[You have been revived.]
As his vision cleared, his consciousness reconnected to the moment before death. Before reading the message window that appeared, Yuda had to suppress the rage boiling deep within. He saw Ea, right in front of him, swinging her longsword upward to activate the martial knight skill 〈Abyss〉 Reflexively, he stopped himself from thrusting his dagger and used an evasion technique.
─Shadow Swordsmanship, Form 4
──Phantom Blade
With a slight mana cost, a shadow burst from Yuda’s body. He was flung backward, while the innocent shadow held its ground, only to be torn apart by Ea’s longsword.
“Such bizarre techniques!”
Her critical strike failing, Ea frowned and shouted. But when her eyes met Yuda’s as he rose from rolling on the ground, she flinched sharply. The boy, who moments ago lacked a piercing gaze, now glared with intent to kill, as if facing a sworn enemy. For a moment, that look instilled fear in her. Unable to accept the emotion, Ea glared back sharply.
“How dare you…!”
She tried to shout to shake off her fear, but Yuda’s charge cut her off. Lowering his stance and launching forward, his speed was astonishing.
‘What the…?’
Was he even human? A beastly glint shone from his eyes, lingering in the air like an afterimage, revealing his movements. Ea raised her longsword.
Clang!
“Ugh!”
The sword felt so heavy it drew a groan from her.
‘To be pushed back by a sword like this!’
Gritting her teeth and scowling, Ea deflected the sword but had to retreat under the relentless attacks. Perhaps due to exhaustion from fighting the blue lance knight, her stamina seemed at its limit.
Swish!
The moment she tilted her head to the side, the dagger narrowly grazed her cheek. Along with the sharp sting, she saw blood splatter. Ea’s eyes narrowed as she kneeled and thrust her knee into the approaching Yuda. With a grunt and a definite impact, Eah smiled. As if intending to create some distance, Yuda swung the dagger, but Eah leisurely stepped back. She had thought she had struck his solar plexus, but seeing him still standing with no significant injury, she swung her blade once more.
Shaa!
Perhaps catching her breath briefly while retreating or drawing strength from Yuda’s pained expression, her sword swung more sharply. But despite the force, the result was lackluster.
Lowering his stance to dodge the first sword, Yuda leaped acrobatically to avoid the second thrust, springing off the ground. It was an unexpected move. Jumping into the air, he stepped on Ea’s shoulder, moving behind her.
“Huh?”
She unknowingly widened her eyes in surprise and let out a confused sound. In a hurry, she turned her back and swung her sword.
Clang──!
As Yuda’s sword clashed, a harsh chank sounded, and her longsword broke. Fragments flew wildly. Trying to retreat to defend against the next attack, she saw Yuda step back instead.
‘What?’
It was a perfect chance to attack, so why did he abandon it? Instead of charging, Yuda stood there, slashing at the empty air as if she were still in front of him.
“Ha, scared or something?”
The martial knight smirked, curling her lip, and charged. As her longsword swung toward Yuda, a black shadow burst from his body. The same shadow as before, a mere punching bag that did nothing.
But this time, it was a bit different. The shadow mimicked Yuda’s earlier slash at the air. Yet, it was still torn apart by her longsword, no different from before. Behind the dissolving shadow, Yuda appeared.
“!”
Black particles gathered into the bastard sword in Yuda’s hand, transforming into a conical lance. Her dual swords were lowered, having just torn the shadow, too late to dodge and too weak to swing. Frowning, she shouted.
“Don’t fool around───!”
Yuda saw the red aura swirling around Ea’s dual swords. He remembered clearly.
The swordsmanship that crossed the blades in an X-shape while lowered, amplifying the blade’s edge instantly. It was the martial knight’s 〈Abyss〉. He wouldn’t forget it. Just minutes ago, this technique had killed him.
Shrrk!
Her Abyss not only countered Yuda’s 〈Shadow Swordsmanship - Single Point〉 but also sliced through his bastard sword. It had incredible attack power. Even after pouring more mana into it, anticipating the counter, it still ended like this.
‘Oh, damn.’
To think he would lose the sword bestowed by the lord. Clicking his tongue, Yuda released the bastard sword’s handle and immediately activated his shadow technique.
─Shadow Sorcery, Form 4
──Lesser Black Gear Crafting
Mana particles surged from his palms at incredible speed, forming two swords.
Yuda lowered the swords in both hands, mimicking the exact stance Ea used for〈Abyss〉. A technique he could only use after surviving or taking it directly.
“Didn’t I tell you?”
Yuda’s eyes met Ea’s. Her smirk from cutting his bastard sword faded, her eyes widening, pupils contracting in shock. Seeing this, he couldn’t help but smile.
─Shadow Swordsmanship, Form 5
──Mimicry - Abyss
Black mana swirled at the tip of the shadowy bastard sword.
