Chapter 351 |
Flashback
"I'm not particularly fond of this proposal."
At the words of the Tarot Card Magician, Seon-yul, a quiet silence fell over the temporary meeting hall. She looked around at everyone with eyes that held a mystical glow before continuing in a graceful tone.
"Gathering those with special powers into a separate team to prepare for unforeseen variables... This... sounds just like a five-minute standby squad, doesn't it?"
A five-minute standby squad. In a way, she wasn't wrong. The problem, if there was one, was the subtle, mocking tone in her voice.
"Hmm. User Seon-yul. We won't know for sure until we arrive, but the possibilities can be divided into two scenarios."
"Either they have something, or they don't."
As Seon-yul nodded as if she already knew everything, the Goryeo Lord sighed, a slightly uncomfortable look on his face.
"That's right. The latter case isn't a problem, but if it's the former, we must prepare for the worst. Barbara is practically the heart of the Northern Continent. Of course, our forces are far superior. The fact that they haven't made a move yet suggests they likely have some trick up their sleeve. Therefore, to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances, we must be thorough..."
Despite the Goryeo Lord's earnest tone, Seon-yul didn't back down. As I quietly listened to their conversation, I suddenly became curious about her Player Status.
"It's fine to do it. But why pull people who are currently in command of their respective squads? As I recall, there was a lot of talk about the team compositions even before we departed... Am I wrong?"
"Well..."
"A lot of time has passed since we left the city. And we're about to pass the halfway point. Take me, for example. I've only just gotten used to commanding my squad, and now you want me to suddenly join this team. Even if we put me aside for a moment, I think this could also leave a bad impression on the Users currently under my command. In any case, if you really want to implement this proposal, shouldn't you do it in a way that doesn't affect the current team structure?"
As if she had finished saying what she wanted, Seon-yul paused and leisurely crossed her legs. Then, in a voice dripping with sultry charm, she spoke.
"It feels a bit strange for me to say this, but... just looking around, it seems there are more than enough people here to form a team. Hoho."
"Fuck, listen to her talk. That damn unlucky sow."
At that moment, hearing the youthful voice that flowed in like a whisper, I glanced to my side.
Did she just turn seventeen, maybe eighteen? I could see the Reverse Lord sitting next to me with her arms crossed. She was scowling deeply, clearly displeased with the Tarot Card Magician. On top of that, she was shaking her leg restlessly—an attitude that screamed delinquent at a glance.
I looked at Seon-yul again. She was the leader of the 3rd Squad, a unit composed of Mage-class Users, which was considered the most crucial fighting force in our army.
In other words, Seon-yul was telling them not to pull people out of important positions, but to target those who were sitting around idly.
So, I could somewhat understand why the Reverse Lord was reacting so strongly. Despite being the lord of a fairly large clan, she hadn't been given any command. And it was the same for me.
"Does she think commanding a squad is some great position of power?"
What really matters is one's performance in the war. I chuckled inwardly and activated the Third Eye.
Player Status
1. Name: Seon-yul (6-Year)
2. Class: Tarot Card Magician (Secret, Master)
3. Nation: Barbara
4. Clan: Magic Tower (Clan Rank: A Plus)
5. True Name - Nationality: Chaste Enchantress (妖精) - Republic of Korea
6. Sex: Female (28)
7. Height - Weight: 170.8cm - 54.6kg
8. Disposition: Lady - Obscene
[Strength 42] [Durability 48] [Agility 72(+2)] [Stamina 56] [Magic Power 98(+4)] [Luck 86]
(Remaining stat points: 0)
Stat Comparison
1. Kim Yu-hyeon: Total 537 Points
(Remaining stat points: 0)
[Strength 70] [Durability 87] [Agility 91(+3)] [Stamina 97] [Magic Power 97(+2)] [Luck 95(+1)]
2. Seon-yul: Total 402 Points
(Remaining stat points: 0)
[Strength 42] [Durability 48] [Agility 72(+2)] [Stamina 56] [Magic Power 98(+4)] [Luck 86]
?
The moment I saw Seon-yul's Player Status, I felt a sense of bewilderment. I could overlook the other things, but her True Name and Disposition were truly something else. On the outside, she projected the image of a graceful woman with a mystical air, but her inner self was the complete opposite.
"Good grief. You really can't judge a book by its cover. This is why the Third Eye is so useful."
Just then, as I was about to marvel at the usefulness of the Third Eye, the Goryeo Lord's voice broke me out of my thoughts.
