to watch.”
“……It’s still okay?”
“They came here because they wanted to. What else?”
Even if it meant losing memories, or having to give up additional spiritual energy.
An experience they would never have in real life. The desire to see a fight between two Transcendents, or between a Transcendent and a monster.
People could not resist that desire and willingly handed over their memories and spiritual energy.
It was why the Dream Arena could be operated so casually, despite the enormous cost.
“It’s also what another VIP guest said. If there are no spectators when fighting, it’s not fun. So we have no choice but to keep operating.”
Penelope shook her head with a troubled expression, then noticed everything was ready and opened her mouth.
“Then, Master, will you warm up your body? Or shall I arrange a match with another person right away?”
“……What’s the difference?”
“If you warm up your body, I can recreate the opponent you fought based on your memories. Of course, the opponent will only use the techniques left in your memory, so that’s why it’s called warming up.”
Those who fought and survived left only techniques they remembered. If their skill hadn’t declined, there would be no reason to fight their past opponents, so in Penelope’s words, it was truly just warming up.
Evan fell into thought for a moment, then shook his head and immediately said he would enter the real battle. His body was already boiling with heat, so wasting time on warming up felt too wasteful.
Hearing this, Penelope grinned and spoke.
“Then I’ll put you at the top of the waiting list. Ah, what nickname should we give the Master?”
“Nickname……?”
“Here, no one sees each other’s faces, right? So we hide names too. Well, there are some who use their real names… but whatever happens here stays here, that’s the rule.”
“Do as you please.”
After saying that, Evan roughly took up a sword and started swinging it casually. He had said he didn’t need warming up, but he still needed to get used to the sensation of swinging a sword in a dream.
The sensation wasn’t much different from reality. Before long, Evan had gotten used to it and was catching his breath when── finally, the opponent he was about to face was decided.
[Bunny Princess] vs [Heavenly Horse]
Seeing the nickname that had appeared, Evan was startled and turned to Penelope. She was bouncing with laughter.
“……Penelope?”
“Khh, huuuu- puhuup…!”
“What kind of prank is this!?”
“M-Master. Since you seem to be hiding your identity, khh, if I just call you ‘Princess,’ no one will know the Master is a man. Ahahaha!”
Penelope, who had finally given up and burst out laughing, glared at her as she stepped into the arena.
At the exact moment he stepped onto the arena, Evan could completely forget the grudge he had sent to Penelope.
─Waaaaaaa-!
─Kill them! Eat them!
Thousands, tens of thousands of spectators looking down at him.
And on the opposite side, the opponent emitting an even fiercer aura than the spectators’ pressure.
Swallowing hard, Evan stepped one foot into the arena, and the next moment something slammed into him and sent him flying.
“Hoo, you blocked it.”
Seeing the footprints stamped on the sword, Evan lifted his head slightly and looked at the opponent. Then he let out a chuckle.
“Horse……?”
Standing on two legs was a horse.
A horse with horns on its head.
“Horse!?”
The opponent, Heavenly Horse, furrowed his brow upon hearing Evan’s words.
“I’m a unicorn! Don’t compare me to some ordinary horse!”
“No…….”
Evan let out a snort of hot breath while looking at the angry Heavenly Horse and chuckled.
“A horned horse…….”
“You little──!”
The next moment, the Heavenly Horse charged again.
This time Evan reacted.
Clang!
The Heavenly Horse, having his kick blocked on the sword, looked down at Evan with a troubled expression.
Even though he had no face, Evan could tell he was doing so.
“Why, you’re the first one I’ve blocked.”
Heavenly Robe No Seam.
A supreme sword technique that could even block lightning when pushed to the limit.
Just a kick at insane speed── it was easily blocked.
“It’s my turn now.”
Evan said while gripping the sword handle.
The next moment, nine blades flew toward him.