Facing her incredulous expression, Yuda swung the sword upward.
Shaa!
“You’re dead.”
Her leather armor’s meager defense couldn’t stop it. Like Yuda before, her wound gaped, blood spurted, and organs spilled out. This was his second time cutting down a person. Unlike slaying countless beasts, his heart raced, but it soon calmed. With a thud, she collapsed, her eyes losing focus.
“Damn… it, to lose to a kid like…”
She couldn’t finish her sentence and collapsed forward. A massive pool of blood quickly formed around her. The shadow-crafted swords in Yuda's hands dissolved into the air, and the black shapes that had covered the ground were drawn back into his shadow.
[You have leveled up!]
Staring blankly at Ea’s corpse, Yuda snapped back at the message. Leveled up? He could only let out a hollow laugh. To waste a precious save in a place like this.
‘This is a problem.’
Yuda pointlessly clenched and unclenched his hands.
“Hoo…”
He had defeated her somehow, but he wasn’t exactly thrilled. Narrowing his eyes at the martial knight’s body, Yuda took her intact longsword and the ring from her finger.
[Acquired Martial Knight (Trainee) Longsword.]
[Acquired Chaeya Family Ring.]
──────────────────────────────
[Name: Martial knight (Trainee) Longsword for Family Glory]
[Rank: Rare _ Famed Sword]
[Equipment: Longsword]
[Durability: 26/40]
[Attack Power: 60]
[Effects]
Strength +1, Agility +1
[Description]
A longsword used by trainee knights of the Baekje Empire’s imperial knight order, martial knights.
Martial knights are divided into Trainee, Mid-tier, High-tier, and Ultimacy ranks, with materials varying by rank.
Crafted by imperial blacksmiths, its quality is exceptional, and they come in pairs.
A martial knight’s sword holds significant value on its own, and returning it to the empire can yield a reward.
-Martial knight (Passive): When using martial knight swordsmanship, skill activation speed increases by 10%.
-Craftsman’s Skill (Passive): Made by a master craftsman, it gains additional durability and attack power bonuses.
-Code [Glory]: For Family Glory
└Health and mana recovery speed +10%, attack power +15, equipment durability consumption rate reduced by 50% when using skills.
──────────────────────────────
[Name: Chaeya Family Ring]
[Rank: Unique]
[Equipment: Ring]
[Effects]
Mana Defense/Resistance +10%
[Description]
A ring proving membership in the Chaeya family of the Baekje Empire, a form of identification.
Made of silver with less ornate patterns, it doesn’t seem to signify a direct descendant.
-Chaeya Family (Passive): A martial family renowned for swordsmanship, producing martial knights for generations. Grants a bonus to swordsmanship proficiency.
-Purification (Passive): Purifies poison in the body. When poisoned, the ring’s color changes first to signal danger.
──────────────────────────────
The longsword had a code embedded. He checked the broken one for a code, but sadly, there was none. Yuda stored the ring and longsword from the martial knight in his 〈Inventory〉 and turned to approach Jeanne.
“Impressive, defeating a martial knight.”
She praised Yuda in a slightly weary voice. But he couldn’t take the compliment gladly, frowning at the blood dripping from the gap in her right arm’s armor. The armor obscured the wound’s condition, but leaving such bleeding unattended seemed dangerous.
“Dame Jeanne, let’s talk later and treat your wound first. You can remove the armor, right? Take it off.”
Jeanne looked at Yuda through the visor’s slit. She tried to nod but closed her eyes, dizzy from the prolonged bleeding. Clutching her fading consciousness, she dispelled the mana sustaining her armor.
Her lance, shield, armor, and helmet all turned into silver particles, dissolving into the air. The gear, inscribed with lightweight magic and other enchantments, vanished. Free from the armor’s pressure, her tension eased, and her legs gave out. She slumped against the wall.
────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
***Author’s Note***
Ta-da, posted another chapter!
Wish it would rain.
It’s hot as hell.
No more stockpile now.
Hoot hoot, shihoot…
──────────────────────────────
Translator’s Notes:
For reference:
Shadow Sorcery
└Shadow Sorcery Form 1 – Shadow Spread
└Shadow Sorcery Form 2 – Demon Eye Open/Seal
└Shadow Sorcery Form 3 – Afterimage
└Shadow Sorcery Form 4 – Lesser Black Gear Crafting
└Shadow Sorcery Form 5 – Guardian Shadow Wall
Shadow Swordsmanship
└Shadow Swordsmanship Form 1 – Potential Unleash
└Shadow Swordsmanship Form 2 – Slash
└Shadow Swordsmanship Form 3 – Single Point
└Shadow Swordsmanship Form 4 – Phantom Blade
└Shadow Swordsmanship Form 5 – Mimicry
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