"Hoo. I suppose there is certainly some truth to your words."
His tone was thick with resignation, but as he said, Seon-yul's point wasn't entirely wrong. As proof, even those who seemed quite eloquent were keeping their mouths shut this time.
"It seems we need to give that matter more thought. In any case, I will try to find a solution that causes minimal disruption. With that, we will conclude today's meeting."
At the declaration that the meeting was over, a few Users stood up with satisfied expressions. Of course, they were in the minority.
"Ah. Queen of Swords, a moment. Could you please remain here? I have something to discuss with you privately."
Seeing Nam Da-eun sit back down at the Goryeo Lord's request, I turned and walked out of the meeting hall.
.
What did they talk about back then?
To be frank, the reality was that the Queen of Swords and I had no connection whatsoever. Nevertheless, the fact that she, a woman with misandry, had called me out separately made me think she likely had a reason.
"How far are we going?"
A good while had passed since I'd followed Nam Da-eun out of the campsite. The camp was no longer in sight, and only a desolate silence lingered in the dark fields.
At that moment, Nam Da-eun, who had been walking ahead, came to a sudden halt. She seemed to glance around before slowly turning to face me.
"Mercenary Lord. I understand you are a Swordsman-type Secret Class, a Sword Expert. Is that correct?"
It was a sudden question, but it was already a known fact, so I could only nod.
"If you mean a master of swordsmanship, then yes."
"And you're still a 0-year User, correct?"
"Yes."
"Then... is it true that you captured the Butcher of the Inferno, Baek Seo-yeon, in a one-on-one fight and took her prisoner?"
I didn't answer right away. I kept my mouth shut for a moment and stared at Nam Da-eun. As if sensing my gaze, she quickly added.
"I heard the story of your return from Mule. As a rumor."
A rumor. Her words carried an inscrutable, profound meaning.
In any case, I didn't want to be interrogated any further, nor did I have any desire to spend time with a woman who had misandry, so I decided to take the initiative.
"Did the Goryeo Lord perhaps tell you something privately at the last meeting?"
""
Nam Da-eun showed no reaction for a while. But that was only for a moment. Soon, she gave a faint nod, seeming to confirm my suspicion.
"I received a request from the Goryeo Lord. He's extremely sensitive about the possibility of unexpected variables arising. That's why he believes we need skilled individuals who can react quickly to any situation."
"Hmm."
"However, the already known experts are in command positions, and most of them aren't very receptive to the Goryeo Lord's idea."
"In that case... Ah. So that's why you came to me."
"Yes. The Mercenary Lord is not currently a commander, but you have the potential to be a skilled fighter."
Recruiting Users who wouldn't affect the current structure. This meant they were opening up the possibility to hidden talents as well. But since those talents wouldn't just come rolling in on their own, they had to go out and find them directly.
The word "potential" bothered me a little, but I could now understand why Nam Da-eun had sought me out. I was the lord of the Mercenary Clan, and my clan, myself included, was overflowing with Secret and Rare classes.
Shing.
The answer came in the form of a drawn sword.
"Then, if you don't mind, could we exchange a few blows?"
"—Very well."
Nam Da-eun's subsequent actions were swift. Even though I hadn't finished preparing, I began to feel an explosive flow of magic power.
Soon, Nam Da-eun's sword was pointed straight at me. It was thin and beautiful, but at a glance, it didn't seem particularly special.
Wooooong!
But the moment I heard the sword hum, I was forced to revise my assessment. A mystical light flickered across the entire blade before transferring to Nam Da-eun, causing her whole body to emit a faint glow.
It was an aura. It was hard to describe, but it was similar to the Battle Angel Valkyrie that had appeared in the Tower of Valhalla—an aura full of dignity and grace.
Yes, it felt as if I were standing before the Queen of Swords.
"Is she trying to test my skills, or is this a fight to the death? Or... is it an Authority?"
I let out a soft sigh and quietly brought a hand to my ear.
Fuwoosh!
The earring then emitted a clear light, soon forming the beautiful shape of Victoria's Glory. I could see a flicker of surprise in Nam Da-eun's otherwise calm eyes, as if she had never seen such a thing before.
And, in that instant,
「Activating Potential Ability, Sword: Human Unity (Rank: EX)」
The latent ability of 'Victoria's Glory,' 'King's Dignity,' is activated. User: Kim Soohyun's Magic Power stat is 96. Luck stat is 90. Calculating... Judged as S-rank.
The mysterious aura pressing down on me vanished as if washed away the moment I held Victoria's Glory. I could feel the queen's oppressive aura, which had been pressing in from all directions, falter for a moment. Countering it with the King's Dignity had been the right answer.
"Or one of the right answers, to be precise."
In any case, the battle had already begun. I considered her first move to have been when she pressured me with that Authority or magic power. It wasn't in my nature to just sit back and take it. The proper etiquette was to return what I'd received—with interest.
"Well then. I look forward to our exchange."
After uttering that single phrase as a minimum courtesy, I aimed for the center of Nam Da-eun's chest and kicked off the ground hard.
Clang!
But, as if she had expected it, Nam Da-eun blocked my strike by holding her sword at an angle. I struck with the flat of my blade; she blocked with the edge. Blue magic power was already blooming from both of our swords.
I pushed down hard, following the momentum of my strike.
Kiiiling...!
"Ngh?!"
Pffh.
For a moment, I almost burst out laughing at the un-empress-like yelp, but I barely managed to hold it in. However, I couldn't suppress a faint snort, and I saw Nam Da-eun's expression change drastically.
Shwing!
The Queen of Swords deflected my blade and quickly retreated, only to lunge forward again at high speed, aiming for a single point. A meteor-like strike came for my chest, but I followed its trajectory and struck down hard with the flat of my blade once more.
CRASH!
A massive crash, loud enough to make me worry her sword had broken, echoed all around. The shockwave from our magic-infused clash was strong enough to shred the grass in the field.
Fortunately, the Queen of Swords's sword was unharmed. However, she frowned slightly, and the tip of her sword trembled faintly, a sign that the recoil had shocked her wrist.
This made two things clear. One, my Strength was higher than the Queen of Swords's. And two, my Magic Power also surpassed hers. Well, if not that, it could also be an equipment effect.
The Queen of Swords swiftly put distance between us. Her chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath. Though her face was filled with surprise, her eyes remained calm. I didn't know if she'd had many difficult experiences, but her attitude of never underestimating an opponent was certainly commendable.
"Mercenary Lord. You've been striking only with the flat of your blade."
"If I used the edge, there'd be trouble."
What the Queen of Swords said was true. And I had been doing it intentionally. If I used the edge and ended up cutting her precious sword, I had no idea what I'd hear, so I had been holding back.
In any case, this wasn't a life-or-death battle, just a test of skill. I was about to sheathe my sword, thinking it was best to stop here, when I saw the Queen of Swords take her stance again.
""
I hesitated for a moment, but I decided to oblige her. Users with high fighting spirit rarely admit defeat. I needed to break her spirit here and now so she wouldn't bother me again later.
So, determined to end this in a single exchange, I carefully observed the Queen of Swords's stance.
"Another thrust?"
The Queen of Swords had been using thrusts continuously. It certainly had its advantages. It was tricky to block and easy to accelerate. But it lacked variation and was too simple. If you couldn't overwhelm your opponent with speed, you were wide open for a counter—that was the thrust's greatest weakness.
Since I'd decided to end it as quickly as possible, there was no need to wait. I took a step forward, shifting my weight, and angled my upper body and knees. Then, with a kick of my back foot, I shot forward.
Pang!
At the same time, the Queen of Swords also charged straight ahead, executing a single-point thrust.
Just as we were about to enter each other's range, I saw the Queen of Swords extend her arm fully. My sword was still held high. Her intention was to aim for my neck before I could even react.
And in that moment, I was certain of my victory.
I didn't know how it would be in a real battle, but as long as there was no killing intent, the difference in technique would decide the winner.
Just before the blade reached my neck, I leaned my body slightly to the left. Because I had ducked low, my left hand quickly touched the ground. In that fleeting moment, I projected magic into the ground, then pulled it back up as if yanking on it.
Ssk.
As a result, the Queen of Swords's sword grazed past my cheek by a hair's breadth.
Nam Da-eun's eyes widened, as if she never expected me to duck even lower from that position. Instead of sliding forward, I used the magic in my left hand to propel myself into a wide spin. In an instant, my body flipped halfway over.
I could see the sky. And slightly to my right, I saw the elegant sword pass by in a straight line, followed by the Queen of Swords's slender right arm.
In that instant, I unhesitatingly struck Nam Da-eun's right arm with the flat of my blade.
Thwack!
"Kyaaak!"
The result was as expected.
A high-pitched soprano scream rang out, and then I saw the sword the Queen of Swords had been holding fly through the air.